About Church Square
History
The origin of Church Square was not an accident. Shortly after Cuyahoga Falls was founded in 1836, city founders followed the New England custom of creating a commons--public land devoted to use by churches, schools and government. The square of land they selected was bordered by Portage Trail, Stow Avenue, Second and Third Streets. As churches began to locate there in the 1800s, the name Church Square was born.
Legacy
Church Square of Cuyahoga Falls is built upon a partnership between three congregations, representing four Christian denominations. Together, we are reimagining ways in which the land, facilities and membership of three churches can function in unity to better meet the needs of the community. Church Square aims to build on the vision of our forebears so that we might continue to serve our neighbors and work toward the thriving of all people.
Vision
It is our aim to participate in the spiritual, civic, and economic betterment of the greater Cuyahoga Falls community. The modern Church Square looks to bring a historic legacy to life in the present and cement a hopeful future.
About Our Vision
Our vision emerged from a year-long discernment and listening process across the three congregations, prompted by shared concerns around building underutilization, mission sustainability, and neighborhood change. A series of joint visioning retreats, demographic studies, and input from local leaders led to the idea of converting excess church property into community assets that align with our spiritual call to stewardship, hospitality, and creation care.
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This initiative makes disciples by reimagining church property as sacred space that serves community needs—housing the vulnerable, offering gathering space, and sustaining local life through the arts and food. It transforms passive facilities into active, mission-centered environments, modeling a public witness of collaborative Christian presence.
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Our long-term plan includes:
Preserving a permanent, visible faith presence downtown
Establishing a nonprofit or land trust to manage and program shared space
Leveraging redevelopment revenue to sustain mission work
Creating a model for ecumenical property stewardship and urban ministry in Northeast Ohio