July/August 2001 UC News

The Ohio Conference 'Gathers at the Welcome Table' in Kansas City
General Synod/General Assembly 2001

Article from United Church News, page 1, July/August 2001

A contingent of about 130 members of the Ohio Conference (67 official delegates and the rest visitors) joined more than 3,000 other United Church of Christ members from all over the US in Kansas City, Missouri on July 13-17 for the 23rd General Synod. The 3,394 UCC participants mixed and mingled in worship, fellowship and plenary sessions with more than 8,000 representatives of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as the two denominations met together in a joint General Synod/General Assembly, Gather at the Welcome Table.

A highlight for many people was the Sunday evening World Beat Festival, an upbeat, music- and color-filled celebration of our global mission partnership. The a cappella gospel group, Sweet Honey in the Rock, filled the room with songs, in turn reflective, sorrowful, and joyful. The crowd loved them all, clapping, singing along, weeping and dancing in the aisles.

The celebration’s theme, ‘Embracing the World,’ was reflected in internationally-flavored music and, most memorably, thirty 12-foot-tall, brightly-colored puppets, their masks representing indigenous cultures from around the globe. The puppets were created by Cleveland-area UCC/DOC church members working together at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The puppeteers who brought the figures to life included four young people from Cleveland-area congregations. Julie Roberson, Diane Douglas and Erica Douglas, all from Avon Lake UCC, and Robert McGee, Pilgrim UCC, each spent almost four hours with a puppet’s framework perched on their shoulders. Afterwards, the young people agreed that the temperature inside the yards of flowing cloth was high and the puppet got heavy, but they appeared to enjoy the experience anyway.

Dan Schoeffler, Brooklyn Heights UCC, and Amy Strang, Avon Lake, served as part of the group of 50 ‘shadowers’ who accompanied the puppeteers, waving decorated ‘spirit poles’ and helping to keep a clear path as the puppets met enthusiastic participants on their procession around the auditorium.

Ohio Conference young people played a significant role in General Synod activities. Thirteen of the 67 OC delegates were high school or college age youth. A group of about 50 Western Reserve youth attended as visitors, stopping off at Emmaus Homes to complete a work project on the way to Kansas City. A number of young people from the other parts of the Conference participated as well.

Delegates Jason White and Michael Peters went to the microphones to give their opinions before the huge plenary session crowd about issues in which they believe. Michael admitted as he began his comments, "I’m really nervous."

Many young people were involved in the mission projects carried out in Kansas City during General Synod, and the youth-led worship service on Monday evening was a highlight for many participants, adult and youth.

"The worship service conducted by our youth was a highlight of General Synod 23 for me. The fact that many of us were very tired seemed to vanish. Nearly everyone in the auditorium participated in the singing and dancing. Our church has a bright future with these young leaders," said Nancy Cope, delegate from Western Reserve.

Pat Minnick, delegate and pastor of St. Paul’s UCC, St. Marys, agrees: "It has been wonderful to see our youth be integrally involved in General Synod. Their faith stories, the growth we have seen and the passion that they lead with is something that we can all take back home with us."

Ohio Conference youth were even singled out by a stranger who stayed in the same hotel with many of them. On Monday, when all OC members were identified by the same ‘Ohio Conference-General Synod’ t-shirt, the man told one of our adult members, "You must be doing something right out there. Your youth are absolutely wonderful to be around."

The delegates from the Ohio Conference spent many hours in worship, study, debate, fellowship and walking! A comment from first-time delegate Jenna Meisner probably represents a consensus: "Family. Home.These words describe my experience at the 2001 General Synod…It was a critical and beneficial experience in understanding the full scope of the wider church…It brings to light the vast diversity of the UCC. There is a rich history celebrated as well as a hopeful future anticipated at General Synod. The group that gathered wrestled faithfully over the issues before them and is committed to continuing to include all divergent opinions in discussion of serious justice and witness issues. My time was well spent, and I consider it an honor to be a representative of my local church, my Conference and my denomination."

