News
Thursday, May 30, 2019
As we gather for the 50th session of the West Ohio Annual Conference, the Conference's Election Team co-chairs, Cyndy Garn and Bruce Boyd, would like to remind voting members of a few important items:
All persons, created in God's image, are of inestimable worth.
Unity is one of God's gifts to the Church.
Every election should be a corporate discernment process.
Elections should reflect the rich diversity of our conference.
Elections should include theologi... (read more)
Thursday, May 30, 2019
By Kay Panovec
A woman sweeps dirt off her front porch, seemingly oblivious that her entire house is in shambles. Windows blown out, uprooted trees, power lines strewn across the road and vehicles slammed against homes. Yet, she sweeps.
The neighborhood is eerily quiet, the silence broken by the sound of footsteps. People carry wet clothes, photo albums and sparse but salvageable items to a waiting truck. In Northridge Township near Dayton, Ohio, a man nurses h... (read more)
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Dear Ones in Christ Jesus:
I am looking forward to Annual Conference, which feels like it has gotten here sooner than I thought it would. But it has been on the calendar for a long time so none of us can plead ignorance, least of all me. As we head to Lakeside, I want to remind you of a few things.
Christian Conferencing is a privilege that we should not take for granted. It is an opportunity to worship, celebrate, learn and to lean into a missional future. My... (read more)
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
A series of devastating tornadoes and severe storms ripped through 17 counties in the western half of Ohio, leaving one dead and about 90 injured. Gov. Mike DeWine has declared a state of emergency for three counties that suffered serious damage including Greene, Mercer and Montgomery.
The National Weather Service reports that each county was hit by EF3 tornadoes with winds up to 165 miles an hour. The hardest-hit areas were the cities of Celina, Dayton, Trotwo... (read more)
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Following the February 2019 session of General Conference, many United Methodists returned to their Sunday School classes, worship services and small groups asking the same question: "Where do we go from here?" In Where Do We Go From Here?: Honest Responses From Twenty-Four United Methodist Leaders, four bishops, several pastors, laypersons, campus ministers, students, general board directors and others share their honest responses to the question, "Where do we... (read more)
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
The Council at church asked him, "Can you help?" A Congolese family came to church every week for five months, walking across a field from their apartment. They bought an SUV, only to find the rear latch would not release. They needed help. Ken is semi-retired, raised by parents who reminded him consistently that God made him to be a blessing. One of his blessings is fixing things. Ken also has concerns about immigration. Despite the concerns, Ken said yes to h... (read more)
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Safe Sanctuaries policies prepare your congregation and its ministries to provide safety and care to children, youth, and vulnerable adults, as well as to those who serve them. In 2014, the West Ohio Annual Conference adopted a recommendation stating that every church would have a Safe Sanctuaries policy...
Does your church have a policy?
When was it last updated?
Do you follow the policy?
Can your church be doing more?
We know that many churches nee... (read more)
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Nearly 700 clergy gathered at Otterbein University for the 2019 Clergy Session this week. This annual meeting, which focuses on the Business of the Annual Conference, included welcoming newly credentialed colleagues, celebrating those moving into retirement, and memorializing those who have died since July 1, 2018. Rev. Brian Milford, President and Chief Executive Officer of The United Methodist Publishing House, served as the featured preacher. In his opening... (read more)
Friday, May 10, 2019
West Ohio Pastor, Rev. Ryan Grace, was raised in a small White town, where he was taught that racism is dead. But, after hundreds of years of slavery, segregation, and separation, many Black people say the American Spirit has not fully moved beyond racial division, and their lives are still shaded by the color of their skin. So, as a White Christian pastor, Rev. Grace took his family on a road trip into history to see if our culture really has risen above the r... (read more)