CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media
Seeking the
Lord with our whole heart is the pinnacle of the Christian life.
This year through our corporate and personal worship we will
seek the Lord with our whole heart. Reaching out to God is
the desire in the heart of those who love the Lord, and it is
also the secret to finding God's greatest blessings for our lives.
These great blessings often occur and are reflected in the
relationship we have with fellow brothers and sisters in the
Lord. The Lord has given us each other, and through our seeking
the Lord and our obedience to our Savior and Lord, we become
the body of Christ to minister to one another's needs in peace
and love. But the ministry of the Body of Christ would not
be complete unless we worked together to transform the world
around us. In Scripture Jesus says that he came for the salvation
of all, and that he died because of his love for the world.
You and I are Christ's hands and feet to complete this great
work with the power of the Spirit and the encouragement of each
other.
Taking a step forward is symbolic of a deeper desire for more
love, commitment, and ministry. This is a step of faith because
the Lord will lead and direct our way. Often these steps will
not be easy. There may be things we have to leave behind on
our journey so we can pick up more responsibilities from the
Lord. In the busyness and the anxieties of our lives it's easy
to step back and perhaps even to run away, but God calls us to
more authentic worship, more intimate relationships and more
compassionate outreach. There is much to do. The Lord has
called us. May we be faithful to risk, to dream, to share and
to take "one step closer." Pray that the Lord will
direct us and use us for God's glory.
Music is an important part of our worship. We have a youth choir, men's chorus, women's ensemble and adult Chancel Choir. Memorial Day and Labor Day Sunday worship services are highlighted as Hymn Sing Sunday. The Lord's Prayer is sung during worship every other Sunday.
Communion is an important part of our worship service and is celebrated every Sunday. All those present are invited to partake.
In addition to local activities, camps, conferences, and retreats are held for youths and adults at Camp Christian located near Magnetic Springs, 14 miles from Delaware, Ohio. Youth retreats and conventions are held throughout the state and at Bethany College in West Virginia.
Our youngsters in Chi Rho (grades 6 through 8) make up the core of our Acolytes. They enter the sanctuary with the light of Christ and mark the beginning of the spoken service by lighting the Christ Candle. The pre-teen or early teenager returns to the Chancel at the conclusion of the service to re-light the taper and extinguish the Christ Candle. This symbolizes Christ leading us out of the sanctuary and into the world to do his work.
Music is an important part of our worship. We have an adult Chancel Choir and a Youth Choir made up of children from elementary school age through middle school. In addition, the Men's Chorus and Women's Ensemble provide music for our services during the school year. The Chancel Choir sings every Sunday September through May and the Youth Choir sings monthly during the same time period. Special music is provided by soloist and ensembles during the summer. Occasionally, instrumentalists add to the music of the services.
During the summer months of June, July, and August, we host a Contemporary Chapel Service at 8:30 a.m. This service, led by our pastor, contains similar elements to the more traditional 10:30 a.m. worship service, but uses praise music which is sung at the opening of the service and the music is sung acappella. Because Communion is central to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), it is observed weekly in worship at an open table. This means you need not be a member of our congregation to receive communion. We encourage all believers in Jesus as the Christ to be united in Christ by receiving the communion elements. We use a small wafer and an individual cup of grape juice to remember our Lord's sacrifice on our behalf. Communion is generally passed in the pews by Deacons after it has been blessed by the prayer of an Elder. It is also common for us to invite people to come to the table to receive the communion elements during special worship services.
Members of the worshiping community are invited to participate in the spoken service by speaking prayer concerns, reading the responsive call to worship, as well as praying the Lord's Prayer.
First Christian Church in Massillon would
like to introduce their new pastor, Rev. Timothy Brown. His first
Sunday at the church was August 1st, 2001.
Rev. Brown comes to us from Ashland, Ohio where he recently graduated
from Ashland Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. He
also holds a Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from
Wright State University and a Music Degree from Ohio University.
