Gathering Vol. 1 Issue 2 - West Hill Baptist Church

ga ther i ng
Vo l u m e 1 I s s u e 2
“all together in one
place - having
all things in common”
acts 2 &3
staff list
Editor-in-Chief:
Brianna Fairhurst
Contributing Pastor:
Dan Wingate
Graphic Design:
Joanna Byler
Cecelia Maxwell
Leah Mendez
Photographers:
Mark Davenport
Brianna Fairhurst
Ashley Ward
Writers:
Joanna Byler
Chrys Collins
Brianna Fairhurst
David Gingery
Cecelia Maxwell
Brandon Leatherman
Christine Ogden
Branon Workman
Copy Editors:
Julie Gingery
Anna Williams
content highlights
4
Letters from the staff
8
The Beginning of a New
Ministry
16
5
Night of Christmas
15
A Day of Fall Family Fun
Local Shops Invest in 19
Community’s Fitness Cell Life Spotlight
22 23
Photos of the West Hill Crows of the Courtyard:
Community A Comic
3
G A T H E R I NG
Letter from the Editor
H
b y
B r i a n n a
F a i r h u r s t
ere we are once again! We’ve made it, with your help, to a second issue of gathering. It’s
amazing what God has in store for us, isn’t it?
Shortly after graduation I remember thinking, “I’m going to be a writer working for a
big magazine in New York!” Over a year later, I found myself working for my home church
of twenty-some years as a secretary and magazine editor. Had someone told me this a year
ago, I would have shaken my head, laughed in their face, and sipped my coffee astounded at
the audacity of such a thought.
How many times have you said that to yourself ? Countless, I’m sure. We never know what God has
planned for us, and when the plan finally comes into fruition we’re amazed and tell others, “Had you told me
____________, I never would have believed you!” I’m sure if this magazine could talk it would say the same
thing.
This is a huge step for West Hill, one towards better communication and, even more importantly, better
community. And I’m proud to help produce such a fine product, and I’m proud of the writers, photographers
and graphic designers I have working with me on this magazine! With each issue we gain more perspective,
experience and dedication.
In this issue we have found a common theme of “I never would’ve believed you!” Such as a pastor rejoining the West Hill staff, a group bringing Christmas to deprived Appalachian locals, a fourteen year old who
bakes amazing cupcakes, a psychology major who wanted nothing to do with the ministry, a legless war veteran
evangelizing all over the world. Each story is a testament to Jesus Christ and what He can do when we draw
our focus solely on Him.
So read, enjoy, and remember to pray for each of these people who have shared their story, as well as for
each of us to remain open to the plans God has in store - we never know what God can do in our lives until we
focus solely on Him.
R
From the Pastor
b y
D a n
W i n g a t e
omans 12:1 tells us that we are to
present ourselves as living sacrifices
daily unto God. In other words, we as
believers are to daily surrender
ourselves to the Lord for whatever
He desires of our lives.
After a pastor had preached at a Bible conference, a young lady tearfully approached. The pastor
could tell she was very distraught as she stated, “I
just can’t seem to live the Christian life the way I
should. I am frustrated. I am without victory and I
am constantly defeated.” She finished with this statement, “I’ve tried to get all I could out of God.”
The pastor said, “That’s your problem. The
key to spiritual victory is not getting all you can get,
but giving all you have.”
Most Christians never come to the place of
surrender. We flirt with the world, we flirt with the
flesh, we flirt with our own personal indulgences and
desires
- we buy into the world’s ideology. We entertain ourselves with the world’s mode of entertainment. We
think along the lines the world thinks. So we
never really come to the place of total commitment
and, therefore, forfeit the fullness of the blessing that
God would have for us.
Once we have come to Christ for salvation, the
key to spiritual victory is that we surrender to God.
4
West Hill Baptist produces A Night of Christmas
W
b y
B r a n d o n
L e a t h e r m a n
experience that is A Night of Christmas.”
est Hill Baptist Church is
This year’s event will be a little different from
gearing up once again for
previous years’ festivities, though.
the joyful celebration of
“Years ago we had cantatas, which are kinda
the birth of our Savior in
high-church
type things, and choir only,” explained
A Night of Christmas.
