Reverend Glaab is an ordained minister. Sue was a member of First Christian Church while she attended United Theological Seminary. She holds a Masters of Divinity from UTS.
Middletown Youth Connection Christmas Gathering
December 13, 2018 By
Sunday December 9th, We had youth and chaperones attend the Middletown Youth Conneciton. Those in attendance assembled 50 stockings to be handed out to those attending Christmas Eve Service at The Gathering.
Middletown Youth Connection is supported by: The Gathering, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), First Presbyterian Church, and St. Paul’s United Church of Christ.
December 30th, Rev. Dr. Pamela Barnes-Jackson
November 19, 2018 By
Rev. Dr. Pamela Barnes Jackson is a member of First United Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Xenia, Ohio and an Associate Pastor at Tabernacle Baptist Church of Dayton, Ohio. She has been a pastor for 10 years. Although she was born in Dayton,Ohio, Pastor Jackson is proud to call herself a Kentucky native as her roots go deep into the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Her father, the late William E. Guy hailed from Midway, Ky., mother, the late Lucy Lewis Guy, was born in Flemingsburg, Ky. Her mother-in-law is Wanda M. Anderson from Paris, Ky. and father-in-law, the late Alfred C. Anderson, from Mt. Sterling, Ky.
Pastor Pamela was baptized at the age of 13 by the late Rev. Eli Wilbert of Summit Christian Church. She was reared in a Christian home and participated in many ministries at the church included singing with her family “The Guy Family” who has a legacy of the William and Lucy J. Guy Family Scholarship Fund that has given college scholarships to many high school students over the past 19 years.
She accepted her call to ministry September 2009, her first sermon was on Christmas Sunday December 2009. Dr. Barnes-Jackson received her license on October 13, 2010 and was ordained on April 29, 2011. Rev. Barnes-Jackson and her husband, Rev. Willie Barnes-Jackson are New Church Planters for the Christian Church Disciples of Christ.
Pastor Jackson matriculated through Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio receiving her Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degree’s graduating with Cum Laude honors. She was conferred with a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary on May 20, 2016. She has traveled extensively, God blessed her to live in Izmir, Turkey where she visited the last home of Jesus Mother, Mary in the ancient city of Korressos near the city of Ephesus. While in Ephesus she walked and sat in the Grand Theater/ amphitheater where Paul preached. She also visited the seven original churches. Currently Dr. Barnes-Jackson is the Student Billing Coordinator at United Theological Seminary. She was the HR Employment Manager at Central State University and the CLIMB Coordinator at Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio both universities are HBCU’s. She is married to her pastor, best friend, and mentor, Rev. Dr. Willie Barnes-Jackson and have been married for over 32 years, and have (6) children, and (14) grandchildren.
Above all of this, Pastor Barnes-Jackson believes it is only what you do for Christ that lasts, and when you live your life for Christ, every second counts! She strives daily to walk in spiritual excellence. 1 John 4:16 conveys “Whoever lives in love, lives in God and God in them.” Her favorite scripture is 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind.” To God be the glory for all He has done! Amen!
Christmas Eve, Rev. Dr. Willie Barnes-Jackson
November 19, 2018 By
Rev. Dr. Willie J. Barnes-Jackson was born in Bourbon County, Paris, KY. He is the son of Mrs. Wanda M. Anderson of Dayton OH, and Dr. Willie J. Barnes of Longview, TX. Dr. Barnes-Jackson accepted his call to ministry on August 22, 1998 at a John Maxwell “Equipping the Saints” seminar in Toledo, Ohio.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1998 from Central State University, graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors. He graduated in 2002 from Payne Theological Seminary with his Master of Divinity degree in Theological Studies and Pastoral and Marriage Counseling, while having matriculated as a Daniel A. Payne Presidential Scholar. He also completed over 400 hours of Clinical Pastoral Education and was ordained in December 2002 by the Christian Church in Ohio and Summit Christian Church under pastoral leadership of Rev. Dr. J. Thomas Johnson. In 2013, he graduated from United Theological Seminary after completing his Doctor of Ministry degree in Christian Education and Urban Ministry Development.
Dr. Barnes-Jackson has volunteered as a Chaplain for both Miami Valley and Good Samaritan Hospitals in Dayton. He is a member of the Disciples Chaplain Association. He held the position of President of the Reconciliation Committee. He is a trained member of the Anti-racism and Pro-reconciliation Commission and is considered a New Church Planter for the Ohio Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. Dr. Barnes-Jackson established the first and successful annual Brother’s in God’s Grace (B.I.G.G.) Men’s Rally at Tabernacle Baptist Church. He spearheaded the development of a Clergy Social Action effort called Dayton Ecumenical Social Action Collaborative and led the development of a non-profit Community Development Corporation and
Action group with parishioners at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio. Currently he is an Associate Minister at Summit Christian Church in Dayton. Rev. Dr. Barnes-Jackson was an Associate Minister at Tabernacle Baptist Church and Pastor of Light of the Community Christian Church (DOC). He is married to Rev. Dr. Pamela Barnes-Jackson and is father to six children and fourteen grandchildren. He and Pamela celebrated thirty-one years of marriage on February 22, 2018 and currently reside in Clayton, Ohio. He is a loving and caring member of the Body of Christ and a dedicated man of God who looks forward to working with others in ways that enhance and promote continuous spiritual growth.
