Our Mission

The current priorities of the church are to follow Christ in the ways of love (a life of compassion and integrity), cultivate a community of belonging (in the congregation and in the broader Hiram community), and to do our part of restorative justice in the world.

If you have a heart for the community - whether you are a person of faith or not - you are always more than welcome to participate in this good work.

Following Christ in the Ways of Love

Perhaps more than asking us to believe in him, Jesus invites us to follow in the way that Christ has lived in the world: loving courageously, forgiving mercifully, creating joy, trusting in the abundance of the world, sharing, serving, and offering our lives to what is good and worthy. This is more than a 10-step or 10-week program; this is the work of a lifetime. The church seeks to nurture such a life through study, relationship, worship, service, and more.

Some of the ways we nurture this include:

  • Sunday Schools:

    • Adult Sunday School @ 9:45am: Currently reading The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr.

    • Children’s Church @ 10:15am: Following the Joyful Path curriculum.

  • Youth Groups:

    • Chi-Rho is for our middle school-aged young adults and meets twice a month.

    • CYF is for our high school-aged young adults and meets twice a month.

  • Bible Study:

    • Tuesday Mornings @ 9:00am in the minister’s office.

Cultivating a Community of Belonging

The church affirms that God is a creative God and that the image of God is within each and every person. Therefore, the congregation has committed itself to be an Open and Affirming church to ensure that each and every person knows from the very beginning that they are welcome and will be honored and loved for who they are - as they are. We cultivate community in small conversations before or after worship and in more intentional ways through shared studies and hosting events to bring neighbors together such as:

  • Monthly Potlucks after worship on the 1st Sunday of each month

  • Community Breakfasts: the 3rd Tuesday of each month

  • Quarterly Story-telling Events

  • Maintaining Facilities for Community Use

Doing Our Part of Restorative Justice

God’s vision of justice is as large as the cosmos and as small as the relationship between you and your household, you and your neighbor. Every act of kindness, mercy, and restoration is a gift. The church strives to nurture a commitment to justice within the friends and members, and to come together to work collectively where we can make a difference. Whether the invitation to act comes from within the church or from a partner outside of the church, the congregation is willing to do its part to serve.

These are some of the ways that we participate in good work during a year:

  • Monthly Food Collection for the 4 C’s and Garrettsville/Nelson Pantries

  • Facilitating Space for Healing Groups

  • Restoring Church Lawn to Native Grassland

  • Partnering with Hiram College, Goodell Family Farms, and Growing Hope Globally in the Sap Project

  • Joining the Thanksgiving Plunge for Kids Weekend Mealz

  • Annual Chili Cookoff for Hiram College’s H.A.P.P.I. Place

  • Giving to Special Offerings through the Year