Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?

A. Noah. He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

This Sunday we begin the next phase of Grace Church's exploration of Common Ministry. At a one-hour workshop following our Sunday service, we'll begin exploring what, for lack of a better title. we're calling "Grace Church--What's it to You?"  Our purpose is to discern what's important about Grace to its members and friends.

We'll be sharing our answers to questions such as:

• Why did you come to Grace?
• Why did you remain at Grace?

Refreshments will be served.

For those who can't come this Sunday, this workshop will be repeated on Thursday, June 24, at 6:30 pm.

At previous workshops, participants report that they  appreciated learning more about other Grace members and friends. These workshops are turning out to be a community-building opportunity.

Future Common Ministry Events

The Diocese is sponsoring Common Ministry training at Procter Conference Center on July 10. We are encouraging as many members of Grace as possible to attend this training, so more than just a few can take part in discerning Grace's future.

In August, on the 22nd following worship and again on the 26th at 6:30 pm, we have scheduled a Community workshop to learn more about the communities we serve.

Over the past year, Grace Church has been exploring "common ministry."  Yet I still hear many people ask, "What is common ministry?" In simple terms, common ministry is shared ministry.  It is an understanding of the church where everyone shares in the ministry/work of the church. 

Common/shared ministry is a corrective to how many in our culture and church view what it means to "go to church."  For many, the chaplaincy model prevails.  In that model, the church is run and staffed by paid professionals who "do ministry" while the members of the church are the clients.  Another way of expressing that idea is that the paid professions are providers who offer a service to consumers.  In a similar vein, churches can be seen by some as entertainment or art centers.  The heart of common/shared ministry is to offer a vision of church life and worship where everyone participates and the gifts of each person are validated and empowered.  It is the ancient vision of the church as being the body of Christ.

An excellent example of common/shared ministry is the Wednesday night Healing Service at Grace Church.  The service combines drumming and healing. Everyone who comes to the service is welcomed to do both and to participate as led by the Holy Spirit.  In any given service, a significant portion of those attending will drum, receive healing prayer, and pray for others to receive healing. Almost everyone gives and receives. Yet no one is coerced to do anything or participate beyond one's own comfort level.  It is shared ministry, common ministry.

Hawley Todd

Diocesan Meeting on Common Ministry Coming July 10

We need as many Grace members as possible to come with us to the Procter Center on Saturday, July 10, to attend the Diocesan conference "Common Ministry Exploration." We will review what we have accomplished in our journey toward Common Ministry and share with others about "where do we go from here?" 

The conference is from 10 am to 3 pm. There is no charge and lunch is included.  The Procter Center is in London, Ohio, about 1 1/2 hours from Grace.  We will form car pools and be leaving Grace parking lot around 8:15 am on that day.  With many members attending, we will generate many great ideas as we explore this shared ministry adventure. Contact Roger Perna (513-290-7309, rperna@cinci.rr.com) and let him know that you are coming.

Alert eyes will note that a new prayer, written by the Common Ministry committee, has been added to our Sunday worship:

Here's news about College Hill summer programs for young people from Ralph and Lisa Williams of Christ's Community in College Hill.

Last Hallowe'en, the reality TV series Bridezillas filmed a wedding at Grace Church, which is now airing on the We channel. We recorded it and excerpted the parts showing Grace Church.  You can see four snapshots and a 1-1/2 minute video of those excerpts here. Grace Church looked really nice, and when the time came for the exchange of vows, the bride looked and acted nice as well.

Watching a full hour of Bridezillas just to see the above footage was pretty painful for your editor.  However, if you must, you can see repeat showings of the episode "Andrea and Ivy" on the WE channel at the following times:

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... everyone who stepped in at short notice to prepare the church for the late Ralph Galloway's funeral. Thank you so much for making the family feel at home and fulfill a wish, you are a special group of people and may God continue to reward and bless you. (from David Mukasa)

... you all for all those kind e-mails. (David Mukasa)

... Grace Church for the long time use of the building for our Search for God Group.  We have been meeting there since about 1996 when Waylen Melton was still there. Thank you so much.  (Marian Ruman)

Dear Friends,
 
I want to thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, cards, and other extensions of your care for me, especially your special intention of prayer at a Sunday Celebration of Healing service couple of weeks ago. You will never know how much it means to me.
 
