Tucked into the crossroads of Mantua Center in Portage County, Mantua Center Christian Church (MCCC) has gathered on State Route 82 since 1840, when its plain white meetinghouse first opened for public worship. The congregation itself is older still: nine charter members organized "The Church of the Disciples of Christ at Mantua" in a schoolhouse on January 27, 1827, making it the oldest Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregation in Ohio and the fourth oldest in the entire denomination. Almost two hundred years later, the same building still serves as home for Sunday worship, an open communion table, and a wide circle of community ministries that reach across the surrounding villages of Mantua, Hiram, Garrettsville, and beyond.
A Heritage Rooted in the Restoration Movement
The original church record book opens with a statement that still defines the congregation: "the Church of the Disciples of Christ at Mantua was formed at the schoolhouse in the south part of Mantua, January 27, 1827, on the principle of faith in Jesus Christ, the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, and the New Testament as the rule of conduct and the book of discipline." The nine charter members had separated from a local Baptist congregation to join the Restoration Movement of Thomas and Alexander Campbell, and within a year Thomas Campbell himself visited Mantua Center. By 1828 he had ordained Zeb Rudolph and Darwin Atwater as "teachers," and Atwater continued to serve as an Elder for forty-six years until his death in 1873.
From the beginning, the church was a mothering congregation. Members who lived at a distance asked to leave in 1829 to form new churches at Hiram, Shalersville, and Aurora, and in 1850 the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute - now Hiram College - was organized with the help of the Mantua Center Disciples. A young Hiram professor, James A. Garfield, preached on several occasions at Mantua Center between 1855 and 1860. The Hilltop congregation at Mantua Station was organized with the church's help in 1889.
Through the years the building has been raised, remodeled, and added to - in 1900, 1952, and 1993 - yet the sanctuary today still looks much as it did when it was first opened in 1840. "The plain look [is] purposely maintained, simple and unadorned, consistent with the sensibilities of our pioneer founders," the church's history reads. In 1923 the congregation voted to open her doors to members of any other denomination without making baptism a test of fellowship, becoming a community church devoted to the unity of all Christians. The motto "No creed but Christ, no book but the Bible" has guided the church ever since.
Sunday Worship at MCCC
Sunday is the heart of life at Mantua Center. The morning begins at 8:30 with choir rehearsal, followed by a 9:30 worship service held in the sanctuary and broadcast live on YouTube. The service follows a blended traditional pattern, with hymn singing from the organ and piano, choral and handbell anthems, a Children's Moment, scripture readings, and a sermon. Communion is celebrated on the Sundays when Elders Steve Hurd, Rick Painley, and others preside at the open table - the bread and cup are passed through the pews, and "all are invited to partake." After worship, three Sunday Chat groups meet at 10:30 for an hour of conversation and study: Seekers in the Campbell Room with Rev. Nancy Humes, Life 101 in the Education Wing with Carol Buzbee, and Bible & Beyond behind the sanctuary with Jon Secaur.
Worship at MCCC has always been a musical affair. The choir was reorganized in 1945 through the efforts of Helen (Horton) Alger and Leone Krohn; a handbell choir was added in 1984 after the gift of a two-octave set of bells; a new organ was dedicated in 2001. A music director currently leads the program, and instrumentalists and soloists regularly provide special music.
Open Minds, Open Hearts, Open Arms
The church's statement of welcome, adopted by the congregation on January 16, 2024, names three commitments. Open Minds extend "each other the freedom to ask questions and explore our faith" and accept diversity of interpretation of scripture. Open Hearts insist that everyone is a child of God, citing Romans 8:38-39, and welcome the LGBTQIA+ community as an Open and Affirming congregation. Open Arms call members to reach out in love and service to one another, the community, and the world. "Come as you are," the statement reads. "We gather not as perfect people, but as people perfectly loved by God."
