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Thank you from the Hill family

 

We are filled with gratitude for the incredible support that we have received from so many of you. Thank you for your kindness, encouragement, prayers, messages, meals, check-ins, and countless acts of support. Whether you reached out with a phone call, sent a text, sent a card, offered a listening ear, or simply kept me in your thoughts & prayers, it meant more than we can ever fully express. We are deeply grateful for all the love, patience, understanding, and positivity. Each gesture, big or small, reminded us that we were never facing this alone.
 

We are truly blessed to have such amazing people in our lives and pleased to announce that cancer is no longer
active.

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With heartfelt gratitude,

Michael & Jennifer Hill

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Volunteers needed to teach Youth Education

 

We need someone to teach youth from Pre School through 5th grade each Youth Education Sunday. We have 8 Sundays to fill. If you are interested, please reach out to Kim Armstrong or Stephanie Antal for more information. -\We also need 8 meals cooked throughout the year. If you can offer a meal for Youth Education Sunday (we usually feed 25 people).

 

 

 

Bibles available for all

 

Bibles are given out all the time at PLC but there are times we forget that a child may need a new Bible or a more age-appropriate Bible. Please let Pastor Jay know if you or your child needs a new Bible.

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Rummage Sale Success

 

The 5th annual PLC Rummage Sale was another huge success. We have risen close to $5,000. We have items posted online and eBay to sell. MANY thanks to everyone that took the time to donate, volunteer or purchase from the sale this year. Our leftover goods have gone and will be going to: Common Thread-Fairview Park, Humble Design-Solon, Vietnam Vets Association, Parma Helping Hands, Northeast Ohio SPCA No-Kill Pet Shelter and The City Mission.

 

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A sweet new ministry

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Grace of our Lord to you & yours. I am excited for many have blessed the Sweet Jesus Candy Ministry. Thank you so much. I’m in the process of candy testing. Pastor and Kim are graciously my taste testers. I’ve gotten good feedback from those who have shared their thoughts. If you have a favorite, I’ll try to come through with those ideas. The Youth are getting their choice on what’s available on the week of their birthday. The rest is available to purchase outside the Fellowship Hall after worship. If you have a holiday, baby shower or “treat need” call me. I am open to any and all suggestions. Blessings in Christ Mary Westerh 216-256-8072

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Security cameras installed in building

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Did you know that on an average week 584 people are in our building either through the two AA meetings, five weight watcher meetings, four worship services, four Bible studies, two Hunger Center pick-up days, rentals, Girl Scout meeting and the families that play in our new Courtyard playground. 

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Parma Lutheran Church is a fluid community outreach building. Open for all! With all the footsteps comes the need for security cameras, not just for us but for our guests. They have been installed this week (6/30). 

 

Thank you for helping PLC move forward with technology and safety.​

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Parma Hunger Center reboot

 

We welcomed our clients back inside!! Starting September 1, 2026, our clients will NOT need to call for an appointment. They may come inside during our normal business hours of Tuesday 2-3:45 p.m. and Friday 10-11:45 a.m. and shop for what they need and not what we give them. This is an exciting time for the Hunger Center! We NEED 3-4 volunteers to help unload the truck on Tuesdays from 9 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. This is a critical need. We are down to two volunteers aged 65+. PLEASE ask anyone you know that can lift 50lbs.

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Important feedback needed

 

We are beginning to study our church building usage and research possible paths forward that would make the most sense for our congregation. Our current building was built when we had one of the largest Lutheran congregations in the area. Much of our current building is no longer used, and we have been able to rent out many of those spaces, with more space available for rental. Our sanctuary could possibly benefit by creating a smaller more intimate space. There are also areas of the building that are needing renovation such as the bathrooms and brick lobby. We are looking for input from our PLC members.

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• What areas of the building would you like to see updated, including the sanctuary? Please share your vision.

• What renovations do you think are important? Which are absolutely necessary?

