2006 Archived News Stories For Franklin Circle Christian Church

November 2006

Mission Council Approves New Initiatives
The Mission Council has been hard at work receiving creative new ideas and supporting a "culture of creativity" in our congregation. Here are some of the recent Endeavors given the blessing of the Council:
 

From the Evangelism & Publicity Team two Endeavors were approved: 1.) to buy a line listing in the Saturday Plain Dealer "Your Worship Directory" through the end of December, and 2.) to create and purchase FCCC T-shirts for sale to the congregation at a minimal price. The E&P Team have several other short-term ideas to improve the way we welcome visitors and new members into the church. They will be taking a longer-term look in January.
 

From Michelle Brown & Sue Raspe a request to upgrade the infant and toddler equipment in the nursery, including the purchase of a swing, a bouncer, and a walker.
 

From Pastor Allen honorarium money for the November Widening The Circle Forum on Accessibility.
 

We might also report here that the New Worship Initiatives Team had a great first meeting, with lots of people in attendance and ideas brimming for a possible second service of worship. A group of nine folks attended the CrossRoads service at Avon Lake United Church of Christ on Sunday, November 12 and enjoyed a lively and interactive worship.
 

The Mission Council will be involved in the discussions at the Board and in the Congregation as to what is and is not working with this "experiment" we know as the Mission Council. Please let our Board Chair, Al Betts, know your thoughts by talking to him on Sundays or, better yet, e-mailing him at albertbetts@peoplepc.com.
 

As always, your ideas are eagerly sought. You don't have to be a member, just grab one of the white/lavender Endeavor forms at the back of the sanctuary or in the chapel and turn it in to Pastor Allen. The next meeting of the Mission Council is 9 a.m. Sunday, December 3.
 

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WORLD AIDS DAY WILL BE OBSERVED ON DECEMBER 1
Local groups and churches around the world are encouraged to observe World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. The annual observance helps to raise awareness of the global AIDS epidemic caused by the spread of the HIV infection. This year’s theme is: "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise." Materials and information are available at www.worldaidscampaign.org.

A joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, known as UNAIDS brings together the efforts and resources of ten UN organizations to the global AIDS response. That group estimates that by the end of 2005, a total of 25 million people will have died of AIDS since it was first recognized in 1981.

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West Side Community House
Dedicates New Building

The West Side Community House, a fixture in our Ohio City/Near West Side neighborhood for over 100 years, has relocated. to serve a shifting client base. Pastor Allen and Ann Wolf were present for the November 9 Dedication Ceremony and Open House in the new, $2.6 million building at West 93rd Street and Lorain Avenue. A buyer expects to redevelop the old building, at Bridge Avenue and West 30th Street, into condominiums, according to Dawn Kolograf, executive director.

She said the organization decided to move because at least 75 percent of people now using its services live west of West 65th Street. The new location is also on a major bus line and just off the freeway.

The building, which officially opened the previous Monday, allows the consolidation of the senior citizens program from the Bridge site with West Side's satellite seniors operation that has been in Simpson United Methodist Church, at West 86th Street and Clark Avenue, for about 20 years. The new site includes a computer lab and game room for the seniors, as well as a learning lab for youngsters and a spacious dining room and kitchen. There's also a playground out back for kids who attend the day care program for school-age children, and an indoor playroom. Two rooms are for family visitation with kids in county foster care.

Kolograf estimated that the center serves about 400 people a day through the senior citizens programs, Meals on Wheels to homebound elderly, the day care and other family services.

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Thanksgiving Special Offering To Be Received November 12, 19 & 26.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5

The Thanksgiving Special Offering benefits the 14 colleges and universities and 7 theological institutions that receive funding from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). These institutions have pledged to serve and care for Disciples students and the church and to work in cooperation to produce leaders for the church.

Disciples 14 colleges and universities serve 23,000 students. A wide variety of settings are available, from large universities in metropolitan settings to smaller colleges in more rural communities. Disciples-related colleges and universities take seriously their church-relatedness and are committed to strong, liberal arts, value-oriented, general education. They emphasize spiritual faith and values, and work to prepare students for life and leadership.

Disciples-related theological education institutions are partners with the church in educating a ministry for the 21st century. While related to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), they are, at the same time, globally and ecumenically connected. Currently, seven theological institutions are affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and three others are associated with Disciples higher education.

Higher Education and Leadership Ministries (HELM), the church’s general unit that works in partnership with these schools to develop leaders for the church, receives a share of the Easter Special Offering. For more information, log on to www.helmdisciples.org or call 314-991-3000.

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NEW Volunteer Opportunity!
Third Thursday Of Each Month

5 More Volunteers Needed to serve at our Thursday Meal Program!
Be a part of making our church more hospitable to our neighbors
Call Pastor Allen at 216-781-8232, or e-mail him at
PastorAllen@FranklinCircleChurch.org   to sign up.
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Donations are needed for our food pantry.
FALL COMPETITION IN FULL SWING!
CURRENT TOTAL AS OF NOVEMBER 12:
CHILDREN/YOUTH: 101
ADULTS: 112
Please bring non-perishables to Sunday Worship or to the church office during the week.
All donations go to help our neighbors who come to the Near West Food & Family Services Center (WSEM).
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Widening The Circle Forum, November 16, 7 p.m.

"Accessible Buildings, Accessible Hearts"

Special guest speaker will be Laura A. Gold, Director of ADA/Accessibility Services for Independent Living, Inc. She will help our church, and other neighborhood individuals and organizations, consider more faithfully what it means to provide a fully accessible facility, not just in terms of physical access, but also in terms of attitude and participation.

The presentation will be followed by a time of discussion. Refreshments will be provided. There is no charge, however a free-will offering will be received to help defray the cost of the speaker. Please call the church office to register for the workshop: 216-781-8232.

For more information Services For Independent Living go on the web to: http://sil-oh.org/ .
 For more information on the Accessible Congregation Program, go to www.nod.org/ACC/ .
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November 2006 is the 25th Anniversary of Jim Robinson’ service to our congregation as Organist/Music Director.
Hold the date of Sunday December 3 to celebrate!
More information to follow!
[Please Note: Congregational Meeting likely to be moved to December 10.]
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Photo Directory Pictures
If you were unable to be present to have your picture taken, please call Cheryl at 216-398-1802.
You may also either e-mail a digital copy of your photo to Pastor Allen at PastorAllen@franklincirclechurch.org or mail it to the church office at 1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113-3096. All original photos will be returned to their owners.
 

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Check Out Our Church's Magazine
DisciplesWorld is a journal of news, opinion, and mission for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The name is drawn from that body of people — the Disciples of Christ — for and by whom it is published. It also recalls both strains of Disciples' historic journalism—news and opinion, as epitomized in The Disciple (1974–2002) and predecessors The Christian and Christian Evangelist, and mission interpretation, as delivered in World Call (1920–1973) and its forerunners. The editor and publisher of DisciplesWorld is Verity A. Jones.

The journal is an avenue for the expression of a wide variety of opinions, whether or not those opinions reflect some establishment or preferred viewpoint. It is the people's journal, written and read by laity and clergy alike and featuring articles on a wide spectrum of topics, along with Bible lessons, columns, media reviews, meditations, poetry, and short fiction.

DisciplesWorld Inc. is a recognized organization of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and reports to the denomination's General Assembly. But the magazine maintains organizational and editorial freedom in a journalistic tradition that has shaped Disciples' theology, character, and identity from the church's very beginnings.
A single, one-year subscription (10 issues/year) costs only $25.00. If you would like to see back issues of the magazine, please speak to Pastor Allen. The website is http://www.disciplesworld.com/ and you can subscribe online or by calling (317) 375-8846.

Welcome to DisciplesWorld. You are a part of it.

Conference rallies faithful to global challenges of AIDS


Sharon Thomas of West Ohio has been living with AIDS for 18 years. (A UMNS photo by Ginny Underwood)
Sept. 12, 2006

By Mary Beth Coudal*

WASHINGTON (UMNS)

Sharon Thomas, vivacious and funny, appears to be the picture of health. You might not think of her contagious smile when you put a face on the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

But there she is, living with AIDS for 18 years.

"We're not all 60-pound skeletal people anymore -- not in the United States, anyway."

Thomas is one of 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States. Twenty-seven percent of them are older than 50. People in the United States are living longer with AIDS due to the antiretroviral medications available, known as cocktails.

The 40 million across the globe living with the HIV/AIDS virus, the majority in sub-Saharan Africa, are not as likely to have access to the pharmaceutical cocktails to extend their lives.

Thomas, the vice chairperson of the board of directors of the West Ohio AIDS Ministries Committee, was one of more than 150 United Methodists from all over the United States to network, strategize, and energize one another for the continuing fight against HIV/AIDS during a Sept. 8-9 conference in Washington.


Bishop Fritz Mutti and his wife, Etta Mae, speak at the "Lighten the Burden" conference. (A UMNS photo by Erik Alsgaard)

Dr. Cherian Thomas, of the United Methodist Global Ministries' health and welfare unit, told the conference attendees that the HIV/AIDS disease can be compared to "a forest fire that is blazing."

"Our immediate response is to put the fire out, but sometimes we cannot douse the fire," he said.

Dr. Thomas detailed four interventions -- prevention, treatment, care and support -- to battle the flames of what the United Nations has called a "global emergency."

"If you really want to fight a forest fire, you have to have forest fighters trained, an organizational structure in place and a system that prevents the fire," said Dr. Thomas. He lifted up the revitalized United Methodist hospitals in Asia and Africa as such a system.

In particular, Dr. Thomas praised the United Methodist Church's Chicuque Hospital in Mozambique, under the leadership of Bishop João Machado, another speaker at the conference.

The last conference for United Methodists on HIV/AIDS was held 20 years ago in San Francisco.

"We're not going to drop the ball this time," said the Rev. Donald Messer, director of the Center for the Church and Global AIDS Fund.

*Coudal is a staff writer for the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
 

To see this story on its original web page, go to:

http://www.umc.org/site/c.gjJTJbMUIuE/b.2060893/k.906C/Conference_rallies_faithful_to_global_challenges_of_AIDS.htm

For a second article about the conference, go to:

http://www.umc.org/site/c.gjJTJbMUIuE/b.2060879/k.4C1D/United_Methodists_must_be_AIDS_ambassadors_speaker_says.htm

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Future Events:

December 2006

25th Anniversary Of Jim Robinson

As Organist & Music Director

On Sunday, December 3 at the 10:30 a.m. Worship Service and at a 12:15 p.m. reception following, the congregation of Franklin Circle Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of James J. Robinson as the church's Organist and Music Director. The church is located at 1688 Fulton Rd, Cleveland, Ohio 44113. Friends and colleagues of Mr. Robinson are invited to attend. For more information, or to send your words of congratulation, please call Pastor Allen V. Harris at 216-781-8232 or via e-mail at AHarrisCLE@aol.com.

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Dickens' A Christmas Carol
Comes To Life In One-Man Reading

On Wednesday, December 13 at 7 p.m. Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol will come to life in the person of Mark Dawidziak in a one-man reading of the famous story here at Franklin Circle Christian Church. This production, co-sponsored by the church and the Cleveland Branch of the International Dickens Fellowship, is offered to the community free of charge. A brief intermission will include refreshments. There is plenty of free parking at the church.

Mr. Dawidziak, who will offer the performance in period-costume and with a simple set, has been a theater, film, and television critic for more than 20 years. Since 1999 he has been the TV critic for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He is a published author of both novels and plays. Most recently he has made a name for himself performing as both Charles Dickens and Mark Twain. A graduate of George Washington University, his stage roles include E.K. Hornbeck in “Inherit The Wind,” the Writer in Neil Simon's “The Good Doctor,” and the Wizard in “The Wizard Of Oz.”

Written by Charles Dickens in 1843, A Christmas Carol has inspired countless playwrights and filmmakers who have interpreted it in a variety of ways. Mark Dawidziak will perform one of the playwright's own “cuttings,” very much the way Dickens would have performed it himself.

The Cleveland Dickens Fellowship of Cleveland, Ohio was established in 1984 and is part of the International Dickens Fellowship founded in 1902. The local branch meets monthly from September through June at the Mayfield Regional County Library, 6080 Wilson Mills Road, a few blocks west of Interstate 271. All meetings begin at 7.00 P.M. and are free and open to the public. Its objectives were “to knit together in a common bond of friendship lovers of the great master of humor and pathos, Charles Dickens," to spread the love of humanity, to campaign against those “social evils” that most concerned Dickens, and “to assist in the preservation and purchase of buildings and objects associated with his name or mentioned in his works.”

For more information, contact Pastor Allen at 216-781-8232 or Paul Siedel, from the Cleveland Dickens' Fellowship, via e-mail at pbsonbridge@ameritech.net.
 

Cleveland Lesbian Gay Allies Concert Marching Band
 

A Family Christmas Concert
Saturday, December 9th, 2006, 7:30 pm
Franklin Circle Christian Church
1688 Fulton Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44113
Suggested Donation $5.00

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October 2006

Special Guest Preacher, Sunday, October 8: The Rev. Jim Kulma
Director of Spiritual Care Services for the Cleveland Clinic Health System, Western Region
In light of the number of deaths this congregation has experienced in the past year, both of members and family of members of the congregation, several avenues are being explored by Pastor Allen and the Elders to help the church deal with the cumulative grief we are experiencing. One opportunity is to have a trained grief specialist and friend of Franklin Circle Christian Church preach for us on October 8.

In 2002 the Rev. Jim Kulma was been appointed to the position of director of Spiritual Care Services for the Cleveland Clinic Health System - Western Region, which comprises Fairview, Lakewood and Lutheran Hospitals. Previously, the Rev. Kulma served as director of Pastoral Care at Lutheran Hospital from September of 1988.

In his current role, Rev. Kulma is responsible for organizing and coordinating the spiritual care programs at the three hospitals. He also facilitates outreach to the religious communities and clergy supporting Fairview, Lakewood and Lutheran Hospitals.

