News & Updates
Bloomville UCC to Host 66th Annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday
Event features famous strawberry shortcake dessert, family activities and more.
BLOOMVILLE, OHIO –– June 10, 2022 –– The Bloomville United Church of Christ is hosting it’s annual Strawberry Festival event rain or shine on Saturday, June 17 from 5pm to 7pm. In addition to the food and socializing, visitors can enjoy a photo station and participate in family activities and games. The event is held outside the church which is located at 31 N. Marion Street, Bloomville and parking is available in the back.
Saturday marks 66 years of the Bloomville UCC hosting this event. It is an important source of pride and tradition for the church and surrounding community that has spanned generations.
“The Strawberry Festival is always a great event for our village,” Bloomville Mayor David Auble Jr. said. “It brings people into town and it’s a way for community members to come together every summer and celebrate.”
Food serving will begin at 5pm on Saturday. Menu items include shredded chicken sandwiches, sloppy joe, cole slaw, potato and 3-bean salad, baked beans, various pies and of course the famous strawberry shortcake dessert with fresh strawberries and ice cream.
“The festival is our congregation’s favorite day of the year,” said Audrey Flood, president of the Bloomville UCC’s consistory board. “Besides the social connection, the funds raised by the event help our church continue to support the Bloomville community and it’s residents. Please come out and see us!”
Troy Kagy, President of the Bloom Township Trustees, said, “As a member of the church and trustee, I know how much this event means to everyone inloved. The benefit to the community is invaluable. ”
For more information on the Bloomville UCC or Strawberry Festival, visit www.bloomvilleucc.org or the Bloomville UCC Facebook page. To give in support of the Festival even if you can’t attend, donate online at bloomvilleucc.org/give, mail your gift to PO box 55, Bloomville or bring it in person to the event.
Bloomville UCC to Host Free Community Dinner on Wednesday
Congregation hopes to welcome neighbors at first in series of dinners.
BLOOMVILLE, OHIO –– January 6, 2023 –– The Bloomville United Church of Christ is hosting a free community spaghetti dinner on Wednesday, January 11 from 5pm to 7pm. The church hopes to connect with neighbors and community members over a hot, homemade meal. There is no cost and the dinner is open to anyone. The church is located at 31 N. Marion Street, Bloomville.
The Bloomville UCC has hosted similar dinners and luncheons in the past, but none since before the pandemic. The church hopes to bring back this tradition of opening it’s doors to the community with this being the first in a series of community meals.
Food serving will begin at 5pm on Wednesday, and guests can stop in anytime before 7pm. Menu items include spaghetti, breadsticks, salad and various desserts. Individuals can call the church office at 419-561-0244 with questions or to rsvp, but are not required to rsvp.
“Our church is looking for ways to give back to the community and to support individuals who may be looking for fellowship, a meal or just conversation,” said Audrey Flood, president of the Bloomville UCC’s Consistory board. “We hope to see lots of neighbors and friends in Blum Hall at this and future events.”
For more information on the community dinner or Bloomville UCC, visit www.bloomvilleucc.org or the Bloomville UCC Facebook page.
BLOOMVILLE, OHIO – June 6, 2022 – The Bloomville United Church of Christ is hosting it’s annual Strawberry Festival dinner on Saturday, June 11 from 5pm to 7pm or until food is sold out. Though the event was cancelled in 2020 and then pivoted to a drive-through model in 2021 during the pandemic, it is back to being a large outdoor social gathering this year. The church is located at 31 N. Marion Street, Bloomville.
Saturday will mark 65 years of the Bloomville UCC hosting this event. It is an important source of pride and tradition for the church and surrounding community that has spanned generations.
Bloomville UCC’s Pastor Tom Kagy said, “We are excited to be bringing the event back this year in its original form. We’d love to see the whole community stop out and see us at the church this weekend.”
Food serving will begin at 5pm on Saturday. Menu items include shredded chicken sandwiches, sloppy joe, cole slaw, potato and 3-bean salad, baked beans, and of course the famous strawberry shortcake dessert with fresh strawberries and ice cream. Food can be purchased as a meal package or al a carte.
“The Strawberry Festival is always a great event for our village,” Bloomville Mayor David Auble Jr. said. “It’s a way for community members to come together every summer and celebrate.”
Troy Kagy, President of the Bloom Township Trustees, said, “As a member of the church and trustee, I’m excited to see this event come back to usual this year. The church does a lot for our local community, and this is a way for us to give support back to the church.”
“Our church has missed being able to host this community gathering during the pandemic and are ecstatic to be bringing it back in full force this year to reconnect,” said Audrey Flood, president of the Bloomville UCC’s consistory board. “Besides the social connection, the funds raised by the event help our church continue to support the Bloomville community and it’s residents. Please come out and see us!”
