February 21, 2012 | 
Author The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. How does the Church pursue its mission? The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love. Through whom does the Church carry out its mission? The Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members.
The preceding words are taken directly from our Catechism in our Book of Common Prayer. As baptized Christians, children of the living God, we have the privilege to joyfully respond to carrying out a mission of restoring all to unity with God and each other in Christ.
Over the last several years Ascension and Holy Trinity has been diligent and thoughtful and in serving the needs of the surrounding communities and organizing an annual “mission” trip over the summer months.
Friends, the time is upon us to prayerfully consider how we might wish to participate in a missionary trip for this summer. Noel Horne, “Helping Our Neighbors In Need” chair, emailed a mission survey to the congregation a few weeks ago. We want your input as to what and where you might want to serve Christ’s mission this summer.
The clear and most certain response is that we are each called to live into God’s mission each day of our lives, whether we’re learning about another culture, building a house, helping someone pay their utility bill, or inviting another to know the abiding love of Christ. That being said, over the years we have enjoyed outward and tangible trips to call us to remember how important our missionary activity in Christ is.
So, please email your responses to aht@eos.net, or place your surveys in the offering plates this Sunday. Have an amazing day as you share the love of Christ with all you encounter!
In God’s Grace,
Eric L. Miller+
MISSION TRIP SURVEY FOR A&HT
One of the strategies to achieve the A&HT Helping Our Neighbors In Need Mission is “Commit to an annual mission trip opportunity for A&HT members of all ages”. We are seeking your help in developing mission trip opportunities for Summer 2012 and beyond. Please provide your thoughts on the following considerations for mission trip planning.
What do you want to gain from a mission trip experience?
Please rank the following potential benefits in order of importance to you (#1 being the most important; #5 the least important):
_____a) Learning about the needs of the neighbors we are visiting and how we might help them.
_____b) Working to improve conditions for the neighbors in the community we are visiting.
_____c) Learning and experiencing the wonders of God’s creation and the challenges we face in its stewardship.
_____d) Deepening our faith by learning how the neighbors we visit are living their faith.
_____e) Strengthening the ties that bind us to others in the A&HT family.
If you envision potential mission trip benefits not listed above, please insert them here:
What is your degree of interest in the mission trip opportunities offered in 2011 and which may be available again in 2012?
Please rate your interest as High, Medium, Low or None:
_____a) A working visit to Good Earth Farm, Athens, Ohio, open to all ages for a long weekend (3 – 4 nights).
_____b) An exploring, learning and rafting visit to West Virginia, probably also over a long weekend.
_____c) A week in the Dominican Republic teaching at a Vacation Bible School. (Some scholarship funding is available)
What is your idea of an ideal mission trip for members of A&HT?
We want to explore new possibilities. Please list your ideas here:
Name …………………………………………
PLEASE TURN IN YOUR SURVEY TO THE CHURCH OFFICE
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Join us this evening for our Chili Cook-off and annual Shrove Tuesday Talent Show. Chili participants are to bring their chili in at 5:45 for judging. Dinner begins at 6:00 with Talent to follow! What are you waiting for? Get your favorite chili recipe on the stove!
It’s a big one! Our Vestry meets on February 20th in the parish assembly room at 7:00. As always, I’m sure our Vestry team will have a great and productive meeting. We are quite blessed with a dedicated Vestry.
Tuesday the 21st is Shrove Tuesday. Can you believe it?! This year Ascension & Holy Trinity is having a Chili Cook-Off at 6:00 p.m. Have you signed up in the hallway adjacent to the sanctuary yet? There are two sign-up sheets, one for your chili entry and one for your talent for the talent show following our chili dinner. Be sure to sign up this Sunday Feb. 19th!
Ash Wednesday is February 22nd. This year our 10:00 a.m. Wednesday Eucharist will be moved to noon and will meet in the main sanctuary. The noon service will have Eucharist and imposition of ashes. Noon time was chosen for those having a difficult time getting out by 10:00 a.m and for those who don’t want to drive in the evening. And of course, we’ll have our 7:30 service with Eucharist, imposition of ashes, and our choir. I can’t think of a better way to begin Lent than Ash Wednesday with my Ascension & Holy Trinity family!
In God’s Grace,
Eric+
Mèsi
Merci
Thank you
Whether we say it in Creole, French or English, thank you to the many people who have pitched in to help rebuild Holy Trinity Cathedral in Haiti. Already congregations and individuals have raised nearly $19,000 toward our matching goal of $30,000.
Although we will continue to receive donations, the opportunity to have your contribution matched by the bishop through the Procter Fund expires on Shrove Tuesday. Individuals who wish to have their contributions matched must donate online or mail a check to be received at Diocesan House no later than Wednesday, Feb. 22.
We know that many congregations are running their own campaigns that will end on Sunday, Feb. 19. Congregations that are running campaigns should contact Julie Murray at jmurray@diosohio.org or 800.582.1712 ext. 110 as soon as possible so we know from which congregations we can expect donations to be added to the match total.