Before coming to Lutheran Hospital 13 years ago, Rev. Kulma served three years as pastor at All Saints Lutheran Church in Olmsted Falls and one year as an alcoholism counselor. He received his bachelor's degree at Bowling Green State University, and his masters of divinity at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary and his clinical residency at Richland Memorial Hospital, both in Columbia, South Carolina.

Rev. Kulma currently serves on the board of directors at West Side Ecumenical Ministry and has served as president of the local Shared Ministry ministerium. He is an outstanding Biblical storyteller, and is a member of the Network of Biblical Storytellers. He is also a certified instructor in Tai Chi Chuan, and has made two trips to China to study traditional Chinese health practices.

Following the October 8 service, Rev. Kulma will speak with those interested about other possibilities for dealing with grief, individually and as a church.

Rev. Kulma lives in Lakewood with his wife, Toni. They have three children in college.

Lead Poison Prevention & Elimination Workshops

Lead Poisoning Prevention Classes
Starting Thursday, October 12th at 6pm at Franklin Circle Church, 1688 Fulton, Cleveland you can learn in four weekly, free classes about the dangers of lead poisoning and ways to prevent this danger. This hour-long class, on four consecutive Thursday evenings, will include instructions about cleaning and food supplies. Free child care will be provided. The first ten persons that enroll by calling Carole Sauer at 216-781-8232 can attend this class and learn about the remuneration involved upon graduation.

The deadline for registering is October 5.

This program is funded through Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries and is an Endeavor of Franklin Circle Christian Church hosted by Joe & Ann Wolf.

Church Directory Photos To Be Taken October 21, 22, 28, & 29
Cheryl Yurcak, a new member of our church with a gift for photography, is working with an idea already in the works from the Mission Council to create our own, in-house pictorial directory. Over two weekends, Saturdays October 21 & 28 (9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) and Sundays October 22 & 29 (12:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.) photos of individuals and families within the congregation, both members and friends, to be included in an upcoming directory.

Cheryl will be calling folks who are listed in our current directory to set up appointments during those times. If you are not in the directory, or do not receive a call, and would like to be included please call the church office at 216-781-8232 and request to have an appointment set, or e-mail Cheryl at cheryl33315@yahoo.com .

If you or a member of your family is unable to be present and you would still like to be included in the directory, please either e-mail a digital copy of your photo to Pastor Allen at PastorAllen@franklincirclechurch.org  or mail it to the church office at 1688 Fulton Rd., Cleveland, OH 44113-3096. All original photos will be returned to their owners.

Harvest Celebration for Children & Youth October 21

All children and youth of our church and neighborhood are invited to a big fall harvest celebration, Saturday, October 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at West Side United Church Of Christ, 38th St. & Bridge Ave.  There is no charge for this event.

The event will include food, clowns, Christian Folk and Christian Rock music, pumpkin art, bubbles and face painting, in addition to other surprises.

The event is an attempt to offer an alternative way for kids to celebrate Halloween, in a manner free from gore and fear. for more information, please contact Joe Wolf at WolfScout1@excite.com

Regional Assembly Approaches!
Special Youth Program Included

The Regional Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is approaching quickly, and members of Franklin Circle Christian Church are encouraged to register as soon as possible. This biennial assembly of our Region will take place Friday and Saturday, October 13-14, in Columbus, Ohio. The opening night speaker, the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale, is pastor of one of our denomination's most vibrant congregations: Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decateur, Georgia. The closing night speaker, the Rev. Dr. William McConnell will be joined by the Worship Team of First Christian Church of Harrison, Ohio. Also part of the program will be a "State of the Church" address by our own Regional Minister, the Rev. Dr. Bill Edwards.

The theme, "Come Be Transformed!" will explore the text of Romans 12:2 through worship, preaching, workshops, and a ministry fair.

Adult registration is $30 for individuals and $50 for couples; $15 for youth and $10 for children. There are also costs for meals and housing. If you are interested in going, but need help with the costs, please speak to Pastor Allen. Travel costs are covered by our church.

Franklin Circle Christian Church will have a display at the Transformational Ministry Fair, and anyone going from our church will be invited to help share our congregation's story to others at the Assembly. The special programming for youth includes a trip for Jr. and Sr. High youth to Camp Christian from about 11:00 to 3:00 on Saturday, Oct. 14. Their time will be divided up with 1.5 hours of service projects and then Lunch with both groups together and then 1.5 hours of recreation. The youth fee will cover the cost of transportation and the lunch.

For more detailed information and a downloadable registration form and poster, go to the region's website at www.ccinoh.org or Click HERE.

Registration forms are available in the church office. Please have them turned in by October 1st.  To have a registration form mailed to you, CLICK HERE!

