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Beaver United Church of Christ
Welcome to Beaver Church!
Worship materials and videos… click here
Videos of past services – click here
Wednesday on–line fellowship… monthly @7:00 PM via Zoom
Worship with BUCC on–line – click here

Beaver UCC

We are a community of caring individuals brought together by a common bond – love!

Our congregation is composed of people from all walks of life who come together to offer healing and comfort, learning and encouragement - much like a family. We welcome all, and believe that extravagant hospitality is central to the role of our church.

At Beaver UCC, we strive to help our members grow spiritually, while at the same time understanding that everyone has their own spiritual path. Our church is a place where you can think for yourself while differing views are respected. It is our hope that through education, fellowship, and service we can, as a community, come closer to God and each other.

Since our founding over 200 years ago, Beaver Church continues seeking to offer an atmosphere of informality, spontaneity, fellowship, and fun. We hope our Church is a place where you and all will feel both welcome and comfortable.
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About Our Church

Sunday School Program

Nursery
Meets: Upstairs each Sunday after the children’s moment, year round.
Main Teacher: Hayden Rauls
Ages: Infant through Pre-K
This class is for our youngest students and there will be a combination of play and some instruction depending on the ages present.

Young Learners
Meets: Upstairs each Sunday after the children’s moment, September through May, with a one month break around Christmas.
Main Teacher: Sarah Hogan
Ages: K through 4th grade
This class is for our younger learners and will be focused on instruction and lessons. Material will be taught from a children’s story type Bible. Children less comfortable with working on lessons might wish to stay in the nursery, and those that are more advanced might wish to go to the older class.

Children’s Bible Study
Meets: Upstairs each Sunday after the children’s moment, September through May, with a one month break around Christmas.
Main Teacher: Brittany King
Ages: 4th through 8th grade
This class will be a Bible and faith study where children will read scripture lessons from the Bible each week and study them. Children will also learn about Christian faith themes present in the topics and readings for the week. Readings should somewhat overlap with the readings given in the service. As children reach the point where the curriculum or discussions seem less challenging, then they are encouraged to stay in service, attend the Adult Bible Study, and seek confirmation with the Pastor when ready. During breaks, children will be asked to stay in service.

Adult Bible Study
Meets: In the fellowship hall each Sunday at 9:30 AM, September through May.
Main Teacher: Pastor Brian
Ages: Youth and Adults
This class will be a Bible and faith study each week led by Pastor Brian. Jr. High and Sr. High youth and Adults are encouraged to attend.

Services Provided by Beaver UCC

Prayer List and Card Ministry
Do you know someone who would appreciate our prayers, receiving a card from us, or having Pastor Brian visit with them? Please let us know. The Prayer List and Card Ministry will never be published on our website, although it will be included in our monthly newsletter.

Weddings
Beaver UCC offers wedding services including space rental, pre-marital counseling, and officiating for both members and non-members. Please contact the pastor for more information.

Funerals
Our church offers support in any way we can to assist those who are grieving the passing of a loved one. Funerals are generally held in the sanctuary and a meal is provided by the church afterwards.

Confirmation Classes
Confirmation classes are held each year for teenagers who wish to join the church and know more about their faith. Classes generally start in September and culminate with confirmation in May.

Counseling
The church offers pastoral counseling for members and non-members. Please see the Pastor’s Page for information on office hours.

Accessiblity
Beaver Church is wheelchair accessible with elevators. Sound reinforcement devices are available for the hard of hearing as are signers for the deaf. Please let us know if you have any special needs.

Beaver UCC Choir

Beaver Church Sings!
Music is an important component of worship at Beaver Church, one that lifts our spirits and helps us rejoice in God and with each other. Everyone is invited to participate in Beaver UCC’s choir - all you need is an appreciation of music and a desire to learn. We also encourage any and all musicians who wish to share their talents with us during worship. If you would like to join the Beaver Church Choir or provide accompanying instrumental support during a service, please contact our choir director or Pastor Brian.

Adult Choir
Beaver UCC’s Adult Choir provides music for each worship service from September through May, plus a special service on Christmas Eve. Practices are held following Sunday Worship in the church sanctuary.

Community Service and Support

Service is just as important to Beaver Church as fellowship.

Weekly contributions of food and clothing are taken to local food pantries and service organizations for those in need. Volunteers plan special activities for residents of nursing homes, while the congregation as a whole makes Christmas brighter for folks by sponsoring food and gift drives each holiday season.

Members of our congregation also support a variety of other charitable causes with time, money, and in-kind donations, including
Heifer International, the Dayton Food Bank, the Salvation Army, and the Connor Puckett Fund.

The United Church of Christ

The religious heritage of the
United Church of Christ (UCC) stems from the great traditions of the Protestant Reformation - Lutheran, Calvinist, and Congregational. These traditions were brought to America by Protestants fleeing persecution in Europe.

