Deadline for September/October Newsletter is Friday, August 16th.
From the Mayor
By: Gary Griffith 740.768.2632
Hello Bergholz! How’s everyone surviving this hot weather in June? I hate to see what July and August bring us. Oh well, in January we will be complaining about the cold weather and snow. I guess that’s why we love Ohio, we truly have four different seasons to enjoy.
I’ve talked in past newsletters about council working to secure a grant to pave the rest of First Street, from Washington Street (State Route 164) to Valley View and Springfield Township Road 263. On May 30, 2024, Jeff Kemmer and I represented the Village of Bergholz at the Jefferson County Commissioners’ meeting to plead our case as to why we should receive the 2025 CBDG Grant for the First Street paving project. The Commissioners agreed with the Village, so now it moves to the State for approval. We must wait until December for the State’s decision. The total cost of the project is $118,000 with the Village being responsible for $28,000. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed since this is the main way in and out of Bergholz.
With summer here and school being out, there are a lot of young children out on our streets. Please be careful when out driving!
I’ve had several complaints from Village Residents about people’s dogs doing their business in other people’s lawns. Please be a good neighbor and pick up after your dog. No one likes walking out in their lawn and step in a dog’s mess, especially when that person doesn’t own a dog!
Hats off to Mike McCoy and his family for moving right along with the rebuilding of the Bergholz Diner that was destroyed by fire this past winter. We all know Rome wasn’t built in one day!
Thank you to everyone that have been keeping up with the mowing of their lawns and such. This shows the pride our Village Residents have for Bergholz. Thank You to Chad Hazelip for keeping the Village properties mowed. Also, TJ Balint and Jeff Kemmer for helping out with mowing where needed.
A big Thank You to all residents, both past and present who make Bergholz the envy of the Valley!
Mayor Gary Griffith
Bergholz Community Foundation
By: Nikki Klein
Summer is finally here! I love this time of year! It’s so beautiful here in Bergholz! I hope you get to take some time and enjoy it.
The Foundation awarded 14, $1,500 scholarships to graduates from Edison this year. Amy Richards and I were able to attend the Edison Scholarship Banquet to present the graduates with their scholarships. It was a very nice event. Congratulations to the following graduates: Kendra Teichman, Jacob Roth, Grace Browning, Chloe Brooks, Emma LoPrete, Alexandra Ash, Blake Moran, Levi McCourt, Hailey Teichman, Lily Larkins, Natalie Lucas, Pressly Meadows, Rebecka Evans, and Zachary Evans. We wish you all the luck and wisdom in this next chapter of your life.
Reminders: 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.
Insight Clinical Counseling is in the Bergholz office all day on Wednesdays, and every other Saturday. Call 330-397-6007 to schedule an appointment.
Hope you all have a Happy 4th of July! Bergholz is always a fun place to be on this holiday.
Independence Day marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which declared the thirteen American colonies free from British rule. This national holiday symbolizes the birth of America and its core values of liberty, democracy, and self-governance. It is a day for Americans to come together, reflecting on their history and heritage, and expressing national pride and unity in our shared sense of freedom. Fly your American flag on this day as we all celebrate our great nation together.
Bergholz VFD ENDURO
By: Dwayne Morley 740.543.3306
I want to take the time to say thank you to everyone who helped with the Enduro Bike Race Weekend. It takes the coordinated effort of many people to make this happen. Three meals were served. Over 100 Saturday Spaghetti Dinners and more than 200 each Sunday Breakfasts and Chicken Dinners were purchased. Thank you to Donna Dailey and her entire kitchen crew. Thank you for the community support.
Eighty-three (83) baskets were donated for the Chinese auction and several large ticket items were donated or sold at cost for the raffle. The glider from DeNoon Lumber (Laurie & Curt Croskey) was won by Daleanne Featheringham. The winner of the filled Yeti cooler, also donated by DeNoon’s, was Bob Baker. Mallory Richards-Puckett on behalf of Total Medical Care – Bergholz donated the filled Igloo cooler. It was won by Toni Kemp. Brad Vincent was the winner of the polywood chairs from John & Anna Kurtz of J&A Polywood Furniture. The BVFD donated the Pottsy Flower and Blackstone grill. Cathy Boyd won the flower and Janice Morley the grill. The 50/50 winner was Elaine Berard. The final amount was $1405.00.
