Washington United Church of Christ 2950 Sidney Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45225 www.washingtonucc.org Fall 2016 Fall 2016 Sunday Schedule: Breakfast: 9:15 AM Worship 10:00 AM Sunday School 11:00 AM Camp Cupboard & Closet Where Everything is Free! Tuesdays 12:00-2:45 PM Thursdays 12:00-1:45 PM Camp Community Cafe Monday-Thursday 12:00-12:30 PM Homework Club Monday-Thursday 4:15-5:30 PM Camp Community Dinner Last Tuesday of month 5:00-6:00 PM Office Telephone: 513-541-7757 Office Fax: 513-541-7579 Visit our website at www.washingtonucc.org Our vision for Washington United Church of Christ is a partnership with Camp Washington to create a community that is safe and clean, where people have enough food, decent housing, opportunities for education and work, and live in an environment that nurtures all families. Washington United Church of Christ s mission is to help make that vision reality by doing what Jesus taught to minister together with our neighbors in ways that improve lives physically, emotionally and spiritually. Homework Club in full swing By Nancy Matthew Homework Club Coordinator Homework Club, our Monday-Thursday afterschool tutoring program, is up and running with 26 students registered. Our goal is to help the kids complete their homework, provide reading opportunities, and create math challenges. Completion of homework is rewarded with access to our computer lab and games. This school year, we are pleased to welcome Whitney Reardon, a VISTA program member, to the staff. Whitney is providing important support to our program, including recruiting volunteer tutors. The tutor/student relationships that are formed are wonderful. We want to be able to place each student with the same tutor each day. With 26 kids enrolled in the program, that means that we need to recruit 26 tutors each day. (HINT: Could you be one of those needed 26 tutors each day?) We are so grateful for our loyal group of tutors, many of whom have been tutoring at least one day a week for several years. We also get college student tutors from Xavier University, University of Cincinnati, Mount St. Joseph University and Northern Kentucky University. These tutors manage to find time in their busy schedules to spend one afternoon a week with the kids. Some are able to tutor twice a week! Once again, we ask that you extend your support of our mission by volunteering from 4:15-5:30 p.m. one day a week, to help a youngster who is in real need of your help. If you are able to donate some time to our Homework Club, please contact Whitney at 513-541-7757 or at 513-218-3881. Thank you for considering this needed kind of donation.
Page 2 2016 Summer Program I say it every summer after Summer Program is over this was the best summer ever. However: THIS WAS REALLY THE BEST SUMMER EVER We averaged 35 children a day, not counting work campers. There were days we had 44 kids here. Four days a week all June and July, they ate breakfast and lunch at the church, with curriculum in creativity, spirituality, Bible stories, and reading. We went to Washington Park, Sawyer Point, The Newport Aquarium (thanks to St. Peter s UCC of Carmel, Ind.), and the Zoo (thanks to Union and Guardian Savings Banks). We had field days at the church, got to go swimming every week but one, and had wonderful meals. THIS WAS REALLY THE BEST SUMMER EVER I sincerely mean that - our wonderful and diverse Summer Communities of Service interns and our VISTA members made this possible. They worked together as a team and enjoyed being together. The priority was making this the best program possible for the children. There was never a time a task was required that someone didn t joyfully respond with an alrighty! They, the children, and all of us really enjoyed being together even when the weather was hot and the day stressful. I thank God for this staff and pray that their lives have been blessed by serving here at Washington UCC. I know this church and our kids and our community has been greatly blessed. Another reason our summer was so successful was our churches who joined us for Mission Work Camps. Our scripture this summer focused on gifts of the spirit and the fruit of those gifts. We asked God to reveal to us our special gifts, and we shared the fruit of those gifts. We had talented, compassionate, energetic and caring Christian young people who were willing to take a chance on loving and working with our children. We also had those who did difficult tasks around the church and the buildings who worked hard using God given skills and the results are here to be seen. Thank you to everyone who supports this program. We could not do this without you! Please think about joining us next summer our calendar is already filling up, so call me soon. I am already working on our curriculum and field trips! Let me know if you have suggestions. Blessings, Pastor Pam
