Chardon United Methodist Church

Robert H. Richardson (1977-1985)

• Reverend Richardson introduced the Appalachia Service Project to the Chardon United Methodist Church.  This ministry has continued every year to the present.
• The Director of Music and Youth position was created with Reverend Richardson’s encouragement.  Linda Bell Prusha was hired in 1984, and she continues to work in that position.  Both programs have grown in size and vitality under Linda’s leadership. 
• Reverend Richardson introduced the Bethel Series to the church.  The Bethel Series was a structured, two-year bible study program with an emphasis on mainline Protestant theology.  It was a significant program in the life of the church.  Most of the adult members of the congregation participated in the series over the course of a few years.  Bob selected 12 people who studied for an initial intensive training period of two years to prepare them to become teachers.  Those 12 people then carried the message to the congregation in two year terms.  They formed groups and taught classes until there was no one left to teach.  Among the twelve were Betsy Anderson, Doris Bevan, Carolyn McBride, Bill Hofstetter, Iris Llewellyn, Alice Richardson, Mary Ann Sinkovec, and Janet Williams.
• A second Christmas Eve service was started.  This was a difficult sell, and Rev. Richardson promised that the two services would be identical.
• The mortgage for the Sanctuary was burned September 11, 1983.  An interesting aside is that Reverend Bob, Ed Hofstetter, and Jim Alvord “practiced” burning the mortgage ahead of time to assure that they would not fill the church with smoke.

H. Bernard Magee Jr. (1985-1993)

• The bell tower was dedicated on August 6, 1989.
• Pews in the Sanctuary were altered to accommodate wheelchairs for the handicapped.
• A grand piano was purchased and placed in the choir loft.  This was a project championed by John Fitts.

Marvin R. Brown (1993-2001)

• The New Addition was built.  It was dedicated in 1998.
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• The staff position of Business Manager was created in 1997.  Betsy Ledenican was the first to fill that position.
• The staff position of Director of Christian Education and Program was created in 1997.  Elizabeth (Beth) Lockitski was hired then and remains in that position.  In addition to directing the Sunday School program, Beth has encouraged the formation of many small groups.  By definition, a small group is a group of three to 12 people who meet on a regular schedule with the common purpose of discovering and growing in the possibilities of the abundant life in Christ.  
• There are three basic types of small groups within the community of the Chardon United Methodist Church:
  • Discipleship groups, where people gather to grow in Christian faith and life.
  • Support & Recovery groups, which focus on special interests, concerns, or needs.
  • Ministry groups, which have a task-oriented focus.
  • Common threads across all three types are biblical study and reflection, mutual support through intentional community building, group ministry beyond itself, and prayer.
• Saturday Nite Alive, a contemporary service, was started in September of 1999.
• The Masindi Mission to Masindi, Uganda has been supported by the congregation since 1998.  Dave Weir made the first trip with International Habitat for Humanity at that time.  He has been a passionate advocate for the Masindi Mission ever since.  To date, five more groups have gone to Masindi.  Some of them were Habitat for Humanity projects.  More recently, they have been church missions to Rock Foundation School.  This past year, The East Ohio Conference granted Advance Special Status to the mission.

Henry F. Woodruff (2001-present)

• On Christmas Day, Dr. Woodruff presents the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols based on a composition by Archbishop E. W. Benson, Bishop of Truro, England.
• The part-time staff position of Youth and Young Adult Ministry Assistant was created in 2006.  David Fulton was hired to fill the position.
• A third Sunday-morning service was started in September, 2006.  STRUCK (Spending Time Reaching up to Christ’s Kingdom) is a second contemporary service.