Deadline for March/April 2024 Newsletter is Friday, February 16th, 2024.
From the Mayor
By: Gary Griffith 740.768.2632
Happy New Year Bergholz! May 2024 bring our little Village and its residents happiness, prosperity, and good health! So far, the winter of 2023-2024 has been mild and kind to those of us that are not big fans of winter anymore.
Last fall the Village had entered into an agreement with W. E. Quicksell and associates of New Phila-delphia, Ohio to try and obtain a grant and low interest loan for paving different streets in the Village. With this agree-ment, Quicksell agreed to do all the work, without payment to them, unless the grant-loan was obtained. With this grant-loan we had to provide a local match. Well, we received word in Decem-ber that our request was turned down. Cadiz received the money because their project scored higher than our project did.
Well like they say, if you get knocked down then stand up and try again. We will be filling out paperwork again after January 1st and try again. I want to thank our Clerk, Jeff Kemmer, for his efforts and correspondence with Quicksell and others to provide the paperwork and answer numerous questions pertaining to trying to obtain these grants-loans.
In a different note, I want to thank Chad Hazelip for keeping the trash around the Village picked up, and Ron Gower for hauling it away with no cost to the Village. If you see Chad or Ron, tell them Thank You for what they do for the Village!
Just a reminder, there is a noise ordinance in the Village. If there is noise coming from a residence, vehicle or such, and that noise can be heard inside someone else’s home, then that noise is too loud and in violation of said ordnance. So please be respectful of your neighbors. They have the right to have quiet time in their own residence.
As always, Thank You to all residents, both past and present, for keeping Bergholz the envy of the Valley!
Mayor Gary Griffith
Bergholz Community Foundation
By:Nikki Klein
I hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas. Time sure does fly by. As of Jan 17th, Insight Clinical Counseling has been in Bergholz for 1 year. They are in the Bergholz office all day on Wednesdays, and every other Saturday. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call 330-397-6007. You can also contact them through their website at www.insightclinicalcounseling.com. They are an asset to our community, and we are thankful to have them here.
Mallory sees patients on Mondays in Bergholz. Call 740-768-1001 on Mondays to make appointments. If it’s any other day of the week, please call the Canton office at 330-956-5236. We are blessed to have her in our community.
Scholarship applications will be available in February. More information will be available in the next Newsletter. Happy New Year!
Bergholz EMS
By: Donna Dailey 740.768.1018
As we close 2023 and start 2024, we are looking for new members to help support this community service we provide for our town and surrounding areas. We will be offering classes this spring and our department will offset the cost for the training that you will need to help us. Please contact any member or myself if you are interested for more information. We are here 24/7 for our community and we thank you for your continued support in 2024.
Ruritans
By: Don Lyons 740.768.2680
We thank the volunteers who provided cookies and hot chocolate and the volunteers who helped get our Christmas lights up. We look forward in serving our community this summer in 2024. It will be nice to see our baseball fields used again thanks to the Village for providing this area to be used. See you all in the spring!
Insight Clinical Counseling and Wellness, LLC
By: Jessica A. Oates
Insight Clinical Counseling and Wellness is offering counseling services at the Bergholz Medical building and continues to accept new clients! We are dedicated to changing the way in which you experience mental health services. Our team of experienced clinicians work with individuals of all ages to put them on a path to recovery and wellness.
If you have never done counseling before, we aim to make the process be as simple and welcoming as possible. Here are some frequently asked questions we receive about counseling and our services!
- What is counseling?
Counseling is a way of helping individuals and families solve emotional, social, personal or systematic problems. Counseling is not advice giving or solving problems for you, but helping guide you to look at problems in an objective way and develop actions items and solutions. Counselors will work with you to assess your needs, provide clinical observations, and tailor a personalize treatment plan just for you. Basically – we want to help you live your best life!
2. What do people seek counseling to help with?
Typically, people call our office when they are in crisis or are having a problem, some of which include:
- Going through a life transition e.g. divorce, retirement
- Having concerning symptoms, such as anxiety, sad mood, low energy, difficulty focusing, anger, problems sleeping, etc.
