Issue 1
A PERIODIC NEWSLETTER FOR THE MT. PLEASANT COMMUNITY AND BEYOND
BUILT ON THE WORD, CONNECTED TO CHRIST, COMMITTED TO SERVANT-LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY
A Loving Tribute to Sister Juanita Berry
February 4, 1921 - September 22, 2020 By Sister Shirley Cunningham. It was such a jolt to my heart upon hearing the passing of Sister Juanita Berry, mother of Patton Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and our eldest member. I am sure that each member felt a certain disbelief as the news spread of her transition. Even at the age of ninety-nine years of age, Sister Berry was quick-witted, sharp minded and spiritually vibrant. Sister Berry was a loving and caring matriarch of her family. She always gave the Lord all the praise for blessing each day of her life. She was a devoted member of Patton Memorial C.M.E Church for more than forty years. Sister Berry sat on the same pew every Sunday,
for every service, celebration, and program. It was her special place to "hear the Word" as she would say and to belt out an Amen to a sermon or song selection. From this special seating, she would greet each person as they entered the sanctuary before service. It was a seat on the 50-yard line, reserved just for Sister Berry! You couldn't slip pass her if you were late to Sunday service. She would still greet you with her voice booming over the already started service! Sister Berry lived on East 142nd Street in the Mt. Pleasant area for over 62 plus years, right down the street from her beloved Patton Memorial. She was well known and loved throughout the community. She was very active in many community events, street clubs and at Murtis Taylor Center located on 134th Street and Kinsman Road, where for many years, lifelong friendships grew and bloomed. Sister Berry enrolled in many craft, art and sewing classes there. She often modeled her fashion creation in the many fashion shows held at Murtis Taylor Center. Sister Berry was also a member of a crocheting club, The Happy Hookers. She crocheted hats and scarves for handicapped children. She also crocheted beautiful afghan blankets. She was a talented beautician. Sister Berry attended typing classes at Cuyahoga Community College, where she was the oldest in her class and was proud of that fact! She also learned to play the piano as well. I was so blessed to share a few hours with Sister Berry in the month of May this year. She was in the process of moving to Washington to live with her
daughter and son-in-law, Joan and James Clark. Sister Berry shared she married her husband at the age of seventeen. They met in high school, her first and only boyfriend. She shared how blessed she was to have loving and caring children, especially her son Graph, who lived with her and catered to her every need. He had recently passed. She adored her grandchildren and their families. She loved to travel. She traveled to Russia, California, and many parts of the United States. The most surprising share was that she appeared on a TV show called Loving Spoonfuls. The show is on YouTube and the Amazon channels. It is Season 1, Episode 11, entitled, "Juanita Berry Cooks Southern Fried Rabbit!' I noticed carefully labeled notes on various items in the living room. These items were chosen personally by Sister Berry to give to loved ones as gift of remembrances. I was given a vase and a book of hymns that I will forever keep and cherish. Sister Berry was a blessing to so many while on her earthly journey. If blessings were colors and hues, then Sister Berry was a walking spectrum. The Lord blessed her abundantly and she in turn, graciously and lovingly blessed many. I will forever remember the beautiful soul that sat on the fifth pew by the sanctuary entrance doors, welcoming all with a hearty greeting and warm smile. You will be sorely missed Sister Berry....a life well lived, and a rest well earned.
Welcome to The Patton Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Our Mission is to be "Built on the Word, Connected to Christ, Committed to Servant-Leadership in the Community". The Pastor is Rev. Dr. Lydia Evelyn Spragin. Our physical location and mailing address are 3547 E 142nd Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44120. During this Covid-19 season and beyond you may: Dial our free conference call number(s): (425) 436-6380 or Backup (alternate) numbers: (520) 420-9085 or (209) 399-9095, then dial the Access Code: 581058#: Sunday Morning Worship Experience Welcome Fellowship - Introduce yourself begins at 11:05 a.m. Service Begins at 11:25 a.m. Communion Every First Sunday Sunday School is held on every THURSDAY afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Taught by Rev. Erline H. Williams On Facebook Live (Lydia Spragin FB page) at 10:00 a.m. Saturday Morning Breakfast Bible Study with Pastor Lydia Spragin (For previous studies visit the Church or the Patton Memorial Bible Study Group FB pages or YouTube) Bring your Bible at all times! We look forward to your presence with us! Invite a friend! If you get a busy signal, please keep trying until connected. We want to welcome you. We want to be the church that sits in the community and in which the community sits. Remember God really does love you and so do we. Thank you in advance for any consideration that you may give to us as your church home. Sister Louvenia Martin President of the Usher Board and Recording Steward
Tips for Healthy Eating
COOKING WITH GLORIA By Gloria Murdock
From Sister Gloria Like most of us being quarantined has given us time to reevaluate our life choices. A healthy lifestyle is all about finding what works for you and how to implement it into your daily life. Here are a few things that I am about to embark on. 1. Looking in my refrigerator and pantry to eliminate the food products that I know are not healthy, fatty snacks, sugar filled drinks and sodas. 2. Knowing the fats that are healthy for me. 3. Learning the different types of fats. 4. Newer research shows that healthy fats are necessary and beneficial to our health. 5. Choose foods with good unsaturated fats, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. 6. Limit foods high in saturated fats, it is consumed best in moderation. 7. Avoid trans fats such as processed foods made from partially hydrogenated oil. Pray for me this fall and winter as I attempt these lifestyle changes. My quest to eating healthier is not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR OCTOBER 25, 2020 - PATTON MEMORIAL CME CHURCH CELEBRATES 61 YEARS IN THE MT. PLEASANT COMMUNITY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY by Donald and Carla Fann, Co-Chairpersons JOIN THE SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP EXPERIENCE (see inside from cover) as we celebrate The Patton Memorial CME Church 61st Anniversary with Family and Friends is on the 4 th Sunday in October 2020, at 11:25 a.m. The theme is Growing Stronger, Growing Deeper, Reaching Higher and is based upon Isaiah 40: 28-31. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Ore Lee Spragin, Jr. Th.D., Editor of the Christian Index. The Official Organ of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and Pastor of the Hines Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Albany, Georgia. Rev. Ore Lee Spragin, Jr. is Professor of Church History, a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and a life-long member of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. He is the son of the late Presiding Elder Ore Lee Spragin, Sr., and Mrs. Henrietta Murphy Spragin. He is the brother of Pastor Lydia Evelyn Spragin. He was the valediction of the 1980 Immaculate Conception High School graduating class. He is 1984 magna cum laude graduate of Jackson State University Honors Program in Jackson, Mississippi (B.S., biology, pre-med); and a 1993 graduate of Wesley Biblical Seminary (M.Div., pastoral studies). He has also done graduate studies at Jackson State University and University Medical Center, both in Jackson, Mississippi. From 1985 to 1987 Ore worked as a biochemistry laboratory assistant at University Medical Center and taught biology from 1993 to 1995 at Wesley College in Florence, Mississippi. He completed requirements for the Doctor of Theology in Methodist Studies at the Graduate Theological Foundation in 2010 where earned distinction as the 2010 Macquarrie Fellow. Ore was ordained Elder in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in 1987 and was admitted to Full Connection the following year. He has been an itinerant minister since 1985, serving in the states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia. He is the former Presiding Elder of the Mobile District in Alabama. He has conducted seminars in the United States, Africa, Haiti, and Jamaica in the areas of church history and doctrine, spiritual formation and Christian discipleship, biblical studies, worship, and church leadership. He has published “Commentary on the Gospel of Luke”, “The History of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (1870-2009)” and “An Exposition of the Apostles Creed.” Ore is married to Phyliss Morgan Spragin of New Orleans, Louisiana, and they have two children and one grandson. All donations are to be made payable to the Patton Memorial CME Church and may be sent to 3547 E. 142 nd Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44120 or via Givelify or via pay pal. All adult members are asked to give at least $100, College Students $20, Children $5, and Friends and Family $10. The member who has the most Friends and Family to give $10 via Givelify will receive a prize. Friends and Family should put the name of the member in the memo section.
WORSHIP AND PRAISE By Michelle Stevens. Why do we worship and praise God? The answer is provided by Father God Himself in is holy word. Psalm 100:3 (NKJV) reads “Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture”. Verses 4 & 5 advise us to enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. And to be thankful to Him and bless His name. Why? Because the Lord is good, and His mercy is everlasting. And His truth endures to all generations. He is our maker saints, our creator. It is The LORD Himself who breathed life into us. His very breath is in our lungs! But He did not stop there. He has lavished us with an almost unfathomable love! A love so deep till it led Him to sacrifice His one and only begotten Son, for our sake, to a gruesome death by way of the cross. This extreme act of love was done so that we as His children could once again have peace with our holy heavenly Father through the shed blood of His Son, Jesus the Christ, and therefore be reconciled back to Him. With this reconciliation comes the promise of eternal life with Holy Father God and His Son, our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. These facts alone make Him worthy of constant worship, constant praise, and constant honor. God is good, and He only desires good for us. There is no darkness in Him. So, to quote from Psalm 95, verses 6 & 7, (NKJV) “Oh, come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand”. Saints let us bow down in worship to Him, the God of ALL creation, and let our praises go up to Him with joyful sounds of singing, music, and dance. Even in these challenging times, because He is worthy, Amen.
