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Meet at Grace Before 8 am
Tomorrow (Saturday) for
Common Ministry Meeting at Procter
Conference Center
Members and friends of Grace will meet at the church
tomorrow before 8 am to car pool to Procter Conference
Center for a meeting in which Bishop Briedenthal will share
his ideas and hear questions about Common Ministry.
Grace's Common Ministry Committee (Carol
Lyon, Ken
Lyon, Justine
Matovu, Wanda
Miller, Roger
and Belinda Perna) believes that the more people from
Grace who attend this meeting, the better prepared the
congregation will be to make a decision about Common
Ministry at Grace.
The meeting will run from 10 am to 3 pm. Directions to
Procter may be found here.
Allow at least an hour and a half to get there.
For more information on
Common Ministry ...
- Read the list of questions below, and add your own.
- Read the the Bishop's invitation to the September 19
meeting here.
- Read the minutes of Mission Council's informational
meeting with The Rev. Derrick Fetz here.
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Grace's
Common Ministry Questions
Members of the congregation met after the 10 am service in
August to share their questions about Common Ministry.
Here is a summary of the questions that were asked.
- What is the definition of Common Ministry?
- What are some of the existing models of Common
Ministry churches?
- How do we create the correct list of functions
needed to keep the congregation together?
- How is the Common Ministry team formed?
- Who's in charge and how are they elected?
- How does the discernment process work?
- How are priests raised from the congregation?
- Can a congregation raise more than one priest?
- Are there any age qualifications for priests?
- Can the Bishop ordain a deacon to become a priest in
a Common Ministry church?
- What are the track records of other churches that
have used Common Ministry?
- Is Common Ministry just for poor churches?
- What Diocesan support is available if we want to
explore Common Ministry?
- Is we become a Common Ministry church, will we ever
hire professional clergy again?
- Can a church grow in a Common Ministry model?
- Will we be able to have Eucharist every Sunday?
- During the interim period, how can we do weddings
and funerals?
The Common Ministry Committee will get answers to these
questions and share them with the congregation so that we
can make an informed decision about Common Ministry later
this year.
If you have questions to add to the list, please tell
Chair Carol Lyon (513-542-2941, juniorwarden@gracecollegehill.org).
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| What's
Right About Grace Church
These are urgent times at Grace Church. As we focus on
meeting the challenges of the present and immediate future,
we can get overly concerned about the things that we're not
doing. At a recent Growth Committee meeting, we discussed
the tremendous number of things that we have accomplished in
the past three years and we talked about how good it would
be to point this out to people so they could talk about it
with their friends.
Let's change the discussion from what we are not doing to
the many good things that we are doing. We have a lot to
crow about. Spread the word. Then we will begin to see even
more things happen.
Jim Edgy
Our
List of Successes at Grace Church
Worship
- We instituted Coffee Hours following Sunday Worship at
least two times per month and often more.
- We held several Blessed Grills following Sunday
Worship.
- Choir has grown to the largest number of people since
we quit having a paid choir, singing a wide range of
music from the Anglican tradition from the 15th - 21st
Centuries.
- We have more Sunday volunteers than ever, serving on
the Altar and Flower Guilds, and as ushers, lay readers,
chalice bearers, and other functions to make our
services more meaningful.
- We began the monthly African Drumming, Reiki, and
traditional Healing service.
- We continued the Sunday healing service during the
Eucharist.
- We began the monthly Hip Hop Service.
Programs
- We sponsored several Rainbow Band concerts
- We began holding a parish Christmas Dinner.
- We held a Spring Luncheon in honor of Mothers.
- Healing
- We visited the sick and the shut-in and took them
Communion.
- We served those who grieved from loss of a close one
or for other reasons.
- We hosted special receptions for several events.
Education:
- Sunday School has grown from 3 children to 17
children.
- We held 10 "Stir the Pot" sessions of
stimulating discussions about controversial issues.
- We held several "Ask Questions" sessions
where people could discuss troublesome topics about
their faith.
- We continued our two Education for Ministry classes
for 20 people from all over Greater Cincinnati,
graduating four students last year.
- We trained 7 Lay Eucharistic Ministers to distribute
elements during Worship Services.
- We trained 4 Lay Eucharistic Visitors to take
Communion to shut-ins following Worship Services.
- Five people receiving training as Worship Leaders.
- We enrolled one person in the Diocese's Lay Preacher
training program.
- 12 members took Safe Church training.
Outreach
- We donated regularly and generously to the Christ's
Community in College Hill food bank
- We participate in Interfaith Hospitality Network with
Christ Church, Glendale and are working with 5 local
churches to begin one in College Hill.
- We provide mentors for several school children to
assist with their studies.
- We participated in the College Hill Block Parties for
the past two years.
- We participated in the College Hill Pumpkin Patch
festival for the past 3 years.
- We have been active in the College Hill Ministerium
and the College Hill Summit
- We continued the Christmas Giving Tree, providing 20
young people with clothing gifts last year.
- We continued the parolee project where they assist us
and we support them on a personal, spiritual, and
personal basis.
- We provide space for another church's services and
activities.
- We provide meeting space for several community groups
on a regular basis, including
- Narcotics Anonymous,
- The Rainbow Band,
- The Flag Drill team,
- Three theatre groups,
- A Bible study group,
- The Uganda School, and
- Several other groups that do one time events,
including weddings and funerals for non-members.
Building and Grounds
- We repaired the plumbing in the rest rooms
- We repaired the plaster and repainted the Sanctuary
- We repaired the plaster and repainted the hallways
- We increased the lighting level in the Sanctuary
- We totally improved the heating in the 1957 wing
- We installed better furniture in the parlor
- We created and furnished a seating area in the Great
Hall.
- We continued to improve the appearance of the grounds
around the church
- We began the Red Door project
- We improved day to day maintenance of our building and
grounds
- We replaced portions of the roof
- We installed flags over front door which has brought
us several new members.
- We began renovation of the meeting room under the
choir room.
- We redid the lower Belmont entrance to make it more
inviting for the many groups that use our facilities
Membership
- We have baptized, confirmed and accepted new members
through transfer.
- We created and distributed Grace Post Cards and a
Grace Slide Show on CD and DVD.
- We maintained our attractive web site, which attracts
over 100 visitors per week, and continued to publish
eGraceNotes to over 100 subscribers
Finances
- We have enjoyed a generous level of support from
both our parishioners and from the Diocese. Although
it is still a struggle, we have finished the past 3
years with a small excess of income over expenses.
While doing all of the
above:
- We have built a committed congregation of actively
involved people of all ages, colors, orientations and
national origins.
- And last, WE HAVE SURVIVED, WE LOVE EACH OTHER AND WE
ARE A VERY SPECIAL CHURCH THAT WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART
OF. TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW.
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| Keep
in Your Prayers ...
David Mukasa, John Thayer, Gigi Woode, Toussaint Thrower and
family, Ray Harris; Marilyn White; Trevor Van Wagenen; Anna
Hamilton, Ed Frye, Jo Carroll, Karen Van Wagenen, Grace
Staples, Elaine Hughes, Maureen Back, Eloise Pinto, Ruth
Bertram, Robert Flemister; Judy & Walter 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, Mike and family, Chris and family.
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.
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 Hip-Hop
Worship & Praise Service Resumes
The Hip-Hop Service resumes at Grace on Saturday, October 3,
at 5 pm, and continues on the first Saturday of every month.
Come and join us as we sing God's praises through scripture,
poetry, testimonies, and all kinds of music: hip-hop, rap,
gospel, Christian contemporary. Refreshments follow the
service.
Why are we doing this? Because we are told to
"Sing our hearts out for the Lord!"(Colossians
3:16)
Thanks to Roger Perna for this announcement.
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Coming
Events
Saturday, September 19: Common Ministry Meeting at Procter
Officiants in the coming months:
- Oct 4: The Rev. Kimberly Knight
- Oct 11: Fr. John Bower
- Oct 18: Deacon Gary Givler
- Oct 25: Fr. John Bower
- Save the date: October 9 for movie night for children.
- The Hip Hop Service restarts Saturday, October 3, at 5
pm.
- Drumming, Reiki, and Healing will restart in October.
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.
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 Thanks
to ....
... Father Clifford Atkinson for celebrating last Sunday,
and to the Reverends Betts, Bower and Givler for celebrating
past and future services).
... Grace Staples, Mary, McLain, and Belinda and Roger Perna
for being in the office during Jim's vacation.
... Belinda and Roger Perna, Mary McLain, Grace Staples, and
Bob Jones for their help with the parolee work day
supervision and meal in August. Please notice the
flower beds by the Garth and on that side of the building.
... Rhoda Brunfield for her dramatic and engaging reading of
the Letter of James at the lay-led Sunday service in late
August. Also to the Worship Committee and our recently
trained and licensed worship leaders, Ken Lyon, Wanda
Miller, Belinda Perna, Roger Perna and Hawley Todd.
When you see people who should be thanked, tell us atoffice@gracecollegehill.org.
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| Work
Day Help Needed
Parolees will be at Grace again for a work day on Thursday,
September 24, from 9 am to noon. This is not only an
important work and socialization opportunity that Grace can
provide these men, it also gets some needed work done around
our buildings and grounds.
If you can help in supervising a group of men or with the
lunch, please let the office know (office@gracecollegehill.org,
513-541-2415).
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| Notes
on Sunday's Readings
(See Sunday's readings here.)
