ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
Wednesday Night Supper Task Force
Have you enjoyed our Third Wednesday Night Suppers at First Church?
Would you like to see them continue?
Do you have some ideas for themes and menus for the suppers?
If so, maybe you'd like to be on a task force to help plan and serve the Third Wednesday Night Suppers this fall semester: September 17, October 15, and November 19.
Just email our office manager, Miranda Schaum, First Church in Oberlin at office@firstchurchoberlin.org or call the church office at 440-775-1711 to let us know your interest. We'll get back to you to firm up an initial meeting date and time during the last week of August.
Miranda On Vacation July 26 – August 3
Our Office Manager, Miranda Schaum, is taking some time off July 26 through August 3. Please note that during this time: The office voicemail and emails will be periodically checked by a volunteer. Please call the office and leave a voicemail with your name, number, and what you'd like us to know. Requests for reserving space at the church, submissions for the eNews, and matters that require Miranda's assistance need to be addressed in advance of her vacation, by 9 AM on Monday, July 21st. Miranda will resume her Office Manager responsibilities on Monday, August 4th. Thank you for your patience and understanding to ensure vacations are as relaxing as possible!
The First Half of the Year Tax Documents Have Been Sent Out!
On approximately July 1st, the first tax documents of this year were sent out. Please allow 2 - 3 weeks for delivery. Didn't receive one and think you should have? Please call the office (440)775-1711 and leave a message or email the office at office@firstchurchoberiln.org and we'll sort it out. Thank you!
Sowing Seeds of Love
More beautiful beans have been shared with us! Thank you to Vladimir for sending some fantastic results of the Sowing Seeds of Love project from the Spring Festival. These lovely Ohio Heirloom Blue Lake Bush green beans are strong and healthy with the tender loving care that was given to them! Thank you, Vladimir!
Make sure to keep sending in those plants, we'll keep posting them!
First Church is going out to the Ball Game!
On August 22nd, First Church will be going as a group to the local Minor League team, the Lake Erie Crushers, for a night of Fellowship and Fun! For only $12/person, enjoy a 1st base private entrance, a Q&A session before the game, a panel with the players, and a fireworks show in addition to a baseball game!
Please sign up using the sheet by Fellowship Hall or by calling (440)775-1711 and leaving a voicemail with your name, phone number, and how many people are in your party.
For payment, make checks payable to The First Church in Oberlin with "Baseball Game" in the memo line. All payment is due by Sunday, August 10th.
First Church Represents at Lorain County Pride!
We've been featured in the Newspaper once again, this time in the Chronicle Telegram! First Church represented at Lorain County Pride and two of our members had their pictures taken. Check out the article about Lorain County Pride and you'll also see their picture!
Who are you going to call?
In David's absence this summer, please feel free to contact Ruth Ann Clark or Anne Sprague with any issues or questions.
Ruth Ann has a team ready to care for pastoral concerns, and Anne can address administrative issues. Of course our office manager, Miranda Schaum, is available in the office 9:00 am - noon, and by phone or email at other times. One of these women will be able to find a resolution to your question.
Ruth Ann Clark: ruthann.clark@mac.com 440-935-2393
Anne Sprague: moderator@firstchurchoberlin.org 440-396-5010
Miranda Schaum: office@firstchurchoberlin.org 440-775-1711
Got questions?
Here's who can help you.
Our standing committees are made up of the volunteers who address the various aspects of our church life. The people on those committees can help answer your questions.
Does the switch not work in the Reading Room?
Call someone on Facilities.
Do you want to help with our children?
Ask a member of Faith Formation.
Click here for a brief description of our committees and their membership. If in doubt, you can always ask the Moderator or a member of the Executive Council.
The New Parament
Did you notice the new parament on the pulpit? Thanks to the artistry of Prue Richards and Jeanne Lounsbury of Lafayette, CO., we have this new pulpit banner for the green “ordinary time” liturgical season. The quilted fabric in the center was actually a wall hanging that was created by Jeanne as a gift to Barbara Reed when she completed her term as Moderator of First Congregational Church of Boulder, CO. Barb wanted to gift this artwork to enhance the worship experience in her new church home. Prue stepped up and went to work creating the beautiful piece that you now see in the Meeting House.
Faith Formation search
The Personnel Committee is in the process of assembling a search committee to hire a new Faith Formation staff person. The search committee will include representatives from the Faith Formation Committee, our youth, and parents of children or youth, and should not exceed 6 members. This group will be tasked with updating the job description so it can begin the search at the beginning of the program year.
Please let Moderator Anne Sprague know if you are interested in participating in this important group and process.
CATSS Continues to Connect!
Rachel Mentzer, advisor for the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) at Langston Middle School, and her students collected canned cat food for CATSS. This past Thursday Liz Burgess welcomed them to the kitten room and shared important facts about kitten and cat ownership. The students also got to hold and play with the kittens and learned that socializing kittens makes them more adoptable.
NJHS is dedicated to leadership and service, and they are excited about doing more volunteer work with CATSS in the fall. CATSS continues to be thankful to First Church for the use of the kitten room.
Summer Storytime Sign-up!
Come get to know the church's wonderful kids - by reading a story to them during the sermon portion of worship this summer! Stories will be provided, and our wonderful childcare workers will be there to lend a hand. A sign-up sheet is in the gallery, or you can sign up by emailing Miranda (office@firstchurchoberlin.org). Thanks in advance for taking the time to get to know the children of the church!
Donations to OCS:
Are you looking for a way to help local families? The outreach and service committee has placed a donation box near the welcome table in the gallery to collect items for Oberlin Community Services. At this time, we are collecting the following items:
Sowing Seeds of Love
Here are some of the lovely results from our Sowing Seeds of Love Project! Ohio Heirloom Seeds have been healthy and good! From left to right are Blue Lake Bush Beans (on the top), Straight Eight Cucumbers, and Tomatoes. Thank you to Linda Gwinn for sharing her lovely greens with us!
First Church building rental opportunities
The First Church buildings offer numerous opportunities for meetings, rehearsals, concerts, weddings, and family events. After long study, a reasonable rental fee schedule has been worked out to offer fair use of the facility to our members and our neighbors. Large rooms (the Meeting House, Fellowship Hall, or JFO Room) and small rooms (upstairs classrooms, Room 4, Reading Room) can be reserved by the hour or by the half day. Discounted rates for church members and community partners may be available. The city of Oberlin has limited spaces available for events, and we are happy to offer our facility to help fill that need for our neighbors.
There Are Requirements for Making Submissions to our First Things First eNews!
In an effort to make our eNews more readable and shorten the length, we have created new guidelines for submitting posts! The guidelines are as follows.
When sending in your submission, you must have
When sending in your submission, you could have
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we try to make our eNews experience more manageable for our readers!
RECURRING EVENTS:
Faith Formation News!
As always, call Jen or the office to get a link for any and all of these events!