Carolyn Nichols, CUMC's Parish Visitor, joined CUMC in June 2004 after serving in a similar capacity with Louisville Christ United Methodist Church.
She also is serving as Pastor of Epworth United Methodist Church in Waco, Ohio.

Carolyn is a Certified Lay Speaker and was the Canton District Lay Speaker Award-winner in 1998. She serves on the Conference Education Committee, the District Committee on Ordained Ministry, and has been on the Conference Board of Laity.

Carolyn was a delegate to Jurisdictional Conference (in 2004). In addition to her many activities, she is a "Group Ministry Advisor" with Group Publishing and a floral designer. She is the wife of Rodney and mother of John and Martha.

Carolyn's goal is to "help believers grow to maturity in God's love and grace and to help equip them to do ministry in the body of the church and the world".

This fall the larger Vital Ministry Merger Team appointed two new task groups, composed of 8 persons each, divided equally between Christ UMC and Union Ave. UMC.

One group deals with shared ministry possibilities, both now and in the future.  The convener is Jim Williams of Christ, with Cynthia Carlin, Judy Kingan, Peggy Rodefer, Gary Jones, Kathy Kramer, Libby Patterson, and Jim Simbro.

Another group deals with property matters including possible sites and space needs for a new facility.  Susan Bowman of Union Ave. convenes this group, which consists of Tiffany Gravlee, Kirk Miller, Connie Pyers, Linda Slack, Marilyn Ruff, John Christian, and Tim Barnhouse.

The groups have met singly and together.  The latest joint meeting was with the additional presence of a professional process consultant out of the Brinoth Group in Richfield:  Dr. George Northnagel.  By training he is an industrial psychologist, and his professional mission is to enable teams to accomplish goals, as well as to develop and train leadership for the task.  His fees are a gift of a member of the task group.

On November 14, John Christian and Susan Bowman toured three churches.  The first, Church of the Lakes at Fulton and Lake O Springs in a growing suburban area near Canton, is a land-locked growing older church doing an extensive remodel, now underway. They have purchased neighboring land which will be developed for parking.  The church membership is 1100, and they have simultaneously sent out their associate pastor and 55 members to meet in a school as a new church start.  When the worship attendance at the home site reaches 1000 they will start another church.  They currently have two traditional services and one contemporary in their new family life center.  Their classical choir is led by Christine Allison and numbers 50-60.  They have a new pipe organ as well as a praise band.

The second, Johnson UMC, at Wooster and Johnson Sts. in Norton/Barberton, has built a new building in the last ten years, and has completed a full-sized athletic center last March on its 46 acres, a former farm owned by a widow who forwent a lucrative sale in favor of leaving the legacy of a church on her land.  She was of a different faith, interestingly.  The new athletic center is filled with hundreds of youth and groups from the community—many with no church home.  There are no leagues: it is a place for people to play and learn teamwork.  Church membership is about 400 with a budget of roughly $500.000.  Average worship attendance is 310. Their area is not growing, but the church is.  They have a continuing long-range plan, even to building senior housing. They have two services: one contemporary and one blended traditional.  They have no organ.  Their sanctuary, packed, seats 400 plus.

The third church visited was Akron First, just south of Perkins on Union across from Hoover High School in Akron, adjacent to the Akron U. campus.  It is a traditional more formal building of two stories with basement, finished in 1997 on a smaller urban lot.  This church was the home of the original Akron plan and was instrumental in founding the Chautauqua Institute.  Its membership is about 600.  They have one traditional service and a pipe organ.  They are not growing at this time.  Their sanctuary seats 400-500.

All three of these churches had knowledge of and/or past ties to Alliance, our two churches or Mt. Union College. 

The next joint meeting of the two groups will be Monday November 24.  Dr. Northnagel has been invited to be present again.  Members of the group are searching for all past records of work already done by the large merger team.  We will be developing an agenda of things to be accomplished and will look at training our leadership to develop an “ear” for general input and questions along the way. 

Inter-Faith Child Development Center became accredited in 2002, and is located on the first floor on the west side of the church.  Formerly called Inter-Faith Day Care, it was originally founded in 1968 by a group of Christ Church women who saw a need in our community for safe, quality care for children from low to moderate income working families.  As a result, the center is a unique combination of faiths, races, cultures, and socio-economic circumstances.  The center is licensed by the State of Ohio and serves approximately 45-50 children and their families each year.  All children are welcome.

The director, Laurie Porter, is applying for re-accreditation for NAEYC.  It improves the quality of the program.  Other news is the increased allocation IFCDC received from United Way.  They  were able to hire a teacher with a degree for every classroom.  Quality teachers make a quality program!  Interfaith will be applying for a Step 3 in Step Up to Quality as soon as they finish the accreditation process.  They thank you for supporting Interfaith for all these years and will try to make you proud.

The Inter-Faith classrooms are each taking one month to display their "masterpieces" in the first floor display case near the elevator.  Come and see their work.  They have had gymnastics instruction at the YMCA and 6 weeks of soccer, due to collaboration with the Early Childhood Education Alliance.

