Religion

The Rt. Rev. Margaret Vertue, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of False Bay, South Africa, will preach at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Sunday, Sept. 7, at the 9 and 11:15 a.m. worship services. She will also lead the Forum at 10 a.m.

St. Paul’s enjoys a special relationship with two parishes in the Diocese of False Bay—St. Clare of Assisi in Ocean View and St. Matthew’s Chapelry in Masiphumelele. Parishioners Mary and Rich Nodar began this partnership in mission to Masiphumelele when they traveled there in 2002. They returned each subsequent year, for three months, until 2012. Over the years, the partner churches have sent their members, including their youth groups, on numerous exchange visits. St. Paul’s also helped establish two foster homes in the Diocese of False Bay.

Forest Hill Presbyterian Church will hold its annual Outdoor Worship Service and Community Supper at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16. Friends and neighbors are invited to enjoy a thought-provoking sermon, along with music by Mother Willie Mae Wright and the Wright Family Singers, a popular Cleveland gospel and praise group.

After the service, a free supper of hamburgers and hot dogs with all the trimmings, fresh fruit, baked beans, coleslaw and desserts will be provided by members of the church.

The Cleveland Zazen Group, a Zen meditation group that has been in Cleveland Heights for more than 40 years, is offering an Introduction to Zen Meditation on Aug. 2, at 1813 Wilton Road. The group practices in the tradition of the Rochester (N.Y.) Zen Center, founded in the 1960s by Roshi Philip Kapleau, author of The Three Pillars of Zen.

The one-day introductory workshop is aimed at providing a useful introduction to Zen Buddhism, demystifying the religion and giving basic instruction on how to practice zazen (Zen meditation). It’s a unique opportunity to learn firsthand from seasoned practitioners.

The group is made up of lay people from all walks of life—from college professors and students to the unemployed—and of all ages—from 20-somethings to seniors. Some sit on cushions on the floor; others sit in chairs.

The Rev. Dr. Harold T. Lewis will become interim rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, beginning Aug. 3.

Lewis recently retired as rector of Calvary Church in Pittsburgh, a congregation of similar size to St. Paul’s. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he holds a bachelor’s degree from McGill University, a master’s of divinity from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale and a doctorate in theology from the University of Birmingham (England).

Lewis has distinguished himself as a scholar and an author, and has taught at the George Mercer School of Theology, General Theological Seminary, New York Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. In 1996, Lewis’ doctoral dissertation from the University of Birmingham was published: Yet With a Steady Beat: The African American Struggle for Recognition in the Episcopal Church was the first book about the history of black Episcopalians since George Freeman Bragg’s History of the Afro-American Group of the Episcopal Church in 1922. Lewis is a pianist who enjoys accompanying soloists, and several of his hymns appear in Lift Every Voice and Sing II and other hymnals.

Disciples Christian Church (DCC) in Cleveland Heights is on its way to becoming a certified Green Chalice congregation, and is taking three needed steps: create a Green Team in the congregation; have the Green Team sign the Alverna Covenant, promising to take care of God’s earth; and make three changes toward the church becoming more green. 

For its three changes, DCC plans to have more types of recycling at the church, use environmentally friendly cleaning products, and use less paper during church services.

Rev. Derek Starr Redwine will be formally installed as the new senior pastor of Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights on Sunday, Sept. 29. The installation will be conducted during a special 4:30 p.m. worship service in the church’s sanctuary.

The special guest preacher will be Rev. Amy Miracle, the pastor of the Broad Street Presbyterian Church in Columbus. Also taking part in the service will be officials of the Presbytery of the Western Reserve and two Fairmount choirs.

The church's newly elected lay leaders—elders, trustees and deacons—will also be installed on Sept. 29. A dinner at the church will follow the service.

In honor of all touched by cancer, and specifically member and elder Gail Haverdill as she journeys through her cancer treatments, members of Disciples Christian Church in Cleveland Heights donned hats at the Sept. 8 outdoor service for the “Hats On!” celebration. Kristine Eggert, pastor, helped increase this awareness and support.

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Cleveland will celebrate Oct. 13 as Sexual Justice Sunday, adding a vegetarian luncheon and screening of the documentary "God Loves Uganda" to a special 11 a.m. worship service. The film was an official selection at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. The screening and luncheon are open to the public.

