In early 2025, Bishop Hee-Soo Jung announced the creation of the Ohio Episcopal Area Task Team which has eight members and two ex-officio staff members from each of the East Ohio and West Ohio Conferences. The role of the Task team is to listen, discuss, and discern about forming a new, unified Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church. Rev. Doug Anderson, who is serving as the team's consultant, is well known in both East and West Ohio. Over the years, he has led multiple workshops and seminars in both conferences.

“God is calling us into this new strategic journey together. This task team has been prayerfully selected—each person strong in faith and deeply committed to The United Methodist Church. They are organized for this important work,” Bishop Jung said.

The decision to create a new Annual Conference is not made by the task team, the cabinets, or the bishop. That decision will be made by the Annual Conferences themselves in 2027

To learn more about the Task Team Members and their work, click here. Please watch the video below to review .

What We're Hearing About Unification: Three-Word Reflections from Annual Conference Members

Executive Summary

On May 30, 2026, members of the West Ohio Annual Conference were invited to submit three words describing their perspectives on the possible unification of the East and West Ohio Conferences. The 255 responses were reviewed and analyzed for word frequency; positive, negative, and cautionary themes; key takeaways; overall sentiment; and communications implications.

The West Ohio 3-word responses are strongly hopeful and constructive. The most repeated ideas center on unity, strength, opportunity, efficiency, shared resources, mission, growth, collaboration, community and hope. Respondents repeatedly describe a future marked by connection, expanded ministry capacity and a stronger shared witness across Ohio.

The positive language is not only organizational; it is deeply missional and theological. Many responses connect unification to God’s work, Christ-centered mission, discipleship, outreach, grace, fellowship and reaching new people. The comments suggest that participants see the potential for stronger ministry when structure, resources and relationships are aligned around shared mission.

Cautionary words are present but less dominant. Concerns cluster around confusion, challenge, anxiety, uncertainty, large geography, travel, additional work, chaos, preserving institutional structures and the need for clarity. These responses point to practical and process-related questions that should be named honestly alongside the positive themes.

Bottom line

The West Ohio responses lean hopeful and mission-focused, with repeated emphasis on unity, strength, opportunity and shared resources.

Click here to review the West Ohio Annual Conference summary.

Click here to review the East Ohio Annual Conference summary.

Next Steps

September 12, 2026

• Work group reports will be presented to Task Team members.

September – October 2026

• Work group reports will be presented to Conference governing bodies.

November 2026

• The Task Team will present its report to Bishop Hee-Soo Jung.

December 2026

• The Task Team’s report will be made available to Ohio clergy and laity.

June 2027

• West Ohio and East Ohio Annual Conferences will vote on becoming one Conference.
• Both East Ohio and West Ohio Annual Conferences must approve the proposal by 67% or more, without rounding up, for the new Conference to be formed.

June 24, 2027

• A special online session of North Central Jurisdictional Conference would be held to approve and recognize the new Ohio Conference.

August 27, 2027

• A Joint Unifying Conference would be held to vote on budget and other matters necessary to form the new Ohio Conference.

January 1, 2028

• The new Ohio Conference would become effective.

For more information, click here to read the Ohio Episcopal Area Task Team pamphlet:

“Let us offer our prayers that the Spirit will lead this team to cast a vision for a strong, new United Methodist Church in Ohio,” Bishop Jung said.

As the Ohio Episcopal Area Task Team begins its work, Bishop Jung has written this prayer for use by individuals and congregations:

Ohio Episcopal Area Task Team References and Resources: