As the people of God, we feel called to be present to the place in which God has planted us. We seek to proclaim and embody the Good News that God has not abandoned us but has come to dwell among us and redeem us. By God’s grace, we seek to be imitators of Christ and live incarnational lives among our neighbors here in Norwood. We are a diverse people, seeking to embody a generous orthodoxy that stands in solidarity with the church historic and global. As we’ve laid out different models for VC over the last several weeks, there seems to be a shared hope to continue being a church in this neighborhood, a church that has a more definitive structure and yet retains an organic and intentional presence in the community.

As we have listened to God and to each other over these last several months, we feel confident in proposing a parish church model for VC that also incorporates elements of both the house church model and the intentional community model. The hallmark of a parish church model is a pastoral commitment to shepherd the people of a specific geographical location. Everyone within that boundary is seen as part of the church’s parish, regardless of their commitment to the church. For VC, this would mean an intentional commitment to caring for the people of Norwood, especially those within the immediate vicinity of St. Elizabeth.

Regular, smaller gatherings of us will be vital to the continued growth and discipleship that house churches at their best provide. These smaller gatherings can be based on geographical proximity, life stage, interest or missional cause. Distinct layers of commitment to the church will allow for clarity, more of a sense of ownership, and the pursuit of a more intentional life together. Each layer will invite people to a deeper commitment to God, each other, and the work of God in this place. Membership in the church will be possible without committing to all aspects of intentional community. Specific practices and covenants will be drawn up to give substance and distinction to these commitments. Further marks of this model are as follows:

A parish model of church would seek to cultivate our relationships with God by

-rooting ourselves in God’s faithfulness and love, seen most fully in Christ and His redemption

-regularly coming together as the gathered body of Christ for worship, prayer and fellowship

-taking seriously the call to proclaim and embody God’s love and justice

-committing to intentional practices of individual and corporate devotion

A parish model of church would seek to cultivate our relationships with our neighbors by

-committing to intentional practices of community presence and neighborly love

-providing a weekly gathering for worship that is accessible to them

-offering pastoral care and other services throughout the week that empower and encourage

-partnering with them in local activities, organizations and initiatives

A parish model of church would seek to cultivate the lives of its members by

-providing preaching, teaching and pastoral care that exhorts, equips, and encourages

-providing teaching and shepherding for children and youth

-coordinating opportunities for small group fellowship and discipleship

-committing to intentional practices of fellowship and accountability

Membership in this parish model would

-be centered around a covenant commitment

-be reviewed on a yearly basis

-include a commitment to mutual accountability with other covenant members

Leadership in this parish model

-would come from covenant members exercising their God-given talents and abilities

-would ultimately rest with a body of elders who represent covenant members

-may include a paid pastor and additional staff positions

The building in this parish model would

-be a visible and tangible hub of the church’s work in the community

-function as both a spiritual hospital and a launching pad for ministry out in the community

-get used throughout the week for various activities that serve the community

Special Thanks to Don McNeel and his team for their in-kind donation of labor to work on preservation of St. Elizabeth. After spending several hours repairing the roof, his hope is that it is finally water tight. This is a great gift to our community!

The following is from Joshua Stoxen:

I thought it might be good to give people the opportunity to help set up and decorate the sanctuary for Sunday since there may several who would enjoy that — we will be setting up the sanctuary on Saturday the 23rd starting at 2pm. I should also mention that those interested in helping Robert cook pancakes for Easter can call him at 513.351.0751

See more info about Easter Sunday.

The following announcement is from Dave Nixon:

In late June of this year it was announced that an ad hoc committee was forming to explore how to move forward with the St. Elizabeth property. As was stated at the time:

This team isn’t a decision-making body. Instead it will generate ideas and attach some levels of feasibility to each of the ideas based on research that it does. At the end of the summer it will present its ideas and suggestions to the Board of Trustees and Pastoral Council. Those two groups will then determine how best to present the committee’s work to the rest of the community, soliciting input and further ideas.

Although we haven’t met the “end of the summer” deadline, we have, to date, considered a wide number of ideas. We’ve narrowed these down to what we think are the best options for moving forward. We’re now in the process of engaging some contractors to attach real numbers to each of the options. We expect this will take until mid-December to wrap up.

VC Community!  Our first “Town Hall” meeting of 2010 will be held on Saturday, July 10, at 6pm, in St. Elizabeth’s.

Join us there for a quick rundown of what the Pastoral Council has been working on in the following areas:

• finances
• building
• house churches / hospitality (structure)
• neighborhood

This should take approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours.  Please come with any questions related to these topics.  If you have a pressing question that doesn’t fit in this meeting, send them this way.

There’s still time to cast your vote on the naming of these events!  (survey is not scientific)

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Over the past year, as VC has worked towards firmer structures of leadership and accountability, we have also been increasingly aware of the need to address the building structure, St. Elizabeth’s. In May, Ben Eilerman, a member of the community and an architect, filed (along with Sam Hatchett)  a grant proposal to the Greater Cincinnati Energy Commission that could be used to make the building more energy efficient. They are pleased to announce that Vineyard Central was chosen as the recipient of up to $15,000 in matching funds. Currently Ben and David Thompson are attending sessions to become energy inspectors, and Ben is attending regular meetings to allow VC to take full advantage of the grant monies. There are a number of limitations on the grant, however, and a new exploratory commission has been formed to assess long term strategies for building maintenance as well as best uses for this money. The grant is structured to provide a 15-20% subsidy to the total cost the energy efficiency upgrades so in the next couple of months, VC will need to raise matching money or in-kind donations to receive the entire grant. More info will be coming, but we will need the help and financial support of all who use and love the St. E’s space to make this opportunity a reality.