September 2006

Gifts Of The City To Be Celebrated September 30

“Gifts Of The City” is a day long educational and experiential event designed to inspire and network people of faith who are committed to the people and culture of Cleveland's urban core.  "Gifts of the City" will take place on Saturday, September 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Franklin Circle Christian Church, 1688 Fulton Rd., on Cleveland's Near West Side.  Registration, which will take place at the door, will be on a sliding fee scale, from $1 to $20 and includes continental breakfast, lunch, and all programming.

We are especially excited that Andrés González, Executive Director of El Barrio, will be our keynoter and that Molly Carreon, of Merrick House, will oversee our children's programming again this year.  Mr. González, whose topic will be "Gifts Of The Hispanic Community To The City" is director of El Barrio (see fuller bio and picture below).  Ms Carreon is director of the Help Me Grow program at Merrick House in Tremont.

Workshops during the day will include:
o     Historical Near West Side Neighborhood Tour
o     Visit 2100 Lakeside Men's Shelter and Women's Transitional Housing
o     Learn how to deal with stress
o     Mediation Training
o     Positive Educational Experiences in Cleveland

There will be a Community Fair with booths from many different organizations, as well as health screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, and lead poisoning.  Throughout the day there will be entertainment, including a neighborhood children's choir made up of recent immigrants from Africa.

The event is being sponsored by many different organizations, including Urban Hope UU Community, InterAct Cleveland, God's AGAPE Love for the Homeless, United Clevelanders Against Poverty, St. Patrick's Catholic Church, St. Paul's Community Church, UCC, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry, Congregation of St. Joseph, West Shore UU Church, Mae Dugan Center, and Franklin Circle Christian Church.  Other sponsors are being sought.  If you have any questions or would like to sign on as a cosponsor, please call Doris Matthey at (216)773-4289 or Molly Holland at (216) 382-4367.

For a flyer in MS Word format, CLICK HERE.
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Andres Gonzalez is the Director of Hispanic Services at El Barrio, a part of the West Side Ecumenical Ministry (WSEM).  El Barrio seeks to bridge the language, culture, and service gaps that separate Hispanics from the other people, agencies, and services.  Their goal is to assist their clients with attaining self reliance through education and job skills, job placement and retention, and community integration. Previously, Andres was the Executive Director of Hispanic UMADAOP (Urban Minority Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Outreach Program, Inc.).  He holds a Masters in Education degree from Cleveland State University and is a graduate of the Cleveland Bridge Builders Flagship Program.

Two New Opportunities Offered To Grow Our Church:
New Worship Initiatives Team & Evangelism & Publicity Team
 

Two teams, each existing for only one year, are being formed to help continue the transformation God has already begun at Franklin Circle Christian Church. Building on Pastor Allen's Five-Point Plan for the next year, these two groups will seek to draw out the creative strengths and graces from our congregation in order to address two critical needs of our church: 1.) to create another opportunity for persons to worship in new and more interactive ways AND 2.) to get word out about our church in bold and broader ways. Both have the blessings of the Board and the Mission Council.

The New Worship Initiatives Team will explore over the next year how other churches similar to ours, in location, size, and theology, have expanded their worship opportunities to include another service in a different style. In addition to much prayer and Bible study, we will visit "second services" at other churches, read up on the latest literature about creative and transformational worship, and we will experiment with some worship possibilities ourselves. By next June the New Worship Initiatives Team will present a proposal to the church's Board for another worship service, including a budget, space requests, and staffing. If the Board accepts, it is hoped that the new worship service will be in place by fall 2007. Ten to twelve people are needed to make this team most effective. First Meeting, Sunday, October 15 after Community Hour!

To join this team, CLICK HERE!

The Evangelism & Publicity Team will first evaluate all the ways in which our congregation currently is getting word out about our mission and our programs. Then it will create a more comprehensive, long-range plan for evangelism, advertising, and publicity. This team will create all advertising for the church in order to shape a consistent and creative approach to our image in the community. Most importantly, working along with the newsletter editor and webmaster, this group will seek out new and dynamic forms of evangelism for key seasons and occasions in our church's life. Five to six people are needed to make this team work best.  First Meeting: Monday, October 23, 6:00 p.m.

To join this team, CLICK HERE!

If you would like to be on either team, please contact Pastor Allen via either e-mail at PastorAllen@FranklinCircleChurch.org or by phone at 216-781-8232.

Opportunities For Spiritual Growth Abound This Fall
Adult Sunday School & Mid-Week Bible Study Resume

On Wednesday, September 6 at 7 p.m. the Mid-Week Bible Study resumes. The study meets in the room off of the Chapel and all are welcome. Resuming its "Reader's Choice" series, the first month or two will be spent with different individuals from the group bringing forward a book from the Bible that they either find captivating or confusing and then leading us in a deeper study of it. The atmosphere for this mid-week study is always relaxed and friendly, and new faces are always as welcome as familiar ones.

