From Liz Bruner:

This Friday, women will be gathering for “bring your own craft and hang out” time!  Meet us from 8pm-10pm at the back entrance to St. E’s. Enter in the orange doors and go up to studio 6 (Juli’s Studio).  I will have stamps and paper available to make cards for those who don’t have a craft project, but you can just come and hang out, too.  Apple cider and snacks will join us as well. Please let anyone who you run into without email access or internet capabilities know about this, too! It is open to all.

Hope to see you there!

On Thursday June 23 Courtland Ave House Church is having a work day at the upper millcrest park. Please consider coming out and helping us if you can. It is going to be potluck dinner.  6:30 -9pm

We will be

• tilling up the picnic area and planting mulch
• Cleaning up the plantings that we already did and maybe adding some annuals
• Planting some more around the bath house

It seems like the best bet for planting around the picnic area would be in planters. Does anyone have any or know where we could get large ones, preferably plastic, or something not glass.

Mulch has been delivered. Picnic tables have been delivered. Now we just need to finish phase 1 of this project!

–

Mary Ellen Mitchell

The following was sent in by Sandie Brock:

Friends, family, acquaintances….
Some have you may have known us for 20 years or more and never knew that we spent over 15 years of our lives touring in a Christian rock band. Oh my! It seems your past does catch up with you as we are now having a reunion date at a large festival in IL in a mere few weeks!
Attached you will find information on a preview performance being held in Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 28th. We didn’t want anyone to wonder why we never mentioned this show so here it is. If you are scratching your head and saying, “no way, I have to see this” go on and read below. The rest of you can pretend we never mentioned it.
Ideally we would love to gather you all in with us for free and enjoy this experience. Our reality is the costs for this reunion adventure are stacking up fast and we’re hoping to break even. This is a fund-raising event to underwrite some of the costs involved. It is a small venue so we need every seat sold. Thank you for understanding and thank you for your support!
looking forward to the fun,
Owen & Sandie

TICKETS: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/181161
PDF flyer: http://www.servantband.com/SERVANT_CTB_Flyer.pdf
http://servantband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/servantband

Starting this Sunday, June 12, and throughout the season of Pentecost, we will be meeting in the “upper room” studio at the back of St. E’s, and we will be meeting at 10am. These changes are in keeping with what many of you indicated as you as your preferences on the two polls sent out a couple weeks ago. Hope to see you Sunday!

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 comes to us from the Speckled Bird:

The Bird is hoping to reopen on a part-time basis in May and we need your help! We would like anyone with a soft spot for the Bird to come and share any thoughts, dreams, and help you can provide. We would ideally like to assemble a strategic planning committee of folks who are committed to seeing the Bird succeed in Norwood. Come enjoy a cup of coffee at the Bird on Tuesday, April 26th at 7pm, and be part of the conversation!

Go to Facebook Event.

Good Friday Service: April 22nd

What is the crosswalk?  It is a vital part of the evening and our discernment process, and will be a time of interactive confession and lament involving a walk around the neighborhood to various sites that signify the memories and hopes (personal and corporate) of the people of Vineyard Central.  The questions of Jesus’ disciples (We had thought?…we had hoped?) we will seek to make ours as a part of our transition into the Easter season.

After the crosswalk, we will assemble in the Upper Room of St. Elizabeth for a time of reflective worship through simple a-capella music and readings from Scripture focused on the Passion of Christ and the events leading up to Jesus’ death on the Cross.  We will be “stripping the cross” of our pieces of cloth during this time and adorning the worship space in black.

Easter Sunday: April 24th

• Worship Gathering @ 10am (in the main Sanctuary of St. Elizabeth)
• Pancake “Brunch” to follow at 12 p.m. (in the Speckled Bird Cafe, bring “fixins” you would like to have with the pancakes to share with others!)

Our hopes are not in vain!  The celebration of God’s redemption and resurrection will involve dedication of children, baptism for those desiring to commit their lives to Jesus, and an opportunity to adorn the same cross we have placed our laments and relinquishments on with beautiful flowers.  We will hear from VCers through poetry and testimony concerning the good God has accomplished in our lives

We apologize for this announcement coming later in the week.  We had said it would come earlier, and we want to be accountable to do what we have said we would do going forward.  Thank you for your patience as we all stumble toward the accountability and grace we need to hold one another as a community!

The VC Women’s Retreat is soon to happen!

Sustainable Faith (the retreat ministry of the Convent) will be hosting the VC Women’s Retreat again this year. Cost will be $25 per person, which will include use of the whole building for Friday night through Saturday afternoon, and breakfast and lunch. Dinner on Friday night will be potluck.

Jody Nixon will be collecting the money, which can be paid through their website or directly to her: checks written to sustainable faith.

Please RSVP to  Mary Ellen Mitchell (maryellenmitchell@gmail.com) or through the Facebook event (preferred)before April 20, but as soon as you are able, so we can get an idea of how to move forward.

If you are interested in spending the night, please post that on the wall below and we will reserve space for you. Rooms will be shared, but over night accommodation is included in the $25, on a first come first served basis.

Please pay Jody Nixon ASAP.

