6 | May 2026
One Plants, Another Waters: Harvest Begins in Cincinnati Church Churches across the Buckeye State are plateaued or de- clining. Without revitalization or replanting, these church- es will eventually close their doors, and gospel lights will disappear from Ohio communities. The good news is that churches don’t have to decline and close. Help is available. By Stephanie Heading, managing editor
Beacon Church was struggling. The sixty-year-old con- gregation on the west side of Cincinnati was in danger of closing. Following The Call Home Since 2023, Pastor Fran Trascritti has been leading Bea- con Church. A Cincinnati native, Trascritti has spent over 30 years in ministry, including serving in churches, at Lifeway Chris- tian Resources, and at the Illinois Baptist State Associ- ation (IBSA). While working at IBSA, he sensed the Lord was moving him into a new season. “I felt God just pulling me back to Cincinnati. Part of it was family, but at the same time, I felt like they were my people,” he said. “I would watch ball games. I would watch football games. I would watch baseball games. I would see the people in the stands. Those are my peo- ple, and I wanted to get back.” He also felt a familiar call back to the local church.
Pastor Fran Trascritti baptizes a new believer – one of ten baptisms since July 2025.
“God put a real hunger in my heart to pastor again. Al- though I loved ministering at the state convention level and helping a lot of churches, I missed the one-on-one, the disciple-making.” Trascritti and his wife Teresa prayed and sought wise counsel. “I saw that Beacon was available. It was called Beacon of Christ Church at the time,” he said. He called Pastor Ron Renner, who was preparing to re- tire from Beacon, and they discussed his interest in the church. “He said, ‘Well, put in your resume. Let’s talk. Let’s see what God’s doing.’ That was the only resume I submit-
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