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THE EARLY BIRD Weekend Edition of the Daily Advocate
Online at earlybirdpaper.com
Weekend edition
Sunday, January 19, 2020 • $1
Local church merger launched By Linda Moody
DarkeCountyMedia.com
GREENVILLE — Two local churches, Lighthouse Christian Center and Radiant Church will be launching its partnership on Sunday, Jan. 19, at the Lighthouse Christian on Lighthouse Way, just off U.S. 127-South on Sebring-Warner Road. Pastor Hershel Fee, of Lighthouse, and Pastor Wes Lynch of Radiant, decided to join forces and call their new church, Radiant Lighthouse. They will be co-pastors of the church. “We are going to launch this on Sunday,” said Lynch, who has been holding Radiant’s service at the All Seasons Place on the Lighthouse complex. “On Easter Sunday and thereafter, the church will hold its Sunday services at the All Seasons Place.” Radiant Church had its beginnings April 6, 2019, first meeting at the Softball Academy on Riffle Avenue in Greenville, with 45 people in attendance. Because they were running out of room and had no heating or air conditioning, decided to look elsewhere, and that’s when they began renting out the All Seasons Place
in September. “Then, we had 85 people coming to our Saturday night services,” Lynch said. “My pastoring teaches people how to be the church with outreaching. We had legacy in Darke County with Lighthouse Christian Church while Radiant has momentum.” Both of the churches are non-denominational, independent churches. “Our mission and vision is love God, follow Jesus and illuminate darkness,” he continued. “We want to be a light in Darke County.” Thus, their name evolved….Radiant Lighthouse. “We had 120 people last Sunday together,” according to Lynch. “We have been doing preview services the last couple of Sundays together. Our services last from 10 to 11 a.m.” Lighthouse Christian Center had its beginnings in 1980. Their first service was in a local home and then they moved to Greenville High School cafeteria before buying a former church on Wayne Avenue. “When we first met, we had about 12 people,” Fee said. “At the cafeteria, we grew to 30 people and See MERGER | 3
Linda Moody | DarkeCountyMedia.com
Tom Jenkins, far right, gives some of the youth at the Greenville Boys and Girls Club some tips on playing pool. Also shown are, clockwise from left, L.J. Smith, Brian Dotson, Kristina Dawson and Ciera Taylor.
Plans to make club better By Linda Moody
DarkeCountyMedia.com
GREENVILLE — Now that Tom Jenkins has retired from Midmark in Versailles after 42-plus years of service, he now has more time to give to the Greenville Boys and Girls Club in Greenville of which he has been director for the past 11 years.
Linda Moody | DarkeCountyMedia.com
is glad he took over the directorship. “Midmark was a job; I am helping someone up here. It makes it easy when you enjoy it.” A father, grandfather and soon-to-be a great-grandfather for the first time, Jenkins has been a father figure to many of the children who visit there over the years. “Some kids have asked
me to be their dad,” he said. The club has served Greenville and Darke County since 1941, and is now located at 613 S. Broadway. It is open from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 1 to 4 pm. on Saturdays. Hours vary sometimes due to activities or field trips. See CLUB | 3
DCP asks for support of new levy at Shawnee Prairie, council house and bowery at Prairie Ridge Meadow, open the Bish Discovery Center near GREENVILLE – Since 1972, the Alice Bish Park, extended 13-miles Darke County Parks (DCP) has of bike trails from Bradford to Greenbeen actively adhering to its mission ville, and, most recently, added the statement to acquire and preserve Elaine Holzapfel Preserve behind the land areas possessing special natural Greenville High School that will be and historical feature. They’ve also used as an educational tool for the maintained these resources to benpark district and high school. efit residents through appropriate To continue that progress, Roger educational and passive recreational Van Frank, DCP director, recently programs and activities. announced the DCP commission That mission could not have been board is asking voters to approve more apparent than it has been over an additional 1 mil, 10-year levy. the last 25+ years. From the Nature The caveat, according to Frank, is Education Center at Shawnee Prairie that if the levy is approved DCP will to the Bish Discovery Center on Ohio stop collecting on the 1/2 mil levy. Street, DCP has continually added to Ultimately, the owner of a $100,000 the menu of offerings and educational home would be asked to pay approxiand recreational opportunities availmately $1.60 above their current tax able. Much of the progress began rate each month, or a little less than with a 1/2 mil levy in the early 90’s $20 a year. that has been renewed and replaced a Van Frank agreed that even if couple times. you’ve never stepped foot on one of Through grants, fundraising oppor- the DCP properties or haven’t attendtunities and the property tax, DCP ed an event hosted by the organizahas been able to build a log house, tion, you’ve probably been affected blacksmith shop and Sugarin’ Shack by the previous levy and will benefit By Ryan Berry
DarkeCountyMedia.com
Pastors Wes Lynch, on the left, and Hershel Fee are merging their churches and will launch that new venture on Sunday at the former Lighthouse Christian Center off of Sebring-Warner from U.S. 127South. They are naming the new church Radiant Lighthouse. The service will be held at the original building at the north end of the complex, starting at 10 a.m.
“My son, Tommy, and I walked by the place one day and he pointed in there,” Jenkins said. “He saw all the video games and pool tables. We went in.” From then on, they spent a lot of time there together. “Jeff Miller was looking for help and asked if I would be interested,” said the Midmark retiree, who
from the new levy. Under the original levy, DCP has given back over $800,000 to Darke County communities to support their parks. From playground equipment to benches and more, DCP has offered grants to the communities to help improve their local parks. All villages and the city of Greenville have been eligible to receive these funds. Van Frank expects this practice to continue if voters approve the new levy. Van Frank was excited to announce DCP is not resting on its laurels and is currently looking to add to the district’s properties and educational opportunities. Throughout 2020 and into 2021, DCP will be working with the Friends of Bear’s Mill to make Bear’s Mill a new park in DCP’s evergrowing list of parks. Van Frank and the park commission believe this property fits in perfectly with the park’s mission. The 175-year-old mill needs thousands of dollars in repair and the Friends of Bear’s Mill are currently conducting a capital
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