|
Church
of SS. Cosmas and Damian
|
| As the church developed, so did the area
surrounding Twinsburg, and residents of Aurora Shores were given the
option of belonging to Ss. Cosmas & Damian parish. Along with
this outreach to other communities, Ss. Cosmas & Damian parish joined
in the ecumenical activity called FISH (Friends In Service Here), an
organization which provided help to the needy. In the spirit of
Vatican II, Thanksgiving Eve services were held in the Congregational
Church, and the first week of prayer for Christian unity was held during
January, 1973. The tenth anniversary of the church called for a celebration. To mark this occasion, bells were ordered for the church and a permanent outdoor sign was purchased. During this year, parishioners were asking about building a church hall. They were informed that it was only a dream as the money was being saved for interior renovations. These renovations included placing the Altar of Celebration in the center of the church, moving the cry room to its present location, and turning the old cry room into a small chapel where daily Mass and small celebrations are held. That fall a fund-raising campaign was started for this renovation. 
Community activities in conjunction with the
tenth anniversary celebration included a youth dance, an outdoor Mass
followed by a church picnic, a pageant on the lives of Ss. Cosmas &
Damian, and a strawberry social with singing by a barbershop
quartet. A Mass of Thanksgiving by Bishop Cosgrove concluded the
festivities on June 6, 1973.In April, 1974, after several inquiries from parishioners, a Memorial Fund was established. Donations made by a family at the time of death of a loved one have been used for small projects throughout the church. A recent contribution is the wall sculpture at the entrance to the new church hall. Bingo was introduced to the parish in March, 1974. The revenue from Bingo has aided the parish's financial picture, allowing for several improvements, including air conditioning the church and classrooms, upholstering the pews, remodeling the old kitchen and paving the parking lot. Bingo has helped with the renovation of the chapel and sacristy, new chairs and furniture, and new stained glass doors. At a later date, new statuary was purchased for the chapel. Bingo was also instrumental in helping us achieve our Building Fund for the new social hall. 
Fr. Burkley was assigned to St. Jerome's parish
in 1975. Fr. William H. Severt, ordained in 1974, was assigned to
Ss. Cosmas & Damian on May 1, 1975. He came to us from St.
Clement's parish in Lakewood.The Christ Renews His Parish program came to Ss. Cosmas & Damian in 1977. Early in the year men and women renewal formation teams went to St. Joseph's Christian Life Center for instructions on establishing the program locally. Fr. Wagner & Fr. Severt both participated. The first woman's renewal was held the weekend of May 14-15, and the men's on May 21-22. Prayer chains began to organize as spiritual support for those in need or for those requesting the prayers of others. A charismatic prayer group also developed which currently meets on Sunday evenings. |
|
| Web-site Design and Hosting courtesy of LaForest Systems, Inc. Authored by D. Petra & D. LaForest |
