| All Are Encouraged to Attend the Gifts Workshop Sunday or Thursday
All Grace members and friends are encouraged to attend the Common Ministry Gifts Workshops. We expect that these workshops may well enable participants to live lives that are more fun, more meaningful and more rewarding. We also expect that the life of the Grace community will be further invigorated.
The next workshop is this Sunday, April 24 following worship or on the following
Thursday, April 29, at 6:30pm. Snacks will be provided. If you need child care provided, please contact Ken Lyon ( ken@lyonhouse.us, 513-542-2941).
This series of workshops will help each of us identify our special gifts--those things we most
love to do and feel most alive when doing them. We'll also identify the issues
in the world around us that most concern us. We'll reflect on how our gifts
might be used to address our concerns. Finally, we'll see how our individual
gifts and concerns can be combined with those of others to form ministry teams
at Grace Church.
Here's the schedule for the remaining workshops:
Sunday, April 25 after worship or Thursday, April 29 at 6:30 pm.
Gifts Assessment Workshop II: "Identifying Our Gifts." We will meet in small
groups and talk about accomplishments in our life that we value or feel good
about. By listening, others in your group will be able to help you assess your
gifts as demonstrated by your stories
Sunday, May 16 after worship or Thursday, May 29 at 6:30 pm.
Gifts Assessment Workshop III: "What Tugs at My Heart?" You will identify what
community and world issues are most important to you, and we will work together
to determine which of these issues are most important to Grace Church as a
parish. |
| A Little Homework for the Next Gifts Workshop
Here's a little "homework assignment" to
complete before attending the next Gifts Workshop.
Take a few minutes to think of and then write down some important accomplishments or achievements in your life which you value or feel good about. Be prepared to share with others
at the workshop. By sharing our ideas,
we hope to discern the gifts that each of us has been given.
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Keep in Your Prayers ...
 Jim Edgy,
Phillis Dietz, Jo Carroll, Pete Staples, John (Johnbear) Dunn, Jack Hart, Anjean
Poyer, John Thayer, Gigi Woode, Toussaint Thrower and family, Ray Harris,
Marilyn White, Trevor Van Wagenen, Ed Frye, Karen Van Wagenen, Elaine Hughes, Maureen Back, Eloise Pinto, Ruth
Bertram, Robert Flemister, Judy & Walter Handy, Molly, Shelly Martin,
Barbara Todd, Kim Martin, Robb Martin, Dean Bryeans, Chris, Irene Bryeans,
Joshua, Caleb, Anne, and Darryl Handy, Marcus Flemister, Kim Herrmann, Al
Berghausen, Mary Lou Bellows, Jackie Lewis, Mike and family, Chris and family,
Malcolm Daniel, Jean Cavalieri, Shelby Hager and family, Laura Chace, Erik,
Alison, Nathanael and Alexis Handy, Mary Jo, Belinda Hoerst, Steve, Tom, and Mary Ratliff. Father John Bower and his
wife, Louise. |
Coming Events
- Sunday, 4/25 at 11:15 am: Gifts Workshop II.
- Thursday, 4/29 at 6:30 pm: Gifts Workshop II (repeat).
See the Grace Calendar Page for more information and more events.
We try to list every event at Grace in the online calendar to facilitate scheduling. If you know of any meeting that's not listed, please let us know at webmaster@gracecollegehill.org.
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| A Successful Parolee Work Day
Parolees come to Grace Church the fourth Thursday of every month to work as part of their community service requirement. Last Thursday's work day was particularly successful, thanks in great part to leadership provided by Tony Denbo.
Tony reports, "We had 7 parolees do a lot of weed pulling in the garden
areas on both sides of the church. Two of the guys helped out painting in the first floor bathroom. Please note that these bathrooms are still a work in progress. Parole Officer John Eckman mentioned to me that this was the hardest they have worked in
a long time."
Tony is already thinking about the next parolee work day in May. He says, "I have set some goals for the next visit.
I will be contacting the parole officer two weeks prior to the
next visit to possibly have more guys here to get more work done. Should you have anything that needs to be done, please let me know. I am going to compile a "to do" list so that he
and I can determine the number of guys we can use. I already have a few items
on the list to get accomplished. John told me that
we most likely can have up to 15 guys if we can show the various jobs that need
to be done and the time to do them."
