The Good News

The monthly newsletter of Christ United Church

July 2019

We’re on Our Way! Message from the Montgomerys Christ

United Church A federated church

of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the

United Church of Christ

With Christ as our heart

and God’s love as our fire,

we learn, we love, we care for all

people.

Dear CUC Friends and (soon to be) Family, Greetings from hot, humid, rainy and windy Missouri! As we are finalizing things here across the Mississippi (which we are praying doesn’t get any higher than it is!), we wanted to take a moment to express how excited we are for this next step in our journey. It was a pleasure to meet so many of you during our visit in April, and we look forward to getting to know each of you better – thank you in advance for your patience as we ask for reminders on things like names from time to time! We’ll return the favor and do our best to help let folks know which twin is Holly and which is Highland! Our kids are all excited to meet their new church family. Caleb just earned his Wolf rank in Cub Scouts and got back from a weeklong adventure camp at our local scout reservation – we’re excited to find a pack for him to join and continue his adventures on the Scouting Trail. Ceilidh (the Irish word for dance!) just performed in her second dance recital and has been full of questions about what we will find in Ohio – we’ve assured her that, yes, there are dance studios in Ohio, and we even found out that there is a Scottish Highland Dancing school in Strongsville! As

Caleb prepares to go into 3rd grade and Ceilidh starts into Kindergarten, they are both excited and a little anxious to see their new schools, to discover what our new community will have for them to explore and enjoy, and to make new friends, though we know they will also miss the friends they’ve made in Missouri. Holly and Highland are currently more confused about where most of their things have gone, as they are not quite 3 years old and don’t quite understand why everything in the house is currently in boxes and why the pictures that were on their walls have mysteriously vanished! Meanwhile, Janis and Joel have finished writing their sermons for their final Sundays at the churches they will be leaving. The offices are mostly packed, though we’ve taken care to keep out a few of the books and things we’ll need right off the bat for when we arrive in Ohio. Preparing to say goodbye to our church families here has been bittersweet, but our sadness is made less sharp when we think about the community we have been called to be a part of at Christ United. Continued on page 2

We’re on Our Way! Continued from page 1 We are truly excited to discover what God has in store for us in our ministry together, and we can’t wait to see what new opportunities God presents to this church as we journey alongside you. We look forward to seeing you all in July! In Christ, Janis, Joel, Caleb, Ceilidh, Holly, and Highland Montgomery

Coming Together By Regina Wolfe, CUC President On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrated our third anniversary as Christ United Church. It was a wonderful day because we also confirmed new members – Austin Cole, Julianne Evanko and Carrigan Rickel. And we began our fourth year together with the installation of officers, leaders and committee members. Milestones in our lives can be a time of reflection and I have been doing just that. To borrow a phrase from an old commercial, “We’ve come a long way, baby.” We need to take a moment to enjoy what we have accomplished. However, we still have some work to do. We walk a delicate path between becoming one church and yet honoring our two traditions. So how do we navigate this journey? We start by honoring our past. If someone were to ask me what church I attend I would say Christ United Church. If asked what denomination my church is, I would reply we are a federated church – both United Church of Christ and Presbyterian. If I were asked what denomination I belong to I would acknowledge that I am Presbyterian. I was recently talking to another member of Christ United Church and she told me, “I will always be UCC.” I suspect many of you feel the same way; we have a strong attachment to either the United Church of Christ or the Presbyterian denominations. We honor our past. Next, we need to find our way to the future as Christ United Church. As we move forward with new pastors, we need to focus on what we have in common. We have a strong commitment to mission and outreach to the community and beyond. We are nourished spiritually by our worship service. We

value faith formation and spiritual development. We seek to do the work of the kingdom of God. We can take the strengths of both First UCC and St. Andrew’s to make our mission, worship, faith formation and work for the kingdom even better. Finally, we need to let go of the things that may not serve us so well in the future. It is tempting to do things the way we have always done them. But, the church of the future will quite possibly look very different from the church of our youth.