There have been many changes at Interfaith beginning with our name.  Last summer, a delightful man named Art Stuckey visited our center.  Art Stuckey is a good friend of Jack and Madge Peters.  We discussed the challenges of helping lower-income families while trying to pay and retain quality staff.  Jokingly, I said if I just had a million dollars I could enjoy running the center.  Amazingly, the Stuckey family thought that Interfaith was a wonderful center and wanted to ensure our future.  The Stuckey Family did indeed leave an endowment of one million dollars which may be used only for operations of the center.  We will receive 5 per cent yearly upon Art Stuckey's passing.  The only thing the Stuckey Family asked in return was to have their name associated with our center.  We dedicated the new name and sign on August 9, 2008. 

The merger of The Coalition of Churches and Alliance Area Council of Churches in 1987 resulted in the community outreach program, The Alliance of Churches.  Christ United Methodist Church and other area congregations support the Alliance of Churches.  Their outreach includes helping individuals in need, sponsoring the Lenten Luncheons, the Calvary Walk on Palm Sunday, the community Good Friday service, as well as the annual Ecumenical Community Thanksgiving Service in an area church.  Alliance of Churches is now located on Linden Avenue in the Neighborhood Center.

Christ United has a mission outreach for the Food Pantry at the Salvation Army.  Each Sunday of the month canned goods, paper products and monetary donations are brought and placed on a table in the Reception Hall, with the third Sunday designated as "Food Pantry Sunday."  The Children’s Department participates by taking the "Chuck Wagon” around to the Sunday School classes to collect canned goods and money for the Food Pantry.  Volunteers count the food and money after the third Sunday, and take them to the Salvation Army.
 

The Children's Rights Council, in conjunction with the Stark County Family Court and Christ United Methodist Church, provides a Safe Haven for children of divorced/separated parents.  The children can enjoy a 'supervised visit' or 'exchange' for a weekend visit with their non-custodial parent without having to endure a confrontation between their parents.  Congregation members provide supervision for these visitations or exchanges on alternating weekends at the Church.  All cases are referred from the Stark County Family Court.

Please note that there were between 80 and 106 children involved in the "Beach Party" 2008 VBS Sunday, August 3 through Friday, August 8, 5:30-8:00p. We joined with Union Avenue UMC, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Bethel UCC and 1st United Presbyterian Church to make this one of the most memorable Vacation Bible Schools ever!  Sunday through Thursday classes were held at Christ UMC, and Friday's closing program/dinner was held at St. Joe's 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Pat Stone, Chairperson of Education, and JoAnn Patterson, Minister of Education, were two of the leaders involved in this Ecumenical Vacation Bible School.  Dr. Gayle Pavliga of St. Joe's led the Parenting 101 Class.

Adopt-A-Reader 2008 was the eighteenth consecutive year for this Christian Outreach sponsored program for the community.  Dates June 10-July 10, 2008 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., one session were decided for 2008.  This is for children in grades 1-6 needing assistance in reading, and they are paired with a volunteer.  Children having completed Kindergarten signed up for the "Future Readers” program.  A nutritious snack was provided for all children.  Rodman Public Library provided books for this summer program.  There was a special day and pizza for children and parents on July 10, 2008. 

A church only grows when it has an active Child and Youth Sunday School Department.  Each Sunday, teachers are at each grade level to help your children learn more about Jesus and the scriptures.  We have a dedicated staff of caring people. 

(Fall Sunday School classes are from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., with extended child care available until 11:45 a.m.  Children in grades K-5 attend the first part of the 10:45 A.M. Worship Service, then leave after Children’s Time to attend Children’s Choir rehearsals each Sunday.)

        Boy Scout Troop 50 is an active part of Christ United Methodist Church and has been since June, 1930.  Troop 50 has been sponsored by the church for over 78 years.  Over the years, 113 young men have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, and 94 have earned Religious Awards, including 89 God & Country, 2 Pro Deo et Patria (Protestant), 2 Ad Altare Dei (Catholic) and 1 Ner Tamid (Jewish).

        The troop actively participates in the outdoor program, with camping opportunities seven to eight weekends each year.  One week during the summer is spent at Seven Ranges Scout Reservation.  Hiking and other outdoor activities are regularly a part of the Troop schedule.

        The Troop meets every Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. under the leadership of Scoutmaster, Keith Crewson.  Visitors are always welcome.

        Cub Scout Pack 50 is for boys in the first through fifth grades.  The Cub Scout Dens meet Mondays during the school year from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the church.  The first den meetings for 2008 (fall) will start September 22, 7:00 p.m.  Pack meetings are held semi-monthly, to recognize advancement and share family fellowship.  Beginning Tiger Cubs first meet October 6, 6:30 P.M. and tour the Bell Tower!  There is a Pack meeting Monday, October 20, 2008 at 6:30 P.M. for all Cubs and parents.

        Big events each year include the Pinewood Derby, a Christmas Pack meeting, a Blue-Gold Dinner, Cub Scout Day Camp and Webelos Resident Camp.

        Potential Cub Scouts are always welcome to visit.

SUMMER CAMP JULY, 2006   F: Devin Weatherspoon, Thomas Molesky, Camden Marian, Gaston Marian 2: Patty Rickard, Keith Crewson, Chris Kuhaneck, Jake Thompson, Jeremy Springer, Zack Finucane, Brian Packey, Mark Crewson 3: Brent Packey, Vince Kuhaneck, Ben Thompson