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East Ohio Conference UMC Equipping local churches to make and mature disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world.

A New Chapter for Communications Ministry Across OhioBishop Hee-Soo Jung is bringing together the Communications teams o...
10/19/2026

A New Chapter for Communications Ministry Across Ohio

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung is bringing together the Communications teams of East and West Ohio to better resource local churches and Ohio Episcopal Area ministries. The combined team will be led by two executive directors, each with distinct responsibilities. The bishop has named Rick Wolcott executive director of Conference Communications and Kay Panovec executive director of Local Church Communications & Engagement.

“The vision for One Ohio is about resourcing and enhancing the ministries of our nearly 1,000 local churches. We are here to serve them,” said Bishop Jung. “Aligning our Communications teams will create one shared strategy for communicating with local churches while ensuring their questions and experiences are heard by Conference leadership.”

As executive director of Conference Communications, Wolcott will guide the implementation of strategies for branding, messaging and promoting Ohio Episcopal Area ministries. His primary responsibilities will include working with the bishop and Cabinet and resourcing ministry teams.

“I am excited by Bishop Jung’s vision for Communications ministry. Having one Ohio Communications department with half of our team partnering with Conference staff and the other half working full-time to resource local churches is a model that should benefit all,” Wolcott said.

As executive director of Local Church Communications & Engagement, Panovec will work alongside pastors, local church staff and volunteers to provide strategic communications and marketing resources while helping amplify positive stories from local churches across the state.

“The local church is where lives are changed, communities grow stronger and faith takes root. We are energized by this vital work, and excited to support local churches across Ohio,” Panovec said.

Under the new structure, the current East Ohio Communications team will resource Conference communications, while the West Ohio team will resource local churches. The combined Communications team will begin its new statewide roles November 1.

To Those Who Shepherd with LoveDear Beloved Colleagues in Ministry,October invites us to pause and give thanks for those...
10/19/2026

To Those Who Shepherd with Love

Dear Beloved Colleagues in Ministry,
October invites us to pause and give thanks for those who have answered Christ’s call to shepherd God's people.

Across Ohio – in bustling cities and quiet suburbs, rural villages and farming communities, Appalachian hills and industrial towns, along rivers and in neighborhoods often forgotten – you are living out the Gospel. In churches, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and ministries among the poor and vulnerable, you preach, teach, pray, comfort and serve in the name of Jesus Christ.

Ministry is never fully learned in a classroom or mastered through theological theories. It is formed and deepened through the daily practice of love.

You stand beside the suffering, sit with the lonely, encourage the weary and accompany God's people through the mysteries of life and death. Often your most faithful ministry is unseen. It is found in your quiet presence, your patient listening and your humble willingness to remain beside another person.

Humbly, humbly, humbly – you walk with God's people.

When I think of episcopal leadership, I imagine a shepherd walking through the pasture alongside the sheep, not standing above them or directing them from a distance. For this is the very heart of pastoral ministry: walking together, sharing burdens, seeking the lost and trusting the Good Shepherd who leads us all.

I have sometimes wondered why we need a special month to appreciate pastors. Are we not all called to serve? Indeed, we are. Yet perhaps this month offers us a sacred opportunity to recognize those who continually empty themselves in love, carry the burdens of others and faithfully lead Christ's church, often at great personal cost.

I want you to know that your ministry matters. Your faithfulness matters. Your leadership matters.

And I want to encourage you:

Be creative. Be courageous. Live the way of self-emptying love. Lift high the cross of Christ. Lead with a vision larger than your fears.

The pastoral calling in this generation is extraordinarily demanding – and extraordinarily sacred. Our world needs more than religious institutions. It needs communities of grace, reconciliation, healing, justice and hope. And it needs shepherds whose lives embody the love they proclaim.

As we celebrate Pastor Appreciation Month, I give thanks to God for each of you, for your sacrifices and your joy, your tears and your laughter, your perseverance and your dreams.

May Christ renew your spirit, strengthen your courage and fill your ministry with abundant grace.

Let us continue to Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully, and Lead Courageously.

With deep gratitude, affection and prayers,
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung
Ohio Episcopal Area
The United Methodist Church

Have you listened to the latest episode of the Storyboard podcast yet? You can hear it wherever you find you favorite po...
10/16/2026

Have you listened to the latest episode of the Storyboard podcast yet? You can hear it wherever you find you favorite podcasts!

