eGraceNotes from Grace Church, October 13, 2010

... Roger Perna and Grace Staples for writing and preparing the 2011 Congregation Mission Grant application and preliminary budgets (with the suggestions of several others).

... Ken and Carol Lyon, David Mukasa, Wanda Miller, Roger Perna and Grace Staples for volunteering to attend the Diocesan Best Practices Workshop Saturday

Organizational Changes Proposed

At a joint Saturday morning meeting on September 25, Mission Council and the Common Ministry Committee met to plan for the future of Grace Church.

Common Ministry consultant Fr. Derrick Fetz presented the rationale for forming a new Mission and Formation Team of Teams to take responsibility for the various programs of the church. Under this arrangement, Mission Council would be responsible for staffing and overseeing the new organization, but would focus on its core responsibilities of funding, building and operations (office).

At next week's Mission Council meeting, the following teams/committees and leaders will be submitted for approval:

Mission & Formation Convener: Carol Lyon with Hawley Todd as backup.

Outreach: Co-chairs Mary McLain & Grace Staples

Evangelism: Chair J White

Pastoral Care: Chair Marjorie Shadd

Christian Formation: Co-chairs Roger Perna & Ken Lyon

Worship: Chair Judy Handy

At the end of the meeting, the Common Ministry Committee was dissolved with thanks to Chair Carol Lyon and members, Roger Perna, Hawley Todd, Wanda Miller & Ken Lyon.

Grace Good Things

At the September 25 meeting, Common Ministry chair Carol Lyon asked the group to list some of the good things that have happened at Grace in the recent past.

The Nursery/Sunday School room was "put together" in a week.
We're serving parolees via the Community Service work days and the homeless via IHN.
The Altar Guild is going to a higher level of responsibility.
The Wednesday night healing service is bringing in people from all over Greater Cincinnati and beyond.
Daily Morning Prayer during Lent.
New people keep coming through our door on Sunday mornings.
The Great Hall is being transformed into the Grace Conference Center.
We're using newer, more singable music for worship and getting more enthusiastic participation.
The Common Ministry process is generating more involvement-people aren't waiting for someone else to do things.
There's an enthusiasm about making our building more inviting.
A new person has joined the leadership as an active participant (has "come in from the cold').
A person who had thought of her participation as mostly giving is now experiencing how much Grace is giving her.
We've grown as a community as we have adjusted to not having a resident clergy person.

Gifts, Passions, "What's Grace to You" Survey Results Posted

The surveys that many Grace members and friends completed and turned in have been tabulated. They provided a valuable starting point for the deliberations at the September 25 meeting. You can see the surveys and the tabulations here.

Grace Goals to Be Developed

Part of next week's Mission Countil meeting will be devoted to developing a few goals or emphases for the coming year; objectives that Mission Council and the newly-formed Mission & Formation teams/committees can use to focus their efforts.

All members of the congregation are invited to participate in this activity, which will start soon after 6 pm Wednesday, October 20.

If you can't make it to the meeting, consider sending your ideas to Carol Lyon. She suggests copying the following questions into an email to her at spikelyon@gmail.com and then answering them.

My suggestion for the primary goal of Grace Church is:
My suggestion for the secondary goal for Grace Church is:
I would be willing to:

Your answers will help establish direction for Grace Church.

The 2010 Budget is Online

Ever wonder what it costs to operate Grace Church? You can see the current (2010) budget along with last year's budget and actual spending online here.

To summarize, it cost about $136,000 to operate in 2009. We budgeted about $87,000 to operate this year, a reduction of about $49,000, mostly due to reduced salaries.

We'll post this year's actual spending soon, and next year's budget when it's developed.

Any questions? Contact Treasurer Roger Perna.

Prayer Requests

Please use the Prayer Request Book at the rear of the nave to have persons included in the Sunday bulletin Prayer List and for prayers this week. Make sure you have the person's permission to list him or her.

Please keep these people in your prayers for their special needs: Maureen Back, Al Berghausen, Ruth Bertram, Dean Bryeans, Irene Bryeans, Malcolm Daniel, Jean Cavalieri, Phillis Dietz, Jim Edgy, Erik, Alison, Alexis & Nathanael Handy, Joshua, Caleb, Anne & Darryl Handy, Judy & Walter Handy, Polly Hager Family, Kim Hermann and family, Elizabeth Kelly, Carol Lyon, Kim Martin, Robb Martin, Shelly Martin, John Kakande Mukasa, Pete Staples, Steve, Barbara Todd, Toussaint Thrower & Family, Karen Van Wagenen.

If you need pastoral care or know of someone who does, please call or email the office (513-541-2415, office@gracecollegehill.org). Please keep us informed about about illness, hospital stays, requests for visits, communion, and prayers for special concerns. Help us to serve you.