- Engaging in behaviors they perceive need to change, such as aggression, substance use, infidelity, procrastination, decreased socialization, etc.
- Grief
- To process a trauma, either recent or from the past
- Disruptive behaviors or emotions in children
- Couples counseling
3. What does the course of counseling look like?
This varies person by person, but sessions are typically 50-55 minutes long and can be held just a few times, or can span several years, depending on the desired effect. Each new client’s first appointment is an assessment in which the counselor processes what is occurring in your life, gets a full health history, establishes the goals you have for yourself, and talks about recommendations for treatment options and length of treatment. You can receive counseling services at our Bergholz office on Wednesdays or Saturdays, or visit our nearby Wintersville office for additional weekday appointments. Counseling sessions can also be conducted through telehealth, which provides a wide away of day, evenings and weekend appointments with multiple clinicians available.
4. Are my sessions confidential?
Yes! Insight takes confidentiality very seriously and no information will be exchanged with individuals or agencies outside of our office unless you provide us with explicit consent to do so. We recognize that a safe and confidential environment is crucial in order for you to feel comfortable sharing personal information, especially in a small community!
5. Do you take insurances and how much do your services cost?
Insight accepts most major insurance plans, including all Ohio Medicaid’s. We do have options for self pay for services if you do not have insurance, all of which can be discussed when inquiring about scheduling an appointment. We do NOT accept Ohio Medicare.
6. Does Insight provide any other services other than counseling?
Yes! Insight also offers community based case management services for those with an Ohio Medicaid insurance. Case managers help provide support in the community, help individuals link up with benefits and resources, maintain secure housing, reduce mental health stigma, enhance social skills and are a general liaison between yourself, your counselor, and the community!
7. How do I find out more information or go about scheduling an appointment?
Our website is an excellent source of information! We have the bios of our clinicians (Kali Kerstetter and Victoria Brown), along with blog posts about mental health services. You can request an appointment by clicking the button at the top right-hand corner of the website, or you can call our intake department directly at 330-397-6007. Our website is www.insightclinicalcounseling.com
Respectfully Submitted by:
Jessica A. Oates, LPCC-S, PMH-C
Owner, Insight Clinical Counseling and Wellness, LLC
John Gregg Elementary PTO
Jamie Wiley, President
740.768.2100
John Gregg PTO is looking forward to starting the year off with preparation work for upcoming events! Our students are given a free shirt each spring to be worn to field trips and to the end of the year celebration. Parents/guardians will be receiving a sizing sheet for each student so that we can order the appropriate sizes. The sixth-grade class votes on 3-4 shirt designs. The winning design will be on this year’s shirts.
We have been brainstorming for the end of the year celebration which takes place in May. This event takes months to plan. Each year PTO tries to incorporate something different to make the celebration unique from previous years. Several clever ideas have been mentioned for this year!! We will be discussing options and putting a plan in place soon for the event.
January will host an all-school birthday party. This is a yearly event at John Gregg. At lunchtime, students are given an ice cream cup with all the fixings as a way to celebrate each child’s birthday! Also, PTO will have a popcorn/spirit corner day in January and February.
PTO members would like to extend wishes for a blessed New Year. May you all be happy and healthy as we start off the new year!!
Bergholz VFD
By: Dwayne Morley 740.543.3306
As we close 2023, we had great community support this year for our department. We thank everyone who helped. We received our new fire truck in 2023 and we look forward in 2024 in making some much needed upgrades to our department.
Going into 2024, we are in need for more people to join the fire service. With the new training center in Wintersville, it makes it easier to be trained more often during the year. The basic course is only 36 hours of your time plus one night a month for training afterwards plus a weekend or two during the year for longer training projects. Our department would love to have you. Please contact me if you are interested. Our department picks up the cost for your training. All you need is to provide your time to help our community.
Once again, we will be having our fund-raising weekend this fall with the ENDURO BIKE RACE along with the Ohio Valley Trail Riders Club, keep your eyes open for the date! Have a great spring!
Winter Poem
By: Barbara Vance
When the geese are flying south
And the sky is grey, my dears,
Close your eyes, and lift your nose;
Listen with your careful ears.
