Hebron Crossroads 10-27
by Jeff Gill
"We’re all just so very excited," said Terri Orr, the new "front end manager" of the newest of 116 Kroger’s right here in Hebron. Terri, as a Hebron resident, is particularly proud of this top-of-the-line store and fuel station that was opened and dedicated two weeks ago. She had to shout, though, to be heard over the Lakewood High Marching Band as Kroger officials from the top on down and most of "official" Hebron assembled for the ribbon-cutting.
"I have some family reasons for taking a personal interest in this store," said Marnette Perry, the familiar face of Kroger’s on TV and president of the company. "My in-laws live right down the road (near Thornville) and this is the store they’ll be shopping at."
No pressure there for Jill Graham, the manager brought in to face the challenging task of opening a new facility literally from the ground up! But there are familiar faces from the Krogers in Heath, Newark, and Pataskala, and many employees from Hebron like Terri, and a piece of tradition few in the crowd were aware of that Sunday 8 am.
"This is not Kroger coming to Hebron," said CEO Perry, to more than a few blank stares; and then, "this is Kroger coming BACK to Hebron."
Turns out a Kroger had been in Hebron in the 20’s to some point during WW II, when it closed, was later reopened, and then closed again in 1954. . .a little before my time. The well-informed tell me it was located about where Park National’s drive-thru lanes front on Main Street, opposite Fitch’s Market.
In fact, Kroger has done a great job of decorating their facility with large prints of both modern and historic views of Hebron, including a shot down old Main Street with the Pure Oil gas station in the foreground, and a wonderful shot of the canal with a lone canal flatboat in the middle distance.
Farms silhouetted against the sunset, a nearby National Road milestone, and the façade of Lakewood High School are some of the modern day views looking down on the shoppers.
Shoppers were visible in abundance, with the pose for the ribbon-cutting regularly disrupted by carts already coming out of the store filled with bags full of groceries. Kroger management tells me they expect, from past experience (it is, after all, their 116th, so you hope they’ve learned a thing or two) to draw on an area with a 20 mile radius. The bulk of the shoppers will come from closer, but the idea of including a pharmacy with a drive-up window and fuel station is to make the trip worthwhile for folks from Etna and Kirkersville to the east, over to Brownsville and beyond to Muskingum County in the west, and south into Perry and Fairfield Counties.
The location just off of US 40 and the Rt. 79 bypass just north of I-70 makes it a good stop-off point for commuters from Franklin County to homes in Thornville and around the east end of Buckeye Lake.
All that, of course, is good for the Hebron economy, shown by the full turn-out of village councilmembers and staff, the mayor of course, and assistant superintendent Phil Hermann for the schools with his family. Even at the early hour, this was a "can’t miss" event in the latest chapter of Hebron’s history as "Historic Crossroads of Ohio."
Some of our local history was honored in a unique way last weekend at Octagon State Memorial, also known locally as Moundbuilders Country Club, just north of Licking Memorial Hospital.
A prayer circle gathered at the center of the Observatory Circle, just one part of the vast 2000 year old structure known as the Newark Earthworks. 117 participants joined in spoken and silent prayer, heard drumming and flute and sung prayer offerings, spoke out of American Indian, Christian, and Buddhist faith traditions, and came from as far away as Michigan and Minnesota to be present for this last of four "golf-free" days at a site known globally as one of the 70 wonders of the ancient world.
That’s right, one of the most significant spots of ancient history, a few miles north of us! Of that list of 70 sites like the Pyramids, the Colosseum in Rome, and Stonehenge, only three are in North America: Cahokia Mounds near St. Louis, Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, and the Newark Earthworks, of which ours is the oldest as well.
This site is believed to be connected by an ancient "road" of 60 miles to Chillicothe, which passes just through the village limits of Hebron to the west, and some traces of this double walled way can be dimly seen on older aerial photography near Beaver Run.
It was a pleasure and an honor to be part of this ecumenical prayer circle honoring this site, and to be part of the ongoing "connection" to the Hebron area, which truly has been a "Historic Crossroads of Ohio" . . .for two millenia!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and associate of Friends of the Mounds; if you have Hebron area news or questions about Licking County prehistory, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
Tuesday, October 22, 2002
Tuesday, October 08, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 10 - 13 & 20
Hebron Crossroads 10 - 13
by Jeff Gill
When our children are threatened, we want to respond. That’s a fairly basic human impulse. Even when children not our own are in danger, our reaction is to jump to assist.
How do we prepare to deal with a possibility of danger when we don’t even know what the emergency situation is? There are ways to organize and plan for a situation like a “stranger abduction” or lost child, so the response time for using volunteers is kept to a minimum.
A “Community Response Team” (or CRT) is a fairly common concept in larger towns or cities, but for a village like Hebron to have a CRT is somewhat unusual, certainly in Ohio.
Oct. 2 was the first full-fledged drill of our Hebron CRT, started at the end of the Council Meeting with the municipal complex as the gathering point. The first calls went out at 8 pm, and while the last few calls were being made, at 8:20 pm there were 18 present and ready to respond, and by 8:30 pm 50 local residents joined around 25 council members, village employees, and police & fire personnel.
Lt. Larry Brooks has been doing the leg work on this plan, with Chief Carney’s full backing. Larry was recently promoted from Sgt., replacing the retiring Lt. Glenn Watson, who stepped down after over 20 years of public service in law enforcement around the area. “Sgt.” Brooks attended a workshop that gave him a vision for what Hebron could have organized in advance, and after talking to the chief and to some folks in the village such as your columnist, the plan became a reality. As the CRT co-ordinator for Lt. Brooks, I want to thank Wes Baker of Hebron Methodist, Bill Van Meter of Hebron Nazarene, Lonnie Aleshire of Licking Baptist, Connie Wildermuth for Hebron Christian, and Jeff Geist at Hebron Elementary for being calling team leaders for their respective institutions.
It was a real pleasure to see the crowded council chamber, with the extra doors to the lobby opened to accommodate all the interested volunteers. Lt. Brooks gave an overview of what Hebron Police and other law enforcement would do while the CRT divides up into search parties to go out and cover assigned areas, each under a police officer with a radio for contact with the command post.
Mayor Mason liked the idea of orange vests that could be quickly issued, and other suggestions are being evaluated by the HPD. The CRT folks will not be involved in house searches, roadblocks, or any other hazardous activity, so our main equipment need is for participants to dress for outdoor weather appropriate to the day or night they’re called!
Still on the municipal front, the new parking lot is getting heavy use on Saturday mornings at Evans Park on Refugee Road. The Union Township Trustees have been a great help in making this expansion possible, with Jack Justice commenting that “there’s a lot of township residents getting a whole lot of benefit from that park.” When we come together for service, amazing things can happen, and it’s been a pleasure to report on so many such instances recently.
Both soccer and flag/tackle football for the younger kids have their strong supporters, and their respective organizations have put some real teamwork into making the game and practice schedules work out, including around the grueling home game tailgate schedule over in Columbus! Everyone wants early Saturday morning, but the share-and-share-alike philosophy has been a good example to our children by the adults.
Teamwork is sure typified by achievements like the state runner-up trophy brought home by the Lady Lancer softball team, and their work is honored by signs at the village limits. You can see them at the top of the signage for a number of Lakewood achievements by the “Hebron” signs. That’s a good reminder to all of us to support our Lakewood School District team Nov. 5 (and don’t forget absentee ballots if you’re going to be out of town that day).
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a home owner with a “Lakewood Yes” sign in his front yard; if you have Lakewood or Hebron area news to share, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
* * *
Hebron Crossroads 10 - 20
by Jeff Gill
Hebron Public Library’s “Storytime” program has already begun for the fall, with sessions on Tuesdays from 11 to 11:30 am until December 3.
Children need to be accompanied by an adult, and both get to hear a story and participate in a craft activity. Holiday cooking trivia is one of the subjects coming up, and every week is a treat specially prepared by the Hebron librarians.
If you have questions about “Storytime” please call 928-3923. The library is behind the municipal complex. There will be no story time during Thanksgiving week.
“Hebron Reads” has also started at Hebron Elementary, but it’s never too late for new reading tutors in this program.
Begun as part of Gov. Taft’s “Ohio Reads” initiative, the results of the program have been challenged by folks who obviously have never participated in reading tutoring, because the intention of the program was never simply to improve reading skills, but to focus volunteer resources on children who are struggling with reading and a variety of other learning skills.
The real test of “Ohio Reads” will not be short term test score bumps, but in longer term areas such as graduation rates and overall achievement. A child who finds reading extremely frustrating in 1st and 2nd grades will likely struggle in many areas over the years, and the tutoring and mentoring from “Hebron Reads” gives the teaching staff an extra tool to fix problems before they even begin.
Could you read to or with a child for a half-hour or hour a week? Call 928-2661 and leave a message. Kudos to Mrs. Frush and Mrs. Henry for the work this reading tutor has seen them put in already this year.
Of course, what a child benefits from most is seeing the adults in their life reading at home. I’ve heard in recent years about programs in cities like Chicago and Cincinnati called something like “All On One Page,” or “Cincinnati Reads,” where a particular book if selected, made available in a variety of locations through schools, libraries, and service groups, for as many as are willing to read during a particular time period.
The idea is that with “everyone,” or at least a whole bunch of people all reading the same book around the same general time, conversations will naturally spring up on the subject or area of the writing, usually a relatively short novel, whether recent or classic.
Some books selected that I’ve heard of include “To Kill A Mockingbird” or “The Yearling.” What would be a good fit for Hebron? This column would be happy to assemble a reading guide and some discussion starters during the reading period set, but you readers need to help me with some suggestions.
If you have ideas, even if they’re just subject areas, and especially book titles, please pass them along to me. As folks at my church know, I’ve been recommending quite often a non-fiction book called “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” This is a short book with a lasting impact about dealing with limitations, both physical and spiritual. I also think “Johnny Tremain” is much more than a children’s book, and maybe one of the best American novels around, but that’s just me. What do you think? Our kids will be watching. . .
You may not know that October is “Family History Month,” and you also may not know that Newark has recently obtained and started developing a “Farm Park” north of Cedar Hill Cemetery on Rt. 79. The hope of the Newark Park Department is that this will be a working 19th century farm, and Beth Deering, the site manager, is collecting furniture and recipes from descendants of the farm’s original occupants.
That’s a long way out of Hebron, but I’m telling you because on Sat., Oct. 26 at 11 am I’ll be doing a program entitled “Your Family History: A Story Worth Telling!” This is not going to be about genealogy, which has many expert practicioners in this county. We’re going to talk about the how and in what ways of gathering your family stories into history that lives and breathes for you and your descendants. Come join us on what will surely be a beautiful fall day.
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and an avid reader; if you have suggestions for a “Hebron Reads” book selection, call 928-4066, or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
Hebron Crossroads 10 - 13
by Jeff Gill
When our children are threatened, we want to respond. That’s a fairly basic human impulse. Even when children not our own are in danger, our reaction is to jump to assist.
How do we prepare to deal with a possibility of danger when we don’t even know what the emergency situation is? There are ways to organize and plan for a situation like a “stranger abduction” or lost child, so the response time for using volunteers is kept to a minimum.
A “Community Response Team” (or CRT) is a fairly common concept in larger towns or cities, but for a village like Hebron to have a CRT is somewhat unusual, certainly in Ohio.
Oct. 2 was the first full-fledged drill of our Hebron CRT, started at the end of the Council Meeting with the municipal complex as the gathering point. The first calls went out at 8 pm, and while the last few calls were being made, at 8:20 pm there were 18 present and ready to respond, and by 8:30 pm 50 local residents joined around 25 council members, village employees, and police & fire personnel.
Lt. Larry Brooks has been doing the leg work on this plan, with Chief Carney’s full backing. Larry was recently promoted from Sgt., replacing the retiring Lt. Glenn Watson, who stepped down after over 20 years of public service in law enforcement around the area. “Sgt.” Brooks attended a workshop that gave him a vision for what Hebron could have organized in advance, and after talking to the chief and to some folks in the village such as your columnist, the plan became a reality. As the CRT co-ordinator for Lt. Brooks, I want to thank Wes Baker of Hebron Methodist, Bill Van Meter of Hebron Nazarene, Lonnie Aleshire of Licking Baptist, Connie Wildermuth for Hebron Christian, and Jeff Geist at Hebron Elementary for being calling team leaders for their respective institutions.
It was a real pleasure to see the crowded council chamber, with the extra doors to the lobby opened to accommodate all the interested volunteers. Lt. Brooks gave an overview of what Hebron Police and other law enforcement would do while the CRT divides up into search parties to go out and cover assigned areas, each under a police officer with a radio for contact with the command post.
Mayor Mason liked the idea of orange vests that could be quickly issued, and other suggestions are being evaluated by the HPD. The CRT folks will not be involved in house searches, roadblocks, or any other hazardous activity, so our main equipment need is for participants to dress for outdoor weather appropriate to the day or night they’re called!
Still on the municipal front, the new parking lot is getting heavy use on Saturday mornings at Evans Park on Refugee Road. The Union Township Trustees have been a great help in making this expansion possible, with Jack Justice commenting that “there’s a lot of township residents getting a whole lot of benefit from that park.” When we come together for service, amazing things can happen, and it’s been a pleasure to report on so many such instances recently.
Both soccer and flag/tackle football for the younger kids have their strong supporters, and their respective organizations have put some real teamwork into making the game and practice schedules work out, including around the grueling home game tailgate schedule over in Columbus! Everyone wants early Saturday morning, but the share-and-share-alike philosophy has been a good example to our children by the adults.
Teamwork is sure typified by achievements like the state runner-up trophy brought home by the Lady Lancer softball team, and their work is honored by signs at the village limits. You can see them at the top of the signage for a number of Lakewood achievements by the “Hebron” signs. That’s a good reminder to all of us to support our Lakewood School District team Nov. 5 (and don’t forget absentee ballots if you’re going to be out of town that day).
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a home owner with a “Lakewood Yes” sign in his front yard; if you have Lakewood or Hebron area news to share, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
* * *
Hebron Crossroads 10 - 20
by Jeff Gill
Hebron Public Library’s “Storytime” program has already begun for the fall, with sessions on Tuesdays from 11 to 11:30 am until December 3.
Children need to be accompanied by an adult, and both get to hear a story and participate in a craft activity. Holiday cooking trivia is one of the subjects coming up, and every week is a treat specially prepared by the Hebron librarians.
If you have questions about “Storytime” please call 928-3923. The library is behind the municipal complex. There will be no story time during Thanksgiving week.
“Hebron Reads” has also started at Hebron Elementary, but it’s never too late for new reading tutors in this program.
Begun as part of Gov. Taft’s “Ohio Reads” initiative, the results of the program have been challenged by folks who obviously have never participated in reading tutoring, because the intention of the program was never simply to improve reading skills, but to focus volunteer resources on children who are struggling with reading and a variety of other learning skills.
The real test of “Ohio Reads” will not be short term test score bumps, but in longer term areas such as graduation rates and overall achievement. A child who finds reading extremely frustrating in 1st and 2nd grades will likely struggle in many areas over the years, and the tutoring and mentoring from “Hebron Reads” gives the teaching staff an extra tool to fix problems before they even begin.
Could you read to or with a child for a half-hour or hour a week? Call 928-2661 and leave a message. Kudos to Mrs. Frush and Mrs. Henry for the work this reading tutor has seen them put in already this year.
Of course, what a child benefits from most is seeing the adults in their life reading at home. I’ve heard in recent years about programs in cities like Chicago and Cincinnati called something like “All On One Page,” or “Cincinnati Reads,” where a particular book if selected, made available in a variety of locations through schools, libraries, and service groups, for as many as are willing to read during a particular time period.
The idea is that with “everyone,” or at least a whole bunch of people all reading the same book around the same general time, conversations will naturally spring up on the subject or area of the writing, usually a relatively short novel, whether recent or classic.
Some books selected that I’ve heard of include “To Kill A Mockingbird” or “The Yearling.” What would be a good fit for Hebron? This column would be happy to assemble a reading guide and some discussion starters during the reading period set, but you readers need to help me with some suggestions.
If you have ideas, even if they’re just subject areas, and especially book titles, please pass them along to me. As folks at my church know, I’ve been recommending quite often a non-fiction book called “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” This is a short book with a lasting impact about dealing with limitations, both physical and spiritual. I also think “Johnny Tremain” is much more than a children’s book, and maybe one of the best American novels around, but that’s just me. What do you think? Our kids will be watching. . .
You may not know that October is “Family History Month,” and you also may not know that Newark has recently obtained and started developing a “Farm Park” north of Cedar Hill Cemetery on Rt. 79. The hope of the Newark Park Department is that this will be a working 19th century farm, and Beth Deering, the site manager, is collecting furniture and recipes from descendants of the farm’s original occupants.
That’s a long way out of Hebron, but I’m telling you because on Sat., Oct. 26 at 11 am I’ll be doing a program entitled “Your Family History: A Story Worth Telling!” This is not going to be about genealogy, which has many expert practicioners in this county. We’re going to talk about the how and in what ways of gathering your family stories into history that lives and breathes for you and your descendants. Come join us on what will surely be a beautiful fall day.
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and an avid reader; if you have suggestions for a “Hebron Reads” book selection, call 928-4066, or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
Tuesday, October 01, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 10-7
by Jeff Gill
Harvestime is all around us; the soybeans have gone from yellow to brown, the corn stalks tan from grey-green. With those transformations, the farm equipment is out in the fields not from dawn to dusk, but from can-do to can’t-any-longer.
In the fields around Hebron, coming home from late night meetings, I see headlights out in places where I know headlights can’t be. At home after what I like to think of as a long day, I’m seeing the harvesters out describing ever-decreasing rectangles in the fields behind our house, the floodlit arcs shortening and lengthening across the back window.
Folks, that’s the next step towards your corn flakes and tofu, your tortillas and organic plastics, feed for milk cows and beef cattle. As the bumper sticker says, “If you ate today, thank a farmer!” Just don’t try calling them at home the next few weeks.
A few recent conversations have pointed out to me that not everyone knows what’s going on out in those dustplumed combines by day and brightly lit harvesters at night. Harvest is when the farmers go out in fields and start “bringing in the sheaves,” so to speak. Right now the corn and soybeans are ready for harvest, but wheat and hay have come in weeks ago for many, and the pumpkin crop I think we all know just came ripe.
The trick with corn and beans is the moisture content: too much water content and the crop could rot in storage, increasing the necessary expense of drying, but wait too long for everything to get good and dry, and you run an increased risk of storms flattening the plants so that mechanical harvesting can’t work. There’s more to it than this brief description indicates, but the point to keep in mind is that timing harvest is just as tricky – or just as much of a science mixed with luck, if you like – as planting. Too early, too late. . .too bad.
