Reverend Billy Rayburn passed away on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.  Services will be held Saturday May 9, 2026, in Dixon Chapel. Visitation from 3-4p.m. with service at 4:00 p.m.

Robert S. Reffner (Bob), age 83, of Cleveland, passed away peacefully on April 29, 2026.  The funeral service will be held in the Dixon Chapel at North Cleveland Church of God, with Reverend Mitch Maloney officiating. The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 8, 2026, with the service to follow at 1:00 p.m.  
https://obituary.companionfunerals.com/robert-reffner

Dr. Vernon O "Pete" Bryant, passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. The family will receive friends at Jim Rush Funeral North Ocoee St. Chapel Friday, March 20 from 11:00-1:00 followed by a service.

Roy Underwood, husband of Melanie Gaston Underwood, passed away Sunday, March 15, 2026. Funeral arrangements will take place at Cochran Funeral Home in Murphy, North Carolina on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 1:00 PM. Family will receive friends from 12-1:00 PM.

Wanda Jean King, wife of John C. King, passed away on February 18, 2026. The Remembrance of Life Memorial Service will be conducted on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 2:00 P. M. at North Cleveland Church of God, Dixon Chapel.

Blake Gary Davis, husband of Mollie Davis, passed away Thursday, February 19, 2026. A memorial service will be held at Companion Funeral Home Ridge Chapel onThursday, February 26 at 6:00 PM. The family will receive friends from 4-6:00 PM.

A celebration of life Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 12:00 pm at Companion Funeral Home - The Ridge Sanctuary. The family will be receiving friends from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm prior to the service.

Jennie Boehmer, wife of Eldron Boehmer, passed away on Friday, January 9. Celebration of Life service will be in Dixon Chapel on Tuesday, January 13, at 1:00 PM. The family will receive friends from 11-1:00 PM.

The Remembrance of Life Service for Evelyn Morris Knight will be conducted on Monday, January 12, 2026 at 1:00 P. M. at North Cleveland Church of God, Dixon Chapel. The family will receive friends from 11:00 A. M. until 1:00 P. M.

Evelyn Knight, mother of Victoria Eachus, passed away Tuesday, January 6, 2026. 

Paula Crye, wife of Frank Crye, passed away Monday, January 5, 2026. 

The Remembrance of Life Service for Sharon Holder will be held at Poole Funeral Home of Cleveland, 3000 Ralph Buckner Blvd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 on December 17, 2025 at 1:00 PM with visitation 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM prior to the service. Dr. Tom Doolittle and Bishop Mitchell Maloney officiating.

Bonnie Caywood Hayes, sister of Linda Headrick, passed away on December 7, 2025. The Celebration of Life is Thursday, December 11, 2025, at Mountain View Church of God with visitation starting at 12:00pm till 2:00pm.

Steven Wayne Degitz, brother of Dawn Carden, passed away December 9, 2025. The family will receive friends Thursday from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm and Friday from 11:00 am until the service. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm – Friday – December 12, 2025, in the chapel at Wilson Funeral Home. Arrangements are posted:

Wilson Funeral Homes - Chickamauga, GA  
https://www.wilsonfuneralhome.com/

There will be a Celebration of Life service for Becky Ellis, mother of Charlie Ellis, on December 1, 2025 at 1:00 PM at ChristWay Church of God in Gardendale, Alabama. The church is located at 961 Rocket Way, Gardendale, Alabama. 

Becky Ellis, mother of Charlie Ellis, has passed away. Arrangements will be posted once they have been confirmed.

Kenny Romines, brother of Reverend Sue Richie, has passed away. Please pray for Sue and her family. Once arrangements have been confirmed they will be posted.

A Celebration of Life for Pauline Sartin is Sunday, November 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM at ABBAS House in Hixson, TN. ABBAS House is located at 5208 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN. 

Pauline Sartin, wife of Trey Sartin, passed away on Monday, November 10, 2025. Please pray for this family. Arrangements will be posted once they have been confirmed.

