Christian Church in Ohio

09/08/2026

YOU are invited to a Concert featuring Renown Musician, Ken Medema
Northwest Christian Church, Columbus
Friday, September 11, 2026 at 7:00 pm

Ken Medema, who is a singer, songwriter, and pianist, will offer a concert that is open to all. We hope YOU can join us!

Please share and help to promote this event. If you have any questions, please contact the church at [email protected]

To find out more about Ken, go online to https://www.kenmedema.com/.

A freewill offering will be taken to support Interlude Retreats. For more information about Interlude Retreats, go to https://www.interluderetreats.org/single-project.

09/07/2026

Plan NOW for Summer 2027!

At their August meeting the Camp Christian Committee finalized the 2027 Summer Camp Program and Schedule for Camp Christian and the Christian Church in Ohio. The schedule follows the same pattern as this past summer and should be familiar to those who attended one of our 2026 camps, conferences, or retreats. We will once again welcome several of the Heartland Conference UCC camps and conferences to share our beloved Camp Christian.

We invite you to share this schedule widely and plan now to attend or invite a family member, neighbor, or friend to attend one of these wonderful faith formation opportunities next summer.

A PDF of the full schedule can be downloaded at https://ccinoh.com/camp-christian/summer-programs.aspx

09/07/2026

First Christian Church of Medina has a new Pastor and we are delighted to welcome Rev. Howard Harris to the Christian Church in Ohio, Ohio. 

We are excited to announce our new pastor, Pastor Howard Harris Jr., will officially be in the pulpit starting THIS SUNDAY 9/6!! 🎉

Those of you that know, know. For those that don't, we have been searching and praying for the right pastor to lead us forward and help usher in new members to grow our congregation. We absolutely believe Pastor Harris is the right man for the job.

For more than 23 years, Howard has served congregations across multiple Christian traditions, helping churches deepen their faith, strengthen their witness, and engage their neighbors with compassion and purpose. His ministry has always been intentionally ecumenical, shaped by a deep appreciation for the broader Body of Christ and a passion for building unity around the mission of Jesus. A northeast Ohio native and University of Akron grad, he is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree through Northwind Seminary.

We ask you to join us in officially welcoming Pastor Harris to the FCC Medina family by joining us for Sunday service at 10 AM.

YOU BELONG HERE.

09/07/2026

Meaningful and moral labor is honored throughout scripture, but nowhere more clearly than in the epistle of James. In chapter 5, we find this particularly pointed challenge, “Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.” (5:4 NRSVUE)

Born out of the efforts of unions and collective bargaining in the late 1800s, this holiday has sought to both advocate for and celebrate Jesus’ injunction to his disciples in Luke 10 that workers deserve their fair wages. The Christian Church In Ohio seeks to live out this ideal with equitable wages, across-the-board Cost Of Living Adjustments (COLA) to all employees, including summer camp staff, fair benefits including enrollment in the Disciples pension plan for all full-time employees, and a collegial and safe supervisory environment with the head of staff, the Regional Pastor and President.

Local congregations are encouraged to do the same for their pastor and for all church employees. An honest and equitable living wage, abundant vacation time, family medical leave, continuing education time off and money, a well functioning Pastoral Relations Committing, and an assured sabbatical are not frivolous, but essential to following Jesus’ and the biblical call to honoring the worker.

This Labor Day holiday, in addition to celebrating with family and friends and eating good food, let us also recommit ourselves to discipleship in Jesus name and honor all who labor in our lives both in the church and in the world.

09/06/2026

Reconciliation Ministry Special Offering
Received in most congregations September 27th & October 4th

The Reconciliation Ministry Special Offering is received each year in congregations on the last Sunday in September and the first Sunday in October (in solidarity with World Communion Sunday). Funds generated by this special emphasis are used throughout the year to provide grants to ministries and congregations actively developing and implementing programs that promote our Church’s Pro-Reconciliation and Anti-Racist identity. These programs and efforts seek to reveal, re-educate, and remove systemic and structural barriers in our communities that serve to deny the image of God and human thriving based on race.

Your gifts to Reconciliation Ministry strengthens our Church’s witness to God’s unending love for all of humanity. With your generosity, leaders, communities, and our congregations are being equipped to witness to God’s love and justice in all times and in every season. The time is always ripe to stand up for justice to ensure that all of God’s children are treated equitably.

Thank you for joining us on this journey through your generosity.

Details, worship resources, and more available at https://reconciliationministry.org/2023-give-to-reconciliation-ministry-special-offering/

09/05/2026

Heartland Conference Lantern Fellowship Again Welcomes Disciple Women
September 18-20 at Camp Christian

Lantern Fellowship retreats are for all women of the Heartland Conference United Church of Christ, but Christian Church in Ohio women are invited as well! Whether you've been to a retreat or not, we welcome you to this sacred space!

Theme: The Ministry of Place: A Theological Proposal
Speaker: Rev. Michael Howard
Offered as a "theological proposal," The Ministry of Place will explore how scripture is rooted in the landscapes of Eden, Sinai, exile, and resurrection, and how faith itself emerges in dialogue with the places we inhabit. Drawing on theologies of land and community, as well as insights from social ecology, we will reflect on how listening to our neighborhoods and ecosystems can renew our discipleship and witness. Rev. Michael Howard will share stories of how scripture comes alive when read as a conversation about place, inviting us to imagine how our own congregations might embody God’s dream of justice, belonging, and restoration in the places we live, work, and worship.

More information ant registration at https://www.ultracamp.com/info/sessionDetail.aspx?idCamp=1355&idSession=534532&campCode=HSK

09/05/2026

Thanks to all who made Disciples Fellowship Retreat a wonderful success, especially Jen over Shook, from Disciples Overseas Ministries, our presenter, Mary Arnold, Retreat Director, and Rev. Heather Hicks, children’s and youth programmer.

09/05/2026

We are so pleased to have Jennifer Shook, Senior Associate for Resource Development, at Disciples Overseas Ministries sharing with those of us gathered for the Disciples Fellowship Retreat about the importance of Global Ministries. — at Camp Christian.

09/05/2026

Family Ministry
When Nobody Has Time
A Family Ministry Webinar sponsored by the Congregational Renewal Team of the Christian Church in Ohio (Disciples of Christ)

Tuesday, September 22nd
6:30–8:00 p.m.
Free Event via Zoom

Family ministry matters—but in today’s world, the honest question is often, “Who has the time?” Families are busy. Congregational leaders are stretched. Volunteers are tired. And yet, the call to nurture faith across generations remains both important and possible.

Whether your congregation is working to strengthen an active family ministry, struggling to maintain one, or hoping to create something new, this webinar is for you.

Join Rev. Dr. Olivia Bryan Updegrove—mom, minister, author, and creator of Faith Tutors—and Kimberly Paul—mom, educator, and Director of Children and Youth Ministries at FCC-Zanesville—for a practical and encouraging conversation about why family ministry matters and how congregations can faithfully support families today.

Olivia and Kim will share from their training, hands-on ministry experience, and personal perspectives of raising families in today’s culture. Together, we will explore how congregations can nurture faith across generations, build meaningful relationships with families, and create ministries that help children, youth, parents, and caregivers grow in faith.

Come be encouraged, inspired, and equipped for the holy work of family ministry.

Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/IpDZah7nTayrHhQMPJvvTQ

09/04/2026

Our Regional Minister just enjoyed an absolutely wonderful lunch with a candidate for ministry in this really fun restaurant in downtown Yellow Spring. It’s great when ministry connects with enriching conversation, good food, and exploring new places!