Karen LoBracco, program consultant for United Universalist Association, who recently visited Uganda, will lead a discussion following the 80-minute film. Passing the hat donations to continue UUSC's sexual justice efforts will be gratefully accepted.

Church of the Saviour (COTS) is pleased to welcome The Rev. Dr. M. Craig Barnes, president and professor of pastoral ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary, on Sunday, Sept. 29. Barnes will preach at all three morning worship services (8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.) that day. His Scripture is Colossians 1:15–20. His sermon is titled “Holding It Together.”

Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian will hold an outdoor summer worship service and community supper on Saturday, Aug. 17. The informal service will begin at 5 p.m. Immediately after the service, all are invited to stay for a free community supper provided by members of the church and open to everyone.

For the seventh year in a row, the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland (FBC) will forgo worship on the first Sunday in June in order to use the day to engage in projects of service to the wider community. Members of the church have organized 12 projects that will enable people of all ages and abilities to serve.  

Faith in Action Sunday began as a suggestion from one of the members of the congregation who had heard of another church doing it. In recent years, 200 people from the congregation have participated.

“I’ve been asked many times why we would miss a Sunday of worship to hold Faith in Action Sunday,” said Rev. Dr. Martin Rolfs Massaglia, senior pastor of FBC. “We are doing it as an outreach and as a witness—as a visible testimony to our neighbors and to the city that service and mission is one of the highest priorities of our congregation.

In about a year’s time, the 101-year-old home that served as the residence for Fairmount Presbyterian Church’s pastor will be gone.

From 1968 until early 2011, the house served as the church’s manse for four consecutive pastors.

After more than two years of deliberation, during which the structure was unused, the congregation has decided to try to sell the house to someone who will move it to another location. If such a buyer cannot be found by June 30, 2014, the church will demolish the house. In either case, the church intends to retain the property.

There currently is no plan for how the property will be used.

 

On June 9, members of Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights voted to call Rev. Derek Starr Redwine as their new senior minister and head of staff. The 262-6 vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the appointment, with seven abstentions.

Redwine has been the senior minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Akron for the past seven years. Before that, he was an associate pastor and acting head of staff at Central Presbyterian Church in Denver, and interim director of families and young adults at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University and Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.

Fairmount Presbyterian Church will hold a public meeting on the future of its former manse on Tuesday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the church’s chapel at 2757 Fairmount Blvd.

The church had used the house at 2765 Fairmount Blvd. as the manse for its head pastor from 1968 to 2011. The almost 9,000-square-foot structure was designed by Meade and Hamilton, a prominent Cleveland architectural firm, in 1912 as a single-family residence. The building has not been significantly altered since it was built; however, the church currently uses a portion of the backyard for parking.

Church of the Saviour will host singer-songwriter Chip Richter for a Christmas concert on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m. in Calvary Hall. The performance will include stories, songs and laughter, for all ages to enjoy.

Richter tours nationally as a solo artist and with his band, The Munks. His gentle spirit and winsome style are particularly well-known to families who vacation at Lakeside in the summer. There, Richter and his family lead the popular God Squad program of stories, songs and Bible lessons for kids.

Enjoy an evening of Christmas cheer with Chip Richter and Church of the Saviour. This 45-minute free concert is just the right length for getting kids home for bedtime—in fact, bring them in their pajamas for extra cozy fun. For more information, go to www.chiprichter.com.

To help get into the Christmas spirit, immerse yourself in the marketplace of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth. Enjoy the holiday season with a Journey to Bethlehem on Sunday, Dec. 9, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Disciples Christian Church. 

Journey to Bethlehem is a free walk-through drama that recreates the sights and sounds of Bethlehem’s marketplace—without cell phones, text messages, Facebook or Twitter. GPS may get you to Disciples Christian Church, but you will not need it to get to Bethlehem.

With so many challenges facing married couples, it is more important to find time to nurture and renew relationships.

On Saturday, Nov. 10, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Doug Swink of Winning at Home, a Christian marriage and family support organization, will lead a workshop, Stay Married for Life, at Church of the Saviour in Cleveland Heights.