Our Department offers thanks to those families, individuals, churches, and businesses who offered financial support, donated desserts, and provided supplies for the meals.
A huge shout out to the Village of Bergholz, Mayor Gary Griffith and the Village Council, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Dept. Special thanks to our Mutual Support Fire Departments – Fox Township, Loudon Township, East Spring-field, and Unionport.
Until Next Year!
East Springfield 2024 Memorial Day Parade
The winners of the 2024 East Springfield Memorial Day Parade are as follows:
Floats
1st: E.S. Community Center
2nd: Purple Circle 4-H Club
3rd: Church of the Cross
Motorized Vehicles
1st: John Ramsey – Spahn’s Dairy
2nd: Ron Grimes – 1999 Chevy Truck
3rd: Dale Devore – 1950 Dodge Truck
Novelties:
1st: Dayton & Clayton Cameron – Child’s ATV
2nd: Jeff & Charlene Mencer – Gator
3rd: Clinton Grafton – John Deere ATV
Horses
1st: Donna Huber
2nd: Ron Waggoner
Thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s parade.
WEBA Food Pantry
By: Ann Wiley 740.543.3972
The WEBA Outreach Food Pantry continues to service northern Jefferson County and surrounding areas with much needed fresh produce and pantry items. The produce and pantry schedule for the remainder of the year is at the end of this article.
In March of this year, Georgia Beadnell was welcomed as a new board member of the WEBA Food Pantry. Georgia has been a volunteer for the pantry for many years. We welcome and thank Georgia for being willing to serve as a board member.
Our April yard sale was rained out. We are planning a 2-day sale in August. Set the dates of August 9 & 10 on your calendar. Baked goods will be available also.
Director David Guess presented a monthly report for May 2024. A total of 324 individuals were served. Nine meals per month are provided to each family. The need is still great in our area.
Pantry and produce dates:
July Produce: Friday, July 19 Pantry: Saturday, July 27
August Produce: Friday, August 16 Pantry: Saturday, August 24
September Produce: Friday September 20 Pantry: Saturday September 28
October Produce: Friday October 18 Pantry: Saturday October 26
November Produce: Friday November 15 Pantry: Saturday November 23
December Produce: Friday, December 20 Pantry: Saturday, December 14
Let’s Fight Together Outreach
By: T.J. Anderson
740.512.3278 740.543.4353
Once a month in June, July, August, and September at Carry Out Express East Springfield, 10-3, you’ll catch my partner, JB Creations, wreaths for the holidays, sports teams locally and nationally, and American themed wreaths and myself, Jerky for a Cause. We support kidney dialysis patients.
We also will be at the Hopedale Fire Dept indoor flea market July 6th, and August 2nd, and 3rd Friday and Saturday in August. In September we will be setup at the Shriners flea market at Aladdin Land Saturday 21st. Check on my Facebook for more times.
Also putting together a possible cornhole tourn-ament with good food for sale. Come enjoy or take out. I’ll announce that along with a flier soon. I appreciate everyone’s support. Come out and see us in Hopedale and East Springfield.
Something to Think About
By: Dave Miller
As I sit at my computer this morning to write my column for this edition of the Bergholz Foundation Newsletter, my mind is thinking about July 4th – just two weeks away. Thus, some random thoughts I’d like to share.
As most of our readers know, for 35 years I ministered in the New York area. Eleven of those years on Staten Island in NYC. Thus, often riding the Staten Island Ferry into NYC I would get an excellent view of the Statue of Liberty.
On the Statue are the words of Emma Lazarus, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
52 of the 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence were deeply committed Christians. That Document contains these words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
Even earlier, the Mayflower Compact, written on November 11, 1620 contains these words, “Having undertaken for the glory of God and advancement of Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern Parts of Virgina does by these present solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and of one another…”
In May 1776 George Washington and Robert Morris met with a woman who was a seamstress and upholsterer in Philadelphia. Washington had brought with him a rough sketch of a flag he would ask Betsy Ross to sew. His design included six-point stars. Ross showed him how she could make a five-point star with a single snip of her scissors. She won out. On June 14, 1777 the Continental Congress resolved that the American flag be red, white, and blue. The stars on the original flag, and every flag since, have been and are five points.
