Keeping You Connected
WEBSITE        OUR ASSOCIATIONS AT WORK     CALENDAR        RESOURCES


This newsletter is brought to you by your OCWM contributions.

Why Donate to Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM)?
You may not be seeing this newsletter in its entirety. As you know, it is usually jam-packed and chock-full of fascinating and helpful information. This can sometimes cause email programs to truncate the newsletter. If you've reached the very bottom, you will see the submission guidelines. If you don't, look for something like this:
Annual Reports: Last Call
This is your final reminder (and I'm sure you're glad of that) to make sure you get your annual reporting done by March 5. That's only a very few days away.

NEOSOM Spring Courses
Registration is now open for the Northeast Ohio School of Ministry's (NEOSOM) Spring term. The school is offering two classes. Both are open for audit as well as to students of the program.
  • Spiritual Disciplines
  • Church History 1 (Pre-Reformation)

BGSU Men's Chorus
The Bowling Green State University Men's Chorus, America's Finest Singing Machine , will present a dynamic concert of male choral music at The Bath Church United Church of Christ (3980 W Bath Rd, Akron) on Thursday, March 1 at 7:30PM in the sanctuary of the church. The chorus is en-route to the Intercollegiate Men's Choruses Seminar in Washington, D.C. Their unparalleled musical excellence has been thrilling audiences for over 40 years. The ensemble encompasses students from all majors; over half are non-music majors, representing all seven colleges at the University. A free will offering will be taken.

Spring Enchantment Craft Show
Trinity Church (8101 Manchester Ave NW, Canal Fulton) invites you to their Spring Enchantment Craft Show! Over 50 craft tables, baked goods, franchise dealers and much more. The Men's Club will be selling their famous homemade lasagna and the Women's Guild will host a bake sale. Breakfast and lunch will be available and proceeds benefit the church's various missions. Stop by on Saturday, March 3, 9AM-3PM. For more information, call 330-882-3245.
Lenten Practices: Music as Healing
You are invited to an interactive presentation by Kira Seaton, Assistant Professor of Music at Cuyahoga Community College, on Sunday, March 11 from 1-2PM at West Park UCC Education Building (3909 Rocky River Dr, Cleveland). How do experiences in music, both listening and participating, make a difference in our physical, mental and emotional well-being? Research made fun and experiences galore give an overall picture of this most interactive of art forms. For info, please call 216-671-7228.
Mt Zion JOBS
JOBS (Job Opportunities Breakthrough Services) is a free faith-based 10 week program designed to help the unemployed and underemployed get into the workforce and obtain meaningful employment. JOBS mission is to provide excellence in educational and career readiness within a Christian community through creation of an exceptional academic model that supports all individuals. Who should attend?
  • Individuals seeking employment
  • Employers who are seeking qualified employees
  • Organizations and individuals who have contact with people who are seeking employment
JOBS benefit training consists of topics such as job etiquette, conflict resolution, professional goals, resume writing, interviewing, etc.

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself?
The Culture of Peace Prophetic Witness Team invites you to a workshop April 13-15 at Camp Y-Noah. Participants will gain helpful tools to enable them to be peacemakers in times such as these, be asked to step out of their comfort zones, stand their ground in love, to love others as they love themselves, to keep confidentiality. Cost is $100 per person and includes lodging, snacks, 3 meals on Saturday and 2 meals on Sunday. If you need a scholarship, you may apply for one when you register. This is not an introductory workshop.

Hurricane Relief Efforts
Paradise UCC in Louisville, OH is taking a group to Houston to help with hurricane relief efforts. Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders needs help! Mucking out is essentially complete, so those with rebuild skills are particularly needed. If you have construction skills, you're needed. If you can paint or steady a ladder, you're needed. And if you are the person who likes driving, singing 80's music and drinking Mountain Dew, you are perfect!!! April 21 is the departure date from Ohio and April 28 the date to leave Houston. The Fuller Center provides the construction leadership, tools and projects and this Ohio team will provide the passion for serving.

