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Christ connection
Addition at Four Mile Run Christian Church fills multiple needs
By LINDA M. LINONIS
austintown
A new $700,000 addition at Four Mile Run Christian Church is a blessing in many ways.
It features a large multipurpose room for contemporary worship or recreation, a good-sized foyer, two new classrooms and a caf .
But probably the most remarkable element is that the church congregation built it debt-free. “The Russell family gave the church the deed to land, which the church sold,” said Mike Smith, senior minister since 2009. He said the generous donation by Calvin and Ethel Russell made the project possible and incurred no debt.
The multipurpose room will be just that, Smith said. It’s a place for worship, generally for the contemporary service with praise team using guitars and keyboards, but not limited to that. It also may be used as a fellowship hall for large gatherings and a place for youth activities and recreation.
The nice-sized foyer also can serve as a gathering place. The two classrooms can each seat about 30. The caf offers a place for young and young at heart to socialize and have a cup of coffee or tea. There’s also a wall-mounted big-screen TV that can stream movies and such from the Internet. Multiple windows in the caf make it a light and bright place for fellowship.
Smith said ground was broken Sept. 13, 2009, and the building was basically completed in July of this year. Some finishing touches, including furniture, are being added. A service, ribbon-cutting and celebration is planned Sunday. “It takes the group to make it possible,” Smith said of the project. He said three church members, representing three generations, will offer prayers at the ribbon-cutting.
The senior minister said the congregation also envisioned the addition as another way to “open up to the community.” “This is a way for us to better serve the community ... and have a nice place for kids,” Smith said. “The caf is a place for everyone to enjoy ... in between and before and after worship,” he added.
The church has a traditional service at 8 a.m. Sunday, and children love to ring the bell in the tower, which is from the original church. That service is followed by coffee and doughnuts from 9 to 9:30, Sunday school from 9:30 to 10 and contemporary service at 10:30. Smith said the church has a Sunday attendance of about 250 and membership of some 400. The church has many families and about 30 percent of the congregation is 50 and older.
Three years ago, the church added a youth minister, Chris Mowery, who leads a program for about 80 toddlers to teens. Over a recent weekend, the church had a lock-in for some 26 teens. Twice a month on a Sunday night, junior and senior high members meet.
Smith said the church offers small group meetings. A women’s group meets at 10 a.m. Wednesdays and an adult Bible study at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. “The groups are intended to build community among participants,” said Smith. Community groups for Bible study meet in members’ homes.
The church also has a range of ministries, including volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank, making blankets for babies and hospitalized members and emergency food for the needy.
Two years ago after Smith began senior minister, he re-emphasized the vision of the church to the congregation “... to commit to be disciples of Christ, to connect to the community as Christians, to use God-given gifts to help others and connect to those not affiliated with a church.”
“It’s the heart of the issue,” he said of the vision.
Smith said the congregation understands it must change with the times to remain relevant. One way it does that is by using the Internet to broadcast the message. The church website is www.fourmileruncc.com.
Four Mile Run Christian Church, founded in 1828, is one of the oldest non-denominational Christian churches in Northeast Ohio. Smith attended Cincinnati Bible College and Community Christian University. He spent 13 years in youth ministry and was associate minister at Four Mile Run before taking his current position.
Bob Mack is the former senior minister, who is retiring, but continues hospital and shut-in visits and teaching some classes. Tom Smeltzer is a part-time worship leader.