Davenport. “Then last year we sort of went and did
“A Night of Christmas
has become our theme for the last couple of years for something a lot more contemporary that left the
us to do worship that enjoins both the 9:30 and 11:00 choir on the outside. This year is going to be much
more of a balance of what West Hill really is. The
services,” explained Pastor Eric Fairhurst, Worship
and Choir Director for West Hill’s Sanctuary Service. choir will be there, but The Hill Band will be involved as well, and there’ll be aspects of all the dif
“What we’re doing is blending the Hill Band
ferent parts of West Hill.”
and the choir together with the drama team. This
Along with the
year’s theme is based on a
So
we
weave
all
of
these
festivities in the sanctuary
drama written by Pastor
Mark Davenport entitled
elements together into a there will be an acoustic band
playing in the hallway prior
“Three Wise Men.” This
visual,
aural,
spiritual
to the evening service and
year, A Night of Christmas
concessions will be served as
will accentuate these two
experience that is
well. There will also be a live
messages: what treasure do
A
Night
of
Christmas.”
nativity outside.
you have to give to Christ,
“This year we’re going to do [the nativity]
and what process do we go through when we do
under
the
portico of the main auditorium, so you’ll
battle within ourselves about giving that gift,” said
only be able to enter the church through the doors by
Davenport.
The drama is made up of three parts in which the coffee shop,” said Davenport. “But that way, insomeone in each drama must sacrifice something dear stead of us having to set
up a tent area or something, we’ll have that overhang,
in their life. Each of the things sacrificed represents
and we’ll put straw in
one of the three gifts that was given to Jesus by the
there and everything will be sheltered. Plus people
wise men: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
will be able to look out the windows and doors and
“The music is going to be between the choir
see it.”
and the Hill Band, and hopefully be able to collabo
A Night of Christmas will take place in the
rate with the children’s chorus as well,” continued
sanctuary
of West Hill Baptist Church on Saturday,
Fairhurst. “It’s also incorporating a lot of different
elements; there are soloist elements, there’s the choir, December 21 and Sunday, December 22 at 6:00 pm
both evenings.
there’s Pastor Zach Swift with the Hill Band, the
children, and then the drama. So we weave all of
these elements together into a visual, aural, spiritual
“
“This year is going to be much more of a balance of what West Hill really is.”
5
G A T H E R I NG
Appalachian Christmas Preview
E
b y
C e c e l i a
M a x w e l l
very winter since 2009, West Hill Baptist Church supports
Appalachian Christmas, a ministry
devoted to helping hurting and needy
people by spreading God’s
gospel while providing Christmas gifts
and a meal.
It was started by Mike Thompson, Chad Stryker, and the Spectrum class at West Hill, who saw a
need in Webster Springs, West Virginia.
Spectrum is a contemporary class focusing on
specific books in the Bible and delving deep into God’s
Word and truth, providing biblical instruction and fellowship for the young career and post-college singles,
typically age twenty-five to thirty-five.
Despite it being difficult for the members of
the class to take time out of their busy lives to serve
others, they were moved to help an impoverished area.
The single mothers in Spectrum pushed for it, prayed
about it, and went for it.
When West Hill contacted Webster Springs,
resident Pastor Hunt expressed that children were not
coming to Bible studies, and if they did show up to
Bible studies, it was sometimes the only meal that the
children would have all week.
The church teamed up with Mountain Vision
Ministries and started Appalachian Christmas to assist
families who cannot afford to buy Christmas gifts or
even feed their children for Christmas.
Mountain Vision Ministries was formed in
1993 to minister to Appalachia’s needy children and
their families with food, clothing, household items, as
well as bibles and Sunday School materials.
This ministry creates unique partnerships with
various Christian fellowships to improve devastated
areas. Since 1993, Mountain Vision has delivered over
4 million pounds of food in the name of Jesus to feeding centers in West Virginia, Kentucky, as well as the
southeastern portion of Ohio.
West Hill is sent a list of children from the
town they are assisting that need a gift, along with
their ages, gender, and their Christmas gift wish list.
Members of the church buy a gift for a child on the list
(with a limit of $25) or send money to buy food for a
meal.
Volunteers get together and take the gifts and
food down to the town in need. The day is spent distributing gifts to the children, singing Christmas carols, sharing a meal, and spreading the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
The volunteers also do a skit during the meal
about how Christ is the real meaning of Christmas.
Even Santa Claus is included in the skit to point the
way to Jesus and His birth. Stryker recalls that every
place they’ve visited, people have come
forward to accept Jesus Christ as their
Savior. This year, our volunteers are going to Inez, Kentucky. Stryker cannot
say enough about how much he appreciates what West Hill Baptist Church
does for this trip. He actually has to
turn people away that want to go on
the trip because so many have already
volunteered.
However, for those that wish to purchase presents for the children, names
will be available at the table across from
Common Grounds Cafe in the lobby.
Any other questions can be directed to
Chad Stryker.
6
From teacher to pastor:
The ordination of Cedric Beckles
G
b y
B r a n o n
W o r k m a n
rowing up as a
young man in
Nassau, Bahamas, Cedric
Beckles knew
that God was
calling him. He was always active in his father’s church and felt
strongly about serving the Lord.