Berea Grindstone Festival Parade is July 5 It’s Parade Time! What: Berea Grindstone Festival When: Friday, July 5, 2019 Parade starts at 5:30 pm Where: Those wishing to walk or ride in the Parade will meet at the County Fairgrounds at 5:00 PM. Float Decorating: 3:00 PM at the church What to wear: Any combination of red, white, and blue Looking for: 3 – 4 Float Decorators 4 – 5 People to hand out candy Participants: Christ United Church Members, friends, children, grandchildren.

Faith & Film Come Friday, July 5th at 6:45 pm (later time to accommodate parade folk) for a screening of the 2018 American biographical legal drama film On the Basis of Sex. This film is based on the life and early cases of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her work to change the laws that discriminated on the basis of sex. We will enjoy pizza, popcorn and desserts as we discuss this fascinating trail blazer and her contributions to equal protection under the law. See you at the movies!

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Cleaning Thanks The Building and Grounds Committee holds up those who gave their time on May 18 for the annual Spring-cleaning Day at CUC and to publicly express our appreciation to them. When you see the following individuals, please thank them for their dedication to our church. These are our “church angels”: Henry Ault, Terry Mercier, Lois Weller, Linda Ault, Wendy Mercier, Jon Wiborg, Bonnie Crall, Don Michaelsen, Dave Zilch, Mo Funai, Phyllis Michaelsen, Karla Zilch, Kathy Keck, Katie Walker, Rick Kershaw and Nancy Wares. If we have missed anyone, please let Jon Wiborg know.

History Help We need your help! Member Care has chosen the theme of “Church History” for our Fifth Sunday Potluck coming on Sunday, September 29. Do you have photos, artifacts or memorabilia of St. Andrew’s or First Church events or activities that you would like to share with other members of Christ United Church? This will help us remember the good times and also help Pastors Joel and Janis get to know us better. Contact Katie Walker if you have items to share or if you would like to help her with the display presentation.

Saints and Sinners Please come for a summer gathering on Thursday, August 15 at noon in Friendship Hall. This is a great time to get to know members and friends of Christ United Church in a relaxed atmosphere. Look for the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board across from the office. Saints and Sinners is an informal luncheon group. We meet once each season on the third Thursday of the month (August, November, February, and May) usually at a local restaurant. When ILR is on a break in the summer, we take advantage of the available space to meet in Friendship Hall.

Memorial Book Linda Ault from the Member/Care Committee has put together a beautiful memorial book, In Remembrance, covering memorials from 2013 to the present. It lists the people who donated monetary gifts to the church in memory of a member of the congregation. The red In Remembrance book is kept in the Meditation Room, the former library.

Dates to Remember July 5 – Grindstone Parade July 7 – Pastors Janis and Joel’s First Sunday July 11 – Women’s Conversation July 11 – Summer Program for Families July 18 – Summer Program for Families July 25 – Women’s Conversation July 25 – Summer Program for Families August 1 – Summer Program for Families August 8 – Women’s Conversation August 8 – Summer Program for Families August 22 – Women’s Conversation September 29 – Church Potluck

Happy Birthday July 4 Joan Laing 6 Carmen DiPalma 7 Ogden White 8 Kitty Reddish 8 Chase Schroll 9 Bill Luff 10 Charles Campbell 12 Andi Allen 12 Len Gardner 17 Lois Weller 24 Holly Salzgeber 27 Greg Marke, Sr. 28 Joan Sorg 30 Frances Millward 30 Sandy Newman

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SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Summer Educational Experience for Family and Friends

Thursday Evenings July 11, 18, 25; August 1 & 8 6:00 p.m. – Evening Meal

6:45 p.m. – Program for Adults and Activities for Children**

July 11 - Responding to Gun Violence: Thoughts. Prayers. Action. Change. Rev. Kristine Eggert is the Co-founder of God Before Guns, a multi faith coalition of individuals

and faith communities working to reduce gun violence deaths and injuries.

