First Church of Lima Profile

Welcome to the First Church of Lima located at 320 W. Wayne St Lima, Ohio. Our Church holds Sunday School every Sunday for adults and children from 9:00-10:00am. Our Church service is held from 10:15-11:15am and includes music, scripture, and sermon. 

Lima, Ohio is the county seat of Allen County. It is located along the I-75 corridor in Northwest Ohio. We are 72 miles North of Dayton, Ohio, 78 miles Southwest of Toledo, Ohio, and 63 miles Southeast of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. 

Lima has a population of 37,836 with Allen County having a total population of 102,206. The male/female ratio is 49/57 with 38% of the population being married and 51% of the population being families with children under 18. Eighty-two percent of the population in Allen County is white, 12% black, and 6% other compared to Lima’s population being 67% white, 25% black, and 8% other. 

The median household annual income for Lima is $35,199 with Allen Counties being $47,592. White collar workers and blue-collar workers have a ratio of 64%. Professional, administrative, financial, and service occupations make up 36%. Education, health care, and social assistance employs 27% of the workers. Manufacturing employs 24% of the workforce with retail following at 12%. 

Lima and Allen County has reasonable housing cost. To rent there are mostly units that fall between $500-$999. Twenty-five percent are less than $500 and 13% are $1000 - $1499. Most houses sell for between $50,000 -$99,000. Twenty-four percent sell for $100,000-$149,000 and 16% for $150,000-$199,000. 

The Allen County region has great opportunities for education advancement. We have an Ohio State branch, Rhodes State College, University of NWOH, and Bluffton University. Apollo Technical offers adult education in addition to their courses for high school students. There is also Ohio State Beauty Academy and the Institute of Therapeutic Massage. 

The Lima area offers an abundance of adult, family friendly and kid activities. Some of the highlights in the area for families include Allen County Museum, Art Space Lima, Allen County Fairgrounds, Encore Theater, and Lima Family YMCA. Some kid friendly spaces in Lima include, Westgate bowling and entertainment center, Edgewood Skating, Hero Day and Glow Golf in the local mall, and a variety of local pools and parks. Adult venues include Lima Symphony orchestra, Lima locos (baseball), Lima Motorsports, Crouse Performance Hall, The Met, and Old City Prime. Lima also has several area golf courses. 

History of our Church

The church was founded in 1863 with the name of The German Evangelical Reformed Congregation of Lima. The church structure went through many alterations over the next phases of ministry. In 1887 we relocated to this current location. It was during this time that the church reached a height of attendance, growth and ministry. Classes were filled with all ages as the community embraced one another in the midst of the Depression and World Wars to follow. During the World Wars our church held services in English and German and the German services did not end until after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. 

In 1953 Rev. Richard Vitz joined our church as the pastor for 26 years. He was the thirteenth pastor for the congregation. We have had 20 Pastors in the history of our church. 

 Today, the church does not have any active association with an organized faith organization, we currently stand as an independent church. We continue to maintain the authority of Scripture, the Deity of Christ, Salvation through Christ alone, the sacraments of Baptism and Communion and the need for mutual growth, accountability and love for one another.

In 2006 the congregation voted to expand and create the Handicapped Accessibility Addition to the existing structure. Through this addition we now have greater access to all areas of the church for all individuals. New restrooms, and offices, were also added to the entry level. We continue to look forward to discipleship, prayer and growing in God’s Word. This has added to our ability to meet the needs of individuals as they worship, serve and use the building for God and His glory.

Our church is financially sound and continues to grow. Our weekly attendance is on average 50-75. We are currently recording and creating DVD’s and delivering to those who are unable to attend. Our Elders are in the process of getting equipment to record live sermons in the very near future. Our membership includes a variety of families, infants, young people, working families, as well as retired. 

Our Church Beliefs

The Holy Scripture: We believe the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired, inerrant, infallible authoritative written Word of God. We believe in the sacrament of baptism as an act of God, infant baptism by sprinkling followed up by the teaching of Christ by confirming their acceptance through catechism class and confirmation. We believe in adult baptisms by sprinkling and submersion, as well as the Apostle’s Creed. 

The Trinity: We believe in the distinct and inseparable Trinity. We believe that there is one eternal God, existent and revealed in the three persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

Jesus Christ: We believe in the deity of Christ, in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death on the Cross, atoning blood, bodily resurrection, ascension to the right hand of the Father in Heaven and his personal return in power and glory. 

Salvation: We believe that salvation is available to anyone that will accept the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, repent of their sins and seek to walk humbly with God for the rest of their days. 

The Resurrection: We believe in the resurrection of the saved unto eternal life in Heaven and the lost unto eternal damnation in Hell.

Our Church Values, Vision, and Value

Values

• Loving God- Jesus- Authority and Love
• Family
• Loving Others-friends
• Christian Character Qualities
• Faith in God-Obey God’s Law-Bible-Know and Keep God’s Word
• Maintain Christian Heritage- Stewardship maintaining God’s House
• My Church
• Discipleship
• Being Faithful to the call to daily service in Christ
• Being a good citizen-self-Christian Music
• Good Health
• Holy Spirit
• Innovation
• Relationship with God-Each other 

Vision

The vision for First Evangelical and Reformed Church is to reach those around us with the truth and love of God; to strengthen the family unit and to grow the family of God larger within our community of faith and the local community; that we promote Christian living across four generations and the value and reason of our joy of salvation in Christ Jesus. 

Mission

1. Meaningful worship of God in our daily lives. We will seek to teach, strengthen, encourage and promote individual daily worship as well as weekly corporate worship opportunities. 
2. We will strengthen families through the ministries of this church, seeking to nurture all generations in their love for God, their love for one another and to build them up within the bond as God had intended. 
3. That through our Love for others, we will seek to build intentional relationships through small groups, effective Sunday School, vibrant Ladies Aid, Women’s Guild and Men’s Brotherhood. 
4. That we would as a body, as a consistory, as smaller groups within the body, we plan, promote and disciple others and families toward and along the narrow path Christ has provided. 
5. That as individuals of God’s body we will fulfill God’s call upon our individual lives to make disciples whether we are young or old, married or single, until the day we die. 

We thank you for taking the time and considering our Church. Please feel free to reach out to us and all enquiries will be brought to the search committee. God Bless!

First Church of Lima

419-222-6700

firstchurchlima@live.com

https://firstchurchoflima.com/