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Steeple Vigil nets 5,000 pounds of food *Article from United Church News, Page 4, July/August 2001*
Archwood UCC, Cleveland, held its 8th Annual Steeple Vigil on June 1-2 to collect food and donations to benefit their neighbors through the Brookside Center, the local hunger center. The congregation’s goal was to collect 5,000 pounds of food, in addition to cash donations. By the vigil’s end, they had 5,653 pounds of food and over $1,000 in cash. During a 24-hour period, Pastor David Bahr and members of the congregation took shifts in the church’s 85-foot high, open air steeple. The pastor was lifted into the steeple by a fire truck. At the same time, Archwood members spent one-hour shifts in a 24-hour prayer vigil in the sanctuary. "In terms of weather, this was our most miserable year," said Pastor Bahr. "It rained quite heavily for several hours at a time, limiting the number of persons passing by during street-wide yard sales. We moved the food off the steps and into the church several times. Our members would not be deterred by the weather, though." The size of the event requires more than half the congregation to be actively involved during the weekend, not including those who bring food. "We are defined by our commitment to the needs of our neighbors," said Pastor Bahr, "and, if we may say, proud of our accomplishments. We are continually amazed by the commitment and generosity offered, and the greater community gets connected to us through this event, as we build positive relationships."
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'Church connection' for college students *Article from United Church News, Page 4, July/August 2001*
Publicly-supported community colleges and universities in Ohio have campus ministries supported by the UCC and would like to involve students from your church, whether they are commuters or live on campus. Please send the names of your students and the colleges they attend to the statewide office of Ohio Campus Ministries, Rev. Steve Hammond, 59 E. Willard Court, Oberlin, Ohio 44074, steve.hammond@oberlin.edu. Steve will forward their names to the ecumenical campus ministry at the school they attend (campus ministers can easily find students’ on-campus addresses and/or email addresses. This will help your student keep a church connection even if she/he is not attending church regularly. Ecumenical campus ministries sponsor great volunteer work trips across the U.S. and abroad, local Habitat for Humanity projects, spiritual growth events and justice/human rights organizations. You can get a list of these campus ministries throughout Ohio from the above address.
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Young adult fall gathering coming up *Article from United Church News, Page 4, July/August 2001*
Please notify Susan Towner-Larsen, Ohio Conference Minister for Church and Education, of the name, address and phone number of any UCC young adults (college age) living in or attending college in the greater Columbus area. A fall gathering for young adults is being planned, and Susan would like to include as many of our UCC young adults as possible. First-year students and new area residents of college age are welcome, too! You can reach Susan at 800-282-0740, Ext. 206.
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EOA members deliver disaster kits to West Virginia flood victims
*Article from United Church News, Page 7, The Eastohioan, July/August 2001*
On Monday, July 16, 2001, approximately 800 cleanup kits and 500 personal care kits were delivered to a warehouse in Summersville, WV for use by flood victims near Beckley, WV. The kits came from storage areas in Lima, Canal Fulton, and Woodsfield. Approximately 180 cleanup kits and 100 personal care kits came from the storage area at EOA’s St. Paul’s UCC in Woodsfield. The kits from Lima were delivered to Canal Fulton where they were loaded into a U-Haul truck, which then came to Woodsfield for the remainder of the load. Loading in Woodsfield was done by Trinity UCC, Lewisville members, Hugh and Jane Hyre and Ed and Rose Frank; Rev. Donald Rock and his family from St. Paul, Woodsfield; as well as Rev. Jack and Mrs. Lois Bruce. The warehouse in Summersville is operated by the Seventh Day Adventists. The warehouse personnel complimented the Ohio Conference UCC on having labeled and organized kits. The kits were delivered in boxes so easily handled that some of the kits were put on the truck for immediate shipment to the flooded area. With this shipment of kits, the reserve supply has dwindled. A few kits remain in storage in Cincinnati and Dayton, but we need to rebuild our supply. If your church needs a project, try putting together more cleanup and personal care kits. Jack and Lois Bruce are the Pioneer Larger Parish coordinators for disaster response. Please contact them at brucj@localwww.net.
