The Grace Vine. April Rector s Writ

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1 The Grace Vine April 2017 Rector s Writ Show us your mercy, O Lord; and grant us your salvation. In the process of observing a holy Lent and celebrating a joyful Easter, this opening line of Suffrages for both Morning and Evening Prayer* helps us remember how the holy Lord is the source of mercy and salvation. The NRSV of Psalm 85:7 translates this as Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. Suffrages are prayer petitions done in a matter of versicle and response; i.e. one person prays a line, and the congregation offers a prayerful response. These petitions include what our hearts long for, knowing God is the One who can help us. (They can be used in personal prayer as well as corporate prayer.) The important part is affirming God s love and power, yet it s also RESPONDING to that holy goodness. Not only our prayers, but our lives are to be a grateful, faithful, and loving response to God. God s mercy and love are shown to us in the life and teachings of Jesus. We can do nothing to earn or deserve the love, mercy, and salvation God gives us in his Son. Salvation is granted by Jesus death and resurrection, not at all by our merit. What we re called to do in Lent, Easter, and all seasons of life is to respond to this holy redeeming love by loving God (with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength) and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. It s really that simple, and it s really that broad. no conditions, no exceptions. It isn t always easy, and it s a lifetime process of learning and practice. But God gives us opportunities over and over. Easter is an opportunity for joy, renewal, and remembering God s holy, life giving and live saving love. Please bring and invite family, friends, and neighbors to join us for Easter services. May the remainder of your Lent be holy, and may your Easter celebrations be marked with the joy of God s grace and the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. Carol+ Loving Jesus, gentle Lamb, in thy gracious hands I am. Make me, Savior, what thou art, live thyself within my heart. (Charles Wesley) *Morning Prayer, Rite Two Suffrages A & B, BCP pgs ; Evening Prayer, Rite Two Suffrages A & B, BCP pgs ; the Collects which follow are also good sources for prayer.

2 Service and Lay Ministry Schedule If you cannot serve when scheduled, please find a substitute and call the parish office with that person s name. Thank you for sharing in the liturgical ministry of Grace Church. Sunday, April 9 8:00 & 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist Palm Sunday Gather in the Parish Hall for Blessing of Palms & Procession weather permitting Deacon The Rev. William Snyder Worship 8:00 Sally Dier Leader 10:00 Charles Parsons Greeters Lisa & Jeff Marsh Acolyte Phillip Crouse Coffee Hosts 8:00 Mike & Shirley Johnson 10:00 Nancy & Jim Ervin Church Sch. Courtney Rich Monday, April 10 Tuesday, April 11 5:00 PM Evening Prayer Wednesday, April 12 5:00 PM Evening Prayer Wrshp Ldr Charles Parsons Greeters David Miller & Alex Wroblewski Acolyte Kathy Summy 1 st Reading Isaiah 50:4-9a Carolyn Englert Psalm 31:9-16 6:00 PM Healing Service with Holy Eucharist 2 nd Reading Philippians 2:5-11 Kathy Summy Gospel Matthew 26:14 27:66 1 st Reading Lamentations 1:1-2, 6-12 Psalm 69: nd Reading John 12: st Reading Lamentations 1:17-22 Psalm 94 2 nd Reading 12: st Reading Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 70 2 nd Reading John 13:21-32 Thursday, April 13 7:00 PM Maundy Thursday Wrshp Ldr Nancy Lundgren Greeters Mary Jean & John McDonald Acolyte Jenna Summy 1 st Reading Exodus 12:1-14 Tim Splinter Psalm 116:1, nd Reading 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Jeff Croll Gospel John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Friday, April 14 7:00 PM Stations of the Cross & Good Friday 1 st Reading Isaiah 52:13 53:12 Steve Merrill Psalm 22 2 nd Reading Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 Charles Parsons Gospel John 18:1 19:42 Saturday, April 15 9:00 AM Holy Saturday 1 st Reading Lamentations 3:1-9, Psalm nd Reading 1 Peter 4:1-8 Gospel John 19:38-42

