From the Mayor
By: Gary Griffith
740.768.2632
Hopefully everyone has been enjoying the beautiful fall weather we’ve been experiencing in Bergholz. It’s been picture-perfect!
With the Holidays coming up, that means Village Light-Up Night! Light-Up Night will be the Sunday following Thanksgiving, November 29,2026 at 7:00pm at the Village Gazebo at the intersection of 2nd and Jefferson Streets in the Village parking lot, directly across from the Robert Walker Memorial Library and the Bergholz Museum.
Christmas music will be provided by Chelsea and Michael Householder with Santa arriving at 7:00pm for the little ones. Thank You to the Bergholz Ruritan Club for putting up the Christmas lights and maintaining them, to the BVFD and Bergholz EMS for blocking the streets, and Chief Clark of the Bergholz Police for keeping everyone safe. And especially the July 4th Committee for making sure there’s always cookies and hot chocolate for the activity goers!
If you need to get rid of leaves, you can take them across the tracks behind the Village Garage at 901 Washington Street. If you can’t get them there, bag them and put them by the street in front of your house and the Village will collect them. Collection will usually be the first part of the week depending on help. If we have missed you, please contact me or one of the Council members. Thank You to everyone helping to keep the leaves cleaned up.
Thank You to Jim Davis Enterprises for laying asphalt on some of the bad spots on the streets in the Village, We will be doing the same next year in other parts of the Village depending on the funds we have.
Also, a big Thank You to the Community Foundation for the paving of their parking lot plus part of the alley connecting to the Village Parking Lot, and The Lawerence P. Crow Medical Building Parking lot Also to the BVFD and the Bergholz EMS for paving their parking lots and connecting alley. Improvements such as these add to the appearance of Bergholz when people visit.
Also, Thank You to Village Residents for improvements they’ve been doing to their properties, not only for themselves but also to improve the appearance of the Village!
As always Thank You to Village Residents both present and past for what you do for Bergholz to make it the envy of the Valley!
Mayor Gary Griffith
Bergholz Community Foundation
By: Nikki Klein
As we enter the holiday season, we are reminded of the kindness and generosity that make our community special. This is a time to be thankful and reflect on how we can make a difference. We are grateful to everyone who supports our Foundation and helps us make a positive impact throughout our village and surrounding area.
There are still a few opportunities to leave a lasting mark on the library courtyard. There is a picnic table available, priced at $3,500, it is ADA-compliant and features three seats, making it an accessible addition to the courtyard. We also have three flowerpots available at $300 each initially, plus $100 annually to cover planting and filling.
All other dedication opportunities have been spoken for, and we are grateful for the wonderful response from our community! Additional opportunities may become available in the future. Whether you choose to honor someone special or make a personal dedication, your gift will leave a lasting impression and be appreciated by our community for years to come. Please contact a trustee if you are interested.
The 2nd Street Revitalization Project continues to move forward through our ongoing partnership with the Village. One of the latest improvements was made possible when the Village received a grant from the Pugliese Foundation, allowing it to purchase and landscape the lot at 377 3rd Street. We are excited to see these continued improvements taking shape in our community. Be sure to stop by and enjoy the newly improved space!
The library has some great activities coming up! Here are just a few to look forward to: The Book Worm Book Club for ages 6–8 on November 3rd, Adult Canvas Swap on November 5th, and Sit and Sip at the Library every Monday from 10:00–11:00 a.m. Some activities require registration, so be sure to contact the library with any questions or to learn more. You can reach them at 740-314-6207 or by email at bergholzbranch@seolibraries.org.
Reminder: Community Healthcare is in the Bergholz Office on Thursdays. To schedule an appointment with Mallory Puckett, CNP, please call 330-854-2510 or 740-768-1001.
Thank you for being part of our mission to support projects that make a positive and lasting difference throughout our village and surrounding communities. Your generosity helps make these improvements possible, today and for generations to come.
Community Healthcare
By: Dr. Brady Steineck
Hello Bergholz! As we move into the heart of the November-December holiday season, our team at Community Health Care is thinking a lot about what this time of year means for health in a small town like ours. The holidays can be both joyful and stressful – routines get disrupted, daylight is shorter, and many of us are juggling family, work, travel, and financial pressures. This is exactly when the small daily habits matter most: getting enough sleep, taking a short walk even when it’s cold, taking medications as prescribed, and reaching out to friends or family if you’re feeling overwhelmed or isolated. These simple, steady choices are the foundation of long-term health, and they’re just as important as any test or prescription we offer in the office.
This season also brings tough decisions for many families—about gatherings, illnesses going around, vaccines, and how to care for aging parents or neighbors. There isn’t always one “right” answer, and much of medicine this time of year lives in the gray: different people, with different risks and values, may make different but thoughtful choices. Our commitment as your primary care team is to help you navigate that gray area with honest information and compassionate guidance, so you can make the best decisions you can with the information you have. Whether you need a quick visit for a winter illness, support for a chronic condition, a conversation about vaccines, or just a check-in on your mental health this season, we’re here—during the busy days, in the quiet in-between moments, and into the new year. Mallory Puckett and our team are happy to serve you when you need us!
On behalf of everyone at Community Health Care, thank you for trusting us with your care. We’re proud to be part of this community and honored to walk through this season—and every season—alongside you.
WEBA Food Pantry
By: Colleen Baker
At the WEBA Food Pantry we are so blessed to be able to help everyone who needs us. For the month of August, at our produce pass out, we were able to help eighty-one (81) families. At our August pantry pass out, we were able to help one hundred twenty-six (126) families.
For the month of September, were able to help one hundred nine (109) families at the produce pass out and one hundred forty-five (145) families on pantry pass out day.
This is all because of the generous donations we receive. Because of these donations, we were able to purchase a freezer to replace our outdated freezer. We are truly blessed to be able to help our wonder communities.
Upcoming pass out dates:
November: Produce Friday the 20th 9:30am until gone.
Pantry Saturday the 21st 10am-12pm
December: Produce Friday the 18th 9:30 am until gone.
Pantry Saturday the 19th 10am-12pm
East Springfield Community Recreation & Service Center
By: Sue Call 740.543.3700
The Indoor Flea Market will be held November 5,6, & 7th. The time is 9am-4pm. Stop in to do some early Christmas shopping or to buy yourself something special. You deserve it! We will also have lunch items and baked goods available.
Wreaths across America will be held Saturday, December 12th. The program will begin at 11:30am. The laying of wreaths will be at noon. Please join us as we celebrate and honor our local veterans.
We’ve discontinued our Monthly Dinners until Spring. Thank you to everyone who dined with us in 2026. We will start again in Spring of 2027.
Check social media or flyers posted in the community for details of all Center activities. The Center is available to rent. Please contact me about prices and availability.
Let’s Fight Together Outreach
By: T.J. Anderson
740.512.3278 740.543.4353
letsfighttogether58@gmail.com
Well, as most of you know I’ve discontinued doing Let’s Fight Together, I will finish out the year. I want to continue to help dialysis patients, and I want to put on a free hot meal somewhere between November and December just to give hot meals to dialysis patients and families. I want to help the dialysis patients’ families like we have for 14 years. We help them with food baskets and gas cards. Now, I’m taking a break for an extended period. (Just the everyday running. I’ll still do Amsterdam Rogers Park Flea Market)
In 2027 I will continue and start new programs on Facebook for dialysis patients that are looking for support in their journey. We, as dialysis patients, could have the biggest families and still have no one who understands or to talk to. We, me included, give the people someone who’s been there. Someone who can relate and has felt kidney dialysis treatments or transplants, and who is living the mental battle of dialysis as life goes on.