Page 3 WASHINGTON TIMES FALL 2016 Mission Groups improve our church Most of the work campers who spend a summer week at Washington UCC help in the Youth Program. But we are so fortunate that many of our groups brought folks willing and very able to do repair projects that help keep our ministries going. The Phoenix Class of young adults from Trinity UCC in Canton, OH, brings us ideas for improvements, and then makes sure they happen. Led by Robert and Lori Hohman, they mounted security cameras at various points outside the church and installed a monitor in the church office. They also installed an electronic message board in Fellowship Hall, so we can publicize upcoming events. The Phoenix Class also made a courtyard space next to Camp Cupboard usable again, by repairing the deck and cleaning out weeds and debris. AND they did exterior painting, deep cleaning, and replaced many lightbulbs with more efficient LED bulbs. Immanuel Christian Reformed Church of Hudsonville, MI, continued much-needed work on the stained glass windows in the sanctuary. The group also stripped carpeting and did clean up in an apartment we are fixing up for church member Bob, who will move there from transitional housing in the Sober Living House in Camp Washington. Avon Lake UCC (OH) continued the apartment work by laying flooring. Calvary UCC from Crestline, OH, helped one of our neighborhood church members by installing a new door at her house and they organized our tool room. Speaking of organizing First Christian Church from Champaign, IL tackled the kitchen pantry. It has never looked better. For weeding, cleaning, and other repair jobs, we thank St. John s UCC from Holgate, OH, and David s UCC from Canal Winchester, OH. Washington UCC has a small membership and a limited budget these infrastructure improvements would not be possible without the help of our summer mission groups. Thank you! Whole Again summer food partner Washington UCC was blessed to partner again this summer with Whole Again, a nonprofit organization in Cincinnati that makes it financially possible for us to serve meals to our Summer Program children. Whole Again, through its own fundraising efforts, reimburses our eligible food costs. Whole Again provides food or funds for food to 45 different site organizations in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Whole Again s mission is to partner with faith-based organizations to provide meals, educational, and recreational enrichment programming for at-risk youth to assist them in developing a healthy mind, body and spirit. Our Summer Youth Program fits right in! To learn more about Whole Again, visit its website at www.whole-again.org
Page 4 WASHINGTON TIMES FALL 2016 Carl Edmonds Classic Golf Tournament Grants and Gifts this summer By Rev. Pam DeFusco It happened as it often does no human effort on our part, but lots of intervention on God s part. Guests at my sister s wedding, which I was blessed to perform here at Washington UCC, started a snowball of support for our ministries. First, a couple felt a strong call by God to give money to feed the kids here at church, which they have been doing ever since. This couple told friends, and they came to meet me and see the children s ministries. Those friends told other friends, and this developed into a wonderful network of diverse people all caring for our children! They introduced me to Ruby, a wonderful, big-hearted woman who really cares about people. Every year, Ruby remembers the life (and love of her life), her husband Carl, who passed away, with a Golf Tournament. This year Ruby decided that the proceeds from the event would go toward food for the children at Washington UCC. It was a wonderful day. I have to admit that I was a little concerned about what to do at a golf tournament but I found out that being with friends, old and new, and experiencing lots of love and laughter is a wonderful way to spend time. I could name names, but I have a feeling that no one would want that. We know who you are and God knows who you are. We have received gifts of food for the Summer Program, money for food, donations for the Camp Cupboard and Closet, and a promised offer of office help. Blessings abound. Thanks for answering that call to feed the children. HarbisonWalker Foundation My cousin Val works at HarbisonWalker. She also loves children. So when Val called me to ask about making a grant request to benefit our Homework Club, we jumped at the chance. We were blessed by the company who granted our request, and we celebrate the big heart who thought of us for the opportunity. Christ Church UCC Christ Church in Fort Thomas, Ky., is one of our most supportive sister churches. Again this year, they awarded Washington UCC a grant to help pay stipends to the four Summer Communities of Service college students who worked with the children in our Summer Program. Many, many thanks. Union Savings Bank and Guardian Savings Bank Washington UCC had the opportunity to hire two Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) summer staffers, but we couldn t afford the matching funds the program requires. To our rescue as they have many times before came Union Savings Bank and Guardian Savings Bank. Summer Program would not have been so successful without the VISTAs. Greater Cincinnati Foundation The Foundation s Summertime Kids fund allowed us to purchase new children s books we used during Summer Program. AND, at graduation, each child received a new book to keep. Most important, the kids kept reading through the summer.
