An open and affirming, Just Peace, Green Justice, Global Mission Congregation

No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here!

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Holy Communion Celebrated Sunday

For those joining us virtually Sunday, this is a reminder to prepare your elements for Holy Communion prior to the service.

First Church, Its Mission, and Its Ministry

Special Congregational Meeting

Sunday, September 15th

After Worship, in the Meeting House

The Executive Council has called for a special meeting on Sunday, September 15 immediately following worship to:

1. Approve minor revision to the constitution,
2. Approve expense for chimney replacement, and
3. Approve expense for rear entrance door replacement and rear sidewalk repair/replacement.

An update on the YTD financial performance will also be provided.

Your attendance is necessary to reach a quorum so please plan to attend.

Labor Day

The office will be closed on Monday, September 2nd, in recognition of Labor Day. We will be back in the office on Tuesday, September 3rd.

Overdose Awareness

First Church is once again participating in Overdose Awareness by placing 118 purple flags representing the 118 lives lost to drug overdose in Lorain County in 2023 alone. The flags in our front yard are there along with a sign to increase awareness, not only for those that aren't aware of what's going on, but to let people know that they aren't alone. 

A committee of vultures in an early Monday morning meeting.

Please Note: Donations will be received through September 5th. Thank you!

Call for Bel Canto Musicians

Bel Canto, Kendal’s handbell choir, is looking for one or two musicians to play handbells from Aug 30 through Nov 17. Please help us out! It’s a fun ensemble experience. Contact Betsy Allen if interested, betsyallen2345@gmail.com

The Wider Church

Truth in Voting: Combating Disinformation and Misinformation in the 2024 Elections

As Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, explained as part of the Our Faith, Our Vote campaign, voting is an essential way for people of faith to bring about the just world we want to see. It is how we can love-in-action, as 1 John 3:18 teaches us.

Even when politics seems broken, we at UCC Media Justice see, every day, the tremendous impact of national and local elections. Do not give up, get out to vote, and encourage your friends and loved ones to do so also. Do not let forces arrayed against justice prevail in pushing you out of your democracy.

As part of our joint effort to ensure that everyone participates in our civic life, it is important to know about the hurdles that face us. In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, one place where our democratic processes face a significant challenge is from a deluge of disinformation and misinformation.

Misinformation is unintentionally false information. Disinformation is false and intends to mislead. Both can play a powerful role in negatively influencing public opinion and voter behavior.

Deceptive practices sow confusion among voters, spreading doubts about the mechanics of voting and the integrity of our electoral process. For example, misleading information about polling locations or inaccurate voting times can prevent voters from casting their ballots and skew election outcomes. Other deceptive information can cause us to lose hope and step away from the political process. Here’s what UCC Media Justice will be watching out for:

• Disinformation campaigns targeting people of color that exploit language barriers and cultural nuances to spread false narratives and sow distrust in the electoral system to suppress voter turnout. Recent polling revealed that Black Americans disproportionately encounter lies online.
• The use of AI-generated content, including deep fakes. These technologies create convincing false videos and images that mislead voters, and they are on the rise. For example, early this year Joe Biden’s voice was impersonated to influence the New Hampshire primary. This content complicates efforts to distinguish between genuine and fabricated information.
• Distrust in mainstream media and other traditional sources of information which has led to an increased reliance on social media for news. But social media platforms can be the worst place to go for reliable news because they are often rife with unverified and misleading content.

Although these developments are concerning, we can make powerful changes when we work together.

At UCC Media Justice, we joined with 200 organizations asking social media companies to implement election integrity policies. We are continuing to work to make traditional, broadcast media accountable to the communities they serve, so communities can rely on it. We support the Federal Communications Commission’s quick action to sanction electoral deep fake phone calls and to establish transparency rules in political advertising. The UCC is pressing lawmakers, especially Congress, to pass legislation that would firmly prohibit deceptive practices and prevent voter intimidation by making it unlawful to knowingly provide false information, online or offline. Join our email list so you can help.