It wasn’t until he returned home
from college at Liberty University
in 2007; however, that he felt that
God might be calling him from
part time servanthood into fulltime ministry. Despite God’s tug,
he ran from the call. He continued
to serve under his father’s leadership using his talents as a counselor and his passion for people until
he and his wife, Jessica, returned
to the United States in 2011.
thing was missing.
Beckles continued to pray about
giving God and the ministry his
full devotion. Finally, he knew in
his heart that the Holy Spirit was
telling him the time had come to
take the leap.
definitely important to me that he
was there.”
The pastors are thrilled to have
him on board as a full-time pastor
with a passion for young people,
young married couples, and Christian counseling. “Once we got to
know him a little bit, got to know
“I didn’t want an excuse to be
what his strengths and passions
lukewarm anymore,” he said.
were, I knew right away that he
Nearly one month after he achad a roll here,” said Davenport.
Even though his location changed, cepted a position with the support “My son, Cody, always told me
the pull from God to surrender to ministry, he knew he had to stop
that [Beckles] was unbelievable,
a life in full-time ministry conrunning.
and that if West Hill ever had an
tinued to grow in his heart. Still,
opportunity to have Cedric on
On September 22, 2013, Beckles
Beckles struggled for a time; he
staff that we should jump on it. So
was ordained into ministry surwas not certain he was prepared
we did. So far, I believe that everyrounded by his family, friends,
to devote all his time to God and
one here has been blessed by his
and the congregation of West
His ministry. He remained an
wisdom, talents, and remarkable
Hill Baptist Church. When asked
intricate part of West Hill Bapcounseling abilities.”
about the most special part of his
tist Church. He faithfully worked
ordination ceremony, he replied, “I Beckles’ wife is elated about this
alongside Pastor Josh Saefkow in
would say that my dad being there new journey that God has put
the Aletheia ministry, taught in
the college and career class, assist- and being a part of the ceremony their family on. “I’m truly honwas probably the best part for me. ored,” said Jessica, “I’m blessed
ed the pastoral staff any way he
I’ve always known that I would
could, and even took a part-time
that God has chosen this path for
position on staff with the church.
him and that He has chosen me to
follow in his footsteps. He has
His love for God remained evident
go with him. I am really excited to
always been my hero, so that was
in his life, but he knew that somesee what God has in store for us.”
7
G A T H E R I NG
The Beginning of a New
Ministry
A
b y
B r a n o n
W o r k m a n
ttention college students! Attention
young professionals! Attention…
well… anyone eighteen to thirty
five years old! West Hill Baptist
Church has an amazing new ministry just for you! Graduates and
Professionals, (G.A.P.) is the place where college
students, working professionals, singles, and young
married couples can come together to worship, study
the Word, and fellowship with each other.
The ministry is made up of three individual classes:
Aletheia 247, Spectrum, and Construct. Each class
has a teaching direction specifically aimed to feed
their spiritual growth and character development.
Aletheia translated from Greek simply means “truth.”
The “247” is just a reminder that Christians need to
be speaking the Truth and worshipping twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week.
The class is directed towards college-age people from
eighteen to twenty five years old. Beckles says Aletheia is focused on age related topics such as relationships and jobs rooted in faith. He has hopes that what
they learn in the class will set them up for a successful and God-rich future.
The class meets on Wednesday nights at 8:30 pm
above the Family Life Center and presents a “very
comfortable and relaxed atmosphere,” according to
Aletheia student, Merry Adams.
Construct is geared toward young married couples
from eighteen to thirty five years old. The group
employs a “support group” type atmosphere so that
couples can learn from each other while dealing with
topics regarding marriage and parenting. Who better
to learn from than someone who has experienced
a similar situation first hand? Construct meets at
7:00pm on Wednesday nights in the Family Life
Center. Childcare is provided free of charge.
Last, but definitely not least, is Spectrum, taught by
Chad Stryker. The class’s focus is on young, single,
post-college age professionals around the age of
twenty-five. It is a place to connect, fellowship, and
worship with other young singles. Spectrum meets
on Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm in the old choir loft
above the baptistery.
Pastor Beckles has great vision for the future of the
G.A.P. ministry, “In five to ten years, the people in
G.A.P. right now will be the core members of our
church.” He has taken it as his mission to do his best
to prepare this group to become spiritually mature
Christians who are ready to lead our church by example through devotion and dedication to Christ.
As for the near future, G.A.P. has already started
planning a “Connection Point” for next month. This
event will allow all three classes to come together to
fellowship and learn from people in every stage of
young adulthood. The year 2014 also holds a bright
new dimension to G.A.P. as they will be introducing
“The Illumination Project.”
This new project will allow members from each
group to share their life experiences and struggles
with each of the other classes. He hopes G.A.P. will
help create well-rounded and prepared young adults
with a strong support system going into the future.
For more details on any of these classes or information on how you can get involved, please contact
Pastor Cedric Beckles via email at [email protected] or the church office at 330.264.1907.