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Clippings...from Ohio Conference church newsletters *Article from United Church News,* page 2, July/August 2001**
Young children at St. Paul’s UCC, Bellevue can choose a "Play and Praise Bag" from a 4’ hall tree before worship services. The 6 blue and pink bags (for non-readers) and 6 turquoise and red bags (for young readers) contain paper, coloring books, pencils, crayons, finger puppets, lacing cards, felt shapes and boards and travel games. Most items were purchased at dollar stores. The 12 bags and the hall tree were made for about $80 and were created by St. Paul’s Helping Hands group. Bethany UCC, Cleveland, welcoming people from their neighborhood to a monthly community dinner; the next one will be August 12. In addition to receiving nourishment, guests at each meal can browse through Bethany’s selection of clothing and toiletries. Parish Nurse Michelle Stein comes to each meal to take blood pressures and provide health education. Pilgrim Church UCC, Toledo is proud of young member Samantha Chriss, who donated her long hair to an organization that makes wigs for children who have lost their hair while undergoing treatment for cancer. Dover Congregational UCC Junior Climbers teeter-tottered for 24 hours to raise $923.34 for Heifer Project International. Aspiring thespians in the congregation of Pilgrim Congregational Church, Cleveland are invited to join a new liturgical repertory acting company. The group met initially on four evenings in June to create vignettes for worship and other fellowship gatherings. Members of St. John’s UCC, Archbold traveled to Washington UCC on May 31 to build 32 bunk beds for Washington’s guest house. The beds will be used by 960 youth during work camps that will contribute to Washington’s mission work in its inner-city neighborhood this summer. ‘Dream Teams’ are being formed at Suffield UCC to look at the next ten years in the life of the church and dream about where they want to be. After the teams meet separately twice, all the ‘dreamers’ will meet together to prioritize the dreams and begin making plans. First Congregational UCC provides free brown bag lunches each Wednesday noon this summer for their neighbors in Berlin Heights. The lunches are provided by the congregation’s Point of Light Missions group. United Church of Christ in Kent Youth Fellowship is selling stock in their organization to fund a mission trip to Philadelphia this summer. By the end of May, 150 shares of stock were sold to 75 stockholders, raising $1500 for the trip. Stockholders will receive dividends in the form of a postcard from the group while they are working in Philadelphia and an invitation to a dessert bar and slide presentation about their journey. Pastor Mike Castle, Cross Creek Community Church, Dayton, was honored to have his sermon, ‘Yet More Truth and Light—Bible Liberty’ selected for publication in PREACH OUT! Open and Affirming Sermons of the United Church of Christ, Vol. 2, published by UCC Wider Church Ministries. His was one of nine sermons selected. Price Hill UCC, Cincinnati holds Peace Camp 2001, a free day camp for 6-12 year olds, on summer mornings. Campers will learn cooperation, will build peaceful relationships, celebrate diversity, learn respect for all people, develop skills in solving conflicts and have fun. The camp is sponsored by the Center for Peace Education and the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center and is funded by the Dater Foundation and Summertime Kids. Zion UCC, Cleveland holds "The Bible and the Arts Class" on Sunday mornings for children and youth participants.The young people will become familiar with a wide variety of Bible stories and will move in depth with skits and reader’s theatre pieces based on the stories. Kathleen Lipinski, member of Bethany UCC, Cuyahoga Falls, is serving as a ‘summer missionary’ at Ponca Creek UCC in Bonesteel, South Dakota. She will be helping to support and learn from the local ministries of the Ponca Creek church by working with church members and the local schools’ Native American coordinator to try to involve more children and youth in medical, dental and substance abuse prevention programs. Kathleen’s trip is made possible by gifts from Bethany’s Mission Committee and College-Age Mission Trip Fund. St. Paul UCC, Cincinnati held a Quilt Party on June 18 to make small quilts for the premature babies in Good Samaritan Hospital. The hospital auxiliary embroiders the baby’s name and birth date on a quilt, and the baby gets to take it home. Columbia UCC, Barberton, will celebrate their 100th anniversary with an ice cream social on July 22, a special Sunday morning service followed by dinner on September 9, and a banquet at the Slovene Party Center on November 4. Faith UCC is collecting book bags and supplies to be given to twelve of the children who attend a summer camp sponsored by InterParish Ministry. What’s new and exciting at your church? Let us know if you have an event or a member that you would like to highlight in this column! Send your item to Editor, UC News, Ohio Conference, 6161 Busch Blvd., Ste. 95, Columbus OH 43229 or email to pamb@ocucc.org.