Four religious traditions, including the German Reformed, of which Beaver UCC was part, united in 1957 to become the United Church of Christ. Today, any local church or denomination is welcome to apply for membership in the UCC.

Beaver Church's services feature a combination of formal and informal worship. Our service includes communion on the first Sunday of the month, and all are welcome to participate.

Worship

Beaver Church's weekly worship service is held in our Sanctuary each Sunday at 10:30 AM. Find Beaver Church

Our 10:30 AM service is also offered on
Facebook Live, YouTube, and, for those who might wish to participate outdoors, is broadcast on 96.1 FM in our front parking lot.

The weekly bulletin (downloadable) and links to each Sunday's scripture, for your reference and study,
are available here as well as a link to the Sunday 10:30 AM service video for later viewing. Our on-line Calendar page also lists the current status of activities and events at our church.

Activities, Events, and News

Church News and Announcements are listed here as well as in our Beaver Church Newsletter available here each month.

  • The Pastor's Peace

    Pastor Brian's thoughts and musings...

    This past month I had a dental incident, a tooth that had previously had a root canal decided to crack in half. This issue was pretty obvious even without xrays, as there was a Grand-Canyon-shaped fissure running through my back molar. Every time I chewed anything it hurt, and apparently I needed a dental surgeon to remove it. I don’t know how many of you have tried to schedule orthodontic surgery recently, but most places are booked pretty far into the future. Some places couldn’t see me until November! Luckily, I found one who could squeeze me in after a week, and I took that opportunity. I was so excited to get that tooth pulled, and get on with my life. What I didn’t realize was that the real pain hadn’t yet begun. I’ve never had a tooth pulled, not even my wisdom teeth, and after the tooth was gone and the Novocain wore off,—boy, was I in pain. To make matters worse, there were only certain medications that I could take, because of other medications I was on. To make a long story short, I’m doing better now, but for many days I had this awful throbbing pain constantly, and it sure did interfere with my ability to concentrate and get things done. Sometimes life is like that; we can be doing mostly ok, and then out of the blue something difficult and or debilitating happens to us.

    When you have a throbbing spot where your tooth used to be, it can be hard to focus on anything else. The pain in constant and constantly taking your attention. It does not matter if most everything else in your life is ok, or even if you know this pain will be temporary, for the time being it can be all-consuming. There are physical pains that are like that, and emotional and spiritual pains as well. I think about people whom I have lost and loved dearly, and at that moment there is very little else I can focus on. In the story of Christ, I think about the crucifixion and not only of the pain of Christ, but of the pain of the disciples and his family as well. How could they focus on anything else but the death of their savior. Of course, we know of the gift of the resurrection to come, but in that moment of suffering, even hope for the future can seem dim. For me, that is when I turn my focus to the God of the present, rather than even the hope of the future.

    No matter what I have been through in life, it has always helped to be going through that with someone else, my spouse, my friends, and most importantly God. When we are in pain and discomfort, if we know we have others around us, if we know that we are loved and cared for, then it can make the pain of the present more bearable until a better future comes. This is one reason I often talk about Christ being present with us through the Spirit, and that God is always with us. Yes, I care about the promises of salvation and the eternity with Christ to come, but I also care about the here and now. I care about someone supporting me through the aching pains of life. Not only is God present for us always, but God places people in our lives to share the burden. If you are going through something difficult now or in the future, try to remember that we need not suffer alone. When others offer to help or hear you out, take them up on it, as this is one of the many ways God moves through the world. Perhaps by the time you read this, my tooth pain will be gone, and the pain itself is something I hope to forget, but never the people that helped me through it.

    Peace and Blessings,
    Pastor Brian

  • Feed The Creek!

    Feed The Creek Food Pantries
    Many of you have probably seen small food pantries around Beavercreek supported by “Feed the Creek”. After discussions in the planning committee and consistory, the church has decided to help stock some of these pantries for the summer. We have “Beaver UCC Pantry” boxes in the comfort room at the back of the sanctuary for donations.

    If you can, please consider donating new items for us to put in these small outdoor pantries. If you wish to make a monetary donation instead, simply put “Food Pantry” on the check or envelope and we will use these funds to buy food. If we are successful in doing this, then we will put up our own small outdoor food pantry in the Fall.

    Below is a list of the types of items needed as donations:

    • peanut butter
    • non-perishable microwaveable meals
    • pasta and sauce
    • “hamburger helper” style meal kits
    • crackers
    • cookies
    • snacks
    • canned tuna
    • Vienna Sausage
    • macaroni and cheese (complete sauce included)
    • canned fruits
    • vegetables
    • soups
    • chili
    • sloppy joe
    • juice packs
    • canned spaghetti
    • beans
    • rice
    • noodles
    • ramen noodles
    • breakfast cereal and oatmeal

    In practice, anything which is non-perishable, unopened, unexpired, and small enough to fit in the box is generally OK.