3 Sunday, April 16 8:00 & 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist Easter Worship 8:00 Bette Brooks Leader 10:00 Steve Merrill Greeters Mary Jean & John McDonald Acolyte All that are available Coffee Hosts 8:00 TBA 10:00 Cherry Monegan & Carol Marotta Church Sch. Denise Sheridan 1 st Reading Acts 10:34-43 Tim Splinter Psalm 118:1-2, nd Reading Colossians 3:1-4 Jeff Croll Gospel John 20:1-18 Sunday, April 23 8:00 &10:00 AM Holy Eucharist 2 Easter Worship 8:00 Sally Dier Leader 10:00 Nancy Lundgren Greeters David Miller & Alex Wroblewski Acolyte Jenna Summy Coffee Hosts 8:00 Janice Lallathin & Jennifer Golec 10:00 Lisa & Paige Paxton Church Sch. Chrissy Stickle 1 st Reading Acts 2:14a, Steve Merrill Psalm 16 2 nd Reading 1 Peter 1:3-9 Charles Parsons Gospel John 20:19-31 Sunday, April 30 8:00 &10:00 AM Holy Eucharist 3 Easter Deacon The Rev. William Snyder Worship 8:00 Leader 10:00 Steve Merrill Greeters Steve & Susan Merrill Acolyte Jeff Marsh Coffee Hosts 8:00 TBA 10:00 Gail Richards, & Doris Whipple Church Sch. Sue Ahrens 1 st Reading Acts 2:14a, Jane Gear-Jozsa Psalm 116:1-3, nd Reading 1 Peter 1:17-23 Tim Splinter Gospel Luke 24:13-35 Sunday, May 7 8:00 &10:00 AM Holy Eucharist 4 Easter Worship 8:00 Bette Brooks Leader 10:00 Carolyn Englert Greeters Nancy & Fred Lundgren Acolyte Phillip Crouse Altar Guild Nancy Ervin & Cindy Hoskins Coffee Hosts 8:00 Frank & Joan Seman 10:00 John & Mary Jean McDonald Counters Bette Brooks & Carolyn Englert Church Sch. Courtney Rich 1 st Reading Acts 2:42:47 Nancy Lundgren Psalm 23 2 nd Reading 1 Peter 2:19-25 Fred Lundgren Gospel John 10:1-10

4 Did You Know?... The month of March came in like a lion---now let s see if it goes out like a lamb. Here s hoping!!... Many thanks to Kay Canan and Sally Dier for the wonderful Shrove Tuesday Pancake dinner. They served delicious pancakes, potato pancakes, and biscuits & gravy; all homemade. Well, almost all. Kay & Sally were in the church all day preparing food, making biscuits, and decorating the parish hall. Our youth: Maggy & Gerry Rich, Kelly Ervin, Emily & McKenzie Ervin, Aundrea and Kirsten Seman, Gregory Ballway, were there anxiously waiting on tables. Dani Dier & her friend Chad sold tickets at the door and tickets for the 50/50 drawing. Dani also supplied the sound system and the children loved her face painting. Amy Seman was concerned that she wouldn t be able to get her daughter to wash her face that night and would go to school with a very colorful face. Our thanks to everyone who helped with this event: Dennis Dier, Carol Marotta, Cherry Monegan, Sue Ahrens, Nancy Ervin, Mike Ervin, Midge Myers, Dani Dier, Chad, Wayne Haynes, Masha Snyder, Rev. Carol Evans, and of course Sally & Kay who were there from the beginning to the very end. Thanks goes to everyone who attended the event, enjoyed the food, and made for good fellowship, as well as all who donated supplies for the dinner. Kay & Sally were happy to announce that only $20.00 was spent out of the Visibility Committee account; everything else was donated. And Janet Hughes was the lucky winner of the 50/50 drawing We were saddened by the death of Johnnie Machisko. Johnnie was a long-time member of Grace Church and a pillar in our community. He will be sadly missed by his wife, Irene, and sons, John and David and daughter, Lynn and all other family and friends and everyone here at Grace Church. Johnnie always had a quick smile and a story to tell. May light perpetual shine upon him and God s comfort be with those he loved Lynn & Dan Francois are back in Ravenna after spending the winter in Florida. Lynn is happy to be back, almost as happy as we are to have them back, and she was excited to report that they will be great-grandparents for the first time sometime this summer. Congratulations! They also came back to collect the Boston fern they left with the church secretary to care for it over the winter---they may have made it home just in time. Poor Fe Fe (that s what they named the fern) was looking a bit poorly. She made need more TLC than she got here in the office, but Dan will get her looking more like herself in no time at all The Lenten study group and Soup Supper is taking place each Wednesday of Lent. Fifteen people enjoyed the soup made by Sally Dier & Bill Snyder and bread and dessert from Sue Ahrens and Cherry Monegan for the first study group. The others in attendance were John Monegan, Mary Jean & John McDonald, Jane Gear-Jozsa, Marsha Snyder, Kay Canan, Carol Marotta, Mike & Shirley Johnson, Dennis & Sally Dier, Phillip George, and Rev. Carol led us in conversation and Compline Thanks to John McDonald, Fred Lundgren, and Mike Johnson for repairing the south wall of the men s room near the office; one of those projects that always takes more time and fixing than expected. It s been in need of repair for some time now and already looks better Several of our youth are on their school s honor roll, including Sarah Beth and Rachel Audet, Emily and McKenzie Ervin, Kirsten and Aundréa Seman, and Kevin Splinter. Congratulations on all your hard work!... Thanks to John Monegan for refurbishing the little white church we use for birthday donations. It looks great, especially with the red door he added Eric Splinter was home for Spring Break and mom and dad were happy to have him, but the didn t get to see much of him. He spent much of his time at the High School helping with the school production of Seussical a real theater rat!... Our own Charles Parsons wrote one of the daily Lenten Meditations the diocese sends out from volunteers willing to contribute their work. His was published on March 13 th. You can still sign up to have the daily reflections for Lent ed ( or you can access them from the diocesan facebook page as well. And if you don t have a computer or just missed it here it is: As disciples, we ve been exhorted to seek after righteousness. So, we do. We swear off the weaker aspects of our nature, our vices. We try to imitate Christ. Likely, we experience spiritual rewards for these efforts. Eventually, however, things don t go as planned, and we fall on harder times. We may have a setback, personally or professionally. Maybe we let our guard down because it seems that the future will only be prosperity and peace. Or maybe circumstances change. We face challenges. Or maybe an issue that we ve been ignoring catches up with us. Then our resolve crumbles, and we may come to question our faith. At such times, we can give up or we can resolve again to be righteous: to do good, to do better. Discipline, in this case, is different than following set rules, rituals, or agendas. When reality poses complex problems and less than ideal situations, our walk with God requires interpretation, flexibility, and charity. We learn to turn to God for help. If righteousness were our default setting, we would never fall short of our good intentions or need to seek solace and forgiveness. Discipline by this definition is a branch of knowledge that expands our ability to understand, help and serve others.