Pastoral Care Update

Progress in formalizing the role of the Pastoral Care Ministry is slow as I investigate guidelines that allow us to be in compliance with the regulations of the Diocese. The two major issues are:

training Eucharistic Visitors and
confidentiality related to sharing information about the health and or well being of parishioners.

Even though we are committed to Common Ministry there may be limitations in

licensing new candidates because we do not have a permanent priest in the Parish. If that is correct information we will need to depend on members of the

Congregation already licensed to give the Eucharist to the homebound.

We need to be mindful of the privacy issues that prevent the referral of persons to the prayer team without their specific permission. In contrast to the current trend of social networking by young folks who talk freely about every moment of their lives, hospitals, schools, and churches are advised not to share information about a member's health or family issues without their clear permission.

Most of us come from a tradition in which we did talk about a friend's health and tried to find ways to help. We now have to approach that a bit more cautiously. Until we can be clear on how to proceed please ask your family member or friend if it is OK for their first name to appear in the prayer log and bulletin.

If someone is hospitalized ask them or their family if someone from the Team may visit. The Team member will then learn the person's wishes for calls, visitation, prayer etc. The patient can then tell us what we may share with other parish members.

If you know of someone who is homebound or in a nursing home and would like a visit please contact the office and leave a message for me at 513-541-2415 or office@gracecollegehill.org.

God be with you, Marjorie Shadd, MSW,Pastoral Care Team Coordinator

Signs at Grace

It's important to help folks who are new to Grace Church find their way around our spacious facility. To make it easier, we've posted some signs in various places around our building. Some are on walls and point to various important rooms. Some are hanging outside various rooms to label the rooms.

Please consider both the location of the signs and the content of the signs to be a "first draft." If you see a better place to locate the existing signs, or see a need for new or different signs, or see changes that should be made to their content, please contact Ken Lyon (513-542-2941, ken@lyonhouse.us).

Episcopal Liturgy at Twin Towers

Did you know that the Episcopal liturgy is celebrated at Twin Towers on the last Wednesday of each month at 1:30 pm? We are welcome to attend. The next service is October 27.

Got an Extra Phone?

A functioning telephone is needed for the rectors office. If anyone has a phone they are willing to give away we will provide it a good home. Bring it into the office at your convenience.

Worship Committee Asks Your Help

the Worship Committee would appreciate hymn requests from the congregation. Also, Sunday Service Volunteers are needed in all positions. Training is offered for acolytes (regardless of age or experience) and Eucharistic Visitors and Chalice Bearers. We are a Common Ministry church and everyone is encouraged to serve. Let the office know of your interest so we can set up a training soon.

Prayer and Meditation Twice Weekly at Grace

Weekday prayer and meditation is now offered twice weekly at Grace. The purpose of the prayer group is to assist us in learning God's will for us as we continue our ministry. Please join us for a half hour on Mondays at 6 pm and/or Fridays at 11:30 am. The location for the day will be listed on the church office door.

Sing! Sing! Sing!

The choir needs more members for Advent Sundays and Christmas Eve. Please let any choir member know if you are willing.

Life Line Screening Coming to Grace

A fee-for-service medical screening will be offered in the Small Assembly Roomat Grace Church on November 11. The full screening costs $139 and can be scheduled by calling 1-888-653-6441. That assessment includes "four ultra sound screenings that take 60-90 minutes". The series looks for blocked arteries, abdominal aneurysms, irregular heart beat and adequate bone density.

Faith & Values Summit Coming October 18

Communities United For Action is co-sponsoring A Faith & Values Summit on Monday October 18 at the Museum Center. Registration is at 6:30 pm, the Summit starts at 7 pm.

The purpose of the summit is to raise up the values and issues that touch across various groups in our communities and to connect our power with church groups, unions and other organizations. Specific issues we will talk about include: Foreclosure Prevention, Human Trafficking and Jobs For All Including Ex-Felons.

CUFA is co-sponsoring this event with the Amos Project, the Service Employees International Union, United Food and the Commercial Workers Local 75, PUREHOPE, Cincinnati Faith & Justice Network, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Greater Cincinnati and America I Am.

Invited Guests include candidates for Governor, Senate, and other races. So far we understand that the following candidates have confirmed: Governor Ted Strickland, Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, Congressman Steve Driehaus, Ohio State Senator Bill Seitz, and Ohio State Representatives Denise Driehaus and Connie Pillich.

The Bishop is Coming! The Bishop is Coming!

Bishop Breidenthal himself is scheduled to visit Grace Church on Sunday, January 2, a great way to start off the new year. Mark your calendars so you don't miss meeting this interesting man.

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While we try our best to represent the Grace Church congregation, opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of anyone other than the editor (and perhaps not even his!).

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Ken Lyon, Editor.