Ohio doesn’t need riverboat gambling or an expansion of the lottery when we’ve already got farming!
Devine Farms had a great first weekend of “pumpkin season,” and Martha Fickel had the Drama Club gang out running the concessions for Ralph and Charla as a fund raiser. You’ll recognize the hot dog makers and cider pourers from “The Music Man” and “Guys and Dolls” down at Lakewood High, or you will recognize them when you go see “A Christmas Carol” later on this year.
The corn maze is a little smaller than some of the multi-acre works of art around Licking County you’ve seen featured in these pages. If you have a four year old, that’s a good thing!
Chris ran up and down the blind alleys and roundabouts with glee, looking a bit confused at times, but quickly reassured by a glance over his shoulder to confirm Dad was still there and smiling. Dad, of course, could look so confident because he could see the barn roofs over the top of the corn stalks, and from his better vantage point stayed oriented. The little guy could only see corn (or “cown” as he regularly shouted), but trusted the big guy to not let him get too far lost.
Obvious metaphor alert. . .i’ll just let you fill in the rest of that meditation.
We don’t normally cross-promote between the Booster and the Advocate, even though we’re corporate cousins, but this is really just a trip out to the recycle bag in the garage for many of you. Last Sunday (Sept. 29), on page 5D, John Skinner had a great old story about Hebron and Henry Clay back in the early 1800’s.
He references “the Licking Arms, a hostelry in Hebron” as the location for a tale of duels, derring-do, and dauntlessness. You’ll have to find the article to get the whole story, but Henry Clay certainly could have stayed the night in pre-Civil War Hebron; he’s featured on historical markers all along both the National Road from Wheeling to Columbus, and down the Zane Trace, such as on the marker in Tarleton between here and Chilicothe.
You should remember Clay from your American History classes as one of the early great Congressional figures, a man who would “rather be right than President,” and who along with Daniel Webster helped negotiate the Missouri Compromise, but later came down solidly as anti-slavery, dooming his chances for the White House in the 1840’s and 50’s.
This and other stories may soon be told in cases within the lobby of the Hebron Municipal Complex, as Larry Rodgers of the Hebron Historical Society and Mike McFarland are working at providing some display space and artifacts there. We’ll let you know as those plans develop, or you can just drop in on their meetings on the first Monday of the month at 7:30 pm in the Masonic Building on N. High St.
The first 50 years of Hebron were wild and wooly ones, and there are many more stories to be told about these Hebron Crossroads!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a semi-professional pumpkin carver. If you have recipes for roast pumpkin seeds or other seasonal delicacies, send them to disciple@voyager.net or call 928-4066.
by Jeff Gill
Harvestime is all around us; the soybeans have gone from yellow to brown, the corn stalks tan from grey-green. With those transformations, the farm equipment is out in the fields not from dawn to dusk, but from can-do to can’t-any-longer.
In the fields around Hebron, coming home from late night meetings, I see headlights out in places where I know headlights can’t be. At home after what I like to think of as a long day, I’m seeing the harvesters out describing ever-decreasing rectangles in the fields behind our house, the floodlit arcs shortening and lengthening across the back window.
Folks, that’s the next step towards your corn flakes and tofu, your tortillas and organic plastics, feed for milk cows and beef cattle. As the bumper sticker says, “If you ate today, thank a farmer!” Just don’t try calling them at home the next few weeks.
A few recent conversations have pointed out to me that not everyone knows what’s going on out in those dustplumed combines by day and brightly lit harvesters at night. Harvest is when the farmers go out in fields and start “bringing in the sheaves,” so to speak. Right now the corn and soybeans are ready for harvest, but wheat and hay have come in weeks ago for many, and the pumpkin crop I think we all know just came ripe.
The trick with corn and beans is the moisture content: too much water content and the crop could rot in storage, increasing the necessary expense of drying, but wait too long for everything to get good and dry, and you run an increased risk of storms flattening the plants so that mechanical harvesting can’t work. There’s more to it than this brief description indicates, but the point to keep in mind is that timing harvest is just as tricky – or just as much of a science mixed with luck, if you like – as planting. Too early, too late. . .too bad.
Ohio doesn’t need riverboat gambling or an expansion of the lottery when we’ve already got farming!
Devine Farms had a great first weekend of “pumpkin season,” and Martha Fickel had the Drama Club gang out running the concessions for Ralph and Charla as a fund raiser. You’ll recognize the hot dog makers and cider pourers from “The Music Man” and “Guys and Dolls” down at Lakewood High, or you will recognize them when you go see “A Christmas Carol” later on this year.
The corn maze is a little smaller than some of the multi-acre works of art around Licking County you’ve seen featured in these pages. If you have a four year old, that’s a good thing!
Chris ran up and down the blind alleys and roundabouts with glee, looking a bit confused at times, but quickly reassured by a glance over his shoulder to confirm Dad was still there and smiling. Dad, of course, could look so confident because he could see the barn roofs over the top of the corn stalks, and from his better vantage point stayed oriented. The little guy could only see corn (or “cown” as he regularly shouted), but trusted the big guy to not let him get too far lost.
Obvious metaphor alert. . .i’ll just let you fill in the rest of that meditation.
We don’t normally cross-promote between the Booster and the Advocate, even though we’re corporate cousins, but this is really just a trip out to the recycle bag in the garage for many of you. Last Sunday (Sept. 29), on page 5D, John Skinner had a great old story about Hebron and Henry Clay back in the early 1800’s.
He references “the Licking Arms, a hostelry in Hebron” as the location for a tale of duels, derring-do, and dauntlessness. You’ll have to find the article to get the whole story, but Henry Clay certainly could have stayed the night in pre-Civil War Hebron; he’s featured on historical markers all along both the National Road from Wheeling to Columbus, and down the Zane Trace, such as on the marker in Tarleton between here and Chilicothe.
You should remember Clay from your American History classes as one of the early great Congressional figures, a man who would “rather be right than President,” and who along with Daniel Webster helped negotiate the Missouri Compromise, but later came down solidly as anti-slavery, dooming his chances for the White House in the 1840’s and 50’s.
This and other stories may soon be told in cases within the lobby of the Hebron Municipal Complex, as Larry Rodgers of the Hebron Historical Society and Mike McFarland are working at providing some display space and artifacts there. We’ll let you know as those plans develop, or you can just drop in on their meetings on the first Monday of the month at 7:30 pm in the Masonic Building on N. High St.
The first 50 years of Hebron were wild and wooly ones, and there are many more stories to be told about these Hebron Crossroads!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a semi-professional pumpkin carver. If you have recipes for roast pumpkin seeds or other seasonal delicacies, send them to disciple@voyager.net or call 928-4066.
Saturday, September 28, 2002
The Church Window (print edition) – October 2002
Notes From My Knapsack
Sat., Nov. 9 at 9 am is our annual Program Planning Retreat for all elders, deacons & deaconesses, and officers of the congregation.
Organizational Evangelism is the theme this year, as we review our fellowship groups, programs, and events in light of how they help us share the good news of God’s love made known through Jesus. We’ll spend some time in worship and prayer together, a little Bible study, do some practical exercises in personal evangelism, and then use the rest of our time ‘til noon to review 2003 from Epiphany to next Advent.
Every group in the church should be represented, and all members are welcome. At noon, some of us will stay for lunch and the budget committee will meet to take our ministry priorities from the retreat and put them into dollars and sense.
Please be with us for all or part of Nov. 9 and our PPR!
In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff
* * * * * * *
Stewardship & the Diaconate
Over the next few months, various members of the deacons and deaconesses will share the offering meditations. They will tell us about their look into some of the different outreach causes the congregation supports, from Disciples Mission Fund causes like Homeland and Global Ministries, to local work like LEADS and the Housing Coalition.
First Nora Lee Orr and other Women’s Group members will tell us about Church World Service (CWS) and their Blanket Sunday offering, which is a special offering over and above our budget and mission giving, along with the Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost envelopes.
The youth will also be preparing for the CROP Walk Sun. Oct. 20, which is also a CWS support, of which 25% stays in Licking County. After the first three weeks on our CWS giving, we’ll hear about the Mental Health Assn., the Jail Ministry, the Regional Capital Campaign, overseas missions, and many others. All of these presentations from members of the diaconate will help prepare us for the Annual Congregational Mtg. in January, and allow the diaconate to fulfill their scriptural mandate (Acts 6:1-6 & I Tim. 3:8-13) of helping manage our outreach.
* * * * * * *
Pastor Jeff will present “Your Family History: A Story Worth Telling” on the rescheduled date of Sat., Oct. 26, at 11 am at the new Newark Farm Park north of Cedar Hill Cemetery on Rt. 79.
* * * * * * *
Regional Assembly – Springfield, OH Oct. 18 & 19
Please pray for our delegates and pastor as they help
in the work of the larger church
* * * * * * *
Wednesday Bible Study
10 am, October & November
“Christian Essentials”
starting with the Letter of Jude
(haven’t read that one lately, have you?)
* * * * * * *
Youth Meetings
Oct. 13 – 6 pm
Oct. 20 – CROP Walk after church to 5 pm
Oct. 27 – 6 pm
Notes From My Knapsack
Sat., Nov. 9 at 9 am is our annual Program Planning Retreat for all elders, deacons & deaconesses, and officers of the congregation.
Organizational Evangelism is the theme this year, as we review our fellowship groups, programs, and events in light of how they help us share the good news of God’s love made known through Jesus. We’ll spend some time in worship and prayer together, a little Bible study, do some practical exercises in personal evangelism, and then use the rest of our time ‘til noon to review 2003 from Epiphany to next Advent.
Every group in the church should be represented, and all members are welcome. At noon, some of us will stay for lunch and the budget committee will meet to take our ministry priorities from the retreat and put them into dollars and sense.
Please be with us for all or part of Nov. 9 and our PPR!
In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff
* * * * * * *
Stewardship & the Diaconate
Over the next few months, various members of the deacons and deaconesses will share the offering meditations. They will tell us about their look into some of the different outreach causes the congregation supports, from Disciples Mission Fund causes like Homeland and Global Ministries, to local work like LEADS and the Housing Coalition.
First Nora Lee Orr and other Women’s Group members will tell us about Church World Service (CWS) and their Blanket Sunday offering, which is a special offering over and above our budget and mission giving, along with the Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost envelopes.
The youth will also be preparing for the CROP Walk Sun. Oct. 20, which is also a CWS support, of which 25% stays in Licking County. After the first three weeks on our CWS giving, we’ll hear about the Mental Health Assn., the Jail Ministry, the Regional Capital Campaign, overseas missions, and many others. All of these presentations from members of the diaconate will help prepare us for the Annual Congregational Mtg. in January, and allow the diaconate to fulfill their scriptural mandate (Acts 6:1-6 & I Tim. 3:8-13) of helping manage our outreach.
* * * * * * *
Pastor Jeff will present “Your Family History: A Story Worth Telling” on the rescheduled date of Sat., Oct. 26, at 11 am at the new Newark Farm Park north of Cedar Hill Cemetery on Rt. 79.
* * * * * * *
Regional Assembly – Springfield, OH Oct. 18 & 19
Please pray for our delegates and pastor as they help
in the work of the larger church
* * * * * * *
Wednesday Bible Study
10 am, October & November
“Christian Essentials”
starting with the Letter of Jude
(haven’t read that one lately, have you?)
* * * * * * *
Youth Meetings
Oct. 13 – 6 pm
Oct. 20 – CROP Walk after church to 5 pm
Oct. 27 – 6 pm
Monday, September 23, 2002
[Note for Knapsack readers: these short Scouting related articles show up each week on the e-mail distributed "Things To Do This Week in Scouting" edited by the amazing Steve Hoar of Licking District, and are posted in the local news page of www.wclt.com. They show up here in bunches of four to six every. . .four to six weeks!]
pax et gratia, jbg
Commissioner's Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
What so many Scouters don't get to experience in Licking District, and what
I'd like to be able to share with the readers of this feature, is the great
variety of people who are all important to Scouting.
Of course, there are all the Cubmasters and Scoutmasters, and Den Leaders
and ASMs, and Pack and Troop Committee chairpeople who are the "first line"
of adult Scouting. As any active Scouter knows, it takes a whole bunch of
"characters" to do character building for our youth, and we've got 'em in
our units. What about beyond the unit level? There are characters there, too!
You may not see them at the next Camporee, but at the District Golf
Challenge, Mark Evans (along with his brother and dad) did another fine job
this summer bringing together a number of business and industry leaders to
bring both dollars and awareness of Scouting to a new level. At the Council
Executive Board, many more folks who you'll not likely see at the next
Roundtable, but veteran Scouters like John Weaver and Norm Sleight of
Licking County, gather round a table to set plans and agendas for all of
Simon Kenton Council. And at the Commissioners' College, you may not all know
Sharon Scheidegger, Nancy Liming, or George Wilhelm, but they were
representing our district among dozens from all around the council.
Men and women in all walks of life are involved in bringing the Scouting
program right down to the basics, and we're thankful for all of them!
* * * * * * *
Commissioner's Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
While we're talking about the wide variety of people in a variety of roles that it takes to provide Scouting, I want to go from the District to the Council level for just a moment.
Whether you're at a Commissioner College, meeting historians of the Tuskeegee Airmen, or church custodians who specialize in historic preservation, or at a Council Exec Board meeting with the heads of our largest local utility and the state cable news network, you can't help but be struck by how necessary each and every member of the structure is to keep the whole standing. Even when celebrities are brought in for special purposes, like Clark Kellogg or Archie Griffin, you can tell that they know what Scouting is, and why they're there to help.
At Woodbadge or Pow-Wows, you meet materials engineers and sales professionals, data entry folk and machine language programmers, corporate execs and the people who serve lunch to corporate execs. But in the uniform shirt of the BSA, whether with blue, red, green, or silver shoulder tabs, we're all simply Scouters. All vitally necessary, and also all necessarily equal in our potential involvement in this amazing organization.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
Saturday, October 12th, while Cub Leader Training is going on just across the hall, the District Commissioner Staff will meet from 9:30 to 11 am at Second Presbyterian Church in Newark. In what will be a quarterly schedule of district level meetings, all district scouters involved in roundtables, unit commissioning, or rechartering are invited to join for a time to review the rechartering process.
The recharter period is a crucial time for unit continuity – in simpler terms, units that can’t get their charter reviewed, corrected, and correctly turned in tend to be units that drop. That means a gap in how Scouting is available in that area, and we don’t want that.
If you are a current or former commissioner, please join us on the 12th; a number of folks in Licking District are close to qualifying for the Commissioner’s Key or Arrowhead, and we’d like to get those awarded this spring as appropriate!
Questions? Leave me a message at 928-4066, or e-mail disciple@voyager.net, and I’ll get back to you or get the right person to call you with the right info.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
On a personal note, I got a real satisfaction from my September Scouting magazine (sent free to all registered adult Scouters). On page 16 is an article about an Eagle Scout project that really defines what an Eagle Scout project can be, and that alone would have made the article worth reading – and my recommending!
But the real joy was in reference to the young man’s grandfather, in whose memory the project was completed. Gene Hunsberger was an Assistant Scoutmaster in my home troop, “Lucky” 7 of the former Pottawatomie Council, now Troop 907, LaSalle Area Council. Bill Eckert, the long-time Scoutmaster of T-7 (with 50+ Eagles to his credit, including yrs truly), brought on board Mr. H to help the troop while I was in high school, and while I didn’t get to know Mr. Hunsberger as well as my younger brothers did, he was a great asset to the troop where he continued his Scouting career until his untimely death just a few years ago.
The book described in the article was one he did indeed read from at troop campouts when a Sunday morning called for chapel service, and the book’s history with him as a corpsman in WW II and Korea was part of our troop lore. Congrats to Evan Hunsberger on making Eagle, and to Scouting Mag for helping honor a veteran and scouter like his grandfather Gene.
Makes you want to read your Scouting Magazine, doesn’t it?
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
James E. West, the legendary first Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, was once asked what the three most important things for a prospective adult leader were. His answer: “Training, training, and training.” Jim Francis, our District Chairman, would probably add, “And some training!”
One of the amazing advantages to being an adult leader in the Scouting Movement is the training program. You have training for all branches of the program, at all levels, and now “position specific” training, and you know that other adult leaders that you meet at Pow-Wows, Council Scout Shows, Jamborees, NOACs, and at Philmont have all been through much the same basic steps.
Whether it’s offering the Fast Start video to new adults in your unit, getting scouters off to Basic or Outdoor training, or going off to any one of the many specialized training experiences offered through the year around the council, make sure you keep “the next step” of training in front of you and your fellow Scout leaders.
Questions? Leave me a message at 928-4066, or e-mail disciple@voyager.net, and I’ll get back to you or get the right person to call you with the right info.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
Charters: Ya Gotta Have Em! Yep, a charter is a must. Because Scouting loves paperwork? Not hardly; no Scout leader, whether professional or scouter really enjoys fussing with forms and rosters, but the charter is the one indispensable tool for managing our membership, maintaining communications, and supporting continued advancement and/or training.
The charter, with all the right names, ranks/positions, and addresses, allows the Scouter from the council, Boy’s Life and Scouting from national BSA, and other critical communications to get to the right place. Charters may be returned for lacking certain key indications about adult leadership, especially designations for Tiger Cub or Webelos den leaders. Registration info helps us to track who we’re gaining and just as importantly, who we’re losing and at what age. Heads of organizations (pastors, board chairs, club presidents) need to sign the charter and submit a “free” registration: as much so they know who they’re working with as much as so we can know who they are.
And don’t forget that every penny of the now $10 reg fee goes to Irving, Texas to support the registration management and training support programming of the National Council, so they don’t fundraise out from under local councils. That’s where all registrations, especially adults, are reviewed, and that’s a key element of our youth protection strategy.
Questions? Leave me a message at 928-4066, or e-mail disciple@voyager.net, and I’ll get back to you or get the right person to call you with the right info.
pax et gratia, jbg
Commissioner's Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
What so many Scouters don't get to experience in Licking District, and what
I'd like to be able to share with the readers of this feature, is the great
variety of people who are all important to Scouting.
Of course, there are all the Cubmasters and Scoutmasters, and Den Leaders
and ASMs, and Pack and Troop Committee chairpeople who are the "first line"
of adult Scouting. As any active Scouter knows, it takes a whole bunch of
"characters" to do character building for our youth, and we've got 'em in
our units. What about beyond the unit level? There are characters there, too!