Rev. Colin Bossen, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Cleveland (UUSC) since September 2007, officially stepped down on Aug. 12. He will move with his family to Boston to begin a doctoral program at Harvard University.

Rev. Doug Wadkins, minister of the Unitarian Universalist congregation in Bellingham, Wash. for the past 13 years, will be interim minister at UUSC while the society searches for a new full-time minister.

At its recent annual congregational meeting, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Cleveland joined a fast-growing number of other religious congregations and social activist groups and voted to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery.

Why would so many groups and mainline churches want to repudiate a doctrine defined by the word "discovery," a process most liberal minds find exciting and widening?  The Doctrine of Discovery, first promulgated in the 15th century, has a dark side, being the historical justification for and root of indigenous hardship and discrimination.

The Tall Puppets of Disciples Christian Church marched in the South Euclid Memorial Day Parade on May 28. The puppets have previously participated in Parade the Circle and were a part of the Christian Church's (Disciples of Christ) General Assembly. Parade participants included the church's minister, Rev. Kristine Eggert, as well as the co-directors of the church's Puppet Ministry, Dale and Karen Schmauder. In the photo, from left to right, the puppet operators are Carol Reed, Dale Schmauder, David Reed, Elaine Mates, Greg Beckner and Connor Mates. 

Disciples Christian Church is located at 3663 Mayfield Road, Cleveland Heights. For more information, visit the church's website at www.discipleschristian.org.

Noble Road Presbyterian Church's annual Strawberry Festival will be held June 8, from 6-8 p.m. Relax and socialize with friends and neighbors, and enjoy strawberries, ice cream, shortcakes and more. Outdoor lawn seating, weather permitting. Donations will be accepted and greatly appreciated. The church is located at 2780 Noble Road in Cleveland Heights.

Plymouth Church UCC is offering free guided tours of its historic site, providing visitors with a glimpse into the past, present and future of the church and the Shaker Heights community.

The Georgian building stands on land donated by the Van Sweringen brothers, developers of Shaker Heights. Plymouth Church has served Shaker Square since 1916, and offers community activities and services beyond its religious setting.

Tours of the church will be offered throughout Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Donations are appreciated.

Call 216-921-3510 to book a reservation. Contact Kathy DeJohn at 440-725-2700 or Mai Moore at 216-785-0010 for more information.

With so much media attention currently being given to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and “going green,” many businesses have been jumping on the green bandwagon. It is a quick and inexpensive way to receive attention while bolstering the bottom line. Whereas many businesses are just “green-washing” (deceptively promoting the perception that a company’s actions or products offer some environmental benefit), other organizations have been quietly doing the real thing—all too often without recognition. Such is the case with some religious institutions in the region.

For the fifth straight year, Disciples Christian Church provided lunch as part of the Homeless Stand Down at Cleveland's Masonic Auditorium. Organized by HandsOn Northeast Ohio, the Homeless Stand Down provides boots, coats, mini checkups, podiatry services, haircuts and professional-quality portraits to the needy of Greater Cleveland.

On Sunday, Jan. 22, approximately 50 members of Disciples Christian Church traveled to the Masonic Auditorium to prepare and serve lunch to the estimated 800 people in attendance. Church members served lasagna and salad, provided by the Cleveland Foodbank, and cookies and brownies made by congregants. Bonnie Goldner, outreach cochair, organized the volunteers and food delivery for the event.

Acclaimed mask and movement artist Doug Berky will appear on Sunday, March 11, at 2 p.m. at Church of the Saviour in Cleveland Heights. The free performance, titled "Kairos" (ki' ros, meaning "the hour"), is an impressionist portrayal of the life of Jesus Christ told through large stylized masks, movement and story.

Berky uses nearly two decades of experience to astound audiences worldwide with performances that transcend age, race and culture. A master of mime and improvisation, clowning and suspense, Berky sweeps his audience along with fanciful portrayals of personalities and familiar emotions.

In "Kairos," Berky takes his audience on a journey to the first century, when a baby was born into a hostile world that was seeking a messiah. The child became one of the most remarkable people in history.

 

A large number of Cleveland Heights teens have been spotted going to church recently. Without their parents. Just by themselves.

