People of God in Southern Ohio,
It brings me great joy to share with you some updates related to diocesan staffing and support of our diocesan mission and congregational ministries.
By April 17th, the following staff members will enter new or revised positions:
The Rev. Canon Meredith Day Hearn
Canon Katie Forsyth
The Rev. Canon Aaron Rogers
Dr. Sarah Simko
Julie Schuster
The Rev. Derrick Fetz
- The Rev. Canon Meredith Day Hearn (currently serving as Canon for Congregations) has accepted my invitation to serve as Canon to the Ordinary. She will maintain her focus on support of the congregations of our diocese and will continue to lead the Congregations Team. With some slight portfolio adjustment, she is taking on administration of our Title IV processes and responsibility as Chief of Staff.
- Canon Katie Forsyth (currently serving as Canon for Communications) will serve as Canon for Communications and Governance. In a similar vein, she is maintaining her existing portfolio (with some extra administrative support) and adding responsibility for attending to our Governing Bodies and other governance aspects of our diocesan life. Katie’s responsibility for governance had already been expanding over the last several months; this extension and clarity reflects her gifts in this area.
- The Rev. Aaron Rogers (currently serving as Missioner for Black Ministries) has accepted my invitation to step into senior leadership as Canon for Ministry. He will maintain his portfolio focused on support for Black ministries in the diocese, while taking on supervision of the Ministry Team and administration of certain key ministries, like lay licensing and diaconal formation.
- In a move that pre-dated Canon Baron’s departure from our staff, Dr. Sarah Simko (who previously served as Assistant to the Canon to the Ordinary) now serves as part-time Liturgical Coordinator for the diocese, at about 10 hours/week, tending to the logistics of our diocesan worship services and bishop visitations.
- Julie Schuster, who has served with us for the last couple of months in a temporary administrative support role, has been invited to join the staff full-time as the Assistant to the Canon to the Ordinary. Julie will tend to the administrative needs of Canon Day Hearn and the Congregations Team.
- Finally, to more accurately reflect the responsibilities of his portfolio, the Rev. Derrick Fetz‘s title has been updated to Missioner for Congregational Vitality (from Missioner for Stewardship).
Other portfolios have been adjusted in order to ensure appropriate and realistic workloads across the staff. We anticipate initiating searches for the following positions in the next weeks and months: a part-time Assistant for Governance and Ministry and a full-time Director of Lifelong Formation. An open search for a part-time Staff Accountant is already underway.
I invite your prayers for our staff and gratitude for their ministry amongst us. I am truly honored to serve with such incredible and dedicated leaders. A full listing of diocesan staff and an updated organizational chart is available on the staff page of our website.
In Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Kristin Uffelman White
X Bishop
Diocese of Southern Ohio