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| Grace Notes Article Comes Full Circle
Grace Member Marjorie Shadd writes:
You aren't going to believe this but I received an e-mail
yesterday relating to a mission trip I will be taking which included the
following:
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers,
half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you will live deep in your
heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, exploitation of
people and the earth, so that you will work for justice, equity and peace.
May
God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer, so you will reach out
your hand to comfort them and change their pain into joy.
And may God bless you
with foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so you
will do the things which others say cannot be done.
(Author Unknown published in Grace Notes, Volume 1, Issue 4, August/September
2000)
Isn't that amazing? The e-mail came from a woman in the Roman Catholic
Archdiocese.
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Free Ticket!
Jane
Strohmeier has a
free ticket to Ain't Misbehavin', the musical, at the Playhouse in the
Park, Saturday, May 22, 2010, at 4:00 pm for anyone who would give her a ride
to the performance. Call Jane to accept at 513-385-1123.
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Healing Service Draws Record Crowd
Hawley Todd reports that the Celebration
of Wholeness and Healing on April 14 was "the largest crowd that I have ever seen at
Grace for a service."
Hawley goes on, "When I got to Grace at 5:45 to set up for the service
there were already two cars in the parking lot. I
explained that we start at 6:30 and that they were welcome to join us."
"An accurate count is often difficult since the service is
fluid and typically about three and a half hours long. At one point I counted 60 in the pews, and typically we have about 20 more people in the healing circle at
the rear of the church. I saw six additional folks come in later. For the count I will
say 86."
"Kevin Drigger commented to me that when he and Bob Laake first
came to Grace, he had an "image" of it as a holistic healing
center. That is just a thought as we
look to our future."
"Many thanks to J White and Tammy Robertson for their support!"
The next Healing Service is Wednesday, May 12. Drumming starts at 6:30 pm; the service proper starts at 7 pm. Read more about this service here.
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Grace Member Selected for College Preparation Program
 Only twenty-five applicants were
selected for the SCOPE (Summer Collegiate Orientation Program and Enrichment) program, and Grace member Darice Chapel was
one of
them. To be included in this program, she wrote several essays and obtained references from
teachers and others. Her good grades were also an important factor.
Darice is the daughter of Calvin & Virginia Chapel and is a Sophomore and Honor student at Finneytown High School.
SCOPE brings together African American high school students
from the Greater Cincinnati area to assist them in preparing for college.
Students reside on campus for one-two weeks, attending classes and earning
credit to apply toward a college degree. Students also attend workshops on the
college admission process, library research, financial aid, coping strategies
and study skills.
This program is a three-year commitment
beginning in the student's sophomore year of high school. At the conclusion of
the three-year program, student earn six transferable college credits
to the college/university of their choice.
Project SCOPE is supported by the Macy's Fund of
the Federated Foundation.
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Grace Member Taking Preacher Training
Grace Church member Ken Lyon has almost completed the first year of a three-year Diocese-sponsored class intended to provide the Diocese with a group of licensed lay preachers. The class meets monthly to practice sermons on one another. The sermon Ken delivered last Sunday, On Not Being a Good Christian, was prepared as part of that course. You can read it here.
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Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio Summer Camp Information
The Diocese has announced a full slate of Summer Camps at Procter Retreat Center
123 Camp (June 30-July 3): For children entering 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade and one adult chaperone to
accompany them. We will learn Bible Knowledge and Bible Trivia.
Boys and Girls Camp (July 6-10): For children entering 4th or 5th grade. Learn about prayer, Bible Scavenger Hunt.
Junior Camp (August 2-7): For Children entering 6th or 7th grade. Learn to read the lessons, write prayers, and learn about the Bible through
the Bible Amazing Race!
Intermediate Camp (July 26-31): For those entering 8th or 9th Grade. Learn about Liturgy, how to read the Bible and how to share your faith with
others.
Senior High Camp (July 19-24): For those entering 10th, 11th, 12th grade, and graduated seniors. There are many formation tracks to choose from, including Biblical
Storytelling, Peer Ministry, Worship through Music, Carrying Your Faith
Confidently after High School, among many others.
Creation Camp (July 12-16): For those entering 6th-12th Grade. Formation tracks will focus on Creative Arts and Sports.
Outdoor Adventure Camp (June 30-July 3): For those entering 6th-12th Grade. See God in nature as you sleep in a tent, learn to cook your own food, and
participate in many outdoor activities such as canoeing!
Family Camp (June 25-27, July 16-18, or August 11-14): Age specific activities. Bible Study for all ages. Spend quality time with your family.
Read more and register here.
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