On Sunday, September 10 at 9:30 a.m. both of our adult classes will resume, and they, also, meet in classrooms off the Chapel. Ralph Eyring teaches the Adult Bible Study and their topic for the fall will be "Covenant." Looking at selected text from the Old Testament and the promises God made to people then, the group will explore how subsequent generations understood the ways in which God kept those promises.

Pastor Allen teaches the Inquirer's Class for young adults and adults. The topic for the Inquirer's Class for the fall will be "Through A Mirror Dimly: Faith & Art." This class will look at how an individual and a community's faith can be strengthened and nurtured through the work and vision of artists. Perhaps students might even try expressing their theology through creating some art themselves!

Also, later this fall we will offer a class specifically designed for folks who are new to the church to find out more about what it means to be a Christian, to be a part of a church (specifically Franklin Circle Christian Church), and the meaning and requirements of church membership. This will be especially helpful for persons who have joined FCCC this past year or who are considering joining. Watch for more details in the October Messenger.

Children and youth will continue their Sunday School classes, which run concurrent to the morning worship. Everyone gathers in the sanctuary at 10:30 a.m. and then children and youth retire to their classes at about 10:50 a.m.
Everyone is urged to consider attending at least one spiritual nurture opportunity in order to better help their faith -- and the church -- grow. New teachers and topics are always sought.

Judy Ponting, Guest Preacher on Sunday, September 2

Franklin Circle Christian Church presents

the compelling PBS video "Flag Wars"



"Flag Wars" is a poignant account of the politics and pain of gentrification. Working-class black residents in Columbus, Ohio fight to hold on to their homes. Realtors and gay home-buyers see fixer-uppers. The clashes expose prejudice and self-interest on both sides, as well as the common dream to have a home to call your own.

Thursday, September 28 – 7 p.m.
90-minute video, refreshments and moderated discussion following
at: Franklin Circle Christian Church
1688 Fulton Rd. (near W. 28th)
Call Pastor Allen Harris at 216-272-0622 or e-mail PastorAllen@FranklinCircleChurch.org for more details, and to receive copies of background readings (strongly encouraged) ~ There is no charge for this event

For more information, click on the photo above or CLICK HERE

For a flyer in pdf format, CLICK HERE!

World Communion Sunday October 1st
World Communion Sunday -- celebrated the first Sunday in October -- is one of the most venerable of “special Sundays.” The day has taken on new relevancy and depth of meaning in a world where globalization often has undermined peace and justice -- and in a time when fear divides the peoples of God's earth. On this day we celebrate our oneness in Christ, the Prince of Peace, in the midst of the world we are called to serve -- a world ever more in need of peacemaking.

World Communion Sunday (originally called World Wide Communion Sunday) originated in the Presbyterian Church (USA). In 1936, for the first time, the first Sunday in October was celebrated in Presbyterian churches in the United States and overseas. From the beginning, it was planned so that other denominations could make use of it and, after a few years, the idea spread beyond the Presbyterian Church. The Department of Evangelism of the Federal Council of Churches (a predecessor body of the National Council of Churches) was first associated with World Wide Communion Sunday in 1940 when the department’s executive secretary, Jesse Bader, led in its extension to a number of churches throughout the world.

The Elders of Franklin Circle Christian Church, along with the Worship Team, will offer several changes to the regular order of worship in order to better highlight both the world-wide nature of the church and the centrality of Communion to our worship service. Our October 1 service will include special bulletin cover, scripture and prayers in various languages native to members of our congregation, a litany of countries where the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has congregations and ministries, along with special hymns and a sermon focused on World Communion Sunday. Most noticeable will be the shift of Communion to the final act of worship on this day to highlight its importance to our service.

Please join us for this very special day.

Reconciliation Offering Helps Heal Wounds

Reconciliation Mission is a ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Its aim is the formation of leadership to facilitate the long-term process of collective identity transformation within the Disciples community. Although its ministry focuses on the eradication of systemic racism, it is clear that this task cannot be accomplished without the transformation of individual lives and the fostering of dialogue among people.

The mission of Reconciliation is to nurture the wholeness of the church by dismantling systemic racism and other oppressive structures toward becoming a church that demonstrates True Community, Deep Christian Spirituality, and Passion for Justice. This ministry is accomplished through organizing, education, and advocacy.

In claiming this ministry of justice Reconciliation Mission is committed to the transformation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the ushering of the Beloved Community. In order to guide our ministry we have named this vision for the church:

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) celebrates the Gospel teaching that God’s children come from “every tribe and nation” and that the power of God’s table is found in the vastness that brings together all races, languages, cultures and traditions.

