Faith Community Announces Policy Change

---

The Common Cup community of churches is so fortunate to have Faith Community church sharing their facilities and acting as an anchor for the Food Court and shared ministry opportunities. (We would call that a definitive act of Radical Hospitality)

That sharing does present extra challenges with safety and security issues and with that concern, Faith Community has made a few policy changes:

" During normal business hours, please enter the church through the church office, give your name to the volunteer receptionist, indicate where you will be in the building or what program you are attending and sign the log.  Also, please let us know when you leave the area.  In case of an emergency (fire, storm, etc.), we would need to know where you are located in the building.

In addition, effective immediately, the office is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Please call the office to make prior arrangements if you need entry before 8:30 a.m.  The double doors into the Community Center next to the handicapped parking area will be unlocked at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays for Common Cup"

Please take note of these changes.

For most of our Common Cup people, it will amount to little or no inconvenience, but if you have some extra difficulty, we're sure that the church office or Virginia can work something out.  

---

John Fristoe (Newsletter Editor)
Visit us on the web at www.commoncupchurches.org
To Photo Galleries of Common Cup Activities Click Here

Pride In Our Common Cup Church Members

---

The Greene Co. Women's Hall of Fame will induct 5 very recognizable ladies into their Hall Of Fame on September 25th.  Three of the five are members of our Common Cup churches. They are Jean McClellan, Faith Community UMC; Jane Mills, Cedarville UMC; Mary Ann Stone, Bellbrook UMC.  

Excerpts from The Xenia Daily Gazette

Dated Aug. 27, 2010:

Women's Hall of Famers named
GREENE COUNTY - This year marks the 30th year that the Greene County Women's Hall of Fame has been honoring local women. The names of five Greene County women who will be the 2010 inductees have been announced. The honorees, selected from a nomination pool of many deserving women, are Marcia Horton, Jean McClellan, Jane Mills, Mary Ann Stone and Pluma Thomas. The public is invited to attend the Awards Luncheon honoring these women to be held at Walnut Grove Country Club at noon on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010. 

                               Submitted photo used in Xenia Gazette  article   

 

  Jean McClellan. will be recognized for her work in education in schools and the Homemaker's organization. Jane Mills of Cedarville was nominated for her on-going contributions in many areas of her community, including the Senior Center. Mary Ann Stone of Bellbrook will be honored for her service in nursing.

 Biographies

Jean McClellan of Xenia will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for her endeavors in education as a teacher, a volunteer tutor, and for her involvement in the Homemakers organization. She retired after 27 years as an elementary teacher in Xenia and later returned to education serving for a number of years as a volunteer tutor at Simon Kenton Elementary in Xenia, assisting with students who needed an extra boost in their reading skills. For more than 23 years, she has served as a dedicated leader with Greene Gems, a part of the Homemakers in Community Education group affiliated with Ohio State University Extension, using her teaching skills and her passion for lifelong learning to reach out to serve her community. In 2007, she was named Ohio Homemaker of the Year. A member of the Women's Club of Xenia, she currently serves as Corresponding Secretary and has written many research papers that are archived at the Greene County Library. Jean's passion for literacy extended to her membership in the Republican Women's Club where she worked with school librarians each year to determine and purchase books to expand available resources. She has volunteered in many capacities at Faith Community United Methodist Church, where she has been a member for over 60 years.

Jane Mills of Cedarville will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for her endeavors in community volunteerism. At age 93, she is still a very active part of her community of Cedarville. She has been involved in leadership in education, community activities, relief efforts, fund raising, and community organizations. She served on the Opera House Restoration Committee and currently serves on the Management Committee for the Opera House. A director of the Cedarville Senior Center for 17 years, retiring at age 90, she still attends and assists on a daily basis and serves as a Board Member. While Director at the Center, she began a clothing distribution for needy residents and now operates that service out of the Methodist Church where she serves on many committees. She also coordinates the clothing center with the food pantry at the Presbyterian Church. She has been connected with the Greene County Council on Aging for over 20 years and is currently on that Council's Community Advisory Council. Always willing to help, Jane is constantly on the lookout to find persons needing assistance and to connect them with available resource. She has often given of her own resources as well. She embodies the example of selfless service to her Greene County community.

Mary Ann Stone of Bellbrook will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for her endeavors in nursing. She has served in nursing for 55 years; 52 years as an RN. In 1965, she helped start the Intensive Care Unit at Greene Memorial Hospital in Xenia, with three beds in one room and a portable monitor and became the Night Supervisor in that unit in 1976. She worked endless hours during the aftermath of the 1974 tornado. Serving as a Girl Scout leader in Bellbrook for 11 years led her to involvement with a Red Cross Teenage Disaster coed scout troop, which responded to Xenia within one hour of the hit. From 1988 until retirement in 2000, she worked for the Ohio Department of Health certifying nursing homes and dialysis units. She has been an amateur radio operator for 51 years, is a charter member of the Bellbrook Amateur Radio Club and Greene County Amateur Radio Emergency Services. Since retirement, she has been a volunteer with the Greene County Combined Health District and as such, conducts blood pressure readings for the elderly living in the Bellbrook area, and also assisted during recent mass vaccination clinics in response to the H1N1 flu virus. She currently serves as the non-salaried Minister for Pastoral Care and Health Ministries at Bellbrook United Methodist Church, responding to the spiritual and physical needs of the church family and her community.
 Xenia

---

John Fristoe (Newsletter Editor)
Visit us on the web at www.commoncupchurches.org
To Photo Galleries of Common Cup Activities Click Here

Common Cup Food Court/Growth Groups Resume

---

Right on cue, the Wednesday Common Cup Food Court started up smoothly - as if there had been no summer break.

