Missions Board Special Report

Mission Education is our primary goal for many reasons.

1-Informal feedback comes to us that some of our church members believe that our mission budget is overly generous to overseas mission projects.
2- This feedback includes the sentiment of some that we should not be sending any Bath mission support outside of the USA when there is so much need right here at home.
3-Then there are some who would prefer to support only mission programs that seek to overtly proselytize “evangelize” persons of other faiths even if those mission efforts are non-UCC related.

The answers are as follows:
1- With the exception of our own Bath Mission team leaving for Haiti, only a tiny trickle of the Bath Mission finances go to support the UCC overseas mission programs.

Ninety percent of Our Churches Wider Mission (UCWM) giving mainly stays in North East Ohio for needs in Ohio. These include building stronger churches, youth programs and in-service continuing education for our own church leadership.

A small portion (around ten percent) of those OCWM funds are then channeled through denominational agencies serving national efforts to strengthen churches and their leaders, including projects serving young people. Eventually, some (less than ten percent) of the OCWM funds find their way to help our missionaries and mission partners in other countries AND mission projects in the USA.

Special offerings for Church World Service CWS (One Great Hour of Sharing) for emergency disaster relief are not included in these estimates. CWS is an ecumenical agency that responds to urgent need world-wide, including the USA. It does not respond in terms of percentages for local versus international aid.

2- The vast majority of our Bath church mission giving (Ninety percent) goes to literally dozens of local agencies serving local need according to carefully and prayerfully prepared guidelines. These guidelines are available to anyone requesting them.

3- Mission strategies globally are continuously studied and evaluated for their relevancy and effectiveness. The world today is continuously changing. It is a dynamic mixture of cultural, political and religious challenges. Among our top military leaders there are none who believe that all of the problems facing our nation can be solved by military means alone.
The educational, medical and social projects supported by UCC Global missions, however small they may be compared to the defense budget, serve an essential effort to bring peace through our sharing God’s love world-wide and is coordinated through indigenous Christian church partners.

This is not an arbitrary choice on our part to support Global missions. It is a mandate from the head of the church, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

The above message was prepared by the chair of the Bath Church Board of Social Concerns and Missions who welcomes your comments. He has served as a missionary on assignments in over 80 countries during the course of over four decades.

Faithfully,
Chuck Ausherman

Health Care Reform

Thanks to everyone who showed up for the Health Care Reform program tonight. For those who didn't get a copy of the longer handout, here it is for download.

Citizens for Bath Seniors

Citizens for Bath Seniors (CBS)
By Chuck Ausherman, Bath Ohio

According to a new book, “The Lonely American: Drifting Apart in the Twenty-first Century” two psychoanalysts claim that more Americans are suffering loneliness than ever before. Their finding is based on the fact that they have experienced a dramatic increase of depression among their patients due to isolation from friends and neighbors. Depression is especially a health problem among seniors.

Research has found that in spite of hours we may spend on the internet as a relationship facilitator there is still a void in people’s lives which leaves us unsatisfied. People need people.

Bath is a wonderful place to live. Our beautiful homes and spacious lawns are admired by visitors and make us proud to live in a well ordered and managed township. But that alone does not solve the problem for those who retire after an active life. Community is more than nice homes and lawns.

In an effort to keep Bath seniors healthy and happy a local group of seniors is seeking ways to facilitate social and recreational networks in Bath. CBS seeks to encourage and create opportunities to meet and enjoy friendship and fellowship in a recreational setting.

Since about one-third of the population of Bath are seniors it is felt that there should be more focus on what is already available and what is needed for that large percentage of the population. CBS seeks to build community where people can meet and enjoy their neighbors. CBS looks for opportunities to be helpful to individuals who may need a ride to a grocery store, to a doctor’s appointment or some other personal favor. This is what neighbors do for each other.

This effort is not intended to compete with the excellent facilities we support for our children and grandchildren. We are proud of our schools. Many of us have graduated from them and continue to benefit from the top notch job they have done and as they continue to excel in their mission.

We salute the fine job our police, fire and health care service persons for their outstanding readiness to protect and be there in our emergencies. Alas, this does not solve all our problems or fill all our needs.

Many nearby townships have Senior Centers with daily activities where seniors get to meet and know their neighbors. Would this be an idea to explore for Bath? CBS is working on it and would appreciate your input. Seniors are encouraged to share their ideas, thoughts and experience with CBS. Contact the following: Bathseniors@yahoo.com or mail your comments and suggestions to:Citizens for Bath Seniors, P.O. Box 544 Bath Ohio 44210.

Note: The writer of this article is a PhD and a Masters of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill which is known nationally for research on causes of depression among seniors.