8
Riley Harris: Cupcake Wunderkind
b y
B r i a n n a
F a i r h u r s t
R
iley Harris is your average fourteenyear-old girl. Daughter of Ty and
Amy Harris and sister to Shelby
Harris, she attends high school at
West Holmes, does well in class,
plays for the school volleyball team,
spends time with her friends and family, and, oh, did
I mention she bakes cupcakes?
Now these are not your typical Easy Bake Oven
cupcakes. Harris is a borderline professional with
her baking, and actually fulfills paying orders for her
mini cakes. She’s an average fourteen year old that
should open her own bakery.
“I just wanted to be someone creative when I grew
up,” said Harris, “so I started out making cheesecakes, and then I saw this recipe for cupcakes and
thought they looked really good. So I just started
making them. I took them in for class and everybody
loved them.”
She was twelve at the time.
“She’s awesome!” said her sister, Shelby. “She makes
them and everyone just devours them.”
manage my business.”
You could say Harris is devoted to the future of cupcake baking. She’s considering a major in business
“probably at Wayne [College] so I can stay here and
still make cupcakes,” she said. But don’t expect her
to taste-test her own creations.
“I don’t eat my cupcakes. I make my parents eat them
because I’m too hard on myself,” she said. “But my
favorite would probably be my carrot cake or my
lemon.” The majority of her recipes are straight
from the website, www.pinterest.com, where users
can post pictures linked to recipes and Do It Yourself instructions among other things.
What really sets her apart from other young bakers
is her frosting creations. After using money earned
from cupcake orders, Harris purchases her own
equipment including frosting piping bags and tips.
Some of her creations include graduation caps, Minnie Mouse, Ohio State University, and Breast Cancer
ribbon fondant toppers, Christmas trees, and many
others that will leave you salivating for your dessert.
When she’s not baking she spends most of her
time on schoolwork and volleyball, including Junior Olympics volleyball once the school’s season
is over. You can see many of her creations on the
smartphone application, Instagram; her username is
rileyharris12. But be warned! You’ll most likely want
a dozen or two for yourself.
Among smaller orders, Harris has also made cupcakes for her sister’s graduation party as well as
a school fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness.
“Lot’s of people say ‘You should go into business!’”
said Harris. “I made cupcakes for Shelby’s soccer
team once and one of the girls said she wanted to
9
G A T H E R I NG
Eric Fairhurst Returns as
Worship Leader for
Traditional Service
b y
C h r i s t i n e
O gd e n
Fairhurst said upon his return
that he has seen many familiar
faces of those who have been family to him since 1980, and shared
that Pastor Dan Wingate and
Pastor Mark Davenport have had
a formative influence on him and
his ministry.
T
here are two
things that have
always been a
large part of
Pastor Eric
Fairhurst’s life
and personal ministry: music and
encouraging believers in their
golden years. Pastor Fairhurst is
excited to be back at West Hill
leading the traditional worship
service, as well as ministering to
the Senior Adults, whom he prefers to call “Elders.”
Born and raised in Wooster, Ohio,
Fairhurst attended Wooster High
School where band was a large
part of his life. Upon graduation,
he pursued a degree in Music
Education at Bowling Green State
University. He taught in public
and Christian education for seven
years and continues giving private woodwind lessons. He is a
semi-professional musician and a
member of Standard Time Jazz,
a performing group providing instrumental performance and background music for special events.
Fairhurst and his wife, Becky,
have been married for twentyfive years. They have raised two
daughters, Brianna and Michale,
and also have a son, Eric, who is
an eighth grader currently attending Wooster City Schools.
1 0
He formerly served at West Hill
from 1987 through 1992 and also
1997 through 2008, serving in
a variety of roles: Youth Pastor,
Music Director, Worship Pastor and Associate Pastor. Eric
spent the last five years serving
as Chaplain at West View Healthy
Living, a local elder care facility.
When asked what he found new
about West Hill, and after noting the church has been going
through many transitions and
cultural changes, he gathered that
the church has a different feel. He
said “The renewed vigor of our
long-time pastors along with the
addition of two new pastors, Zach
Swift and Cedric Beckles, brings
a balance of wisdom and enthusiasm to West Hill.
Pastors Mike Feliciano and Dave
Curie have also been very faithful in their service to our children
and junior high students and are
always striving to improve the
programs offered to our youth.”
He said he has noticed more men
in spiritual leadership at church
and in their families’ lives, and
feels there is a fresh energy in the
approach to ministry at West Hill
as well.
“The church has grown into a
philosophy of ministry that feels
settled, feels right, feels balanced,”
said Fairhurst. He also shared the
challenge he sees facing today’s
church is “figuring out how to
maintain the power and clarity
of the Gospel while meeting the
contemporary needs of diverse
families.” One goal in particular is
his desire to encourage our elders.
