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: Paula Snyder Belousek
Home congregation: Salem Mennonite Church, Elida
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service: Chair of the Conference Minister Search Committee, served on the Missional Planning Team, representing Ohio Conference at Constituency Leaders Council.  Service Adventure Leader with spouse, Darrin (MMN) in Raleigh, North Carolina, 2008-2010; associate pastor at Prairie St. Mennonite Church, Elkhart, Indiana (IN-MI Conference)
Family information:  Spouse: Darrin Snyder Belousek; elementary school age son; two daughters with Jesus.  For 2018-19, 18-year-old Chinese exchange student.
Goals: Support Dick in his work as conference minister, to work with Ministry Development Team to develop and implement resources related to faith, worship and witness that will strengthen our life together as well as individual congregations.
Hobbies/special interests: Learning about different cultures and countries, a good cup of tea, reading, trying new food, walking with my family, telling and listening to good stories.

Credentialing Ministry Chair

Name: Verle Brubaker
Home congregation: Maple Grove Mennonite Church, Hartville
Occupation: Transitional pastor
Previous service:  I have pastored churches across the country from Oregon to Maryland since 1973. These congregations have been in the Brethren in Christ church for the first 24 years and the Mennonite Church for the last 21 years.  I have served on the ministerial committee and the credentialing committee for the Franconia Mennonite Church prior to moving to my present assignment at Maple Grove.
Family information: I have been married 45 years and have two adult sons and one grandson.
Goals:  I would hope to assist in the recruitment, encouragement, and support of pastors for the Ohio Conference.
Hobbies/special interests:  I read widely, primarily in theology and science fiction. I enjoy playing golf and following soccer.

Stewardship Ministry Chair

Name: Dean Falb
Home congregation: Martins  Mennonite Church,  Orrville
Occupation: Retired banker and church treasurer
Previous service: Elder and congregation chair, Conference Ministry Development Team member, Stewardship Ministry member and co-chair

Ministry Development Team

Name: Dan King
Occupation: Retired pastor/teacher
Previous service: Pastor at Beech Mennonite, Resolutions Committee,  Ministry Development Team
Family information: Wife, Jeanette; two married sons, Matthew and Philip
Goals: To learn to know Ohio Conference congregations better, and to contribute (via serving on Ministry Development Team) to their health and growth
Hobbies/special interests: Gardening, beekeeping, music, storytelling, birding, hiking

Ministry Development Team

Name: Joel Shenk
Home congregation: Toledo Mennonite Church
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service: Member of the missional church task force, ACA table leader, Assembly participant, etc.
Family information: Wife, Emiley; two daughters, Roslyn (8) and Lizette (5)
Goals: My most immediate goal is simply to learn about how the Ministry Development Team works and where I can contribute.  Beyond that, I simply want to learn more about how Conference operates and to continue to be a resource to help congregations fulfill God’s missional calling.

Hobbies/special interests: Fly fishing, reading, running

Ministry Development Team (Prayer Coordinator)

Name: Dan Hooley
Home congregation: LifeBridge Community Church, Dover
Occupation: Interim pastor
Previous service: Member of Credentialing Ministry, interim chair of Credentialing Ministry, member of Ministry Development Team

Ministry Development Team

Name: Shawn Hilliard
Home congregation: Martins Mennonite, Orrville
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service: Member of Mission Resource Team, member of Ministry Development Team

Ministry Development Team

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

Credentialing Ministry

Name: Miriam Zehr
Home congregation: Oak Grove Mennonite, Smithville
Occupation: Associate pastor of worship and education, Oak Grove Mennonite, Smithville
Previous service: Finished out a term on Credentialing Ministry Team for a member who left the Conference
Family information: Husband, Doug, lead pastor at Oak Grove Mennonite; three adult daughters; two sons-in-law; and two grandchildren.
Goals: Provide credentialing for incoming pastors. Continue to support, encourage and resource pastors in the Conference.
Hobbies/special interests:  Reading, baking (especially with yeast), travel, walking

Credentialing Ministry

Name: Doug King
Home congregation: Tedrow Mennonite Church
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service: Weavers Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Virginia (youth pastor, four years); Prairieview Mennonite Church, Flanagan, Illinois (pastor, eight years);  I served on the Church Life Team of Illinois Mennonite Conference for three years. (The Church Life Team had similar responsibilities to the Ohio Conference Credentialing Ministry Team.)
Family information: I am married to Paula, and together we have three teenage children, Danielle (17), Megan (17) and Trevor (13).
Goals: I look forward to getting to know, support, and walk with the leaders of Ohio Conference.
Hobbies/special interests: Our family lives on a small farm where we enjoy gardening, caring for fruit trees, tending grapevines, and raising a small flock of laying hens.  I am a weather watcher for the National Weather Service and upload real-time backyard weather data from a personal weather station to a number of weather websites. I also enjoy biking, birding, hiking, and spending time with and supporting my family.