Washington explained the colors of the flag as thus: “White represents the purity and serenity of the new nation, red represents the blood spilled for those who fought to maintain and establish our nation, the blue stands for freedom and justice.” I have read forty-one million Americans have served in the military since the founding of our nation, and one million have made the supreme sacrifice.
George Washington also said, “It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all our dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are indispensable supporters.”
The Declaration of Independence was read publicly for the first time on July 8, 1776. The Liberty Bell (there were three different ones cast) cast in 1751 was rung to assemble the city to the reading of this historic document. Inscribed on the original bell were the words of Leviticus 25:10, “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
In the third session of the Second Continental Congress, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed, and John Adams seconded, a resolution declaring the United Colonies free and independent states. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Philip Livingston were appointed as a committee to draw up a Declaration of Independence. That famous document written almost entirely by Jefferson was adopted July 4, 1776.
Faith Community Church
By: Chad Thompson 740.768.2835 / 740.512.3238
Hello to all of our Bergholz family,
First, we would like to congratulate all the 2024 graduates and tell you all we are praying for you; We pray for God to guide each of your steps in the new and exciting season of life. We pray you remember that God will guide your steps as long as you listen to his voice and seek His will in your life. All of us at Faith Community Church are prayerfully supporting you along the way.
With the summer season upon us we are met with so many new blessings; Among those is the chance to form new and lasting bonds with those around us. It brings us extra time with family and friends that the other seasons of our lives do not usually offer us with school and activities being so time consuming. Here at Bergholz Faith Community Church we would love to have the opportunity to spend this summer season forming a new bond with all of you and that is the bond of being your family in Christ. It is one that allows us constant support, love and growth that also allows us to do life as one big family. In these days where there is often so much difficulty and struggles, please know that here at Bergholz Faith Community Church we are a come as you are and where you are type of environment and we will strive to get us all to the place we are striving to be together.
We offer Sunday morning contemporary worship service at 10:45 am. If you would like to come at 10:30 for coffee and some fellowship beforehand, please do. We just finished our Wednesday night Bible study on Biblically overcoming anxiety and will be starting a new one soon. We offer both nursery and children’s church during service and all of our leaders are vetted and well established in their ministry. Please be sure to look at our Facebook page for dates and times or check the sign.
Thursdays at 6:30pm there is AA group that meets. Also, Blaze youth is not meeting regularly in the summer season, but we will be doing outreach and meeting in the community bi-weekly. Anyone 6th grade -12th that would like to be involved is welcome. All days and times of these events will be available on our Facebook page as well, which can be found at
https://www.facebook.com/fellowshipwithfaith?mibextid=LQQJ4d You may also feel free to call with inquires 9am-9pm 740-768-2835 or if there is an emergency disregard the time frame and call. Email Pastor Chad at [email protected] Or for children ministry questions text Amanda Thompson 740-512-2400
Bergholz Fellowship /Chestnut Ridge Churches
By: Pastor Lee Iden
330.894.2389/330.614.4395
Even though as I write this, summer has not officially begun yet, it is HOT and HUMID and the things of summer are moving along! We at Bergholz Fellowship Church, formerly Bergholz UMC and Chestnut Ridge Church, formerly Chestnut Ridge UMC, have finally completed the process of leaving the United Methodist Church. It has been amicable, but necessary. I still love the United Methodist Church. It was the church I grew up in: the church I went to when I found Christ or maybe when He found me? Let’s face it, He wasn’t lost. There would have been no reason to “find Him”. I was the one who was lost! Anyway, that is where Christ came into my life in a real way and the church where my wife and I of 40 plus years got married! And so, I will always love the UMC, even though I can’t be a part of her!
Yes, we are now officially, “Bergholz Fellowship Church”, BFC for me and “Chestnut Ridge Church”, CRC for me and it’s GOOD! We always went our own way as far as doctrine and ministry was concerned but we had, no, I HAD, certain things that were required of me as a past-time local pastor in the UMC! I did have to go online and do something that I never thought I’d do; I got an online ordination! Technically, I am “REV. Lee Iden! I’ll NEVER use that title, I always think of myself as just plain old Lee but if someone wants to or needs to add the pastor title, that’s fine, no problem.