WASHINGTON TIMES Page 5 FALL 2016 Back to School Thanks to our many friends, we were able to purchase school uniforms, socks, and underwear for the many children who are a part of this program at Washington UCC. School supplies, including backpacks, were passed out to the kids, again with thanks to many donors. These donations allowed our children to return to school for the 2016-2017 school year well prepared. And, as an added benefit, we will be able to provide additional school supplies throughout the school year. It bears repeating that an education is the key to a rewarding future for our kids. And being provided with the appropriate school supplies is an important kick start for the students ability to get that education. We sincerely thank all of the donors to this program. Own a piece of history Washington UCC invites you to own a beautiful piece of historic church history and contribute to our mission ministries. Tim Vanderplyoeg, our long-time friend from Hudsonville, MI, has removed and restored stained glass windows from the former choir room next to our second-floor sanctuary. The windows are replaced with more solid clear glass in what is now a storage room. Tim has built beautifully finished wood frames, or sashes, around the windows so they can be displayed anywhere in a home. Jackie Shrago, a Washington UCC supporter, recently obtained two of the windows to display in her home in Nashville, Tenn. Jackie remembers attending the church with her family as a very young child. We are asking $500 minimum for each finished window, with the understanding that most of that amount is a tax-deductible gift to the church. If you want more information or to see other windows, please contact Laurel Humes, Church Council president, at laurelh@zoomtown.com or 513-681-4322.
Page 6 WASHINGTON TIMES FALL 2016 Thanks to the Fellowship of Friends Dear Friends, It s faith, and a Fellowship of Friends, that keep the outreach ministries alive at Washington United Church of Christ. Each month, as we welcome the hungry, the uneducated, the unchurched, the needy, the young, and the old, we know we are doing the work that Jesus taught. But each month, we wonder if there will be enough money to pay the bills to keep this welcoming church open. And then, each month, the contributions come from those who have joined the Fellowship of Friends at Washington UCC. These special people have pledged to send us $5, $25, $50, $200 a month whatever they can to be part of this ministry. And so we continue... Please join the Fellowship of Friends. I pledge (circle one) $5 $10 $20 $25 $50 or other amount $ per month (We will send you 12 return envelopes) Or Please accept my gift of Name Address E-mail City State Zip Mail to: Washington UCC, 2950 Sidney Ave.,Cincinnati, OH 45225
Page 7 WASHINGTON TIMES FALL 2016 Welcome to new volunteers and staff We are so pleased to have Gad Uwimana with us, through the United Church of Christ Partners in Service program. Gad is originally from Rwanda, Africa. He and his family left after the Rwandan Civil War in 1993. They lived briefly in Congo and Kenya. In 1998, Gad and his family arrived in Belgium as refugees, and have lived there since. Gad, 27, earned a master s degree in international relations. He is connected with the Protestant Centre of Amougies as a youth leader and is a board member of the Youth Protestant Services. At Washington, Gad will assist with the Camp Community Café lunch program, Camp Cupboard, Homework Club, Sunday morning breakfast, Sunday School and those other duties as assigned! Thank you, Gad, for choosing us for your year of service in the United States. By Whitney Reardon, Homework Club VISTA I m very excited to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Washington UCC. I ve always known about the church and its missions because my grandparents served here when I was young. I rediscovered the church four years ago as a VISTA in the Summer Program, which was a wonderful opportunity. The church had such an impact on me that, after graduating in May from Western Kentucky University with a B.A. in psychology, I couldn t imagine anywhere else I wanted to be. I m grateful for the opportunity to serve until next June and be part of another important program like Homework Club. When Hawa Sheriff, our Food Ministries Coordinator for nearly three years, said she wanted to move on to other opportunities, we were nervous. How would we find another so capable person with such a heart for the people we serve? We found her in our own kitchen! Rae Robinson was a Volunteer s in Ser vice to Amer ica (VISTA) volunteer for Summer Program, serving as assistant cook. She is a student at Xavier University, but was able to arrange her schedule to take the part-time position. When Rae began the job in mid-september, she was already familiar with the church kitchen, planning menus, keeping inventory and working with the Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank. Rae prepares lunch (open to anyone who comes) Monday-Thursday and gets the light meals ready for the Homework Club students. Rae and her parents live in Camp Washington. I like working in my own community. This job is helping people, something I ve always wanted, Rae said. The church is a welcoming environment.