Embracing God’s call to engage in systemic analysis of racism, dismantling its oppressive power, developing an anti-racist/anti-oppressive/pro-reconciling identity for our church, we proclaim a new vision of community where the church in all its expressions shares equally in the resources with which we have been entrusted by God.

This identity promotes a mutually accountable church serving God in solidarity with multiple communities of resistance to oppression and with builders of just communities.

For a letter from our General Minister & President, Rev. Sharon Watkins, please click HERE or go to: http://www.reconciliationmission.org/offerings/watkinsletter/

Franklin Circle Christian Church Folks At Adult Conference, July 20-24, Columbus, Ohio

From Left to Right: Leila Streidl, Norma Stearns, Jay Cheiky, Tammy Sanders, Pastor Allen, and Jane Cheiky

August 2006

With Deepest Sadness...
Dear Franklin Circle Christian Church Members & Friends,
I write to let you know that this past Friday, July 21 our member and friend, Evelyn Babcock, died at the hospital in Columbus where she had been off and on for the past month or so. Her obituary from today's paper is copied below.
It was only the week before that the doctors had determined that it was cancer that was causing her illness, with which she had struggled since January. Leila Streidl, her sister, and I were able to travel to Columbus last Monday to be with Evelyn and several members of her family to talk, to pray, and to anoint her prior to her surgery. This was a blessed time.

The family will be receiving visitors at the Coreno Funeral Home at 13115 Lorain Ave. on Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. The funeral will also be at Coreno's on Thursday, July 27 at 10 a.m.
 

Cards and letters of support and condolence may be sent to Leila Streidl, 15911 Lucille Ave., Cleveland, OH 44111-3908.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Allen

EVELYN MARIE BABCOCK (nee Strong), born July 26, 1931. It is with heavy hearts that her family announces the passing of our beloved mother, Evelyn, 74, who passed away Friday, July 21, 2006 from a brief battle with cancer at Mt. Carmel East Hospital, Columbus, OH. Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, Wade Babcock; and daughter, Susan Ables; her brother, Harold Strong; and sister, Grace Van Horn.
 

Evelyn is survived by daughter, Mary (Tom) Brewer of Grove City, OH.; son Jeff (Debbie) Babcock of Reynoldsburg, OH.; son-in-law William Ables of N. Ridgeville, OH.; sister Leila (Bob) Streidl of Cleveland; grandchildren Hollie (Lee) Brewer-McKitrick of Ponte Verda, FL., Joe and Mitchell Babcock of Reynoldsburg, OH., Aimee Taylor of N. Ridgeville, OH., and William A. Taylor of Parma, OH. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
 

Funeral service Thursday, July 27 in THE CORENO FUNERAL HOME, 13115 LORAIN AVE., at 10 a.m. Interment Riverside Cemetery. Family will receive friends WEDNESDAY 2-4 AND 7-9 PM 216-941-3434 www.cleveland.com/obits
 

July 2006

Vacation Bible School To Celebrate With A Fiesta!
Our annual Vacation Bible School will begin on Monday, July 10 and run each day that week from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This includes lunch, which is part of the Summer Lunch Program. Children ages 3 to 12 years are invited. Youth can serve as VBS Assistants.
Each day includes Bible lessons, singing, drama, crafts, computer learning, and lots of fun and games. Not only is this a ministry to the children of our own congregation, but it is also an outreach to the children of our neighborhood.
Volunteers are needed. For more information, please contact Brenda Torrey (216) 544-1566.


July 16 Head To Edgewater Park, NOT 1688 Fulton Rd.!
On Sunday, July 16 our congregation will worship at the usual time -- 10:30 a.m. -- but NOT at the usual PLACE! We will be celebrating God's Magnificence in the outdoors by worshiping at Edgewater Park, the East end of the Upper Pavilion. First we'll sing and pray to our heart's delight, then we'll eat to our stomach's contentment!
Come join us for both the worship service and a picnic afterwards. The main dish will be provided, but folks are asked to bring potluck for the rest... enough for some extra friends, too! Contact Bev Wurm to help with this event: 216-621-8398

News Notes:
We mourn the death of longtime member and key leader of the congregation, Bob Mock on Monday, June 5 at his home in North Olmsted. A funeral service was held at the Kacirik Funeral Home on June 8. Ellen & Claude Pitman traveled to upstate New York for the wedding of their grandson, Jamie Major, in mid-June. Jamie is Patty's oldest boy... Phillip Vipperman has had his artwork showing at the Clifton Webb on Clifton Blvd. near 117th St. Drop by and check it out!... We have received word that Mary Beth Cascio, friend of our congregation and Director of Development at the Cleveland Christian Home, has announced her retirement from that position effective August. We wish her well... FCCC will serve as host to a middle school youth group from First Christian Church of Zanesville, Ohio the weekend of July 14-16. They will be working with St. Malachi's Church on a mission project and worshipping at Bethany Christian Church. The Rev. Steven Yarbrough is Associate Pastor. Jay Cheiky has returned to Cleveland and now lives on the West Side. His new address is: 3755 W. 33rd St., Cleveland, OH 44109.  Houston Bowers will begin as Interim Minister at the Christian Church in Mantua, Ohio in July. Houston and Mary have promised to stay connected to their church family in other ways... Jeffrey Cheiky, Jane Cheiky's grandson, is serving in the military in the Middle East. Letters of support can be sent to: MM3 Jeffrey Cheiky, USS Enterprise CVN-65, Box 42 REA-RL, SPO AE 09543-2810...
 