Many hands make light work, or as they say in Haiti, “Men anpil chay pa lou.” And to all of you who have already lent a hand, Mèsi.
Bertie Ray III
Emily Jane Pucker
Co-Chairs, Diocese of Southern Ohio, Rebuild Haiti Committee
+Tom Breidenthal
Bishop of Southern Ohio
Men, don’t forget to attend our men’s prayer breakfast scheduled for tomorrow at 7:30 at Frisch’s!
INTERESTED IN LEANRING HOW TO PLAY DRUMS!?!
Instructor Andrew Steininger has been playing drums/percussion for over 11 years and has learned all styles from the very best teachers.
In addition to professionally touring around the U.S. Andrew has played with artist such as:
My Chemical Romance
The Offspring
Senses Fail
The Transplants
The Ready Set
Starting Line
New Found Glory
Blink 182
And more…
Andrew also recently competed in the Guitar Center Drum off Competition and placed first for all of Cincinnati.
If you want to pursue drums and learn an amazing talent please call the number below to find out more. All ages are welcome for lessons.
513-309-4006
CALLING ALL TEENS!
A&HT is sponsoring a new discussion group just for teens, ages 13-19!
“Feasting on the Word” is the program we will use
to help us understand God’s Word in our lives.
Join Christina Brandewie, and guest hosts like Rev. Eric.
Sunday’s at 11:15am in the relaxed atmosphere of the Youth Room,
Lower level of A&HT starting Sunday, January 22nd!
Wyoming Ohio published a new post entitled “Guided Meditation January 18 Special Speaker Suzanne Telintelo, MSN, RN” on 1/14/2012 10:44:25 AM, written by City of Wyoming Blog.
Guided Meditation January 18 Special Speaker Suzanne Telintelo, MSN, RN
Suzanne Telintelo, MSN, RN will be our guest leader for the guided meditation session to be held at Ascension & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church from 9:00 am to 10:00 am on Wednesday, January 18th. All are welcome!
Suzanne is a practicing psychotherapist and long term member of the Academy of Guided Imagery. Guided Imagery meditation is used by Suzanne in both one-on-one and small group therapy sessions. Suzanne has kindly agreed to share some of her experience, learn about our growing guided meditation group in Wyoming, and lead us in a short guided imagery meditation.
This special meditation session will take place in a friendly, comfortable, small group setting, facilitated by Suzanne. No prior experience or reservation is needed. There is no charge. Whoever you are and wherever you are in life’s journey, you will be welcome!
Where? Church of Ascension and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Burns and Worthington Avenues (enter at the Church Office/Pre-School door, on Worthington Ave)
Questions? Call or email Maurice Bason, 513-200-7840; mbason@fuse.net
Submitted by Maurice Bason
The Rev. Jeanne Finan and I lived in the same dormitory our middler year at seminary. Jeane is a wonderfully gifted writer, preacher, and loving priest. I simply must share her latest blog post with all of you.
We talk a lot about transformation and change in the Church. Are these just idle words or are we really serious about change? Do we enjoy patting ourselves on the backs more than we enjoy risking real change? Here are a few suggestions that might jumpstart change in our Church.
1. Under 40. Pass a resolution in your Diocese to only elect those younger than 40 to attend General Convention (or whatever it is you call your national gathering). Who does your diocese send to General Convention? Often it’s the same lay and clergy deputies year after year after year? How many are under 40 years old? We say we care about the youth and that young people are the future of the Church. Let’s give them a tangible opportunity to shape the future of the Church. I would suggest that we use the same “under 40” guideline for our Diocesan Conventions, but we all know that some of our parishes would have no one to send from their congregations. Think about that, too.
(Full disclosure: I am 62 years old and, even though the “under 40″ rule of thumb certainly excludes me, I love the idea of giving young people real voice and the vote).
2. Women only. Only allow female candidates for bishop for the next 250 years or so (that’s about how long only male candidates were on the ballots—and still are). If we had a more gender-balanced voice in the House of Bishops we might really change the Church. The last time we elected a bishop here in my Diocese, there was not even a woman on the ballot. When a member of the Search Committee was asked “Why?,” his response was, “We couldn’t find any women who were qualified.” This was only seven years ago. Wow. Not a single qualified woman. I wonder how hard they looked?
(Full disclosure: I am a woman but harbor no personal call to the episcopacy. However, there are many gifted and qualified women who do feel called. Let’s elect them.)
3. Let retirement mean reinvention. Prevent parishes from hiring retired clergy for vacancies or even to assist. This is not to diminish the gifts of retired clergy, but they have had their time, they have their pension and they have the experience to open new opportunities for themselves. I know so many young clergy who are passed over for positions because there is a retired priest whom the parish can get on the cheap. Or there is a gaggle of retired clergy willing to serve for free. By inviting retired clergy to come back into parish ministry after retirement, we remove opportunities for young and newly ordained clergy and we also remove opportunities for retired clergy to go into the world and reinvent their ministry. Ever considered mission work? Ever considered how your presence as a volunteer at a food bank could change you and others? Ever considered how wearing a Wal-Mart blue vest or working on a grounds crew at a golf course might ripple the love of Christ into a hungry world? Celebrate the long ministry you have already enjoyed. Step aside so that young clergy can find jobs and begin to create their own ministry. Tent for God in new ways.
