1. Church of the Redeemer
United Methodist Church
2420 South Taylor Road
Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118
Phone: 216-932-2065 Fax: 216-932-0310
Email: cleredeemer.secretary@gmail.com
Rev. Beth McGuire, Pastor
Pastoral Letter from Rev. Beth
As Church of the Redeemer UMC makes plans to move forward in meeting our goals for ministry in 2016
and beyond, I would like to share a quote from a recent devotion. The author writes, “What stewardship
really means is that God has decided that all divine actions on earth will be done through us. What is
amazing is that we are able to decide how every breath and every moment and every dime are used, for good
or for ill. God is hoping that we will use the life we have been loaned to do good while we are here. We get
to decide. That is what it really means to say we are good stewards of God’s amazing gifts.”
Because of the stewardship decisions we have made with our prayers, presence, service, and gifts over the
last two and a half years, we can celebrate many blessings and accomplishments.
We raised money for a variety of projects to increase the utilization of COR’s building for internal and
external mission - the completion of the remodeling project from the 2012 Hurricane Sandy flood through
replacement of four sump pumps; painting and tiling the hallway and three large classrooms of education
wing; the repair of some long standing boiler issues; and the creation and installation of a new outside church
sign to replace the one that had crumbled and fallen.
COR members have supported several active mission projects. We became the first United Methodist Church
in the North Coast District to become members of the Greater Cleveland Congregations, working with
interfaith congregations to build power for social justice solutions. We held a Meet the Artists exhibit and
reception highlighting the artwork of Canterbury, a racially diverse neighborhood elementary school. We
supported the Heights Emergency Food Center by holding regular food collections with a goal of 700# by
year’s end. We continue to provide monthly community meals serving an average of 20 people who are food
insecure.

2. Our Adult Sunday School provided two separate Advent Sunday School classes utilizing the book Mary Had
a Baby: An Advent Bible Study Based on African American Spirituals. In addition, the church choir
incorporated these spirituals in our worship services. A lay led Discipleship IV class was begun. Two lay
members identified a need, then developed and facilitated a six-week successful class, The Next Phase:
Anticipating Elderhood. This class was very successful positively affecting church members in the midst of
life transitions. Finally, COR generously supported scholarships for two youth to attend the Ministerial
Recruitment Institute.
Our COR Care Team of lay members continue to assist the pastor in providing additional calls, visits, cards
and meals. This year Meal Train, a web-based meal and visit organizer was instituted.
COR celebrated in worship 20 years as a Reconciling Congregation and hosted an Open Table service with
the East Ohio Reconciling Ministries Network. The first lay led Watch Night Service was held on New
Year’s Eve, and we supported the first bilingual worship service at First Hispanic UMC. In March we
celebrated Women’s History month; and in August, Welcome Home & Jazz Sunday. Our worship services
also included four funerals, one wedding and two baptisms this year. Finally, a COR member officiated and
Rev. Beth said a prayer at a marriage ceremony in the home of two women who have attended CORand
have been in a committed relationship for 20 years!
Church of the Redeemer’s outreach included the utilization of our worship space for community-based
events such as piano recitals, voice recitals, and scheduling of the Cleveland Chamber Collective. We
established a rapport with our neighbors through our Music on the Lawn event. This year 77 people attended,
including 21 children. COR initiated its first Children’s Consignment Sale event in which approximately 100
non-members came into our church and received information about our worship and mission. The event
raised $700 profit, increased traffic on our website, and assisted families to purchase affordable clothing and
other items for their children.
God has indeed made us stewards, caretakers, and trustees of it all. We cast the only vote that matters if
God's good is done through the members of Church of the Redeemer. Please vote yes to the mission of COR
and accept the membership challenge to " faithfully participate in its ministries by your prayers, your
presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness."
As I prepare to move to the Alliance Ohio area I pray members will continue to help Church of the
Redeemer UMC Connect, Cultivate, Challenge, and Celebrate ALL in Christ.