Things are good here. We are not growing by leaps and bounds as I had hoped, but we are maintaining, which in the culture we live in, is going to have to be acceptable. We have a STRONG core of faithful servants of the One True God, they do their part in the Kingdom and when Christ comes back in all His glory, they will be ready, He WILL say to them, “Well done, good and faithful servant”!
By the time you read this, our second “Open Mic Event” will be completed and they have been a blessing! Our first one was pretty well attended by both participants and viewers and while the second one hasn’t happened as of this writing, the enthusiasm generated by its proposal has been good. We had some very talented musicians bring their gifts from God to us and also some very talented beginners present to us their gifts from God! I was blown away by the number of gifted people who participated and shared with us! This will be something that we will endeavor to continue on a regular basis since response has been good, either bi-monthly or quarterly.
On June 23rd, we had a group of young singers come to the church and present their gift of music for is. They go by the name, “Sent”. I’ve personally not heard them yet, but I am assured that they are VERY GOOD! I have spoken to the group’s technician, Glen Norris, and what a nice gentleman! I am confident that God will be present in their music and in their Spirits!
We are still alternating between churches every month; even numbered months at Bergholz Fellowship, odd months at Chestnut Ridge Church, still beginning worship at 11:00 and that is going well!
If you don’t have a home church and would like to visit us, Bergholz Fellowship church is at 266 2nd Street, Bergholz, Ohio and Chestnut Ridge Church is located at 1177 Cinder Rd. SE Bergholz, Ohio
Hope to see you there!
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. 457.1231
Our yearly Missions Rummage/Bake sale (always held the first Friday-Saturday in June) was a great success. “Thank you” to all who volunteered, donated, and shopped at the rummage/bake sale. This is a major fundraiser for mission’s support and we raised about $1000 this year.
July and August once again will afford many opportunities for the church and community to gather for fun and fellowship and to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The church will hold its annual picnic at Elkhorn Valley Camp on Sunday, July 7 at 12:30 pm. The church will provide tableware, drinks and grilled chicken and hotdogs. Individuals are asked to bring covered dishes and desserts. The lake and pool will be open for our enjoyment. Everyone is invited to spend the afternoon with us.
Vacation Bible School is July 15-19 from 6-8:30 PM.At Breaker Rock Beach VBS, kids will learn to recognize the difference between what the world says is true and what God says is true. Kids will be challenged to know that God’s truth never changes—even when it’s radically different from what some people say. They’ll discover that God does not want them to be conformed to this age, but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds so that they can discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2). Adventure awaits each day as kids explore tide pools, spot orcas, fly kites, and watch the mighty waves crash up against the immovable Breaker Rock!Ashley Conn and her team invite all the children in the area to come and have a great time. If any kids need transportation from Bergholz, East Springfield, and the Amsterdam areas please call the church at 740.543.3927.
On Sunday, July 21 we will celebrate VBS by having a program presented by the kids in the AM service. Following the service, a time of fellowship will take place with hotdogs, chips, and drinks. For more information, please call the church at 740.543.3927.
It is time to start planning to go to Family Camp! Why go to Family Camp? For a deep need for personal revival, to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to receive a boldness to be the Christ-follower He has called us to be. Our theme for Family Camp is ONE. Our theme scripture is “In the same way, though there are many of us we are one body in Christ and individually we belong to each other (Romans 12:5). There are activities and sessions for all ages. NEO Church of God will hold their annual Family Camp on July 21 through July 26 at the NEO Retreat Center on Shilling Road just north of Berlin Center. Evening services are Sunday–Friday at 7:00 PM with Rev. Steve Chiles as speaker. For more information go to neochog.org.
Although our youth (6th-12th graders) do not meet regularly in the summer, we do participate in several activities: July 7- Picnic and swimming at Elkhorn, July 13- Good Zoo and Mini Golf in Wheeling, July 20 – Family Fun Day at the Retreat Center (inflatables, foam pit, jousting, games, and axe throwing competition) and August 5- Back-to-School Adventure to Kennywood. Most of our activities are underwritten by generous members and friends of the church. If you have young people who would enjoy a year-round youth program, call the church for more information.
