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News for and about Grace Episcopal Church
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January
23, 2009
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 James Dietz Dies
James Dietz, long time member of Grace Church, died January 20.
Visitation will be held at the Hodapp Funeral Home at 6041 Hamilton Avenue today (Friday) from 5 to 8 pm.
A service celebrating Jim's life will be held at Grace on Saturday (tomorrow) at 10 am. During the service
all will be given a chance to give a remembrance of Jim if they so desire. The service will be followed
immediately by internment at Spring Grove Cemetery.
The
family then invites everyone to Hammond North, 1st floor, for a reception.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Grace Church.
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College Hill Churches Celebrate Martin Luther King Day
 Last Sunday evening, members of College Hill Churches marched down Galbraith Road in North College Hill, then gathered at Hilltop Methodist Church to celebrate Martin Luther King day.
Fr. George Jacquemin (right) of St. Clare Church
was one of two people presented with the Martin Luther King award. The Rev. Harold Chapman (left), a previous award recipient,
participated in the presentation.
The featured speaker for the day, long-time Cincinnati civil rights activist Marian Spencer, was also presented with the award.
See pictures of the celebration and all the participants.
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Keep in Your Prayers ...
 Jim Deitz' family; Eloise Pinto; Ruth Bertram;
Joyce Markham; Mrs. Matthews; Judy Handy; Shelly Martin; Susan Dewbrey; Deb
Gamble; Barbara Todd; Kim Martin; Robb Martin;
Florence and Bob Poyer; Dean
Bryeans, Mary Hall; Chris; Irene Bryeans; Joshua; Caleb;
Anne; Darryl Handy; Marcus Flemister;
Kim Herrmann; Al Berghausen; Teri; Mary Lou Bellows; Jackie Lewis. |
| Sunday a Week (February 1): Annual Meeting and Pot Luck
Please bring dish and plan to attend this important event, which will immediately follow our worship service.
Reports will be heard. Wardens, Mission Council Members and Delegates to Diocesan convention will be elected. Nominations may be made from the floor, in addition to the following to be nominated by the nominating committee:
Senior Warden: David Mukasa
Junior Warden: Charles Bowles
Mission Council 3 year term: Bret Bernard and Justine Matovu
Mission Council 2 year term: Bennyce Hamilton
Mission Council 1 year term: Jackie Lewis, Carol Lyon and Florence Poyer
Convention Delegates: Mary McLain and Florence Poyer
Convention Delegate Alternate: David Mukasa
The purpose of the Annual Meeting as well as the business to
be conducted is clearly written in Grace Church by-laws passed on October 21, 2007. The main sections
include:
- Time and Purpose
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Who is eligible to vote and what constitutes
a quorum.
- Mission Council composition
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Terms of Office for Mission Council members
as well Senior and Junior Warden.
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Voting Procedures
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Nominating Committee.
Check out the by-laws and come to the Annual Meeting an
informed parishioner.
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| Notes on This Sunday's Service
As usual on the last Sunday of the month, our service will be Holy Eucharist Rite I (traditional words dating from 1541).
For our Prayers of the People we will use A Prayer for the Nation
and Our Next President, Barack Obama, given by The Rt. Rev. V. Gene
Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire at the Opening Inaugural Event,
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, on January 18.
We will pray:
O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will...
Bless us with tears--for a world in which over a billion people exist on less
than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for
wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and
AIDS.
Bless us with anger--at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees
and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
people.
Bless us with discomfort--at the easy, simplistic "answers" we've preferred to
hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world,
which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.
Bless us with patience--and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be "fixed" anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human
being, not a messiah.
Bless us with humility--open to understanding that our own needs must always
be balanced with those of the world.
Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance--replacing it with a
genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that
in our diversity, we are stronger.
Bless us with compassion and generosity--remembering that every religion's God
judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community,
whether across town or across the world.
And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of
President of the United States.
Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln's reconciling
leadership style, President Kennedy's ability to enlist our best efforts, and
Dr. King's dream of a nation for ALL the people.
Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in
these times.
Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make
the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.
Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership,
there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.
Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience
of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are
still its victims.
Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember
that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters'
childhoods.
And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and
we're asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are
taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him
safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand--that he might do the work we have
called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that
in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity
and peace.
We pray for all who have died, especially your servant, Jim.
For yours is the majesty, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; yours
is the kingdom and the power and the glory, now and for ever.
Amen.
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Do you wonder what is in the Book of Common
Prayer? Have you forgotten its beauty
and significance?
Join the Vicar following the Services on February 8 and 22
and review and/or learn about this great book. (The book some say Jesus would have used, had he had it.)
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The "Souper Bowl" is Coming Sunday February First
Put an extra $10 in your pocket when you come to church on February 1 because the
collection that day supports Grace's favorite mission program--IHN (Interfaith
Hospitality Network).
For many years Grace was a host church to homeless
families with children right in our own Sunday School classrooms. We are no
longer able to do that but homelessness in Cincinnati continues to grow and IHN
faithfully continues to assist families by providing temporary shelter and help
to find stable housing. We can continue
our support with our special donations on this day. If you would like know of
other ways help care for homeless families, contact Mary McLain, maryemclain55@gmail.com.
As a bonus, when you make a contribution to IHN on Super Bowl Sunday you get a recipe
for one of the great soups served at the Holiday Dinner or our Stir
the Pot series!