WASHINGTON UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST GIFTS TO THE MANGER CHRISTMAS MINISTRY DECEMBER 11, 2016 Please help us feed 200 needy families and senior residents in the Camp Washington area. This is a shopping list of the food we provide each family. It is important that each food box contain the same amount. This is a big challenge for one person or family, so we encourage team spirit to accomplish this goal. Please bring your box to your church collection point. DATE DUE AT WASHINGTON UCC: MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2016 PLEASE PACK IN A STURDY BOX AND ATTACH THIS CHECKLIST SHOPPING CHECKLIST: Please check items donated 2 boxes macaroni and cheese 1 lb. box spaghetti 1 large jar spaghetti sauce 1 bag stuffing or noodles 1 large can Spam, Treat or tuna 2 cans green beans 2 cans corn 2 cans peas 1 can carrots 1 large jar applesauce 1 can cranberry sauce or beets 2 cans tomato soup 2 cans chicken soup 2 cans beef stew 1 jar each peanut butter and jelly 1 box cereal 1 box crackers 2 rolls toilet paper Optional items appreciated: diapers, laundry/dish soap, coffee, personal care items As they brought their gifts to the manger, so also your gifts are brought to the Christ Child because Jesus later told his followers I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me. Matthew 25:40 NAME ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP CHURCH
HOLIDAY MINISTRIES AT WASHINGTON UCC Thanks so much for your past support. These are the ministries for this holiday season: THANKSGIVING DINNER BAG Items needed for these bags include stuffing mix, canned yams, green beans, cranberry sauce, potatoes and gravy. If you can provide small turkeys or roasting chickens, and a dessert, that will be appreciated. All donations should be brought to the church by the first of November (so we know what we need to buy for the bags). Please call Ann at 513-921-0469 to arrange for someone to receive your donations. GIFTS TO THE MANGER COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS MINISTRY Sunday, December 11, we will provide over 100 area families with gift items and some basic necessities. We hope to give each child (about 350) an outfit, socks, underwear, gloves, hat and a few toys. Each family will receive a food box. The Christ child was born in poverty and gifted by the magi. What better way to celebrate his birth than to do the same for these children of God! PLEASE NOTE AND READ CAREFULLY! Because of your generosity in the past, we have accumulated an inventory of gifts that we have from year to year. Thus, we have an abundance of some sizes in clothing and underwear. We ask that you follow the request guidelines as closely as possible. In this way, we can be better stewards of your generous giving. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Pastor Pam at 513-541-7757. MONETARY DONATIONS ARE NEEDED AND APPRECIATED. We will do the shopping! Please send to: Christmas Ministry, Washington UCC, 2950 Sidney Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45225 UNDERWEAR: We need girls sizes 4 and 12 and ladies sizes 5, 6 and 7. We need boys sizes medium and large and men s size small boxers (no briefs, please). SOCKS: We need girls ankle socks sizes 4-10 (colors) and 9-11 (white and colors), and boys sizes 6-9, toddlers, and men s large. INFANTS: We need 0-3 month and 18-month girls and boys clothes. Diapers needed. CLOTHING: Girls: We need girls sizes 5, 6, 10, 12, 14, 16 and Junior 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13. We prefer jeans, sweatpants and tops. CLOTHING: Boys: We need boy s outfits in sizes 3, 10, 12, 14, then teen boys pants/shirts S, M, L, XL GLOVES, HATS, SCARVES: All sizes (please no stretch gloves) TOYS: We need toys for all ages especially for teens (toiletries, jewelry, hand held video games, CD players, anything electronic are very popular). We need infant toys, ethnic baby dolls, Barbie clothes. SPECIAL REQUEST: We request no violent games or toys, no wrapping of gifts (but DO include wrapping paper, etc.). We request that items be delivered, if possible, by Friday, December 9. PLEASE call the church at 513-541-7757 with questions or to set delivery times (so that we can be certain someone is there!).
Washington United Church of Christ 2950 SIDNEY AVENUE CINCINNATI, OHIO 45225 513-541-7757 www.washingtonucc.org NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID CINCINNATI, OH PERMIT #2108 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Our Vision for Washington United Church of Christ is a partnership with Camp Washington to create a community that is safe and clean, where people have enough food, decent housing, opportunities for education and work, and live in an environment that nurtures all families. Washington United Church of Christ s mission is to help make that vision reality by doing what Jesus taught to minister together with our neighbors in ways that improve lives physically, emotionally and spiritually.