News and Events

Beginning the first week of October 2015, United Church Homes will be providing the fourth “unit” or “class” of students in the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program at Trinity Community in Beavercreek, Ohio. Completing at least one “unit” of CPE is more often than not a requirement of church and…

Recognizing and honoring our donors, volunteers and faithful friends are certainly a reason to celebrate our ample blessings, and United Church Homes did so graciously at our recently concluded 2015 Donor Appreciation Dinners. Each healthcare community and our affordable housing communities hosted a banquet recognizing the many and varied ways…

Love for family is a primal force — powerful, endearing and enduring — capable of parting the sea or moving mountains. Imagine if that bond was torn asunder, shattered and shredded in seconds, leaving one not knowing if a family member was among the dead or the living. Imagine if…

United Church Homes is continuously searching for opportunities to serve communities in need of affordable housing. At present we serve residents with some distinctive demographics, most notably on two Native American reservations. Yet another distinctive demographic can be found at Cypress Run in Immokalee, Florida, where the resident population is…

A life of service is a way of being. The more one serves, the more one’s life is enriched. It is a choice to serve, not a requirement or a duty. A life of service is a choice to share for the benefit of others, to give without any expectation…

United Church Homes serves nearly 4,000 residents in 68 communities in 13 states and two Native American reservations. We operate six affordable housing communities in Florida — including Cypress Run in Immokalee, Sterling Place in Lakeland, Burlington Tower in St. Petersburg, Citrus Gardens in Orlando, and Meadow Park and J.H.…

United Church Homes recently welcomed two new members to its board of directors. Rev. Robert Tussing is from Lima, Ohio, and graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He felt a call to ministry and earned his Master of Divinity degree at the Pacific School…

President and CEO Rev. Kenneth Daniel met with Winona LaDuke, a renowned environmentalist and member of the White Earth tribe that is served by UCH at its Biimaadiiziiwiin community in Minnesota. An in-depth story about Biimaadiiziiwiin will be featured in the Fall 2015 issue of Spirit magazine.

We recently celebrated National Nursing Home Week at our United Church Homes healthcare communities. This week-long celebration brings together residents, families, volunteers and staff celebrating life, family, and love in a nationally chosen theme, “Bring on the Fiesta.” Everyone got in on the act, including two Four Winds Community residents,…

United Church Homes was recently informed that Spirit magazine was selected by LeadingAge Ohio to win its 2015 Excellence in Media award. Stacie Ward, administrator at Trinity Community at Fairborn (formerly Patriot Ridge), nominated Spirit for consideration. Spirit was selected over five other nominations because of the resident-centered, personal nature…

Andrea Williams, marketing director at Four Winds Community, has been selected as the newest board member of the Jackson County Board on Aging. Congratulations, Andrea, and thank you for your service supporting seniors in Jackson.

Ohio classical music lovers will recognize Andy Lisko, retired concertmaster of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, playing violin during a visit at Friendship Village of Columbus in May. Mr. Lisko was part of the Cardinal Health Orchestra that provided live entertainment for residents.

The Frederick, Maryland-based Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ youth group, chaperones and their pastor, the Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel, visited Parkvue Community and its residents while on their way to the UCC General Synod in Cleveland, Ohio.

The ministry that would one day evolve into United Church Homes traces its origin to 1916 when congregations in Toledo established a house with five elders needing a place to live. Church members and siblings Matthew and Jane Smith, recognizing a need for a more lasting response, decided to help…

At a mere 90 (and a half) years of age, Gerald Baird maintains a golf handicap enviable to golfers a fraction of his age. He’s a husband, father, musician and gold medalist. But perhaps what makes his story unique is his latest medal win was this past July. Gerry competed…

Two United Church Homes healthcare communities — Chapel Hill in Canal Fulton, Ohio, and SEM Haven, a UCH managed community in Milford, Ohio — have been recognized as 2015 recipients of the Silver Quality Award for their outstanding performance in delivering healthcare services to residents. The Silver Quality Award is…

  In keeping with the UCC General Synod’s theme of “Finding God in Unexpected Places,” United Church Homes left its imprint on more than 3,000 people who attended this national event in Cleveland, June 26-30. Engage. Entertain. Educate. UCH had a significant role at the UCC General Synod’s exhibit hall,…

Rev. John and Jeanette Bertsch enjoy deep roots with United Church Homes, ones that stretch back 35 years. They’re also committed to their lifelong faith in the United Church of Christ, having first met as teenagers at a weekend church vocations conference in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, when both were actively…

The addition of Harmar Place and Glenwood Community represents a 20 percent expansion in the number of residents and staff being served daily by United Church Homes. United Church Homes recently took a faith-inspired step to strategically and significantly expand its ministry by acquiring two senior living communities in Marietta,…

Parkvue Community in Sandusky, Ohio, held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 7 to begin construction on the new Parkvue Aquatic Center. Plans were put into place by the late Ruth Frost Parker, and her dream is coming to fruition with a lap and therapy pool as well as a spa…