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The Rev. Meredith Day Hearn will serve in a new position on my senior staff, as Canon for Congregations. This position, focused on congregational development, will oversee transitions, property, and resourcing, and will be responsible for coordinating our forthcoming College for Congregational Development. She begins this new call on November 18.
Meredith will conclude her ministry as priest-in-charge serving All Saints, Pleasant Ridge on November 3 with the celebration of the Feast of All Saints. Previously, she served as priest-in-charge with Indian Hill Church, Cincinnati and as curate for Christian formation and congregational development at Grace-St.Luke’s, Memphis. She holds a BA in Religious Studies from Belmont University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School.
The Rev. Derrick Fetz will also serve in a new position as Missioner for Stewardship within the department of Congregational Development. He will support our communities in all issues related to the stewardship of property and resources to support local mission and ministry. He begins this new call on November 18.
Derrick will conclude his ministry as regional missioner for the Northwest Region and as Missioner for the Northern Miami Valley Episcopal Cluster (Church of our Savior, Mechanicsburg and Epiphany, Urbana) on November 10th. He has served several congregations in Southern Ohio and beyond since being ordained, including as dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Buffalo, NY. He holds a BA in Religion from Otterbein University and an M.Div. from Seabury Western Seminary.
And finally, Miriam McKenney, who has served our diocese since January 2023 as our part-time Director of Dismantling Racism will transition into a full-time role as Missioner for Beloved Community, reflective of the expansive and holy work that she is already doing and our call as individuals and as a diocese to be practitioners and seekers of Beloved Community. This expanded role will officially commence on November 18th.
Miriam holds a BA in English literature and creative writing from Ohio University and a MILS in library science from the University of Michigan.
THANKING DEPARTING STAFF
This new season also brings difficult goodbyes. Whether due to contracts’ planned conclusions, retirements, or the hard decision-making of the restructuring process, we will bid farewell to a number of staff members over the next weeks and months. They go with our deep gratitude and appreciation for the time and expertise they’ve given to our community over their years of service.
The Regional Missioners
When Bishop Smith established these roles in January 2023, they were planned and contracted to sunset at the end of 2024. In light of this anticipated conclusion, I’ve asked the Rev. Vicki Zust (St. Mark’s, Columbus) to chair a working group that will explore opportunities for laypeople and clergy to gather regionally to develop relationships, facilitate governance, and ensure representation in diocesan mission strategy and planning. We will update you as this work unfolds.
We extend our gratitude to our four regional missioners, who will transition out of their roles at the conclusion of their contracts later this year: the Rev. Joseph Kovitch, who serves the Columbus region and the Rev. Michael Ralph, who serves the Southeast. As previously mentioned, the Rev. Derrick Fetz has been called as our Missioner for Stewardship, and will transition out of his role of regional missioner for the Northwest region on November 10. The Rev. Sallie Schisler, our fourth regional missioner, concluded her ministry as regional missioner for the River Cities in August. Click here for our notice about Sallie’s new call in Gallipolis and Pomeroy.
Archdeacon Scanlan
After some conversation and prayerful consideration, the Rev. Paul Scanlan has decided to retire as archdeacon for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. With his retirement, he has concluded his leadership of the School for Diaconal Formation, on the Commission on Ministry, and as deacon serving the four-point congregations: St. Paul’s, Chillicothe; St. Philip’s, Circleville; St. John’s, Lancaster; and St. Paul’s, Logan.
In light of Paul’s retirement, I will take some time with appropriate leaders to discern new opportunities to support and minister with the community of deacons moving forward. To provide enough space for that conversation to take place, I will not be naming a new archdeacon at this time. I am grateful that the Rev. Rowena MacGregor has graciously accepted to serve as acting director of the Deacons School.
Departing Staff
Adam Hayden will conclude his ministry as director of children, youth, and young adult ministry on September 20, a role he began in May 2022. This position was eliminated in the restructuring process.
Emma Helms-Steinmetz will conclude her ministry as director of formation projects and family ministry on September 27, a role she began in September 2020. This position was eliminated in the restructuring process.
The Rev. Joseph Kovitch will conclude his ministry as missioner for new episcopal communities with the conclusion of his role as regional missioner at the end of 2024. He began his time on diocesan staff in January 2023. Our New Episcopal Communities receive coaching from a seasoned church planter in the wider church to continue to build strength and in early 2025, with input from our NEC’s and coach, we will determine how best to move forward with support for our planting initiatives.
Jake Otte will conclude his ministry as coordinator for Latino ministries on September 20, a role he began in September 2021. This position was redefined in the restructuring process and a search is underway.
Kristi Reynolds separated from her role as executive assistant to the bishop in August, a role she began in July 2022. Temporarily, this position is being covered by a remote administrative assistant, who can be contacted at bishopadmin@diosohio.org or at 512.632.6018.
The Rev. Christopher Richardson will conclude his ministry as associate for curriculum development on September 20, a role he began in August 2020. This position has been redefined in the restructuring process. Christopher will continue in a one-year appointment as resident chaplain at Procter Center and priest-in-charge at St. John's, Columbus, through September 2025.
Please join me in warmly thanking these friends and colleagues for their ministry among us.
NEXT STEPS, WITH GRATITUDE
We are in active search for three positions: the missioner for Latino ministries, the missioner for Black ministries, and the transitions minister, and we will soon launch a search for the missioner for lifelong formation. View our job opportunities page here. Please consider whether these are roles to which you or someone you know may be qualified and called. Over the next several months, you can expect to see hiring announcements and/or open searches for the remaining vacant positions: administrative assistant to the canon to the ordinary and database administrator.
Friends, I can feel the movement of the Spirit among us; I feel it when I’m out visiting with you on Sunday mornings, in our gatherings of the clergy, and in the early tastes of the new season ahead of us, aligned together with common mission and vision. I am so hopeful for the future of the Episcopal Church in Southern Ohio; a hope that you reveal to me every day that I am together with you.
Thank you, people of Southern Ohio for entrusting me with this office and for our walk together seeking the life-giving, liberating love of Jesus.
Yours in Christ,
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