In Sunday's Gospel reading Jesus again predicts his death
and resurrection. The disciples fail to understand and
dispute among themselves which of them is the most
important. Jesus tells them that the highest status in his
kingdom is reserved for those who serve. This is a call to
pattern our lives on his life in self-giving love.
Again our first reading is from the Wisdom writings. Most
biblical descriptions of righteous living describe a
righteous man. Today's passage describes righteousness in
the life of a woman. Like all of God's righteous people, she
is noted for her faithfulness to God and for her good works
for the poor.
Again we read from the Epistle of James. After describing
the characteristics of those who are at peace with God, the
author states that strife, jealousy, and estrangement are
the products of allying ourselves with the world rather than
with God. This passage bears some similarity with the
message from the first reading.
When the Church gathers to worship, it acts out its
allegiance to God and its service to the world. In the
action of the liturgy we express our service to each other.
That liturgical action is the pattern for our daily living
as God's friends and as fellow servants with Christ to all
people. The liturgy, then, is extended beyond the doors of
the church building into all of life.
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Christmas
Dinner Planning Starts Now
We would like to have our 3rd annual Christmas Dinner this
year. If you are willing to help with this, please let
Jim Edgy know (office@gracecollegehill.org,
513-541-2415). We will have a planning meeting soon
and need to know who to invite and count on for this event.
There will be three committees this year:
- Set up and decorations;
- Food and serving;
- Clean up.
Please help if you can. We need you to make this
happen. |
Free
Tickets to Get Motivated Seminar in Louisville
We have been offered four free tickets to Get Motivated, a
conference on Church to Community relationships in
Louisville on September 29 from 8 am to 4:30 pm.
Speakers will be Colin Powell, Laura Bush, The Rev Dr.
Robert Schuller, Zig Zigler, Terry Bradshaw, and others.
See more information here.
If you are interested in attending, see Jim Edgy.
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Biblical
Materials Requested
The Community of Christ the Redeemer at North Central
Correctional Institution is asking for donations of
religious materials, e.g. used Forward
Day by Day and other devotionals, Bibles, Bible
studies (English and Spanish; no audio cassettes). Typing
and writing paper appreciated as well. See Judy Handy (jhandy23@cinci.rr.com,
513-681-5829) for more information.
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Congratulations
to ...
... Bishop Kenneth Price who has been appointed as the
Interim Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburg. He will
continue with limited assistance in Ohio during the
approximately 3 years that he will be in Pittsburg. You
can read more about this from Bishop Price here.
... The Reverend Ernestein Flemister who has accepted the
position and begun serving as Rector of St
James House of Prayer, Tampa, Florida. Ernestein's
installation as Rector of St James will be on Sunday, Nov.
29, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The church has offered
housing with its parishioners if anyone wants to attend.
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 The
Choir is Back!
The choir was back and in good voice last Sunday.
Choir Practice is every Thursday night from 7 to 8 pm and
Sunday morning from 9 to 9:50 am. All are welcome so
please join us. We are especially in need of
sopranos and tenors.
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| How
to Respond to Visitors Asking for Help
Sometimes, we are visited by people who are looking for
help. As Christians, we want to respond, but sometimes we
don't know what the appropriate response is.
Mission Council has discussed this with Deacon Gary Givler
and has concluded that visitors looking for help can
always be referred to Deacon Givler.
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Our
Focal Point for Keeping Track of What's Happening--Jim Edgy
A reminder: Please keep the office informed of your
Grace Church activities and the people who are involved in
them. Vicar Ernestein funneled much of the information
to Jim Edgy so he could advertise and recognize people in
the bulletin. Now you will need to do it directly.
Thanks for your help.
Contact Jim at the Grace Church office (541-2415, office@gracecollegehill.org).
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It's
Easy to Keep in Touch with What's Happening in the Diocese
The Diocese has its own eNewsletter called e-Connections
that provices regular updates on Diocesan matters. To
subscribe, click here.
You can catch up with what's happening at the Diocesan
web site.
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Prayer
Power Workshop on the Labyrinth
 A
Prayer Power workshop on the labyrinth is set for Christ
Church, Glendale, for Sunday, Sept. 27, with Susan
MacKellar, facilitator. The event will include a lunch
at 1 pm, followed by the workshop, which will include
information and experience using the labyrinth.
"Basically, the labyrinth is a meditation tool, a way
of getting in touch with God," says MacKellar.
"Labyrinths have been around for thousands of years. They've
existed in every culture, all over the world. Native
americans called theirs the medicine wheel," she adds.
Labyrinths come in all sizes. The Christ Church,
Glendale group hopes to have three available for use on
Sept. 27, including inside, one on the lawn and one in the
parking lot.
There is no charge for participating in the workshop, but
registration is important, since lunch will be served.
Registration information is available at 513-771-1544 or braunqm1@cinci.rr.com |
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