News
Tuesday, Jul 7, 2020
Today the North Central Jurisdiction College of Bishops announces the plan proposed to and approved by the Council of Bishops for episcopal leadership for 2021 in light of the vocational retirements of Bishops Sally Dyck and Bruce Ough (¶408.2b), and the inability to gather and engage in episcopal elections during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The retirements of Bishops Dyck and Ough have been approved by the NCJ Committee on the Episcopacy and become effectiv... (read more)
Tuesday, Jul 7, 2020
United Methodists in Zimbabwe and the U.S., with support from the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, are helping protect frontline workers at church mission hospitals and providing food for those struggling during the pandemic.
The Zimbabwe Council of Churches donated personal protective equipment to Old Mutare, Nyadire and Dindi United Methodist mission hospitals. The donations included gloves, goggles, infrared thermometers, N95 masks, three-ply surgical masks, ha... (read more)
Tuesday, Jul 7, 2020
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is offering a free online training called NAMICon Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14. Do you or your church desire knowing how to identify and respond to persons living with mental illness? This training offers workshops specific to faith communities and youth engagement.
For more information contact Rebecca Hug, rhug [at] wocumc.org.
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2020
The 51st session of the West Ohio Conference will undoubtedly be different than any of recent memory. After much research, discernment, and prayer and for the safety of our clergy and members, the Annual Conference Planning Team has decided to host a virtual meeting on Saturday, September 12. Our theme selected 4 years ago, is “Be not afraid. God is with us.” We will begin with Opening Worship and then proceed to conference business.
With this new experience co... (read more)
Tuesday, Jun 30, 2020
Dear Ones in Christ Jesus:
This issue of NewsNet comes to you just before another July 4th Independence Day commemoration. It will be observed in a variety of ways by individuals, communities and institutions. A lot will be done virtually. To be sure this year will be different. Parades and fireworks will be curtailed in all but a few places and rightly so in light of COVID-19. The consumption of too much grilled, burnt, high-cholesterol meat may actually in... (read more)
Tuesday, Jun 30, 2020
The upcoming July 4th holiday has many of us in the United States thinking about our nation's history. What does it mean to celebrate the Fourth of July when we haven't yet realized #JusticeForBreonna? How can we sing about the "land of the free" when we still hear George Floyd crying out for his mama?
Many of us are wrestling with how we can most faithfully understand and interpret the realities of this present moment, both for ourselves and for our congregati... (read more)
Tuesday, Jun 30, 2020
COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in how we work, shop, socialize, and communicate. We've had to learn ways to adapt to this new way of life- masks, social distancing, and all the Zoom calls (AH!). While these adaptations work for some, they have created additional barriers to communication for others.
Consider someone who is Deaf, trying to read lips through a mask or find an interpreter for every Zoom call! This brief 30-minute video, created by GCORR, offers prac... (read more)
Tuesday, Jun 30, 2020
One of the books in my seminary Church Planting course was titled, A Church for Every Context, by Mike Moynaugh. In it, the author states that:
“Church no longer has the option, if it ever had, of relating to people as if they were all the same…Contextualizing the church is the attempt to be church in ways that are both faithful to Jesus and appropriate to the people the church serves….”
Overall, this has been very challenging for our denomination as we have te... (read more)
Tuesday, Jun 30, 2020
Each month, West Ohio Conference joins together in prayer for a specific ministry or mission focus. This month, our prayers acknowledge the loss and grief many of us feel during this time of unrest.
Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trou... (read more)
Tuesday, Jun 30, 2020
On June 19th, The Ohio River Valley District mobilized United Methodists in solidarity with African-Americans who have suffered from racism. The ORV district hopes to mobilize United Methodists in support of substantive changes for racial justice and equity locally and nationally.