• Would you be willing to help fund these renovations? How would you feel about the church taking out a loan to finance the renovations?

• How do you feel about re-purposing areas of our current building including additional rental of unused space or possibly even selling our unused spaces to others?

 

It’s very important to share your input and ideas concerning the future of our church building. Any and all ideas

are welcomed. Your responses will be kept confidential but will aid us in creating a report which will be shared

with you this fall. It will then be put up for a congregational vote.

 

We greatly appreciate your prayerful consideration of this topic and look forward to hearing from you as we research options. The future of our church home is in our hands as we collectively determine the best way forward. Email Barbara Tibbitts at soldwithbarbara@gmail.com with your responses.

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Welcoming North River Church

 

At the November Congregation Meeting, we voted and accepted the rental contract for the North River Church with Pastor William P. McKisic. Their church service will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays in the Fellowship Hall. Their congregation is smaller than ours, but the parking will get full. We are asking our congregants to park closest to the Sanctuary side of the building, and their congregation will park towards the Fellowship Hall side of the building. Their congregants will enter through the Courtyard. They will end their worship shortly before ours. Say hello and introduce yourself if you see a new face in the building!

 

Questions and Answers:

Q: Will we be able to host events in the Fellowship Hall after our Sunday worship?

A: Yes! We will have to plan to make sure we can move tables and chairs directly after their and our worship.

 

Q: We use the FH in the summer; will we still do that?

A: Yes! They will move their worship location or time once warmer temps arrive.

 

Q: What space do they need?

A: They will use the FH from 8am-12pm each Sunday. They will have the (locked) use of the closet beside the Big Kitchen. They will have the (locked) use of an office upstairs (while knowing if we get a full permanent rental, they will have to relocate their things from that room). 

 

If you have any other questions, please call the Church Office 216.351.6376

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Free meals open to the community

 

Some have asked about the difference between a Community and Fellowship Dinner.  A Fellowship Dinner is put on by the Fellowship Ministry and is to have Fellowship amongst our PLC members, guests and family.  A Community Dinner is put on by the Community Ministry and is a meal for the people of Parma, outside of our church, whether they are in “need” of a warm meal, a couple wanting to fellowship with people over food or a single friend that just isn’t in the mood to cook. 

 

These two ministries can overlap for sure, but they are different also. 

 

The Community Meal is “hosted” by an individual(s). This means you can choose what you would like to make or purchase. The funds to cover this meal come out of the Community Ministry so you do NOT need to pay for this yourself. With the help of the Church Office, we will choose and make the meal, get the notifications out about the upcoming meal and ask for volunteers. 

 

For our first meal on January 22nd, we had chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes with salad on the side and cake for dessert. We had 6 amazing volunteers that served our 1st and only guest, Paul. Paul, a young gentleman who works in the area and lives downtown by himself, saw our post on Facebook and was very excited to enjoy a warm meal with new friends. All 8 of us sat, ate and fellowshipped for over an hour. It truly was joyous. 

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Who wants to host this event, with the help of the Church Office and a great group of volunteers? Call 216.351.6376 or write on the back of your yellow slip. 

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A reminder about Offering collection

 

As a reminder:

• General offerings go into an account that can be used for ANY church needs. 

• Capital MUST be used on physical building needs. It can NOT be used on any other church need.

• HC offerings are placed in the Hunger Center account and can ONLY be used on Hunger Center needs.

• Other, is a place holder for everything else, (e.g. Pastor’s Discretionary Fund, a special Youth donation or an offering purchase of flowers).

 

Important things to remember:

• You can give electronically through our updated and secure payment portal via the button on this page.

• Talk to your tax advisor on ways to give to Parma Lutheran Church (possibly tax free).

• ALWAYS use your name and/or your Church # with any offering. This is the way we calculate your end-of-year offerings. 