Feel the winter coming on,
Hear it in the crackling trees;
Note the crisping, quivering wind
Sharply snapping at their leaves.
Feel it on the windowpanes –
Chilly glass on fingertips –
Mark the biting of the air,
Heated breath on numbing lips.
See it in the early eves,
In the glowing sunset where
Shadows of the naked trees
Rattle in the biting air.
Watch the nuthatch and the wren;
They know it is time once more
To abandon careful nests,
As they’ve done each year before.
Let it rest upon your face,
Let it reach and pull you in.
See how pretty nature is
When she ushers winter in.
Northeast Jefferson County Food Pantry
“Our mission is to serve God and eliminate hunger in our community”
Our next Food Assistance Program for working people will be on the following Saturdays from 9am till 11am! January 6, February 3, March 2. This program is setup to help working people here in our community where their income exceeds state and federal guide lines for our regular pantry.
Our food pantry dates are the third Thursday’s from 8am till Noon – January 18, February 16, and March 15. For our regular clients who are signed up. Both distributions will be in back of Trinity United Presbyterian Church on 2nd Street here in Bergholz.
Donations to the pantry can be made at any time to serve our community and are tax-deductible. Checks can be made out to: Northeast Jefferson County Food Pantry – P.O. Box 613 – Bergholz, Ohio 43908
Questions or if you need help, please call: Ronnie Shockley at: 330-627-4080 or Director Kathy Warner at 740-543-3590 or email us at: [email protected]. We are here to serve the community of Bergholz!
WEBA Food Pantry
By: Ann Wiley 740.543.3972
The WEBA Outreach Food Pantry is a food resource center for Northern Jefferson County and surrounding area. The pantry operates out of the old St. Joseph School located on North Main Street, Route 164 N. in Amsterdam. The pantry is led by an all-volunteer board of directors.
The pantry also benefits from fresh produce being delivered on the 3rd Friday of each month. Pantry dates may vary due to holidays. (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter)
For new residents to the pantry community, and those who may need emergency food orders, your contact person is Penny Virtue. Her phone# is 740-543-1305. Any other questions pertaining to the pantry need to be directed to Penny. I am not involved in the food distribution of the pantry. I do know that if you are a first-time client to the pantry, you do need some form of ID. What qualifies as proper ID, you would need to contact Penny.
Upcoming dates for produce are as follows:
Friday, January 19;
Friday, February 16;
Friday, March 15;
Friday, April 19;
Friday, May 17;
Friday, June 21.
Grocery dates are as follows:
Saturday, January 27;
Saturday, February 24;
Saturday, March 23;
Saturday, April 27;
Saturday, May 25;
Saturday, June 22.
The Summer Yard Sale is tentatively scheduled for August 2nd and 3rd.
East Springfield Christ UMC
By: Nicki Tennant 740.543.3002
November and Decem-ber were very busy months in the life of Christ UMC. A time of Thanksgiving and Advent were celebrated throughout both months.
Our Mission & Outreach Team has been in high gear. Our first collection of hats, gloves, and mittens from our Mitten Tree was given to the Friendship Room. The second collection was taken to the Urban Mission. We will continue to collect these items throughout the winter season. We continue collecting non-food items to donate to the WEBA Food Pantry.
Christmas cookie trays were assembled and delivered to businesses in East Springfield to say thank you for being a part of our community. More than twenty businesses received trays. Who would have thought that our little neighborhood had so many businesses?
This new year looks just as busy for us. Our weekly Bible Study is based on the book by Robert Schnase, “Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.” Please join us on Wednesday at 6:30pm. Pastor Deborah is also offering a sermon series based on this study during our Sunday Morning Worship.
And just like that, it is the season of Lent beginning with Ash Wednesday on February 14th.
If you are looking for a home church, or just want to stop in for a visit, we have Sunday School at 9:45am and Morning Worship at 11am. Bible Study is each Wednesday at 6:30pm – 7:30pm, followed by a brief prayer service. Come and join us.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Something to Think About
By: Dave Miller
“How was your Christ-mas?” Several have asked me that in the past few days. I am thankful I was able to answer “quite good.” Almost all of our family was able to come to my house for dinner. One granddaughter stayed home because of the flu, and a son-in-law traveled to Minnesota to be with his widowed mother on Christmas Day.
