About Us

Welcome to Forest Hills Church of Christ

Our Beginnings…

It all began in August of 1908 with families meeting in homes. Later these families moved to a building on 131st and Penobscot Avenue, later known as the Shaw Avenue Church of Christ, located in East Cleveland, Ohio.

It was in 1960 that this faithful group of members found the need to purchase a larger building to accommodate its growing membership. They purchased a site at 3425 Mayfield Road and built a church building that has remained the home of our spiritual family until this very day.

Our history is deep and rich with so many members who have been an integral part of our growth, and have moved on due to either retirement, relocation or the completion of their education. These members have left an indelible mark on our lives and our history. Today, our church family remains committed to forging a future path for this generation and prayerfully many more generations to come to “love, serve and teach”, just like Jesus did.

Our Congregation Today…

Effective January 2020, Forest Hill welcomed Matthew B. Hale and family to our congregation as the new full-time minister. Matthew (Matt) agreed to pastor our congregation, following Derwood Smith, PhD, who served 36 years as our Pulpit Minister. Derwood, also a retired professor and former Chair of the Department of Religion at Cleveland State University, remains a faithful member of our congregation.

Matt will inherit a dedicated group of beliers who are ready to begin the next phase of our church life. Our membership prides itself in its ethnic, racial, social, and economic diversity. We embrace a culture of love that welcomes everyone.

Programs, such as “Leaning On Jesus and Each Other”, Prison Ministry, Red Hatters, Annual Clothing Drive, Holiday Gift Card Give-Away, Angel Tree Program and “Feed My Sheep” food card program are active resources made available to our members and community.

Meet Our New Minister…

Matthew Hale will deliver his firstlesson as the new minister at The Church of Christ at Forest Hill on Sunday, January 19, 2020. After an extended search to find just the right person to lead our church family into our future, Matthew accepted the charge.

Matthew (Matt) and family relocated to our community from the Washington, D.C. area, where he worked as a Teaching Fellow at a local University. Matthew is completing his PhD inSystematic and Historical Theology. Alison, his wife of six plus years is a stay-at-home mom. Alison has her BA and MA in English literature. Little Ezra is working at keeping everyone smiling, while keeping his parents constantly on the move!

Matt has shared that initially his ministry will focus on building relationships by becoming more than just acquainted with our members, their families, their friends and their neighbors. Matt has indicated that it is through these channels that traditionally the church has grown and will most likely be the way our congregation will also grow into our future. Needless to say, this approach will provide us with a wonderful platform to live our our mission of “Loving like Jesus, serving like Jesus and teaching others to do the same!” 

When asked, “What would like for your legacy to be?” Matt responded, “I would like for my legacy to be one of love…love of God, love of truth, love of the church, love of God’s beautiful creation, love of people who are different from me, and love for the ‘least of these’. Love is humble and will to suffer, if needed, for the good of others. Love always thinks about what is good for the other person, With God’s help, I’d like that to the the center of my life. I’d like to be a part of a church that makes this kind of love the center of its life,”…and Matt, so would we! Matt, Alison and Ezra, WELCOME to our community and to our church family.

Please make plans to join us every Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. for Sunday School; 10:30 a.m. for Worship Services; 5:00 p.m. for Family Fellowship (Leaning on Jesus and Each Other); and on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. for Bible Study.