Reaching Heights August 2024
Reaching Heights August 2024
Links to this month’s news:
- Worship for August
- Porch Talks
- HCC Welcomes New Member
- Pilgrimage photos
- 2024-25 HCC Leadership
- From the Moderator
- Celebrating 95 Years
- Backpack Blessing
- Mission Ministry
- Book Group and Meditative Arts Group
- Gift Cards
- Social Media
- Birthdays
See the Serving Schedule
HCC Worship for August
August 4 Rev. Roger McKinney will be preaching
August 11 Pastor Dillon Shipman will be preaching
August 18 Rev. Allen Harris will be preaching
August 25 Dr. Kate returns!!
Porch Talk 2024 with speaker Connie Schultz
The sixth event in our social-justice series Porch Talks for a Beloved Community will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 24. Our speaker will be Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and New York Times bestselling novelist Connie Schultz, who worshiped with HCC when she lived in our area.
As always, the Porch Talk will be held at our former building at 17300 Van Aken Blvd., now the home of East View United Church of Christ. The event will be held outdoors (unless inclement weather requires a move inside) to commemorate the fact that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke from the church’s porch to a large crowd 59 years ago.
Each Porch Talk provides a continued call to work toward the “Beloved Community” that Dr. King envisioned, where all forms of discrimination, bigotry, and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of kinship, justice, and peace.
HCC started the Porch Talks series with three events back in 2019. Due to the pandemic, we had to pause for two years, but since 2022 we have co-sponsored one Porch Talk each summer with East View and Plymouth Church. Like last year, the event will include inspirational music by a combined choir with members from all three sponsoring congregations.
Connie Schultz won a Pulitzer Prize for her Cleveland Plain Dealer columns that, in the judges’ words, “provided a voice for the underdog and the underprivileged.” A self-described liberal woman of faith, she is the author of four books, serves as Professor of Practice in Journalism at Denison University, and writes Hopefully Yours, “an ongoing conversation about the daily mess of life,” on Substack.
The Porch Talk is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a reception with light refreshments. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket.
HCC Welcomes New Member!
We were so pleased to welcome Donna Mattox to HCC membership in March! Donna is Kimberly Taylor’s cousin, who introduced her to HCC and she has been attending worship and other activities for several months now. Donna worked as a tester for General Electric at Nela Park from 1964-1997. She currently enjoys working for Wal-Mart in Macedonia as a cashier. She was a long time member of East Mount Zion Baptist Church, and is happy to be a part of HCC now. Donna appreciates the kindness, warmth, and fellowship of HCC. She is the perfect pet parent of two Yorkie-Poo puppies, named Caesar and Trouble, also Mr Big, a 20 year old dog who had become an orphan until Donna stepped in and took Mr. Big in to care for as her own. Donna has gotten involved with the Sunday Morning Adult Study, brought food for hospitality events, and is now on the schedule to serve as a greeter.
We are blessed to have Donna’s cheerful and enthusiastic involvement at HCC!
~ Anita Watson
From the Staff
Dr. Kate and Greg walked part of the Camino de Santiago in Spain earlier this summer. Over 10 days, they walked an average of 9 miles per day, following the yellow arrows and shell symbols until reaching Santiago de Compostela on July 5th. Here are some photos of their trip. Dr. Kate is still on sabbatical until August 20th, but looks forward to sharing more about this pilgrimage when she returns to HCC. The theme for worship in September will be about the journeys we all take, physically and spiritually.
2024-2025 HCC Leadership
Minister Dr. Kate Gillooly
Moderator Jane Troha
Vice Moderator Scott Phelps
Secretary Grace Loudenstein
Treasurer Michael Singerman
Assistant Treasurers Neil Chase, Connee Choi
Mission Team Leader Connee Choi
*ATL Andrena Jones-Sharp
Education Team Leader Lynda Ackerman
*ATL Cindy Maxey
Worship Team Leader Donita Singerman
*ATL Bobbi Phelps
Fellowship Team Leader Linda Durham
*ATL Nikki Crosby
Administrative Team Leader Larry Watson
*ATL Shirley Blackwell
Elder Chair Valencia McMillan
Endowment Fund Neil Chase
From the Moderator
Board of Trustees Meeting Announced
Welcome to the new members of the Board of Trustees for the 2024 – 2025 program year! Welcome back to the returning members! Although we will normally meet at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday evening of each month via Zoom, our first meeting is being moved to Tuesday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. in person at HCC. At this meeting we will welcome Dr. Kate back from her sabbatical (Yay!!!) and launch into our planning for the coming year.