“I want to help elders take their
place of biblical leadership within
the church. I am here to encourage and further equip them to
participate in ministry and to
lead.” Fairhurst said he finds that
today’s culture mistakenly exalts
youth to over-maturity - a worldly
misconception that all believers
should actively strive to correct.
He plans to re-continue his work
with Caleb’s Kin, an element of
ministry reaching out to those
over fifty-five.
When it comes to spiritual music,
he has a passion for the traditional
style of worship but respects the
freshness of contemporary styles.
Fairhurst views worship as a time
to lose ourselves and subjugate
our will to God.
He explained, “Worship is for the
glory of God and for the greater
good of those in attendance.” He
added that when we view worship as a selfless act of service,
we naturally surrender our own
personal preferences.
Fairhurst’s plans for the traditional service are to include more
offertory and special music; he
would like to see more people using their musical gifts, and views
the choir as the primary vehicle
of music ministry and wants to
strengthen and encourage the
choir.
A children’s choir is another ministry that he seeks to develop and
he would welcome a return of the
orchestra, which would give many
more individuals the opportunity
to use their musical talents in service to the Lord.
The personal challenge he sees
with his return is resisting the
tendency to become overly busy, “I
need to stay focused on ministry
— on serving. I am more interested in depth.” He said, “I want
to go deep, not wide. I have no
need to validate myself with big
numbers. God has an agenda and
I want to be on the tasks He has
planned, not create unnecessary
work for myself and others.”
With that in mind, Fairhurst does
not foresee the need for a large
number of new programs or
activities, but rather plans to focus
on encouraging those who possess
musical talents to further develop
those gifts.
One can easily see, his ministry is
about music, but more importantly it is about people using their
gifts in service to the Lord.
G A T H E R I NG
Tim Lee Visits West Hill
b y
B r i a n n a
F a i r h u r s t
T
Tim Lee, a well-known evangelist, visited West Hill Baptist Church on October 12 and
13 to speak for the annual Worker’s Appreciation Banquet and the following services
on Sunday morning. He’s no stranger to West Hill having been a regular guest speaker
since 1985.
Lee is also known for his service in the Marines during the Vietnam War. His tour was
cut short after a landmine left him legless. From that point on, Lee dedicated his life to
serving the Lord through evangelism.
But don’t expect him to be bitter towards the Vietnamese people. Like a true man of God, Lee has a
heart for the locals to know Christ. In fact, he’s revisited the country on more than one occasion.
“I went back four years ago, took about 20 people with me as well as a lot of Veterans,” said Lee. “It was
an awesome experience.”
1 2
During that particular visit, Lee spent most of his
time at Grace Baptist Church in Downtown Ho Chi
Minh City, formally known as Saigon. A church that,
only shortly before Lee’s visit, was finally approved
by the Vietnamese government to open.
churches support better than others.” That’s
why it’s so important that they take this chance
to speak at Parris Island.
As for Lee, the support he received came mainly
from his immediate family. After resigning from
his pastoral position in 1978, he began traveling with his wife and two children “from coast
to coast and border to border,” said Lee. Their
third child was born the same year they started
traveling.
“They had to go through a process to even get it approved for me to speak,” said Lee.
After preaching one night, one of Lee’s translators
brought two men to him. “One who had fought for
the south - the South Vietnamese Army [during the
Vietnam War], and the other guy leaned over to me
and said, ‘Thirty-eight years ago, I would have killed
him, and I would have killed you as well.’ He was a
former Vietcong soldier,” said Lee. “But now they’re
both saved and attend this church. It’s
amazing what God can do that bullets
cannot.”
Among Lee’s list of international
travels is India, where he had the
opportunity to hold a crusade. According to Lee, thousands of people
attended each night, some of which
were much older women who showed
up four hours early to hold spots on
the concrete floors.
“It’s not always easy,” Connie said, referring
to marriage. But the Lees made it clear they
wanted their children to be treated the same as
any other child.
“
It’s
amazing
what
God can
do that bullets
cannot.”
“As a Marine, well, sometimes he’d
tell the girls to suck it up and I’d
have to tell him they were NOT
Marines,” said Connie laughing. In
a more serious tone, Lee added, “I
don’t want my kids to be treated any
differently. I didn’t ever want to hear
someone telling my children, ‘You’re
the evangelist’s son/daughter, you
should know better,’ because that’s
one of the reasons I rebelled. I think
that after a while, if kids hear that
enough they begin to resent the ministry and
the pastors, and I wanted it to be fun for my
kids.”
Lee looks forward to one day returning to India,
especially now since the town he visited recently
elected a Christian mayor into office. “That opens a
lot more doors for opportunities,” said Lee.
