Avon, Ohio
A global pandemic is not going to stop the Avon United Methodist Church congregation from celebrating a huge milestone. The oldest church in Avon is gearing up for its 200th Anniversary with a host of events for the community to partake, including a Drive-In Worship Service behind the church, 37711 Detroit Road, at 10 a.m. Sept. 13. People can stay in their car and hear the entire service via FM transmitter.
Avon United Methodist Church is the oldest church in Avon. The current building opened in 1965.
To kickoff the celebration, a special time capsule opening event is set to take place Tuesday (this event will take place after the Sun Sentinel print edition deadline). Details of the time capsule’s contents will be included in an upcoming Short Takes column.
The time capsule was placed on the grounds of the church in 1965. Longtime parishioner, Phil Haller, 83, helped to remove the old time capsule and was part of the festivities when they placed the new time capsule into the ground.
Haller’s family moved to Avon from Cleveland when he was 11-years-old. He has fond memories of the church and the community.
“I live in Sheffield now, but Avon was part of my life for many years,” said Haller. “I am a retired bricklayer and we moved to Florida for 14 years, but I always knew we would return to the area. Every pastor that has been at this church has been great. I have so much love and respect for all of them. Avon has changed a lot over the years. It’s a wonderful community and this a wonderful church. My sons got married in this church.”
According to information from the Avon Historical Society, The Avon United Methodist Church was first organized in 1820. Services were held in a log school house until 1826, at which time a large block meeting house was built. Services were held in this structure until 1834, at which time the first Methodist Episcopal Church was built at a cost of $500.
Members were served by circuit riders (clergy in the Methodist Episcopal Church and related denomination) who seldom saw their charges more than once every two or three months because of the long distance of their circuit. An all-new church was built in 1855. This building burned down in January 1910. A new church was dedicated just one year later, in January 1911. This building housed the Avon United Methodist Church until 1965. The building currently houses the Avon Church of God, 37445 Detroit Road.
In 1959, the Avon congregation bought 11 acres of land just a quarter mile west on Detroit Road. A short time later a few dozen people, with a total of nine tractors, turned those acres of land into a beautiful lawn where the current church building now sits, 37711 Detroit Road.
Three symbols were included in the building of the present church; the cross on the steeple, the light of knowledge on the west cupola, and the clasped hands on the east cupola, denoting worship, education and fellowship. On November 7, 1965, the present Avon United Methodist Church was declared open for worship, education and fellowship.
According to current church pastor, Micah Holland, the late Dr. Rev. Ernest Knautz served as pastor for over 30 years and is credited with having the vision for the property and the new building.
Over the next year, Holland hopes to have several former pastors come back to the church to celebrate and worship.
“Our Sept. 13 event is really the beginning of what we hope will be a year full of fellowship and remembrance,” said Holland. “The contents of the time capsule will also be on display at our service. We are also going to be giving out 1,000 bundles of three daffodil bulbs. The bulbs are a sign for us as we plant them in the fall and they represent that things are hard right now, but God will get us through and we will rise up in the spring and life will be good.”
The church will also have available 500 HOPE crosses which have become a beautiful symbol throughout the community during the pandemic.
“All total, we will have given out 3,000 crosses to our community,” said Holland. “As a church community we brainstormed a way we could give a tangible sign of God’s hope. The cross is a symbol of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We thought we would hand a few out on Palm Sunday and then it just took on a life of its own. I am grateful to the volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make the crosses, especially Jim Linden. He passed away recently and we have dedicated many of the crosses to him. It is a joy to see them all over town. We even have them as far away as Texas and Minnesota.”
Currently there are 350 members of the church. Holland hopes the church will be able to host additional events to celebrate the anniversary including a concert and carnival in the spring.
“We do not know the exact date of the anniversary, but we do plan to end the year-long celebration next summer with an authentic service showcasing how it was 200 years ago,” he said.
For more information, go to avonumchurch.org. Drive-in church services are offered every Sunday at 10 a.m.
Happy anniversary!
AVON
Gym opening: Celebrate the grand opening of Slak CLE, 1200 Chester Industrial Parkway, from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 13. According to information posted on the facility’s website, the new gym “uses balance, speed and agility training techniques and devices such as; resistance bands, soft weights, props and more to simultaneously train the brain and body to effectively coordinate the muscles while also increasing overall brain health.”
Watch the Cleveland Browns home opener during the celebration which also includes a bounce house, food trucks, giveaways, 50/50 raffles, demonstrations, vendors and much more. For more information, go to slakcle.com.
Shred Day: The city is hosting a free paper shred event from 9 a.m. to noon (may end earlier if the two trucks are full) Sept. 19 at city hall, 36080 Chester Road. Residents must stay inside their cars. Documents will be taken from the cars and securely shred on-site. All shredded materials will be recycled by Shred-It.
