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This newsletter is brought to you by your
OCWM contributions.
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From the Association Minister of Faith in Action
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Food Insecurity: A Call to Action
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Jesus said, "Whatever you do to the least of these, you have done to me."
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Many congregations across our Association work hard to feed the hungry. We do this because we care. We fight food insecurity because we believe our faith requires it. We do this by hosting or working with local food banks, soup kitchens, warm meal delivery programs, and more. Several of our congregations serve as one of the 70 Hunger Centers for the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland, which serves 40,000 individuals a month. Some of our congregations do this by hosting large, community wide meals every Sunday. This work is important because, according to
Feeding America
, there are 1,691,910 people in Ohio that struggle with hunger, and 510,030 are children. By breaking it down by counties, we can identify that at least 616,320 people within the counties we serve are food insecure. Knowing that so many people suffer from hunger in the communities we serve, this is a call to action!
We would like to hear from you. Tell us about the need in your community and how you are putting your faith into action to end hunger. Include a photo with a blurb. Tell us the stories you would like to share with the world. What are some of the ways your congregation helps fight food insecurity?
If you are interested in food-insecurity, read the following letter of appeal about food-insecurity from our Minister of Faith in Action.
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Ohio Conference Annual Gathering 2019
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"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it!"
Psalm 24:1
UCC clergy and lay leaders from around Ohio, West Virginia, and northern Kentucky will attend the 2019 Annual Gathering for two days of inspiration and innovation about how we can care for our common ground.
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Leading Faithfully:
Mobilizing Clergy to Help Respond to Elder Abuse
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Community clergy are often left out of discussions of elder justice, but may be the first individuals who may become aware of elder abuse or exploitation in their faith communities. This educational offering will help “connect the dots” for the faith leaders that serve communities across Ohio.
We encourage you to share this unique opportunity with the clergy, faith leaders and difference makers in your community and encourage them to attend.
Objectives:
- Identify risk factors that may make individuals more vulnerable to victimization
- Define elder abuse and recognize examples of abuse
- Identify responsibility to know resources and help neighbors in our own faith community
- Learn at least two ways to respond to suspected elder abuse
For additional details and complete registration information, please click on the correct date/location below
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Free Showing of Gen Silent
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Free Showing of Critically-Acclaimed Film
Gen Silent
Aug. 25 at Church of the Redeemer UCC, Westlake
Church of the Redeemer UCC, 23500 Center Ridge Rd., Westlake, hosts the critically-acclaimed film,
Gen Silent
, Sunday, Aug. 25, at noon at the church. The viewing is free, but reservations are requested (440-331-0834;
church@corucc.org
).
The documentary tells the story of six LGBT older adults transitioning to assisted care and facing with the decision of going back into the closet to survive. Their decisions and subsequent consequences are captured through intimate access to their day-to-day lives.
The Rev. Beth Long-Higgins, executive director of the Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging with United Church Homes (
https://www.abundantaging.org
), will lead a discussion following the film.
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Recently St. Paul United Church of Christ, 7507 York Road, Parma, Ohio celebrated the retirement of Rev. Carl Pelzer with a church service and luncheon. Reverends Nayiri Karjian, Christopher Hilton and David Loar participated in honoring Rev. Pelzer's 31 years of service to his congregation. He also received a certificate of recognition from the Parma City Council. We wish Rev Pelzer and his wife Ann many blessings as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.
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Christians and the Disinherited: Toward the Next 100 Years of Ecumenical Ministry
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The Ohio Conference is proud to co-sponsor
The Ohio Council of Churches
(OCC) 100th anniversary event. The OCC remains devoted in its 100th year to tackling the problems of racism through ecumenical partnership and vision. We in the Ohio Conference had already begun engaging with the OCC in discussions around hosting an event focused on ending racism; this event is one of the fruits of that discernment.
For this event, with our assistance, the OCC has lined up workshops, worship, celebrations, and reflections around the work to fight racism. Our commitment to working with ecumenical partners like the OCC to arrange for continuing anti-racism work in our communities is just one of the ways your Conference is offering service to our members and churches.
With that commitment in mind, we have engaged the Pulitzer Prize-Winning writer, and Miami Herald columnist, Leonard Pitts, Jr., to deliver a keynote address at the OCC 100th anniversary gathering on September 6, 2019, at Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO). Mr. Pitts, in this quote from
his personal web site
, is to his core a writer. "In a career that now spans 43 years, Leonard Pitts, Jr. has worked as a columnist, a college professor, a radio producer and a lecturer. But those are just the job titles. If you ask him what he does – what he is – he’ll tell you now what he would have told you then. He is a writer." He is a writer deeply committed to holding up to the light issues of injustice.
We are excited to invite you to attend this event in September by registering here through the MTSO web site. Simply click the button below to be redirected to the registration page. The full cost for the day is $50, with discounts for seniors and students, as well as the option to register only for the keynote address with Leonard Pitts, Jr.
