Central Connection | April 10th, 2025
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8
In This Connection
Lay Delegate Preparations | District Conference 2025
Central District Worship Leaders | Information Needed
Alliance Peacemaking Training: Level 2
Pure Desire Ministries
Immigration & Refugee Navigation | Church Resources
Church Multiplication Director Thought
District Family Updates
Central District Conference Lay Delegate Preparations
Mark your calendars now!
Central District & Prayer Conference 2025 preparations are currently underway and will be held September 8th-10th at Freshwater Community Church in Wadsworth, OH.
You will receive information and directions in early June on how to submit your lay delegate form. The deadline to submit this form will be August 8th. We want to let you know now so you can plan ahead by adding lay delegate appointees to your upcoming elder board agenda.
Worship Leader Information Needed
The National Office has a new department called the Transformational Worship Project. This department is working on creating a database that includes all worship leaders (full time/part time) serving in our U.S. Alliance churches.
Please email Olivia Vinson your church name, district, worship leaders’ name(s) and email addresses to assist in the creation of this database.
They will share information regarding, worship conferences, worship cohorts, and other valuable resources with the worship leaders!
Please email Olivia Vinson with any questions you may have.
Alliance Peacemaking Training: Level 2
"Conflict is inevitable; how we handle it is not. God expects us to handle our conflicts differently than the world does. Alliance Peacemaking teaches how He wants us to deal with conflict."
If you are a Christian leader (consecrated and ordained or lay), you are already coaching. This two-day seminar equips you to coach better from a biblical standpoint to help other people see and resolve their conflict from a godly perspective. Certified conflict coaches become resources for their churches.
Please note: You must complete level 1 training to participate in this event.
This training will be held at Riverside Alliance Church, April 30th-May 1st.
(2433 S Main St, Akron, OH 44319)
The cost to attend is $300.
Pure Desire Ministries
In 2023 Pure Desire Ministries commissioned Barna to survey and compare Christians to non-Christians to gain current understanding of:
The perception and problem surrounding pornography in the U.S.
The past and current use of pornography among pastors and leaders.
The impact pornography has on relationships and betrayed partners.
This wasn’t just about statistics-it was about real people.
It was about looking at the eye-opening reality of digitalized society and acknowledging porn’s unmistakable impact on individuals.
Kick-Start your healing and freedom from pornography, unwanted sexual behavior, and betrayal trauma with a free anonymous evaluation.
Leaders can participate in this program without needing to contact the district, ensuring anonymity and confidentiality. We recommend distributing the flier to your churches and leaders to facilitate participation. The key in this partnership is the series of evaluations that the leader goes through (with their spouse if applicable), and the one-hour follow up session the leader has with Pure Desire to move forward in healing. There are free comprehensive assessments for couples as well. There is no discount for the actual one-on-one addiction counseling, however sometimes insurance will help cover these costs.
Immigration & Refugee Church Resources
“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.”
Deuteronomy 10:18-19
Immigration and how we love our neighbor during these changing times is a topic that is on everyone's hearts and minds these days.
As the Ohio mobilizer for the National Immigration Forum and a long time member of Grace Church Middleburg Heights, Eileen Wilson is available to help churches navigate these turbulent waters by offering advice, resources and support as we all seek an answer to the question: Where Do We Go From Here?
Please reach out to her at [email protected] if you have any questions or would like to explore how to start this conversation with your church.
Church Multiplication Director Thought
Todd Sovine | Director of Church Multiplication
Divine multiplication doesn’t start with you. It starts with the King. We don’t (I don’t) want to be part of human endeavors to multiple disciples, leaders, kingdom presence, or church plants. I want to partner with the King and what he is seeking to do and the first step in that partnership is prayer. If you are going to multiply anything of a divine nature, it starts by being a people of prayer. Prayer aligns our hearts with his heart. Prayer tunes our ears to his voice. Prayer creates space for us to receive his vision. Be warned, prayer is dangerous work because it is a true act of surrendering to his desires. When was the last time you and your leaders prayed for the will of the Lord to be known when it comes to multiplication? What did the King say? Divine multiplication must start with prayer! I would love to hear your thoughts.
Let’s talk!
District Family Updates
Please keep Andy and Sandy Beorn, Freedom Alliance Church (Chardon, OH), in your prayers as they are mourning the recent passing of Andy’s father.
Calling hours will take place on Thursday, April 17th from 5pm-7pm at Bethany Friends Church in Wadsworth, OH.
Funeral will take place on Friday, April 18th at 10:30am at Bethany Friends Church in Wadsworth, OH.
Edie Miller (Doug 1933-2021) passed away on March 30th. Edie faithfully served alongside her husband, Doug, in ministry as a pastor’s wife in two of our Central District churches as well as several other Alliance churches. Edie and Doug’s ministry included, Morgantown Alliance Church from 1968-1985, Mansfield Alliance Church from 1985-1989, and overseas in Guinea, West Africa, and Paris, France.
Welcome to the Central District:
Jacob Shute (Winter) transitioned in from the Alliance Northwest District.
Bradley Williams (Lorrie) joined the district as Associate Pastor at Heartland Church.
Transitions within the Central District:
Chris Coakley (Kristen) transitioned from Associate Pastor at Heartland Church to Lead Pastor at Heartland Church.
Taylor Williams (Joanna) transitioned from Non-Alliance Assignment at Arrow Leadership to Non-Alliance Assignment at Lausanne Movement.