One night, Maxine and I travelled County Road 58 to view the several displays of lights and decorations, one which was shown on Channel 9. We also went through Bergholz to enjoy the many beautiful displays in our Berg.
I noted though, that there were several Facebook friends who stated that it did not seem like Christmas this year. Granted with a temperature about 60 degrees that’s understandable. But for many there are other reasons. I know five families who have loved ones suffering from varying degrees of dementia. I have friends in New York who were confined to their homes because of Covid.
A minister friend of more than forty years, in another state, was diagnosed with stage four cancer just four days before Christmas. Others were struggling with other kinds of problems in what should be a most joyous time of the year.
And yet, with all that is happening to many, Christmas tells us that even in the darkest times of life there is hope. For we know the Light of the World left his home in heaven to come as the baby of the manger to bring light and life to humankind.
Christmas is more than lights, food, presents. Christmas is about a Baby in a Bethlehem manger, angels singing, shepherds visiting, wise men journey-ing. It is about the “Light of the World” who left His glory above to become one of us and bring God’s love to the earth!
And to all who read this column, may you be blessed with a happy and joyous 2024!
January Holidays
1st -New Year’s Day
6th -Epiphany
7th – Orthodox Christmas Day
15th – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
February Holidays
1st -Ohio Township Day (Ohio)
2nd -Ground Hog’s Day
13th – Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras
14th -Valentine’s Day
14th – Ash Wednesday
19th -President’s Day
Faith Community Church
By: Chad Thompson 740.768.2835
740.512.3238
Happy New Year to you! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a very blessed Christmas.
As we close out another year and ring in 2024, I pray we excitedly embrace the opportunity of fresh starts, new adventures and challenges that are ahead of us while holding on to the valuable lessons we have learned from last year and each year before it.
As we look to make positive changes in our lives, I pray that we would not neglect our spiritual health, and we would put our relationship with God at the top of our list of priorities. All of us at Bergholz Faith Com-munity Church would love to have you join us for worship on Sunday morning or visit us during one of our events this year, you are always welcome to join us for worship, time in the word, fellowship, and fun.
For any upcoming events/info Please check us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fellowshipwithfaith/
Church Services are Sunday Mornings at 10:45am. Our Youth will continue to meet Wednesday at 6:00pm, our Ladies Group meets on the 3rd Monday of the month at 6:00pm. On Thursdays at 6:30pm AA Meetings
Please know that we are praying for you and here if you need us or have any questions. Happy New Year! God Bless You.
Pastor Chad Thompson
Bergholz Fellowship /Chestnut Ridge Churches
By: Pastor Lee Iden
330.894.2389/330.614.4395
Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and Pastor Lee Iden, His servant!
Paul opened many of the letters he wrote to the various churches and people in the New Testament in this same fashion. Now, I am not comparing myself to the apostle Paul in any way, shape or form, but there is the same basic sentiment going on here. I want to be known as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ! I want to be known as someone who depends on and trusts in Jesus Christ! I don’t do as well as I could, but with every passing year, I get a little better! Someday, with God’s help and His grace, I might do as well as I’d like!
By the time you read this, Christmas will be over and the New Year will be upon us. Christmas is ALWAYS good and I expect this year to be no different. As I write this, I am expecting a beautiful week before Christmas concert by two people that I have come to love and respect very much; Isaac, Ike, Moser and Christine MeLean. They will sing at Bergholz Fellowship Church on December 17th at the morning service and I look forward to it. Ike directed several of the community concerts that were presented at Bergholz Fellowship, BFC, and has an absolutely amazing voice. Christine has been an acquaintance for many years. I’ve gotten to hear her sing on many occasions as she and I used to come together with many talented singers and musicians to open-mic nights at several different venues around the area. It was good and I pray that we can get back to doing…no, we WILL get back to those open mic nights now that Covid has relented some.