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State of Chronic Disease Disparities in the African American Community
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Keynote Speaker: Pastor Colin Jones, Advent UCC
Goal: To examine how political and social policies have impacted health disparities in the African American community. The conference will examine the state of chronic disease disparities by exploring the impact on the through historical documentation, breakout sessions and personal testimonies.
Past: Examining policies that impacted the present state of disparities in the African American community
Present: Discussion of the impact of chronic disease disparities on the pursuit of health parity.
Future: What must be done to help shape policies that impact health disparities in the African American community? *Equipping attendees with the knowledge to create and advocate for relevant policies at the national, state and local levels
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UCC Webinar on the Youth Climate Movement as a Moral Force
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On Fridays throughout the world this past year, students walked out of classrooms and went into the streets to compel action in addressing the climate crisis. What started as a one-person protest by Greta Thunberg has grown to a movement of millions in over 160 countries and at least 2000 locations. Youth are now calling upon adults to join them for a week of action in September. This month’s
Creation Justice Webinar
will prepare us for action by featuring Jamie Margolin, the 17-year-old who has been at the forefront of the youth climate movement in the United States. She led the call for last year's youth climate march, and she is a co-founder of the youth organization Zero Hour. The webinar will be held on August 15
th
at 1 pm ET, but a recording will be sent out to all who register.
Register today!
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Living Water Association Worship Practicum
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What would happen if we, 150 congregations of the Living Water Association, made a commitment to make our worship experiences EXCELLENT, meaning we make them EXPERIENCES of GOD, RELEVANT to our times and lives.
The Worship Festival we experienced with The Rev. Dr. Marcia McFee was an effort to guide us in that direction. To follow up, this fall, we have planned regional Worship Practicums where we can talk about the nitty gritty, practical and reasonable steps toward excellence and relevance of worship, no matter the style.
Join us for one or more of the Worship Practicums. Choose the date, time and location most convenient to you. Please bring along a copy of the order of worship used in the congregation you serve. We will discuss practical matters, bulletin style, liturgy, music and trends.
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Director of Music, Suffield UCC
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This part-time position is responsible for the leadership of the adult chancel and bell choir. The director works in cooperation with the pastor, church musicians, and sound technicians in the area of general planning and leadership of the music program and worship ministry of the church. The church worship service is an informal, traditional worship service with a love of music and an openness to expanding our range of music. The Director of Music shall be directly responsible to the Pastor and the Governing Board. For full job description or to apply please contact the church at (330) 628-4038 or
pastor.karin356@gmail.com
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Music Director.
St. John's UCC in Massillon
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We are looking for a music director. This position is 8 hours a week with a negotiable rate. The applicant must possess the ability to play the piano and organ. The applicant will be asked to play a few pieces at the interview. Please contact St. John's UCC in Massillon at
Stjohnsuccmassillon@gmail.com.
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Church Musician, First Austinburg
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Be sure to mark your calendar.
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Ohio Council of Churches 100th Anniversary Event
Ohio Conference
Speaker: Leonard Pitts
Friday, September 6
National Day of Volunteer Youth Ministry
Saturday, September 21 ♦ 9:30-11:30AM
32801 Electric Blvd ♦ Avon Lake
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Ohio Conference Annual Gathering
Friday, September 27, 3 pm - Saturday, September 28, 3 pm
Theme: Caring for Our Common Ground
Westerville Community UCC
770 County Line Rd., Westerville, OH
Living Water Association Annual Meeting
Saturday, November 2
Details Soon
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Association Ministers' Schedules
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Here's where your Association Ministers will be the next few Sundays.
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August 11
10:30 AM
First Congregational UCC Fairport Harbor
308 3rd St, Fairport Harbor, OH 44077
August 18
10:30 AM
Hartsgrove UCC, Rome
5260 US Highway 6, Rome, OH 44085
August 25
10:30 AM
St. John, Massillon
101 Tremont Ave SE, Massillon, OH 44646
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August 4
9:30 AM
Trinity UCC (Wooster)
150 E North St, Wooster, OH 44691
August 18
9:30 AM
Suffield UCC, Megadore
1115 State Route 43, Mogadore, OH 44260
August 25
10:30 AM
Zion UCC, Cleveland
2716 W 14th St, Cleveland, OH 44113
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Nayiri Karjian
Associations General Minister
Michael Howard
Minister of Faith in Action
Dan Roland
Search & Call Coordinator
Committee on Ministry Registrar
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Machelle Miller
Office Manager & Bookkeeper
Don Hill
Financial Development Consultant
Gene McAfee
Dean of Northeast Ohio School of Ministry
Cheryl Lindsay
Communication and Website Consultant
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If you'd like to share information about an upcoming or past event sponsored or co-sponsored by a church in our Association, please send your article of 100 words or less in a paragraph by Tuesday noon to
office@livingwaterone.org. Be extravagantly welcoming by including 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 to the flier in the article or the flier can be used as the article. Fliers should be less than 5MB and in Word or PDF format. Photos (which display above your article) may be sent in addition to the article. Photos should be less than 5MB and in JPG or PNG format.
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This newsletter is brought to you by your OCWM contributions.
Copyright ©2019. All rights reserved.
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