December 23rd, Rev. Louis Vetri, 4th Sunday of Advent
November 11, 2018 By
Rev. Louis Vetri
Rev. Louis Vetri ( Age 53) was born and raised in south Philadelphia, PA in a Roman Catholic, Sicilian
family and neighborhood. He attended catholic schools up through higher education at Alvernia College,
where he received his Bachelors in Psychology degree in 1988. His early work in the helping professions
in alternative education and drug and alcohol rehabilitation developed a broader appreciation and
compassion to help whole family systems. Subsequently, he attended Hahnemann Hospital University
Marriage and family Therapy Program in Philadelphia and graduated with an MFT in 1996. Working with
families increased his awareness in issues of class, race, gender, religious and educational inequalities and
disparities in the larger cultural and institutional systems. He felt called to leave the therapy field and
work with social justice education , advocacy and activism initiatives including community organizing.
This led to appreciation for more open and civil discourse, interfaith and ecumenical efforts, peace
literacy and community coalition building to reduce prejudice and conflict and prevent violence
Much of this work in and in government funded agencies and grassroots organizations were often
dismissive and suspicious of faith driven efforts. Lou began developing partnerships between community
efforts and churches to forge better neighbor driven efforts of solutions. During this time and process, he
was encouraged and supported to consider his gifts in / for ministry. His lifelong efforts and interests to
be a servant for God and good in the world were able to be integrated within his faith journey , which
over the years has spanned Roman Catholic, Quaker, assembly of God, Lutheran .
He concluded he could not do further discernment without attending seminary and committed his heart to
study and formation at Lancaster Theological seminary in Lancaster, Pa. From where he graduated in
2014. During that time, Rev. Vetri found a home in the UCC with its polity, practices and deep
convictions and commitments to justice, covenant, a unifying and reconciling Christ, a God who is still
speaking who holds radical welcome for all and a true belief in the work of the Spirit leading local
churches to do relevant missions at home and abroad. With education and deep ecumenical partnerships
forming, the UCC has held the core matching values he holds, that in essential things there be unity, and
in non-essential things, flexibility, diversity and creativity while holding that all things be done in charity.
Lou met his wife while working at a hospital as an Associate Chaplain following his CPE training.
Through mutual friends they developed a tight and loving bond and married in 2015, having just recently
celebrated their 3rd
year anniversary. Lou’s older sister and 91 yr old father still live in Philadelphia. His
mother passed in 2010. Linda’s children from a former marriage are all adults and live in Utah, Texas and
Washington State. Lou and Linda moved from Mt. Joy, PA and now live in Middletown, Ohio where they
purchased a home off Manchester Blvd and are slowly enjoying learning about the area and meeting
others. She began working at Trinity Community at Beaver Creek ( United Church Homes) back in April
2018. Lou was finishing up his work as Pastor of Trinity UCC in Rehrersburg, PA ( Berks Co.) where he
served the last 4 years.
December 9th and 16th, Rev. John Dick,2nd and 3rd Sundays of Advent
November 11, 2018 By
The Rev. John Dick
The Reverend John Dick is a retired ordained minister in the American Baptist Church. John is a resident of Middletown. John has served American Baptist Congregations in Midland, MI; Haddonfield, NJ; Wyoming, OH; Middletown, OH and Worcester, MA.
December 2nd, Bob Gambrell, 1st Sunday of Advent
November 11, 2018 By
Bob Gambrell, Uncle to our own Cliff Thompson, was born and
raised just South of here in Hamilton. Following graduation from
Taft High School, Bob enlisted into the United States Air Force.
After 10 years and 9 base changes, he concluded his service at
Wright-Patterson AFB. Eventually Dayton Pepsi-Cola got a hold of
him in which he retired in 2016 with 28 year of employment. Bob
and his wife Shirley have been married for 28 years. He claims his
sense of humor is a family trait and feels at home in the pulpit where
he loves to share the Good News of the Bible. He appreciates the
opportunity once again to present a message here at FCC.
2018 “Messiah”
October 26, 2018 By
The location for the 2018 Middletown Civic Chorus performance is First Christian Church, 4520 Rosedale Rd, Middletown.
December 9th, 3:00 P.M.
There is no admission fee, but a free-will offering will be taken. A small reception follows.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Messiah (HWV 56)[1][n 1] is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible, and from the version of the Psalms included with the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and received its London premiere nearly a year later. After an initially modest public reception, the oratorio gained in popularity, eventually becoming one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.
Handel’s reputation in England, where he had lived since 1712, had been established through his compositions of Italian opera. He turned to English oratorio in the 1730s in response to changes in public taste; Messiah was his sixth work in this genre. Although its structure resembles that of opera, it is not in dramatic form; there are no impersonations of characters and no direct speech. Instead, Jennens’s text is an extended reflection on Jesus as the Messiah called Christ. The text begins in Part I with prophecies by Isaiah and others, and moves to the annunciation to the shepherds, the only “scene” taken from the Gospels. In Part II, Handel concentrates on the Passion and ends with the “Hallelujah” chorus. In Part III he covers the resurrection of the dead and Christ’s glorification in heaven.
Handel wrote Messiah for modest vocal and instrumental forces, with optional settings for many of the individual numbers. In the years after his death, the work was adapted for performance on a much larger scale, with giant orchestras and choirs. In other efforts to update it, its orchestration was revised and amplified by (among others) Mozart (Der Messias). In the late 20th and early 21st centuries the trend has been towards reproducing a greater fidelity to Handel’s original intentions, although “big Messiah” productions continue to be mounted. A near-complete version was issued on 78 rpm discs in 1928; since then the work has been recorded many times.
Dessert & Movie
October 26, 2018 By
Bring your favorite dessert to share!
Kate Thompson will present a brief presentation on the Mexican
celebration of the day of the dead…followed by the movie, Coco, a movie for all ages.
It will be a great night before our All Saints Day celebration on Sunday November 4th.