5 Holy Week & Easter Services at Grace Church Please join us for meaningful Holy Week worship and a joyful celebration of Easter. Monday, April 10 th 5pm Evening Prayer Tuesday, April 11 th 5pm Evening Prayer Wednesday, April 12 th 6pm Healing Service & Holy Eucharist Thursday, April 13 th 7pm Maundy Thursday Eucharist with Choir, concludes with stripping of the altar and draping of crosses Friday, April 14 th 7 pm Stations of the Cross and Good Friday Liturgy Saturday, April 15 th 9:30am Holy Saturday Liturgy Sunday, April 16 th 8am Festive Eucharist 10am Festive Choral Eucharist Children s Easter Egg Hunt after 10am service Birthdays 9th Judie Golden 11th Lane Autry 12th Billy T. Johnson Phil Rich 13th Kathy Summy 18th Olivia Golec 20th Sue Ahrens 25th Julie Canan 29th Marcia Splinter Congratulations! and many happy returns... Anniversaries 20th Jim & Nancy Ervin Baptisms 1st Phyllis Shorts 2nd Dennis Dier Phillip George 4th Jennifer Golec Tracy Shriver 5th Bill Snyder 7th Dale Espey 9th Jim Ervin 10th Jamie Popiel 11th Bruce Ahrens

6 The Bulletin Board Outreach We will continue with Outreach this year giving food to the Center of Hope as well as personal items (which they were happy to have). They were so grateful for these items. Please continue to take your clothing to the County Clothing Center. The APL is always in need of food and other items for the animals (see the list on the bin in the Parish Hall). Don t forget to mark the Outreach sheet when you donate items; the list is in the parish hall. We donated about 200 lbs. of clothing to the CCC and more than 200 nonperishable food items to the Center of Hope. Thank you for your generosity.

7 GRACIE S BACK DOOR Gracie s Back Door is in need of several items such as paper towels, spray furniture polish, hand soap (liquid), and dish detergent. Gracie s has the following medical and handicap supplies that are available to those in need. We do not charge for them, rather they are given away: 4 blood pressure monitors, 1 shower stool, 1 shower bench, 1 never used raised toilet seat, 1 suction grab bar, 2 pairs of crutches, 3 canes, 2 baby monitors, 1 tray that fits on a walker, 2 bedside commodes, 1 oxygen tank holder on wheels, 1 bed rail, 1 wheel chair, 1 stationary walker, and 1 folding walker. If you know anyone in need, please let us know. --Sally Dier & Nancy Lundgren HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE The Hospitality Committee is in need of more volunteers willing to take meals to members of the church who are ill and need temporary assistance. A home cooked meal is very nice, but if you re unable to do that, you can order take out meals, food from local delis, purchase gift cards from local restaurants, and/or have food delivered. Please see Nancy Ervin if you are able to help with this ministry.