Today, two of his children work full-time in his
ministry, one of which was even able to travel
to India with Lee, while the third works one
day a week for him.
As for now, Lee not only plans to continue visiting churches and holding crusades, but he also has
a major opportunity to evangelize at Parris Island,
the same military base where his multiple operations
took place.
After thirty-five years, Lee isn’t ready to give
up yet. He still has more places to visit, more
people to reach. And he’s ready to come back
to West Hill, “This church has been a friend of
this ministry for a long time. I’m very grateful
for that and for the opportunity.”
Lee was not able to give much information; however,
he stressed that the six planned speaking engagements were “the greatest opportunities that we
have.” He mentioned the potential of speaking on a
Californian base as well.
To become involved in Tim Lee’s ministry, visit
www.timlee.org. And if you missed his preaching at West Hill, you can find the podcasts on
our website at www.whbcwooster.com.
Lee and his wife, Connie, both understand the difficulties of finding spiritual support as a soldier.
“A lot of it depends on the family,” said Connie. “It
could also depend on the church they’re in. Some
1 3
G A T H E R I NG
O
n Sunday, October 13, West Hill Baptist Church members
(from left) Marilyn Boatner, Camilla Fickes, and Marge
Maibach were presented with the Lifetime Achievement
Awards for the dedication and service to the ministry.
Pa s tor Da n W i n g a te h u g s M a i b a ch a f ter pres en t i n g
the award.
1 4
Bloctober:
A Fall Day Filled With Family Fun
W
ith a fall
chill in the
air and a
light rain
outside,
West Hill
Baptist could not have had a
better day for Bloctober, the
yearly children ministry’s fall
outreach.
Bloctober drew a larger
crowd than last year, with 278
people attending the three
hour event. Children’s Ministry Pastor, Mike Feliciano,
and his hard-working crew
served up plenty of hot dogs,
chips, popcorn, and Cookie
Snob cookies to the pint-sized
crowd and their parents.
There were lots of fun
games, prizes, and a bouncy
house to keep the kids busy
for hours. A colorful clown
brightened the day by making
balloon creations.
Kids got to race
through an obstacle course
and jump and bounce down
a slide that was nearly as tall
as the gym. Another popular stop was the petting zoo,
which had a giant Giant
Flemish rabbit, a Jack Russell
Terrier puppy, and a couple
of cuddly kittens to the play
with.
The kids also enjoyed
the toilet paper toss, a game
in which a roll of toilet paper
is tossed into a freestanding
toilet for prizes. Adding to
the fun, Pastor Feliciano gave
away door prizes
every 10-15 minutes.
To top the party off,
each child got to take home
a pumpkin and small bag of
candy along with all of the
fabulous prizes they won.
A great big “Thanks!”
goes out to all of those who
made this event possible: the
workers, the candy donors,
and all who attended the festivities.
S a ve t h e d a t e :
West H i l l B a p t i s t C h u rch
1 4 t h A n n u a l S e n i o r H i g h M i s s i o n Tr i p
B e n e fi t A u ct i o n
Mar ch 1 , 2 0 1 4 9 : 0 0 A M
(Pr evi ew Di n n e r Fe b ru a ry 2 8 t h )
P l e a s e
c o n t a c t J u lie C r a ycr a ft a t 3 30.465.6495 or by
a t ju lie d c 7 7 @ ya hoo.com for mor e infor ma tion.
1 5
emai l
G A T H E R I NG
Local Shops Keep Fitness A Priority
V
b y
D a v e
G i n ge r y
ertical Runner, located at 207
S. Market Street in Wooster,
Ohio, came to town just over
a year ago. The Wooster
location is the third store in
the franchise, with stores also
located in Hudson and Brecksville.
They offer a full line of footware and clothing for
both on-road and off-road activies. Regardless
of whether you are walking, running, or hiking,
the most important accessory is a good pair of
shoes that fit you properly. Buying shoes that are
simply the right size is only part of the equation.
Terri Lemke, an associate at the Wooster store,
explained to me that Vertical Runner is a specialty shoe store. What this means is that their
associates are trained to custom fit your shoes to
you and your activity.
For example, people with different heights and
weights may need custom arches in their shoes.
Others may just need special adaptations, for example, hiking shoes may need fitted with special
plates in the sole to prevent injuries from rocks
or tree roots.
The local Vertical Runner associates are also
runners themselves. Regardless of whether
you are a seasoned professional or just getting
started, they would love the chance to develop a
custom running program for you and everyone
in your family.
The store sponsors weekly runs, rain or shine,
and encourages all levels of runners to participate in their Running Club.
Follow them on Facebook for information about
“team nights,” which are one way that the store
supports the local community by giving discounts to schools in the area on selected nights.
For more information check their website at:
www.verticalrunner.com.