You may not see them at the next Camporee, but at the District Golf
Challenge, Mark Evans (along with his brother and dad) did another fine job
this summer bringing together a number of business and industry leaders to
bring both dollars and awareness of Scouting to a new level. At the Council
Executive Board, many more folks who you'll not likely see at the next
Roundtable, but veteran Scouters like John Weaver and Norm Sleight of
Licking County, gather round a table to set plans and agendas for all of
Simon Kenton Council. And at the Commissioners' College, you may not all know
Sharon Scheidegger, Nancy Liming, or George Wilhelm, but they were
representing our district among dozens from all around the council.
Men and women in all walks of life are involved in bringing the Scouting
program right down to the basics, and we're thankful for all of them!
* * * * * * *
Commissioner's Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
While we're talking about the wide variety of people in a variety of roles that it takes to provide Scouting, I want to go from the District to the Council level for just a moment.
Whether you're at a Commissioner College, meeting historians of the Tuskeegee Airmen, or church custodians who specialize in historic preservation, or at a Council Exec Board meeting with the heads of our largest local utility and the state cable news network, you can't help but be struck by how necessary each and every member of the structure is to keep the whole standing. Even when celebrities are brought in for special purposes, like Clark Kellogg or Archie Griffin, you can tell that they know what Scouting is, and why they're there to help.
At Woodbadge or Pow-Wows, you meet materials engineers and sales professionals, data entry folk and machine language programmers, corporate execs and the people who serve lunch to corporate execs. But in the uniform shirt of the BSA, whether with blue, red, green, or silver shoulder tabs, we're all simply Scouters. All vitally necessary, and also all necessarily equal in our potential involvement in this amazing organization.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
Saturday, October 12th, while Cub Leader Training is going on just across the hall, the District Commissioner Staff will meet from 9:30 to 11 am at Second Presbyterian Church in Newark. In what will be a quarterly schedule of district level meetings, all district scouters involved in roundtables, unit commissioning, or rechartering are invited to join for a time to review the rechartering process.
The recharter period is a crucial time for unit continuity – in simpler terms, units that can’t get their charter reviewed, corrected, and correctly turned in tend to be units that drop. That means a gap in how Scouting is available in that area, and we don’t want that.
If you are a current or former commissioner, please join us on the 12th; a number of folks in Licking District are close to qualifying for the Commissioner’s Key or Arrowhead, and we’d like to get those awarded this spring as appropriate!
Questions? Leave me a message at 928-4066, or e-mail disciple@voyager.net, and I’ll get back to you or get the right person to call you with the right info.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
On a personal note, I got a real satisfaction from my September Scouting magazine (sent free to all registered adult Scouters). On page 16 is an article about an Eagle Scout project that really defines what an Eagle Scout project can be, and that alone would have made the article worth reading – and my recommending!
But the real joy was in reference to the young man’s grandfather, in whose memory the project was completed. Gene Hunsberger was an Assistant Scoutmaster in my home troop, “Lucky” 7 of the former Pottawatomie Council, now Troop 907, LaSalle Area Council. Bill Eckert, the long-time Scoutmaster of T-7 (with 50+ Eagles to his credit, including yrs truly), brought on board Mr. H to help the troop while I was in high school, and while I didn’t get to know Mr. Hunsberger as well as my younger brothers did, he was a great asset to the troop where he continued his Scouting career until his untimely death just a few years ago.
The book described in the article was one he did indeed read from at troop campouts when a Sunday morning called for chapel service, and the book’s history with him as a corpsman in WW II and Korea was part of our troop lore. Congrats to Evan Hunsberger on making Eagle, and to Scouting Mag for helping honor a veteran and scouter like his grandfather Gene.
Makes you want to read your Scouting Magazine, doesn’t it?
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
James E. West, the legendary first Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, was once asked what the three most important things for a prospective adult leader were. His answer: “Training, training, and training.” Jim Francis, our District Chairman, would probably add, “And some training!”
One of the amazing advantages to being an adult leader in the Scouting Movement is the training program. You have training for all branches of the program, at all levels, and now “position specific” training, and you know that other adult leaders that you meet at Pow-Wows, Council Scout Shows, Jamborees, NOACs, and at Philmont have all been through much the same basic steps.
Whether it’s offering the Fast Start video to new adults in your unit, getting scouters off to Basic or Outdoor training, or going off to any one of the many specialized training experiences offered through the year around the council, make sure you keep “the next step” of training in front of you and your fellow Scout leaders.
Questions? Leave me a message at 928-4066, or e-mail disciple@voyager.net, and I’ll get back to you or get the right person to call you with the right info.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish
Charters: Ya Gotta Have Em! Yep, a charter is a must. Because Scouting loves paperwork? Not hardly; no Scout leader, whether professional or scouter really enjoys fussing with forms and rosters, but the charter is the one indispensable tool for managing our membership, maintaining communications, and supporting continued advancement and/or training.
The charter, with all the right names, ranks/positions, and addresses, allows the Scouter from the council, Boy’s Life and Scouting from national BSA, and other critical communications to get to the right place. Charters may be returned for lacking certain key indications about adult leadership, especially designations for Tiger Cub or Webelos den leaders. Registration info helps us to track who we’re gaining and just as importantly, who we’re losing and at what age. Heads of organizations (pastors, board chairs, club presidents) need to sign the charter and submit a “free” registration: as much so they know who they’re working with as much as so we can know who they are.
And don’t forget that every penny of the now $10 reg fee goes to Irving, Texas to support the registration management and training support programming of the National Council, so they don’t fundraise out from under local councils. That’s where all registrations, especially adults, are reviewed, and that’s a key element of our youth protection strategy.
Questions? Leave me a message at 928-4066, or e-mail disciple@voyager.net, and I’ll get back to you or get the right person to call you with the right info.
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 9-29
"Hebron Reads. . .About Pumpkins!"
by Jeff Gill
For those lucky few who get this paper on Friday afternoon, from 6 pm to 6:30 pm the world famous Devine Farms Barrel Train ride will give free rides to kids on the north side of Hebron Christian Church (Cully Ave.) starting from the rear parking lot. Then from 6:45 pm to twilight, the tractor-led string of blue barrels will move to the south side of Main St., meeting in front of Hebron Elementary on Deacon St.
Devine Farms is on Way-West Main St., aka Rt. 40, on the south side of the road -- brake when you see pumpkins! Stump pumpkins, stuffed pumpkins, even real pumpkins arrayed in ranks for the assault on October. Buy them large or small, for painting or carving, but get 'em here in Hebron. Miss Fickle's Drama Club from Lakewood High will be staffing the refreshment area this year, so you can help them in their fundraising while enjoying seasonal goodies. Charla and Ralph will have the usual corn maze, displays, and oh yes, the Barrel Train.
Speaking of Hebron Elementary, Michelle Henry tells me that our local Ohio Reads program, unsurprisingly named "Hebron Reads!", is getting started again with a new school year. Mrs. Henry says she and the other reading teachers are looking forward to sharing reading tutoring tips with some of us old regulars, and with some new tutors. This begins my fourth year with the program, and I can testify that the tutor gets as much joy of learning out of helping teach reading and improving reading skills with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders as those kids do. I've learned about flying pigs, motorcycle riding mouses, and talking moles, and where else can you do that?
Parents, high schoolers, community volunteers are all welcome, but you must be trained, and be able to tutor at some point in the school day between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm.
Call Hebron Elementary at 928-2661 and say you want more information about the "Hebron Reads!" program. Training for returning and new tutors is planned at two times, on Wednesday morning Oct. 2 or Thursday afternoon Oct. 3, and then you'll be matched up with a child for the weekly reading time. You can be a great help to our school by volunteering just a half-hour a week, and if you can give a full hour or two, they can make good use of your time.
Kara Glaser continues to inspire everyone in Hebron. As most of you know, the surgeons did end up recommending the removal of her foot, but largely because of the strength and mobility they think they can promise her with a prosthetic for her lower leg and foot. They mention everything from soccer to square dancing, and for that we're thankful.
But the story should also be told, speaking of strength, that Kara has not been content with giving away a big chunk of her stuffed animal collection. She's been sending her aunt out to buy more with gift money she's gotten. . .so she can give away even more to the other children on her floor.
Kara will be missed at Children's Hospital, but it is only fair to say that she won't miss the place very much herself, and should be home by the time you read this. Welcome home, Glasers!
And we also congratulate Megan Curran and Scott Amick on their wedding this weekend; they get to test out the new air conditioning at Hebron Christian Church, where Mayor Mason and myself will co-officiate at their marriage celebration. A beautiful fall evening is anticipated for them, and we hope they come back and visit Dick & Shirley often.
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and an occasional carver of pumpkins; if you have harvest tales or Halloween news to report for October, call 928-4066 or e-mail him at disciple@voyager.net.
"Hebron Reads. . .About Pumpkins!"
by Jeff Gill
For those lucky few who get this paper on Friday afternoon, from 6 pm to 6:30 pm the world famous Devine Farms Barrel Train ride will give free rides to kids on the north side of Hebron Christian Church (Cully Ave.) starting from the rear parking lot. Then from 6:45 pm to twilight, the tractor-led string of blue barrels will move to the south side of Main St., meeting in front of Hebron Elementary on Deacon St.
Devine Farms is on Way-West Main St., aka Rt. 40, on the south side of the road -- brake when you see pumpkins! Stump pumpkins, stuffed pumpkins, even real pumpkins arrayed in ranks for the assault on October. Buy them large or small, for painting or carving, but get 'em here in Hebron. Miss Fickle's Drama Club from Lakewood High will be staffing the refreshment area this year, so you can help them in their fundraising while enjoying seasonal goodies. Charla and Ralph will have the usual corn maze, displays, and oh yes, the Barrel Train.
Speaking of Hebron Elementary, Michelle Henry tells me that our local Ohio Reads program, unsurprisingly named "Hebron Reads!", is getting started again with a new school year. Mrs. Henry says she and the other reading teachers are looking forward to sharing reading tutoring tips with some of us old regulars, and with some new tutors. This begins my fourth year with the program, and I can testify that the tutor gets as much joy of learning out of helping teach reading and improving reading skills with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders as those kids do. I've learned about flying pigs, motorcycle riding mouses, and talking moles, and where else can you do that?
Parents, high schoolers, community volunteers are all welcome, but you must be trained, and be able to tutor at some point in the school day between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm.
Call Hebron Elementary at 928-2661 and say you want more information about the "Hebron Reads!" program. Training for returning and new tutors is planned at two times, on Wednesday morning Oct. 2 or Thursday afternoon Oct. 3, and then you'll be matched up with a child for the weekly reading time. You can be a great help to our school by volunteering just a half-hour a week, and if you can give a full hour or two, they can make good use of your time.
Kara Glaser continues to inspire everyone in Hebron. As most of you know, the surgeons did end up recommending the removal of her foot, but largely because of the strength and mobility they think they can promise her with a prosthetic for her lower leg and foot. They mention everything from soccer to square dancing, and for that we're thankful.
But the story should also be told, speaking of strength, that Kara has not been content with giving away a big chunk of her stuffed animal collection. She's been sending her aunt out to buy more with gift money she's gotten. . .so she can give away even more to the other children on her floor.
Kara will be missed at Children's Hospital, but it is only fair to say that she won't miss the place very much herself, and should be home by the time you read this. Welcome home, Glasers!
And we also congratulate Megan Curran and Scott Amick on their wedding this weekend; they get to test out the new air conditioning at Hebron Christian Church, where Mayor Mason and myself will co-officiate at their marriage celebration. A beautiful fall evening is anticipated for them, and we hope they come back and visit Dick & Shirley often.
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and an occasional carver of pumpkins; if you have harvest tales or Halloween news to report for October, call 928-4066 or e-mail him at disciple@voyager.net.
Tuesday, September 17, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 9-22
“It Takes a Village. . .To Paint Fire Hydrants”
by Jeff Gill
Wednesday, Sept. 11 dawned as clear and beautiful as last year’s
day began, but the end of the day was filled with hope and
gladness for 2002.
“Respond To The Call” brought together not only some 60 plus
local residents, but also more than 30 students and parents from
Mrs. Maslowski and Ms. Manter’s 2nd grade class and most of the
firefighters and police officers of Hebron.
At last count, over 125 hydrants were painted and brightened, with
some left undone simply because they are about to be worked on
or turned around. The bright yellow fireplugs say clearly that we
take pride in our village and are all involved in our mutual safety
and security.
Before the service project honoring 9-11 began at noon, it was an
honor to help the HFD & HPD commemorate the losses of last
year by the old Hebron fire bell. Many of those who were gathered
around the flagpole and bell carriage at noon were found just
across the way at 6:30 pm, when the American Legion Post held
their very moving flag memorial and disposal service.
From the County Prayer Breakfast early that morning to Licking
Baptist’s remembrance service in the evening, the focus was on
Patriots and progress, on rebuilding and restoring, insofar as we
can, what was lost, and building anew on solid foundations. Let
that be our goal every 9-11!
We will have another community service project next Sept. 11, of
that you can be sure.
Thanks go to so many groups and individuals that this column is
sure to miss some, but the attempt has to be made: first to the
elders and officers and members of Hebron Christian Church who
came up with the idea for “Respond To The Call” and put the plan
together; thanks to Action Pest Control, Clay’s Café, Hebron Lions,
and Slater Family Farms for their contributions; and of course to
the fire and police departments for their support and involvement,
as well as to the staff of the village, especially Mindy Kester, Mike
McFarland, Jennifer McNichols, Linda Nicodemus, and Theresa
Ours.
Along with Mayor Cliff Mason, Councilmembers Jim Friend, Mike
Halter, Annelle Porter, and Scott Walters were very helpful, but
some of the most helpful assistance came from their spouses,
Rose Mason, Kim Halter, Dave Porter, and Beth Walters at the
registration table. Dave went around and personally
weed-whacked all the hydrant bases so the painting could go right
down to the standpipe collar on most of them. Charla Devine of
Devine Farms, which is starting their busy season these next few
weeks, came out and took on some High St. hydrants that required
a safety guard of firemen, but she didn’t seem to mind too much.
Others who served whether in painting, food, or supervision,
included: Daphne Cable, David Cable, Martha Cable, Allan Cook,
Amber Damron, Heather Damron, Marian Davis, Vivian
Dernberger, Pam DeVaul, Jeff Gill, Vern Griffith, Jared Halter,
Janice Harris, William Harris, Mary Lawrence, Ila Mason, Jeff
Mason, Julie McNichols, Tom McNichols, Joyce Meredith, Pat
Miller, Maribel Neel, Kim Ogershok, Art Ours, Patsy Ours, Helen
Parker, Dale Scheidegger, David Scheidegger, Michael
Scheidegger, Sharon Scheidegger, Jody Schoop, Anne Slater,
John W. Slater, Chad Smathers, Thelma Stadden, Josh Walters,
Connie Wildermuth, Nick Wildermuth, Tracy Wildermuth, and Jean
Wonders.
If we missed anyone, my apologies, but it was great having so
much help we started to lose track! And a final huge thank you to
Lt. Mike Yost, who did such a great job co-ordinating the paint and
supplies end of the whole deal.
No connection, I’m sure, but have you noticed the re-siding and
re-painting work being done by homeowners and landlords
around the village, particularly along Main and High Streets? Our
fair village just gets better looking all the time. . .
And a closing observation about service and selflessness: over at
Children’s Hospital, where Kara Glaser is recovering from the
severe injuries to her leg from a few weeks back, that young lady
has been using her first few trips around the floor in a wheelchair
to give away some of her beanie babies and stuffed animals she’s
received over these last two weeks. “I’ve got more than I need,”
Kara says, “and some of them don’t have so much.” We could all
do with her sense of how much is enough for ourselves, and how
best to make use of the excess. Thanks, Kara!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and an expert at fire
hydrant identification (the Chattanooga hydrants are very different
from the Anniston AL ones close up, you know). If you have hydrant
sightings or other Hebron news, call 928-4066 or e-mail
disciple@voyager.net.
“It Takes a Village. . .To Paint Fire Hydrants”
by Jeff Gill
Wednesday, Sept. 11 dawned as clear and beautiful as last year’s
day began, but the end of the day was filled with hope and
gladness for 2002.
“Respond To The Call” brought together not only some 60 plus
local residents, but also more than 30 students and parents from
Mrs. Maslowski and Ms. Manter’s 2nd grade class and most of the
firefighters and police officers of Hebron.
At last count, over 125 hydrants were painted and brightened, with
some left undone simply because they are about to be worked on
or turned around. The bright yellow fireplugs say clearly that we
take pride in our village and are all involved in our mutual safety
and security.
Before the service project honoring 9-11 began at noon, it was an
honor to help the HFD & HPD commemorate the losses of last
year by the old Hebron fire bell. Many of those who were gathered
around the flagpole and bell carriage at noon were found just
across the way at 6:30 pm, when the American Legion Post held
their very moving flag memorial and disposal service.
From the County Prayer Breakfast early that morning to Licking
Baptist’s remembrance service in the evening, the focus was on
Patriots and progress, on rebuilding and restoring, insofar as we
can, what was lost, and building anew on solid foundations. Let
that be our goal every 9-11!
We will have another community service project next Sept. 11, of
that you can be sure.
Thanks go to so many groups and individuals that this column is
sure to miss some, but the attempt has to be made: first to the
elders and officers and members of Hebron Christian Church who
came up with the idea for “Respond To The Call” and put the plan
together; thanks to Action Pest Control, Clay’s Café, Hebron Lions,
and Slater Family Farms for their contributions; and of course to
the fire and police departments for their support and involvement,
as well as to the staff of the village, especially Mindy Kester, Mike
McFarland, Jennifer McNichols, Linda Nicodemus, and Theresa
Ours.
Along with Mayor Cliff Mason, Councilmembers Jim Friend, Mike
Halter, Annelle Porter, and Scott Walters were very helpful, but
some of the most helpful assistance came from their spouses,
Rose Mason, Kim Halter, Dave Porter, and Beth Walters at the
registration table. Dave went around and personally
weed-whacked all the hydrant bases so the painting could go right
down to the standpipe collar on most of them. Charla Devine of
Devine Farms, which is starting their busy season these next few
weeks, came out and took on some High St. hydrants that required
a safety guard of firemen, but she didn’t seem to mind too much.
Others who served whether in painting, food, or supervision,
included: Daphne Cable, David Cable, Martha Cable, Allan Cook,
Amber Damron, Heather Damron, Marian Davis, Vivian
Dernberger, Pam DeVaul, Jeff Gill, Vern Griffith, Jared Halter,
Janice Harris, William Harris, Mary Lawrence, Ila Mason, Jeff
Mason, Julie McNichols, Tom McNichols, Joyce Meredith, Pat
Miller, Maribel Neel, Kim Ogershok, Art Ours, Patsy Ours, Helen
Parker, Dale Scheidegger, David Scheidegger, Michael
Scheidegger, Sharon Scheidegger, Jody Schoop, Anne Slater,
John W. Slater, Chad Smathers, Thelma Stadden, Josh Walters,
Connie Wildermuth, Nick Wildermuth, Tracy Wildermuth, and Jean
Wonders.
