Ministry Portfolio. Grace Church, Camden, Upper South Carolina. Full Portfolio (last updated Sep 16, 2016)

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1 1315 Lyttleton Street, Camden, SC 29020, United States Weekly Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) 125 Number of Weekend Worship Services 2 Number of Weekday Worship Services 1 Number of Other per Month Worship Services Current Annual Compensation Cash Stipend Housing / Rectory Detail Utilities SECA reimbursement Compensation Available for New Position $69800 Housing Available for Pension Plan We're in compliance with CPF requirements. Healthcare Options Dental Housing Equity Allowance in Clergy only Yes budget Annual Equity Amount Vacation Weeks Vacation Weeks Details Continuing Education Weeks Continuing Education Weeks 4 2 (standard) Details Continuing Education Funding in budget $501-$1000/year Sabbatical Provision Travel/Auto Account Other Professional Account Yes Yes

2 One moment of success and fulfillment occurred recently when three of our youth attended Happening in December of The boys families and several church members attended the Eucharist service that Sunday at the diocesan retreat. It was an indescribable moment seeing them filled with joy and enthusiasm. All three boys have served on the staff of every Happening since then. Each served a year on the Diocesan Youth Leadership Council. One of the youth will serve as Rector of Happening in December 2016 and has applied to serve on the leadership council at the national level. How are your preparing yourselves for the Church of the future? Grace has regained its footing after several years of membership and financial decline. We created a definite and actionable vision that includes a mission statement, priority ministries based on congregational values and priorities, and a strategic plan that reorganized our committees to reflect common goals. Under a diocesan-wide initiative to foster healthy churches, we continue to be guided by talented people. Training effective leaders helps encourage and enable members to achieve our shared purposes and commitment to building a fruitful faith community. To further prepare for the future, new ideas, perspectives and energy (from both laity and clergy) are needed. Invigorating Leadership; Pastoral; Community Building; Preaching and Teaching.

3 Liturgy at Grace Church is eucharistically centered: our regular services are at Sundays 8 a.m. (Rite I, with Rite II one Sunday per month) and 10:30 a.m. (Rite II with music), and on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. (Rite I with Healing). Two Vergers assist the Rector with Sunday services and any other requests. Our liturgical style can be described as being on the lower end of broad church - psalms are often sung, and some chant has been used on principal feasts. Each year, we celebrate a Jazz Mass in the church, and a Bluegrass Mass at a local park. How do you practice incorporating others in ministry? We realize the importance of including others in ministry. Therefore to create an inclusive atmosphere, we have implemented the following practices and activities: Name tags for members, Welcome table at the church entrance, Hospitality Teams to host parish events, Youth outings, Adult & family fun nights, Parish picnics, Parish talent show, Ministry fair to promote current active ministries, Youth participation as lectors and ushers. Communication Resources Include: Weekly bulletin with announcements, upcoming activities and contact information; Monthly newsletter summarizes current events, activities, need and contact information; Weekly s (more frequent when needed); Website and Facebook. As a worshipping community, how do you care for your spiritual, emotional and physical well-being? Spiritual: Eucharistic Visitors to shut-ins, Christian Formation classes - Youth and Adults, Lenten Lecture series, Special events including speakers, Diocesan opportunities/retreats, Education for Ministry (EfM) classes, Daughters of the King, Men's and Women's Bible Study/Small study groups. Emotional and Physical: Clergy counseling, Prayers for special needs. For newcomers: Welcome Table, Guest Registry, Name tag, Follow up handwritten notes and phone calls, Newcomers reception, Fellowship activities, Pastoral care (clergy and laity), Martha and Mary ministry (meals at times of need), Brother Andrew ministry (home maintenance repair to help female parishioners), Transportation to doctor, worship, and stores.

