Missions
Chatham Community Church seeks ways to serve God and our community. This is often accomplished through our service groups, such as the Chatham Christian Women and Chatham Christian Volunteers, who help others through acts of kindness and financial resources.
Under the auspices of our Worship Committee, which has developed a “Special Offering” schedule, our members donate to the charities and special causes of both of our denominations, as well as area charities like the Battered Women’s Shelter, Matthew 25, and emergency needs in our community.
We are grateful to be able to house a Head Start unit in our Fellowship Hall.
We also grant a full-tuition scholarship to Case Western Reserve University to a deserving church youth each year. This opportunity is a result of our forefathers who contributed to the university in its infancy.
Mission and Worship Committee
Our Mission and Worship Committee seeks ways to serve the needs of the community through the use of our buildings. Area non-profit groups are invited to use our buildings for meetings and programs. If you would like to use our facilities, please contact our church office at 330-667-2351 for an application. The Mission Outreach Committee initiated the Care and Share Meals program.
Care and Share Meals Program
Through the Care and Share Meals program, our volunteers prepare complete home-cooked meals and deliver them to live-alone seniors on the second Thursday of each month. The free service is open to any live-alone senior citizens in the community. Participants do not have to attend our church. Please let us know of those who could use this service by contacting LaVon Venus at 330-667-2138.
Matthew 25 Coalition
Matthew 25 is a coalition of area churches who have united their “discretionary funds” to help the needy in the belief that together we can accomplish more than we could individually. Matthew 25 coordinates its efforts with other non-profit health and welfare agencies to assist residents in our area of the county. It uses all other county resources before utilizing Matthew 25 money for the emergency needs. Typical expenditures are for utilities, prescriptions and gasoline.
Chatham Community Church takes a free-will exit offering on the first Sunday of each month. If you would like to write an additional check, please give it to Treasurer Carol Menon. Matthew 25 has also received a $7,500 United Way grant.
Other churches involved in Matthew 25 are Lodi First Congregational, Lodi Community Church, Black River Church of the Brethren, Spencer United Methodist, Spencer First Baptist, St. Stephen’s of West Salem, The Lafayette Church, Litchfield United Church of Christ, Victory Baptist, York United Methodist Church and Seville United Methodist Church.
If you know of someone who needs assistance, call the Matthew 25 Coalition office, which is located at Lodi Community Hospital, at 330-948-1222 and ask for Extension 39271 or Matthew 25.
Matthew 25 is listed on 211 First Call for Help. Anyone may receive information about various agencies in Medina County by calling 211. Just dial 211 on your telephone and someone will refer you to the various agencies that could solve your problem.
The coalition meets on the second Thursday of the month at 8:30 a.m.
Case Western Reserve Scholarship
The church’s Case Western Reserve University full-tuition scholarship has been awarded to Tori Gershom for the 2011-2012 academic year.
Applications for each school year are available from the secretary. Decisions are normally made in April. The scholarship is based on financial need.
In 1849, the founding fathers of the first Congregational Church of Chatham gave a donation of $550 to Western Reserve College. In return, the church has a “permanent scholarship in said institution i.e. shall have the right of having one indigent student of approved character and capacity in each year educated in the college free of charge for tuition so long as the college stands.”
Many of the members of Chatham Community Church over the years have been educated due to the foresight of our forefathers.
On March 25, 1992, the Board of Administrators adopted the following criteria for management of the scholarship program.
- Only those students who have been accepted to Case Western Reserve University should apply for the scholarship.
- Priority will be given to: 1) A church member; 2) A church member’s immediate family; 3) A grandchild of a church member; 4) A resident of Chatham Township
- The final permission for the scholarship will be granted by the Board of Administrators after considering all applications.
- The scholarship will be granted for one year and may be renewed with the approval of the BOA.
- The scholarship recipient is expected to maintain contact with the church and report regularly on his/her progress.
If you would like to apply for the scholarship, please contact the church secretary for an application.