These programs won’t cost anything. You can write on group chats or write me on our pages, someone who’s been there, that did something that you’re currently doing now
It’s ok to talk about and you’ll feel better. No pressure and 100% your business stays between you and who you talk to in our programs. That’s a promise.
Donations for the Dinner can be written to let’s Fight Together 8258 State Route 646 Bloomingdale OH 43910.
I’m Thomas TJ Anderson
Nobody Fights Alone, so Let’s Fight Together.
We Gather Together
We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known;
the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His name, He forgets not His own.
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine;
so from the beginning the fight we were winning:
the Lord was at our side- the glory be Thine!
We all do extol Thee, Thou leader triumphant,
and pray that Thou still our defender wilt be.
Let Thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
Through the Wood
By Lydia Maria Child
Over the river and through the wood
To Grandmother’s house we go.
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through white and drifted snow.
Over the river and through the wood
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.
Over the river and through the wood
To have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring,
Ting-a-ling-ling!
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!
Over the river and through the wood,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground
Like a hunting hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day.
Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go
Extremely slow…
It is so hard to wait!
Over the river and through the wood,
Now Grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurrah for fun!
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!
Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County
By: Jennifer Cesta
740.282.9782
Bergholz Library Operating Hours
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 11am-7pm
Friday and Saturday from 11am-5pm.
Closed Wednesday and Sunday
Book Club
Interested in joining the Bergholz Branch Book Club?
Join us on November 19th at 10:00am. or at 5:30pm to discuss November’s selection, The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman.
Copies are still available at the library to borrow. The book club is for adults and will meet on the 3rd Thursday of every month.
For registration or information about the book club, call the library at 740.314.6207.
East Springfield Christ UMC
By: Teri Bado
740.543.3002
Hello, neighbors!
In the last newsletter, I shared a little about myself and how God brought me to East Springfield Christ United Methodist Church. I also mentioned we were getting ready for our church’s 200th anniversary. I’m happy to share that the celebration was wonderful! We had a great turnout, and it was a blessing to worship, share a meal, and spend time together. Thank you to everyone who came and to all who helped make the day happen. I’m grateful for everyone who gave their time and pitched in wherever needed. We were honored to have Rev. Laura White bring the message and to receive a special video greeting from Bishop Jung. Together, we remembered the generations who worshiped here before us and gave thanks for the ministry that continues today. Since I’m still getting to know this church and community, I was especially thankful to be part of such an important day. Events like this let us hear stories, renew friendships, and make new connections. It reminded me how much we have to be grateful for and how much we can look forward to together.
Now we’re heading into Thanksgiving and the Advent season. This time of year always seems to arrive quickly! Before long, calendars fill up, favorite recipes come out, and we’re trying to remember where we put the Christmas decorations. With all the preparations, I hope you find time to enjoy what makes this season special for you. Maybe it’s cooking with family, catching up with a friend, watching a favorite holiday movie, or sitting quietly with a cup of coffee before the day starts. Those simple moments often become our favorite memories. Thanksgiving is a good time to notice the people who make our lives better. Sometimes we feel grateful all year but never say it. A simple “I appreciate you” can mean a lot, whether it’s at the dinner table, on the phone, or in a note. This year, I’m especially thankful for the warm welcome I’ve received as I’ve started serving this congregation. Every conversation, offer of help, and kind word has meant a lot to me. I’m still learning names and getting to know everyone, but I’m grateful for the relationships that are growing.
Of course, the holidays aren’t the same for everyone. Some people feel excitement and have a house full of guests. Others may experience quiet, changes in traditions, or miss someone special. If this year feels different for you, I hope you give yourself space to enjoy what you can and recognize what’s hard. The season doesn’t have to be perfect. If you think of someone who might like some company, consider reaching out. Setting an extra place at the table, dropping off a plate, or making a phone call can remind someone they’re cared for. Even small gestures can make a difference. As Christmas approaches, Advent gives us a chance to pause in the middle of all the activity. At church, we get ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth and remember the hope, peace, joy, and love that His coming brings.