If we missed anyone, my apologies, but it was great having so
much help we started to lose track! And a final huge thank you to
Lt. Mike Yost, who did such a great job co-ordinating the paint and
supplies end of the whole deal.
No connection, I’m sure, but have you noticed the re-siding and
re-painting work being done by homeowners and landlords
around the village, particularly along Main and High Streets? Our
fair village just gets better looking all the time. . .
And a closing observation about service and selflessness: over at
Children’s Hospital, where Kara Glaser is recovering from the
severe injuries to her leg from a few weeks back, that young lady
has been using her first few trips around the floor in a wheelchair
to give away some of her beanie babies and stuffed animals she’s
received over these last two weeks. “I’ve got more than I need,”
Kara says, “and some of them don’t have so much.” We could all
do with her sense of how much is enough for ourselves, and how
best to make use of the excess. Thanks, Kara!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and an expert at fire
hydrant identification (the Chattanooga hydrants are very different
from the Anniston AL ones close up, you know). If you have hydrant
sightings or other Hebron news, call 928-4066 or e-mail
disciple@voyager.net.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 9-15
by Jeff Gill
One of the interesting effects of writing in the echo chamber of a weekly newspaper is that you’re better at reporting on what’s going to happen next week than what just happened yesterday, given the necessary lead time on publishing and distributing. On the other hand, you get to look back at stories after the first rush of events has settled down.
So while the “Respond To The Call” accounts of last Wednesday will have to wait another week, I can tell you something about how, at the Sweet Corn Festival in Millersport, the Lakewood Band Boosters went through 110 bags of doughnut mix, after using 83 the year before! The Buckeye Lake Youth Association waffle fry-ers and Hebron Lions also were kept hopping.
Fund raisers are a tough way to generate a budget, but when dues and fees and pledges reach their limits, the unsung heroes who make projects possible for so many youth and community activities are the ones who say yes to that extra shift in the booth, or run out late at night for one last load of supplies. Give yourselves a pat on the back, dunkers and dippers! Those doughnuts turn into dollars that are greatly needed and well used.
Coming up on Wednesday Sept. 18 at 7 pm in the Lakewood Intermediate building is the Fall Round-up for Cub Scout Pack 33. Ed Fuentes is Cubmaster this year, making the transition with the help of Doug Hohl. Pack 33 is ready to sign up boys from 1st grade Tiger Cubs to 2nd grade Wolves and 3rd grade Bears, with the 4th and 5th grade Webelos den to ready the Cubs for Boy Scouts.
Pack 33 is one of the strongest Cub packs in Licking County, and they’ve been helping support Pack 27 out of Hebron Elementary until they can build up a full crew of adult leadership, so this is the Round-up for all the Lakewood district Cub Scouts.
This is the season for all the Cub packs around Licking County to register new scouts and start Fall programs, so whether you live around the Lakewood school district or anywhere else you might be reading the Booster, if you have a young boy in the house, check out Scouting for him!
When the Cubs and Boy Scouts head out to Camp Falling Rock, which just celebrated a 75th anniversary in August, they’ll see the woolly worms out and about. No column worth its salt would miss commenting on wooly worms, and how they predict (?) how hard a winter we’ll have. My problem here is that I’ve heard a) a wide dark stripe means heavy snow, and b) a narrow dark stripe means a hard winter.
It gets worse: the last woolly worm I saw, doing what I hope is the “last mow” of the yard this year, was all tan, with no dark brown stripe at all, except a ring near the tail. Does that mean we’ll get flaming hailstones in December?
Send your reports of woolly worm mythology and stripe sightings to disciple@voyager.net, or leave me a message at 928-4066, and we’ll write ‘em up.
Our entire community is keeping up our prayers and sharing information on young Kara Glaser, who was so badly injured last week after her dad’s motorcycle was struck by a car on US 40 near York Road. After a number of surgeries, there’s no doubt that more are going to be needed, but she’s out of the ICU at Children’s Hospital, and we look forward to seeing her back in Hebron soon. With the odd schedule of these columns, she may be back home with Jim and Tina even as you read this!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and an active Scouter in the Simon Kenton Council, BSA. If you have local news or events, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
by Jeff Gill
One of the interesting effects of writing in the echo chamber of a weekly newspaper is that you’re better at reporting on what’s going to happen next week than what just happened yesterday, given the necessary lead time on publishing and distributing. On the other hand, you get to look back at stories after the first rush of events has settled down.
So while the “Respond To The Call” accounts of last Wednesday will have to wait another week, I can tell you something about how, at the Sweet Corn Festival in Millersport, the Lakewood Band Boosters went through 110 bags of doughnut mix, after using 83 the year before! The Buckeye Lake Youth Association waffle fry-ers and Hebron Lions also were kept hopping.
Fund raisers are a tough way to generate a budget, but when dues and fees and pledges reach their limits, the unsung heroes who make projects possible for so many youth and community activities are the ones who say yes to that extra shift in the booth, or run out late at night for one last load of supplies. Give yourselves a pat on the back, dunkers and dippers! Those doughnuts turn into dollars that are greatly needed and well used.
Coming up on Wednesday Sept. 18 at 7 pm in the Lakewood Intermediate building is the Fall Round-up for Cub Scout Pack 33. Ed Fuentes is Cubmaster this year, making the transition with the help of Doug Hohl. Pack 33 is ready to sign up boys from 1st grade Tiger Cubs to 2nd grade Wolves and 3rd grade Bears, with the 4th and 5th grade Webelos den to ready the Cubs for Boy Scouts.
Pack 33 is one of the strongest Cub packs in Licking County, and they’ve been helping support Pack 27 out of Hebron Elementary until they can build up a full crew of adult leadership, so this is the Round-up for all the Lakewood district Cub Scouts.
This is the season for all the Cub packs around Licking County to register new scouts and start Fall programs, so whether you live around the Lakewood school district or anywhere else you might be reading the Booster, if you have a young boy in the house, check out Scouting for him!
When the Cubs and Boy Scouts head out to Camp Falling Rock, which just celebrated a 75th anniversary in August, they’ll see the woolly worms out and about. No column worth its salt would miss commenting on wooly worms, and how they predict (?) how hard a winter we’ll have. My problem here is that I’ve heard a) a wide dark stripe means heavy snow, and b) a narrow dark stripe means a hard winter.
It gets worse: the last woolly worm I saw, doing what I hope is the “last mow” of the yard this year, was all tan, with no dark brown stripe at all, except a ring near the tail. Does that mean we’ll get flaming hailstones in December?
Send your reports of woolly worm mythology and stripe sightings to disciple@voyager.net, or leave me a message at 928-4066, and we’ll write ‘em up.
Our entire community is keeping up our prayers and sharing information on young Kara Glaser, who was so badly injured last week after her dad’s motorcycle was struck by a car on US 40 near York Road. After a number of surgeries, there’s no doubt that more are going to be needed, but she’s out of the ICU at Children’s Hospital, and we look forward to seeing her back in Hebron soon. With the odd schedule of these columns, she may be back home with Jim and Tina even as you read this!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and an active Scouter in the Simon Kenton Council, BSA. If you have local news or events, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
Wednesday, September 04, 2002
Well folks, after re-editing and re-sending this two or three times to the Ohio Bicentennial Commission, it suddenly struck me that if you're willing to read my newspaper/radio/church newsletter column stuff, you might actually find this of interest. The request was for 4 to 6 ds pages (approx 1500 wds) on the history of one's religious tradition, with some focus on the state of Ohio, for a book (or CD-ROm, they're now saying) to go out to school libraries and such for the 1803-2003 state bicentennial.
Have you ever noticed that it's the stuff you write for free that is the hardest to get into print? Anyhow, i shudder to think how much total time has gone into this over the last year, but i hope that -- keeping the parameters in mind -- it works for you. Comments, as always, welcome at disciple@voyager.net.
* * * * * * *
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Ohio
By Jeff Gill
Restoration of “the ancient order of things” and building Christian unity make up the core teaching, or “plea” of Restoration movement churches. Even in the division between Disciples of Christ, Churches of Christ, and independent Christian Churches, all three branches of the Restoration Movement (sometimes called the “Stone-Campbell movement” by historians) still claim this essential plea, and look back to early leaders like Thomas Campbell with their affirmation that “the church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one.”
How did a movement based on the need for Christian unity, and discarding creeds and doctrine for a re-emphasis on New Testament teaching as a model for church governance, end up becoming a denomination, let alone three? The Restoration Movement story is told in Ohio much as it might be for the United States and Canada as a whole.
From frontier areas of America as they were around 1800, the need for flexible church organization and the desire for leadership whether ordained or not, sent ripples of change through existing denominational structures. Starting in the Ohio River valley and other margins of settlement, preachers found themselves inviting Christians together who had not worshiped in one place back in Europe, or even along the Atlantic shore. People asked to join in communion celebrations who had not seen clergy of their denomination for months or even years, as well as needing baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Communities used to doing everything from barn raising to militia drill together wanted to hold revival services together, too. Pastors started to wonder, “Why not?”
Barton Stone, a Presbyterian pastor in northern Kentucky, hosted a revival at Cane Ridge in 1801. Methodists and Baptists and scattered other Christian groups were represented in both the preaching and hearing at this celebrated event which drew in thousands from both sides of the Ohio. Presbyterian authorities were highly critical after reports of the eclectic nature of the services, and their attacks led to Stone and others leaving their presbytery, or local organization of churches, and forming their own.
But even that they shortly dissolved, expressing their desire in 1804 to “sink into union with the Body of Christ.” This group, calling themselves simply Christians, acknowledged no organization above that of congregation, and pointed to the scriptures as their single authoritative guide. As Duane Cummins has pointed out, “the formalized church of the time. . .became irrelevant to the frontier settlers.” Tradition and distant formal authority was not a factor in their social setting, and carried little weight in how the settlers turned towards their God.
Not long after, and equally near the waters of the Ohio, a Scots-Irish preacher came by invitation to western Pennsylvania. Thomas Campbell was admittedly weary of the divisions in the Presbyterian church of northern Ireland, but hoped as he left family behind in 1807 that a new start for Christ’s church could be found in this New World. Instead, the disputes over doctrine had come with the other baggage into the frontier settlements along Chartiers and Cross Creeks, and Thomas was quickly embroiled in the same controversies over open communion tables and who was “fit” to serve and receive at the Lord’s table.
Like Stone in Kentucky, Campbell in Pennsylvania withdrew from denominational structures before he could be rejected, and organized on the local, congregational level. He defended his actions in a publication called “Declaration and Address,” which closed with thirteen propositions for the restoration of the New Testament church and Christian unity, starting with his declaration about the nature of “the church of Christ upon earth” and continuing in words best summarized by the reforming motto that predates both Stone and Campbell, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
Almost immediately upon the publication of “Declaration and Address” in 1809, the rest of Thomas Campbell’s family came to Washington, PA. His 21 year old son Alexander had helped his mother Jane hold the family together through a shipwreck during their first attempt to reach America, and nearly a year in Glasgow, Scotland waiting for their next chance to seek passage aboard the “Hibernia.”
Alexander had used the unexpected delay well, attending college at the University of Glasgow, in part out of a commitment to Christian ministry made during the shipwreck that brought them there. He was exposed to Scotland reformers like Glas, Sandeman, and the Haldanes, whose ideas about congregational independence, weekly communion, and believer’s baptism by immersion (given at the “age of accountability” instead of baptizing infants) were to have a lasting impact on the Campbells.
Thomas was relieved to find, when he and Alexander were reunited, that just before departing Glasgow, Alexander too had broken with the Church of Scotland, primarily over the practice of “testing” church members to determine their fitness to receive communion at one of the few times a year the Lord’s Table was set. Both father and son had come to see that baptism and communion are freely given gifts of God through the church to help make souls ready for grace, and that requiring signs of grace before permitting access to those sacraments (or “ordinances” in the language of the reformers) was putting human-made barriers in the way of God’s renewing activity in the world.
During the next year, father and son joined with other families in their area in forming the Christian Association of Washington, PA; meeting in a variety of locations, they soon felt the need to build a place of worship convenient to fellow believers who were coming from all along the valleys and ridges draining into the Ohio. At Brush Run in 1811, right up against the northern panhandle of what was still Virginia (now West Virginia), they built their first church. A fateful trip to borrow precious books, rare on the frontier, took Alexander across the Virginia border to what is now Bethany, West Virginia, where he would meet his future wife Margaret and the place where – when home! – he would live out the rest of his life. He would be ordained by the Brush Run elders on New Year’s Day of 1812, and married not long after.
The newly married couple almost made it to Ohio, now a state, when they considered a move in 1814 to the Zanesville area with a number of younger families out of Brush Run. The plan to pioneer a reforming community, worshiping together and educating their children in the light of “clear teachings of the Bible,” was put on a back burner when Margaret’s father offered his Buffalo Creek home and acreage to the young Campbells for one dollar.
Farming, raising a family, and leading a local congregation could have easily been the rest of Alexander’s story, but the desire to be part of a larger fellowship and supportive Christian community led the Brush Run reformers into and out of Baptist associations, which seemed at first a congenial home for their particular religious beliefs and practices. The frontier respect for autonomy and independence continued to attract supporters, and also kept them in conflict with church structures and traditions. These conflicts led them to a firm objection to doctrinal confessions and creeds “as a test of fellowship,” even when they might have agreed with the substance of their content. The “Christian Baptist” was a publication begun by Campbell in 1823 to share more widely their belief that a simple “Good Confession” of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior was the only requirement for membership in a fellowship of “Disciples,” which was scripturally his preferred name for their churches.
The final break with the Mahoning (Baptist) Association in Austintown, OH in 1830 led to a change in the title of Campbell’s publication, and a new self-understanding as “a Restoration movement.” Named from Alexander’s belief that the work of the church was to teach and embody the future millennium of Christ’s reign over creation, “The Millenial Harbinger” would carry the Restorationist message not just all across the frontier but ultimately around the world. A compelling preacher from Pittsburgh named Walter Scott joined the growing movement, and began in the Western Reserve area of Ohio to preach in existing churches and begin new congregations. In years to come, many of these northeast Ohioans would follow the frontier to Indiana and Iowa, or south through Missouri to Oklahoma and Texas, repeating the process of church planting they experienced back in Ohio and spreading their model of congregationally governed churches with lay leadership empowered to serve communion and baptize upon hearing the simple words of Peter’s Good Confession.
When Scott moved the center of his ministry down to the Cincinnati area, more connections developed between the “Christians” of Barton Stone and the “Disciples” who had been influenced by the Campbells. New Year’s Day 1832 brought these two streams together in a formal greeting at a worship service in Lexington, KY. While these currents brought strength and power to the Restorationist movement, they also introduced strong forces that Alexander was only just able to hold together until his death in 1866.
As the 1800’s drew to a close, issues of slavery and the Civil War, modernism and “innovations” such as musical instruments in worship, and resistance to co-operative mission work as “unscriptural” led the Churches of Christ down a separate path. Independent Christian Churches have loosely organized around the North American Christian Convention as they parted from the congregations and state societies that came together as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the formal name and structure adopted in the late 1960’s. The Christian Church in Ohio, one of over 30 regional bodies for Disciples’ congregations in this state, grew out of the state missionary and Sunday School societies whose co-operative work had grown out of the initial association started in Cincinnati in 1849, with Alexander Campbell as first secretary.
Memorable figures from our past still inspire us today, reminding Ohio Disciples of their traditions of honoring education and public service: embodied by names like James A. Garfield, the only ordained minister to serve as President of the United States, and earlier president of Hiram College, a Disciples’ foundation following in the example of Campbell’s Bethany College. During the last century, notable figures like Gaines Cook, Herald Monroe, and Howard Ratcliff have led the evolving institution that we now call the Christian Church in Ohio, made up of 200 congregations around the state. Today, Ohio Disciples look with pride to their camp and conference programs for youth and adults celebrating over 50 years of vital ministry at Camp Christian near Magnetic Springs, and honor the leadership role our denomination continues to play in ecumenical bodies like the Ohio Council of Churches and Churches Uniting in Christ. With Barton Stone, we still affirm that “Christian unity is our polar star.”
Have you ever noticed that it's the stuff you write for free that is the hardest to get into print? Anyhow, i shudder to think how much total time has gone into this over the last year, but i hope that -- keeping the parameters in mind -- it works for you. Comments, as always, welcome at disciple@voyager.net.
* * * * * * *
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Ohio
By Jeff Gill
Restoration of “the ancient order of things” and building Christian unity make up the core teaching, or “plea” of Restoration movement churches. Even in the division between Disciples of Christ, Churches of Christ, and independent Christian Churches, all three branches of the Restoration Movement (sometimes called the “Stone-Campbell movement” by historians) still claim this essential plea, and look back to early leaders like Thomas Campbell with their affirmation that “the church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one.”
How did a movement based on the need for Christian unity, and discarding creeds and doctrine for a re-emphasis on New Testament teaching as a model for church governance, end up becoming a denomination, let alone three? The Restoration Movement story is told in Ohio much as it might be for the United States and Canada as a whole.
From frontier areas of America as they were around 1800, the need for flexible church organization and the desire for leadership whether ordained or not, sent ripples of change through existing denominational structures. Starting in the Ohio River valley and other margins of settlement, preachers found themselves inviting Christians together who had not worshiped in one place back in Europe, or even along the Atlantic shore. People asked to join in communion celebrations who had not seen clergy of their denomination for months or even years, as well as needing baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Communities used to doing everything from barn raising to militia drill together wanted to hold revival services together, too. Pastors started to wonder, “Why not?”
Barton Stone, a Presbyterian pastor in northern Kentucky, hosted a revival at Cane Ridge in 1801. Methodists and Baptists and scattered other Christian groups were represented in both the preaching and hearing at this celebrated event which drew in thousands from both sides of the Ohio. Presbyterian authorities were highly critical after reports of the eclectic nature of the services, and their attacks led to Stone and others leaving their presbytery, or local organization of churches, and forming their own.
But even that they shortly dissolved, expressing their desire in 1804 to “sink into union with the Body of Christ.” This group, calling themselves simply Christians, acknowledged no organization above that of congregation, and pointed to the scriptures as their single authoritative guide. As Duane Cummins has pointed out, “the formalized church of the time. . .became irrelevant to the frontier settlers.” Tradition and distant formal authority was not a factor in their social setting, and carried little weight in how the settlers turned towards their God.