Rev. Brown served as the Associate Minister of the First Christian
Church of Ashland, Ohio for the past two years. Prior to that
he spent thirteen years working in the field of Rehabilitation
and has experience in career counseling and vocational placement
for persons with Head injuries and developmental disabilities.
He looks forward to serving in the community and supporting the
people of Massillon. Rev. Brown has a wife and three children.
They are enjoying the area and their new home in the city of Massillon.
Rev Brown grew up in Wadsworth Ohio as a Wadsworth Grizzly fan
but the transition to being a Tiger fan will be easy especially
since his father's name is Paul Brown.
Rev. Brown is dedicated to passionate worship, teaching from the
Bible and supporting the needs of families. For this reason we
will have weekly children's messages and other family ministries.
Please join us to experience the blessings that God desires to
pour out on his people.
Advent and Lenten Breakfasts are held with a full breakfast menu, prepared by the women of the congregation. The program for these seasonal breakfasts generally has a greater appeal. Judge Edie Elum spoke this past year. A local foreign exchange student is invited to speak "Palm Sunday" for the Lenten Breakfast.
Occasionally the men sponsor a spaghetti dinner for the congregation. They may be found fertilizing the lawn, and watering plants around the church building.
The main source of money for the men's treasury is the selling of Entertainment Books. They clear a good annual profit for their efforts by these sales.
Two annual retreats are held at Camp Christian near Delaware, Ohio, one in the spring and one in the fall. In attendance are 100 to 150 men from Ohio.
Every 4 years the men of the denominational church gather for "Sessions." Sessions attracts 6,000 to 7,000 men from Christian Churches across America and Canada.
Annually the women sponsor flea markets, bake cookies and serve meals to make money. They hold a Mother-Daughter Dinner for which outside entertainment is an attraction. The C-W-F assists the Church's Hospitality Committee in preparing and delivering Christmas and Easter baskets to homebound and nursing home individuals.
Twice each year retreats are held at Camp Christian, Hiram College or Bethany College. Limited space at Camp Christian for 250 women often leaves some names on the waiting list.
The women of the congregation support the outreach causes of the denominational church as well as special concerns which are beyond the Christian Church's ministry. Several years ago the women provided money to add air conditioning to the sanctuary and last year a "face lift" was applied to the church's Parlor.
Fun activities include a hayride, bowling, swimming and a summer trip. In recent years they went to "The Wilds" a wild animal park and saw The Living Word a passion play in Cambridge. A one week summer camp experience awaits C-C-F'ers.
Fund raisers included selling church pens and during Advent, these young people made chocolates to sell at church. The money they raise pays for the group's activities.
These activities, as well as attendance, stewardship and service are part of the "Camp Standards" program which enables Chi Rhoers to "earn" one half of the cost of a week at Camp Christian during the summer.
During Advent the youths bake cookies to add to the plates of goodies and fruit baskets which are taken to homebound members of the church. Also, they sponsor an evening of caroling to the homes of several of the congregation's older members.
This group offers T-shirts with Christian messages and other items for sale to members of the Church. Also, they help lead the congregation in worship, expressing their own faith.
Summertime is often a time of great joy. It's a time to
play with your kids and grandchildren. It's a time to enjoy the
early morning sun with a cup of coffee on your back porch. It's
a time to visit with neighbors and friends. For many it's a time
to see summer concerts, fireworks and ball games. Summer is the
perfect time for long walks, and swimming at the beach. Vacations
are a favorite for many. The Browns especially like camping.
But I wonder do we give proper thanks to the one who created
this season we know as summer? When we walk on the beach do we
take Him with us? When we look at the beauty of nature do we
realize that this is but a dim reflection of God's beauty? If
we do these things then our worship of God will be that much
richer. For you see, summer is a great time to worship.
We worship in God's house most certainly, but we can and should
worship all the time. Ps. 34: 1 says, "I will bless the
Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth!"