PATTON TO BEGIN SECOND CHANCE EMPLOYMENT PARTNERSHIP WITH MT. PLEASANT BUSINESS COMMUNITY Second Chance Employment is a program which will match employers with persons with felonies who desire to work. Ideally, Patton Memorial will serve as by the “CONNECTING LINK” between a potential employer and the job applicant. THE PATTON MEMORIAL SECOND CHANCE EMPLOYMENT PARTNERSHIP will begin by collecting resumes and doing interviews with persons with documented felonies and residency in the Mr. Pleasant neighborhood by November 1, 2020. The goal is to match suitable employers with persons with felonies whose strengths, experience level, needs, and temperament fit the job requirements as well as the workplace culture. “We do not claim to know the ins and outs of how this will work” said Pastor Lydia Evelyn Spragin, “but we are determine to impact the community in which we sit in ways that will bring more hope and socio-economic value to the Mr. Pleasant community.” Mathis Landscaping is the first business to partner with Patton in this new endeavor. Both Mr. Mathis and Pastor Spragin hope that other businesses in the Mt. Pleasant community will make the commitment to hire at least one person with a felony who lives in Mt. Pleasant and is ready, willing, and able to work. Mathis Landscaping is committed to hiring at least 2 persons, and while Mr. Mathis admits that he prefers experienced persons, but he is willing to train highly motivated individuals who are willing to commit to the job for at least six months. The successful applicant will be expected to work 8 – 12 hours per day and be on time or early for each day’s work. A positive attitude and a willingness to do the work as assigned are required. The Patton Memorial Second Chance Employment Partnership is committed to matching Mt. Pleasant residents in need of employment with employers in the Mt. Pleasant community who have positions to fill. This is an opportunity for all of us to work together to build a better neighborhood. Patton Memorial will interview persons to determine their job interests, strengths, needs, and experience level and develop a bank where resumes may be deposited for review by potential employers. Employers will provide descriptions of job vacancies, job requirements, and what level of felony they are willing to hire. Persons who are on parole or probation must provide the contact information for their parole or probation officers and copy of any court orders, rules, or restrictions to which they are subject. This process will hopefully give a potential employer insight into whether this person will meet the job requirements and well as how they fit into the workplace. We know that it can be hard to re-enter the work force after you have been incarcerated for any period of time. We want to help to remove barriers which may have been created by or made worse by a felony conviction. We will endeavor to offer to persons with felonies a place where you can find employers who want to provide a second chance opportunity. Employers who are open to hiring persons with felonies are aware that there may be probation or parole obligations, rules and regulations with which the person with felonies will have comply and by their participation indicate a willingness to work with not only the person with felony but also provide flexibility so that a successful outcome may be obtained. Any persons interested in volunteering with the Patton Memorial Second Chance Employment Partnership or have a job vacancy to submit should leave a message on the church telephone number (216) 991-2444.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
FOR GIVERS
New to Mobile Giving in Church? Here’s How to Give Using Givelify. 1. Download the Givelify Mobile Giving App - on an iPhone or iPad, go to the App Store to download Givelify to your device. For Android devices, visit the Google Play Store. Search for “Givelify” and then tap Install or Get. Once downloading is complete, tap Open and you’re ready to go.
2. From wherever you are -- Tap Search and
3.
type in the PATTON MEMORIAL CHRISTIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, CLEVELAND, OHIO (or 44114). You will see a list of churches, with Patton Memorial at the top. Tap Give To to start your donation.
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Fund, Mission Trip, or whatever areas your church has decided to include as options. 4. Tap 1-Tap Give Now at the bottom of the screen to complete your donation.
Creating an Account The first time (and only the first time) you give, you’ll need to sign up for an account. You can either use your email address and a password of your choice or use your Facebook credentials for easier login. It’s completely up to you which login method you use.
Adding Your Payment Information You will need to enter your credit or debit card information to make donations. You will only need to do this once unless you change cards in the future. You will need to enter the credit or debit card number, expiration date, and the CVV code (the three-digit code on the back beside the signature line). You also need to provide the billing name and address.
Completing Your First Donation
Pastor Once you have located your church, its profile will appear on the screen. If the profile has been filled out, you’ll see a logo, a cover photo, and your pastor’s photo. You will know right away that you’re giving to the correct organization. Now it’s time to make your donation. 1. At the bottom of your church’s profile, tap Give. 2. Choose from a pre-set donation amount or tap Other to enter your own. 3. Choose from one of the giving envelopes your church has set up. These could be Offering, Tithe, Building
Once you’ve entered in your payment information, tap Confirm and your donation is complete. From now on you won’t have to log in or enter your card information to make donations. You can just tap the name of your church and be on your way. Plus, your church is automatically saved in your Favorites, so you don’t need to search for it again.
Marking Your Home Church To save even more time, tap the heart icon beside the words “My Place of Worship.” This will save it as your “home” organization. Now your preferred place of worship will always be the first thing you see on the screen when you open the Givelify mobile giving app.
EXCERPT FROM: https://blog.givelify.com/mobile-giving-give-usinggivelify/#:~:text=Here%E2%80%99s%20How%20to%20Give%20Using%20Givelify.%201%20Getting,Home%20Church.%20...%207%20W atch%20the%20Video.%20
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THE PATTON MEMORIAL CHRISTIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 3547 E. 142ND STREET CLEVELAND, OHIO 44120
TO:
Rev. Dr. Lydia Evelyn Spragin, Pastor Publisher and Editor All Rights Reserved.