Camp Registration Open
Interested in camp this summer? The 2018 summer camp registration portal is now open! There are opportunities available for people of all ages, so check your calendar and get ready for a summer of fun! Be sure to check out the Outdoor Ministries page on the Conference website for helpful information as you begin to plan for camp!

Message from Jim Cunningham
I'd like to thank my colleagues and friends in our Associations for your ministry to me and with me during the last 29 years. Charlie and I will be moving to Phoenix in mid-March to be close to Charlie's 86 year old father and...to escape the cold! I am so blessed to have served with many of you around the Associations, with Fairview Hospital, and with so many congregations. Thank you! I will treasure this chapter of my life and ministry always. I will hold you in my prayers. Blessings and Peace.

Rev. Jim Cunningham
Finding Significance as a Small Church
The Parish Paper is a wonderful resource to which the Ohio Conference has subscribed on behalf of all Ohio UCC churches. Each issue stands alone as a topic of interest and importance to being a living and growing congregation. With the Conference subscription, we in local churches and the associations have permission from the copyright holder to use the material per copyright restrictions. Please distribute only in its unaltered entirety.

In Our Prayers
Please keep the following people in your prayers.

Rev. Dr. Gary Halstead and family on the death of his mother. Muriel Halstead died Thursday, February 15.
Ordinations & Installations
Installation of Karin Wright
March 4 ♦ 9:30AM
United Church of Christ ♦ 1115 SR 43 ♦ Suffield

Installation of Robin Stanley
March 18 ♦ 11AM
Hartsgrove Community UCC ♦ 5260 US 6 ♦ Rome

Installation/Meet & Greet: Nayiri Karjian
April 7 ♦ 10AM
First Congregational UCC ♦ 47 Aurora St ♦ Hudson

Installation/Meet & Greet: Nayiri Karjian
April 8 ♦ 2PM
St John UCC ♦ 516 N Wooster Ave ♦ Strasburg

Installation/Meet & Greet: Nayiri Karjian
April 21 ♦ 10AM
36363 Center Ridge Rd ♦ North Ridgeville

Installation/Meet & Greet
April 22 ♦ 2PM
Pilgrim Christian Church ♦ 202 S Hambden St ♦ Chardon

Installation of David W Brown
May 6 ♦ 10:30AM
Trinity UCC ♦ 915 N Main St ♦ Akron

Ordination of Molly Bolton
May 27 ♦ 10:30AM
St Paul's Community Church
4427 Franklin Blvd ♦ Cleveland
Association Ministers' Schedules
Here's where your Association Ministers will be the next few Sundays.
March 4
9:30AM
United Church of Christ
1115 SR 43 ♦ Suffield

March 18
11AM
Hartsgrove Community UCC
5260 US 6 ♦ Rome
March 4
10AM
1375 W Clifton Blvd ♦ Lakewood
Your Associations' Staff
Nayiri Karjian
Associations General Minister

Gary Halstead
Associations Associate Minister

Machelle Miller
Office Manager & Bookkeeper

Cheryl McGraw
Communications & Administration
Don Hill
Financial Development Consultant

Gene McAfee
Dean of Northeast Ohio School of Ministry

Bob Richardson
Coach Coordinator

Committee on Ministry Registrar
Submission Guidelines
If you'd like to share information about an upcoming event or past event sponsored or co-sponsored by a church in our Associations, please send your article of 100 words or less in a paragraph to support.center@eoawraucc.org by Tuesday noon of each week. Be extravagantly welcoming by including in the article the name, location, address, date, time and contact information of the event. Items will run for two consecutive weeks. Fliers may be sent in addition to the 100 word article and a link will be provided in the article to the flier. Fliers should be less than 5MB and in Word or PDF format. Photos (which display next to your article) may be sent in addition to the article. Photos should be less than 5MB and in JPG or PNG format.