New to Forest Hill?
Here’s some information to help you get the most out of your first visit to Forest Hill Church.
How do I get to Forest Hill?
What can I expect on my first visit?
What about my kids?
Meet our pastors
About our mission
How do I get to Forest Hill Church?
We’re on the corner of Lee and Monticello Boulevards in Cleveland Heights, on a triangle of land across from Forest Hill Park and the Cleveland Heights Recreation Pavilion.
You can see our tall white church steeple from Mayfield Road, but you have to come inside to discover our relaxed and welcoming atmosphere!
Click here for DIRECTIONS AND MAPS.
What can I expect on my first visit?
You’ll find a little bit of everything when you visit Forest Hill:
- People who welcome visitors without overwhelming them.
- Sermons that make you laugh or cry, but always make you think.
- Music from around the world and around the corner.
WHERE SHOULD I PARK?
Most people park in the lot behind the church. There’s plenty of space. Even special spaces reserved for visitors. (And of course handicap spaces.)
Covered doors closest to Lee Road driveway
First-time visitors sometimes prefer to park in the street along Monticello or Lee.
WHICH DOOR SHOULD I USE?
That depends on where you park. If you park in the street, enter through the main front doors.
Front Doors
These doors lead into the back of the sanctuary where ushers can help you find a seat and answer any questions you may have.
Narthex doors lead into the Sanctuary
If you park in the lot, use the doors under the covered entrance closest to Lee Rd.
Lee Road parking lot doors
Greeters just inside can show you to our welcoming Fellowship Hall for donuts and fair-trade coffee, to the Christian Education wing for your kids, or directly to our Sanctuary.
Or you can follow the corridor that leads past Fellowship Hall on your right until you reach a small sky-lit lobby area.
(Help yourself to a welcome bag as you pass the Welcome Table.)
From the lobby, go up the 3 steps
(or take the wheelchair accessible ramp) to the bulletin board area listing upcoming events.
From there, the sanctuary is directly to your right.
Don’t worry–there are lots of signs and plenty of friendly people willing to help.
WHERE DO MY KIDS GO?
Hallway to Education Wing with offices on left and Sanctuary on right
The Christian Education rooms are in the northeast, or Monticello, wing of the building.
Greeters are stationed throughout the building to help you find the right room for your children, from birth through teens.
Education Wing Lobby
View our Floor Plan here.
IS THE BUILDING FULLY ACCESSIBLE?
Yes. The Fellowship Hall, Sanctuary and classrooms are on different levels but ramps and stairway lifts ensure complete wheelchair access. Read more here.
What are the services like?
Our services are a relaxed blend of traditional and contemporary worship styles. They’re designed to challenge your thinking, spur your spiritual growth, and nudge you to respond by sharing yourself and your spiritual gifts.
WHAT YOU’LL SEE
Attire ranges from jeans and tees to coats and ties and everything in between. You’ll find all ages here–from infants to grandparents and beyond. The congregation includes students and scientists, actors and authors, weavers, waitresses, professors, painters, bankers and bookkeepers.
Some of us live nearby–in Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland or University Circle. Some live farther away–in Lyndhurst, Mayfield, Richmond or Shaker. Still others travel from as far away as Bainbridge, Mentor, Solon, Hudson, Westlake, even Berea. But no matter what our age, occupation, where we live, or the color of our skin, we have one thing in common: a desire to know and connect with God, the world, and each other.
WHAT YOU’LL HEAR
You’ll hear exceptional sermons full of humor and grace that “afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.” Our pastors take turns in the pulpit - touching heads and hearts, changing lives for service and praise. Bottom line - they help people learn about, and then follow, Jesus. Learn more about our Worship here.
The music is diverse, varied and excellent. Our Music Director presents an ever-changing repertoire of the best of sacred music–from classical to contemporary. You’ll hear a broad range of hymns from old favorites to brand-new songs. Our professional-quality choirs and ensembles bless us with every musical genre imaginable. Learn more about our Music here.
Check out our Sermon Archives where you can listen to or read the text of sermons online.
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What about my kids?
INFANTS AND TODDLERS
Childcare is available for infants and toddlers, although young children are welcome in worship as well. If you choose, you can participate fully and joyfully in worship knowing your babies are safe and secure in our professionally staffed Nursery and Toddler rooms. Silent pagers are available if you need to be contacted. And the worship service is broadcast into the nursery so you can still hear the service if you prefer to remain with your infant. See Nursery & Childcare for more information.
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Children in grades 1 - 5 generally join their parents in the sanctuary for the first part of worship. (You can pick up a worship bag with activity booklets from an usher on your way in.)
During the service, all the children and adult leaders leave before the sermon to participate in our workshop rotation Sunday school program: Pathways to the Promise Land. (Adult “shepherds” leave with the children to make sure every child gets to the correct classroom.)
The Pathways Bulletin Board just outside the front of the sanctuary lists the exact schedule for each rotation.
See Children’s Education for more information about the Pathways program.
YOUTH EDUCATION & FELLOWSHIP
The Trailblazers class for middle school youth (grades 6 - 8 ) and the Senior High Church School meet separately during the adult education hour from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. for their own age-appropriate class. Trailblazers meet in the MOB (Ministry of Believers) room underneath Fellowship Hall and Senior Highs meet in the Koininia Room. See Floor Plan for locations.
