Members of Ohio Conference congregations who volunteer their time play a vital role in Conference life. Without the help of numerous volunteers, many of the programs and functions of the Ohio Conference could not take place.

Much of the work of Ohio Conference is done by the Leadership Team, the Ministry Development Team, the Credentialing Ministry, the Stewardship Ministry and the Gifts Discernment Ministry. Delegates at Annual Conference Assembly affirmed the following individuals for service:

Assistant Moderator
Name: Thomas Dunn
Home congregation: Crown Hill (Rittman)
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service:  Assistant moderator, youth pastor at Kidron Mennonite
Family information: Single
Goals: Continue to see Ohio Conference grow closer and stronger as we learn to develop our missional muscles
Hobbies/special interests: Biking, board games, listening to audiobooks, traveling, hiking, exploring, experiencing and learning new things

Credentialing Ministry — Chair
Name: J. Andrew Stoner
Home congregation: Huber (New Carlisle)
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service: Member of Credentialing Ministry, retired Ohio Conference regional pastor

Stewardship Ministry   — Co-Chair
Name: Melanie Miller
Home congregation:  Maple Grove (Hartville)
Occupation:  Accountant, CTP
Previous service: Ohio Conference Stewardship Ministry member, treasurer with Ohio Mennonite Women and treasurer with Indiana/Michigan Mennonite Women
Family information: Married to my husband for nearly 10 years, Rod Miller (pastor at Maple Grove Mennonite Church), and we have two young daughters, Cadence (7) and Keilana (4) as well as two cats and a goldfish.
Goals: Continuing to serve diligently as the chair of Stewardship Ministry, helping to guide the Conference’s finances in a responsible manner and continue to think of methods with which we can meet these financial responsibilities and support a healthy conference in the process.
Hobbies/special interests: Good conversation and laughter shared with someone over a cup of coffee rate very high on my hobbies. I also love geocaching and experiencing new places.

Stewardship Ministry   — Co-Chair
Name: Ruth A. Kauffman
Home congregation: Tedrow (Wauseon)
Occupation: Credit analyst/banker
Previous service: Various Stewardship committees; finance chairman/board member, Defiance Area Youth For Christ; bookkeeper, Care & Share Gift & Thrift Store; treasurer/board member, Fairlawn Haven
Family information: Husband – Dennis Kauffman; parents – Wayne and Anna Dinius
Goals: Continue to be a good fiduciary representative, continue to think of new and creative ways to meet the current challenges, try to shift the focus back to educational stewardship — in order to enable Conference/member churches to answer the call of being missional, and not just respond to the current financial position (and have a little fun while I’m at it).
Hobbies/special interests: Asking (and occasionally answering) questions, cooking/baking

Ministry Development Team
Name: Dan King
Home congregation: Presently visiting a number of Ohio Conference congregations
Occupation:  Retired pastor
Previous service:  Former pastor of Dover Christian Fellowship and Beech Mennonite Church, member of Resolutions Committee Ohio Conference (two-year term)
Family information: Married to Jeanette; two grown sons
Goals: As part of Ministry Development Team, to help individual congregations become stronger and healthier, and to develop stronger connections between congregations
Hobbies/special interests: Gardening, beekeeping, music, reading, travel

Ministry Development Team
Name: Karla Kauffman
Home congregation: Jubilee (Bellefontaine)
Occupation: Program developer, Kirkmont Center
Previous service: Central District
Family information: Single

Ministry Development Team
Name: Shawn Hilliard
Home congregation: Martins (Orrville)
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service: Member of Mission Resource Team

Ministry Development Team — Witness Focus
Name: Jason Rissler
Home congregation: Cross Connections (Strasburg)
Occupation: Church planter
Previous service: Member of Ministry Development Team, member of Mission Resource Team

Ministry Development Team
Name: Alan Kauffman
Home congregation: Oak Grove (West Liberty)
Occupation: Farm consultant
Previous service: Member of Ministry Development Team and Gifts Discernment Ministry

Ministry Development Team — Prayer Coordinator
Name: Dan Hooley
Home congregation: Friendship (Bedford Heights)
Occupation: Interim pastor
Previous service: Member of Credentialing Ministry, interim chair of Credentialing Ministry

Credentialing Ministry
Name: Jacob Dodson
Home congregation: Wooster
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service: Ministry Development Team, Mission Resource Team
Family information: Spouse, Katie; one son, Micah – 12 years old; two daughters, Aubrie – 10 years old, and Hannah – 2 years old
Goals: Provide good support and discernment processing for those considering credentialed ministry in Ohio Conference.
Hobbies/special interests: Music, reading, nature, cinema, gaming, and collecting comics

Ministry Development Team—Faith Focus Leader
Name: Steve Schmid
Home congregation: Wooster
Occupation:  Business leader
Previous service: Treasurer at Wooster Mennonite Church, Sunday School teacher
Family information: Married to Cathy Schmid
Goals: I am anxious to learn about the challenges encountered by the Ministry Development Team.  I want to be a valuable contributor to the team as we take steps forward.
Hobbies/special interests: Yard work at home, making candles, bike riding, and enjoying the outdoors – hiking is a frequent activity. Cathy and I have taken many hikes in mountains when we can. We also enjoy catching up with our three kids and their families. We have enjoyed being grandparents for most of last year (almost 11 months).