Not long after, and equally near the waters of the Ohio, a Scots-Irish preacher came by invitation to western Pennsylvania. Thomas Campbell was admittedly weary of the divisions in the Presbyterian church of northern Ireland, but hoped as he left family behind in 1807 that a new start for Christ’s church could be found in this New World. Instead, the disputes over doctrine had come with the other baggage into the frontier settlements along Chartiers and Cross Creeks, and Thomas was quickly embroiled in the same controversies over open communion tables and who was “fit” to serve and receive at the Lord’s table.
Like Stone in Kentucky, Campbell in Pennsylvania withdrew from denominational structures before he could be rejected, and organized on the local, congregational level. He defended his actions in a publication called “Declaration and Address,” which closed with thirteen propositions for the restoration of the New Testament church and Christian unity, starting with his declaration about the nature of “the church of Christ upon earth” and continuing in words best summarized by the reforming motto that predates both Stone and Campbell, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
Almost immediately upon the publication of “Declaration and Address” in 1809, the rest of Thomas Campbell’s family came to Washington, PA. His 21 year old son Alexander had helped his mother Jane hold the family together through a shipwreck during their first attempt to reach America, and nearly a year in Glasgow, Scotland waiting for their next chance to seek passage aboard the “Hibernia.”
Alexander had used the unexpected delay well, attending college at the University of Glasgow, in part out of a commitment to Christian ministry made during the shipwreck that brought them there. He was exposed to Scotland reformers like Glas, Sandeman, and the Haldanes, whose ideas about congregational independence, weekly communion, and believer’s baptism by immersion (given at the “age of accountability” instead of baptizing infants) were to have a lasting impact on the Campbells.
Thomas was relieved to find, when he and Alexander were reunited, that just before departing Glasgow, Alexander too had broken with the Church of Scotland, primarily over the practice of “testing” church members to determine their fitness to receive communion at one of the few times a year the Lord’s Table was set. Both father and son had come to see that baptism and communion are freely given gifts of God through the church to help make souls ready for grace, and that requiring signs of grace before permitting access to those sacraments (or “ordinances” in the language of the reformers) was putting human-made barriers in the way of God’s renewing activity in the world.
During the next year, father and son joined with other families in their area in forming the Christian Association of Washington, PA; meeting in a variety of locations, they soon felt the need to build a place of worship convenient to fellow believers who were coming from all along the valleys and ridges draining into the Ohio. At Brush Run in 1811, right up against the northern panhandle of what was still Virginia (now West Virginia), they built their first church. A fateful trip to borrow precious books, rare on the frontier, took Alexander across the Virginia border to what is now Bethany, West Virginia, where he would meet his future wife Margaret and the place where – when home! – he would live out the rest of his life. He would be ordained by the Brush Run elders on New Year’s Day of 1812, and married not long after.
The newly married couple almost made it to Ohio, now a state, when they considered a move in 1814 to the Zanesville area with a number of younger families out of Brush Run. The plan to pioneer a reforming community, worshiping together and educating their children in the light of “clear teachings of the Bible,” was put on a back burner when Margaret’s father offered his Buffalo Creek home and acreage to the young Campbells for one dollar.
Farming, raising a family, and leading a local congregation could have easily been the rest of Alexander’s story, but the desire to be part of a larger fellowship and supportive Christian community led the Brush Run reformers into and out of Baptist associations, which seemed at first a congenial home for their particular religious beliefs and practices. The frontier respect for autonomy and independence continued to attract supporters, and also kept them in conflict with church structures and traditions. These conflicts led them to a firm objection to doctrinal confessions and creeds “as a test of fellowship,” even when they might have agreed with the substance of their content. The “Christian Baptist” was a publication begun by Campbell in 1823 to share more widely their belief that a simple “Good Confession” of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior was the only requirement for membership in a fellowship of “Disciples,” which was scripturally his preferred name for their churches.
The final break with the Mahoning (Baptist) Association in Austintown, OH in 1830 led to a change in the title of Campbell’s publication, and a new self-understanding as “a Restoration movement.” Named from Alexander’s belief that the work of the church was to teach and embody the future millennium of Christ’s reign over creation, “The Millenial Harbinger” would carry the Restorationist message not just all across the frontier but ultimately around the world. A compelling preacher from Pittsburgh named Walter Scott joined the growing movement, and began in the Western Reserve area of Ohio to preach in existing churches and begin new congregations. In years to come, many of these northeast Ohioans would follow the frontier to Indiana and Iowa, or south through Missouri to Oklahoma and Texas, repeating the process of church planting they experienced back in Ohio and spreading their model of congregationally governed churches with lay leadership empowered to serve communion and baptize upon hearing the simple words of Peter’s Good Confession.
When Scott moved the center of his ministry down to the Cincinnati area, more connections developed between the “Christians” of Barton Stone and the “Disciples” who had been influenced by the Campbells. New Year’s Day 1832 brought these two streams together in a formal greeting at a worship service in Lexington, KY. While these currents brought strength and power to the Restorationist movement, they also introduced strong forces that Alexander was only just able to hold together until his death in 1866.
As the 1800’s drew to a close, issues of slavery and the Civil War, modernism and “innovations” such as musical instruments in worship, and resistance to co-operative mission work as “unscriptural” led the Churches of Christ down a separate path. Independent Christian Churches have loosely organized around the North American Christian Convention as they parted from the congregations and state societies that came together as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the formal name and structure adopted in the late 1960’s. The Christian Church in Ohio, one of over 30 regional bodies for Disciples’ congregations in this state, grew out of the state missionary and Sunday School societies whose co-operative work had grown out of the initial association started in Cincinnati in 1849, with Alexander Campbell as first secretary.
Memorable figures from our past still inspire us today, reminding Ohio Disciples of their traditions of honoring education and public service: embodied by names like James A. Garfield, the only ordained minister to serve as President of the United States, and earlier president of Hiram College, a Disciples’ foundation following in the example of Campbell’s Bethany College. During the last century, notable figures like Gaines Cook, Herald Monroe, and Howard Ratcliff have led the evolving institution that we now call the Christian Church in Ohio, made up of 200 congregations around the state. Today, Ohio Disciples look with pride to their camp and conference programs for youth and adults celebrating over 50 years of vital ministry at Camp Christian near Magnetic Springs, and honor the leadership role our denomination continues to play in ecumenical bodies like the Ohio Council of Churches and Churches Uniting in Christ. With Barton Stone, we still affirm that “Christian unity is our polar star.”
Tuesday, September 03, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 9-08
by Jeff Gill
You don’t have to spend all day Wednesday watching TV. Actually, that’s good advice any day, but there is a growing impression that to properly honor the anniversary of 9-11, you should watch saturation coverage of commemorative events on the tube.
Personally, I like my commemorations up close and personal, and in small doses. If you feel the same way, then early and late on this Sept. 11 you can attend a gathering which remembers the attack, the rescuers, and our honored dead, and in between you can do something, which feels like the best commemorative event of all.
There’s plenty written elsewhere about it, but let me remind you of the County Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast at 5:45 am in Adena Hall at OSU-N, with an amazing guest speaker who has done relief work in Afghanistan and always a wonderful time of worship. Tickets are at Park National Bank branches as well as Moments for Majesty at the mall for $10. See letuspray.net for more details.
Not to be outdone by the mayors of Licking County, the County Commissioners ask us all to observe a minute of silence followed by church bell ringing at 8:45 am.
“Respond To The Call” is the community effort to honor this first anniversary of 9-11 by helping our fire department get all Hebron’s fire hydrants painted between noon and 6 pm. Hebron Christian Church is helping co-ordinate and feed folk who turn out. A staging area behind the church off Cully and Church Sts. will be a good place to start, whether you can go around and help paint, want to drive a crew around in your pickup, or want to stay and work with the food and drink part of the plan. And to further repeat, we’ll paint ‘em the reflective yellow provided by the department, and then go back around and add at the base a simple “In Memoriam 9-11-01.”
Doug Amspaugh tell me that the American Legion will hold their commemorative ceremony at the post at 6 pm, and the closing prayer time for the entire community is at Licking Baptist Church on Beaver Run at 7 pm.
Patriots wear a variety of uniforms, and in Hebron for 9-11, the badge of honor will be yellow paint splots! Next year, we may have some other form of service to offer, but fire hydrants feel awfully appropriate for this year.
Changing course rather drastically, if you have evergreens, you may want to check for some fairly innocent looking football shaped dangles about an inch long or so. They look like needle-covered cones or pendants, and they contain “bagworms” which will, I promise you, kill your plants. West Nile is vastly overblown (the flu kills tens of thousands more a year than this virus will), but bagworms are very common this year, and they are guaranteed destroyers of greenery.
While I like writing about the unappreciated, underestimated glories of nature, these bad boys have to go, and I do mean dead. . .just try not to enjoy killing them, and we’ll all be OK.
Reschedule note, due to Labor Day: the Hebron Historical Society, who just got their signs up at the village limits, wants you to know that you didn’t miss the Sept. meeting, since it was postponed to Mon. the 9th, at the usual 7:30 pm in the Masonic Building on High St. Drop by for a cup of coffee and a quart of history!
We’re all hoping for a good harvest, and something to harvest. Devine Farms is optimistic in the pumpkin department (yep, that time’s coming up soon), but the corn and beans are looking puny, at least around the edges of the fields. We’ll see within a week or so what’s cooking in the middles. Meanwhile, be careful around those corners until the crops come down, and next week we’ll hear about how “Respond To The Call” went around our Hebron Crossroads.
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and plans to be splattered with yellow paint come next Wed. If you have local news or events, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
by Jeff Gill
You don’t have to spend all day Wednesday watching TV. Actually, that’s good advice any day, but there is a growing impression that to properly honor the anniversary of 9-11, you should watch saturation coverage of commemorative events on the tube.
Personally, I like my commemorations up close and personal, and in small doses. If you feel the same way, then early and late on this Sept. 11 you can attend a gathering which remembers the attack, the rescuers, and our honored dead, and in between you can do something, which feels like the best commemorative event of all.
There’s plenty written elsewhere about it, but let me remind you of the County Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast at 5:45 am in Adena Hall at OSU-N, with an amazing guest speaker who has done relief work in Afghanistan and always a wonderful time of worship. Tickets are at Park National Bank branches as well as Moments for Majesty at the mall for $10. See letuspray.net for more details.
Not to be outdone by the mayors of Licking County, the County Commissioners ask us all to observe a minute of silence followed by church bell ringing at 8:45 am.
“Respond To The Call” is the community effort to honor this first anniversary of 9-11 by helping our fire department get all Hebron’s fire hydrants painted between noon and 6 pm. Hebron Christian Church is helping co-ordinate and feed folk who turn out. A staging area behind the church off Cully and Church Sts. will be a good place to start, whether you can go around and help paint, want to drive a crew around in your pickup, or want to stay and work with the food and drink part of the plan. And to further repeat, we’ll paint ‘em the reflective yellow provided by the department, and then go back around and add at the base a simple “In Memoriam 9-11-01.”
Doug Amspaugh tell me that the American Legion will hold their commemorative ceremony at the post at 6 pm, and the closing prayer time for the entire community is at Licking Baptist Church on Beaver Run at 7 pm.
Patriots wear a variety of uniforms, and in Hebron for 9-11, the badge of honor will be yellow paint splots! Next year, we may have some other form of service to offer, but fire hydrants feel awfully appropriate for this year.
Changing course rather drastically, if you have evergreens, you may want to check for some fairly innocent looking football shaped dangles about an inch long or so. They look like needle-covered cones or pendants, and they contain “bagworms” which will, I promise you, kill your plants. West Nile is vastly overblown (the flu kills tens of thousands more a year than this virus will), but bagworms are very common this year, and they are guaranteed destroyers of greenery.
While I like writing about the unappreciated, underestimated glories of nature, these bad boys have to go, and I do mean dead. . .just try not to enjoy killing them, and we’ll all be OK.
Reschedule note, due to Labor Day: the Hebron Historical Society, who just got their signs up at the village limits, wants you to know that you didn’t miss the Sept. meeting, since it was postponed to Mon. the 9th, at the usual 7:30 pm in the Masonic Building on High St. Drop by for a cup of coffee and a quart of history!
We’re all hoping for a good harvest, and something to harvest. Devine Farms is optimistic in the pumpkin department (yep, that time’s coming up soon), but the corn and beans are looking puny, at least around the edges of the fields. We’ll see within a week or so what’s cooking in the middles. Meanwhile, be careful around those corners until the crops come down, and next week we’ll hear about how “Respond To The Call” went around our Hebron Crossroads.
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and plans to be splattered with yellow paint come next Wed. If you have local news or events, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
Thursday, August 29, 2002
Grace and peace to you! For everyone who has wandered in due to Mark Shea's very kind compliments and link, this is less a standard "weblog/blog" than it is a dumping ground for my weekly/monthly writing for a local paper/website/church newsletter. I still don't speak html fluently, and am aware this particular blogger page looks, well, lame.
I just wanted to have a simple place to point folk who asked me for a copy of last week/month's article; perhaps it will be more of a blog someday, but for now, greetings from an evangelical immersionist Anglican Restorationist pastor who is currently ticked off at offenses against his Roman Catholic brethren!
Anyhow, the good stuff is, as always, over at http://lileks.com if it's not at http://markshea.blogspot.com or http://amywelborn.blogspot.com (and if i knew what i was doing, those'd be links, but as long as hospice visits are my main priority, you'll just have to copy/paste like we Neanderthals. . .).
Pax et gratia!
(ps -- greetings always welcome at disciple@voyager.net; as to hyperlink, see above, advice also welcome)
I just wanted to have a simple place to point folk who asked me for a copy of last week/month's article; perhaps it will be more of a blog someday, but for now, greetings from an evangelical immersionist Anglican Restorationist pastor who is currently ticked off at offenses against his Roman Catholic brethren!
Anyhow, the good stuff is, as always, over at http://lileks.com if it's not at http://markshea.blogspot.com or http://amywelborn.blogspot.com (and if i knew what i was doing, those'd be links, but as long as hospice visits are my main priority, you'll just have to copy/paste like we Neanderthals. . .).
Pax et gratia!
(ps -- greetings always welcome at disciple@voyager.net; as to hyperlink, see above, advice also welcome)
Sunday, August 25, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 9-01
by Jeff Gill
With the Sweet Corn Festival wrapping up this weekend (did you get your Lakewood Band Booster doughnuts?), the fair season in our neighborhood has just the Fairfield County Fair in Lancaster to look forward to (but that’s quite a bit to look forward to!). Looking backward, I just saw Aaron Dunkle’s ribbon for “Outstanding of the Day” from the Ohio State Fair, where Drew Cable and Chris Jones also got good marks from the judges.
Aaron’s project was on vegetable gardening, and his dad Bryan has been selling some of his great produce down along Rt. 37. Bryan has a computer controlled irrigation system that I can personally testify produces tasty cantaloupe, along with tomatoes, peppers, various melons, and a number of other vegetables not seen at every farmstand.
This is the first chance I’ve had to say how amazing the Newark Bicentennial parade was. It was fun to see an old friend, Charlie Rhoads, as Wayne Newton’s chauffeur in one of Charlie’s classic Oldsmobiles. Who better? And from the point of view of jogging along behind the United Way float for 3 miles pulling a wagon with a load o’ Chris in it, I really think half of Hebron was their to help our friends up north celebrate with style!
We’re all struggling a bit with how to properly prepare for September 11 this year. Everyone knows that this date will continue to be a day of remembrance throughout our lifetimes, and this first commemoration feels important to get right.
While there will be a variety of national and televised observances, and TV-4 will form a “living flag” that day at Crew Stadium in Columbus, here’s what we’re looking at in our area.
At 5:45 am, at OSU-Newark, the regular County Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is set for the 11th, with a special guest speaker who has spent many years in Afghanistan. This event is always well attended, and they expect close to 1000 this year; individual tickets are $10 and are at “Moments for Majesty” and a variety of other locations. This truly is a county-wide program.
8:45 am, when the first attack struck, is when the county commissioners have asked for bells to be tolled and a moment of silence observed around the county. When the first tower in NYC fell, just after 9:45 am, a commemoration is also being considered.
From Noon to early evening, Hebron Christian Church is co-ordinating for the village a service project open to all, under the theme “Respond To The Call.” In honor of the firefighters and many other public servants who responded 9-11-01, we’re going to help them by getting Hebron’s fire hydrants painted with a fresh coat of reflective yellow (250 or more, in case you wondered).
Volunteers are invited to come by a staging area behind the church building, and as teams are sent out with some quick training and maps for which hydrants to paint, there will also be food, refreshments, and music available through the afternoon and early evening. We also hope to send a follow-up team around, as the hydrants dry, putting a stenciled “In Memoriam 9-11-01” at the base of each one.
The American Legion plans to hold a special ceremonial “flag retirement” at the post at 6 pm; if you have flags that are worn out and need to be respectfully disposed of, bring them by the Legion hall off Basin St.
Finally, Licking Baptist Church, which just dedicated a new worship center on Beaver Run Road last weekend, will host a community prayer and commemoration service at 7 pm.
That’s what the Hebron area plans to do for 9-11 this year, and many thanks to Chief Weekly, Lt. Yost, Mayor Mason, and Councilmembers Halter and Walters for their help in pulling together arrangements. We’ll have more news next week at the Hebron Crossroads on this day of remembrance and service.
When the news of far-off struggle and nearby trouble starts to get you down, I know that one of my grandmother’s favorite “spiritual disciplines” was watching birds (y’know, “they toil not, neither do they spin” as the Boss said) to get calmed and centered.
Recently, quite a flock of purple martins has passed through Hebron, darting and zooming low, flying like swifts but much closer to the grasstops than swifts care to go.
Out our way, a cloud of purple martins and a flotilla of dragonflies were zig-zagging their way through a four-course dinner of newly hatched mosquitos, and their antics were enough to wipe away a long, hard day.
Make sure to get outside before the nights start too soon; anyhow, you have to work off those doughnuts from the Sweet Corn Festival!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a definite doughnut eater. If you have doughnut sightings, or wildlife on view, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
by Jeff Gill
With the Sweet Corn Festival wrapping up this weekend (did you get your Lakewood Band Booster doughnuts?), the fair season in our neighborhood has just the Fairfield County Fair in Lancaster to look forward to (but that’s quite a bit to look forward to!). Looking backward, I just saw Aaron Dunkle’s ribbon for “Outstanding of the Day” from the Ohio State Fair, where Drew Cable and Chris Jones also got good marks from the judges.
Aaron’s project was on vegetable gardening, and his dad Bryan has been selling some of his great produce down along Rt. 37. Bryan has a computer controlled irrigation system that I can personally testify produces tasty cantaloupe, along with tomatoes, peppers, various melons, and a number of other vegetables not seen at every farmstand.