Celebration Recovery meets on Wednesday evenings at 6:30. If you have any habits, hang-ups and hurts, and are looking for support, there is a place for you at Celebration Recovery. September 7 they are planning their annual Community Hog Roast. Everyone is welcome to come and join in the fun, food, and fellowship.
Our Sunday morning worship service starts at 10:30 each week with the children being dismissed during the service for an experience geared towards their ages. The youth (grades 6-12) meet most Monday evenings from 6:00 – 7:30 and have special events at other times throughout the year. The Women meet for Prayer and Bible Study at 6:30 on Tuesdays and the Men meet for Prayer and Bible Study at 7:00 on Thursday evenings. A Mixed Prayer and Bible Study is held on Wednesday nights also at 7.
You are always welcome at the Amsterdam Community Church of God on Bear Rd, Amsterdam.
Trinity United Presbyterian
By: Steve Jenkins
740.768.2511
STOP, LOOK, LISTEN. This is something that driving students have learned for years when approaching a railroad crossing as we learn to drive. There are multitudes of railroad crossings in our lives that were not there 20 years ago. Today, however, this is not enough. Today, it is just as important, not only to STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN, but we must also VALIDATE the information that each of us receives. Every day we are making decisions based on massive amounts of information and signs, presented to us by persons and groups that really do not care about us and the welfare of our community. Rather they only have their own goals, agendas, and interests to promote. It is now essential that we take the time to validate the truthfulness and reality of the information we receive, or we will surely reap the suffering, as a community like we have never experienced in this country as well as around the world. In plain English, we will be the cause of our own suffering and will be nothing but pawns in a world of misinformation, simply so that others may take advantage of our trust, laziness, and self-imposed ignorance to benefit their objectives.
As we are preparing to celebrate the 4th of July and our country’s day of Independence and self-determination, we must take the time to validate the information that is being presented and determine if it is beneficial to us as a community of persons who acknowledge that each of us has specific interests and goals that are different but act to complement each other’s choices to build a great society and community. The challenge is to make our system work for each of us without hurting the other members of our community. Our constitution is a remarkable document; however, it was written in a time, place, and by men who had no concept of what the future citizens would hold acceptable to our communities, of what the future would bring as far as assisting our community in achieving a cohesive integrity for all members.
The one challenge I see every day is the inability of people to be able to walk humbly and serve. Understand that power and respect are not the possession of the person who has the toughest strategy, the most guns, the most employees that they can command, and that true power is only seen when we humble ourselves and serve each other loving each other as Christ loved and served us.
We will never elect our way out of the situation we find our country currently suffering. Consider the two major candidates for President of the United States on the ballot and then add Jeus Christ. Who would you choose to fill the office? Stop, Look, Listen, Validate, and Be careful how you answer that question. Based on the rhetoric I am hearing from the political campaigns, you would not like Jesus. Think about the platform He would promote for us to follow. STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, and VALIDATE for truth. Is there a train coming? Are we standing on the tracks?
I hope you will join us in the Trinity Presbyterian Church at Bergholz OH. on Sunday mornings at 10:45 am to get the latest update on where we look to work at planting the love, compassion, and service of Jesus Christ.
Elder Steve Jenkins
United States of America
The Star Spangled Banner
Oh, say! can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In fully glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution!
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust”:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Independence Day
By Debra L.Brown.
When we think about the birth
of this great nation,
Congress declared July the 4th 1776
and issued a proclamation.
With this decree, the thirteen colonies
are now free.
We will no longer live
under England’s Monarchy.
Five great men
were given the task
to draw up papers
for freedom at last.
Thomas Jefferson,
we can remember.
A founding father,
Patriot and a Continental member.
Together these men
drafted the amendments.
Franklin, Livingstone, Sherman and Adams,
united they authored the Declarations of Independence.
Battles were fought,
and blood was shed.
Life was lost,
and men were dead.
“FREEDOM” came with
A heavy price.
War is not pretty,
nor is it nice.
We can thank
the Lord above.
He gave us these United States,
a country we can love.
Men fought for our freedom,
and with their lives they did pay.
That’s why we celebrate
Independence Day.
Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County
By: Jennifer Cesta
740.282.9782
BOOKMOBILE SCHEDULE
Thursdays: July 18th, August 8th & 29th
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.
July Holidays
4th – Independence Day
August Holidays
4th – Friendship Day
