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News for
and about Grace Episcopal Church
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March 28,
2008 | |
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We invite and embrace
you. Come witness God's Grace and
act.
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| Dear Friend,
The Clergy, Mission Council and staff wish each of you a
Joyous Easter! We celebrate the Easter season until
Pentecost on May 11. There is a tradition that says that
we should be at least as celebrative during this season as we
were penitential during Lent--that anything we gave up for
Lent, we need to do at least twice much during the Easter
season. Does that give you any ideas for your observance
of a joyous Easter? To share this issue of eGracenotes
with a friend click here. Ken Lyon, sometime editor eGraceNotes@gracecollegehill.org |
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"Got
Questions?" Discussion Group Rescheduled
for This Sunday
Join us after the
10:00 am service this Sunday in the parlor for the start-up of
a new "Got Questions?" discussion group. At this
formative meeting, everyone will contribute their faith
questions. These questions will then provide the content for
subsequent meetings.
This new
group is the continuation of the lively "Faith Club" book
discussion group. During these discussions, it quickly
became clear that there is much to be gained through an open
and honest discussion of issues of faith among people with
differing backgrounds. Those present came to see that Grace
has more than enough diversity among its members and friends
to support a real growth experience for us as individuals and
as a church.
Most of
us have questions about our faith that continue to nag us.
Come to the parlor after church Sunday and contribute them to
the list of questions to be dealt with in subsequent meetings.
The
first "real" meeting of the new group will convene over brunch
at the home of Bennyce Hamilton after church on Sunday, April
13. Current thinking is that subsequent meetings will take
place on 2nd and 4th Sundays over brunch
in other folks' homes.
Finally,
thanks to Mary McLain for organizing the "Faith Club"
discussions which led to the development of this exciting new
discussion
series. |
Vicar in Charlotte, NC, Sunday
The Vicar is preaching this Sunday at a conference of
Liberian Episcopal Clergy USA (LECUSA) being held in
Charlotte, NC. Her subject is "Answering the call of justice
and walking humbly with God."
Our Celebrant this
Sunday will be The Reverend Ray Betts. The Vicar will return
Tuesday.
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Evening Prayer
and Confession Service to Begin
Beginning April 19 and each
3rd Saturday thereafter, there will be a quiet
service of Evening Prayer, followed by the opportunity for
people to give their confessions if they so
desire.
This
will be a short, meditative service with no music or other
embellishments--just a time to quietly sit and meditate, pray
and give thanks to God for his goodness. The service
begins at 5:00
p.m.
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Help Sponsor a Child at the Rafiki School in Africa
The cost
of supporting a child at the Rafiki
School is between $40 and $50 per month. If you are
willing to pledge toward this, please let Ernestein or Jim
know.
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| Grace Cook Book
The Grace Cook Book is being revived. Bring in
your recipes.
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Our Thanks To:
- Ruth Bertram
for polishing the
brass wall sconces in the Peace Chapel;
- Susan Dewbrey for
taking time to fold all the bulletins for the extra Holy
Week services as well as doing it each week;
- Bob Jones, our
Sexton, who works hard to keep our building in good
shape;
- The Choir who has
excelled during a difficult time;
- The Altar and Flower
Guilds who always do an excellent job but spent much extra
time at Easter;
- Jim Edgy, who
prepared bulletin after bulletin and generally helped keep
things together;
- All who supported our
Easter services;
- And especially to our
Vicar, Ernestein C. Flemister, who prepared for and made our
Holy Week a special one.
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| Why Go to Church?
A Churchgoer wrote
a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it
made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30
years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something
like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a
single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the
pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."
This started a real
controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the
delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone
wrote this clincher:
"I've been
married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some
32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the
entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know
this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed
to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I
would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to
church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
Thank
God for our continuing to receive physical AND spiritual
nourishment! |
Plan to
Participate and Support Integrity
Integrity is
the Episcopal organization for gay and lesbian members and
their families and friends. In Cincinnati's Gay Pride
Parade on June 15 we hope to have more than 100 marchers from
our churches to demonstrate the Episcopal Church's love and
acceptance for all people. The Rev. Paula
Jackson will be the parade marshal and Bishop Breidenthal is
planning to attend the Mass on the Green following the
parade. More information will be available
in the near future.
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More Thanks
Grace Church expresses its appreciation to the
Ministerium of College Hill for sponsoring the College Hill
Good Friday Community Service and to all the churches and
participants who supported it. Participants
included:
- The Rev. Dan Weyand-Giese, First United Church of
Christ
- Timothy Ovia, Nouveau Chamber Youth Orchestra
- The Rev. Joe Boone, Chaplain, Twin Towers Retirement
Community
- The Rev. Drew Smith, College Hill Presbyterian Church
- Ron Whitt, Community Youth Worker, Christ's Community in
College Hill
- The Rev. Harold "Chappie" Chapman, Past Chair, Christ's
Community in College Hill
- Dr. Don Shegog, Hilltop United Methodist Church
- Carolyn Lindsley, Hilltop United Methodist Church
- The Rev. Roy Rogers, Second Baptist Church
- The Rev. Ray Betts, Grace Episcopal Church
- The Rev. Ernestein C. Flemister, Grace Episcopal
Church
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| Coming Events
Sunday, March 30 First Session of "Got
Questions"
follows 10:00 a.m.
service.
Wednesday, April 2 Outreach Committee
meeting. 6:00 p.m.
Saturday April
5 Hip Hop Service. 5:00
p.m.
Wednesday April 9 Healing Service with
African Drumming, Reike and
Traditional Laying on of Hands. 6:30
p.m.
Saturday, April 12 Mission Council
Retreat
Sunday, April 13 "Got
Questions" discussion group. Brunch
meeting
following 10:00 a.m. service,
at the home of Bennyce Hamilton.
Wednesday April 16
Outreach Committee meeting. 10:00
a.m.
Mission Council Meeting.
6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 19 Evening Prayer
and Confession. 5:00 p.m.
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