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.