Leadership Workshop: Publicizing Your Event
On Tuesday, July 18 at 7 p.m. members of the congregation and community are invited to a free workshop at our church designed to help individuals and groups better publicize their activities and programs. Practical advice will be given, and handouts will help participants see the difference between effective publicity and ineffective publicity. Everyone attending will get a packet of information, which will include contact information for local media.
Please pass word of this workshop on to others in your network, including clubs and organizations of which you may be a participant. The workshop is not restricted to church leaders, but is open to all who wish to attend.

New Member:
On Sunday, June 11 we welcomed into membership Cheryl Yurcak Rauscher by transfer and reaffirmation of faith. Cheryl was baptized at Parma Christian Church as a teen and now lives in our neighborhood.

Church Secretary Now Fully Internet Connected!
Carole Sauer, our Church & Financial Secretary, is fully Internet connected as of June 20! A newer computer has been upgraded and placed in the Church Office and is connected to the Internet so that she finally has web-browsing capabilities and e-mail access. You can use either one of two e-mail addresses:
CaroleSauer@sbcglobal.net
or
CaroleSauer@FranklinCircleChurch.org
Please be patient with her as she learns the ins-and-outs of this technology in the coming weeks.

Mission Council Report
On Sunday, June 11 the Friends and Family Potluck Luncheon brought together about 70 people, many of them, yes, friends and family of members of the congregation! Together we shared in the abundance of food brought by folks. We gathered in the gym, filled with music and images from the Caribbean, to be in keeping with our keynote speaker, Dr. Douglas Van Auken. His talk, about the work of several medical professionals to help bring better health care to the Dominican Republic, was both informational and inspiring. $105 was raised in a freewill offering to help support their work.
The next Endeavor will be the Outdoor Worship & Picnic on Sunday, July 16, being led by Beverly Wurm. More information is elsewhere in this Messenger newsletter. Following that will be the Leadership Workshop: Publicizing Your Event on Tuesday, July 18 at 7 p.m. being led by Pastor Allen.
Endeavor ideas are eagerly being solicited for the fall. Ideas which need leadership include: Pumpkin Picking event, Hayride event, Archives Computerization project, Leaf Raking for Seniors project, Dinners For Seven event, Nursery Improvement project, and the many, many ideas in the hearts and minds of members and friends of the congregation!
If you have an idea and the energy to organize others to help you, please pick up a lavender Endeavor form at the church, or have one mailed to you. The next meeting of the Mission Council will be Sunday, August 6 following the Community Hour.

News From Our Denomination:

September 1, 2006:

NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHES 2007 GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGISTRATION
Share the Feast!  Registration is now open for the 2007 General Assembly that will take place in Fort Worth, Texas from July 21-25. The 2007 theme is "Share the Feast," based on Matthew 14:13-21 where we are reminded, that in the midst of our challenges, Jesus offers a healing touch and an invitation to share in the feast of his abundance.

The new web site offers options to register for the Assembly, as well as ways to secure housing, find out more about speakers, the General Assembly schedule, youth and young adult planning, and ways to promote the Assembly in your congregation or organization. Become among the first to register for this important event, by going to www.disciples.org/ga

May 2006:

General Minister And President Among Those Speaking At National Anti-Poverty Event
General Minister and President Sharon Watkins will give the opening address at a three-day anti-poverty event held at National City Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Washington, D.C. on June 26-28. Watkins will join speakers such speakers as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama, and Marian Wright Edleman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund. The event is sponsored by Sojourners Magazine and Call to Renewal, an organization headed by Jim Wallis, editor-in chief of Sojourners. Wallis also is author of the book: "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It."
Hundreds of other grassroots and faith-based anti-poverty leaders will be present and will get an opportunity to attend workshops, network, visit congressional leaders and hear speeches and inspiring music. The conference is called "Pentecost 2006: Building A Covenant For A New America" and more information can be found at: www.calltorenewal.org/events/pentecost06/index.html
"I am excited about being asked to participate in this event," said Watkins. "Those attending will hear speakers that have shown it is possible to transcend political party lines and be Christ's voice, calling us to feed the hungry and care for the orphan and stranger."