|
|
News for and about Grace Episcopal Church
|
May 2, 2009
| |
|
|
|
Dear Friend,
If you read this in time, you can attend the Queen City Rainbow Band
concert at Grace tonight (Saturday) at 7:30 pm. Their Christmas program
was exciting; this one will be even better, we're sure.
Don't forget, Sunday (tomorrow) is Sharing Sunday. Bring your non-perishables for Christ's Community in College Hill's food pantry.
|
|
 Notes on Sunday's Readings
(See the readings here.)
The fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally called "Good Shepherd
Sunday." Each year we hear a part of Jesus' discourse on his relationship to us
in the image of the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd loves his sheep so much
that he lays down his life for them. We are called by him into his life, the
life which he has given for us.
Sunday's reading from the Acts of the Apostles continues the story
of the first days of the Church. Peter and the other Apostles are on trial
before the rulers of the people because in spite of being commanded to speak no
more of Jesus, they had continued to preach and to heal in his name. Today we
hear portion of Peter's response.
The reading from the first letter of John tells us that as God's children we
are to reveal God's love by living in love with all other people. That love is
to be more than a kind feeling. We cannot claim to have God's love if we do not
care for the needs of our poor and neglected brothers and sisters. Our identity
now comes from God and our lives are to reflect God's own nature and love. How
we live reveals our relationship to God.
Thus the description of the Church as the Body of Christ is not
merely an analogy. It describes our life together as the embodiment of Christ's
love and mercy toward all people. We are not only "the sheep of his pasture,"
but we are to shepherd all his people in his name. |
Holy Week Pictures
Holy Week and Easter presented some great photo ops. The church on Easter was beautiful, AND, we had two sides of choir!  Vicar Ernestein celebrated Palm Sunday and her birthday in a colorful chasuble that we don't remember seeing before. See more pictures. |
Coming Events
See the Grace Calendar Page for the most up-to-date listing of events at Grace and of possible interest to Grace people. Let us know at webmaster@gracecollegehill.org if we've missed anything. Coming Special Events:
Traces of the Trade, Sunday, May 17. In this film
A Story from the Deep
North, filmmaker Katrina Browne
discovers that her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family
in U.S. history. This event is being
co-sponsored by Ascension and Holy Trinity Church, Wyoming.
|
| Keep in Your Prayers ...
Maureen Back, Eloise Pinto, Ruth Bertram, Joyce Markham;
Mrs. Matthews; Judy Handy, Shelly Martin, Barbara
Todd; Kim Martin, Robb Martin; Florence and Bob Poyer;Dean Bryeans, Mary Hall, Chris; Irene Bryeans; Joshua,
Caleb, Anne, and Darryl Handy; Marcus Flemister;
Kim Herrmann, Al Berghausen; Teri; Mary Lou Bellows; Jackie Lewis.
Please let us know if you need pastoral care
or know of someone who does. This includes
information about illness, hospital stays, requests for visits, communion, and
prayers for special concerns. Please help us to serve you.
|
Our Thanks:
 To Gary Givler for
leading our service the Sunday after Easter while Ernestein was away at
a conference Liberian Episcopal Clergy in the US. To Chuck Bowles, Linda and Roger Perna, David Mukasa, Bob Jones,
Vince Bennett, Jim Edgy, John Thayer, and Tammy Robertson for
the work painting most of the sanctuary. See these people at work in the online Grace Work Days photo album.
To
David Mukasa and his worker who came to the church, mopped the great hall and prepared it for the Good Friday Fish Fry.
To the Altar and Flower Guilds for
all their hard work in preparing and decorating the church for our Easter
services. See the online Holy Week 2009 album for pictures.
To Jackie Lewis
for the beautiful bulletin board in the lower Belmont entrance.
To J White and Hawley
Todd for their faithful assistance with our healing program.
To Maria Mukasa and the parents and children of the
Uganda School for weeding, mowing, mulching and doing other work on our
grounds.
To Maria Mukasa, Tammy Robertson & Lisa Perry,
Susan Givler, Darice, Chapel, Dominick Mukasa, Rev. Ernestein, Judy Handy,
Chuck Bowles and to all who contributed and helped with the Fish Fry
on Good Friday. We Worked hard, ate good food and enjoyed ourselves.
To all the parolees who came to Grace, painting, cleaning, mowing, and doing other tasks around the church.
To Lisa Perry, Tammy Robertson, Belinda and Roger
Perna, Mary McLain, J White, Chuck Bowles and all who attend the
Stir the Pot film last week. It was an
excellent film and discussion.
To David Mukasa for supplying Vince to do
additional painting in the sanctuary
To the members of the Drill and Flag team who
continue to paint the hallways around the sanctuary. |
| New Occasions Teach New Duties
As we make the transition to a part-time priest, many of the responsibilities currently carried by the Vicar will transition to others in the church. This is a great time to practice the priesthood of all believers.