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 Episcopal Humor
Episcopalians have a unique sense of humor, and one place it shows up is in our advertising. See Episcopal Ads on the Grace Photo Album for a collection your editor has compiled from various sources. |
 New Altar Guild Members
We welcome Tammy Robertson and Lisa Perry to the Altar Guild.
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| A Thank You for Grace Church
Bob and I would like to thank the wonderful people of Grace Church for the prayers, love support and money donations for our son Chris and his wife Jen when they lost everything during the big flood in Cedar Rapids last June. They are now reunited with their beloved cats and dog in a condo on a hill overlooking the river.
Thank you also for all the prayers, love and hugs since the suicide of our oldest son Don. Please continue to keep us in your prayers until further notice.
Love and God bless, Bob and Florence Poyer.
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| Office Volunteers Needed February 23 through March 6
Jim Edgy will be on vacation. If you can volunteer to
cover phones from 10 to 12 each day, please sign up on the sheet on the piano or email office@gracecollegehill.org.
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| Check Out the New Diocesan Web Site
The Diocese of Southern Ohio has launched a new
web site. The new address is www.diosohio.org.
The new site contains the breadth of information available on the old site, but
with some significant improvements in look, navigation and interaction.
The new site breaks down the information using the queries: Who, What, When,
Where, Why and How. There's a search function to help you figure out where information and forms are located
in the new site. It's robust and quick.
The site adds several elements of interaction: There are news and bulletin
board items to which readers can post comments. Want to offer the bishops feedback
on columns that are posted online? Submit a comment. Interested in carpooling
to a workshop at Procter? Submit a request. The comments will be moderated to
avoid inappropriate content and then posted. In addition, any person in the
diocese can log in to the site and have a record of events that they have
registered for as well as the ability to connect to different interests or
groups. (But we must have your e- mail address inputted in the system first --
so send them to jmurray@diosohio.org
along with your name and church!)
Tammy Robertson of Grace will be attending a conference at Procter on February 21 to learn how the new Diocesan web site and related services might be utilized by Grace.
The conference is called God's Web: Connecting in the 21st Century. This all-day workshop will provide hands-on
training from Digital Faith, the architects of our new diocesan website. The
new diocesan site allows congregations and groups to nest within it and have
their own websites with administrative control and free hosting.
Those interested in developing their own site must attend this workshop for the
training. The day also will explore other ways of connection, including a
social networking (learn how to set up your own Facebook page), new media
tools, blogging, tips on better utilizing Microsoft Office, virtual worship and
companion relationships. People with all levels of technical expertise and
computer comfort are encouraged to attend. The cost is $20, which includes
lunch and materials. Pre-registration is required. If you'd like to attend, register here. You can view a YouTube video to learn more.
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Calling All Potential 2009 Summer Camp Counselors
If you (or someone you know)
think you want to spend the 2009 summer at Procter Camp and Conference Center
working with youth of all ages from across the Episcopal Church, then please
click www.dsoyouth.org/camp/employment.html for an employment application to be a Summer Camp Counselor.
Time Required: June 11th - August 5th 2009
Applications Due: February 1, 2009
Interviews will be held on a Saturday in March 2009 to be determined.
Please send 3 letters of reference to: Office of Youth Ministry
c/o
Procter Camp & Conf. Center
11235
State Route 38 SE
London, OH 43140
If you have any questions please contact:
Rob Konkol
Director of Youth Ministries
The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio
513-371-5131
rkonkol@diosohio.org
For upcoming youth events, visit the Diocesan Youth Site..
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| Plan Ahead for Lent
The clergy of our deanery will host a Lenten series on March 3rd,10th,17th,and 24th.
The series will be held at Ascension and Holy Trinity. Classes will be led by the Reverends David
Halt, Bob Hufford, David Bailey, Rosa Autry Brown, Pat Merchant and Ernestein
C. Flemister.
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| Refresh Your Soul Conference Coming in March
The theme of the conference is Staying Afloat--Preserving the Capacity to Care. It'll be held March 6 and 7 at the Crowne Plaza in Blue Ash. Presenters include Jane Meier Hamilton, MSN, RN and the Rev. Dcn. Jaonna Seibet, MD. Brochures are available in the upper Belmont rack. For more information, cll Ellen Schneider at 800=835-4545 or visit www.episcopalretirement.com.
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Coming Events at Grace
In the coming week at Grace: - Celebration of the Life of Jim Dietz, Saturday, January 24, 10 am.
- Choir Practice, Sunday, January 18, 9 am.
Eucharist Rite I, Sunday, January 18, 10 am. -
Stir the Pot Series: The Sword of Constantine, Sunday, January 25, 4:30 pm. A warning about what can happen when military and religious fervor are joined. Film, discussion and homemade soup.
Choir Practice, Thursday, January 8, 7 pm.
Coming special events: - Annual Meeting, Sunday, February 1.
- Stir the Pot Series:
- The Freedom Files, Sunday, February 22. Highlights vital civil liberties issues.
- An Inconvenient Truth, Sunday, March 15. A film about one man's view of global warming.
- Do Not Go Gentle, Sunday, April 26. A film about the power of imagination and aging. The filmmaker will be with us.
See the Grace Church Calendar for more complete and uptodate information on meetings and services at at Grace. Let us know if we've missed anything.
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