Thanks to leaders and young people from more than a dozen churches in Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, Mayfield Heights and surrounding areas, teens now have their own worship service. It’s called Converge.

The brainchild of Otte, youth director for Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian in Cleveland Heights, Converge is geared for teens, with a full band and a relevant message for young people.

This past summer, 50 members of Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian (FHC) broke into small, mixed-race groups and had numerous dinners in one another's homes. In an initiative called Courageous Conversations, they tried to gain a better understanding of racial bias and inclusivity in the community.

Families looking for a Montessori-based Christian education program are invited to a Godly Play Festival at Hope Lutheran Church on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. Hope Lutheran is located at 2222 North Taylor Road in Cleveland Heights.

Disciples Christian Church will give its own Christmas gift to the community. On Sunday, Dec. 11, from 2 to 5 p.m., Disciples Christian Church will present Journey to Bethlehem, a free walk-through drama that recreates the sights and sounds of Bethlehem’s marketplace at the time of Christ’s birth.  

Before entering Bethlehem, participants will have an audience with King Herod and then be counted in the census. Once in Bethlehem, they can interact with street merchants, as well as view some animals. They can watch craftsmen at their work and be approached by beggars. They can listen while townspeople, shepherds and other biblical characters set the stage for the discovery of the newborn baby in the stable. 

As participants wait their turn to enter Bethlehem, they will be entertained by the No Strings Attached puppets, listen to music performances or sing along to Christmas carols.

The Swedish organization, Nobel-Monitor Lodge, invites the public to attend a Saint Lucia program and celebration on Saturday, Dec. 10 at Forest Hill Church Presbyterian, located at the corner of Lee Road and Monticello Boulevard, in Cleveland Heights. The program begins at 4 p.m.

"On its 60th anniversary, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Cleveland congregation continues its commitment to lifelong search for truth, enduring values, advancement of sound personal and community morals, and individual freedom of religion," said minister Rev. Colin Bossen.

Church of the Redeemer, a United Methodist congregation, views acceptance, diversity and inclusiveness as central aspects of the church. This also means that "Open Minds, Open Doors, Open Hearts" is not just a slogan, but a way of life. At Church of the Redeemer, everyone is welcome at God's Table.

Church of the Master was pleased to give a $2,500 grant to the city of South Euclid for its 2011 Summer Youth Initiative. The grant comes from American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) and its Children in Poverty (CIP) initiative.

Are you interested in traveling this summer but are on a budget? Are you taking “staycations” instead of vacations? Then, with its Disciples Go Global! series, Disciples Christian Church is the place for you. On most Sundays this summer, at 10:15 a.m., members of the church will speak and share photos of their world travels. The destinations range from Madagascar to Mexico, China to Chile and from the Galapagos Islands to Greenland.

For the fourth straight year, Disciples Christian Church provided a lunch as part of the Homeless Stand Down at the Masonic Auditorium downtown. Organized by InterAct Cleveland, the Homeless Stand Down provides boots, coats, mini checkups, podiatry services, haircuts and professional quality portraits to the needy of Greater Cleveland over three days.  

On Sunday, Jan. 30, around 53 members of Disciples Christian Church travelled to the Masonic Auditorium to prepare and serve lunch for those in attendance. Preparing for an estimated 700 people, members of the church donated chili and brownies, with other food—sandwiches and salad—provided by the Cleveland Foodbank. Bonnie Goldner, outreach cochair, organized the volunteers and food delivery for the event.

The new year welcomes a new congregation to Cleveland Heights. Imani Temple Ministries now proudly occupies the former St. Louis Parish buildings, which became available when the Catholic diocese closed St. Louis and more than 50 other parishes last year. The five-acre campus on North Taylor Road includes a newly renovated sanctuary, a school building and the former rectory. 

Imani Temple Ministries, led by Rev. Dr. Rodney S. Thomas, is a non-denominational, Bible-based church, welcoming people of various faith traditions. The church was founded by Rev. Thomas in 2001 with 55 members and now has about 500 active members from African Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Catholic and other backgrounds.

Church of the Redeemer will sponsor a service at 7 p.m. on Dec. 15 for those who are experiencing difficulties this Christmas season due to grief, loneliness, illness, divorce or disappointment. 