Please bring with you a prepared list of dates from your Ministry Team for regular meetings and for special events. Rather than use meeting time for preparing the 2024 – 2025 calendar, I will gather your lists, create a calendar and distribute it to all of you for review at some point shortly after our meeting.
I am looking forward to seeing all of you after your various summer travels and am anticipating a wonderful year for HCC under your capable leadership! See you on the 20th!
Jane Troha, Moderator
Celebrating 95 Years!
This fall our congregation will be celebrating our 95th anniversary! We have come a long way since our beginning in 1929, and plans are being made to commemorate this milestone. On Sunday, September 29th, we will gather after our service to enjoy a catered lunch. We have a lot of history to look back on, but we also want to look ahead toward what we can accomplish in the future. More information will follow in the months ahead – but be sure to save the date on your calendar so we can celebrate together!
Backpack and School Supply Blessing
Sunday August 25
Bring your backpack, book tote, or briefcase to church on Sunday, August 25 for our Annual Backpack Blessing! We will offer prayers for all returning to school or work after the summer holiday, and give thanks for the many ways we all continue to learn and grow. We will also be collecting basic school supplies for those who can’t afford to buy their own. So please pick some up and bring to church for that day. We will bless them also before distributing to their new homes. Thank you for your generosity!
Missions Ministry
Connee’s egg cartons collection remains in the same space and continues.
Remember: Missions has yard signs with QR codes for the November general elections. In October we will again put out a reminder if you would like one. Thanks for VOTING. This is one way to have your voice heard. Remember only 5/6 months to go before Presidential Elections. Things happen oh so fast. Consider making your plan to vote. Missions and many organizations will nudge and provide information when early voting starts. Citizens Not Politicians groups have collected signatures for several months to get them on the ballot for November. Last year, folks like us made sure our voices were heard and got the signatures needed on the ballot for abortion to be decided by the people. For those who are tech savvy google for more information. Missions will provide as much info as possible to bring awareness to the community to be well informed.
Donations to the Little Free Pantry are available for non-perishable food at any time. It is located just off the parking lot here at Heights Christian and Plymouth Church. Stats from Cleveland Food Bank: Do you know that 1 out of 5 children live in poverty. 1 in 7 people are food insecure while there is about 40% of food in U.S. is wasted. Our Little Free Pantry is used regularly and is in need of more contributions. Please remember: No glass containers.
Book Group
Nancy Carpenter, leader
Book switch for September and October!
We will discuss “The Berry Pickers” on September 4th and postpone the discussion of “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” until October 2. Please adjust your reading order accordingly! We’re looking forward to another year of great books! All are welcome to join in at any time.
Meditative Arts Group
Meditative Arts Group will resume again in September.
Donita Singerman, leader
Gift Cards
Remember gift cards are available on Sunday mornings and in the office every weekday during normal office hours.
Support Heights Christian Church while you shop. Get your shopping done early. And make your life less stressful. Gift cards are easy and appreciated. (Cash or check only, please)
Social Media outreach
HCC is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and You-Tube and Linked-In! Several recordings of special worship services have been uploaded to our channel on You-Tube. If you see something you like, share it on your page! This will increase our reach and may draw in our next visitor!
August
2-Lyubov Nikolenko 6- Jan Everett 8- Kellie Brown 11-Tim Damon
11-Alice McDonald 12-Rosalind Powell 12-Scott Phelps 16-Terri Mehring
17-Levi Horn 24-Larry Watson 29-Billy Dunn
September
6-Ed Hill 12-Martha Cubberley 12-Sandy Jones 22-Henry Mullen
23-Mike Singerman 23-Kimberly Taylor 26-Alex Nikolenko
We are glad to share the birthdays we have on record each month and encourage members to reach out with greetings. We apologize if someone’s name has been omitted – please call Kese in the church office to share your birthday if we don’t have it in our list. We want to celebrate you!