Staff photo / Bob Coupland
The First United Church of Christ will celebrate its last worship service at 11 a.m. Sept. 28. It handed out donations to 10 organizations from its remaining $200,000 in funds on Sept. 14. From left are Lauren Webb of Someplace Safe, Gracie Busko of Community Serve Us, Meghan Reed of the Trumbull County Historical Society, Bethany Cluckey of the Animal Welfare League, Kevin Stringer of Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, Ron Schoch, president of the church congregation, the Rev. Gerald Gammon, church pastor, Leah Elliott of Warren Family Mission, Tia Ciferno of Bella Women’s Center, Mike Iberis of Second Harvest Food Bank, Brendan Byers of Oakland Center for the Arts and Jason Cooke of Healthy Hearts and Paws.

The Rev. Gerald Gammon, church pastor, and Ron Schoch, president of the congregation, handed out checks of varying amounts Sept. 14 to representatives of different organizations.

“We want to celebrate our legacy by sharing it with others. We are blessed to be able to financially support many local organizations,” Gammon said.

Schoch said the money is what remained from donations that have been given over the past 131 years to the church. He said a total of more than 30 organizations were reviewed and about half were selected by the congregation to receive the funds.

“We are also donating to a number of national nonprofits,” Schoch said.

Those receiving donations were: Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County, Bella Women’s Center, Community Serve Us, Healthy Hearts and Paws, Hope Center, Oakland Center for the Arts, Living Lord Lutheran Church, Salvation Army, Second Harvest Food Bank, Someplace Safe, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Trumbull County Historical Society, Trumbull Mobile Meals, Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership and Warren Family Mission.

“We appreciate all that you have done for the community. We are happy that you will carry on our legacy,” Gammon said.

He has said the church can no longer go on in its present form and members will find other churches to join.

It was announced that the Oakland Center for the Arts will take ownership of the building Oct. 1 and will use it as its headquarters and performance space.

At the Sept. 21 worship, there will be hymns selected by the congregation and on Sept. 28, there will be communion and return of sacred elements to the families who donated them.