For more information on the Bloomville UCC or Strawberry Festival, visit www.bloomvilleucc.org or the Bloomville UCC Facebook page. To give in support of the Festival even if you can’t attend, donate online at bloomvilleucc.org/give, mail your gift to PO box 55, Bloomville or bring it in person to the event.
Bloomville UCC to Host 64th Annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday
Event will take place as a drive through instead of usual outdoor event.
BLOOMVILLE, OHIO – June 9, 2021 – The Bloomville United Church of Christ will be hosting it’s annual Strawberry Festival dinner on Saturday, June 12 from 4:30-6:30pm or until the food is sold out. Though the event usually features a 5K race and a large outdoor social gathering, it will be a drive-through model instead due to this year’s pandemic. The church is located at 31 N. Marion Street, Bloomville.
The event was cancelled altogether last year due to coronavirus, but operated for 64 years before that. It is an important source of pride and tradition for the church and surrounding community.
Pastor Tom Kagy said, “Though it’s certainly not the Festival we’re used to, we are grateful and excited to be bringing the event back this year. We’d love to see the whole community stop out and see us at the church this weekend.”
Visitors to this weekend’s event can expect to follow signs and church volunteers to navigate the drive through line where they will be able to place their orders, pay and get their food without ever leaving their vehicle. Menu items include shredded chicken sandwiches, sloppy joe, potato and 3-bean salad, baked beans, and of course the famous strawberry shortcake with fresh strawberries and strawberry or vanilla ice cream. Safety precautions will be practiced in accordance with the health department.
“The Strawberry Festival is always a great event for our village,” Bloomville Mayor David Auble Jr. said. “It’s a way for community members to come together every summer and celebrate.”
Troy Kagy, President of the Bloom Township Trustees, said, “As a member of the church and trustee, I’m excited to see this event come back this year. The church does a lot for our local community, and this is a way for us to give support back to the church.”
For more information on the Bloomville UCC or Strawberry Festival, visit www.bloomvilleucc.org. To give in support of the Festival even if you can’t attend, donate online at bloomvilleucc.org/give or mail your gift to PO box 55, Bloomville.
Update from Pastor Tom: 5/7/20
It's done, and it's amazing! Audrey Flood constructed a new website for our church. It looks great. Check it out at bloomvilleucc.org.
I am thrilled that people continue to use our PayPal app to donate. Some of the donors are not people we see at church. We are excited about that, and we appreciate it.
Also, we now a have a "button" on our new website for giving. Just look for the word "Give." It is easy to use. Of course, you can also search "bloomvilleuccpaypal@gmail.com" and use PayPal that way.
I know through personal conversations that some of our people are handling the social isolation quite well and seem largely unaffected. However, I also know that some are struggling with either the isolation or the loss of income or both. Please continue to pray for those who are so negatively impacted by the current situation.
Please feel free to contact me at anytime. You can also send prayers requests to me. I am only a phone call/email/text away. I am very happy to come to Bloomville if you need me.
Blessings to You, Pastor Tom
Update from Pastor Tom: 4/29/20
In case you haven't heard yet, Consistory has decided to postpone indefinitely both the Strawberry Festival and the Berry Run. It was a difficult decision, but we unanimously agreed that postponing was the prudent thing to do.
I was very thankful that last Sunday's service seemed to come off without a glitch. I do hear that the end was cut off for some, so I think I just have to leave it run for a few seconds before I stop the video from recording.
We now have an online way for you to send your offerings to the church. We are using Paypal. We may employ additional online apps later. For those of you accustomed to using Paypal, search "bloomvilleuccpaypal@gmail.com. We are hoping to have a "donate" button on our new church website soon.
I am absolutely thrilled some people are already using Paypal to give to the church.
Speaking of giving to the church: Please keep up the good work! I haven't checked the numbers since mid-April, but at that time, you were doing a wonderful job of supporting our ministry while we work through the unprecedented times. We need you to continue to do what you can.
Please feel free to contact me at anytime. You can also send prayers requests to me. I am only a phone call/email/text away. I am very happy to come to Bloomville if you need me.
Update from Pastor Tom: 4/24/20
In case you haven't heard yet, Consistory has decided to postpone indefinitely both the Strawberry Festival and the Berry Run. It was a difficult decision, but we unanimously agreed that postponing was the prudent thing to do.
I hope the online service this Sunday is not as glitchy as it was last Sunday. We are moving to a different internet provider - a move that was in the works before we had to do services online - in the hopes we can cure the problems we have had. But, that won't happen until next week.
We now have an online way for you to send your offerings to the church. We are using Paypal for now. We may employ additional online apps later. For those of you accustomed to using Paypal, search "bloomvilleuccpaypal@gmail.com. We are hoping to have a "donate" button our new church website soon.
Speaking of the new church website, be on the lookout for both that and our new podcast! Audrey Flood has devoted to considerable hours to these projects and we are excited about them. I will let you know when they become public.
Please feel free to contact me at anytime. You can also send prayers requests to me. I am only a phone call/email/text away. I am very happy to come to Bloomville if you need me.
Update from Pastor Tom: 4/14/20
Consistory met on Monday evening (following social distancing guidelines), and after much discussion, decided to postpone indefinitely both the Strawberry Festival and the Berry Run. It was a difficult decision, but we unanimously agreed that postponing was the prudent thing to do.
I want to extend a huge thank you to all of our congregation! You have continued your giving to the church in such a way that we are able to pay our bills. I have always said that you are generous group, and you are proving it once again. Please remain faithful in your giving. The work of the church depends on you as it takes about $5550 a month to meet our budget.
Our Easter online service was a huge success! Our live audience set a new record, and we reached over 2000 people. Many of those people only watched the service for just a few seconds, but at least people are seeing us.
We are no longer collecting food for the Small Church Cluster Food Fight. The food will be donated to the Bloomville Food Bank. We have collected quite a pile!
Members of Consistory are calling people on our membership list just to let them that the church family is thinking of them and cares about them. I hope you will consider calling folks and sending cards, too.
Especially consider reaching out to our folks who are living alone with a phone call or card. This is a very hard time for these people. This is particularly true for those in nursing homes as they are allowed no activities and are completely isolated in their rooms. A card from you would be most appreciated.
Karen Holman, The Willows, 410 Fair Lane, Tiffin, OH 44883
Lois Showman, Autumnwood Nursing Home, 670 E. State Rt. 18, Tiffin, OH 44883
Be on the lookout for our new website and our new podcast! Audrey Flood has devoted to considerable hours to these projects and we are excited about them. I will let you know when they become public.
We are also researching online giving options, so that people might donate using the internet. Look for more on that later.
Please feel free to contact me at anytime. You can also send prayers requests to me. I am only a phone call/email/text away. I am very happy to come to Bloomville if you need me.
News: 4/9/2020
Do you know someone in the Bloomville area who could use a facemask? Especially someone who is doing essential work and cannot avoid some risk. Or someone who has some special vulnerability and cannot avoid some public exposure. Carrie Forman is making it her mission to make facemasks for people around Bloomville. And this mission is a family affair. Her mother-in-law, Jessie Jo Forman, is donating the material and her family is going to help deliver the masks. If you want to order a mask or if you have questions, call or text Carrie at 419-561-0713.
Update from Pastor Tom: 4/8/20
I am planning to have communion on Easter Sunday during our online service. There is no reason to allow this virus to keep us from this important sacrament. All you have to do is have something to eat and drink ready to go before the service starts. If you want to make it more special, you might light a candle or place a nice cloth underneath the elements or have some flowers nearby. Be creative. Remember, it is a symbolic meal. What you eat or drink is not the point. The point is that we reminding ourselves to think of Jesus as a part of the everyday fabric of our lives. Every time we put food or drink to our mouths we are to think of the Christ.
I have begun to occasionally post a Bible reading on Facebook. If that is something you appreciate, let me know.
Please consider reaching out to our folks who are living alone with a phone call or card. This is a very hard time for these people. This is especially true for those in nursing homes as they are allowed no activities and are completely isolated in their rooms. A card from you would be most appreciated. (Karen Holman, The Willows, 410 Fair Lane, Tiffin, OH 44883 and Lois Showman, Autumnwood Nursing Home, 670 E. State Rt. 18, Tiffin, OH 44883)
I appreciate so much how many of you are hitting "like" or leaving a comment. I especially appreciate those who are sharing the service. Last week we reached around 1200 people! Keep it up, please.
If you want to drop off your offering or food for the Small Church Cluster Food Fight, Becky is available on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 till Noon. If you do go the office, do remember social distancing.
Please feel free to contact me at anytime. You can also send prayers requests to me. I am only a phone call/email/text away. I am very happy to come to Bloomville if you need me.
Update: 4/3/20
SPECIAL NOTE: We will be celebrating online communion on Easter Sunday. All are welcome at the Lord's table. Jesus invites everyone to eat a meal with him. All you have to do is have something to eat and drink ready to go before the service starts. If you want to make it more special, you might light a candle or place a nice cloth underneath the elements or have some flowers nearby. Be creative. Remember, it is a symbolic meal. What you eat or drink is not the point. The point is that we are reminding ourselves to think of Jesus as a part of the everyday fabric of our lives. Every time we put food or drink to our mouths we are to think of the Christ.
Update: 3/26/20
Please tune in to Facebook Live at 10:15 for prayer and this week's message. Search Bloomville UCC in the search bar.
Update: 3/20/20
Yes, there will be a sermon this Sunday. It will be posted on our churches Facebook site (type bloomville ucc in the Facebook search bar). I plan to post it at 10:15 on Sunday morning. Please hit "like" or leave a comment. I want to have some idea as to how many people tune in, and I eagerly desire feedback from you.