This is the first chance I’ve had to say how amazing the Newark Bicentennial parade was. It was fun to see an old friend, Charlie Rhoads, as Wayne Newton’s chauffeur in one of Charlie’s classic Oldsmobiles. Who better? And from the point of view of jogging along behind the United Way float for 3 miles pulling a wagon with a load o’ Chris in it, I really think half of Hebron was their to help our friends up north celebrate with style!
We’re all struggling a bit with how to properly prepare for September 11 this year. Everyone knows that this date will continue to be a day of remembrance throughout our lifetimes, and this first commemoration feels important to get right.
While there will be a variety of national and televised observances, and TV-4 will form a “living flag” that day at Crew Stadium in Columbus, here’s what we’re looking at in our area.
At 5:45 am, at OSU-Newark, the regular County Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is set for the 11th, with a special guest speaker who has spent many years in Afghanistan. This event is always well attended, and they expect close to 1000 this year; individual tickets are $10 and are at “Moments for Majesty” and a variety of other locations. This truly is a county-wide program.
8:45 am, when the first attack struck, is when the county commissioners have asked for bells to be tolled and a moment of silence observed around the county. When the first tower in NYC fell, just after 9:45 am, a commemoration is also being considered.
From Noon to early evening, Hebron Christian Church is co-ordinating for the village a service project open to all, under the theme “Respond To The Call.” In honor of the firefighters and many other public servants who responded 9-11-01, we’re going to help them by getting Hebron’s fire hydrants painted with a fresh coat of reflective yellow (250 or more, in case you wondered).
Volunteers are invited to come by a staging area behind the church building, and as teams are sent out with some quick training and maps for which hydrants to paint, there will also be food, refreshments, and music available through the afternoon and early evening. We also hope to send a follow-up team around, as the hydrants dry, putting a stenciled “In Memoriam 9-11-01” at the base of each one.
The American Legion plans to hold a special ceremonial “flag retirement” at the post at 6 pm; if you have flags that are worn out and need to be respectfully disposed of, bring them by the Legion hall off Basin St.
Finally, Licking Baptist Church, which just dedicated a new worship center on Beaver Run Road last weekend, will host a community prayer and commemoration service at 7 pm.
That’s what the Hebron area plans to do for 9-11 this year, and many thanks to Chief Weekly, Lt. Yost, Mayor Mason, and Councilmembers Halter and Walters for their help in pulling together arrangements. We’ll have more news next week at the Hebron Crossroads on this day of remembrance and service.
When the news of far-off struggle and nearby trouble starts to get you down, I know that one of my grandmother’s favorite “spiritual disciplines” was watching birds (y’know, “they toil not, neither do they spin” as the Boss said) to get calmed and centered.
Recently, quite a flock of purple martins has passed through Hebron, darting and zooming low, flying like swifts but much closer to the grasstops than swifts care to go.
Out our way, a cloud of purple martins and a flotilla of dragonflies were zig-zagging their way through a four-course dinner of newly hatched mosquitos, and their antics were enough to wipe away a long, hard day.
Make sure to get outside before the nights start too soon; anyhow, you have to work off those doughnuts from the Sweet Corn Festival!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a definite doughnut eater. If you have doughnut sightings, or wildlife on view, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
The Church Window print edition -- Sept. 2002
* * * * * * *
Notes From My Knapsack
We’re all struggling a bit with how to properly prepare for September 11 this year. Last year, we responded quickly, in the middle of shock and horror, but found our church was truly the lighthouse we want to be as stewards of God's light, shining brightest in the midst of darkness "which can never put it out."
This year, we have time to prepare: maybe too much time, from the sounds of some of the memorials and rallies planned in various places. Everyone knows that this date will continue to be a day of remembrance throughout our lifetimes, and this first commemoration feels important to get right.
While there will be a variety of national and televised observances, and TV-4 will form a “living flag” that day at Crew Stadium in Columbus, the board and elders of Hebron Christian felt it was important to help lead and participate in a more local way. Here's what's planned as of 8-25:
At 5:45 am, at OSU-Newark, the regular County Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is set for the 11th, with a special guest preacher who spent many years as a missionary in Afghanistan, living at one time literally just a few doors from Mullah Omar. This is not just a "Newark" event, and is always well attended. They've had 700 at the most recent (two years ago), and expect close to 1000 this year; individual tickets are $10 and are at “Moments for Majesty”. This truly is a Licking County program.
8:45 am, when the first attack struck, is when the county commissioners have asked for bells to be tolled and a moment of silence observed around the county. When the first tower in NYC fell, just after 9:45 am, a commemoration is also being considered either at the municipal flagpole or by the fire station.
From Noon to early evening, Hebron Christian Church is co-ordinating for the village a service project open to all, under the theme “Respond To The Call.” In honor of the firefighters and many other public servants who responded 9-11-01, we’re going to help them by getting Hebron’s fire hydrants painted with a fresh coat of reflective yellow (250 or more, in case you wondered).
Volunteers are invited to come by a staging area behind the church building, and as teams are sent out with some quick training and maps for which hydrants to paint, there will also be food, refreshments, and music available through the afternoon and early evening. We also hope to send a follow-up team around, as the hydrants dry, putting a stenciled “In Memoriam 9-11-01” at the base of each one.
For our part, we don't just need hardy paintbrush wielders; there's going to be service opportunities for iced tea makers, check-in greeters, musicians, map wranglers, and many others. If this sounds like last week's sermon on the North Platte Canteen, you're right!
The American Legion plans to hold a special ceremonial “flag retirement” at the post at 6 pm; if you have flags that are worn out and need to be respectfully disposed of, bring them by the Legion hall off Basin St.
Finally, Licking Baptist Church, which just dedicated their new worship center on Beaver Run Road last weekend, will host a community prayer and commemoration service at 7 pm.
I hope you all can “Respond To The Call” on Sept. 11.
In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff
* * * * * * *
Congregational Meeting – Sept. 8
Rally Day – Sept. 8 with potluck at Noon, followed by games and activities
* * * * * * *
If you have completed “sermon surveys” for Pastor Jeff, please bring them back to worship and place in the offering plate, prayer request box in back, or you can fold them up and mail them back if that’s easiest!
* * * * * * *
Newark Farm Park on Rt. 79 north of town (Cedar St. exit) is having a series of programs this fall as the working late 19th/early 20th century farm is put on display; Sept. 7, at 11 am, Pastor Jeff is doing a program on “Your Family History – A story worth telling.” This program is free and open to the public.
* * * * * * *
Howard Ratcliff’s retirement celebration was well-attended by the region, by the larger church, and by Hebron Christian Church. Thanks to David Dernberger, Ila Mason, Maribel Neel, and Pastor Jeff for representing our best wishes and prayers to both Howard and Shiela.
A packed reception was an occasion for much fellowship across the region in anticipation of our regional assembly Oct. 18-19 in Springfield, and the worship was a very successful blending of styles, ages, and ethnicities into a very meaningful celebration of Howard’s leadership these last 32 years in Ohio.
It is reported that the dinner and program that followed contained much truth and many more unverified and unverifiable tales about some details of those 32 years! Please continue to pray for Howard & Shiela, and for the regional minister search committee.
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
Notes From My Knapsack
We’re all struggling a bit with how to properly prepare for September 11 this year. Last year, we responded quickly, in the middle of shock and horror, but found our church was truly the lighthouse we want to be as stewards of God's light, shining brightest in the midst of darkness "which can never put it out."
This year, we have time to prepare: maybe too much time, from the sounds of some of the memorials and rallies planned in various places. Everyone knows that this date will continue to be a day of remembrance throughout our lifetimes, and this first commemoration feels important to get right.
While there will be a variety of national and televised observances, and TV-4 will form a “living flag” that day at Crew Stadium in Columbus, the board and elders of Hebron Christian felt it was important to help lead and participate in a more local way. Here's what's planned as of 8-25:
At 5:45 am, at OSU-Newark, the regular County Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is set for the 11th, with a special guest preacher who spent many years as a missionary in Afghanistan, living at one time literally just a few doors from Mullah Omar. This is not just a "Newark" event, and is always well attended. They've had 700 at the most recent (two years ago), and expect close to 1000 this year; individual tickets are $10 and are at “Moments for Majesty”. This truly is a Licking County program.
8:45 am, when the first attack struck, is when the county commissioners have asked for bells to be tolled and a moment of silence observed around the county. When the first tower in NYC fell, just after 9:45 am, a commemoration is also being considered either at the municipal flagpole or by the fire station.
From Noon to early evening, Hebron Christian Church is co-ordinating for the village a service project open to all, under the theme “Respond To The Call.” In honor of the firefighters and many other public servants who responded 9-11-01, we’re going to help them by getting Hebron’s fire hydrants painted with a fresh coat of reflective yellow (250 or more, in case you wondered).
Volunteers are invited to come by a staging area behind the church building, and as teams are sent out with some quick training and maps for which hydrants to paint, there will also be food, refreshments, and music available through the afternoon and early evening. We also hope to send a follow-up team around, as the hydrants dry, putting a stenciled “In Memoriam 9-11-01” at the base of each one.
For our part, we don't just need hardy paintbrush wielders; there's going to be service opportunities for iced tea makers, check-in greeters, musicians, map wranglers, and many others. If this sounds like last week's sermon on the North Platte Canteen, you're right!
The American Legion plans to hold a special ceremonial “flag retirement” at the post at 6 pm; if you have flags that are worn out and need to be respectfully disposed of, bring them by the Legion hall off Basin St.
Finally, Licking Baptist Church, which just dedicated their new worship center on Beaver Run Road last weekend, will host a community prayer and commemoration service at 7 pm.
I hope you all can “Respond To The Call” on Sept. 11.
In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff
* * * * * * *
Congregational Meeting – Sept. 8
Rally Day – Sept. 8 with potluck at Noon, followed by games and activities
* * * * * * *
If you have completed “sermon surveys” for Pastor Jeff, please bring them back to worship and place in the offering plate, prayer request box in back, or you can fold them up and mail them back if that’s easiest!
* * * * * * *
Newark Farm Park on Rt. 79 north of town (Cedar St. exit) is having a series of programs this fall as the working late 19th/early 20th century farm is put on display; Sept. 7, at 11 am, Pastor Jeff is doing a program on “Your Family History – A story worth telling.” This program is free and open to the public.
* * * * * * *
Howard Ratcliff’s retirement celebration was well-attended by the region, by the larger church, and by Hebron Christian Church. Thanks to David Dernberger, Ila Mason, Maribel Neel, and Pastor Jeff for representing our best wishes and prayers to both Howard and Shiela.
A packed reception was an occasion for much fellowship across the region in anticipation of our regional assembly Oct. 18-19 in Springfield, and the worship was a very successful blending of styles, ages, and ethnicities into a very meaningful celebration of Howard’s leadership these last 32 years in Ohio.
It is reported that the dinner and program that followed contained much truth and many more unverified and unverifiable tales about some details of those 32 years! Please continue to pray for Howard & Shiela, and for the regional minister search committee.
* * * * * * *
Tuesday, August 20, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 8-25
by Jeff Gill
(Note to self: as a weekly columnist, don’t print in the column what you think will be in it next week – people remember this stuff!)
OK, so we’re still looking for a final tally of fair results, Hartford and Ohio State-wise, but be of good cheer, the delay is simply so we don’t miss anyone! I’ve heard some delightful second-hand accounts of what our young folk have shown and earned and celebrated, and you all have one more week to get me the good news so it can be proudly announced at the crossroads. . .
Meanwhile, school begins this week, and parents are working out transportation arrangements for their high schoolers, payment plans for extra-curricular activities, and child care around alternating day kindergarten. Did I mention the Lakewood School Board is bringing another levy proposal before the voters in November? Anyhow, remember in the early mornings, as the sun rises later, that the kids are at the bus stops and along the sidewalks again. Drivers, take note!
With the fall comes not only school but many other important civic organizations getting back into the swing of things. We’ll be hearing quite a bit about the Millersport Lions with the Sweet Corn Festival and all (and Art Ours with the Hebron Lions was making the rounds with the community calendar just recently), but many organizations have a quiet summer to rest up for a busy autumn and winter.
One organization with a high profile in Hebron is the Order of the Eastern Star (or OES), an organization sponsored by Freemasonry and whose local chapter meets at the Masonic Lodge on High Street.
Dory Smathers is the current Worthy Matron of Eagon Chapter 123 OES, named for one of the founders of the chapter, which began in 1900 above a store where Hayman’s Dairy Bar now stands.
“We meet twice a month for ritual and fellowship,” Dory explained to me, “along with other activities and events with other chapters in our district as well as Grand Chapter, the state level organization.”
Dory’s mother Jean Wonders has served as Worthy Matron of Eagon, and currently holds a Grand Chapter office. Masonic activities seem to run in Dory’s family, since she has already been a Rainbow Girl, the sponsored girls’ group through the lodge, and joined Eastern Star at 18, which is the earliest one can join. Her husband Chad Smathers is in line to serve as Worshipful Master of Hebron Lodge 116 next year.
“Men are functional members of Eastern Star, too,” Dory reminded me, “which is part of the relationship to Freemasonry, but the main purpose is for wives, daughters, mothers, and other relatives of Masons to work together.” OES is in the US, Canada, Australia, and a number of European countries; they hold a “general Grand Chapter” every three years.
Along with service projects around the state of Ohio for children with learning disabilities and to support women getting training in religious leadership, the local chapters are a place for training and learning as well.
“I believe that learning and doing the OES ritual has helped me with getting my thoughts focused when making public presentations,” says Dory, “which is a good tool for people who may not be comfortable doing public speaking.” As a teacher in the Columbus Public Schools, she has obviously gotten some career as well as personal benefit out of her time in Eastern Star!
The ritual, which is partly private but mostly public (I’ve been to their centennial celebration and to Dory’s installation, of which 80% was open to non-members), focuses on Biblical characters, but is strictly non-denominational. Their five-pointed star symbolizes, among other things, five women of the Bible who embody virtues and principals the members wish to emulate: Adah, Jeptha’s daughter; Ruth; Esther; Martha, the sister of Lazarus; and Electa, of John’s letters. While both Old and New Testament characters are honored, Eastern Star simply asks of prospective members that they believe in a Supreme Being.
“Eastern Star has provided a place to meet and fellowship with other women & men that I might not otherwise cross paths with in my professional and spiritual life,” says Dory appreciatively. “It has given me personally poise and confidence in my ability to lead a meeting and function as a leader.”
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a big fan of community service; if you have news or information about those serving our community right now, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
by Jeff Gill
(Note to self: as a weekly columnist, don’t print in the column what you think will be in it next week – people remember this stuff!)
OK, so we’re still looking for a final tally of fair results, Hartford and Ohio State-wise, but be of good cheer, the delay is simply so we don’t miss anyone! I’ve heard some delightful second-hand accounts of what our young folk have shown and earned and celebrated, and you all have one more week to get me the good news so it can be proudly announced at the crossroads. . .
Meanwhile, school begins this week, and parents are working out transportation arrangements for their high schoolers, payment plans for extra-curricular activities, and child care around alternating day kindergarten. Did I mention the Lakewood School Board is bringing another levy proposal before the voters in November? Anyhow, remember in the early mornings, as the sun rises later, that the kids are at the bus stops and along the sidewalks again. Drivers, take note!
With the fall comes not only school but many other important civic organizations getting back into the swing of things. We’ll be hearing quite a bit about the Millersport Lions with the Sweet Corn Festival and all (and Art Ours with the Hebron Lions was making the rounds with the community calendar just recently), but many organizations have a quiet summer to rest up for a busy autumn and winter.
One organization with a high profile in Hebron is the Order of the Eastern Star (or OES), an organization sponsored by Freemasonry and whose local chapter meets at the Masonic Lodge on High Street.
Dory Smathers is the current Worthy Matron of Eagon Chapter 123 OES, named for one of the founders of the chapter, which began in 1900 above a store where Hayman’s Dairy Bar now stands.
“We meet twice a month for ritual and fellowship,” Dory explained to me, “along with other activities and events with other chapters in our district as well as Grand Chapter, the state level organization.”
Dory’s mother Jean Wonders has served as Worthy Matron of Eagon, and currently holds a Grand Chapter office. Masonic activities seem to run in Dory’s family, since she has already been a Rainbow Girl, the sponsored girls’ group through the lodge, and joined Eastern Star at 18, which is the earliest one can join. Her husband Chad Smathers is in line to serve as Worshipful Master of Hebron Lodge 116 next year.
“Men are functional members of Eastern Star, too,” Dory reminded me, “which is part of the relationship to Freemasonry, but the main purpose is for wives, daughters, mothers, and other relatives of Masons to work together.” OES is in the US, Canada, Australia, and a number of European countries; they hold a “general Grand Chapter” every three years.
Along with service projects around the state of Ohio for children with learning disabilities and to support women getting training in religious leadership, the local chapters are a place for training and learning as well.
“I believe that learning and doing the OES ritual has helped me with getting my thoughts focused when making public presentations,” says Dory, “which is a good tool for people who may not be comfortable doing public speaking.” As a teacher in the Columbus Public Schools, she has obviously gotten some career as well as personal benefit out of her time in Eastern Star!
The ritual, which is partly private but mostly public (I’ve been to their centennial celebration and to Dory’s installation, of which 80% was open to non-members), focuses on Biblical characters, but is strictly non-denominational. Their five-pointed star symbolizes, among other things, five women of the Bible who embody virtues and principals the members wish to emulate: Adah, Jeptha’s daughter; Ruth; Esther; Martha, the sister of Lazarus; and Electa, of John’s letters. While both Old and New Testament characters are honored, Eastern Star simply asks of prospective members that they believe in a Supreme Being.
“Eastern Star has provided a place to meet and fellowship with other women & men that I might not otherwise cross paths with in my professional and spiritual life,” says Dory appreciatively. “It has given me personally poise and confidence in my ability to lead a meeting and function as a leader.”
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a big fan of community service; if you have news or information about those serving our community right now, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
Booster East – K&K Salt cover
by Jeff Gill
Sometimes to take a step forward you have to go backwards; in the case of K & K Salt, about 20 feet into a new building!
Karen Mosher, the owner and manager of K & K, “That Salt Place On 79” as the sign out front says, has seen 25 years of steps both forward and backwards with her business.
“My husband and I started with salt delivery on Aug. 7, 1977 with a Volvo and a small trailer,” says Karen, who also worked with Ken out of the home their first six years.
In September of 1983 they moved into the old Powell’s Market near the entrance to the old Heath Drive-In. The building was a seasonal structure originally, and took quite a bit of work to maintain over the years, as Karen remembers “when we were working on the roof and it rained harder inside than out!”
But starting in 1985 Ken & Karen sold over 1 million pounds of salt a year, and the business grew. They continue to sell literally millions of pounds of salt and water softener supplies.