Time has changed. Days are getting longer, and nights are getting shorter. As the season has changed, our level of progress on the Rise and Build campaign has changed as well. Here are some of the recent changes in our ongoing progress…

· The following tasks were completed in the children’s area atrium: repaired and painted east and south walls, two double doors, and single door and trim; removed, painted and reinstalled six wall sconces; rebuilt and rewired internal components on six wall sconces; removed light under stairs; removed surface mounted wiring and installed new wiring for TV under stairs; removed seven old chandeliers; installed two new fans; installed six new high bay lights; added one new lighting circuit on the north end; removed the check-in kiosk from the wall and installed legs on the kiosk to make it free standing.

· In the atrium’s adjoining hall, the following tasks were completed: removed old ceiling tile and installed new ceiling tile; removed old base; removed old speakers; repaired and painted all walls and ceilings; painted trim on double case opening, fire extinguisher case, two doors and trim, and four can lights; replaced old exit sign; installed five new diffusers on lights; repaired ceiling grid; relocated WiFi booster.

Although times and seasons may change, nothing will change about our commitment to providing excellent facilities for the next generation. Thank you for your ongoing prayer and support as we continue to Rise and Build!

As we enter the month where we celebrate a leap year, we leap for joy over the completion of the first phase of the project with the recent dedication of the renovated and renamed “Praise Place” for our children’s ministry.  Below is a brief recap of what has been done as well as a look ahead at what is to come… 
 

• On the main floor, a 220-foot base, six new door closers, and new seating have been installed. Three-way lighting switches have been changed out. Two new steps have been built. Access openings have been installed in the control booth. 

 

• On the main stage, trim and painting of stage walls has been completed. Seven new outlets, three new switches and eight backstage lights have been wired in. The color of the left set wall has been changed. Batten strips have been added to the right set wall. Trim has been added to the left front stage walls. A garage door has been installed. Electrical switches and outlets for the left stage wall have been moved. Control wiring for two projectors, a new electrical circuit for two projectors, two new projectors, electrical circuit and new breaker for water heater, a new drinking fountain, and four black backdrop curtains for puppet windows have been installed. The stage set has been painted with clear fire retardant. 

 

• In the Atrium, the left wall has been repaired and the old base has been removed. Eight wall sconce lights and three double doors and jams have been painted. Fifteen outlets have been changed out. Four exit signs have been replaced. 

 

• The construction contract for the next phases was fully executed on January 5, 2024. Civil Design (site construction documents) and Architectural Design (building construction documents inclusive of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and structural) are ongoing working toward a date of February 8 for permit submittal and February 9 for Owner review. 

 

• Pre-engineered Metal Building (PEMB) design is projected to be completed by February 2.   

 

• The project goes “out to bid” on February 8, and a “buy out” cost update will be ready for review by February 23. At this point, full construction documents and final pricing will be in hand to be able to proceed with the contract addendum and full project release. 

 

• We are steadily moving toward mid-March for permit and commencement. However, if practical and appropriate, demo may be able to commence ahead of that timeframe. 

 
Tremendous accomplishments lie behind us while a great work still lies before us.  None of this could be possible without the Lord’s faithfulness and your continued prayer and support.  Thank you for laboring together with us as we continue to Rise and Build! 

We have reached the month where we sing “Joy to the World,” and we look back on all that has transpired over the course of the year. We have plenty of reasons to be joyful when we look at the progress that has been made in our Rise and Build campaign. Here are the high notes upon which we will end the year…

· On the Toon Town main floor, the old carpet has been removed and the new carpet has been installed. Carpet has also been installed on the band stage. 120 feet of expansion joints have been filled. The duct, lighting, and walls have been dusted and cleaned.

· On the Toon Town main stage, the center stage walls have been framed and siding has been installed on all stage walls. Sheetrock has been installed on the center stage wall and it has been mudded and primed.

· The backstage catwalk has been installed.

· The trim, stage scenery, and roof covering installation have been approximately 80% completed.

· The LED wall has been trimmed and 45 Vi panels have been installed.

· Carpet has been completely installed in the backstage control room.

Without question, we are closing out 2023 very strong and carrying a great deal of momentum into 2024. We will only get stronger as we proceed. Thank you for your ongoing prayer and support as we continue to Rise and Build!