• If you have any questions, please call the Church Office 216.351.6376

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Breakfasts at Demetrio's

 

Did you know that you are invited to the Men's and Ladies' Breakfasts each month? Men get together on the second Tuesday of each month, and men and ladies get together on the fourth Tuesday of each month. They meet at 8:30 a.m. at Demetrio's Family Restaurant located at 7851 Broadview Rd. Seven Hills, OH 44131.

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2026 schedule:

• January: 13th (Men); 27th (Men & Ladies)

• February: 10th (Men); 24th (Men & Ladies)

• March: 10th (Men); 31st (Men & Ladies)

• April: 14th (Men); 28th (Men & Ladies)

• May: 12th (Men); 26th (Men & Ladies)

• June: 9th (Men); 30th (Men & Ladies)

• July: 14th (Men); 28th (Men & Ladies)

• August: 11th (Men); 25th (Men & Ladies)

• September: 8th (Men); 29th (Men & Ladies)

• October: 13th (Men); 27th (Men & Ladies)

• November: 10th (Men): 24th (Men & Ladies)

• December: 8th (Men): 29th (Men & Ladies)​

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Communion ministers needed for the homebound

 

We have eight homebound members of the Parma Lutheran Church family.  I (Pastor Jay) try to bring Communion to them once a month. I say “try” because some months I don’t get to all of them. Even if I do visit everyone on our list, a once-a-month visit from me is not enough if our shut-ins are going to feel connected and a vital part of our church family. I’d like for every homebound member of our church family to receive at least two Communion visits per month, a visit by me, and a visit from one of our Lay Home Communion Ministers. I’d like a group of lay people (non-ordained/non-pastors) available to be assigned to one of our shut-ins to visit once a month to assist me by bringing already consecrated elements of bread and wine to them.

 

To serve as a Lay Communion Minister is like serving as a Communion Assistant, except you will be bringing the consecrated bread and wine from our church altar to one of our homebound members once a month. If you volunteer to bring Communion to one of our homebound, I will individually train everyone interested in this important ministry. I will train you in the theology of this ministry (why we do this ministry), and I will train you in how to conduct this ministry.  It will require one hour of training with me scheduled at your convenance, and then you will visit one of our homebound members once per month. On your first visit you will accompany me so I can introduce you, and get you acquainted. You will be welcome to end the ministry at any time for any reason. Please know how important this ministry is to our shut-ins and to you.

 

Please pray on this and reach out to me with any questions or if you would like to become a communion minister. 440.502.1192. God Bless, Pastor Jay

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Yellow Slips in bulletin

 

The yellow slip in your bulletin is important. This slip is your direct line to the Church Office or Pastor Jay. We use your filled out slip to update our files, which then updates the ELCA’s files, that you have attended worship and if you received communion. You may use your slip to send messages to the office or Pastor Jay, such as a prayer request for yourself or others, just write on the back of your slip. You may also add suggestions to enhance worship or questions you may have about worship. Lastly, if you have an extra slip you don’t use, please put it back into the basket you took your bulletin from, on your way out.

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Reminder about Sonbeams

 

The Sonbeam is our monthly newsletter. It holds all the information from the month we have closed and the upcoming month. You can receive your copy electronically, through the mail or by picking up your copy in the Narthex or Church Office. If you would like to start receiving it electronically, let the Church Office know this by writing on the back of your yellow slip.

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Reminder about Pastor Jay's cell phone

 

Pastor Jay will continue to use his OLD phone number which is 440.502.1192. He will no longer use the "new" number of 216.231.2733. And a reminder that Kim Cummings has a cell phone number for work purposes 216.481.0635. Kim still has her personal cell phone number, and it can still be used by her church family. The Church Office is not always staffed. When calling the Church Office 216.351.6376, PLEASE leave a voicemail. Voicemails and emails to office@plcparma.org get checked three times a day regardless if anyone is in the actual building. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​To contact Pastor via email, please also use the office email address. If the message is personal for him, please signify that in the subject line.  ​