Credentialing Ministry
Name: Miriam Zehr
Home congregation: Oak Grove (Smithville)
Occupation: Associate pastor of worship and education
Previous service: Member of Credentialing Ministry, led Mother/Daughter retreat, served in various capacities in the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference
Family Information: Married to Doug, the lead pastor at Oak Grove Mennonite; three adult daughters — Sherah-Leigh and BJ Gerber, Charissa and Henry Zehrnandez, and Maria Zehr; two grandchildren, Anna Gerber (5) and Titus Gerber (3)
Goals: Support/resource pastoral leadership in the Conference, assist in providing credentialing (licensing and ordination) to Conference pastors
Hobbies/special interests: Reading, baking with yeast, walking, travel

Stewardship Ministry — Stewardship Focus
Name: Roger Crossgrove
Home congregation: Zion (Archbold)
Occupation: Retired dairy farmer (38 years), still farming and raise cattle
Previous service: Presently serving as adult Sunday school superintendent, attended several Ohio Conference annual meetings
Family information: Married to Mabelann; we have five adult children and 10 grandchildren.
Goals: To assist in determining the wisest use of funds available to continue the work of the Ohio Conference as it ministers to the needs of churches as we further the Kingdom of God
Hobbies/special interests: I enjoy cutting strips of cloth so my wife can weave rugs and other items. I also shred a lot of paper that I use in the barn for bedding. We love visiting our children and grandchildren.

Stewardship Ministry — Finance Focus
Name: Christine Yoder
Home congregation: Oak Grove (West Liberty)
Occupation: Staff accountant, farmer, wife, mother
Previous service: Church treasurer for 17 years
Family information: Husband — Steve; mother of four grown daughters
Goals: To share my gifts in making decisions regarding the finances of the Conference
Hobbies/special interests: Walking the dog, traveling to visit family, reading, mowing grass

Stewardship Ministry — Endowment Focus
Name: Dean Falb
Home congregation: Martins (Orrville)
Occupation: Retired bank loan officer
Previous service: Member of Stewardship Ministry and Ministry Development Team for Ohio Conference, elder, treasurer and church council chair at Martins
Family information: Married to Jan, a retired teacher; one son; one grandson
Goals: To efficiently utilize financial resources entrusted to Ohio Conference for effective ministry.

Stewardship Ministry — Stewardship Focus
Name: Marion Beyeler
Home congregation: Orrville
Occupation: Retired/volunteer
Previous service: Conference moderator

Gifts Discernment Ministry
Name: Marilyn Rossiter
Home congregation: Summit (Barberton)
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service: My role previous to my present involvement has been in the area of music, having served in several Wayne County area churches as minister of music. Hank and I also served as volunteers for two years through Mennonite Mission Network in San Francisco and Phoenix in the ’80s and then again in Liberia from 2004-2006.
Family information: I am married to Hank Rossiter, and we are parents to two daughters, Sarah (Matt) Nussbaum and their three young children of Dalton,  and Becca J. R. (Michael) Lachman, of Athens. My mother is Ruth Amstutz of Kidron, and my brother is Ron (Joanne) Amstutz, of Wooster.
Goals: My goal is to join in the work of the Holy Spirit in the formation of a joyfully relevant and effective church, faithful to our calling as peacemakers and followers of the Lamb.
Hobbies/special interests: Hank and I sing with the Cantate Singers, and we also love to bike and hike. Flower gardening and hammer dulcimer are often neglected, but well-loved interests.

Gifts Discernment Ministry
Name: Cara Speros
Home congregation: Friendship (Bedford Heights)
Occupation: Church secretary at Friendship Mennonite Church
Family information: Married to Ben (18 years in July); three children, Callie, Ian and Elliot
Goals: Get to know how the committee works. This is my first time serving the Conference, and I’m looking forward to learning.
Hobbies/special interests: I enjoy crocheting. I am currently working on an afghan where I crochet one row a day, and the color is determined by the high temperature for that day.