8 Fathers (and Mothers) and Friends By Bette Brooks They lived not only in ages past; there are hundreds of thousands still. The world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus' will. The Rt. Rev. Gregory Bedell rd Bishop of Ohio Our third bishop was born in Hudson, NY, on August 27, He came from a family of Episcopalians and was elected assistant bishop of the Diocese of Ohio in Upon his election, he left the Church of the Ascension in New York City and moved with his family to Gambier, Ohio. Bishop Bedell served as assistant bishop to Bishop McIlvaine for 14 years. Both men were in failing health, and discussions began about splitting the diocese (it still encompassed the entire state of Ohio). Bishop McIlvaine had first suggested a division in 1850 without success. Both bishops asked for this to happen at the Diocesan Convention of 1867 and again no action was taken. However, in 1873, after the death of Bishop McIlvaine, the Convention brought up the idea. Bedell suggested that the diocese be split into 5 sections, with Bedell overseeing the section around Columbus. The other 4 sections would have assisting bishops who reported to Bedell. The Convention was not impressed. They decided to divide the Diocese into 2; the northern half remained the Diocese of Ohio and was more evangelical; the southern half became known as the Southern Diocese of Ohio and was more liturgical. As America approached its centennial celebration in 1876, Bedell requested that the rector of each parish preach an historical sermon about the congregation and send a copy of that sermon to the Bishop for safekeeping. His wife Julia was instrumental in seeing that the sermons were bound in leather volumes for posterity. In 1877, Bedell recommended that once a year each parish should hear a sermon on the episcopacy. He also decided that on these days, the offerings should be used to form an endowment for the episcopate of Ohio. Bedell was the first bishop to call for the creation of a central cathedral. However, from 1881 to 1887, the Diocese stopped growing almost entirely. Greatly disturbed by this, Bedell traveled throughout the diocese attempting to stimulate growth in the parishes. In January 1888, Bedell asked that an assistant bishop be elected due to his failing health. After 3 failed attempts (March 14, June 12, and November 1), William A. Leonard of St. John s Church in Washington was elected on May 15, Bedell resigned from the Diocese on October 18, 1889, just 4 days after Leonard was consecrated. He moved to New York and died on March 11, He and his wife are buried in Gambier at the Kenyon College Cemetery.

9 April The Grace Vine 2017 Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Lent 8am HE 9:30 Coffee 9:45 Ch. Ed. 10am HE 11:15 Coffee 9 Palm Sunday 8am HE 9:30 Coffee 9:45 Ch. Ed. 10am HE 11:15 Coffee 16 Easter 8am HE 9:30 Coffee 9:45 Ch. Ed. 10am HE 11:15 Egg Hunt 23 2 Easter 8am MP 9:30 Coffee 9:45 Ch. Ed. 10am MP 11:15 Coffee 30 3 Easter 8am HE 9:30 Coffee 9:45 Ch. Ed. 10am HE 11:15 Coffee pm Evening Prayer 7pm Vestry Sit & Stitch 5pm Evening Prayer Sit & Stitch 10-2 Gracie s Back Door 6pm Lenten Study 10-2 Gracie s Back Door 6pm Healing & Holy Eucharist 10-2 Gracie s Back Door Gracie s Back Door :00-8:30 Choir Practice 7pm Maundy Thursday pm Way of the Cross & Good Friday Liturgy :00-8:30 Choir Practice am Holy Saturday Liturgy

10 Grace Episcopal Church of Ravenna The Rev. Carol Evans Rector The Rev. William Snyder Marsha Snyder Secretary Tim Lewicki Organist Martha Croll Choirmaster Phone: Web Site: The Vestry of Grace Episcopal Church Kay Canan(2017) Bette Brooks(2017) Carolyn Englert(2017) Phillip Crouse(2018) Jeff Croll(2018) Dennis Dier(2018) Nancy Lundgren(2019) Carol Marrota(2019) Rick Taylor(2019) Grace Episcopal Church 250 W. Cedar St. Ravenna OH 44266