Social Justice & Outreach
“Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God” (from Micah 6:8)
Forest Hill works for change, from our own Forest Hill neighborhood to the larger City of Cleveland Heights and even wider regional and international missions. We support and participate in faith-based and non-profit organizations such as Family Promise, Reaching Heights and Boulevard School, The Covenant Network, and the Home Repair Resource Center. A complete list can be found at Links We Like.
To learn more about these organizations or become involved at any level, contact a member of the Ministry of Justice & Mission.
“If you have come to help me you are wasting your time.
But if you recognize that your liberation and mine are bound up together,
we can walk together.” ~ Aboriginal activists group, Queensland, 1970s
Learn more about our mission initiatives and discover ways to get involved.
Fighting Hunger
Learn about our Food Pantry and Neighborhood Breakfasts, Labre, Hunger Sundays, Grocery Certificates, and Abundance Acres–our on-site vegetable garden to feed the hungry.
Providing Housing
Four times a year we open our church and our hearts to guests of Family Promise (formerly known as Interfaith Hospitality Network or IHN.)
Peacemaking
There are all kinds of ways to support peace–throughout the world and in our own homes and families. Learn about Forest Hill’s commitment to civility to all areas of life.
Sustainability
Christians are called to be stewards of God’s creation. Forest Hill has long recognized the importance of showing how the green way is God’s way. Read about our on-going efforts to increase sustainability at Forest Hill Church and throughout our region.
DENOMINATIONAL GIVING
Forest Hill Church supports the broader initiatives of The Presbyterian Church (USA) through denominational giving and the One Great Hour of Sharing.
Since 1949, Presbyterians and other Christians have taken a Lenten One Great Hour of Sharing offering to minister to the needs of the less fortunate, as Jesus calls us to do. This yearly offering supports 3 Presbyterian programs:
- Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for victims of conflict and natural disasters in places like Haiti and New Orleans
- Presbyterian Hunger Program provides direct food relief and long-term development assistance in the U.S. and overseas
- Self-Development of People makes grants to the poor to create grass-roots community organizations and small-scale enterprises
A portion of our church’s One Great Hour of Sharing is returned to the Presbytery of the Western Reserve — for local projects such as a Hunger Action Enabler to work with local churches, or grants approved by our local Self-Development committee to groups such as the Council Gardens Tenant Association on N. Taylor Road’s cooperative fruit and vegetable gardening project. The need is great. When the One Great Hour of Sharing offering is received on Easter Sunday each year, please give generously!
The Big Give
Read about the exciting adventure Forest Hill embarked on to follow the lesson in Jesus’ Parable of the Talents to double our “talents” and return them to God for mission and service. In 2009, each worshiper received $50 and was asked to return it one month later along with anything they earned with it.