Dreams of a new building paused when Ken Mosher died suddenly of a massive heart attack in June of 1998. Karen credits the support and comfort of many of her customers with getting her through that period, and back to work. Karen noted in a mailing to her regular customer base, "You have cried with me and laughed with me and I feel you are all family. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
The rebuilding project along Rt. 79 finally forced the issue, and the decision was made to build anew set back from where the wider road will pass. Briefly the new building towered over the old wooden structure, and now it can be seen as a bright new blue steel-frame building, with wide drive-thru doors.
“We’re set up now for people to go behind to the right, and drive back out through the building where they can pick up their salt in any weather,” says Bruce Dollings, a long-time employee with Karen. “It’s convenient for the customers and us.”
A “Grand Opening Celebration” is planned from August 26 - 31. Prizes, including some specials for the first customers on Monday and price breaks for each of the days, will be offered, accompanied by hot dogs on the grill and good will all around. Karen wants people to stop by and register for prizes “and have a hot dog on me” even if you don’t have a purchase to make next week. The grand opening festivities will go on right through the usual operating hours, Mon-Fri 9 to 5 and Saturdays from 9 to 2 pm.
In a reminder of how Karen & Ken got started, K & K is helping get Heartland Salt Delivery off the ground. For anyone wanting home delivery, they can call K & K at 522-2443 and ask for Fred to get prices and delivery dates.
Karen and her son Matt are proud of their family tradition that will continue at 1885 Hebron Road for what looks like a long time to come. “We just try to give people the best salt available for the best price,” says Karen. That will take K & K Salt through at least another quarter-century!
by Jeff Gill
Sometimes to take a step forward you have to go backwards; in the case of K & K Salt, about 20 feet into a new building!
Karen Mosher, the owner and manager of K & K, “That Salt Place On 79” as the sign out front says, has seen 25 years of steps both forward and backwards with her business.
“My husband and I started with salt delivery on Aug. 7, 1977 with a Volvo and a small trailer,” says Karen, who also worked with Ken out of the home their first six years.
In September of 1983 they moved into the old Powell’s Market near the entrance to the old Heath Drive-In. The building was a seasonal structure originally, and took quite a bit of work to maintain over the years, as Karen remembers “when we were working on the roof and it rained harder inside than out!”
But starting in 1985 Ken & Karen sold over 1 million pounds of salt a year, and the business grew. They continue to sell literally millions of pounds of salt and water softener supplies.
Dreams of a new building paused when Ken Mosher died suddenly of a massive heart attack in June of 1998. Karen credits the support and comfort of many of her customers with getting her through that period, and back to work. Karen noted in a mailing to her regular customer base, "You have cried with me and laughed with me and I feel you are all family. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
The rebuilding project along Rt. 79 finally forced the issue, and the decision was made to build anew set back from where the wider road will pass. Briefly the new building towered over the old wooden structure, and now it can be seen as a bright new blue steel-frame building, with wide drive-thru doors.
“We’re set up now for people to go behind to the right, and drive back out through the building where they can pick up their salt in any weather,” says Bruce Dollings, a long-time employee with Karen. “It’s convenient for the customers and us.”
A “Grand Opening Celebration” is planned from August 26 - 31. Prizes, including some specials for the first customers on Monday and price breaks for each of the days, will be offered, accompanied by hot dogs on the grill and good will all around. Karen wants people to stop by and register for prizes “and have a hot dog on me” even if you don’t have a purchase to make next week. The grand opening festivities will go on right through the usual operating hours, Mon-Fri 9 to 5 and Saturdays from 9 to 2 pm.
In a reminder of how Karen & Ken got started, K & K is helping get Heartland Salt Delivery off the ground. For anyone wanting home delivery, they can call K & K at 522-2443 and ask for Fred to get prices and delivery dates.
Karen and her son Matt are proud of their family tradition that will continue at 1885 Hebron Road for what looks like a long time to come. “We just try to give people the best salt available for the best price,” says Karen. That will take K & K Salt through at least another quarter-century!
Tuesday, August 13, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 8-18
“Village In Service To The Community”
by Jeff Gill
Next Friday the staff of the village will hold the second Hebron Blood Drive in the lobby and council chambers of the municipal complex. On Aug. 23, starting at 2:00 pm you can pay your water bill and leave behind a pint of blood, too!
Along with some community volunteers (like your columnist), the Red Cross will set up a blood donation center right there on West Main, and while you’re welcome to drop in between 2 and 7 pm, you can call and confirm a time slot at 928-2261.
If you feel a call to some community service, but don’t want to open a vein, mark Sept. 11 on your calendar. Most of us don’t need to be reminded of this first return of the fateful day, but many of us are wondering what to do to mark the day.
Some will be up at OSU-N for the county mayors’ prayer breakfast, and a number of commemorations and observations are offered, such as a moment of silence at 8:45 am at the time of the first hijack-attack on the World Trade Center, or other prayerful events.
Hebron Christian Church has offered to co-ordinate a day of service for 9-11, starting at noon after some of these other memorials have ended.
In brief, we’re all going to get together and paint the village fire hydrants, using the reflective yellow the department prefers, and simply adding a simple “In Memoriam 9-11-01” around the base. A staging area will greet and orient teams, give them paint and maps marked with their set of hydrants, and offer refreshments through the day and music during the evening, closing with a prayer time focused on thanksgiving and commitment.
Hebron village council, during their Aug. 12 committees meeting, gave their unanaimous and enthusiastic support to this plan for community service, open to anyone who can help for an hour or eight on 9-11-02.
You’ll read more updates as we refine the plan in the next few weeks, but mark your calendar now, and join your fellow citizens as we “Respond To The Call” in our town, and salute those who have responded to the call of duty, honor, and country in New York, Washington, Afghanistan, and in many places around the world.
Of course, you were expecting to see some Hartford Fair results and Eastern Star tales this week, but all in good time . . . the details of the fair I’m still assembling, but it does sound as if the 4-Hers from Stablemates and Prime Producers have plenty to be proud of, from horses to Black Anguses to spotted hogs. Stay tuned!
Waxing eloquent over plants last week, I completely skipped over those insect signs of summer’s close: monarch butterflies and cicadas. In my backyard, the milkweed is certainly attracting numbers of the orange and black fluttering friends, and the sound of cicadas was almost deafening last Monday when I left the Licking Memorial Hospital parking lot to walk around Octagon State Memorial (aka Moundbuilders Country Club on a “golf-free day”).
Long undisturbed turf and trees like beeches or hickory are favored homes for cicadas in the years between their generational appearances, and while their Edsel-like grillwork glared up out of the grass all around the Octagon, it only takes a few to show up and make plenty of racket all around Hebron.
New landscaping, like the high bush blueberry planted as habitat for monarchs by Jenny (Cook) and Kent Herreman, is not cicada-friendly, but attracts huge amounts of hardy late summer weeds. Not weeding or mowing are good reason to look forward to summer’s end, but then again I didn’t have to go to Lakewood band camp down at Marengo last week, either. If you like what Jenny & Kent have done along the Main St. side of Hebron Christian, you should sneak down to the employee entrance at LMH and see what Jenny does with her day job. A beautiful sea of flowers, but I’ll bet the end of weeding sounds good to her right now, too.
Wrapping up, if you haven’t seen the new Buckeye Outdoors, you’d better get up there before it expands again and moves everything about. Your faithful columnist suspects there’s a story behind that rhino, and I’d better go get it before Larry steals it for his back porch.
And while our family is eagerly anticipating some new shopping choices in the area, let me note that not only does our Cardinal grocery have the best deli around (which won’t change no matter what opens), but they have the best price on Starbuck’s coffee around!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and former monarch-tagger out at Dawes; if you have signs of the season to report, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
“Village In Service To The Community”
by Jeff Gill
Next Friday the staff of the village will hold the second Hebron Blood Drive in the lobby and council chambers of the municipal complex. On Aug. 23, starting at 2:00 pm you can pay your water bill and leave behind a pint of blood, too!
Along with some community volunteers (like your columnist), the Red Cross will set up a blood donation center right there on West Main, and while you’re welcome to drop in between 2 and 7 pm, you can call and confirm a time slot at 928-2261.
If you feel a call to some community service, but don’t want to open a vein, mark Sept. 11 on your calendar. Most of us don’t need to be reminded of this first return of the fateful day, but many of us are wondering what to do to mark the day.
Some will be up at OSU-N for the county mayors’ prayer breakfast, and a number of commemorations and observations are offered, such as a moment of silence at 8:45 am at the time of the first hijack-attack on the World Trade Center, or other prayerful events.
Hebron Christian Church has offered to co-ordinate a day of service for 9-11, starting at noon after some of these other memorials have ended.
In brief, we’re all going to get together and paint the village fire hydrants, using the reflective yellow the department prefers, and simply adding a simple “In Memoriam 9-11-01” around the base. A staging area will greet and orient teams, give them paint and maps marked with their set of hydrants, and offer refreshments through the day and music during the evening, closing with a prayer time focused on thanksgiving and commitment.
Hebron village council, during their Aug. 12 committees meeting, gave their unanaimous and enthusiastic support to this plan for community service, open to anyone who can help for an hour or eight on 9-11-02.
You’ll read more updates as we refine the plan in the next few weeks, but mark your calendar now, and join your fellow citizens as we “Respond To The Call” in our town, and salute those who have responded to the call of duty, honor, and country in New York, Washington, Afghanistan, and in many places around the world.
Of course, you were expecting to see some Hartford Fair results and Eastern Star tales this week, but all in good time . . . the details of the fair I’m still assembling, but it does sound as if the 4-Hers from Stablemates and Prime Producers have plenty to be proud of, from horses to Black Anguses to spotted hogs. Stay tuned!
Waxing eloquent over plants last week, I completely skipped over those insect signs of summer’s close: monarch butterflies and cicadas. In my backyard, the milkweed is certainly attracting numbers of the orange and black fluttering friends, and the sound of cicadas was almost deafening last Monday when I left the Licking Memorial Hospital parking lot to walk around Octagon State Memorial (aka Moundbuilders Country Club on a “golf-free day”).
Long undisturbed turf and trees like beeches or hickory are favored homes for cicadas in the years between their generational appearances, and while their Edsel-like grillwork glared up out of the grass all around the Octagon, it only takes a few to show up and make plenty of racket all around Hebron.
New landscaping, like the high bush blueberry planted as habitat for monarchs by Jenny (Cook) and Kent Herreman, is not cicada-friendly, but attracts huge amounts of hardy late summer weeds. Not weeding or mowing are good reason to look forward to summer’s end, but then again I didn’t have to go to Lakewood band camp down at Marengo last week, either. If you like what Jenny & Kent have done along the Main St. side of Hebron Christian, you should sneak down to the employee entrance at LMH and see what Jenny does with her day job. A beautiful sea of flowers, but I’ll bet the end of weeding sounds good to her right now, too.
Wrapping up, if you haven’t seen the new Buckeye Outdoors, you’d better get up there before it expands again and moves everything about. Your faithful columnist suspects there’s a story behind that rhino, and I’d better go get it before Larry steals it for his back porch.
And while our family is eagerly anticipating some new shopping choices in the area, let me note that not only does our Cardinal grocery have the best deli around (which won’t change no matter what opens), but they have the best price on Starbuck’s coffee around!
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and former monarch-tagger out at Dawes; if you have signs of the season to report, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.
Tuesday, August 06, 2002
Commissioner’s Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist Commish
Round-up – when Fall is just around the corner (and it really is, folks), all Cubmasters and Pack Committee chairs know that it is time to double check arrangements for the membership campaign for the new school year. Or, for short, "Round-up!"
If you have never organized a Round-up before, or want to get a refresher in how to have a successful year-beginning sign-up night, come to Dixon, Francis, and Davis offices (behind the Sunoco at the Granville exit off Rt. 16) on Tuesday night, Aug. 13, at 6:30 pm. The training session will be 59 minutes long, and focus on techniques used and proven to get the forms filled out, the parents involved, and the program year off to a good start.
Come on by and share your ideas, ask for help, and support the spread of Scouting in Licking District. Right now, about 12% of age appropriate youth are involved in Scouting in Licking County, and we want to get that number up to 25% -- Fall Round-up is key to doing that.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist Commish
Fall Program Kick-off is Tues., Aug. 20 at the Newark Public Library from 6 to 8:30 pm. Come by, get a drink and a nibble, and check out booths and displays from not only most of the program elements of the District, but also from many other groups around the county who offer programming for Scouts.
The District Committee enjoy offering this "jump start" to pack and troop planning and programming each August, and will have a number of planning guides, popcorn info, and almost every other useful thing a leader can think of available at this event. There is no "set" program, so drop by and work around the room at your own pace and schedule.
This event was moved due to some Newark Bicentennial activities, and we regret any inconvenience the change caused those who planned ahead.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist Commish
Training is one of our key strengths as a Scouting program, and the first Roundtable in the new "program year" September 3 will include New Leader Essentials. Cub Leader and Boy Scout Leader Basics will be offered through the fall (see elsewhere in this e-gram), and we’ve tried to counterschedule with neighboring districts so if you can’t make Licking District training, you can try another district’s offered on an open weekend.
Training, is the watchword of any youth serving organization worth its salt, because trained leadership knows how to get off on the right foot, conducts program that the youth and the adults enjoy, and trained leaders are leaders that stay around. Recruiting, training, and retaining are what we need to do with adult volunteers in this busy, distracting age, and good training helps recruit and retain.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist Commish
What mos
By Jeff Gill, Dist Commish
Round-up – when Fall is just around the corner (and it really is, folks), all Cubmasters and Pack Committee chairs know that it is time to double check arrangements for the membership campaign for the new school year. Or, for short, "Round-up!"
If you have never organized a Round-up before, or want to get a refresher in how to have a successful year-beginning sign-up night, come to Dixon, Francis, and Davis offices (behind the Sunoco at the Granville exit off Rt. 16) on Tuesday night, Aug. 13, at 6:30 pm. The training session will be 59 minutes long, and focus on techniques used and proven to get the forms filled out, the parents involved, and the program year off to a good start.
Come on by and share your ideas, ask for help, and support the spread of Scouting in Licking District. Right now, about 12% of age appropriate youth are involved in Scouting in Licking County, and we want to get that number up to 25% -- Fall Round-up is key to doing that.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist Commish
Fall Program Kick-off is Tues., Aug. 20 at the Newark Public Library from 6 to 8:30 pm. Come by, get a drink and a nibble, and check out booths and displays from not only most of the program elements of the District, but also from many other groups around the county who offer programming for Scouts.
The District Committee enjoy offering this "jump start" to pack and troop planning and programming each August, and will have a number of planning guides, popcorn info, and almost every other useful thing a leader can think of available at this event. There is no "set" program, so drop by and work around the room at your own pace and schedule.
This event was moved due to some Newark Bicentennial activities, and we regret any inconvenience the change caused those who planned ahead.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist Commish
Training is one of our key strengths as a Scouting program, and the first Roundtable in the new "program year" September 3 will include New Leader Essentials. Cub Leader and Boy Scout Leader Basics will be offered through the fall (see elsewhere in this e-gram), and we’ve tried to counterschedule with neighboring districts so if you can’t make Licking District training, you can try another district’s offered on an open weekend.
Training, is the watchword of any youth serving organization worth its salt, because trained leadership knows how to get off on the right foot, conducts program that the youth and the adults enjoy, and trained leaders are leaders that stay around. Recruiting, training, and retaining are what we need to do with adult volunteers in this busy, distracting age, and good training helps recruit and retain.
* * * * * * *
Commissioner’s Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist Commish
What mos
Hebron Crossroads 8-11
By Jeff Gill
In August the tree limbs sag with the weight of greenery, overgrown and beginning to fade around the edges. Many summer wildflowers have wilted and gone through the late summer heat, and even the evergreens are shedding their underlying needles now dried brown.
A hint of autumn comes with the now largely brown locust leaves; I’m told this is a mite that starts to burrow under the bark and slowly cuts off the fluid transport from roots to shoots, just slowly enough to not kill the trees before they go dormant along with the grass.
The sweet corn is fairly awful looking in many fields, but much of the rest of the crops are swelling and drooping, a hopeful hint of harvest just around the corner. But all of nature looks a bit overripe, a little gone to seed during these dog days.
What I look forward to about this time each year, as the Feast of the Assumption approaches, is the sudden, almost shocking explosion in the ditches and hedgerows along the roads of goldenrod and ironweed. The bright yellow-gold accents and contrasts with the deep, rich purples of the ironweed blossoms, visible almost with an internal light in early mornings and the steadily earlier evenings. Purple and gold are fitting colors for this time of year, as friends of the Lady Mary well know.
Some of the margin between fruitfulness and harvest is filled with the results of the Hartford Fair judging, and we should have some names and congratulations to share with you next week (remember we operate on about a week-plus leadtime!), but the centennial of 4-H gave us some good reading last week, and lots of great eating at the Fair.
We already have some ribbons coming back into Union Township from the Ohio State Fair, and if you know of any, give me a holler at disciple@voyager.net.
A new community institution got started with a bang last weekend, as Don and Laurie Kissack welcomed big crowds to their Hebron McDonalds’ grand opening and first day of business. The Sweet Adelines and the Land of Legend Barbershop Chorus (who’ll sing at Hebron Christian this Sunday, in fact) brought some tailor-made entertainment as many of us had shrimp and deviled eggs for the first and probably last time at a McDonalds.
Monday morning Mayor McCheese . . . I mean Mayor Mason was the first through the drive-up window at 5:30 am as the regular fare began to sell.
The breakfast burritos are still my favorite, and the coffee is good; my only disappointment was touring the back of the not-yet-opened store (with Ronald himself, who actually has shoes bigger than mine) and finding out that none of my 20 year old fast food skills are still valid. If you haven’t worked fast food lately, you don’t know fast food! This, like the soon to open Kroger’s, is a "store of the future," except the future is today.
Over in Luray is M.O.M.S. organic produce, which I’m going to have to stop by and try, but many folks have already said how good it is to see the barn there on the southwest corner of Rt. 37 and US 40 looking painted and productive. They have Amish goods and goodies, too.
New and old continue to jostle for position in the developing Hebron story. We learned a few weeks ago that Ohio Revised Code requires that all property sold by a municipality be done "at bid," which will be the next step for the old library and municipal buildings. Meanwhile, the Hebron Historical Society (first Mondays at 7:30 pm, generally in the Masonic Building) still looks for a reliable, affordable display space for their pictures and artifacts of Hebron’s rich history.