You might say, "But how can I do that?" You do that
as you say thank you for those things around you. You do that
by appreciating the small details of God's world. You worship
as you encourage those whom God created. You worship as you serve
and love others with a cheerful heart. You worship as you meditate
upon the word of God and pray. You even worship when you cry
out to theLord in times of trouble. You worship by carrying on
a continuous conversation with God. You worship by offering a
song from your heart. Some people like to whistle, sing or even
hum their song to the Lord all day. Maybe this sounds a little
strange but find your style and learn to continuously worship
the Lord. It will transform your relationship with God and it
will bring unspeakable joy to your life! Let me leave you with
one other verse to meditate upon. Psalm 34:8 says, "O taste
and see that the Lord is good; Happy are those who take refuge
in him." What does it mean to take refuge in him. I think
it means to dwell, to think, to trust in God all day long. That
sounds like worship to me.
May the Lord bring you joy today!
Some of you may remember a special group of adults who enjoyed
several of our Fish Fry's this spring. ResCare Group Homes in
Massillon brought some of their special needs individuals to
the weekly meals. The Outreach Team wanted to shower them with
our appreciation and show them Christ's Love from the church
on the corner of Hankins and Wales. Please join us on July 12,
2007 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall as
we host a dance for the group home residents. There will be a
signup sheet posted later this month for any participants who
wish to help with greeting, cleanup and helping with snacks.
Music will be provided by our own special D J. All help is welcomed,
but we mostly want to have people from our church present to
be a part of this blessing to the group homes. This activity
is for everyone... kids, families and older...If you have any
questions, please do not hesitate to see Stefanie Moser.
This year, we are helping our neighbors
in need in Stark County through "Hammers & Nails"
which is a ministry that helps repair homes in the area for disadvantaged
residents that are unable to do this repairs themselves. We will
also have some fun activities, not just work lined up for this
trip. There will be camping, swimming, camp fires and other fun
things to do. We will need a small contribution from each volunteer
for the food. $ 5 a person should help cover food cost.
For those that are interested in volunteering, adults and youth,
we will have an informational meeting on June 24 following the
worship service. We would like to know if you're able to help
us and if you're planning on camping with us. We will need to
know by July 13th. If you have any questions please contact Sonya
Dulabahn or Pastor Brown.
There is much excitement planned including a Horizontal Hot Air Balloon Basket for the children to see. They will be able to get into the basket, weather permitting. Call the office or register at the door. Additional adult or youth helpers are welcome on any day.
Delores "Dee" Baker will be
having a special birthday on July 29. Dee will be 90 years old.
You can make it an even better birthday by remembering her with
a card. Her address is:
% Ohio Veterans Home
3416 Columbus Ave.
Cecrest / Griffin - 1 South
Sandusky, Ohio 44870
During worship Jodi Wayble will give
a presentation about Hammer & Nails ministry and talk about
how we can be of assistance to them. Their mission is to "Improve
the quality of life for disadvantaged area homeowners through
home and property improvements." Their ministry has been
in existence since January 2002 and has assisted over 600 area
homeowners as of December,2006! During worship we will take up
a special offering for the ministry. In addition,
following worship she will be available in the fellowship hall
to hand out brochures and answer any questions people may have.
The Fun Fest is coming to downtown Massillon on August 11, 2007. First Christian Church is going to be a part of the fun. We will host games for the kids and have a table to provide information about our wonderful church to the many families who are downtown from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on that day. If you are interested in donating an hour of your time to "reach out" to families in our community on August 11 th, please see Stefanie Moser. More information will be provided in next month's newsletter.
In conjunction with Vacation Bible School's
mission project, our church is currently collecting "Back-ToSchool"
items to help the Salvation Army. Through the end of June, we
are asking the congregation to bring in any school supplies which
will be offered to children in need within our Massillon Community.
Last year this Salvation Army program assisted over 900 kids
in need of school supplies. Please consider donating any of the
following new school supplies:
Crayola Crayons, Scissors (safety or regular), Elmer's Glue,
Erasers, #2 Pencils, Boxes of Tissues, Note Books, Book Bags,2
Pocket Folders, Plastic Rulers, Ink Pens (black or blue), Filler
Paper, Glue Sticks, Protractors, Colored Pencils, Dictionary,
Calculators.