 A few new faces joined the volunteer workers and a reported 260 people were served (Wow!).

One notable addition to the kitchen was a brand new commercial Ice Making machine. It was a donated gift from the church Youth Group!

WE hope you are taking advantage of the Growth Group sessions following the Wednesday night meal. Last Wednesday there were 2 Bible studies, a women's Circle, and a discussion of the upcoming Ballot Issues.

Check 'em out next week.

For photos of the opening Fall season, CLICK HERE

---

John Fristoe (Newsletter Editor)
Visit us on the web at www.commoncupchurches.org
To Photo Galleries of Common Cup Activities Click Here

New Common Cup Handbook Available Online

---

The print version of the 2010-2011 Common Cup Handbook has been out for over a week.  The handbook is now available online.
To view the online handbook, go to our website and look to the bottom of the Home Page for the Handbook icon.

Also, we remind you that the season's first Wednesday Food Court is this coming Wednesday evening. Times are the same (5pm to 6:30pm) and the suggested donation hasn't changed.

While you are perusing the handbook, you might check out the Growth Group sessions. They're starting with a bang this year and well worth an hour's investment.

The Wednesday night menus is also posted on our website. Click HERE for the upcoming menu.

Visit us on the web at www.commoncupchurches.org
To Photo Galleries of Common Cup Activities Click Here

---

John Fristoe (Newsletter Editor)

Dedication of Interfaith Hospitality Building

---

Sunday, August 1^st has been a long time in coming for Don Schneider, the Project manager for the renovation of the old St. Francis hotel building.

The building, located at 124 S. Detroit Street in Xenia was donated to the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) on November 27, 2002 by Brad and Eric Montgomery of the Montgomery Insurance & Investment agency.

 Don, also an IHN Board member, along with Don Seela, Engineer, and a host of faithful volunteers, have been working every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday for seven years- stopping only when monetary donations ran short.

The renovation priority was: Don't take construction short cuts even if funds were running low.

Finally, a building which all can proud of - is finished!

The Dedication Ceremony was held on Sunday, August 1^st. A nice crowd attended.   In appreciation, they were treated to a Spaghetti dinner.

The Interfaith Hospitality Network is a national, non-profit organization whose goal is to alleviate homelessness by providing shelter, meals, and assistance for homeless persons. The Greene County IHN has been open since 1995 but has been relying on area churches, since they had no permanent facility of their own.

We must mention that the Common Cup took a humble role in sponsoring one of the rooms through donations and volunteer labor.

I have no long list of all the supporters of the renovation, but I must point out that Faith Community UMC has been very generous in their support.

The highlight of that Sunday afternoon dedication was springing the news on Don Schneider that the old hotel building on which he worked so hard, will forever more be known as "The Schneider House"

Photos of the dedication service are posted on our website.  CLICK HERE to view them.

---

John Fristoe (Newsletter Editor)
Visit us on the web at www.commoncupchurches.org
To Photo Galleries of Common Cup Activities Click Here

2010/2011 Common Cup Handbooks Available

---

The Common Cup Handbooks 2010-2011 are available for pick up. 

Copies are in the church office at Faith Community UMC. 

Office hours are 8AM to 4PM Mon thru Fri.
Pastor Tettau is suggesting that the churches take a number of books equal to  ½ of their average worship attendance. 

Visit us on the web at www.commoncupchurches.org

---

John Fristoe (Newsletter Editor)

The Prayer Calendar for Common Cup Churches

---

The Common Cup ministry has been a home grown initiative to network 15 United Methodist churches together.

It all started with one church helping another and the idea spread to other congregations in the area. It was not an edict from Columbus, but just our pastors and laity networking together.

At last Thursday's Common Cup Council Board meeting, several of the original members were recollecting those early days.

In January 2003, the area United Methodist churches came together for a meal and a portrayal of how Methodism came to Ohio.  All took communion and prayed for each other.

Over seven years have passed and that bond has strengthened the 15 member churches to more effectively make disciples of Jesus Christ. At the heart are the Wednesday night meals together and the meeting together of growth groups.

At the last meeting, the Council endorsed a Prayer Calendar, formulated by Pastor Rick, which encourages all to pray for a particular Common Cup church each day (the church named on the calendar date).

The printed scripture reference for each day follows the Upper Room Devotional guide for the month. At the end on a 30 day month, each church will be lifted up twice.

There are Prayer Calendar pages being distributed.

The Prayer Calendar is also posted on our website to view or to print out.

You will find a "Pray Button" on the Home Page.

CLICK HERE to go there.

---

John Fristoe (Newsletter Editor)
Visit us on the web at www.commoncupchurches.org
To Photo Galleries of Common Cup Activities Click Here