BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – A member of the West Virginia Wesleyan College Board of Trustees and an alumnus will be the guest pastor for the annual ecumenical Homecoming Chapel Service to be held in Wesley Chapel on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 10:30 a.m.

The Rev. Dr. Ellis E. Conley is a 1973 graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College. He went on to earn a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Drew University.  As a full member of the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, before his retirement Conley served congregations in St. Albans, Wayne, Beckley, Buckhannon, Elkins, and Hurricane, and as a District Superintendent served as secretary of the Cabinet.

Conley served a variety of roles in the Annual Conference, including as a trustee of the West Virginia United Methodist Foundation and as Chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry for eight years.   He has been elected by his peers to General Conference four times and the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference eight times.  He has taught in the Local Pastor Licensing School and the Spring Heights Course of Study School.

Since retirement in 2019, Ellis has served as the Coaching Coordinator of the West Virginia Annual Conference and became an Associate Certified Coach in the International Coaching Federation, coaching pastors, facilitating cohorts of clergy in transition to new appointments, church strategic planning, and retirement seminars.

Conley is currently completing his fourth term as a member of the West Virginia Wesleyan Board of Trustees where he serves as secretary and a member of the Executive Committee.  He is a Paul Harris Fellow and an active member of the Putnam County Rotary Club. Conley and spouse, Julie, a ’74 Wesleyan graduate and a retired high school art teacher, reside in Hurricane with their dog, Duffy, where they volunteer weekly at the Community Food Pantry.   They have two married sons and three grandsons.

For a complete Homecoming schedule and to register, visit www.wvwc.edu/homecoming.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.