I look forward to sharing that season with our congregation. There is something comforting about gathering for worship, hearing the familiar Christmas story, and making time for God in the middle of a busy week. Whether those traditions have been part of your life for years or you’re just beginning to explore your faith, you’re welcome to share them with us. Immanuel means “God with us,” and that’s an encouraging thought to carry through the holidays. In our celebrations, in quiet moments, and through any changes this year has brought, we can find comfort knowing God is near.
At East Springfield Christ UMC, adult Sunday School begins at 9:30am., and Sunday worship is at 11:00am. You can also join our worship service on Facebook Live. We would love to see you, whether you come regularly, haven’t visited in a while, or are walking through the doors for the first time.
Thank you again for helping make our anniversary celebration so special. I look forward to getting to know you better and sharing the season ahead.
From our church family to yours, may your Thanksgiving bring moments of gratitude and good company, and may Advent and Christmas bring renewed hope, peace, and joy.
God bless,
Teri Bado
Prayer for a Christmas Season of Joy
Holy Father, Thank you so much for the gift of your Son Jesus Christ, my Savior. Lord, it is easy to be stressed during the Christmas season, and I need help remaining focused on You. While this earth promises temporary happiness and distractions, true joy comes from You. Lord, help me to remember what the Bible says, “I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:18). Fill me up with the true joy of knowing You, and having a relationship with Your Son, and the purpose of His birth, which was my redemption. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Something to Think About
By: Dave Miller
As Christmas is just around the corner, I thought I would share some thoughts regarding the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. It’s so easy as the holiday season approaches to be so busy with parties, gifts, trees, and lights that we forget the “reason for the season.”
Hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth, God foretold of His birth. Overall, there are more than 300 predictions of the birth and life of Jesus in the Old Testament of our Bible. Two significant ones concerning His birth tell of the Virgin Birth in Isaiah 7:14 and the other tells of the place of His birth, the village of Bethlehem, the village of King David.
A young woman, Mary, was betrothed (engaged) to a man named Joseph. The angel of the Lord told Joseph that the Child Mary was carrying was of the Holy Spirit, and you are to name Him Jesus.
The time came when Joseph had to return to his home place to register and pay taxes, Mary went with him, and arriving in Bethlehem could find no inn available. So, to a stable they went. And there she gave birth to the Child she was carrying, the Son of God. Out in the country angels appeared to shepherds and told them about this Special Child just born in a stable.
Far to the east Wise Men, possibly astrologers, noted a special star and began a lengthy journey toward it until they came to the house where the young Child lay, Matthew 2:11. They brought gifts for the Baby, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gifts for a King! The Wise Men have been given the names of Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar.
The only time we hear of Jesus during the next thirty years is when at twelve years of age, he accompanied his parents to Jerusalem during the Feast of Passover. As they were returning home, His parents searched for Him among friends and family. Not finding Him, Joseph and Mary returned to Jerusalem and found Jesus in the Temple, “sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking questions.” Jesus, in all likelihood, spent His childhood as a student in a synagogue school. In in His twenties, He would have helped Joseph in the carpenter shop in His home village of Nazareth until that day when God told Him it was time to begin His public ministry. Jesus was about thirty years of age at that time.
To be continued….
Joy to the World – Merry Christmas!
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love
HOLIDAYS
November
1st – All Saints Day
1st – Daylight Saving Time Ends
3rd – General Election Day
11th – Veterans’ Day
22nd – Christ the King Sunday
26th – Thanksgiving Day
29th – Advent Begins
29th – Bergholz Village Light-Up Night
December
4th – Hanukkah Begins
7th – Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
12th – Wreaths Across America
21st – First Day of Winter
24th – Christmas Eve
25th – Christmas Day
31st – New Year’s Eve
Deadline for January/February Newsletter is Friday December 18th.