Right now, we have opportunities:
To serve as Eucharistic Visitors
to visit the sick and shut-in and take them Communion.
To train as lay
worship leaders and preachers.
These
positions need to be trained before Vicar Ernestein leaves us. If you are called to do either or both of this, please contact Vicar Ernestein.
|
 Walk for Hunger
A Hunger Walk to benefit the Free Store is coming May 25. Anyone interested in joining a group of
walkers from Grace Church should contact Vicar Ernestein. The entry fee is
$20 with a T shirt, $15 without a T shirt if you register prior to May
12. After that, the price goes up $5.
|
Worship Leader Training
If you are interested in leading worship at Grace
Church, you should attend this training. Ken Lyon will attend and would be happy to
have others with him.
A diocesan workshop for
training and continuing education of Worship Leaders is being offered on
Saturday, May 16 from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm at St. James,
Zanesville.
The purpose of this training is to equip lay persons to plan
and officiate at major liturgies in their congregations when a priest is not
available. This workshop will provide the necessary training to be
licensed as a Worship Leader with the recommendation of the priest or Rector.
Instruction in the use of the prayer book and liturgies of the church will be offered. Morning
Prayer, funerals and wedding planning will be discussed. Teaching on
choosing hymns and suggested resources for music will be presented. The day
will conclude with an instructed Eucharist.
The cost of the workshop is $10
which includes lunch. Register and pay online by May 10.
Checks may also be mailed to Kay Sturm at the Bishop's Center, 125 E Broad St,
Columbus, OH 43215. For more information, contact Kay Sturm at 800-582-1712 ext
136 or ksturm@diosohio.org.
|
Jubilate: Dimensions in Liturgy and Music
Belinda Perna brings this workshop to our attention, saying, "This opportunity, along with the Worship Leader Training, will enhance our efforts to lead Grace Church into the future as a strong member of the Body of Christ. We need to have as many Gracers as possible take advantage of these opportunities. I pray that we have a dozen or more people from Grace at each of these events."  This workshop, held at Procter Conference Center on Saturday, May 9, from 10 am to 4 pm, will be led by Dr. David Hurd, Professor of Church Music and Organist, The General Theological Seminary and Director of Music at the Church of the Holy Apostles, New York City.
In
a lecture/demonstration format, Dr. Hurd will explore "psalms, hymns
and spiritual songs" as categories and context for the church's song though
the ages and in our own time. He will also discuss the impact of the
1979 Book of Common Prayer and 1982 Hymnal on worship norms in the
Episcopal Church, and the continuing unfolding of liturgical forms and
musical settings with their opportunities and challenges. The day will
conclude with a sung Eucharist including music both old and new. Register here. |
Safe Church Training
Many of us are required to take this training for the prevention of sexual misconduct and child abuse. Ken Lyon will attend the session in June at All Saints in Pleasant Ridge. If anyone wishes
to go with him, let us know.
The diocese requires Safe Church Training for:
* All clergy
* All wardens
* All full time employees of
the church
* All who
regularly work with or around children or youth
* All licensed by
the Bishop as Eucharistic Visitors
* All who have
the authority to begin new programs which involve children or youth
The Diocese strongly encourages Safe Church
Training for:
* Vestry or mission council
members and congregational officers
* All who give
any kind of pastoral care
* All who contract their
services to the diocese or congregations
* All who
occasionally work with or around children or youth
Workshops offered in the Cincinnati area:
* June 27, 2009 All Saints,
Pleasant Ridge, Cincinnati.
Fill out the online registration or
contact Geraldine McDaniel at the Diocesan House. Phone: 513-421-0311. Cost for
training is $15, which you can mail along with registration or pay online.
|
| Clayton Hall Dies
Graveside services for Grace Church member Clayton Hall were held last Friday. Mr. Hall, husband of Elfreda Hall, died April 28.
|
Mission Council Meets to Plan the Transition
Mission Council has met several times recently to plan the transition to a part-time clergy presence. You can get the details in the meeting minutes, which are all posted online here.
|
| Judy Shepard to speak at the University of Cincinnati
 On October 8, 1998, Judy and Dennis Shepard were awakened in the
middle of the night by a telephone call no parent should ever have to receive.
Their son, Matthew, was in a coma after having been brutally attacked because
he was gay.
In the decade since Matthew Shepard was beaten and
killed, Matthew's mother, Judy, an active Episcopalian,
has spoken about tolerance and love to colleges and groups around the country.
On Tuesday May 5 at 7 pm in Great Hall on the campus of the
University of Cincinnati, Judy Shepard will champion Matthew's cause before the
students, faculty, and staff. The event is free and open to the public.
For
more information please contact Terri M. Hurdle at hurdlet@ucmail.uc.edu. |
| Keeping our Space Attractive
|
|
|
|
|