4 How do you engage in pastoral care for those beyond your worshipping community? Grace sponsored projects: 1. Heartfelt Home Repair - lead community team to assist the needy with home repairs; 2. Disaster Relief Team - trips to other areas in U.S. to assist with relief from natural disasters; 3. ECW contributes financially to Christian Community Ministries and the Community Medical Clinic; 4. Teddy Bears for Pediatric Patients; 5. Mentoring for Grace Initiative (MAGI); 6. Annual Spring Dog Show. Individual activities by members: Christian Community Ministries (continuous food drive); Food for the Soul (soup kitchen/shelter); Habitat for Humanity; United Way; Emergency Housing for Women & Children; Prayer Shawl Ministries; Community Medical Clinic. Ways in which Grace is involved in the wider Church include: 1. Kindergarten/Preschool for 2-4-year olds, which includes basic religious instruction, is offered on weekdays during the school year. The majority of the students are from outside of our parish. 2. Daughters of the King chapter - participates in diocesan, regional, and national activities. 3. Participation in community Lenten services. 4. Several parishioners are active within the Diocese Lay Warden of the Midlands Convocation, Commission for Race and Reconciliation, and Commission for Congregations. Four years ago Grace Church began a public school mentoring program for students attending Camden elementary schools, MAGI (Mentoring at Grace Initiative). Currently, between eight and ten parishioners participate actively in this program, focused primarily on third and fourth grade students, and providing an average of one hour/week of mentoring in a variety of subjects. This project was initiated after our Outreach Committee examined and considered various alternative projects; it was selected because we felt the impact would be greatest, both on students and on parishioners. Moultrie Burns ( , office) may be contacted about this project.

5 What is your practice of stewardship and how does it shape the life of your worshipping community? Grace has a stewardship committee that annually encourages tithing to the church. Specifically, various members are asked to speak at all church services about stewardship, offering different but poignant perspectives of what stewardship means to them. After pledges have been made, a congregation luncheon is held to celebrate our commitment to the church. Realizing that stewardship goes beyond tithing, members time, treasure, and talents are essential components of our church life, and are the reason for the Ministry fair mentioned previously. Please see answers to other questions for examples of members time commitment to church and community. As with many churches, Grace Church has experienced conflict over the years, which has sometimes resulted in members leaving. Lay leadership and Vestries have shown skill and resolve in bringing the conflicts to resolution, with reconciliation when needed. Grace is blessed with a core group of loyal parishioners with experience in most aspects of church life. This has undoubtedly helped resolve conflict successfully, when needed. During transition, the laity is working towards further reconciliation and providing for continuity of parish life. Although Grace is regaining its footing, new energy and perspectives would be welcome to reinvigorate our parish. What is your experience leading/addressing change in the church? When has it gone well? When has it gone poorly? And what did you learn? The Episcopal Church has experienced changes in recent history that have affected Grace Church. With the church s stand on gay priests and marriage, for example, some members left Grace to help form an Anglican church. In addition, church leadership changes over the past 5 years have concerned many parishioners, but many laity have stepped up to provide leadership during this period. Most parishioners are open to change that is clearly presented and understood, based in Christian formation. Love and living like Christ are important and palpable at Grace, and changes which reinforce these qualities are well received.

6 Prior Incumbents Name Position Title Date Begun Date Ended James Barnhill Rector / Vicar / Priest-in-Charge Name Position Title Date Begun Date Ended Michael Bullock Rector / Vicar / Priest-in-Charge Name Position Title Date Begun Date Ended Doug Holmes Rector / Vicar / Priest-in-Charge Church School Number of Teachers/Leaders for Children School Number of Students for Children School 9 12 Number of Teachers/Leaders for Teen/Young Adults School Number of Students for Teen/Young Adults School Number of Teachers/Leaders for Adults School Number of Students for Adults School Day School Number of Students for Day School Number of Teachers for Day School Day School Pre-K

7 Powered by TCPDF ( Worshipping Community Web site: Media Links: Online References: > English Provide Worship or Classes in: References Bishop: The Rt. Rev. W. Andrew Waldo Diocesan Transition Minister The Rev. Canon d'rue Hazel Current Warden/Board Chair Jim Wiley x x Previous Warden/Board Chair Frank Trapp Search Chair Amy Kinard Parish/Institution Kathy Sharp Local Community Leader Karen Eckford