As some of you may know, I have rejected all extraordinary measures so I live day to day.  But I am very fortunate that I have had a great life both personally and professionally and lived an active, and I hope, productive life until last October when I left Grace.  But my emphasis has always been on quality, not quantity, so during whatever time I have left I will do the best I can to make it meaningful.
 
I miss you all and want you to know that you are in my thoughts always.  Thank you for the wonderful opportunity you gave me in allowing me to be with you for the ten years I was at Grace.
 
My love and prayers go to you all.
 
Jim Edgy

Senior Warden David Mukasa had surgery on Friday, June 4, at Good Sam hospital, and returned home the same day. His doctor tells him that he'll be out of commission until about the 16th, and isn't to lift anything heavier than 20 pounds for six weeks.

Keep David in your prayers.

Longtime Grace member Wilma Walker (pictured here with her husband Paul in an old Parish directory) passed away on May 30.  The family is planning a Memorial Gathering at Grace Church on July 11 from 5 to 8 pm.  Wilma's daughter, Patricia Walker, can be reached at 513-263-0619.

Some may remember a time when several members of Wilma's family were all active at Grace Church. They include Wilma's mother Maria Meyer, her sister Karla Vogt, and her children, nephews and nieces.  We've seen daughter Patty back at Grace at recent Wednesday evening Healing Services.

You probably are aware of the fact that Grace Church has a long and interesting history dating from its founding in 1866 in the new settlement of College Hill.

Now you can read a history of our first hundred years in Laura Chace's booklet, The Parish of Grace Church, A History, 1866-1966, which is now online here. In addition to about 60 pages of text, there are about 25 pictures from Grace's first hundred years.

Ms. Chace, a historian, was a long-time member of Grace Church who served as warden as her father did before her.  A lifelong College Hill resident, she is now serves Christ Church Glendale as a deacon.

The Diocese' Center for Life Formation will begin a new class to train lay persons for licensing as Preachers in the fall.  The training is a two year program that meets monthly at the Procter Camp & Conference Center from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturdays, nine times per year. The program includes worship, Bible study, theological reflection and the practice of writing, delivering and evaluating sermons.

You can pick up your copy of the new Grace Church Directory at the church, or you can contact the office (513-541-2415, office@gracecollegehill.org) to have one mailed to you.

We plan to issue yet another update in the near future, so do let us know of any changes that should be made.

Hawley Todd has observed that our Celebration of Wholeness and Healing services on second Wednesday evenings are drawing quite a variety of people who are interested in and/or are practitioners of various modes of healing.  One of the recent additions to the mix is Healing Touch. 

For those who are interested in learning more about Healing Touch, practitioner Daniel Snyder has sent us the following:
You can contact Daniel Snyder at 513-221-1660 or daniel44@fuse.net.

There are many beautiful flowers this time of year that can be used to decorate the altar.  If you would like to give flowers in honor of someone or in memory of someone the donation the donation is only $35. 

There is a sign-up sheet on the table by the Belmont door. Or you may call the church office to let the Flower Guild know which Sunday you would like flowers and to let the office know in whose honor or memory the flowers are being donated.

The flower fund is designed to be self-sufficient.  With your donation, we can continue to have lovely flowers on the altar.

 

EFM combines the traditional functions of fellowship group and Bible study with a method of theological reflection designed to tap into our creative, metaphorical and mythical ways of thinking, to help us make conscious connections between our faith traditions and the "post-religious" world we find ourselves in today. A group of six to twelve participants, led by a trained mentor, meets weekly for 36 three hour meetings in the course of a year. The course is a four year program but participants commit to one year at a time.

EfM features:

For complete information about EfM, click here.

For contact information and to download a list of fall clases in the diocese, click here.

Show your colors! We have acquired a supply of Episcopal Church stickers for any and all to put on their car, their window, their door, or wherever.  They are free for the taking on tables near the entrances to the church.