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July 2002 Newsletter
    
PLEASE Schedule Use
PLEASE Schedule Use of Any Church Room
It is very important that everyone - including groups from the church -
schedule the use of rooms in the building. Groups regularly meet in the church
on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings throughout the year. Pre-
school camps are being held this summer. Also renovation, repair and cleaning
is done at particular times and may make it impossible to use an area. Please
do not assume that a room is available; call the church office to reserve
space. Your help in this matter is appreciated!
Staff Changes Announced
Dr. Hans Zbinden is retiring as Organist and Music Director at Faith Lutheran Church. He will continue serving through the summer. His final Sunday will be September 1 when the congregation will bid him Godspeed.
Hans has faithfully served Faith Lutheran Church for more than 30 years; his ministry has blessed countless worshippers. We give thanks for his presence among us.
The Church Council and Worship Team will be discussing this significant change and will work toward filling this position.
John Maroni, Youth Director, also has submitted his resignation. John, a student at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, will be moving to that city in order to focus his attention on what will be a rigorous course of study in the year to come.
John has worked at Faith Lutheran Church for about five years and has excelled in developing the church's youth program. In his letter he expressed gratitude to the congregation for its support of him, his ministry and his vocational pursuits. John is a member of Faith and the congregation will continue to encourage him in his journey to ordained ministry by offering financial, emotional and spiritual support.
John's last day on the staff will be August 31. It is with gratitude that the congregation will say goodbye and pray for him during the months and years to come.
The Church Council is holding a "staffing retreat" on August 3 to discuss staffing issues, including the position of youth director. The continued support of the youth program by adult church members will be essential in the meantime.
Also ... Karen Bach, part-time church office secretary at Faith, resigned her position and is pursuing a new job that will offer her more hours and new challenges. She worked at Faith for two years on Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday. We wish her well in the midst of new challenges.
Judy Lee, Office Manager, is now in the church office Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We give thanks for her willingness to extend her work hours while the Church Council considers staffing options.
Please pray for Hans, John, Karen, Judy and those in leadership during this time of transition. If you have any comments or suggestions, please convey them to Pastor Jean; Bill Beers, Congregation president; Pat Gsellman or Joyce Lightle, Worship Team liaisons; Deborah Rose or Karen Mallison, Growth-Learning liaisons.
Holy Communion Schedule Changed
Holy Communion will not be celebrated ay any worship service on July 7, which
is usually a Communion Sunday.
Youth Director John Maroni, a seminary student, will be leading worship and
preaching on the Sundays Pastor Jean Hansen is on vacation, June 30 and July 7.
Only ordained clergy may preside at Holy Communion.
The usually schedule for Holy Communion will resume on July 21.
Pastor Jean's Vacation
Pastor Jean made plans for a vacation to Alaska last fall, and is thankful for
the opportunity to make the trip. While she is gone John Maroni, youth
director, will lead worship and preach. Pastor Richard Gordon of Bethel
Lutheran Church in Bath will cover for pastoral emergencies. Pastor Jean will
be gone June 30-July 11.
Sign-Up For A Visit
Pastor Jean is continuing to visit people in their homes - or at a location of
their choice - during July and August. This is an excellent way for her to
become familiar with the congregation. She has set aside time on Monday
afternoons and Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The sign-up sheet is posted
across from the member mailboxes; please schedule your visit today!
Marriage
Congratulations to David Ramsey and Beth Stupeck who were married on June 15 in Medina. Pastor Jean presided at the ceremony.
Summer Music at Faith
These festive high notes will lead us to quieter musical offerings during the coming summer months. We'll be hearing familiar singers and performers, all contributing in their own special way to our worship service.
Beginning on June 30, Jeff Mallison will sing for us the beautiful Ave Maria in the well known setting by Franz Schubert.
Jim Kalal on Guitar (at 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.) makes his musical contribution on July 7.
Ellen Daniels brings the beauty of music to young children at Faith's Preschool through her own Kindermusik instruction. We hear her on July 14 (10:45 a.m. only) playing French Horn, music from the Baroque period.
July 21 brings Jeff Mallison back for a return visit to the choir loft (8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.).
To end the month of July we shall hear the trumpet artistry of Kurt Mackall (8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.)
Your Director of Music, Hans Zbinden
Mark your calendars
Faith's Golf Outings are scheduled at Pine Valley Golf Course at 3:00 p.m. on the following Sunday afternoons:
July 28th August 25th September 22nd
Watch your Sunday Bulletin for more details or call Sally Hauth at 330-825-8477.
Needed are people who will open their homes and provide a light supper following one of the outings
Fall Progressive Dinner
For those of you who do not know about this culinary and social extravaganza, you must try to attend. "Progressive" means that everybody progresses to the home of different parishioners for each course: appetizer, then salad, then dinner, then the final destination for dessert.
Please plan to attend this event for a wonderful evening of food, fellowship, and a great opportunity for every parishioner to meet many new people.
More information to follow.....
Explorer's Camp Cancelled
The Explorer's Camp scheduled for August 12 - 16 will not be held due to lack of volunteers.