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Young dancer shares God's gift with Annual Gathering worshippers *Article from United Church News,* page 3, July/August 2001**
Alexis Britford started dancing almost as soon as she could walk, skipping and twirling around her home. Her mother, UCC pastor Amelia Walker, looked for an outlet and focus for Alexis’ energy. She found it at the Theater Street Dance Academy in Columbus, where she enrolled Alexis in dance classes at the age of two years and 10 months. She has been dancing ever since. Alexis, who will be a high school freshman in September, has taken lessons in ballet, jazz, tap, modern dance and acting. Her dream is to dance with the American Ballet Theater and then transfer to the Dance Theater of Harlem (DTH). She has not chosen an easy road. Aspiring dancers must audition and be accepted by a dance company, first as an apprentice, then hopefully progressing to member of the corps, soloist and principal. Alexis’ ambition is to be a principal dancer with the DTH by age 23. One way to begin is through summer "camps" run by various ballet companies. Alexis attended such a camp in July. Dancers who are accepted at a camp receive several weeks of training and may be able to audition for the company at age 17 or 18. Alexis also wants to continue her education, hoping to dance and attend college at the same time. She acknowledges that it will be very hard, but, after she is finished dancing, she wants to become a physical therapist who works with a dance company. "I know what the injuries are," she said. "I just need to learn how to fix them." Alexis schedules the rest of her life around dance. After school, she takes dance classes from 4:30 to 9:00 each night. Once home, she has dinner, does homework and maybe calls a friend if it’s not too late.There is another dance class on Saturday afternoon, church, and maybe time for a little rest and relaxation. Alexis is a member of Advent Community Church UCC in Columbus, where she first began dancing liturgically. "One day my mother asked me if I wanted to dance at church and I said OK," Alexis relates. "Then I had to make up a dance. I listened to ‘Total Praise’ and thought it was a really cool song, so I put together different moves to go with the music," she added. Dressed in a flowing white costume, Alexis performed this same dance during Friday evening worship at the Annual Gathering. The experience was indeed worship—and praise. Alexis dances for the church as a way to thank God for the gift of her talent. When asked if she thought she could continue to fit liturgical dance into her schedule, she responded, "If I didn’t, that would just be wrong. God is my Creator; God gave me the gift of dance. I can’t just say no, I don’t have time for you. I can’t really do that."
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Tom Paton awards go to five congregations *Article from United Church News,* page 3, July/August 2001**
Five Ohio Conference churches received a Tom Paton Award at this year’s Annual Gathering. The recognition is given annually to churches that have made significant strides in ministering to all people regardless of physical limitations. Says Bob Tussing, who makes the presentations, "The award is not so much based on how much money a congregation has spent on audio loops and elevators as it is a recognition that a particular church is mindful of structural barriers that impede access to a building." These churches showed that they are working to make their worship and building barrier-free: St. Peter & St. Paul UCC, Cincinnati has accessible restrooms, pews and parking; a lowered water fountain; large print bulletins and hymnals; and hearing devices. Sylvania UCC, installed an improved sound system, pew cuts for wheelchairs, increased lighting, large print bulletins and hymnals, smoke alarms that notify by sound and light, accessible restrooms and parking, an elevator and automatic door openers. Grace UCC, Lancaster, has accessible parking and restrooms, pew cuts, hearing assist sound system, large print hymnals and bulletins, an elevator, and "loaner" wheelchairs, walkers, bed