News •
Wednesday, June 17
Morning and Afternoon Business
By Lois Speelman
Morning business session •
General Conference Constitutional Amendments
The conference cast their votes for the constitutional amendments.
Resolutions
Resolution 2009-01: “Third World No More”
The purpose of this resolution is to re-educate the East Ohio Conference to refrain from using the term Third World to refer to the people of former colonial countries and their citizens. The term Third World is offensive and implies discrimination. Submitted by Commission on Religion and Race, Rev. Armando Arelleno, chair Resolution adopted.
Bishop’s Three C’s Presentation
The Churches Clinics and Classrooms Report waspresented by a number of mission representatives. Beth Ferrell, conference mission interpreter, introduced Beatrice Gbanga to the conference. She is serving as the Medical Coordinator in the Sierra Leone Annual Conference. Gbanga expressed her gratitude to the East Ohio Conference for their support of mission work in her home conference and in Liberia.
Rev. Dr. Matt McClung told the conference members of a Volunteer in Mission opportunity to Liberia. The team will travel to Liberia January 26-February 8, 2010. Dr. Gary Olin spoke of the Judith Olin Memorial which will be used to help fund a missionary home in Camphor, Liberia. Judith Olin, former Director of Connectional Ministry and an ordained elder in East Ohio Conference, passed away four years ago. She was deeply touched by ministry efforts in Africa especially with children. To date, more than $10,000 has been donated.
Harry Askin, a lay person from the Westlake UMC has led a number of mission teams to Russia. He reported on mission efforts to establish churches in that country. Rev. Howard Pippin spoke about establishing mission opportunities in Zimbabwe in the midst of a weak economy and political turmoil. East Ohio efforts will focus on providing a school in the Kensington area.
The final speaker was Rev. Kathy Dickriede. She and her husband, Dr. Danny Dickriede, will receive missionary support from East Ohio Conference as they work in Liberia.
Bishop’s Three C’s Offering
Members of The East Ohio Conference donated $59,149.00 to the Churches, Clinics and Classrooms initiative.
Episcopal Address
“Friends, if there was ever a time to rethink church, now is the time,” Hopkins said during the annual Episcopal Address. Hopkins encouraged members to step outside their comfort zones and realize that in order to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, all United Methodists must rethink church.
“If ever there was a time to embrace change, seek innovation and demonstrate faith, now is the time.” Hopkins said.
The Episcopal Address will be posted in its entirety as soon as it is made available.
Afternoon business session •
The Conference Council on Youth Ministries
The Conference Council on Youth Ministries led devotions and challenged the cabinet to a “Dance-Off,” which will be held tonight at 7:30. Sarah Tibbets, outgoing president of CCYM, shared some of the experiences at Youth Annual Conference. Nathan Murphey, incoming CCYM president introduced the dates for the Youth of Ohio United 09 event in Columbus, Ohio. This is a new youth event sponsored by East and West Ohio Conference which will be held October 31-November 1.
Board of Congregational Development
Dana Fleming, chair of the Board on Congregational Development began this report with reference to social media. The report took the shape of a FAITHBOOK site.
Pat Christ, Redevelopment Team coordinator, reported on the 4th session of Ministry Summit 2. Over 40 churches were represented. There will be training at the district level on the new demographic website (MissionInsite). David MacDonald reported on activities with Urban Ministry. The North Central Jurisdictional Urban Ministry event, to be held January 5-7, will include the following speakers: Vance Ross from the General Board of Discipleship and Bishop Gregory Palmer. Scholarships are also available for training events.
The New Church Development Team leader, Sol Hill shared that there are 12 new churches in the conference. Four are new church starts, three are re-starts and five are vital mergers. A video message from David Rittgers, Orchard Path, highlighted servant evangelism.
Don Richards, Evangelism team, presented Doris Brown from Navarre Otterbein UMC with the Denman Award for Evangelism. In 2010 the Evangelism Team will sponsor an Academy of Evangelism.
Crosspoint UMC, one of East Ohio’s new church starts was featured during a video presentation because of their strong and effective invitational ministry.
Walt Jones, Town and Country Coordinator, presented the Small Church of the Year to Smyrna UMC, Three Rivers District. The JJ Weltmer Scholarship was presented to Kate Dodge, North Canton Faith UMC, Tuscarawas District. Jones also announced a training event, Developing Congregational Leadership for the Small Membership Church in the 21st Century.
Dirk Elliott explained the move to MissionInsite for demographic information. One of the features of this new service is Mosaic profiles. It gives information on lifestyles, shopping habits and even what internet sites they visit. This will help local churches create ministry opportunities.
Board of Camps and Retreat Ministries
A video of the three East Ohio Conference camps began the camps report. Bob Myers stated that in 2008, the three sites, Camp Asbury, Hiram, Camp Aldersgate in Carrollton and Camp Wanake hosted 2,706 summer campers while retreat campers numbered 7,373. He reported that $26,802 in scholarships was distributed thanks to the generosity of individuals and churches. A new director’s residence at Camp Aldersgate will be under construction soon and a recommendation to repurpose Epworth Lodge into an office/welcome center is being explored.
New Church Starts
Sol Hill reminded us that John Wesley was a church planter and that the U.S. is the third largest mission field in the world. Research says that each new generation becomes more and more distant from the church. Dirk Elliot shared that the church planting initiative in the UMC plans to train 250 lay people to be church planters. The East Ohio Conference has been chosen as the North Central Jurisdiction conference to develop a pilot project.
Elliott explained the Vital Merger model. It is 2 or more congregations merging together, selling their buildings and building a new church building. There are 4 current mergers using this model. They are Mansfield Faith-the merger of Franklin and Pavonia churches; Elyria Cornerstone- the merger of Lorain First and Elyria Vincent; 3 Crosses- the merger of Bellville, Butler Trinity and Butler Mt. Sinai and Lorain Lighthouse-the merger of Emmanuel, Christ and Delaware Ave.
The newest church merger was introduced when Scott Walsh entered the stage on a motorcycle. New Leaf UMC, in Conneaut will merge Lakeview, East and First. Walsh challenged the conference to jump in and rethink church. At the conclusion of the report, Walsh invited the Bishop Hopkins to join him on the bike and they exited the stage.
Mission Awareness Advance Specials
Millicent Counts presented the recommended Conference Advance Specials found in the pre-conference workbook found on pages 24-28. Orlando Chaffee and Solomon Hill recognized Counts who is retiring as the director of The United Methodist Community Center in Youngstown. Conference Mission Secretary, Ed Clark announced that 420 flood buckets, 2100 health kits and $2400.00 were collected and loaded on a truck for delivery to the Midwest Distribution Center.
Ministries and Mission Funding
Maggie Jackson presented the 2008 and 2009 adopted and 2010 proposed budgets.
Pedaling Parsons
Don Richards brought greetings from the group. A flatland tour will be July 13-17 from Luther, Michigan to Monroville, Indiana. A challenge tour will be September 14-18 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Pedaling Parsons are raising money this year for community centers in Akron, Bethesda, Cleveland, Steubenville and Youngstown. The group has raised over $600,000 for missions over the last 22 years.
Photos:
Morning Business | Episcopal/Cabinet Address | Afternoon Business | Bishop's Challenge
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