Clergy and laity of the East Ohio Conference,
I greet you with the love and the peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I give thanks to God always for each of you, for how you are living into our shared vision of being disciples of Jesus Christ and making and maturing disciples of Jesus Christ. I give thanks to God for how you are being agents of healing, and hope, and transformation in your communities; for how you are loving, and leading, and serving your neighbors.
We know that these are challenging times in which we are living and leading and being the Church. And I want you to know that I am feeling the exhaustion, and the grief, and the loss, and the loneliness and the pain that many of you are experiencing. It is in these times that we should depend on the sufficiency of God’s grace, that we should depend on our faith in Jesus Christ and the gift of community.
We don’t know what the future will hold but what we do know is who holds the future … our Sovereign God … who has plans for our welfare, for our good and not for our harm … to give us a future and a hope.
It is with this confidence and reassurance, that I encourage us to embrace our future together as a Church, with hope.
Bishop Tracy S. Malone, the Extended Cabinet, and East Ohio Conference laity and clergy are committed to stand against racism.
Read the Anti-Racism Commitment signed by Bishop Tracy S. Malone & the Extended Cabinet.
Read the Covenant to Resist Racism signed by EOC Laity and Clergy.
Read Bishop Malone’s message “Dismantling Racism … Where Do We Go from Here?” written following the conviction of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.
Read the Board of Multicultural Vitality statement celebrating two momentous announcements that highlight the importance of standing against racism and promoting equality and opportunity for all.
Read the Board of Multicultural Vitality statement encouraging clergy and laity to prayerfully and consciously seek ways to respond to racism and violence against Asians and Asian Americans.
View the Stand Against Racism page on the Conference website to view and download:
All In God’s Image: A Study in the History of Indigenous Peoples is a series of guides to help non-Native adults and children learn more about specific days that are widely observed in this country so that we can grow together in our knowledge and respect for the Native American Tribal Nations in the United States.
All in God’s Image A Study in the History of Indigenous Peoples Unit 2: A Different Perspective of Thanksgiving provides information about the Native American perspective of Thanksgiving, which is observed on the fourth Thursday of November and has been celebrated in this country for more than 100 years.
On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln called for a nationwide day of thanksgiving to “heal the wounds of our land.” We continue to pray for national healing. All in God’s Image A Study in the History of Indigenous Peoples Unit 2: A Different Perspective of Thanksgiving is an opportunity to continue the journey of learning and healing. In it, you will be challenged on the myths you may have learned about Thanksgiving, and you’ll be pointed to Native and Indigenous voices through resources and activities that widen our perspective and help us to see each other in the image of God. This study guide offers enlightening facts, activities, and resources appropriate for children and adults.
EOC VISION: As our Episcopal leader, Bishop Tracy S. Malone holds out a vision and a hope that we will be bold, faithful and courageous in our Christian witness and will behold the power, the Holy Spirit’s power, that has been poured out upon us. View the bishop’s vision message.
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA & THE UMC: The EOC Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Leadership Team formed by Bishop Tracy S. Malone is resourcing pastors, and churches in matters related to the BSA declaring bankruptcy resulting from abuse allegations going back decades. View the BSA & The UMC resource page.
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19): Visit this resource for messages from Bishop Malone, links to livestreamed worship services, non-traditional worship ideas, and other tips we can incorporate in order to stay connected to and minister with church and community members during the coronavirus pandemic.
TEACH • REACH • BLESS: The $1.5 million campaign to build a new dorm for female students at Africa University reinforces our East Ohio Conference commitment to the education and wellness of women today for a better Africa tomorrow. Learn more about and support Teach • Reach • Bless.
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