First Congregational Church of Claridon

02/14/2026

Sunday February 15 you are welcome to join us for worship at 10:00 am and stay for our annual pancake breakfast after service. Enjoy the sweet bread of life in body and spirit!
Donations appreciated.

12/23/2025

11/17/2025

Celebrate the season with beautiful music while supporting the Geauga Hunger Task Force.

09/19/2025

We are honored to support the Red Tulip Project. Please help them help others!

04/28/2025

We are pleased to announce we have called Rev. Julie Western as our new settled pastor.
We praise God for His guidance and look forward to this new chapter in our church’s long and rich history of faith and service. We welcome Pastor Julie and David into our family of faith!

02/27/2025

https://www.ucc.org/daily-devotional/

The Daily Devotional is a spiritually deep well, to which thousands of readers are drawn each day. The overall voice of the Daily Devotional is tended by

01/03/2025

Collosians 1:15-21
Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation — 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

This message from Paul proclaims the eternal nature of Christ as the creator and his authority over all things created through him and for him.
God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Jesus. The magnitude of that concept is powerful.
God came to earth in the weakest human form as an infant, but yet was fully God.
He lived in his physical body the full human experience of joy, sorrow, pain, loss, wonder, love, friendships, hardships, the list goes on and on.
We were separated from God by disobedience. (Sin) We are reconciled to God by his sacrifice of his human life on a cross, and presented holy, if, this is a big IF, if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.
Jesus showed us, through his example of devotion to his heavenly Father and his love for mankind how to live in humble service. This is the hope we have, to follow in his ways and to return to an eternal life with him at the time of his choosing. To be presented holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

Lord, we are in awe of your power and holiness. We praise you for the sacrifice you made on our behalf. Let us not take your grace for granted. Keep us on your righteous path so that we may dwell in the peace of your presence, in this lifetime and for eternity. Amen

01/02/2025

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

A candle with 3 wicks is a candle. A triangle with 3 sides is a triangle. God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one God.
John starts his Gospel by going back to Genesis to establish the eternal nature of Christ and of his presence and participation in creation. Genesis tells us the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. One God, encompassing three parts.
We may think of Jesus' birth as his beginning, but these scriptures point to his eternal existance. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light of the world, the word made flesh, Emanuel, God with us.
In John 16:10 Jesus told his diciples he must leave in order for the Holy Spirit to come.
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
Our human limitations may make it difficult for us to grasp the concept of the trinity. There is no mention of the term trinity in scripture, but there are many references to the triune nature of God.
Genesis 1:26
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.Matthew 28:19 19
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 3:16-17
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Dear Lord, your ways are higher than our ways. Thank you for your unending love. Help us to understand your word and your will for our lives. Thank you for coming to be with us through your son Jesus Christ and your presence always through your Holy Spirit. Amen

01/01/2025

ROMANS 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

How many of us are making resolutions for 2025 today? What is it we need to do or not do to make this year better, happier, more fulfilling? How successful have we been in keeping or even remembering our resolutions in past years?
It is good to reflect on our behaviors and patterns for living in order to determine the best course of action for positive change. If we are solely relying on our self determination and self will in order to accomplish these goals we are missing out on the vision, wisdom, and power that is far superior to our own. If we make our plans for a year do we miss the daily guidance that is available? We pray give us this day our daily bread. God provided manna in the desert one day's portion at a time. Jesus invites us to walk with him every step of the way, not just cross paths once a week or so.
In order to know and do the will of God we strive to transform our minds through daily scripture study, constant prayer, and in fellowship with like minded people.
What better resolution can we make than to seek to know and carry out God's will for our lives? We can strive to fulfill our destiny that we were uniquely created for in this place and this time in all of human history. Will we fall short? Absolutely! We have a savior in Jesus who gave his life so we can be redirected to the path of true and proper worship in our living sacrifice of humble obedience and praise to him.

Lord you are all knowing, all loving, and gracious in your mercy. Help me to know your will and to rely on you to to give me the courage to follow as you direct me. Keep me steadfast in seeking your will and for opportunities to serve you by humbly serving others. Thank you for the gift of Jesus who is with me always through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen