{"id":4174,"date":"2025-11-07T11:20:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T16:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/?p=4174"},"modified":"2025-12-08T13:59:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T18:59:07","slug":"extension-ministry-spotlight-connectional-ministries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/2025\/11\/extension-ministry-spotlight-connectional-ministries\/","title":{"rendered":"Extension Ministry Spotlight:\u00a0Connectional Ministries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Welcome to our series that spotlights NC Conference pastors serving in extension ministries. Read about other\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/tag\/extension-ministers\">extension ministers<\/a>\u00a0as these stories are published weekly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rev. Ismael Ruiz-Mill\u00e1n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rev. Ismael Ruiz-Mill\u00e1n serves as the Executive Director of <a href=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/connectional-ministries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Connectional Ministries<\/a> for the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church. He helps align the mission and ministries of the Conference to nurture healthy congregations, effective leaders, and connection across communities. His ministry is rooted in cultural humility and creating spaces of belonging where all can experience God\u2019s transforming grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a22c73475f70&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a22c73475f70\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan2-960x1440.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan2-960x1440.jpg 960w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan2-480x720.jpg 480w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan2-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan2-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan2-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Connectional Ministries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rev. Ruiz-Mill\u00e1n helps steward the vision, the mission, and ministries of the Conference to nurture healthy congregations, form effective leaders, and strengthen connection across the Church. He provides leadership and support for areas including Leadership Development, Christian Formation, Youth Ministry, Race Equity and Justice Ministries, Peace Building and Outreach, Disaster Response, and Communications. As a member of the Cabinet, he works closely with the Bishop, Cabinet, and Conference staff, and he emphasizes the importance of connecting local churches with district and Conference resources\u2014aligning our efforts to avoid duplication and foster collaboration for greater impact across the Conference. He seeks to integrate theological vision, cultural humility, and trauma-informed leadership to create spaces of belonging, healing, and transformation for all God\u2019s people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery alignwide has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a22c734770c4&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a22c734770c4\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"4178\" src=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan3-1440x960.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4178\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan3-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan3-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan3-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan3-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a22c73477bff&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a22c73477bff\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"4177\" src=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan4-1440x960.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4177\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan4-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan4-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan4-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/11\/Ismael-Ruiz-Millan4-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Disciple Making, Leader Forming, and Peace Building Ministry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In his role, Rev. Ruiz-Mill\u00e1n is deeply committed to supporting the Conference\u2019s three core emphases of disciple making, leader forming, and peace building. Through initiatives that equip congregations to engage their communities with compassion and creativity, he helps foster environments where disciples of Jesus Christ can grow in faith and service. He also prioritizes the formation of effective and spiritually grounded leaders by cultivating opportunities for learning, mentoring, and collaboration across districts and ministry areas. Rooted in a Wesleyan understanding of grace and community, his work in peace building seeks to create spaces where reconciliation, justice, and healing become tangible expressions of the gospel, helping the Church embody God\u2019s love in every place.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to our series that spotlights NC Conference pastors serving in extension ministries. Read about other\u00a0extension ministers\u00a0as these stories are published weekly. Rev. Ismael Ruiz-Mill\u00e1n Rev. Ismael Ruiz-Mill\u00e1n serves as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4175,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_tec_requires_first_save":true,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_tribe_blocks_recurrence_rules":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_description":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_exclusions":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[162,8,178,179,173],"class_list":["post-4174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-connectional-ministries","tag-effective-leaders","tag-extension-ministers","tag-ministry-spotlights","tag-office-of-clergy-life"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Extension Ministry Spotlight:\u00a0Connectional Ministries | Clergy Life | North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/clergy-life\/2025\/11\/extension-ministry-spotlight-connectional-ministries\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Extension Ministry Spotlight:\u00a0Connectional Ministries | Clergy Life | North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Welcome to our series that spotlights NC Conference pastors serving in extension ministries. Read about other\u00a0extension ministers\u00a0as these stories are published weekly. Rev. Ismael Ruiz-Mill\u00e1n Rev. 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