See the pastor! As needed, she will offer membership meetings to discuss life here at Elliston Zion and within the United Methodist Church. If you are not yet baptized, the pastor can instruct you about baptism and carry out that baptism at a worship service at the church.
The denomination now known as United Methodist was formed in 1968 when the former Methodist Episcopal Church and the United Evangelical Brethren Church merged to form a denomination. The church traces its history back to the 1700s, when John Wesley, a Church of England pastor, began to minister to those who were not welcome in churches in England. It took formal shape in the United States, when Francis Asbury, the first Methodist bishop, began to minister to colonists living in the new colony. At one point it was the fastest growing church in America due to a network of "circuit rider" ministers who moved from remote village to remote village ministering to colonists. Modern United Methodism is a denomination divided into "conferences," each of which is administered by a bishop. All conferences operate under The Discipline, a book of regulations to which all United Methodist churches adhere. Elliston Zion UMC is part of the West Ohio Conference and its Maumee River District.
At Elliston Zion, Stewardship is an important part of our Christian life and we do encourage members to "strive to tithe." However, we certainly don't require financial giving and only ask you to be supportive in the way which best fufills your desire to serve the Lord.
We believe giving is an opportunity to share some of the gifts God has blessed us with, including our time, our talents and our financial gifts. Our participation, prayers and support are important and necessary ingredients allowing us to accomplish our mission of making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Financial support of Elliston Zion allows our church to continue our ministries, serve our community and serve our Lord.
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 8: 6-7
Elliston Zion's day-to-day administration is carried out by the current Pastor. She operates as part of the Elliston Ministry Team and under the supervision of the Leadership Team. This committee is the church's Administrative Council, which is a council of church members responsible for determining the direction and content of Zion's ministry. The Administrative Council sets an annual church budget and monitors the overall ministry of the church. The United Methodist denomination oversees the ministry of Elliston Zion UMC through its Maumee River District, with headquarters in Maumee, OH, and the West Ohio Conference, with headquarters in Worthington, OH.
The Leadership Team at Elliston Zion is a team of members who all serve as all traditional committees. Those include:
Administrative Council -- overall administration
Pastor-Parish Relations Committee/Lay Leadership -- supervises paid staff, nominates members to various committees
Finance Committee -- administers financial operations
Trustees -- responsible for legal issues and care and development of building and grounds
Education -- develops and administers classes in the church school.
Our church offers the following regular classes:
Adults
Sunday Morning Fellowship Class: This class studies different Christian book studies throughout the year. They meet in the fellowship hall at 9:00 on Sunday to enjoy a cup of coffee and a relaxed study environment.
Children
We welcome children 3 and Up to Celebrate Wonder! Children's Sunday School full of lessons and encourgement to discover the Wonder of God!
Women's studies
Women of the church gather early Tuesday morning at 8 AM for study, fellowship & prayer. We meet together as Sisters In Christ to offer a place to learn, love and enjoy a cup!
Occasional studies
Adults participate in short-term studies on three or four occasions through the year. Some studies are done in-home, and others are offered at the church. These often, although not always, focus on current Christian literature.
Elliston Zion engages in the following missions on a regular basis:
The LIGHT Neighborhood Pantry at Elliston Zion: Our little pantry is open on the 2nd Weds of each month from 5-7 PM to residents of Ottawa County struggling with food and financial insecurity. We are a choice pantry and our guests become family right away! We offer a variety of non perishable food items, meat, milk, bread and personal care items when available. We are run by volunteers from the church and from the community and our operations are financed by donations only. It is our goal to share the LIGHT of Christ...one meal at a time!
Friendly Center: We support the ministry of Friendly Center, an inner-city mission on the north side of Toledo. A Zion member serves on the board of the center's auxiliary, and we raise funds to assist with various inner city ministries.
Samaritan's Purse: Each Advent season, Zion prepares over 100 gift filled shoeboxes that will be distributed around the world through the Operation Christmas Child Program.
Mountain Mentors: Members of the church support this ministry, which provides a full year of mentoring and assistance for at-risk teens in the Greater Toledo area. The Mountain Mentors work with a teen for a year, then take him/her on a wilderness/mountain climbing expedition in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Followup programs are available for teens through Venture Scouting.
Dignity Ministry: Women living in poverty and homelessness deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and to feel loved, cared for and clean! At Elliston Zion, we wish to help these women feel cared for by offering personal care items through our donations to the Marketplace for All People in downtown Toledo. We take donations of feminine hygiene items, shampoo, body wash, cleansing cloths and new ladies underwear on a regular basis. These are then taken to the Marketplace to be distributed to those in need.
Heartbeat of Ottawa County: From Mother's Day to Father's Day, the congregation participates in "Bucks for Babies" We collect financial support and lot of diapers for this important ministry supporting mothers in Ottawa County.
American Red Cross Blood Drives
National SOUPER Bowl of Caring (held every year on Super Bowl Sunday)