Stewardship Ministry — Finance Focus

Name: Lyle Troyer
Home congregation: Peace Mennonite – Elyria
Occupation: Retired public school treasurer
Previous service: Served with MCC in South Korea (1964-1967). Active participant in Mennonite congregations   (1969-1971 in Wadsworth); (1971-1996 in Archbold); (1996 to present in Elyria). Served on the board of Mennonite Men (2009-2017).
Family information: Married to Edna, a retired elementary, English, Spanish, and ESL teacher.  We will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in July. We have one son, Mark; a daughter-in-law, Laurie; and one granddaughter, Lucie, who will be 3 in June.
Goals: [1] Trust God to provide what is needed to do what He is asking us (as His servants in Ohio Conference) to do and [2] Seek His guidance about the details.
Hobbies/special interests: Reading, travel, history, genealogy

Stewardship Ministry — Endowment Focus

Name: John Rohrer
Home congregation: Sharon Mennonite Church, Plain City
Occupation: Retired professor
Previous service: Served on various committees and as Conference moderator from 2004 to 2010
Family information: Wife, Betty; three adult daughters; and six grandchildren, ages 21 to 1
Goals: To grow and manage the endowment fund according to Conference goals and maintain operating funds.
Hobbies/special interests: Gardening, reading and travel (especially for visiting  grandchildren in three different states)

Stewardship Ministry — Stewardship Focus

Name: Roger Crossgrove
Home congregation: Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold
Occupation: Semi-retired dairy farmer, still farm and raise cattle
Previous service: Adult Sunday school superintendent, formation committee, two years on Ohio Conference Stewardship Ministry Team
Family information: Wife, Mabelann (married for 48 years); five children, Jill Murillo, Janelle Hart, Jake Crossgrove, Jana Mussard, and Jodi Crossgrove; 11 grandchildren; and numerous foster children from time to time.
Goals: To keep Ohio Conference financially solid, to continue the excellent programs intact.
Hobbies/special interests: I enjoy reading, cutting strips for my wife’s weaving and shredding papers for livestock. I enjoy visiting children and grandchildren and vacations.

Gifts Discernment Ministry
Name: David Troyer
Home congregation: Salem Mennonite Church, Wooster
Occupation: Mail carrier
Previous service: Church elder and Sunday school teacher
Family information: I live in Fredericksburg, Ohio. I am married for 31 years to my beautiful wife, Betty, and have three kids, Ryan, 29, a graduate of Goshen College who does computer work for Western Reserve Insurance; Kelly, 28, a graduate of Cedarville University who does marketing for Mrs. Millers Noodles; and Brady, 20, a sophomore at Cornerstone University studying music and business
Goals: I hope, through Christ, to serve the conference in a way to unite us in serving Him.
Hobbies/special interests: My hobby is running the little league baseball program in Fredericksburg. I try to provide a great facility and a great experience for each kid going through the program.

Gifts Discernment Ministry

Name: Marilyn Rossiter
Home congregation: Summit Mennonite Church, Barberton
Occupation: Pastor
Previous service: Voluntary service through Mennonite Voluntary Service one year in San Francisco, one year in Phoenix, Mennonite Mission Network peace worker in Liberia, church musician
Family information: Daughter of Ruth and the late Ivan Amstutz of Kidron. Married to Hank Rossiter, two married daughters, four grandchildren.
Goals: To assist community in Conference and between churches and to bring clarity and practice to our role as peacemakers
Hobbies/special interests: children, flowers and music

Gifts Discernment Ministry
Name: Barbara Kauffman
Home congregation: Bethel Mennonite Church, West Liberty
Occupation: Retired nurse
Previous service: Member of Gifts Discernment Ministry