I look forward to the celebration of the day of the Lord Jesus Christ’s birth and all that this event means and as I write this, I can’t believe that it is only one week away! I think about the birth, 33 years of life and then I think about giving up that life on a cross so that you and I might be free of the sin that so easily ensnares us. How could we not be in awe of a God, our creator, who would leave His heavenly home and come down here?
I look forward to the New Year in a new way this year. As we are no longer United Methodists and are now independent, non-denominational churches, we have more freedom to worship God as we see fit; outside the parameters of the UMC. Not that they restricted us in any way, but there would now be things that we would be required to do that I will not do. I must confess that part of me misses the unity of the UMC, I just pray that God smiles upon them in their new direction. Even though I could not consent to traveling the path that they chose, I pray for them and absolutely wish them the best! Now, we, as former United Methodists con worship God in Spirit and in Truth the way we see fit: we take the bible seriously, we take its Words seriously and we take our commitment to God seriously!
Have a blessed New Year and if you don’t have a church home, come visit us! We worship at BFC, on the even months of the year and at Chestnut Ridge Church, CRC on the odd months both at 11:00am. Hope to see you.
Shalom Pastor Lee Iden
Amsterdam Community Church of God
8247 Bear Road SE
By: Tony Kovalesky 740.543.4041
Pastor David Guess
Church:740. 543.3927
Parsonage:740. 543.3036
In 2024 we are continuing our theme of “Bring Life (Jesus) to the “garden” God has placed you with your gifts, resources, and talents.” Our theme verses come from Genesis 2:15 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” and Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
We are continuing our journey through the book of Luke as we learn to walk our talk through understanding the life and ministry of Jesus. If you do not have a church home, join with us as we bring life (Jesus) to the communities we are serving in.
The first Sunday of Lent is February 18 and we will begin a six-week sermon and small group series called “Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: It’s Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind…” Discover how to break free from the chains of negative thinking and experience true freedom from unhealthy thoughts and emotions. The framework for the series will be Psalm 23. Join us, if you do not have a church home, for lessons on finding peace and security in all of life’s situations
Celebrate Recover will celebrate their four-year anniversary in January. Under the leadership of John Finnegin and Donna Whitmore, this weekly meeting is held on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. Classes are available for children and youth called Celebration Place (4-11) and The Landing (12-18). We can also accommodate children under 4. A meal is also served every week.
Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered program with large and small groups for anyone struggling with any hurts, hang-ups and habits and offer a 12-step program. Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to find community and freedom from the issues that are controlling our life.
The Youth will be going to Winter Retreat at Camp Fitch, January 19-21. Youth is open to those in 6th through 12th grades and meets on Mondays at 6:30 for a meal, games, and a lesson. For more information call the church at 740.543.3927.
Sunday, February 11th, we will have our Annual “Souper Bowl Luncheon” from 12:15 – 1:30 and will offer over 10 different soup choices to enjoy. We serve the soup in small bowls so you can enjoy several kinds. Donations will be received for the WEBA Food Pantry, and everyone is welcomed to attend and enjoy a variety of soups. Our February Missions focus will be raising funds for the WEBA and Northeast Jefferson County Food Pantries.
We continue to offer a women’s Bible study on Tuesday nights (6:30), a men’s Bible study on Thursday nights (7:00) and a combined Bible study on Wednesday evenings (7:00).
Our Sunday morning worship service starts at 10:30 each week with Kids Church. Everyone is welcome as we are Becoming a Christ-Centered Church by Growing Christ-Centered Followers bringing Jesus to the communities where we live.
Chicken Soup with Rice
By: Maurice Sendak
In January it’s so nice
While slipping on the sliding ice
To sip hot chicken soup with rice
Sipping once, sipping twice
Sipping chicken soup with rice
In February it will be
My snowman’s anniversary
With cake for him and soup for me
Happy once, happy twice
Happy chicken soup with rice
Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County
By: Jennifer Cesta
740.282.9782
BOOKMOBILE SCHEDULE
Thursdays
January 11th
February 1st & 22nd
Grammy’s Diner Amsterdam
10am-11am
Bergholz Fire Hall
11am-12:00pm
Red Dog Road
Home Delivery
12:15pm
Contact the Library to learn about our Book Club dates and current titles.