We would like to thank everyone for
their prayers and cards for Carl after his surgery. Also a thank
you for the food that was brought to the house and for the visits
from Pastor Tim.
Carl and Donna Laughlin
We would like to thank the Christian
Church Woman and Dale Fasnacht for his memorial gift for his
wife Leora. These gifts were both used toward the purchase of
a new laptop computer for the Pastor and a new desktop computer
for the Secretary. Thank you.
Tim Brown and Criss Davis
I want to thank Chuck Diana's Brother
for putting in the new carpet in my office. You did such a great
job and the carpet looks great! If you haven't seen it feel free
to stop in.
Tim Brown
I would like to thank everyone at First
Christian Church for their prayers, concerns and cards after
my fall on Maundy Thursday. I am doing well and should be back
to normal activities soon. I would also like to thank you for
the meals that were brought to Dave and I, and to Rev. Tim for
all his visits.
Kathy Moore
The Board of Directors and I want to
thank First Christian for the gift of $ 300. This was a day for
me to give Thanks to our loving God for this blessing. You, Rev.
Brown, and your congregation are one of Faith in Actions daily
blessings. I ask our God to bless you and your intentions in
a very special way.
Agnes Peters, Executive Director
Faith in Action of Western Stark County
Following the worship service carnival
type afternoon is being being planned with a cook
out, covered dish, and make your own ice cream sundae. Even a
visit from the "church clown". Mark your calendar now
to be present for the fun and fellowship!
Please drop April Brown, Ryan Kear and Tina DeJane a line during their week at camp. A letter from home is always welcome, but remember to write early in the week so they will be sure to receive your letter.
"Handel's Ice Cream Pints" The Youth will be sell ing cards good for one pint of ice cream at Handel's. The cards will cost $ 3.50 and the Youth will make $1.00 for each card sold.
On July 14 from 10 - 3 and again on August 18 from 10 - 3, the Youth will be washing cars. Hot dogs, chips & pop will also be available to purchase. Please come and get your car, truck or van washed in support of the Youth. The money earned from these fundraisers will go toward the mission trip that we will be doing through Hammers & Nails.
The Lydia Circle will meet on July 18
for a picnic at Hanna Steinbach's house, everyone is asked to
bring a covered dish. Meet at the church at 10:45 a.m. if you
would like to car pool or meet at Hanna's at 11 a.m.
The Esther Circle will not meet in July. They will meet on August
1 at 6 p.m. at the residence of Joann Dominick for a picnic.
(Both Circles have changed the months in which they will be meeting
due to winter weather or vacations. The Lydia Circle will meet
each month except in January, February, and
March. Esther Circle will meet each month except July, January,
and
February.)
The Well will not meet during the summer months.
For the month of July we will have our Fellowship Time on July 8, which is the second Sunday. Your hosts will be Tim and Cindy Brown. Please join us in the Fellowship Hall following the worship service for a time of refreshments and fellowship.
The video series "That the WorId May Know". This is a fascinating look at the scriptures by visiting the locations of New Testament Stories along with our host Ray Vanderlaan.
Save your papers and tell your friends that we will be having another paper drive here starting in July. The trustees will hold a drive every three months, so continue to collect your papers, magazines, and cardboard. Proceeds from the paper drives will go to our Current Expenses.
WEEKLY:
Wednesdays....Prayer Meeting and Bible Study, 10:00 a.m.
Fridays...............Office Closed
July 1- 7.....Phyo CYF
Camp
July 3.........Trustees Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
July 4.........Independence Day - Office Closed
July 8.........Fellowship Time, 10:50 a.m.
July 9.........NO FINANCE MEETING
July 10.......NO OFFICIAL BOARD MEETING
July 12.......Dance for ResCare Group Home, 6:30 p.m.
July 14.......Car Wash for Mission Trip, 10:00 a.m.
July 18.......Lydia Circle Picnic at Steinbach's, 11 :00 a.m.
July 26 - 28.....Mission Trip for Hammer and Nails
July 29.............5th Sunday Family Fun Day, 11 :00 a.m.
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July 2007
Tom Smith..........July 3