The MOB Ministry of Believers includes all youth in grades 6 - 12 and consists of two youth groups, Bible studies, service to others, and community outreach. Both groups enjoy mid-week Bible studies, Sunday night fellowship and a summer mission trip. See Youth Education & Fellowship for more information and meeting times.
Confirmation classes are offered for 8th graders from mid-January through early May.
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Meet our pastors
You can read all about our entire staff as well as the professional qualifications of our pastors here but we wanted to talk informally with pastors here.
John Lentz is one of our Pastors and our Head of Staff. We asked him to tell us a bit about himself.
Hmm, let’s see. I was born in Virginia, majored in history at Kenyon, then attended Yale Divinity School. I also studied in Edinburgh, Scotland for 5 years. I have a lot of letters by my name but most everyone calls me “John”.
How about family?
I’ve been married to Deanne for 22 years. She’s originally from Minnesota but I had to travel all the way to Scotland to meet her! Together we have 3 children: Jack, Meg and Sarah.
What do you do for fun?
I love sports! I grew up with the Redskins, Bullets and Senators, but now I follow the Browns, Cavs and Indians. I enjoy soccer and any sports my kids are playing. I’m a really bad golfer but I’m always up for a round anyway. And I love to read, all sorts of books from short stories to biographies, and all of the Harry Potter books to the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy.
If you were a movie character, who would you be?
It’d be a toss-up between Indiana Jones and James Bond.
What excites you the most about ministry?
The good news of Jesus Christ! It really is GOOD joyful news. I want everyone to discover that they’re “beloved children of God” and then go out and live like it.
Do you have any favorite:
Music? I love all sorts: blues, classical, Bono, Springsteen, Dixie Chicks, The Eagles
Bible verses?
Romans 8:28:...all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Philippians 4:8-9: …whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Hebrews 12:1-2:…let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heroes? Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert Kennedy, William Sloane Coffin, Abraham Lincoln
Greatest achievement?
Hmmm, that’s another toss-up. Either preaching at the Washington National Cathedral in 2005 or helping Forest Hill win multiple church league softball championships. Oh! And my kids! (Sorry, kids…)
What do you do outside of Forest Hill Church?
I’m active in faith-based organizing, and a member of both the Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope (NOAH), and We Believe Ohio, a group of interfaith leaders re-claiming a prophetic and progressive voice in Northeast Ohio.
Any roads not taken?
Well, I always wanted to be a center fielder but I was too slow, and couldn’t hit. But on the softball field, I’m still a “legend in my own mind!”
Clover Beal is our Pastor and Director of Lay Leadership Development (in other words, she helps people find their gifts and interests so they can grow in their faith and service to God.)
The first thing we want to know is what’s up with your name? Is it really Clover?
Yes, it really is Clover! What’s wrong with that!?
Um, nothing. Nothing at all! OK . . .what do you do for fun?
I have two teenagers! My whole life is fun!
Tell us a little more about your family.
I’m married to Tim Beal, who’s an author and professor of religion at Case Western Reserve University. We have a daughter Sophie who is a freshman in college and a son Seth who is a student at Shaker Heights High School.
Greatest achievement?
Hmm…I probably shouldn’t mention being homecoming queen, right?
Any regrets?
Not really…life is too short for regrets.
How do you put up with the “legend in his own mind” John Lentz?
The question is how does he put up with me! Here I am, this excited extrovert running around the church saying “Let’s do this! Let’s do that!” John tries to keep up, but when I become too overwhelming, I think he has to close his door and lie down.
If you were a movie character, who would you be?
Anyone played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus!
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Our Mission Statement in a Nutshell
Every church has a mission statement these days. At Forest Hill, ours boils down to 3 central actions:
DISCOVER ~ CELEBRATE ~ WITNESS
We discover:
- God’s love, God’s grace, God’s call.
- Who we are, who our neighbors are, and how we can love each other.
- What God wants us to do in the world.
We celebrate:
- The Spirit’s presence alive and dancing among us every week in worship.
- The riches we have no matter where we live or what kind of car we drive.
- The love that God gives us so freely by trying to share that love with all.
And we witness:
- By reaching out and sharing our lives with others.
- Against injustice and intolerance.
- To the power Christ has to transform lives.
We don’t stand on street corners passing out pamphlets. We just try to live as Jesus did–humbly, doing justice, loving kindness. We fail a lot, but we keep trying.
If you like to read mission statements, you can read our entire Mission Statement here.
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The Bottom Line
Whether you’re seeking to:
- discover your spiritual gifts and identify God’s call for your life,
- follow Jesus with joy and integrity,
- connect your faith to social action and peacemaking, or just
- make friends and connect in an atmosphere of trust and acceptance
you owe it to yourself to check out our dynamic, diverse faith community.
No matter where you are on your faith journey, you’ll be accepted and welcomed at Forest Hill as a beloved child of God. Whether you are certain of your beliefs or full of doubt, curious about Christianity or looking for a place to belong and serve, there’s a place for you at Forest Hill Church.