The Statement of Calling that anchors the church's ministry puts it this way: "We are Seekers, Leaders, Followers and Believers, committed to living and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. We believe in open communion - all are welcome! We are seeking to be faithful servants of God, called to ease the pain, loneliness, and suffering of others in our community and our world. We seek a joyful experience in following the Gospel by enjoying fun and fellowship with one another."
Children, Youth, and Family
Children are present at every part of worship. A nursery upstairs is available for the youngest children, and following the Children's Moment, students from kindergarten through fourth grade head to Sunday School, returning to the sanctuary before the benediction. Older students belong to two year-round youth groups that meet during the week in the school year: Chi-Rho for fifth through eighth graders, and CYF (Christian Youth Fellowship) for ninth through twelfth graders. Each summer the church sends a delegation of youth to Camp Christian, the regional Disciples camp, and to a weeklong mission trip. Past trips have taken CYF to Charleston, West Virginia, Mayfield, Kentucky, and most recently to Christmount, North Carolina, with travel and work supported by an annual dinner auction.
Families with preschoolers have a long-running weekly program of their own. Storytime meets each Tuesday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the church while Crestwood Local Schools is in session. For an hour, children accompanied by a parent or guardian share music and movement, hear two stories, and work on two related crafts. The program is free, requires no registration, and is open to everyone - "not a faith-based event," as the church describes it, but a gift to the wider community, led by Pam Auble.
Kids Weekend Meals: A Decade of Weekend Food for Local Students
The most visible of MCCC's outreach ministries is Kids Weekend Meals (KWM), which Liz and Paul Meeker founded in October 2015 after learning that some Crestwood Local School students did not have enough to eat between Friday lunch and Monday breakfast. The program now provides weekend food for dozens of families in the district, and a single week in 2024 saw 85 families and 205 children receiving bags. The schedule is built into the church's week: on the second and fourth weeks of the month, a "Bread Brigade" delivers baked goods on Tuesday, a packing team fills the bags at noon on Wednesday, and drivers take them out for delivery on Thursday. Fundraisers - the Adopt-a-Kid campaign, the Turkey Plunge, the Spaghetti Dinners, the Birthday Cake Kits, the Christmas Raffle, and the Food2Share drive in partnership with the 4C's - keep the shelves stocked. In December 2025 KWM received its own 501(c)(3) status so it can grow into grants and gifts that the church itself could not accept.
The 4C's Food Cupboard and Free Clothing Giveaway
The Crestwood Coalition for Community Care, known as the 4C's, runs an emergency food cupboard at 4572 W. Prospect Street, Mantua, providing groceries, laundry supplies, and paper products to families in need. Its doors are open Mondays 4 to 6 p.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays 1 to 3 p.m. MCCC has designated the fourth Sunday of each month as "4th for the 4C's" food collection day, and Liz Meeker, Nora Brant, and many others help collect, sort, and stock donations. Across the hall, the Free Clothing Giveaway provides clothing, shoes, accessories, bedding, and diapers to families in need. Originally organized by Nancy Tafel, the giveaway is now led by Lynn Kelley in partnership with St. Joseph's Church. Each family is limited to one black garbage bag of items, with diapers and wipes given as available, and no ID or residency is required.
Loaves and Fishes: A Monthly Table for the Whole Community
On the last Thursday of every month from January through October, the church opens its Fellowship Hall for Loaves and Fishes, a free community meal served from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. The meal is open to anyone in Mantua, Hiram, Garrettsville, and the surrounding area - no reservations, no requirements. Carolin Newell coordinates the kitchen, and a rotating cast of volunteers prepares and donates menu items. The Loaves and Fishes table is also a fundraiser: donations accepted at the door help keep the ministry going.