B
icycling has many health benefits for people of
all ages and all levels of fitness. It is easier on the
joints than running and can also be done indoors
with a bike-trainer that elevates the back wheel
of your everyday bicycle.
A few blocks north of Vertical Runner at 139 N. Market Street, is
another family owned business called Ride On - Wooster Bicycles. Owners Bill and Jackie Buckwalter discussed their passion
for bicycling and meeting new people.
Mrs. Buckwalter referred to their patrons as friends they haven’t
met yet, instead of merely customers. This next-door-neighbor
vibe is propogated throughout the store with handshakes and
1 6
smiles galore. The store offers many
different producers for all genres of
cycling, including racing, general riding, mountain, and also recreational
types called cruisers, made to ride on
sand or snow.
The associates at Ride On are also
avid riders themselves. And once they
have a chance to get you thoroughly
and properly fitted on a bicycle, you
will likely be asked if you want to take
it out for a test-drive. They also offer
rental bikes, if you are looking for an
extended test-drive.
Buckwalter attributes the service at
Ride On as one that sets them apart
from other bike stores in the area. In
fact, when asked about the best way
for a beginner to get started, they
didn’t recommend purchasing a new
bike.
Instead, Mrs. Buckwalter suggested
getting that old bike out of the garage
and bringing it in for a tune-up and
fitting. Ride On services all makes and
models.
The Buckwalters have five children and
are advocates of family cycling; however,
for small children they do NOT recommend using a bicycle seat, due to the inherent dangers should an accident occur.
Instead, they recommend a tow-behind
type of trailer with a quick release attachment. These are sometimes referred
to as chariot carts.
One other unique item that Ride On
offers is called a Balance Bike. Made
specifically for children learning to ride
for the first time, this bike has no pedals
and no training wheels. The kids learn
to balance using their feet as trainers and
often times it is a quicker teacher than
traditional methods.
Ride On Cycling Team meets every
Tuesday evening with four levels of difficulty and a “no rider left behind” policy.
Race updates and registration links are
posted on their Facebook page, and be
sure to check out their website for store
hours, products and services at:
www.rideonwooster.com.
His philosophy on bicycling is that
it should be fun and comfortable.
Most everyone who rides has a different size and stature. Therefore,
the professionals at Orrville Cycling
like to go the extra mile in fitting
and adjusting your bike for optimal
comfort.
Racing bikes are constructed much
differently than recreational bikes,
so Amstutz and his crew feel it’s not
only important to fit the bike to the
rider, but also the type of riding to
the bike and rider.
In addition to the full line of bicycles,
clothing, and accesories, Orrville
Cycling also offers a large line of fitness bikes including the recumbent
bike and spin bike.
The recumbent style bike is a sit
down, pedal-forward type of bike
that you would typically find in a
gym. The spin style bike is a sit up,
pedal-below type of bike that you
would usually see in spinning classes
for cardio workouts.
I
Amstutz takes great pride in the fact
that his entire line of bikes, from
BMX and mountain bikes, to racing and tandem bikes, are all TREK
brand. With headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, TREK is one of the
last American bicycle companies in
the country.
Amstutz changed the name and has been
the owner since 1985, after his father
retired. To say that Orrville Cycling
is a family business run with good old
fashion family values would be an understatement. When asked to describe
his business in a word, he simply said,
“Honest.”
The Orrville Cycling Club is an
United States Cycling Federation
(USCF) sanctioned club and meets at
Amstutz’s store Wednesday evenings
at 6:00 pm.
f you happen to live closer
to Orrville, Ohio, then you
need to pay a visit to Orrville
Cycling & Fitness and talk to
Roger Amstutz.
Amstutz is the proud owner of the area’s
largest and oldest bicycle shop. His father
opened the original store, Orrville Schwinn Cyclery, back in 1965, and moved
it to its current location, 9658 W. High
Street, back in 1970.
1 7
Come to Orrville Cycling to see the
TREK Fuel EX8, which Consumer
Search, www.consumersearch.com
rates as the “best all around mountain bike.”
For more information regarding Orrville Cycling or the club visit:
www.orrvillebikeshop.com.
G A T H E R I NG
A
young ma n removes hi s ha t for prayer
a t the B uck i n’ Ohio Rode o .
1 8
Hold Your Horses!
A Spotlight on Cell Groups
b y
C e c e l i a
M a x w e l l
“Cell group gets you
connected
so you can get to
know people.”
W
est Hill Baptist
Church gives its
members many opportunities to meet
and fellowship together. The monthly
Cellife Sunday is one of them, allowing people
to sign up and become a member of a small
group. Families in each group meet to have
fun and become familiar with the people they
go to church with. One cell group includes the
Carrs, the Shamps, the Maxwells, and the Kennedys.