And Councilwoman Annelle Porter convened an informational building to help address concerns over the next few steps of the Dominion Homes development on the southeast side, especially about "the pond" and maintenance issues. Some answers were offered, others were promised, and we’ll hear more at the next council meeting. Drainage and the management of runoff are obviously issues that will continue to be key to everything from blacktopping old parking to permitting new construction. When you’ve got hills to the west and east, a lake uphill to your south, and cities to your north who don’t want your runoff, either, these will be key governmental issues in the future – and the future is now!
Next week, along with the fair results, we’ll have a story to tell about one of our village’s longest lasting institutions, the Order of the Eastern Star, and a quiz about the five ladies who’ve inspired OES members through the ages. And did you know that Eastern Star is open to both women and men? Tune in next week, and salute the goldenrod and ironweed as you drive past the Hebron Crossroads . . .
By Jeff Gill
In August the tree limbs sag with the weight of greenery, overgrown and beginning to fade around the edges. Many summer wildflowers have wilted and gone through the late summer heat, and even the evergreens are shedding their underlying needles now dried brown.
A hint of autumn comes with the now largely brown locust leaves; I’m told this is a mite that starts to burrow under the bark and slowly cuts off the fluid transport from roots to shoots, just slowly enough to not kill the trees before they go dormant along with the grass.
The sweet corn is fairly awful looking in many fields, but much of the rest of the crops are swelling and drooping, a hopeful hint of harvest just around the corner. But all of nature looks a bit overripe, a little gone to seed during these dog days.
What I look forward to about this time each year, as the Feast of the Assumption approaches, is the sudden, almost shocking explosion in the ditches and hedgerows along the roads of goldenrod and ironweed. The bright yellow-gold accents and contrasts with the deep, rich purples of the ironweed blossoms, visible almost with an internal light in early mornings and the steadily earlier evenings. Purple and gold are fitting colors for this time of year, as friends of the Lady Mary well know.
Some of the margin between fruitfulness and harvest is filled with the results of the Hartford Fair judging, and we should have some names and congratulations to share with you next week (remember we operate on about a week-plus leadtime!), but the centennial of 4-H gave us some good reading last week, and lots of great eating at the Fair.
We already have some ribbons coming back into Union Township from the Ohio State Fair, and if you know of any, give me a holler at disciple@voyager.net.
A new community institution got started with a bang last weekend, as Don and Laurie Kissack welcomed big crowds to their Hebron McDonalds’ grand opening and first day of business. The Sweet Adelines and the Land of Legend Barbershop Chorus (who’ll sing at Hebron Christian this Sunday, in fact) brought some tailor-made entertainment as many of us had shrimp and deviled eggs for the first and probably last time at a McDonalds.
Monday morning Mayor McCheese . . . I mean Mayor Mason was the first through the drive-up window at 5:30 am as the regular fare began to sell.
The breakfast burritos are still my favorite, and the coffee is good; my only disappointment was touring the back of the not-yet-opened store (with Ronald himself, who actually has shoes bigger than mine) and finding out that none of my 20 year old fast food skills are still valid. If you haven’t worked fast food lately, you don’t know fast food! This, like the soon to open Kroger’s, is a "store of the future," except the future is today.
Over in Luray is M.O.M.S. organic produce, which I’m going to have to stop by and try, but many folks have already said how good it is to see the barn there on the southwest corner of Rt. 37 and US 40 looking painted and productive. They have Amish goods and goodies, too.
New and old continue to jostle for position in the developing Hebron story. We learned a few weeks ago that Ohio Revised Code requires that all property sold by a municipality be done "at bid," which will be the next step for the old library and municipal buildings. Meanwhile, the Hebron Historical Society (first Mondays at 7:30 pm, generally in the Masonic Building) still looks for a reliable, affordable display space for their pictures and artifacts of Hebron’s rich history.
And Councilwoman Annelle Porter convened an informational building to help address concerns over the next few steps of the Dominion Homes development on the southeast side, especially about "the pond" and maintenance issues. Some answers were offered, others were promised, and we’ll hear more at the next council meeting. Drainage and the management of runoff are obviously issues that will continue to be key to everything from blacktopping old parking to permitting new construction. When you’ve got hills to the west and east, a lake uphill to your south, and cities to your north who don’t want your runoff, either, these will be key governmental issues in the future – and the future is now!
Next week, along with the fair results, we’ll have a story to tell about one of our village’s longest lasting institutions, the Order of the Eastern Star, and a quiz about the five ladies who’ve inspired OES members through the ages. And did you know that Eastern Star is open to both women and men? Tune in next week, and salute the goldenrod and ironweed as you drive past the Hebron Crossroads . . .
Tuesday, July 30, 2002
Notes From My Knapsack
Our new plantings and landscaping in front of the church, thanks to much hard work by Kent & Jenny Herreman, gives our building a whole new look inside and out.
Through the basement, light is shining within and activity can be seen without, and that alone was a good reason to make a change. Kent says he wants to put a bit of evergreen at the back of the arrangement, to add color and texture through the winter, but we’ll not go back to huge masses of shrubs that were home to poison ivy underneath and . . .
Well, speaking of homes, Jenny picked out one special plant to include in the three areas called "high bush blueberry." She tells us that this is the only plant Monarch butterfly larvae live and feed upon at that crucial stage of their amazing lifecycle from Ohio to Mexico and back again.
She had heard along with many of us about the blow a last winter to their habitat in Mexico, and how Monarch populations were at risk, so we’re going to give ‘em a bit of help on the northern end of their peregrinations.
After our VBS with the Methodist church, where we learned and sang about the glory and interconnectedness of creation, it feels right that we’re making sure our mission and service as a congregation, our stewardship of personal and natural resources, extends to even our landscaping along the National Road.
You’ll read elsewhere of some service we’re planning to perform on Sept. 11 this year; some service projects are obvious, and others just quietly work behind the scenes, or even under the surface of leaves on a high bush blueberry!
In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff
* * *
"Respond To The Call – 9/11"
With the one year remembrance of 9-11 falling on Wed. this year, a number of programs during the day and memorial services at night are planned around the country.
Our church’s Homeland Ministries has suggested that Disciple congregations each find an appropriate service project in their area, in order to actually embody "responding to the call" of God’s love and the community’s need for healing after those terrible events a year ago.
At the last board meeting, we propose, depending on final approval by Hebron Village officials, to take on a project that has been needing willing workers for some time: to paint Hebron’s 400 fire hydrants, and put a stenciled "In memoriam – 9-11-01" at the base of each.
This effort to "Respond To The Call" is planned to begin around noon with folks available during a weekday (retirees, shift workers, etc.), pick up the help of older youth as school lets out, and through the evening muster a big push with teams dropping by for pizza and a drink on their way to designated stretches of hydrants, and a closing prayer and ice cream gathering between 8 and 9 or so. We will organize, and open involvement to anyone to help, with a special effort among the area churches and service organizations.
Stay tuned for more word on this wonderful opportunity to remember 9-11 with tangible shared service in witness to our common beliefs.
* * *
Youth Campout
Friday, Aug. 9 to Sat. the 10th
Smith Chapel UMC campgrounds on Reform Rd.
Info: call McNichols 928-1577
* * *
Our Women’s Fellowship assistance drive to collect socks and undies for New Beginnings and others totalled 448 items. Thanks for your support.
Right now, they are preparing to visit the hospice unit at LMH for a tour and background info; Ila Mason is looking for seamstresses to help make "bright" robes for hospice patients. Materials and pattern are available and waiting for you!
* * *
Regional Assembly
"The Vision and the Venture"
In Springfield October 18 & 19, our biannual regional assembly gathers for worship, fellowship, and some learning and service opportunities. See Mike Halter, Pastor Jeff, or any of the elders for more info. Base registration is $25 with some special purpose breakfasts and luncheons and an assembly dinner costing extra. Info is also available on hotels, but with Springfield just 60 miles away, some of us will travel back and forth eaach way.
After the retirement celebration for Howard Ratcliff, our long-time regional minister, on Sun., Aug. 18 at Gender Road church at 3 pm, this will be an important next step in setting "the vision and the venture" for our region’s ministries. Plan to attend and catch the vision!
* * *
Maribel Neel reported at board that at the Quadrennial in Louisville last month, of the 3,500 in attendance, 64 churches in Ohio sent quilt blocks for the "Quad quilt" with Hebron crossroads looking very well in the middle. The next quadrennial in 2006 will be held in Indianapolis.
* * *
Churches Grow
Warmer through fellowship
Deeper through discipleship
Stronger through worship
Broader through ministry
Larger through evangelism
Our new plantings and landscaping in front of the church, thanks to much hard work by Kent & Jenny Herreman, gives our building a whole new look inside and out.
Through the basement, light is shining within and activity can be seen without, and that alone was a good reason to make a change. Kent says he wants to put a bit of evergreen at the back of the arrangement, to add color and texture through the winter, but we’ll not go back to huge masses of shrubs that were home to poison ivy underneath and . . .
Well, speaking of homes, Jenny picked out one special plant to include in the three areas called "high bush blueberry." She tells us that this is the only plant Monarch butterfly larvae live and feed upon at that crucial stage of their amazing lifecycle from Ohio to Mexico and back again.
She had heard along with many of us about the blow a last winter to their habitat in Mexico, and how Monarch populations were at risk, so we’re going to give ‘em a bit of help on the northern end of their peregrinations.
After our VBS with the Methodist church, where we learned and sang about the glory and interconnectedness of creation, it feels right that we’re making sure our mission and service as a congregation, our stewardship of personal and natural resources, extends to even our landscaping along the National Road.
You’ll read elsewhere of some service we’re planning to perform on Sept. 11 this year; some service projects are obvious, and others just quietly work behind the scenes, or even under the surface of leaves on a high bush blueberry!
In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff
* * *
"Respond To The Call – 9/11"
With the one year remembrance of 9-11 falling on Wed. this year, a number of programs during the day and memorial services at night are planned around the country.
Our church’s Homeland Ministries has suggested that Disciple congregations each find an appropriate service project in their area, in order to actually embody "responding to the call" of God’s love and the community’s need for healing after those terrible events a year ago.
At the last board meeting, we propose, depending on final approval by Hebron Village officials, to take on a project that has been needing willing workers for some time: to paint Hebron’s 400 fire hydrants, and put a stenciled "In memoriam – 9-11-01" at the base of each.
This effort to "Respond To The Call" is planned to begin around noon with folks available during a weekday (retirees, shift workers, etc.), pick up the help of older youth as school lets out, and through the evening muster a big push with teams dropping by for pizza and a drink on their way to designated stretches of hydrants, and a closing prayer and ice cream gathering between 8 and 9 or so. We will organize, and open involvement to anyone to help, with a special effort among the area churches and service organizations.
Stay tuned for more word on this wonderful opportunity to remember 9-11 with tangible shared service in witness to our common beliefs.
* * *
Youth Campout
Friday, Aug. 9 to Sat. the 10th
Smith Chapel UMC campgrounds on Reform Rd.
Info: call McNichols 928-1577
* * *
Our Women’s Fellowship assistance drive to collect socks and undies for New Beginnings and others totalled 448 items. Thanks for your support.
Right now, they are preparing to visit the hospice unit at LMH for a tour and background info; Ila Mason is looking for seamstresses to help make "bright" robes for hospice patients. Materials and pattern are available and waiting for you!
* * *
Regional Assembly
"The Vision and the Venture"
In Springfield October 18 & 19, our biannual regional assembly gathers for worship, fellowship, and some learning and service opportunities. See Mike Halter, Pastor Jeff, or any of the elders for more info. Base registration is $25 with some special purpose breakfasts and luncheons and an assembly dinner costing extra. Info is also available on hotels, but with Springfield just 60 miles away, some of us will travel back and forth eaach way.
After the retirement celebration for Howard Ratcliff, our long-time regional minister, on Sun., Aug. 18 at Gender Road church at 3 pm, this will be an important next step in setting "the vision and the venture" for our region’s ministries. Plan to attend and catch the vision!
* * *
Maribel Neel reported at board that at the Quadrennial in Louisville last month, of the 3,500 in attendance, 64 churches in Ohio sent quilt blocks for the "Quad quilt" with Hebron crossroads looking very well in the middle. The next quadrennial in 2006 will be held in Indianapolis.
* * *
Churches Grow
Warmer through fellowship
Deeper through discipleship
Stronger through worship
Broader through ministry
Larger through evangelism
Monday, July 29, 2002
Hebron Crossroads 8-4
By Jeff Gill
“There are scams coming at people from many directions nowadays,” says Paula Armentrout with the Ohio Attorney General’s office. Paula came a year ago at the invitation of the Hebron Police Department, and spoke at Hebron Christian Church on consumer frauds and con games.
“E-mail from Nigeria is one of the more popular ones going on now,” she confirmed, after I told her about a number of messages I’d gotten through e-mail. Some were almost verbatim the same message, but claiming to be either from the widow, son, or advisor to the late ruler of Nigeria. All have in common the pitch that, if you send me a thousand bucks, you will get a share of millions.
These kind of scams have been around for years, formerly coming through actual phone calls, all assuming that most will say “no thank you,” but banking on one in a hundred stopping to think . . . maybe. And if only one in a thousand actually falls for the scam; well, how hard is it to send ten thousand e-mails?
What’s more disturbing recently is the ploy of claiming Christian persecution by Moslems as part of their plight, and hoping to target churches, pastors, and the not-inconsiderable elderly population on-line with a pitch that appeals to their sense of solidarity with fellow believers under oppression. That, and just a touch of greed covered by a rationale of “think of all the good I could do with my ‘share’ of the money” is aimed at a traditionally trusting target audience.
“People should delete any e-mail unread that they don’t know the sender,” says Paula. The attorney general’s office is working with federal authorities to try to track down the scam-meisters, but you can help most by a) deleting these e-mails, b) tell others about this scam, and of course c) don’t send them money!
Also remember that the fall, like the spring, is a favorite time for the old fashioned door-to-door con game of “seal you driveway, ma’am?” or “sir, I noticed your chimney needed a little work.” If someone comes to your door unasked for with a too good to be true home improvement offer, treat them like an unsolicited e-mail and use your doorknob like a delete key. The so-called “Irish Travelers,” all with variations on the name “John Sherlock,” are regulars in central Ohio, so keep a wary eye.
This week is Hartford Fair week out by Croton, and many area 4-H families will be out there; that is, if they’re not heading for the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Drew Cable and Aaron Dunkle of Prime Producers 4-H club got top awards at country judging, and will have their displays on (respectively) muskrat trapping and vegetable gardening over in Columbus.
The 4-H program in Ohio is celebrating a centennial this year, with their history of extension education through Ohio State going back to 1902. “Head, Hands, Health, and Heart” are the four h’s that this program helps young people learn to cultivate for the good of their “club, community, and world.”
Youth from Hebron and Union Township will have on display out at our 144 year old independent fair: hogs, sheep, Black Angus cattle, foods, clothing, computer projects, and more ingenuity than you can shake an elephant ear at! When you go to the fair, before you sit in the grandstand for the demolition derby, make sure to go through the 4-H club displays and the animal barns to see the proud results of another year of 4-H work.
Finally, some quick updates as fall creeps closer: Hebron Area Soccer Association for boys and girls from kindergarten to grade 8 is doing registration this Sat., Aug. 3, at the Middle School cafeteria from 8 to 11 am (for info call Jim at 522-5969); Hebron Trailblazers Youth Football is holding registrations on Aug. 14 & 21 from 6 to 8 pm (call 323-2880 for info). There are fees involved with both, varying as to program.
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and can be found near the elephant ear booth this week. So if you want to reach him, you’ll have to go to Croton or e-mail him at disciple@voyager.net; or call 928-4066.
By Jeff Gill
“There are scams coming at people from many directions nowadays,” says Paula Armentrout with the Ohio Attorney General’s office. Paula came a year ago at the invitation of the Hebron Police Department, and spoke at Hebron Christian Church on consumer frauds and con games.
“E-mail from Nigeria is one of the more popular ones going on now,” she confirmed, after I told her about a number of messages I’d gotten through e-mail. Some were almost verbatim the same message, but claiming to be either from the widow, son, or advisor to the late ruler of Nigeria. All have in common the pitch that, if you send me a thousand bucks, you will get a share of millions.
These kind of scams have been around for years, formerly coming through actual phone calls, all assuming that most will say “no thank you,” but banking on one in a hundred stopping to think . . . maybe. And if only one in a thousand actually falls for the scam; well, how hard is it to send ten thousand e-mails?
What’s more disturbing recently is the ploy of claiming Christian persecution by Moslems as part of their plight, and hoping to target churches, pastors, and the not-inconsiderable elderly population on-line with a pitch that appeals to their sense of solidarity with fellow believers under oppression. That, and just a touch of greed covered by a rationale of “think of all the good I could do with my ‘share’ of the money” is aimed at a traditionally trusting target audience.
“People should delete any e-mail unread that they don’t know the sender,” says Paula. The attorney general’s office is working with federal authorities to try to track down the scam-meisters, but you can help most by a) deleting these e-mails, b) tell others about this scam, and of course c) don’t send them money!
Also remember that the fall, like the spring, is a favorite time for the old fashioned door-to-door con game of “seal you driveway, ma’am?” or “sir, I noticed your chimney needed a little work.” If someone comes to your door unasked for with a too good to be true home improvement offer, treat them like an unsolicited e-mail and use your doorknob like a delete key. The so-called “Irish Travelers,” all with variations on the name “John Sherlock,” are regulars in central Ohio, so keep a wary eye.
This week is Hartford Fair week out by Croton, and many area 4-H families will be out there; that is, if they’re not heading for the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Drew Cable and Aaron Dunkle of Prime Producers 4-H club got top awards at country judging, and will have their displays on (respectively) muskrat trapping and vegetable gardening over in Columbus.
The 4-H program in Ohio is celebrating a centennial this year, with their history of extension education through Ohio State going back to 1902. “Head, Hands, Health, and Heart” are the four h’s that this program helps young people learn to cultivate for the good of their “club, community, and world.”
Youth from Hebron and Union Township will have on display out at our 144 year old independent fair: hogs, sheep, Black Angus cattle, foods, clothing, computer projects, and more ingenuity than you can shake an elephant ear at! When you go to the fair, before you sit in the grandstand for the demolition derby, make sure to go through the 4-H club displays and the animal barns to see the proud results of another year of 4-H work.
Finally, some quick updates as fall creeps closer: Hebron Area Soccer Association for boys and girls from kindergarten to grade 8 is doing registration this Sat., Aug. 3, at the Middle School cafeteria from 8 to 11 am (for info call Jim at 522-5969); Hebron Trailblazers Youth Football is holding registrations on Aug. 14 & 21 from 6 to 8 pm (call 323-2880 for info). There are fees involved with both, varying as to program.
Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and can be found near the elephant ear booth this week. So if you want to reach him, you’ll have to go to Croton or e-mail him at disciple@voyager.net; or call 928-4066.
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