Prayer Shawl, SMILE Team, and the Mitten Tree
Long-running care ministries fill the quieter corners of the church's life. The Prayer Shawl Ministry invites knitters and crocheters to provide handmade shawls as an expression of MCCC's love and support to people in the church and community. The group meets at Hilltop Christian Church (4572 W. Prospect St., Mantua) on the first and third Mondays of the month at 1:30 p.m., and the shawls are then displayed on a ladder in the back of the sanctuary for anyone to give. The SMILE Team plans small acts of kindness throughout the year - drive-thru collections, school-supply drives, teacher appreciation - the kind of everyday service that has earned Becky Tipton's committee its name. Each November, the Mitten Tree collects mittens, gloves, hats, headbands, and scarves for local children and teens. Homemade and store-bought items are hung on a line in the sanctuary through the month, then delivered to the 4C's for distribution. The Mitten Tree can be worked on year-round by knitters and crocheters.
Worship and Study Through the Week
Beyond Sunday morning, the church offers several weekly points of connection. On Mondays, the Prayer Shawl workshop gathers at 9:30 a.m. and the Handbell Choir rehearses at 6:00 p.m. (September through May). Tuesdays bring Storytime for preschoolers and the KWM Bread Brigade on the second and fourth weeks. Wednesdays are a study day, with KWM bag packing at noon, Dwelling in the Word at 1:15 p.m., and Life Study at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays close the week with KWM deliveries and the monthly Loaves and Fishes meal. The church calendar, kept current on a shared Google Calendar, lists all events and activities for the week.
Leadership and Governance
The church is currently in a season of intentional transition. Rev. Cynthia Klingemier accepted the role of Interim Minister in July 2026 after Rev. Chad Delaney resigned in January 2026 to pursue intensive home-based therapy work. Rev. Delaney had served as full-time pastor since 2008 and led the congregation through the COVID-19 shutdown, the 2021 return to in-person worship, the 2024 Open and Affirming process, the 2024 accessibility renovations, and the 2024 installation of new cameras and sound for online streaming. The Board is chaired by Steve Hurd, with Jay Schabel serving as Treasurer, Sandi Kossick as Secretary, and Rick Painley as Worship Leader. The Music Director position is currently listed as TBD.
Spiritual life is shepherded by a board of Elders, three of whom rotate off every two years. The 2026-2028 class includes Liz Meeker, Brian Hurd, Jay Schabel, and Nancy Humes. The 2025-2027 class is Jon Secaur, Linda Idoine, Kathy Meier, and Ryan Lind. The 2024-2026 class is Drema Herron, Carol Buzbee, Ruth Anne Ruehr, and Roger Cram. "The Elders are committed to maintaining the spiritual well-being of the congregation while supporting the spiritual growth of the elders, including presiding at the communion table and shepherding our members," the church explains.
Accessibility and the Building
The meetinghouse has been quietly updated for the twenty-first century. In 2024, the congregation completed accessibility renovations that added an ADA-compliant entrance ramp, a chair lift from the sanctuary down to the Fellowship Hall, and an ADA bathroom on the lower level. Later that year, new cameras and a refreshed sound system made the online streaming experience more reliable. The next phase - the so-called "Third Century" project - explored a larger addition with chancel-level access for those with mobility challenges, but a 2026 congregational vote chose not to move forward with the proposal at that time. A future settled pastor may revisit the work.
A Wider Reach: Disciples Identity and Week of Compassion
Mantua Center is in covenant with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), "a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world." Regionally the church belongs to the Christian Church in Ohio (CCINOH), and through the Disciples' wider connections it supports Week of Compassion, the denomination's relief and refugee ministry. Camp Christian, the regional summer camp and conference center that has shaped generations of Disciples youth, remains a regular part of MCCC's family calendar, with early-bird registration and youth mission trips each summer.
Giving, Records, and a Continuing Story
Each Sunday, members and visitors are invited to give a financial offering during the service; online giving is always available through the church's Aplos giving page, and offerings support the pastor, the building, and the mission ministries of the church. A printed MCCC Directory, kept current by the secretary, helps members stay in touch, and a Constitution and Bylaws document governs the life of the congregation.
From its beginnings in a schoolhouse to its present-day life as a community hub of food, music, study, and welcome, Mantua Center Christian Church has kept the same simple promise for nearly two hundred years: open minds, open hearts, open arms, and a table set for all.