Chatham Community Church seeks ways to serve God and our community. This is often accomplished through our service groups, such as the Chatham Christian Women and Chatham Christian Volunteers, who help others through acts of kindness and financial resources.

Under the auspices of our Worship Committee, which has developed a "Special Offering" schedule (see below), our members donate to charities and special causes of both of our denominations, as well as area charities like the Battered Women's Shelter, Matthew 25 (see below) and emergency needs in our community.

We are grateful to be able to house a Head Start unit and to be able to take part in the county-wide homeless program called Operation Homes (see below). Both of these programs are housed in our Fellowship Hall.

We also grant a full-tuition scholarship to Case Western Reserve University to a deserving church youth each year. This opportunity is a result of our forefathers who contributed to the university in its infancy. (See criteria below.)

Our Mission Outreach Committee seeks ways to serve the needs of the community through the use of our buildings. The group initiated the after-school program called Kidz Klub and the Care and Share Meals program.

Care and Share

Through the Care and Share Meals program, our volunteers prepare complete home-cooked meals and deliver them to live-alone seniors on the second Thursday of each month. The free service is open to any live-alone senior citizens in the community. Participants do not have to attend our church. Please let us know of those who could use this service by clicking here. 

2007 Care and Share delivery dates are January 11, February 8, March 8, April 12, May 10, June 14, July 12, August 9, September 13, October 11, November 8 and December 13.

Chatham Community Church is part of a countywide effort to house the homeless. Our church is one of 10 in the county that house the homeless for one week of a 10-week cycle. Our local site coordinators are Gary and Terry Mennell and Connie Ebaugh, pictured above.  Volunteers come from not only our own church membership, but from several other area churches. Chatham's support team included other area church members from Medina United Methodist, Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, York United Methodist and Black River Church of the Brethren churches.  

Coordinators from all 10 churches meet on the third Tuesday of each month along with county social workers and organizations determining ways to direct and help guests who are in the program to become self-sufficient.

No matter where a homeless person or family shows up in Medina County, they are referred to a social agency that interviews for Operation Homes. Transportation is offered. The homeless guests arrive at our church at 6 p.m. for a home-cooked meal prepared by volunteers. They have access to a television, VCR, a telephone for local calls, magazines and games for adults and children. They sleep on individual cots separated by privacy walls. Our guests are encouraged to use our shower facilities. Snacks are available throughout the evening.

Volunteers stay overnight with the guests, who are offered breakfast in the morning and who leave by 7 a.m., safely leaving their belongings at their bedside. During the day, many of the homeless guests go to jobs. They are encouraged to seek employment and permanent housing. A day center is provided in Medina, where a social worker is available.

All guest go through police checks and background checks before entering the program. Each individual enters only if they are determined to better themselves.

2007 Operation Homes' hosting dates are February 5-12, April 9-16, June 18-25, August 27-September 3 and November 5-12.

The other churches involved in Operation Homes are St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Seville United Methodist, St. Matthew Lutheran, Wadsworth United Methodist, Granger United Methodist, Our Savior Lutheran, Emmanuel United Church of Christ, Medina Community Church, and Sharon Center St. Paul Lutheran.  

A local off-shoot of the Operation Homes program is our Neighboring Project. It collects good-like-new, used appliances and furniture, which is donated free to many in need, including many Operation Homes' guests finding a place of their own. Contact Gary and Terry Mennell if you have something good to donate or if you know of someone in need.

Matthew 25 is a coalition of area churches who have united their "discretionary funds" to help the needy in the belief that together we can accomplish more than we could individually. Matthew 25 coordinates its efforts with other non-profit health and welfare agencies to assist residents in our area of the county. It uses all other county resources before utilizing Matthew 25 money for the emergency needs. Typical expenditures are for utilities, prescriptions and gasoline.

Chatham Community Church takes a free-will exit offering on the first Sunday of each month. If you would like to write an additional check, please give it to Treasurer Carol Menon. Matthew 25 has also received a $5,000 United Way grant.

Other churches involved in Matthew 25 are Lodi First Congregational, Lodi Community Church, Black River Church of the Brethren, Spencer United Methodist, Spencer First Baptist, St. Stephen's of West Salem, The Lafayette Church, Litchfield United Church of Christ, Victory Baptist, York United Methodist Church and Seville United Methodist Church.

If you know of someone who needs assistance, call the Matthew 25 Coalition office, which is located at Lodi Community Hospital, at 330-948-1222 and ask for Extension 39271 or Matthew 25.

Matthew 25 is listed on 211 First Call for Help. Anyone may receive information about various agencies in Medina County by calling 211. Just dial 211 on your telephone and someone will refer you to the various agencies that could solve your problem.

The church's Case Western Reserve University full-tuition scholarship has been awarded to Jaimie Jurkowski of Chatham for the 2007-2008 academic year. Congratulations to Christopher Parker, who has held the scholarship for the past few years, who will graduate in May with many honors.

In 1849, the founding fathers of the first Congregational Church of Chatham gave a donation of $550 to Western Reserve College.  In return, the church has a "permanent scholarship in said institution i.e. shall have the right of having one indigent student of approved character and capacity in each year educated in the college free of charge for tuition so long as the college stands."

Many of the members of Chatham Community Church over the years have been educated due to the foresight of our forefathers. The scholarship is now worth $15,000 a year.

On March 25, 1992, the Board of Administrators adopted the following criteria for management of the scholarship program.

• Only those students who have been accepted to Case Western Reserve University should apply for the scholarship.

• Priority will be given to

                  1)  A church member

                  2)  A church member's immediate family

                  3)  A grandchild of a church member

                  4)  A resident of Chatham Township

• The final permission for the scholarship will be granted by the Board of Administrators after considering all applications.

• The scholarship will be granted for one year and may be renewed with the approval of the BOA.

• The scholarship recipient is expected to maintain contact with the church and report regularly on his/her progress.

         If you would like to apply for the scholarship, please contact the church secretary for an application.