Community At Lakeside

Lakeside is fortunate to have active community organizations, which lend support to the mission, while adding another dimension to the Lakeside Chautauqua experience.

Support Lakeside Chautauqua

Lakeside Chautauqua is a nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity of families, friends, volunteers and its dedicated staff. Our Chautauqua programming and upkeep of the facilities and grounds are made possible through the philanthropic support of generous Lakesiders like you.

Build Community

As Lakeside celebrates its 150th Anniversary, we’re exploring seven dynamic practices that nurture a vibrant community. Our visiting speakers, preachers, artists, authors and performers will encourage us to dive deeper into and live out the essence of community. Each program and experience this summer will help you reflect, learn, explore and expand your perspectives about the seven community practices.

Appreciate Our Story & Heritage
Nurture Caring Relationships & Create a Sense of Belonging
Create Harmony & Respect Differences
Engage Collaborate & Give
Lead with Compassion, Integrity & Transparency
Steward & Honor Places & SPaces
Practice Well-Being

Decade after decade, leaders, staff, board members, volunteers, individuals, families, homeowners and supporters have deepened their connection to the Lakeside community and the timeless mission. Through community, we flourish and become our best selves.

Building community deserves our best thinking, care for one another and our best human effort. Join us on a journey as we explore community this Chautauqua season.

To enrich the quality of life for all people, to foster traditional Christian values, and to nurture relationships through opportunities for renewal and growth – spiritually, intellectually, culturally and physically – while preserving Lakeside’s heritage.

Seven Practices of Building Community

Appreciate Our Story & Heritage

For 150 years, Lakeside has created a thriving community. Through learning about and appreciating our foundation, we develop a stronger connection to our values, heritage and culture as we continue to build momentum toward a vibrant future.

Reflective Moment: What is the very essence that keeps people returning to this sacred place?
Explore this practice
  • American Patchwork Quartet
  • Barbershop Quartet & Carriage Rides
  • Bobby Horton “Songs of the Civil War”
  • Camp Meeting & Reenactors
  • Chautauqua Trail Meeting
  • Chautauqua Lecture Series: The Civil War
  • Christian Biographies
  • Founders Day & Decades Party Celebrations
  • Heritage Walking Tour
  • Historic Portrayals
  • Historic Panels & Plaques
  • “Lakeside Chautauqua: An American Treasure” WGTE Documentary
  • Time Capsule
Nurture Caring Relationships & Create a Sense of Belonging

Lakesiders engage with and care for one another as we grow meaningful relationships and create a sense of belonging in our community. When we come together at Lakeside, we feel at home.

Reflective Moment: How do we strengthen relationships and invite new people to connect?
Explore this practice
  • 122nd Army Band
  • Bishop Ivan Abrahams, World Methodist Council, South Africa
  • Fr. Gregory Boyle
  • Ordination Worship Service with United Methodist Pastors Preachers of the Week
  • Rev. Dr. Michael Adam Beck
  • Steve Hartman “Kindness 101”
  • Visioning & Immersion Experience with Rev. Dr. Michael Adam Beck
Create Harmony & Respect Differences

We recognize the unique dignity, individuality and equal humanity of all in our community. Through meaningful dialogue and civil discourse, we seek to understand one another and find common points of agreement while also honoring the rights of each person to respectfully disagree.

Reflective Moment: How do we invite diverse perspectives and respect the individual offering them?
Explore this practice
  • Bardin-Niskala Duo
  • Bishop David Wilson, Native American Bishop Chautauqua Lecture Series:
  • Culture of Belonging Dr. Jemar Tisby
  • Dr. Robert Putnam
  • Interfaith Dialogue, Christianity, Islam & Judaism Neil Berg “101 Years of Broadway”
  • Rev. Magrey deVega
Engage, Collaborate & Give

We engage and collaborate together to nurture a vibrant community by investing our time, talent and treasure to support and sustain the Lakeside experience. In doing so, we ensure that current and future generations will continue to flourish and be blessed here.

Reflective Moment: What are ways we can invite people to strengthen their community commitment?
Explore this practice
  • 4. Engage, Collaborate & Give
  • Lakeside Talent Show
  • Lakeside Symphony Orchestra Concerts & Soloists
  • Support Lakeside Impact Fund & Endowment
Lead with Compassion, Integrity & Transparency

Our Board of Directors and staff strive to faithfully steward the founders' vision for Lakeside. Through our community forums, one-on-one meetings and community messages, we experience our Lakeside leaders in action as they seek to lead with compassion, integrity and transparency.

Reflective Moment: What are ways we can broaden compassionate leadership throughout Lakeside?
Explore this practice
  • Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, Astronaut
  • Historic Portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt
  • Lakeside Leadership Internship Program
  • Launch Pilot Teen Leadership Program
  • Porch Talks
  • Presidential & Board Communications
  • Town Hall Gatherings
Steward & Honor Places & Spaces

Throughout our history, Lakeside has created timeless places and spaces that invite us to slow down and cherish the beauty of our community. We continue to ensure safe, well-designed and aesthetically pleasing spaces and a healthy ecosystem in which we gather and live.

Reflective Moment: What spaces and places help people connect, and why do they create connection?
Explore this practice
  • Back to the Wild Presentation
  • Chautauqua Lecture Series: Architecture
  • Dr. Doug Tallamy
  • Faith Devotional Booklet
  • Historic Tours of Hoover Auditorium
  • Lakeside Wooden Boat Show & Plein Air Art Festival
  • Mr. C. “Air is Everywhere” Family/Science Program
  • Weekly Ohio Sea Grant & LESS Lectures
  • Weekly Science Rocks! Program for Children
Practice Spiritual, Intellectual, Cultural & Physical Well-Being

The founders of Lakeside pitched the first tent on our shoreline and gathered together to grow in their spiritual journeys. To help us build community today, we too can challenge ourselves to step away from the hustle and bustle to refresh and renew -spiritually, intellectually, culturally, and physically.

Reflective Moment: Why do we flourish when we deepen our well-being?
Explore this practice
  • Centering Prayer
  • Catholic Mass
  • C. Kirk Rhein, Jr. Center for the Living Arts Faith Walk Devotional Booklet
  • Labyrinth Experiences
  • Raccoon Run
  • Rev. Dr. Brian McLaren
  • Rev. Dr. Michael Slaughter
  • Rev. Luke Witte
  • Sons of Serendip
  • Weekly Wellness Lectures
  • Wellness Classes

A Message from the Bishop