  • Choir News

    Choir and Bell Choir News

    It is that time of year again when we start exercising our voices and ring-a-linging our bells.  If you have thought even for a moment that you might like to do either please consider joining us.  

    We have lost several people in the choir for various reasons and we need you!  The choir rehearses on Sundays from 12:15 to 1:00 after our fellowshlp lunch.  Our “season” is from September through most of May with a very nice break during the summer months.  We sit in the choir pews during the service but if you prefer to sit with the congregation until the anthem that will work as well.  If you are a young person who is eager to sing and in the seventh grade or above we would love to have you join us.  We are flexible regarding attendance if that is a problem for you.  Talk to me and we’ll see what can be worked out.

    Our bell choir meets on Sunday morning at 9:15. Our “season” is basically the same as the choir.  If you can count you can be a bell ringer!!  A few more people would allow us to expand our repertoire a bit and try some three octave pieces and/or have a substitute in case we have something unexpected that comes up.

    Our objective is to make a joyful noise and enhance everyone’s worship experience at Beaver.  Please consider helping us do that. I’m certain you would be a great addition if you just give it a try! 

    Please contact me if you have any questions and/or if you would like to participate.  It would be extremely helpful if I knew ahead of time if you were planning to join us so I can have music ready for you.

    Email Karen Barger or call Karen at (205) 531-2332 for more information.

    Rehearsal Schedule - 2023/2024
    Voice Choir - starts on Sunday, September 3, 12:15 PM to 1:00 PM
    Bell Choir - starts on Sunday, September 9, 9:15 AM (before Worship)


Watch Past Worship Services
Videos of each week's service are available – click here. Sermons from past years are available on The Pastor's Page™.

Photos for the New Church Directory - September 10, 17, 24 following Worship Service
We will be collecting family photos for the new church address directory in September. You can either have your picture taken after church on Sunday September 10th, 17th, or 24th, or email a family photo to Alice Clausing. There will only be one photo per family. Please note that will be taking a congregational picture of everyone together after service on Sunday September 24th, so please come that day if you can. After the photo directory is assembled, we will make it available in printed form and on CD-ROM or USB drive.

Church Choir and Bell Choir Rehearsals
We will be starting choir rehearsals again on September 3rd. Choir rehearsals are from 12:15pm to 1:00pm after our fellowship lunch. We will also be starting bell choir rehearsals again on September 10th. Bell choir rehearsals are from 9:15am to 10:00am before church each Sunday. All are invited to sing in the choir or play in the bell choir, if you are interested, please talk to Karen Barger.

Payton Project Golf Outing
The Payton Project golf outing is a fundraiser for the Payton Project, a non-profit organization that helps address issues of bullying, mental health, and peer pressure in schools. It was started to honor Payton Freeze, a member of Mark’s family that was sadly lost due to school bullying. The church will be sponsoring a hole and playing a foursome for the event. If you know of others that might be interested, or just want to attend the lunch, or would like to donate to the event, more information here.

Church Invitation Program
Starting in August the church will begin passing out packets of 5 business cards on the first Sunday of the month. The idea is that members will take those packets and use the business cards as invitations to invite people to the church. Maybe it is someone you know well, or a stranger even. You can even use them to let people you haven’t seen in a while know that they are missed. We have a wonderful church here at Beaver and there are others out there that are looking for just the kind of worship and fellowship we have here.

Lingenfelter Scholarship Program
Many in the church have asked if there are ways to help the Lingenfelter family after the loss of Andrew. Through discussions with the family and the church, it has been decided that the church will set up a scholarship fund for the Lingenfelter children. Money can be donated to the church, and then the church will gather the funds together to give to Lindsey for 529 funds for the children. A special note, however, is that even though people will be donating to the church, these donations will not be tax deductible because they are being given for a specific family.

Any donations can be sent in with a note marking them as for the “Lingenfelter Scholarship Fund”.

Funeral Hospitality Team
The topic of how to best care for families and how to best provide funeral services came up at a consistory meeting recently. In the past we have put out a general asking for help, but it was decided that having a dedicated team of people to help with funerals would probably be a better system. Therefore, the church is organizing a funeral team to help with such things as lunches after funerals and any other related tasks. If you are interested in being on that team, please speak with Shirley Nelson.

Chicken and Noodle Dinner - October 14
We will be having our Fall Chicken & Noodle fundraiser dinner for the church and public on Saturday, October 14th. The dinner will be open for most of the day from 11AM to 7PM, and we will offer chicken and noodle, 2 sides, dessert, and a drink for $15. We will be doing advertising and please tell folks you know about it.


Beaver Church Beavercreek, Ohio