The public is invited to the installation service of Rev. Linda Middelberg as superintendent of the
Maumee Watershed District for the United Methodist Church.
The service will be held at 4 p.m. Sept. 28 at Maumee United Methodist Church, 405 Sackett St., Maumee.

Bishop Gregory V. Palmer will be officiating the service and delivering the message.
A reception will follow.
Each church has been invited to bring a small amount of water to the service. Early in the worship
service, there will be a time for representatives of the various churches to bring their water together
in a giant bowl symbolizing the unity through the waters of baptism and the waters that stretch
throughout the Maumee Watershed.
Middelberg follows  Marla Elfritz Brown who retired June 30 after serving as superintendent for six
years.  Middelberg will have spiritual and administrative oversight for the 108 congregations in the
Maumee Watershed district as well as numerous mission sites and ministries.
Originally from Florence, Kentucky, she attended Morehead State University where she earned both her
bachelor and master degrees in business administration, after which she worked in financial management
and as an instructor at Wright State University. She recognized her call to ordained ministry while
taking a disciple bible study class at her home church, Christ United Methodist Church in Kettering.
After earning her Masters of Divinity from United Theological Seminary, she was ordained an elder in the
West Ohio Conference in 2003.
After seminary, the new superintendent served as an associate pastor at St. Andrew United Methodist
Church in Beavercreek where she had the opportunity to start a new campus ministry at Wright State. 
Since 2006 she has served at King Avenue United Methodist Church as executive pastor with responsibility
for administration, faith formation, and developing an online voice for the church.
She has also been active in the Chrysalis community in Dayton and the Emmaus Community in Columbus.
Middelberg is passionate about engaging with people who believe they have been forgotten and connecting
them to the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. Her skills as a teacher have allowed her to be a coach for
new pastors, a candidacy mentor and a Crucible leader.
She has been married for over 30 years to her husband, John, and they have two daughters, a son-in-law
and one grandson, who are the joy of their lives.