pans and shower chairs. First Congregational, Sandusky, contains an accessible restroom, elevator and new sound system, tapes worship services for the homebound, has a "transportation team," and extensively refurbished a previously unaccessible 100-year-old building. Faith UCC, Dayton, has a new sound system, large print New Century Hymnals, pew cuts, an elevator, and the presence of "Boots" the helper dog. Churches interested in becoming more accessible to all may request a "Local Church Accessibility Audit" from the Ohio Conference.The audit helps a congregation search for attitudinal, communication and architectural barriers that may be preventing people with disabilities from fully participating in church activities. Churches that are interested in being considered for a Tom Paton Award can submit their completed audit to their Association office. Each Association’s Department for Church and Ministry will review the submissions and pass them on with a recommendation to the Conference. "There are some wonderful stories behind all of these churches and their determination to be accessible," Rev. Tussing said. "What all churches find is that when buildings are transformed, so are lives. Praise be to God."
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Conference members honored at General Synod *Article from United Church News, Page 4, July/August 2001*
Charlene Higginbotham was recognized by United Black Christians for her work at Euclid Avenue Congregational UCC, Cleveland, the UBC Cleveland Chapter, and the UCC Pension Boards. Mary Powers Miller serves Amherst Congregational as chair of two committees and member of council and choir. She supports many community and UCC groups concerned with HIV/AIDS and LGBT persons. Jean Siddall serves Washington UCC, Cincinnati, as Disaster Response Coordinator and Special Needs Coordinator. She leads SONKA’s Reconciliation Teams. Carol Brown was honored by United Black Christians for her involvement at Mt. Zion Congregational and the UBC Cleveland Chapter. Carol is on the OC Board of Trustees and the Board of Directors of Justice and Witness Ministries. Shirley McEwen was recognized for her contributions to Christian Education at Suffield UCC, the OC Ecumenical Concerns Committee and the EOA Partners in Ministry Program. Van Barndt was honored for his distinctive contributions as an active member of Dublin Community UCC, where he has served on the Building and Grounds Committee. He has participated in OC Lay Ministry Training centered on ministries of persons with disabilities. He has served as a volunteer missionary in Japan and the Phillipines, bringing awareness of the contributions and needs of persons with Downs Syndrome. The Ohio Conference was also recognized as a true witness for being a catalyst for recognizing Van’s gifts and calling them into service in the UCC. Jan Fadley is an active member of North Congregational UCC, Columbus, where she has served as head usher and Council member. Despite severe financial limitations, a profound hearing loss, and times of depression, Jan moved to a new community, earned a college degree and is a caseworker at the North Central Mental Health Services. She served as a VISTA worker with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill from 1993-96. This award celebrates her perseverance and faithfulness.
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Disaster Response Team delivers kits to flood victims in Pennsylvania *Article from United Church News, Page 4, July/August 2001*
More than 1,000 cleaning and health care kits assembled by Ohio Conference church members were delivered to the Bucks/Montgomery County Center for Human Services (BMCHS) north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in mid-June. On June 18, Disaster Response Team Director Jim Ditzler learned that Hurricane Allison had devastated the area. He called the UCC’s Penn-Southeast Conference office to offer help. He was directed to BMCHS and soon was organizing transportation for the kits. By June 20, Bob and MaryLou Hawkins arrived in Pennsylvania with more than 500 cleaning kits and more than 300 personal care kits from Trinity UCC, Canal Fulton. When Ditzler learned that the BMCHS had received more than 600 calls from people seeking assistance, he organized another load of kits. On June 22, the Disaster Response trailer, loaded with almost 300 cleaning kits, pulled up to the Center. Drivers for this trip were John and AnnaJean Duvall from Christ Church, Orrville. Jim and Linda Ditzler helped unload the trailer. Click here for a story about kits delivered to flood victims in Summersville, West Virginia.

Ohio Conference United Church of Christ
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