Religion

Kimberly Vaughn was ordained into the Christian ministry at Hope Lutheran Church in January, becoming one of a handful of African American women ministers in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Noble Road Presbyterian Church is working on a mission for rural Africa, the result of a call felt by Isaac Monah, one of the church's elders.

The holidays are known as a time of giving. For many people this means a time of exchanging gifts and visiting families. At Gesu Catholic Church in University Heights, the holidays are a time of service.

On Sunday, Dec. 14, continuously from 2 p.m. 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.

Fairmount Presbyterian Church will host a Community Pancake Breakfast and Thanksgiving Food Drive on Sunday, November 23, after its 11:00 a.m. worship service. Everyone, church members and non-members alike, is welcome to join in worship and afterward share in the breakfast, open to the public. Pancakes, syrup, sausage, fruit cocktail, juice and coffee will be served in the church’s lower level after the worship service, around noon.

Disciples Christian Church will present its own Christmas gift to the community. On Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008, continuously from 2 p.m. 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.

Sister Marietta Rohr, a Sister of Charity of St. Augustine and a Cleveland Heights resident, was inspired to found the Rainbow Peace Ministry, united hearts in prayer for the city of East Cleveland. Sr. Marietta ministered for nine years in East Cleveland and wanted to continue loving and blessing the city in a powerful way.

Grace Church, 13001 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, will host a free sit-down Thanksgiving meal at 1 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008.  175 meals will be served. Reservations are required and due by Thursday, Nov. 13.  Please call 321.2790.

Disciples Christian Church Pastor Kristine Eggert deemed the first Meet the Neighbors free community dinner a huge success. Over 110 meals were served and there was much interaction among all who attended. Held in August, the event brought together church members and neighbors from the community to share a meal. Lasagna, salad, rolls, as well as a dessert and beverage, made up the first meal. The church’s next Meet the Neighbors free community dinner is planned for Thursday, Oct. 30 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, contact Disciples Christian Church, 3663 Mayfield Road, 216-382-5344.

Ron Werman is a Cleveland Heights resident and member, elder, choir member and communications chairperson of Disciples Christian Church.

Disciples Christian Church is celebrating its name change and a bright vision for the future. The church, at 3663 Mayfield Road (corner of Yellowstone) in Cleveland Heights, is celebrating its new name with a Transformation Celebration on Sunday, September 14. The community is invited. Worship will begin at 11 a.m. (music prelude at 10:30) followed by barbeque and entertainment from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.

The large colonial style church on Mayfield Road across from Severance Center has a new name. No longer is it called Euclid Avenue Christian Church. Nn overwhelming majority of the congregation voted to change the name to Disciples Christian Church. The church is part of the denomination Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The church also has a new pastor, the Reverend Kristine Eggert, who was called to the church almost a year and a half ago.

Although she is only 26, Meredith Bowen, a University Heights resident, has already given a lifetime of service to others. She is an active member of St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, serving on the Global Mission Action Group and Apostleship Commission. She also serves on the state level of the Episcopal Church, as a member of the Episcopal Bishop of Ohio’s Commission of Global and Domestic Mission and she is a board member of the statewide Episcopal Community Services Foundation.

Sr. Jeanne Tighe, sfcc, began her teaching career at Gesu School in University Heights in the 1969-70 school year as an 8th grade science and math teacher.

Upon her retirement in June, she shared memories about the Gesu community’s wonderful families, students, faculty, staff members and parishioners living throughout the Heights.

Being a pastor in the Heights (Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian), I have followed the recent brouhaha concerning presidential candidate Barak Obama’s relationship to his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, with great interest. For I too have said things from the pulpit that many disagreed with. I too have been caught up in rhetorical flourishes to make a point that later I wished I might have toned down. But then again, the role of a preacher, particularly one who claims the mantle of the prophets, is not to preach an easy, comfortable, or socially acceptable sermon. The role of a prophetic preacher is to agitate, confront, and disturb.

Building Bridges Mural Program and The Rumi Foundation have recently joined efforts to create The Interfaith Arts Collaborative. The Interfaith Arts Collaborative is a joint effort to support visual and performing artists who are exploring the relationships between art and spirituality. The purpose of the Interfaith Arts collaborative is to allow the arts to be a vehicle for peace between our faith communities, by seeking to learn and understand each other’s traditions as they are expressed through the arts.

The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, recognized for his work in Civil Rights and who has served as a presidential advisor, will be preaching at the Sunday, March 30th, 11 am Service at Fairmount Presbyterian Church