For this group’s regular meetings, they
have attended Christian films together such as
Fireproof, gone to an Akron Aeros [now the
Rubber Ducks] baseball game, and just enjoy
fellowship while eating dinner at each other’s
houses.
They have participated together in various service projects, from cleaning up yards to
peeling potatoes for church dinners. Machelle
Maxwell cherishes these times, saying, “It’s re-
1 9
freshing to spend time with our group. They
have become like family.”
This type of comradery is vital within a
church, as Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us
consider how to stir up one another to love and
good works, not neglecting to meet together,
as is the habit of some, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as you see the Day
drawing near” (ESV).
On October 20th, this cell group, along
with the Davenports, met at the Miller farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Miller are Jenny Carr’s parents.
They own a team of horses they use to pull
wagons.
The group was fortunate enough to go
on one of these wagon rides through the fall
scenery along the countryside before returning
to the farm for a bonfire. Everyone brought
food to share ranging from hotdogs to pumpkin pie, and had lively conversation around the
fire together. “Cell group gets you connected
so you can get to know people,” Jenny Carr
explained, “while having fun!”
G A T H E R I NG
Buckin’ Ohio Rodeo
b y
J o a n n a
B y l e r
E
and spurs get tossed through the air. A roar
from the crowd as the cowboy jumps up just
seconds after he hits the ground.
ight seconds, a large crowd on the
edge of their seats. The anticipation building, the clank of the
chute door as it’s thrown open and
a fierce animal charges through, a
brave cowboy clings to his back.
Dust scatters as the bull bucks and twists trying to
free itself from its unwanted cargo.
This is a sight you may expect to find out west.
Texas, Wyoming, and Colorado are all known
for producing some of the best cowboys in the
business, but Ohio? Not usually. Surprisingly,
a taste of the West can be found right in our
backyard.
A collective gasp from the spectators as chaps, hat
2 0
Nestled in Burbank, Ohio is Creek Bend Ranch,
home of the family-friendly event known as
Buckin’ Ohio. Owned and operated by Denny &
Eileen Thorsell along with their son Shawn, this
ranch becomes a destination for thousands of
people each summer.
Knowing that they touch lives, many they may
not ever know about, is what makes it all worthwhile for the Thorsell family. “I never realized the
impact we have on people,” Shawn said.
Bull riding may be the main event but Buckin’
Ohio has many other activities to enjoy, with the
rustic atmosphere of their “old western town”
and fun pre-show activities. For some, the preferred event may be the barrel racing cowgirls.
For the youngsters there is “Mutton Bustin”
which lets kids strap on helmets and vests, just
like the real cowboys, and climb on the back of a
sheep to see how long they can hold on.
The start of Buckin’ Ohio was somewhat accidental. While raising bucking bulls, the family would
have practice bucking sessions. Shawn, who once
ranked third in the world of professional bull riders, would call on his rodeo friends to lend a hand.
“I’d call them up and say, ‘hey we’re going to buck
some young bulls in two weeks’ and they’d come,”
states Shawn, “and I don’t know how, but eventually, we did that a few times and we started getting a crowd. People would just show up. We had
no idea who they were, but they’d just show up.”
So if you’re looking for something fun for the entire family, be sure to check out next year’s event
dates. Buckin’ Ohio may seem out of place but it’s
the real deal, and you’re guaranteed a good time!
Eileen, the heart behind it all, saw the opportunity to start something big. And thanks to her
vision, what started out as a curious crowd watching a bull bucking practice, grew into what it
is today, an event that now sees anywhere from
2,500-4,000 people per show. As Shawn puts it, “It
went from backyard bull riding to professionally
sanctioned bull riding.”
And it’s still growing. “It’s funny how the Lord’s
blessed it because it’s definitely a God thing,” says
Shawn, “You can literally see it grow.” His words
were closely echoed by his mother. Quoting Jeremiah 29:11, Eileen said. “I feel that God placed
this on our hearts and it’s only because of His
many blessings that it is now successful.”
Honoring God at their events is important to the
Thorsell family. Opening with a word of prayer
before each competition is a must, specifically for
the safety of their cowboys. And during events
there’s a “prayer box” in the chapel, a place where
anyone can submit any prayer requests they may
have.
2 1
Gol f bags wait while their ow ners
play a hole at the Aletheia Golf
O u t i n g o n S e p t e m b e r 14 t h .
2 2
2 3
G A T H E R I NG
W
e hope you enjoyed the second issue of “gathering,”
a magazine produced by the members of West Hill
Baptist Church. Please share this with someone else,
whether you choose to give it to someone or leave it
at your local doctor’s office, coffee shop, restaurant or anywhere
else you can think of! Once you’re completely done with this
copy, please recycle.
Thi s i ssue, along w ith prev iou s i ssues,
ca n b e v iewe d a t w w w. w hb c wo o s ter . c om
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