Many of us find the holidays a real struggle in the aftermath of major losses in our lives. The stores, the lights, the music—even our houses of worship—all remind us of what once was and is no more, and often cause more pain than delight. It is not uncommon for people enveloped in disappointment and sorrow to avoid past traditions and communities altogether and alternatives are not easy to locate or create anew.

Disciples Christian Church will give its own Christmas gift to the community. On Sunday, Dec. 12, from 2 to 5 p.m., Disciples Christian Church will present Journey to Bethlehem, a walk-through drama that recreates the sights and sounds of Bethlehem’s marketplace at the time of Christ’s birth. 

Before entering Bethlehem, participants may have an audience with King Herod and then be counted in the census. Once in Bethlehem, they can interact with street merchants, as well as view some animals. They can watch craftsmen at their work and be prodded along by Roman guards. They can listen while townspeople, shepherds and other biblical characters set the stage for the discovery of the newborn baby in the stable.

On Saturday, Dec. 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Church of the Redeemer will host a Holiday Market and Soup Café featuring homemade baked goods and handcrafted items. The market will include fair trade booths and vendors from the local community, including J Bird’s Garden. In addition, there will be a café where one may enjoy a bowl of soup and relax while browsing the market.

The Swedish organization, Nobel-Monitor Lodge, invites the public to attend a Saint Lucia program and celebration on Saturday, Dec. 11 at Forest Hill  Church Presbyterian, located at the corner of Lee Road and Monticello Boulevard, in Cleveland Heights. The program begins at 4 p.m.

Disciples Christian Church in Cleveland Heights is reaching out in many ways. It's ministries touch church members, their friends and family, as well as people in the community.

Meet the Neighbors is DCC’s free community meal. On the last Thursday of the month, unless rescheduled for a holiday, a delicious meal is prepared and served by church members and volunteers. All are welcome. Whether someone is looking for a hot meal or the fellowship of others, he or she has an open invitation to the meal served in the beautifully decorated Fellowship Hall.

“Rock of Faith: The Transformation of the Soul Spoken through Rock Music” will feature the music of Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Chesney, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow and many others, performed by 16 talented contemporary music singers. They will be accompanied by a seven-piece band made up of some of Northeast Ohio’s best contemporary instrumentalists. This gala event takes place on Saturday, Sept. 11, at the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland, in commemoration of 9/11.

Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral held its annual Greek Festival Aug. 19-22. People come from all over Northeast Ohio to Cleveland Heights each year to celebrate the music, dance, food, culture, faith and Greek hospitality. 

According to Pantelis “Pete” Moissis, the festival chair, planning for this major event started in April, the baking started in June, and hundreds of people helped with the final arrangements starting early August. 

About 50 people from a dozen area Christian congregations gathered at Hope Lutheran Church on North Taylor Road in Cleveland Heights on May 22 to both celebrate and consider the challenges of ministry in diverse communities.

The conference -- "Diversity in the Church: Lessons Learned" -- explored multicultural ministry not only in terms of race, but also age, gender and sexual orientation.

It was a day for small churches – Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian and United Church of Christ -- to share their experiences and look to the future.

Where else can you hear a sousaphone played by one who once dotted the “i” in Script Ohio, but at sunrise in Cleveland Heights on Easter Sunday? Bob Windle, of Shaker Heights, the i-dotter, who in 1960, in the fall of his senior year at Ohio State University, is that sousaphone player. He has been playing his instrument as part of a brass band for seven years at the Easter Sunrise Service, sponsored by three local United Methodist Churches and open to all early risers.

The idea for a sunrise service at Lake View Cemetery originated in the mid 1980s with the Rev. Sally Dyke of Church of the Redeemer (S. Taylor Road in Cleveland Heights). She and a church member decided that the cross monument of the John L. Severance family, at the crest of the ravine east of the Garfield Monument, would be the ideal location for an Easter service.

"If it's not fun, it's not worth doing." So say the pastors of Forest Hill Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights.

Fun in worship is one of the catalysts behind Forest Hill's alternative worship services. The next service, Swing to the Lord a New Song, at 7:30 p.m. on April 11, at the church (3031 Monticello Blvd.), will be a toe-tapping, joy-filled jazz fest, showcasing sacred works written in jazz or gospel styles.