Sustainable Faith (the retreat ministry of the Convent) will be hosting the VC women’s retreat again this year. It is scheduled for Friday May 20- Saturday May 21 and cost will be  $25 per person, which will include use of the whole building for Friday night through Saturday afternoon, and breakfast and lunch. Jody Nixon will be collecting the money, which can be paid through their website (sustainablefaith.com/donate)  or directly to her: checks written to sustainable faith. If you are interested in spending the night, please let her know and she will reserve space for you. Rooms will be shared, but over night accommodation is included in the $25, on a first come first served basis. If you would like to stay over night, please include that in the RSVP. Dinner on Friday night will be potluck. Please RSVP to Mary Ellen Mitchell ( maryellenmitchell@gmail.com ) or Jody before April 20, but as soon as you are able, so we can get an idea of how to move forward.

The following announcement is from Nathan Myers:

Hello Vineyard Central community.

Things were a bit confusing toward the end of our gathering on Sunday as several times/persons to contact were mentioned regarding the upcoming weekly discernment times.  To clear up the confusion a bit, we set up a Doodle Poll to decide on a weekly (Sunday) meeting time. Please cast your votes by Wednesday evening — we’ll tally up the results on Thursday and send out a reminder soon after.

We shifted the suggested times a bit to reflect two desires.  The morning time is shifted back to 11 to provide space for one of the leaders should the community lean on that time more heavily.  The afternoon time is shifted forward to 4 in a desire to be hospitable to parents of young children (of which we have many) in our community who need space and energy to devote to the gatherings before their children are needing to transition to bed.  The times on the poll reflect the likely length of our gatherings maximum of 2 1/2 hours), given that we will spend a piece of time in a worship gathering, a piece eating together, and a piece learning and discussing with one another.

Please click on the below link so we can get a good sense of what time would work best for a wide swath of our community. As stated in the poll, your preference will remain anonymous to all but those collecting the results.”

http://doodle.com/acrk7ay7542nf2p6

The following announcement is from Dave Nixon:

Happy New Year! Let’s come together this first Sunday of 2011 to signal our desire to live and work as a worshiping community in Norwood and beyond!

PLACE ::
The back of St. E’s, where we celebrated Advent

BREAKFAST ::
9-10 a.m. Bagels and coffee provided. You bring the rest: fruits, cheeses, etc.

WORSHIP ::
• singing
• liturgy & response
• teaching (Matt Dawson & Dave Nixon
• communion

Following our time together there won’t be a potluck lunch. (Put that excess cooking energy into breakfast.) Practice hospitality afterward by inviting someone into your home.

The larger context for this post is our weekly Advent gatherings leading up to Christmas.  The following is a message from Laura McNeel:

REFRESHMENTS for Advent Gatherings

Last Sunday night was the start of our four week series of Advent celebrations, leading up to Christmas and birth of our King. Thank you to all our friends and neighbors who made this beautiful time of worship and fellowship possible.

As the Advent season continues, we hope to draw even closer together as a family of Christ. One way you can contribute is by sharing the gift of hospitality through food and drink. Refreshments for the remaining 3 Advent evenings can be light and simple, and should easily be covered by a few willing volunteers ( one person for food, one person for drinks each week.)
Whether you have a talent for baking, coffee brewing, or just the extra time and resources to buy a few pre-made items from the grocery, your gifts will be gladly received and appreciated.

To sign-up (and to ensure that all our ducks are covered), follow this doodle link, type your name to the left, and check the box for the corresponding date and item you are willing to bring.

Blessings and Thanks,
Laura McNeel

(If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a note on Facebook!)

The Advent season is upon us (a week away) and, for most of us, this sacred time of year can often creep up undetected and slip by without catching our eye.  This year, we want to create space to pause and press in, and to experience Advent as a family.  Together.

Join us for weekly Advent services every Sunday evening during Advent from 7-8pm (Nov 28 and Dec 5, 12 and 19).  We’ll gather in the “upper room” (studio space on the 2nd floor in back of St. E’s) to share in fellowship, reflection and worship as we prepare our hearts to welcome the Savior.  There will be time in each service geared toward our kids (after which we’ll have loving, responsible adults lined up to share the rest of the hour with them just downstairs from our gathering).  We’ll share in Advent readings and hear from some of the writers in the VC body, and we’ll have extended times of worship for leaning into the holy hush of the season. Coffee and tea will be available (BYOMug to help lower supply costs).  Bring a friend.

Come, thou long expected Jesus.

First of all, remember to set your clocks back 1 hour this Saturday night! Wouldn’t want you to find an empty house when you arrive.

Breakfast (9:00-10:00)
Light breakfast of bagels and coffee, but you supply the fruit, cheese, juice or some other breakfast food.

Worship (10:00-11:15)
We’ll sing “in-the-round,” reflect on scripture, have conversational team teaching led by Joshua Hanauer (+ guest) followed by communion and offering.

Lunch
This, of course, stands or falls on participation. We value living as a community, and to be a part of a community means participation. Let’s lean into it. Bring something for yourself (or family) and a little extra for someone else. If we all offer a sacrifice of love, then there will be a lot of love expressed in what we eat together. (Invite a neighbor!)

This announcement from the Kings (facebook link):  Also, the Speckled Bird will be open and serving warm beverages to cash customers!

Join us Friday evening, 6pm in a celebration of fall! There will be fires, hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and marshmallows for roasting! Everyone bring your favorite “fallish” side, dessert, or drink to share. Also feel free to bring something to burn as a symbol of the changing seasons, or perhaps a pumpkin (or 2 for sharing) to carve.

We are looking forward to spending time with everyone, but more than that we are hoping this will be a more accessible event for our Norwood neighbors that we do not know or maybe just not very well! So please, spread the word invite your neighbors!

much love,

Austin & Sarah King ( and Lincoln too of course)