MEDINA LIGHT MINISTRIES has been proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to men and women behind bars since 1992. Larry and Susan Jarvis walked into the newly-built jail in 1996 and the ministry immediately tripled in size, leading Larry to leave his day job and commit to fulltime ministry. In l999, the Juvenile Center opened and Susan has been there as the chaplain ever since. This has been an exhilarating, challenging, miracle-laden ministry that never has a dull moment. In these past three decades, we have talked to thousands of inmates, operated a women's halfway house for fourteen years, helped with marriages, officiated at funerals, helped with two baby deliveries, led a rough-and-tumble choir, started a newsletter for those in prison and jail called Uncuffed, and have continued to enthusiastically talk about Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!
LifeWise Academy
LifeWise Academy is a released time religious instruction program that provides Bible-based character education to public school students during school hours. Under released time laws, students can be released from public school during the day to attend religious classes, provided the privately funded and parent-permitted.
Operation Homes
Operation HOMES is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the homeless of Medina County, Ohio. By rotational partnering with local churches for shelter, food and the administration of life skill programs, Operation HOMES provides the opportunity for individuals to be independent, both personally and financially.
Velocity Church
Velocity Church started back in 2009 with the goal of starting a Restoration Movement congregation on Cleveland’s east side. In addition to having Sunday services, Bible studies, and small groups, Velocity is committed to being a huge part of the city. We run leadership development for two of our local school systems, host city wide events for children, and do our best to be a part of the fabric in Cleveland. God has blessed our congregation so much that there have been 407 baptisms since we began.
While Velocity has been extremely blessed, we have gone through a very difficult time over the past few years. We had to shut down one of our campuses completely because of Covid 19. Then in October, we had a 37 year old staff member who passed away from a heart attack. The grief of her loss has been a difficult season for everyone at Velocity.
Prayer Requests
- Please pray that God will continue to send lost and broken people to be a part of the congregation here at Velocity. Right now, a large part of our church are men and women who have battled some form of addiction. We feel very thankful that the Lord finds us faithful to send people who are struggling to be a part of this ministry.
- Please pray that our ministry opportunities in the school system and city continue to increase. We have been very blessed to be able to run programs for at-risk young people during school hours. Right now, we work with over 60 students who have amazing leadership potential but come from challenging backgrounds.
- Please pray for our volunteers. Over half of the people who come to Velocity serve in some capacity. They volunteer in Kidz City, worship teams, small group leaders, ministry leaders, etc. Please pray that God fills their heart with joy and that He uses them to help all people follow after Jesus with all of their heart.
Haven of Rest Ministries
The purpose of Haven of Rest is to serve and glorify God through Christ-centered, life-changing programs of love and compassion that respond to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of men, women and children without regard to their race, color, creed or social standing.
Core Values
Christ-Centered
As a Christian ministry, we are uncompromisingly committed to glorifying God through:
A Christian board and staff who adhere to the Haven of Rest Ministries statement of faith and present the Gospel through Christ-centered programming.
Integrity
All aspects of Haven of Rest Ministries will be operated according to the highest moral, ethical and Christ-centered standards.
Client-Centered
We believe that all people are created in God’s image with inherent dignity and worth. These beliefs motivate Haven of Rest Ministries to design innovative programs and services responding to people’s total needs, helping them become Godly persons of integrity, responsibility and commitment.
Excellence
We are committed to a standard of excellence that honors the Lord through:
Competent, well-trained, caring Christian staff and Board of Trustees.
The design and implementation of programs and services.
Clean, well-maintained facilities that are a model to the community at large. Sound business principles.
Compassion.
Programs and services that are rendered with sensitivity, respect and dignity by demonstrating the love of Christ to all.
Stewardship
All funds will be raised with integrity through voluntary contributions from the private sector. We do not take any government funding. We are committed to good stewardship through innovative programming, accountability and sound fiscal management.
Christian Children's Home of Ohio
One young boy in need set in motion a ministry in Wooster, OH that has provided hope and healing to hundreds of children whose lives have been turned upside down by abuse, neglect and trauma of all kinds.
In March of 1969, a serene 175-acre farm in Wooster became known as the Christian Children’s Home of Ohio (CCHO) when members of the independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ movement learned of a local boy with no safe place to call home. Initially licensed as a foster/group home serving three to five children at one time, CCHO now has five cottages on its campus that are home to as many as 36 at-risk kids at once, children who need to know that they are loved, they are valued and they are finally safe.
The first residential cottage was built in 1975 to serve 10-12 teenagers in addition to the married couple who worked as live-in houseparents. That same year, the original office building was built, a space that has since been remodeled multiple times to meet the ever increasing and changing needs of the administrative staff. Cottage #2 was built seven years later, Cottage #3 opened in 1983, the Kids Cottage was built in 1991 and Cottage #4 opened in 2003.
In 1995, CCHO introduced Poplar Ridge Stables (now One Heart Stables), an equine therapy program that not only teaches the children the importance of responsibility and care for the horses, but also provides a number of physical and emotional benefits for riders who suffer from ADD/ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, sight and speech disorders, and a number of other health diagnoses.
CCHO became licensed as an adoption agency in 1997; in 2006, the organization received COA accreditation; and in 2009, Intensive Residential Treatment Program and Certified Trauma Therapy began.
With support from dozens of churches, community organizations and a host of caring individuals along with the hard work of more than 150 employees and oversight from our Board of Trustees, CCHO exists to help people experience their worth in Christ as a licensed Child Care Agency by the Ohio Department of Human Services. We are grateful and humbled by the work God has done through CCHO, and we can’t wait to see what He does over the next 50 years!
Wadsworth FISH
Wadsworth FISH provides emergency/short-term financial assistance for Wadsworth residents in financial distress for a variety of needs from utility assistance to minor car repairs. Additionally, we assist our residents as well as surrounding community residents with programs that include a grocery savings program (Angel Food Ministries)and free clothes and household items (Marian's Closet). All of these ventures are run strictly as volunteer endeavors. Through our financial assistance, over 900 households in Wadsworth are served, and our surrounding community assistance currently assists well over 800 people.
Wadsworth Gideon's
The Gideons International is an Association of Christian business and professional men and their wives dedicated to telling people about Jesus through associating together for service, sharing personal testimony, and by providing Bibles and New Testaments. While we are often recognized for our work with hotels, we also place and distribute Scriptures in strategic locations so they are available to those who want them, as well as to those who may not know they need them.
Locally, individual members share Jesus daily through distributing Bibles, Scriptures (NT Psalms & Proverbs) Bible Apps, one-on-one witnessing to individuals.
We go to the walkways of life. Schools (fifth grade through colleges), hotels, motels, hospitals, assisted living, nursing homes The Medina County Fair, jails and prisons; seven of us have been going every Monday to Indian River in Massillon, military, EMS, fire departments, doctors, dentist offices, etc.; but my favorite is Wads worth Walmart! God is allowing many of us to share Jesus with at least one soul a day for the rest of our lives. But we need more members to help. Please contact Randy Hall 330 336 3772 if our Lord is calling you to serve in His Gideon Ministry.