For the third year, Disciples Christian Church provided a mid-day meal as part of Homeless Stand Down in downtown Cleveland. Organized by InterAct Cleveland, Homeless Stand Down provided boots, coats, mini checkups, podiatry services, haircuts and professional quality portraits to the needy of Greater Cleveland.

On Sunday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. Forest Hill Church, 3031 Monticello Boulevard, will offer a worship experience showcasing sacred works written in jazz styles. The service will feature the Forest Hill choirs (Anne Wilson, director), the Cleveland Heights High School Barbershop Group, and a jazz combo featuring trombonist Paul Ferguson and trumpeter Jack Schantz.There will be a free-will offering and a reception following the service. For more information, contact Anne Wilson at 216-321-2660. 

Tetelestai—a contemporary musical portrayal of the trial, execution and Resurrection of Jesus the Messiah—is returning to the Heights area after a 15-year absence.  

Gesu Parish in University Heights will host Tetelestai on March 19 at 8 p.m., March 20 at 8 p.m., and March 21 at 3 p.m. in Gesu Church at 2470 Miramar Boulevard

Gesu Parish in University Heights held its fifth annual Day of Service on Dec. 5 at 46 Cleveland area social agencies, churches, shelters and nursing homes.  Service projects included cooking and serving food, cleaning, decorating for the holidays and planning activates for adults and children.  Nearly 1,000 people of all ages volunteered for the 2009 day of service, said Meg Wilson, coordinator.

On Saturday, Dec. 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Church of the Redeemer will host a Holiday Market and Café featuring homemade baked goods and unique handcrafted gifts. In addition there will be a café to enjoy a bowl of soup and relax while browsing the market. While parents are shopping, children 12 and under can shop in Santa’s Dollar Store for new and “nearly new” gift items. Admission is free. All proceeds will help to support the missions of Church of the Redeemer.

On March 29, every attendee at Forest Hill Church in Cleveland Heights received an unexpected gift--a red envelope containing a fifty dollar bill. Pastor John Lentz, with the support of the church’s governing body, took a risk and passed out $15,000 of church funds. Thus began “The Big Give.”

Disciples Christian Church will present  a Christmas gift to the community on Sunday, Dec. 13. from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., with Journey to Bethlehem, a walk-through drama that recreates the sights and sounds of Bethlehem’s marketplace at the time of Christ’s birth.  

At a time when many urban churches are closing, Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights is joining with 11 other Presbyterian churches to help a sister congregation, North Presbyterian Church.

Saint Ann Church will offer the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick during the liturgy on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the 4:00 p.m. Vigil Mass.

The Anointing of the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration that provides strengthening, peace, and courage to overcome the difficulties that go with the conditions of illness. The sacrament can be received by all baptized Catholics who have received the sacrament of the Eucharist and who are suffering from serious or chronic illness, preparing for surgery, or suffering with emotional and physical addictions.

Disciples Christian Church worships in a casual setting with contemporary music on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 11:30 a.m., at 3663 Mayfield Road (at Yellowstone) in Cleveland Heights.

The one-month-old “Connections” worship is offered the third Sunday of each month and is open to the community. A praise band sets the tone for the service with upbeat music, reminding attendees of God’s love.

Yes, we have the Cavaliers to brighten up these soggy days, but let’s face it, times are not the easiest. The economic situation makes us want to withdraw, hunker down and hold on to our things tightly. There is a tendency to focus on the lack of resources. 

So sometimes you just need to shake things up a bit. At the Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian (3031 Monticello Blvd.), the Ministry of Justice and Mission handed out sealed red envelopes with $50 bills in them to everyone who attended worship on Sunday, March 29. During the sermon, when everyone was instructed to open their envelope, the gasps were audible. The Big Give had begun. At that service almost $15,000 was distributed to member and visitor

In the still dark hours of a cold February morning, 38 people gathered at Hopkins Airport to start their journey to Honduras. A group organized by Gesu, a Catholic church in University Heights, were beginning a week-long mission trip “in hopes of alleviating some of the many needs of the Honduran people.”

Disciples Christian Church has hosted seven "Meet the Neighbors" free community meals, and Pastor Kristine Eggert is always thrilled to see returning guests and meet new ones.