We want to make sure that our web site provides accurate information to the world.  This month, please check our Contact Us (aka The People of Grace) page  and let us know what additions or corrections that we should make.

Click the "Email the webmaster" link at the bottom of any page to report corrections or additions.

 

Jim Edgy is on vacation from August 11  through 22. Thanks to Grace Staples, Susan Dewbrey, and Greta Kappes for covering the phones while Jim Edgy is away.

 

The new Flags over our front door spell "welcome" to all people.  The flags represent the United States, Uganda, the Episcopal Church, the Rainbow Banner and African-Americans.  We plan to obtain a Liberian flag as well as other appropriate flags so that they can be rotated to reflect the composition of our congregation.  

According to flag protocol, when flags are displayed in a straight line as these are, the American flag is always to the left, followed by other national flags, and then by organizational flags.  Therefore, Grace Church is displaying these flags according to the rules established for a respectful display.

 

The Health and Wellness Ministry has reformed with some new faces that bring new commitment to our Ministry at Grace Church.  The Health and Wellness members are:  Florence Poyer, Lead; Susan Dewbrey, Anne Henneberg, Laura Hall, Kelly Lane, Greta Kappes and Walter Handy.

The Health and Wellness Ministry will resume taking blood pressures on a monthly basis.  We are looking into doing diabetic screening.  There will be a monthly health theme with tidbits in the bulletin.  We are also looking into exercise for Seniors and a health fair. 

If anyone in the congegation wants information on services available to seniors or about diseases or needs help in any way, please call one of the members or the Church office.

 

Disease prevention is the key to public health.  We are constantly concerned about our own health and the health and safety of our children.  We try to take prudent steps to protect ourselves and our families.  For instance, we use seatbelts for ourselves and our children when traveling in motor vehicles.  

Immunizations or vaccines also prevent us from developing illnesses caused by infectious and potentially deadly diseases by helping prepare our bodies to fight these diseases.  

Preschool, kindergarten and elementary school children's health records are often checked to assure that incoming children have received the proper childhood immunizations (e.g., diphtheria, Pertussis and Chick pox). Children with incomplete immunizations may be excluded from attending school until their immunizations are up to date.  

Similarly, each fall, senior citizens are encouraged to obtain flu vaccinations.  Again, each of these vaccines helps to prepare our bodies to fight these diseases. Vaccines prevent disease in the people who receive them and protect those who come into contact with unvaccinated individuals.  It is always better to do whatever possible to prevent a disease than to have to treat it.

Should you have concerns or want additional information about the material presented above, please contact your local health care provider or public health department.  You may also choose to contact anyone on the Health and Wellness Ministry Committee. 

 

Needed:

• Teachers for our Sunday School beginning in September.  Please see the Vicar, Hawley Todd, or Molly Russell for more information.

• Volunteers for planning our Emergent Service for young adults.  Please see, call, or e-mail the Vicar.
  

• Tutors for Pleasant Hill Academy.   Even if you only have one half hour per week when you could be available, the children and staff need you.  See Judy Handy.

Have you seen the neat "Our Family is Growing" poster on the bulletin board just inside the lower Belmont door?

It was created by Jackie Lewis and features pictures of many of our members. 

 

On August 23 from 9:00 am to Noon, we will again have parolees who are getting in their public service hours.  Anyone who can volunteer to supervise a group, please let us know. 

Also, we will prepare lunch for them.  If you would be willing to help Jim Edgy prepare the meal on Wednesday Aug 22, please let us know.  We will set a time that is convenient to those who will help.

 

We have had several new people express an interest in joining our choir for this year, including our Vicar, so there is a chance that we can have a choir rather than a trio, quartet, or sextet.  This is a very exciting prospect!


If you are at all interested, please plan to be here that Sunday. We will begin rehearsing and will discuss potential rehearsal times and other organizational details.  

As a bonus, all choir member and potential choir member will be invited to former restauranteur Jim Edgy's home for dinner in early September. 

Please prayerfully consider joining the choir and making this a part of your ministry for the new school year.  If you have questions, please see Jim Edgy.

 

Grace Church is initiating a new healing service beginning Wednesday, September 12 at 6.30 pm.  This will be a unique service in that it will employ non-traditional healing methods along with our traditional laying on of hands.

The healing service is based on the concept of

• release of tension through African drumming,
  
• restoration of peace through quietness and solitude, and
  
• prayer for continued health through the laying on of hands. 

The tradition of African drumming believes that with a constant repletion of rhythm over a period of time (in our case 30 minutes) the mind and body will relax and release its tension.  This will be followed by a period of silence, followed by the traditional healing service.  

We feel that this will be an exciting combination that will provide a meaningful, prayerful, and effective healing service for our church and community.  

Please tell anyone whom you feel will be interested.

 

Laura Hall, a member of our Health and Wellness committee, will be leading Yoga and Body Recall classes begining in September.  The going rate for such classes is $11 per session,  however, for all active with Grace Church, the charge will be only $8.  If interested, please see Laura Hall or the Vicar.  

Here is what Laura offers:

YOGA. Beginning gentle Hatha Yoga classes appropriate for everyone 10 years and older.  We will be practing pranayama (breath control), asana (movements) and mudra (gestures).  Please wear comfortable clothes and bring a yoga mat if you have one. A few yoga mats will be available for purchase in class.

BODY RECALL. Body recall is a different approach to movement and exercise.  It is a safe and gentle movement class designed by Dorothy Chrisman of Berea College in Kentucky. It was originally developed to assist the "living longer" population to regain or call back the vitality and flexibility of the body. However, it is appropriate for all ages. You will not be tired, sweaty or exhausted from the classes. It is FUN with FELLOWSHIP! You may need to DO it to BELIEVE it!!!

 

Grace Church's involvement in serving the homeless via the Interfaith Hospitality Network is alive and well and can use volunteers. In August, we served a pretty full house of six families consisting of 19 people.  In 2006, 108 families comprising 359 people were served by IHN in Cincinnati.
 
As many of you know, Grace Church hosted homeless families through the Interfaith Hospitality Network for 15 years.  In early 2006 the shrinking volunteer pool made it no longer feasible for Grace to provide all the resources needed to host homeless families for a week every two months.  Through the help of our former member and deacon, the Rev. Laura Chace, Christ Church Glendale assumed the host role and Grace Church became a supporting congregation.  In that role, Grace supplies volunteers at the Christ Church Glendale location. 

IHN is a unique response to homelessness.  It combines volunteers from the religious community with full-time professionals to reintegrate families into the community.  Here's how IHN works:

• Host congregations provide three meals a day, private sleeping spaces and volunteers to create a "home away from home" for the families from 5:00 pm to 7:00 am.
• Support congregations assist the Host congregations by providing donated meals and volunteers to serve dinner, clean up, do activities with children or stay overnight.
• Case Managers at the IHN Day Center help families find and maintain permanent housing.
  
• Day Vans transport families to appointments, interviews and day care.
• An IHN Bus transports families back and forth between the congregations and the Day Center.
• The Day Center in Lower Price Hill serves as a home base providing adult education classes, parenting classes, a kitchen, laundry facilities, showers, free telephones, a mailing address, computer facilities, and a children's playroom.
• School-age children attend school and receive after-school tutoring through Project Connect.

If you would like to know more about this aspect of Grace Episcopal Church mission efforts, call Mary McLain at (513) 541-8509 or Grace Staples at (513) 251-3538.