(Full disclosure: I am not retired yet but look forward to reinventing myself in a few years.)
4. Diversity: Ask questions. Take action. Don’t attend conferences that have only male speakers (or a single token female) or only white people on their agenda. Look at most homiletics conferences. Wow! Is Barbara Brown Taylor the only woman who has found her preaching voice? Question why your Bishop’s staff looks like the men’s locker room at the Country Club (AKA older white men). Where are God’s people of color? Diversity is a commitment not a buzz word.
(Full disclosure: I am white, beyond middle-aged—probably some would say old—female.)
5. Stop bargain shopping. Live and model being a community. Do the right thing, not the “cheap” thing. Episcopal Conference Centers exist to serve our Church. So why do we shop around for the cheapest deal? Oh, our college young adults don’t have enough money to have their retreat at our Diocesan Conference Centers—hmm…so then how do they drive those shiny new SUVs? Surely we can’t expect the Executive Committee—or Bishops—to stay in some rustic cabins? Stay with Church Health Insurance instead of getting your 29 year-old rector the cheapest insurance. Are we out for ourselves or are we here to be a Christian community? Stop balancing the budget on the backs of our staff and clergy. Women associates/assistants and women staff members are usually the first to be eliminated in a budget crunch or the infamous “reorganization.” When will we lose the mentality of “she doesn’t really need a job”? We say the church is not a building but people; yet we preserve our buildings at all cost and eliminate people instead. Severance pay for a few measly months doesn’t make it right, Shame on us.
(Full-disclosure: My husband is the director of an Episcopal Conference Center. Incredible clergy and church staff I know have been “laid off” with little thought of the pain this causes. Those doing the laying off always use the phrase “after much prayer…” when making such an announcement. Just so you know–no one will ever believe you again when you talk about prayer.)
6. Tithe. Yes, that means 10% of our income. We each get to decide gross or net but a 10% minimum is where we need to be. Regardless. Wonder why our churches can’t afford a full time priest or a youth minister or to build a second Habitat House each year? Imagine what we could do if everyone tithed. Yes, do give time and talent but cough up some cash too. The mandate to tithe is not to build the coffers of the church, it’s to do God’s work in the world and to do it abundantly.
(Full disclosure: I do tithe, but hey! I grew up in the Baptist Church; and yes, it is really hard but I can’t imagine doing otherwise now.)
7. Wear the hat and heart of a visitor. If you didn’t already know where to park or where the bathrooms are or in what remote nook you hold coffee hour after the service, could you find your way? Think about how frustrated you have felt wandering the maze in a hospital or other unfamiliar building. Being physically lost is not what makes us want to return. Signage helps. Welcoming people help more. Thinks about how easy it is to find everything in a Starbucks—and to find the Starbucks itself!
(Full disclosure: I like feeling welcome in strange places. I don’t like feeling stupid. My son works for Starbucks.)
8. Welcome Babies. Can’t afford a nursery or nursery workers? Consider adding a designated space to welcome young children right in the worship space itself. They do this in churches all over Wales and England. A soft carpet, a few rocking chairs, and quiet toys (this is not the space to add a xylophone unless you need a music program as well) create a space which includes parents and children in worship.
(Full disclosure: I am the parent of two adult children and four grandchildren. I have no problem praying or praising God with the accompanying sounds of children.)
9. Pray. Every day. Prayer–it’s not just for Sundays. We can get so busy “doing” that we forget to take time for stillness and quiet and to keep some empty space open for God. I would like to have put this as number 1 for what we can do to really change the church, but I was rather afraid folks wouldn’t keep reading.
(Full disclosure: If I have time to brush my teeth each morning, I have time to pray.)
10. Be church. Be the people of God for the world not just a chapel where the only purpose of your existence is to get warm and cozy with one another and provide for your own. We are called to change the world. If we are really going to set free the gospel into the world, we need to step out of our own comfort zones and let go of using the church as a social club instead of a place to grow the kingdom of God.
(Full disclosure: Like you, I’m trying.Maybe we just need to try a little harder. )
Okay, so maybe you think these suggestions are a little overboard. People were locked in the Tower of London for less. But these thoughts were not written to hurt or condemn, but simply to try to look at church with a new vision. I wrote this to challenge myself. We talk a lot about transformation and change in the Church, but talk is so cheap. Perhaps the first step is to take an honest glance to see if the Emperor Church is naked and then to start looking for some clothes in our own closets.”
Ascension & Holy Trinity
The Daily Office
The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church in Southern Ohio
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