July 18 – Musical Explorations, Hal Walker Voted Cleveland’s “Best Musician” by readers of the Scene Magazine for two years in a row,

Hal Walker is a northeast Ohio musical treasure.

**Intergenerational Evening

July 25 – The Civil War, Then and Now, Jeff Smith Jeff has reenacted with the 8th Ohio Volunteer Infantry since 1992.

August 1 – North Coast Birding News, Ken Gober Ken worked for Cleveland Metroparks as an Interpretive Naturalist and

Nature Center Manager for 32 years before retiring in 2008

**Intergenerational Evening

August 8 – Egypt: Reality Checks and Revolution

Revs. Cinda and Steve Gorman Cinda and Steve worked for 3 years, beginning in 2013, as Mission Co-Workers of the PC(USA) in Egypt.

Christ United Church

23114 West Rd

Christ United Church A federated congregation of the

United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church (USA)

23114 West Rd.,

Olmsted Falls/Berea

440-234-0150

Bagley Rd.

Sprague Rd.

Building Improvement Update In February, at the Town Hall meeting, the Building and Grounds Committee proposed two building repair projects. The roof project has already begun and was funded by the Renewal Fund. The second project is to replace the sanctuary and classroom outside windows. These windows are over 60 years old and replacing them with new, energy efficient windows will reduce our annual gas bill. Last year’s gas bill was over $10,000 and that was an increase of 15% over the previous year. We have noticed some leakage in a few windows and are concerned with future structural damage to interior walls. Replacing the windows will cost $130,000. “This Old Church Fund” will provide $30,000. For the rest of the money, the Governing Board is asking the congregation for help. You have received a letter requesting that you make a special two-year pledge to meet this goal. Based on the total pledge, we will apply for a low interest loan from the Cornerstone Fund to move forward with the project this summer. If you have any questions about the specifics of the windows project, please call Jon Wiborg at (440)665-5520. If you have questions about the pledge, call Rich Spinner at (216)401-8888. Our building is a testament to our faith in God and our support for local missions and community groups. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity and give what you feel you can afford.

Serving Communion Serving communion to the congregation is a moving act of service. If you would like to help serve communion at Christ United Church, please contact David Zilch to have your name placed on the list and for more information.

Summer Women’s Conversations Do you enjoy summer leisure time? Do you enjoy being in conversation with other women? Do you enjoy being outside? Do you enjoy picnics? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you are invited to come to the church on Thursday mornings this summer to have our first conversation about, well, whatever we want to talk about. Weather permitting, we will meet under the shade trees on the front lawn from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and then have lunch. (If it is raining or too hot - we will meet inside.) All you need to bring is your favorite lawn chair, your sunglasses and a sack lunch. (NOTE: We may decide to go out to lunch after some of these.) Remaining conversation dates: July 11 and 25, August 8 and 22. It would be great to make to all the dates, but know it is fine to come whenever you are able. If you have questions, call Kathy Patterson at 440-390-8331.

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Governing Board News At the June meeting the Governing Board heard a presentation from the Evangelism Committee. Nichole Fehrman, a woman of many talents, has evaluated our digital media presence and made suggestions for making Christ United Church more visible online. We also heard an update from the committee that is conducting the capital campaign for the replacement of the windows. Dave Zilch was elected to the position of Clerk of the Governing Board. We received notes of thanks which are posted on the bulletin board across from the church office. With input from Janis and Joel Montgomery, Chris Landers has revised the terms of call. The salary has been lowered and the housing allowance increased. This change will benefit both the Montgomerys and the church. Their tax obligation will be reduced and our total cost will be lowered. We received the appraisal for the Front Street Property. It has been evaluated at $220,000. There will be a town hall meeting on September 15 following worship to discuss our options. Many thanks to Rev. Ogie White for co-moderating the meeting. During the president’s report I shared the following. I think it could be beneficial to all of us. At our leadership training I talked about the importance of self-care for church leaders. As part of that self-care, I think it is helpful to refrain from discussing church business on Sunday as much as possible. In Exodus 20:8, we are told to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. I know it is tempting to share information with other people when we see them at church. However, I believe it is important to reserve Sunday for the worship of God and try to keep church business to a minimum. Therefore, if you need to share something with me, I ask that you call, email or text me during the week. Then, I can focus on worship Sunday morning. I encourage all of you to give yourself the opportunity to deepen your relationship with God as you worship and set aside the business of the church on Sunday morning.