Exploration – November 6-8Always searching, never lost. Join adults 18 and older for EXPLORATION 2026, November 6-8 in O...
10/15/2026

Exploration – November 6-8
Always searching, never lost. Join adults 18 and older for EXPLORATION 2026, November 6-8 in Orlando, FL for a transformative weekend of worship, discernment, community and practical workshops. Discover where God may be calling you, connect with mentors and peers and take your next faithful step with confidence.

Visit the latest edition of the East Ohio E-News to learn more and to register (pinned in the featured posts section on our page).

Non-Profit Partners Summit – November 5The United Methodist Foundation of West Ohio (UMFWO) is pleased to host, for the ...
10/15/2026

Non-Profit Partners Summit – November 5
The United Methodist Foundation of West Ohio (UMFWO) is pleased to host, for the fifth year, a non-profit partners summit Thursday, November 5, at the West Ohio Conference Center in Worthington. The Summit is intended to benefit nonprofit organizations with ties to the United Methodist Church, such as Foundation non-profit partners, EOC Advance Specials and UM-affiliated organizations. A small block of discounted rooms for November 4 is available at the Sheraton Worthington.

Visit the latest edition of the East Ohio E-News to learn more and register for the Summit (pinned in the featured posts section on our page).

Project Feed – November 8Youth from across Ohio are invited to participate in Project Feed on Sunday, November 8 to pack...
10/14/2026

Project Feed – November 8
Youth from across Ohio are invited to participate in Project Feed on Sunday, November 8 to pack meals for families experiencing food insecurity. Be a part of the youth movement to make the world a little better, one meal at a time.

Project Feed will take place Sunday, November 8 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at First UMC in Kent. Be sure to register in advance because space is limited. The cost for the event is $10 for youth grades 5-12 and the registration deadline is November 4. There is no cost for adult leaders.

Register on the Events Registration page of the EOC website.

Green Church Grant Applications Due – October 31Let us help your church do its part to care for God’s creation. East Ohi...
10/14/2026

Green Church Grant Applications Due – October 31
Let us help your church do its part to care for God’s creation. East Ohio Green Church mini grants provide limited funding for “green” projects such as recycling or composting programs, native plants for a pollinator garden, an Earth Day event or installing energy-efficient light bulbs. To receive funding, churches must sign the Green Church Pledge and complete a sustainability audit – both of which will be provided. Each grant will provide $100 – $750 for a green project in 2027. Recipients will be asked to submit a grant report. As part of the new Ignite Ohio grants, applications must be received by October 31.

See the latest edition of the East Ohio E-News (pinned in the featured posts on our page) for the registration link.

The Five Pillars listed below emerged from conversations Bishop Hee-Soo Jung has had during his visits to more than 250 ...
10/13/2026

The Five Pillars listed below emerged from conversations Bishop Hee-Soo Jung has had during his visits to more than 250 congregations across the Ohio Episcopal Area. In those conversations clergy and laity shared deep and faithful longings to grow in discipleship, to reach new people for Christ, to pass on the faith to the next generation, and to live in meaningful relationship and mission with their communities and the wider world.

The Five Pillars are not a program or a set of guarantees. Rather, they offer a shared vision and spiritual framework to guide our life together as “One Ohio” – rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shaped by trust, and attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Pillar 1: Building Relationships
Pillar 2: Shared Mission
Pillar 3: Discipleship
Pillar 4: Multiplication
Pillar 5: Emerging Leaders

You can learn more about the Five Pillars on the East Ohio Conference website.

10/12/2026

Ready. Set. Ignite!
Starting October 1, United Methodist churches across Ohio can apply for Ignite Ohio Grants to support innovative ministries, community engagement, leader development, Fresh Expressions, and more.

Whether you're launching something new or expanding a ministry with greater impact, Ignite Ohio can help bring your vision to life.

Need help getting started? Whiteboard sessions and the Dreaming New Possibilities guide are available to help you explore what's possible.

Dream bigger. Ignite innovation. Reach new people.

Learn more about Ignite Ohio Grants and access the application and handbook on the East Ohio Conference website Fresh Starts & New Beginnings page (located under the Ministries tab).

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