We have entered the month where thanks is given for all of God’s blessings. Among the things we are most thankful for at North Cleveland is the progress that has been made in our Rise and Build campaign. Here are the most recent reasons we have to be thankful…

· On the ToonTown main stage, 80% of the walls, seven different rooflines, and two puppet platforms have been framed. Handrails and carpet have been installed on the puppet platforms. Two ship ladders have been built and installed. Sheetrock has been installed on all walls on the audience side and the right soffit lower roof. Sheetrock has been mudded where needed. Two wall screens have been primed and trimmed. Two flat roofs have been trimmed. The right wall has been primed for shiplap. All brick veneer and two doors have been installed. Speaker wiring to the control room has been installed.

· Plans are in progress for the removal of the white house. At this time, the lean-to and garage have been removed.

The progress we have seen thus far is evidence of God’s faithfulness and God’s blessings extended toward us. Many more reasons to give thanks are soon to come. As we thank God for what He has done, we want to thank you for your faithfulness in prayer and giving toward the completion of this project. Your support is one of the main reasons we can continue to Rise and Build!

Fall is in full swing and excitement is in the rapidly cooling air. As major league baseball teams chase dreams of championship glory, we are continuing to chase the dream of having a place for our students through our Rise and Build campaign. Here are the most recent achievements we are able to celebrate…

· In the ToonTown control booth, five steel corner trims and top rail on walls have been installed. The top rail has been stained. Eight outlets and covers have been installed. A counter with drop inset for computer screens has been built and installed. Countertop trim and booth walls and trim have been painted.

· For the ToonTown restroom veranda, the roof has been framed. Lattice on the roof, facia and gable trim have been installed. Electrical for two lights, one switch, and two outlets has been roughed in. Columns, beam, knee wall, and doors have been trimmed. Plywood veneer, batten strip, two lights, two outlets, single-pole light switch, and trim have been installed. The roof, walls, and trim have been painted.

· On the ToonTown main floor, 11 accent lights, six audience lights, an 86” tv, 115” AFF, 12 outlets and outlet covers, four sconces, a switch leg for sconces in the control booth, and a four-way switch for house lights in the control booth have been installed.

· On the ToonTown main stage, two speaker covers for woofers have been painted and installed. Control wiring to four woofers and eight sheets of plywood have been installed. Trim on the stage front has been painted and installed.

We clearly have quite a bit to celebrate while quite a bit remains to be done. We can be confident that our work will be successful because the dream we are chasing was given to us from the Lord. The best is yet to come. Thank you for all of your prayer and support as we continue to Rise and Build!

Summer is fading into fall, the leaves are getting ready to change colors, and the temperature is going to begin cooling off soon. There has been no cooling off, though, in our passion to move forward with our Rise and Build campaign. Let’s take a look the most recent progress…

· In ToonTown, 71 new circuits for stage lighting and stage outlets have been installed. Stage lighting, three lasers, and one smoke machine have been installed. Two 5’x6’ openings have been cut into the stage for bass speakers. Baffles for bass speakers have been boxed in and installed. Speakers have been installed, and speaker covers have been built for front of stage. Cat6 and HDMI in stage for all speakers have been run. The band stage has been installed, and electrical and sound wiring have been installed. Floor outlets and a monitor box in the band stage have been installed. Two main stage monitor boxes have been installed. Brick veneer on the main stage and band stage have been installed. Walls and columns on the main floor, the band stage, the walls on the control booth, and the exterior doors and trim have been painted, and hardware on the doors has been polished.

· In the ToonTown control booth, the floor and walls have been framed, rough-in wiring has been installed, veneer has been installed inside the booth, access panels have been cut out in the floor and walls, hinges and locks have been installed on three wall access panels, and quarter-gap veneer has been installed on the exterior of the booth.

· In the ToonTown restrooms, the water fountain and case opening have been removed. Veneer and sheetrock in the new boys restroom have been removed. The masonry wall for the new door opening into the girls restroom has been demoed. The exterior wall for the restrooms has been framed. New doors have been installed.

Seasons may be changing but our commitment has not changed. Greater things are on the way. Thank you for your unending prayer and support as we continue to Rise and Build!