Property Issues
- A majority of the guest parking spots are unused each Sunday and the maternity parking spot is always empty. It was suggested these signs be removed.
- With the elimination of the stairs in the rear a handicap parking spot(s) should be provided in the rear parking lot.
- The dumpster should be moved to the rear of the parking lot. It is very unsightly in its current location. It also takes up a couple parking spaces.
- The little Faith Church parking sign in the front of the building needs to be replaced (reinstalled).
- We need more parking lot lights.
- The parking lot lights and overhead outside door lights should be on from dusk to dawn.
OPEN-M
Constantly, the program of Moving Families Out of Poverty is a very busy outreach program to the community helping many families move on in their lives. Services are provided to individuals and families such as emergency assistance (food, shelter, utilities), crisis intervention, job readiness, daily living skills support, and client meetings at their homes or business.
Most children live with one adult; it may be Mom, but more and more the caregiver is a grandmother or an aunt. The significant adult in the household is usually employed and cannot devote major portions of their day to playing or working with youngsters.
Two families recently achieved some level of success. One mother of three had been working since early in April and finally she could look for better housing. Another mother of one could have been considered homeless however someone did permit her to stay with them until a Section 8 home was found. Now, six months later, this family just moved into their own home. In assessing the family, it was found that the 12 year old son was having school problems. The program gave him support and he transferred to a B grade.
During the academic year, the children receive their breakfast and lunch from school, provided through the Federal Government program designed to assist poor families. In the summertime, when the schools are closed, those meals come from whatever might be in the house. There is no safety net of a grown-up making certain a child eats well. Further, he is usually left on his own design of "play" during the summer months.
However there is an alternative to 100 children of the neighborhood. They all receive breakfast followed by a spiritual uplift offered by leaders of the covenant churches. During the day, each child will move through four experiences: academic skills retention, character development, arts and music, and sports and recreation. And then they are served a nice lunch. Also during the week, they will swim at the Balch Street Recreation Center and participate in some field trips to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Akron Art Museum, Inventor's Hall of Fame, Akron and Cleveland Zoo's Putt-Putt Golf, and other outings.
In summary, Open-M helps people in many ways.
- Norm Schmidt
Summit County Children's Services
Continued from last month
During the Second World War, stacks of admission applications flooded the children's home as parents entered war service. The agency also took on the role of a day care center, as women entered the work force. Many local residents became licensed foster parents and child placement increased. As agencies began to move away from customer care toward providing families with social services the Ohio State Legislature officially renamed the Children's Home the Summit County Child Welfare Board in 1945.
In 1952, a professionally trained child welfare administrator was hired and thereafter monumental changes occurred.
In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act which proclaimed every child's right to protection from all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation. However, child abuse and neglect continued to rise, both in numbers and degree. In 1969, the Ohio State Legislature changed all welfare board names to - Children Service Boards.
In the 70's, changes began to occur as foster-home settings replaced institutional and group-housing. Many children returned home to their families and formalized social services began.
In 1980, a major change affecting child welfare practice came about with the passage of the "Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act". It mandated vigorous efforts be made by local agencies to assist parents in keeping their children at home. It also intensified adoption programs for special needs children. Further, the agency emphasized prevention and rehabilitation over placement and removal of children.
And finally, in the 90's, three satellite offices were opened in Barberton, Twinsburg and West Akron. In 1997, the building known as the Children's Home for 87 years was demolished and a new administrative building was constructed.
Norm and Judi Schmidt
In Our Prayers
Jacob Hurley, Grandson of Faith members Carl and Donna Sterner
Faith member Middie Glick
Faith member John Van Antwerp
Faith member Audrea Woodall
Faith member, Mary Alice Boose
Faith member, Tom Parsons
Faith member, Ginny Greenawalt
Regular Faith visitor, Violet Van Spreckelsen
Sympathy
Sympathy is extended to Violet Van Spreckelsen and family upon the death of her husband Diedrich (Dick). This couple regularly visited worship at Faith. Pastor Jean presided at the funeral on June 28.
New Members
On June 9, 2002, the Third Sunday after Pentecost, we welcomed Chuck and Susan Shea and son Aaron into membership at Faith by Letter of Transfer. Ron and Carol Garman were their sponsors.
Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Shea (Susan) and Aaron
1423 N. Medina Line Rd. Akron, OH 44333 (330) 666-5270
Thank You
The Rev. Jean Hansen and the People of Faith Lutheran Church
Greetings in Jesus' name,
I write to thank you for the gift of $502 that you sent to the building fund of the Synod. We moved into our new Center for Mission and Ministry last September and have thoroughly enjoyed this new space. Your gift will be applied to pay down the principal of the continuing $242,000 that we have on this building. Every gift helps pay down the principal and I know you join us in hoping for the day when this synod will be debt free.
It was an honor and a pleasure for me to be with you for Pr. Hansen's installation. You face great challenges but have been blessed with great gifts in pastor and people to meet those challenges in the name of Jesus. I am grateful for your work and ministry.
Sincerely, in Christ,
(The Rev.) Marcus Miller
Bishop
Dear Pastor and Faith Lutheran,
Thank you for the gift certificate. I'll have fun using it at the book store. Marcus Haug
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