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Sheri Johns said in her 10 years as a single mother she never had to rely on anyone other than herself.

That all changed after February, when the Lebanon resident and licensed practical nurse lost her job.

With April's rent due, Johns last week turned to The Rev. Ed McGuigan, who serves as pastor of the nondenominational Connections Church. Within 15 minutes, Guigan had contacted six different organizations that helped Johns pay her rent in the nick of time.

Johns said she is thankful for the entire congregation, not just its pastor. "I've been in a bad spot ... and everyone was coming up to me and offering their support and saying if I needed anything to let them know," Johns said.

Connections Church conducted its grand opening launch Sunday, May 4, at The Ronald Reagan Lodge at Voice of America Park in West Chester Twp. Started last December in McGuigan's Mason home, the church's focus includes outreach and helping single parents, especially single mothers.

"We felt like single mothers are one of the most neglected subcultures in our country right now, but one of the fastest growing subcultures," McGuigan said.

Connections' long-term dream is to buy condominium units to offer low-cost or no-cost housing for single parents by and provide child care in a preschool setting, he said.

"We're not looking at buying land or building a building for ourselves out the gate," McGuigan said. "Instead, we're really focusing on making purchases that will move our single-parenting ministry along."

The church plans to give a $10 gift card to be used toward a meal for each single mom who stops by for services on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11, and a children's coloring contest with prizes awarded to the mothers of each winner.

For more information, or to make a donation, call (513) 492-7020, write to info@connectcinci.com or visit connectcinci.com.

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