STEM honors: Holy Trinity School has been selected by the Ohio Academy of Science as one of the 37 Ohio schools and 464 teachers to receive The Governor’s Thomas Edison Awards for Excellence in STEM Education and Student Research for their accomplishments during the 2019-2020 school year. This is the fourth consecutive year Holy Trinity has been selected for this award.
Story trail book: Take a stroll through the Story Book Trail at the Every Child’s Playground, adjacent to the Avon Aquatic Facility, and enjoy this month’s featured book, “The Nuts Keep Rolling!,” by Eric Litwin.
Summer fun continues: The free Avon Aquatic Facility Spray Ground will remain open through Sept. 20. Hours are daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Young children to elementary-ages are welcome to enjoy as long as they are accompanied by an adult. The recommended occupancy is 30 individuals. There will be no monitors and families are responsible for their own children. ·Benches will be available, or you can bring your own chair. Restrooms will be open and cleaned every two hours.
AVON LAKE
Deer survey: Residents are encouraged to take the 12-question deer control survey posted on the city’s website. Based on the results of the annual survey, changes will be developed to the city ordinances allowing residents to construct effective deer exclosures to prevent damage to landscaping and gardens. To complete the survey, go to avonlake.org.
Haunted trail: Tickets go on sale Sept. 14 for the family-friendly Haunted Trails of Weiss Park. The event will take place Oct. 17 at Weiss Fields. This year’s event will be completely outdoors. Guests will be able to walk a Not-So-Spooky Trail with characters and scenes, and if they dare, continue on to the Spooky Haunted Trail. Unlike in past years, this year’s haunted trail will not include stories. Instead guests will be on a continuously moving tour of the new haunted trail. Tickets are $5. Due to COVID-19, masks are mandated to be worn, and social distancing will be enforced. Only ticketed guests will be permitted to walk the trail, and only with the group with which they registered.
For more information, go to AvonLakeRec.com
NORTH RIDGEVILLE
New treasurer: The North Ridgeville City Schools Board of Education recently approved the hiring of Michael Pissini to become the district’s new treasurer. He will take over for Patrick East who has been serving the district as interim treasurer since January. Pissini comes to North Ridgeville from the Sheffield-Sheffield Lake City Schools.
Bike share program: The North Ridgeville Branch Library has implemented a new bike share program. The bike share is made possible by the Heart and Sole Collaborative, coordinated through Lorain County Public Health and powered by the United Way of Greater Lorain County, in partnership with the Lorain Public Library System.
The North Ridgeville Branch Library has two Adult Electra Townies 7D available for check out with a Lorain Public Library System card. Adults 18-years of age and older can check out a bike for a day to enjoy a scenic ride. Townies are recreational ride-around-town bikes that are ideal for paved paths. The library has both a step-over bike in nickel and a step-through bike in palm green. A step-through frame (also known as open frame or low-step frame) is a type of bicycle frame with a low or absent top tube or cross-bar. It can accommodate a variety of height levels. In addition to the adult bicycles, the North Ridgeville Branch Library will also circulate adult bike helmets, bike locks, and bike lights. The bikes will circulate during warmer weather months.
Coffee chat: After months of hosting Coffee & Conversation with Mayor Kevin Corcoran via Zoom calls, residents can now attend in person. The next event is from 8 to 9 a.m. Sept. 17 in Council Chambers at city hall, 7307 Avon Belden Road.
Spaghetti dinner: The Senior Center will be hosting a drive-thru spaghetti dinner, sponsored by the North Ridgeville Lions Club, from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 25. The cost is $6 per dinner and includes spaghetti and meatballs, and garlic bread. Pre-orders and payment must be received by mail no later than Sept. 11. When ordering, include your name and address along with payment to North Ridgeville Senior Center, 7327 Avon Belden Road, North Ridgeville, OH 44039. Tickets will be mailed to guests to redeem the day of the dinner.
Fake news: The Lorain Public Library System is hosting a Zoom event, “Avoiding Fake News,” at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24. Learn tips to evaluate fact from fiction such as reading beyond the headline, detecting clickbait, and checking sources. Registrants are asked to include their email addresses so that Zoom invitations can be sent for the event. Pre-registration is required. Go to lorainpubliclibrary.org.
Shout out: With all the students back to school in our coverage area, I wanted to give a collective ‘shout-out’ to the school districts’ staff, students and families. Everyone worked hard over the summer planning for the new school year. Whether your children are attending school in-person or online, every district offered comprehensive plans. I hope everyone has a safe and healthy school year. Let’s all be respectful of the choices made by families and continue to do our part to keep everyone safe. Wear your masks, wash your hands, and maintain social distancing. Have a great school year!
If you have news/information or a story idea you’d like to share or a ‘shout out’, please send an email to jshortavon@aol.com.
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