Sing in Services This Summer Join us for a low-commitment, high-fun opportunity to raise your voice in song and help to lead CUC worship. During Sundays July 14, July 21 and August 25, the worship services will include a women’s choral ensemble, men’s choral ensemble and contemporary choral ensemble respectively to share an anthem and help lead worship. No previous experience or rehearsal required; singers of all ages welcome.

On Sunday, July 14, female singers are invited to come together for a rehearsal at 9:00 AM in order to share a simple anthem during the worship service at 10:00 AM.

On Sunday, July 21, male singers are invited to come together for a rehearsal at 9:00 AM in order to share a simple anthem during the worship service at 10:00 AM.

On Sunday, August 25, we will share our next contemporary-focused service, all singers are invited to come together for a rehearsal on Thursday, August 22, 7:00 – 8:00 pm and then again on Sunday, August 25 for rehearsal at 9:00 AM in order to share a simple anthem and help to lead other music in the service at 10:00 AM.

Mark your calendars, share your talent for God’s glory and come together in song!

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Wider Church News:

A Partnership with the Expanding Dougbe River Presbyterian School by Don Michaelsen This school, a mission of the Presbytery of the Western Reserve and a CUC partner, is located on 150 acres in a remote area near Liberia’s southeastern border with Ivory Coast in western Africa. The first classes began on November 30, 2012 thanks to a partnership that developed between Isaac Tarley Monah, a Liberian native at the time, and Northeast Ohio Presbyterians. The native language in Liberia is English with many local dialects. Dougbe River provides an educational curriculum approved by the Liberian Ministry of Education that also includes Christianity-based instruction to children in three local communities: Sayuo, Buway and Whybo (all of which are within walking distance of the school). There are currently 243 students, 117 girls and 126 boys, enrolled pre-school through the ninth grade. The school day lasts six hours, almost double that of government schools. This last spring, a light breakfast was introduced for earlier arriving students. Eleven teachers and administrators live in campus housing built by local residents. Dougbe also employs four full-time agricultural associates and three other staff, all of whom oversee the 30-acre school farm. The farm grows vegetables and rice for the school feeding program. A recently introduced revenue-enhancing effort includes the growing of plantain and cassava to sell at local markets. In the near future, a pineapple grove will be harvested and the growing of cacao will provide both shade and a commodity crop once it matures. Isaac Monah, now 48, is founder and executive director of the school. In 1990 at age 19, he escaped as a refugee from a Liberian civil war (1989 - 2003) and came to the USA. When he returned to his home years later, he saw the need to establish a school that would offer a quality education, especially to girls. Having been a US citizen for several years now, he continues to live

with his wife and three sons in South Euclid, OH. He serves as an elder at the Noble Road Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Hts. Since July 2017, CUC’s Rev. Ogie White continues to serve on the Dougbe River School Board of Directors. SOURCES: www.drpsl.com; an email from Tedd Roos, current Chairperson of the school’s Board of Directors.

The Good News The monthly publication of

Christ United Church 440-234-0150

23114 West Road Olmsted Falls, Ohio 44138

Office@ChristUnited.Church Sunday Worship 10:00 AM Fellowship Time 11:00 AM

Judy Mitchell, Editor Betsy Clark, Associate Editor

Church Personnel

Revs. Janis and Joel Montgomery Co-Pastors (Pastor@ChristUnited.Church)

Bryan Bowser, Director of Music Janet Winzenburger, Assoc. Director of Music

Nichole Fehrman, Keyboardist Betsy Clark, Office Manager

CHRIST UNITED CHURCH

23114 West Road

Olmsted Falls, OH 44138

DATED MATERIAL July 2019