As individual members of the United Church of Christ community, here are some specific actions you can take to fight disinformation and misinformation:

1. #KnowYourFacts. Always check the accuracy of a video, story, or article from a reputable source before sharing it, using websites like Politifact, Snopes, or FactCheck.org. Or use the Southern Poverty Law Center’s helpful guide for how to spot AI-generated disinformation in your social feed.
2. Don’t amplify false narratives: Avoid sharing mis- or disinformation, even to debunk it. Instead, share factual content to contribute positively to online discussions.
3. Educate your circle: If you see friends or family sharing disinformation or misinformation, engage them with kindness and present correct information. Suggest they check the facts themselves. Don’t get into a fight online. #KnowYourResponsibility #KnowYourLimits
4. Report disinformation: Use the support tools provided by social media platforms to report false information. You can also alert organizations like Common Cause through their disinformation tip lines. The FCC also accepts complaints and offers tips on deepfake scams of all kinds.

Many of these pointers are part of UCC Media Justice’s #KnowPeaceOnline campaign which offers six guideposts to a better world online.

UCC Media Justice invites you to join with us in praying during the 2024 election season:

God, help us, our neighbors and our political leaders to put our love for our world into action. As we prepare to vote in November and encourage our neighbors to do the same, let us be vigilant in verifying the information we share and courageous in confronting falsehoods. Call us to seek out truth and justice and educate ourselves and others during this critical election year. Help us to do that by giving us the perseverance to create a society where all people have access to reliable, trustworthy information from sources that are accountable to the communities they serve and that reflect the full diversity of our country.

The Wider Community

Can you help?

We're so grateful for all the local gardeners who have dropped off squash, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and lots more fruit and veggies to the OCS food pantry. This is a reminder that we LOVE getting fresh, nutritious produce — it's going to around 350 families each week. That's about 1,000 people who get food because of YOUR support for OCS' pantry!

Donations from local gardens and farms are welcome during business hours at the Cooper Community Resource Center, 500 E. Lorain St., Oberlin.

Oberlin Farmers Market

Parking lot

The Oberlin Farmers Market provides locally grown, seasonal, fresh, high quality produce and farm fresh products. This is an outdoor market, open rain or shine, featuring a wide variety of local seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, honey, artisan bread, baked goods, mushrooms, crafts and more. Hours: 9am - Noon, every Saturday; May 18th - October 12 Visit our website: https://www.oberlinfarmersmarket.info/ The market is located at 69-85 South Main Street, downtown Oberlin, Ohio, in the parking lot between the Oberlin Public Library and police station and across from the post office.

Architecture History Walk

Aug 31 2024, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

67 N Main St, Oberlin, OH

Enjoy a leisurely stroll on this 1 hour-long tour which explores Oberlin’s architecture with a focus on such individuals as Walter Blythe, Cass Gilbert, and Minoru Yamasaki. This walk provides an opportunity to view an array of historic buildings that feature various styles including Gothic Modernist, Neo-Classical Revival, Romanesque, Late Victorian, and Queen Anne Revival. Tour meets at the flagpoles in the SE Corner of Tappan Square; intersection of Main St. (Rt. 58) and College Street.

Root Beer and Yesteryear at OHC

Sep 21 2024, 01:00 PM to 4:00 PM

73 S Professor St, Oberlin, OH

Join friends old and new at the Oberlin Heritage Center on Saturday, September 21 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. for this free, family-friendly event featuring live music by the Eerie Invaders, who play surf guitar noir instrumentals infused with tiki voodoo! Also get excited for vintage video games and board games, historic portrayals, the Lorain County Bicentennial traveling exhibit and best of all -- root beer floats for everyone! Why root beer? Throughout most of its history Oberlin was a "dry" town, meaning you couldn't buy alcohol within city limits. Times have changed but a fondness for this summer treat hasn’t. The floats are generously provided by Oberlin IGA, and there will also be free popcorn.