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, September 2009

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.