The annual meeting for the Parish will be held on February 3, with an alternate date for bad weather of February 10.  Reports from each committee will be due in the office on January 15.

 

This is a great opportunity to get an update on the status Grace and don't worry...we will be done in plenty of time for your Super Bowl Celebrations!

 

We need volunteers to distribute Hip Hop Mass flyers to area High Schools.  The flyers need to be distributed by Friday - January 25.  Please contact Anita Triggs, Communications Outreach Coordinator at 513-541-2415 or outreach@gracecollegehill.org for more information.

 

Some of you may have been wondering about the new deacon at Grace, so I thought a formal introduction was in order.

Gary is married to Susan Givler, a father of two boys and grandfather to four.  He is a fifteen year deacon who formerly served at Children's Hospital Medical Center as a volunteer night and weekend Chaplain for 11 years while posted at Holy Trinity (Kenwood), and St. Phillips (Northside).  Gary is a 1970 graduate of George Williams College with a Bachelor of the Arts in Social Science and holds a Master of the Arts in Pastoral Counseling that he obtained in 2001 from the Athenaeum of Ohio, Mount St. Mary's Seminary.  Also in 2001, Gary completed a Clincial Internship in mental health counseling with Catholic Social Services in Montgomery, Ohio.  He is a former employee of Cincinnati Insurance Company in Fairfield, Ohio, where he served as Vice President of Claims Operations.  Gary also has some experience with community foodbanks and crisis assistance ministry services which might be of use in College Hill.

 

Permanent Deacons serve at the discretion of the Diocesan and Bishop Price asked Gary to consider two potential parish locations to continue his diaconal ministry.  Grace was first on his list.  After meeting with the Rev. Flemister and attending service for a few weeks, Gary felt like Grace was a good fit and a place where he might make a contribution to the parish community. Gary enjoys singing in the choir, preaching and serving during the liturgy. 

 

If you have not already, please welcome Gary to the Grace community.  It is wonderful to have you with us!

Some of you may have noticed that the lovely flags have been removed from the front of the church.  No worries, they will be up again soon.  They took quite a beating a few weeks ago in the storm, so we thought it best to remove them to prevent permanent damage.

 

Florence is a child of God, wife, mother of 5 and a Registered Nurse for 53 years.  Florence retired from a doctors office 10 years ago, but continues to help out whenever she is needed.  Florence has been active at Grace since 1990.  Her 5 children live out of town, so she and her husband (Bob) have great places to visit...Atlanta, Florida, and Iowa.   She has lived in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Lansing, MI; however most of her life has been spent in Cincinnati.  Florence is a proud grandmother with 4 granddaughters, 4 grandsons, and 1 great grandson.  She loves knitting, baseball, and gardening.  Florence sends blessings to all at Grace.

 

In future eGracenotes I will spotlight a member of the Mission Council, so enjoy their bios and get to know the leadership of Grace who work very hard to keep the church alive.  - Anita L. Triggs, Editor

 

The MEIT Scholarship has been created for Black high school graduates living in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, who have been admitted to an accredited school or program of advanced learning.  Priority is given to those students with the greatest economic need, as judged by the MEIT board.

 

PELL Grants: These federal funds are available to all eligible students who are pursuing higher education. All MEIT grant applicants must provide a copy of an approval or disapproval letter for a PELL Grant. If an applicant is not eligible for a PELL Grant, information verifying the family income must accompany their application, i.e., current tax and payroll statements.

 

Grant Awards: MEIT grants are designed to leverage the applicant's available school resources and ensure the student's ability to attend school. Before consideration can be given to a grant request, applicants are required to show that the majority of the funds needed for school are available. If there is a significant difference between what is available to the student and what is needed, the application is likely to be rejected.

 

Guidelines:
1. Applicants must provide written evidence, as requested, to confirm compliance with the above statements. Subsequent yearly grants are not automatically given. An new application must be filed each year.

2. Application must be typed and completed. Any omissions must be explained in writing. Unexplained omissions will result in the application being rejected. Click here to download an application.

3. All figures must be legibly recorded and added and/or subtracted correctly. Mathematical errors will result in the application being rejected.

4. All required documentation must be attached to the application. Documentation includes:
     A. A signed copy of a current income tax return
     B. A written statement from the academic institution verifying all school costs listed in the application
     C. A copy of your PELL Grant Award or rejection letter, if applicable.

5. The information should be believable. For example, an application showing expenses that far exceed the income shown, raises suspicions about the authenticity of the information provided. If the above situation is determined, the application will be rejected.

6. All grants are paid directly to the school by academic quarter or semester, upon reciept of a billing statement from the school.

7. If there are unusual extenuating circumstances that you wish to share regarding an application, please attach an additional page.

8. Limited staff will not allow continuous debate about any aspect of the application. All decisions by the MEIT Board are final. Applicants are strongly encouraged to ask questions before submitting their application. Questions should be directed to Dr. Willis Holloway at 513.772.0828.

9. Timeline for submitting applications: February 1 to June 1 of each year.

Many have inquired about church directories and they are presently being finalized.  Our goal is to have them completed by the end of this month to distribute during Sunday service.

 

Body Recall, Tuesday - 10:00 a.m.
Yoga, Tuesday - 6:00 p.m.
Only $8.00 per session. See Laura