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This newsletter is brought to you by your OCWM contributions.

Last call! December 31 is the giving deadline for OCWM and special offerings to be credited to 2017. Contributions must be made online, received in the office, or postmarked by December 31. If after that date, they will be credited to the year 2018.
Williard UCC Closes
After 103 years of serving God, Williard United Church of Christ in Akron has sold its building and the congregation will dissolve on December 31. The current membership of Williard UCC is happy to announce that the building will continue to be a church home serving God and community. The new church will be called "The Akron Christian Assembly at the Williard Building". Its membership is made up of Christians from Nepal who have been searching for a permanent church home. May God bless this new minsitry on this old site.
MLK Overnighter
All Senior High Youth are invited to attend this overnighter. It will be everything you would expect at a typical overnighter - games, pizza, little sleep, music, craziness - plus an opportunity to explore the life and the faith and the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth must be accompanied by youth leaders or chaperones. The cost is only $10 per person. Pizza, snacks and breakfast will be provided. Please bring a sleeping bag, pillow and a snack to share. Pre-registration is not required, but is appreciated.

Civil Rights Mission Trip
Travel back to when leaders of faith heard God's Still Speaking Voice. The group departs Cleveland July 24 and returns July 30. Travel by bus to Alabama, visiting locations of significant importance in the struggle for equality in Montgomery, Birmingham and Selma. The cost is $1,500, based on the number of travelers, and includes bus transportation, entry fees to all locations, lodging and daily breakfast. Interested participants should email West Park UCC before January 16. A $250 deposit is due before February 1.
3rd Sundays
West Park UCC (3909 Rocky River Dr, Cleveland) hosts a monthly Adult Education Program called 3 rd Sundays. All are welcome for the January program about Isa. That is the name our Muslim brothers and sisters have for one of their most revered prophets. Christians call him Jesus. Dr. Zeki Saritoprak, Director of the Bediuzzman Said Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University will offer a presentation on his most recent book, Islam's Jesus. The program will take place in the sanctuary at 11:30AM on January 21.
Open Position
First Congregational Church in Akron is seeking an Acting Organist and an Acting Choir Director on an interim basis from January 7-April 1, 2018 for the 11AM Sunday worship service.

In Our Prayers
A memorial service for Joyce Strommen, widow of former WRA Association Minister Rev. Robert Strommen, will be held at Lakewood Congregational Church (1375 W Clifton Blvd, Lakewood) on January 13 at 10:30AM.
Your Associations' Staff
Mark Frey
Acting Associations General Minister

Gary Halstead
Associations Associate Minister

Machelle Miller
Office Manager & Bookkeeper

Cheryl McGraw
Communications & Administration

Committee on Ministry Registrar


Margaret Borrelli
Faith Formation Coordinator
Mark Frey
Pastoral Excellence/Communities of Practice

Don Hill
Financial Development Consultant

Gene McAfee
Dean of Northeast Ohio School of Ministry

Bob Richardson
Coach Coordinator

Maureen Webber
Spiritual Formation Coordinator

Lori Wick
Youth Ministries Coordinator
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 paragraph format 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.