Rich and Reida  Bartley. An urban ministry in Slavic Village south of downtown Cleveland.

• Story: Just after moving into our new building on Independence Avenue in Cleveland we walked the neighborhood to introduce ourselves and tell the people about the Mission Center programs and Worship Service that we were about to offer the community. Reida and I approached a house where an older man was working on his yard. I introduced myself as being from the Village Grace Mission Center and tried to strike up a conversation with him. Well he told me his name was John and that was about all he would say. It just so happened that three days later we were going to have our first Community Meal at the church, that Saturday, so I invited John and his wife Harriet to join us. Well, to my surprise, with a few choice words that cannot be repeated John told me that he didn’t need any charity and his wife cooks his meals. I tried to explain that it wasn’t charity it was to get to know your neighbors and other people in the neighborhood. He walked away and went in the house without answering me. I didn’t see him in the yard for a few weeks and when I walked up the street – he went into the house to avoid me.
              Well, to our surprise the very next month, John, his wife Harriet and Harriet’s Sister Sandy came to the Community Meal and to Worship Service the very next week. John and Harriet have not missed a Worship Service or Community meal since. They have even gotten their daughter and granddaughter that live in West Virginia involved in our Vacation Bible Club during the summer. John now has embraced Village Grace and takes it upon himself to do some of our janitorial services and is always there to help with any thing that is needed to be done. John, Harriet and Sandy have a very sweet spirit, and we thank God for reaching such a great family.
  
  

• Family info:

Below are the names and
special family dates (birth dates & anniversary)
for the Bartleys:

Rich - May 17
Reida - February 13
Anniversary - March 1, 1979
 

• Current Status: (Village Grace Programs)
   
  After School Homework Help - 3-6 PM Daily
  Monday - Men's Bible Study  - 7 PM
  Tuesday – Worship Service – 7 PM
                    Children's Church - 7 PM
  Wednesday – Woman to Woman – 7 PM
                         Single Mothers Network – 7 PM
  Thursday – Celebrate Recovery– 7 PM
  Friday – Family Game Night- 1st and 3rd - 6:30 PM
                 Family Movie Night – 2nd and 4th - 6:30 PM
  Saturday - Community Meal - Last Saturday of Every Month
  
  

• Contact info: