GREEN: It wasn’t easy for Lee Strawn to leave the building in downtown Akron that he called his church home for nearly seven decades.
But he knew the move was necessary if the congregation was to continue its mission of reaching people for Christ.
“We had people coming into downtown to the church for years. Then, the numbers started going down and we had to decide whether to stay or go” said Strawn, 100, of Akron. “We decided to go to Green. Even though it has been a drastic change for us, things have been going well.”
On Sunday, Strawn’s church — Harmony Springs Christian Church (formerly High Street Christian Church) — will reinvent itself. The celebration will start at 10:30 a.m. at the Akron General Health & Wellness Center, 1940 Town Park Blvd., Green.
The wellness center’s conference room is a temporary gathering space for the congregation’s Sunday worship services. The congregation plans to construct a church building on more than 9.2 acres that it purchased in the Spring Hill development off Arlington Road between Boettler Road and East Turkeyfoot Lake Road (state Route 619).
Construction will not begin until the sale of the building at 131 S. High St. is complete. Plans for the downtown property call for the building to be razed and a hotel to be built.
“We’re just trying to follow God’s lead, and we are very happy about the way things are going,” said Debbie MacDonald, who chairs the church’s general board. “Our mission hasn’t changed. We still believe people need to know Jesus and that their lives will be better when they do. We’re just seeking to invest ourselves in the lives of people in the community.”
To that end, members of the congregation participate in various outreach ministries. Strawn, for example, still volunteers at the Good Neighbors Food Center in Akron’s Goodyear Heights neighborhood. The food program provides food to needy families.
In addition to its commitment to inner-city ministries, including OPEN M and Jesus Said, the Disciples of Christ congregation has expanded its outreach arm in Green to include partnerships with programs like Blessings in a Backpack in Green schools. The Harmony Springs congregation contributes funding and volunteers for the weekend food program for needy families with students in the district.
Jennifer Doerrer, program coordinator for Blessings in a Backpack, described the congregation as a godsend.
“It’s like God sent me angels. The people from the church are the most giving and amazing people I have ever met,” Doerrer said. “The volunteers who come from the church are dedicated to making a change in the lives of the children that we serve through the program.”
The Rev. Joel Engman, lead pastor at Harmony Springs since December 2012, said the congregation still is exploring ways to meet the needs of people in the community.
“Even though we are still going through a transition period, we really want to be here for the people in this community. We have been blessed to experience some growth since our move to Green,” Engman said.
“As a church, we want to be an active part of our community and share the love of God. We welcome anyone who wants to join us on our journey.”
For more information about Harmony Springs, go to www.harmonysprings.org or call 330-899-9785.
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com. S