Healthy Congregations Training Completed
On Thursday I participated in the 7th and final weekly two-hour Zoom session of training to become a certified Healthy Congregations Workshop Facilitator. There's been a fair amount of homework, but got it done. Once I get my certification, I can order workshop participant guides from Healthy Congregations after a workshop has been scheduled.
All of this is coordinated through our Northwestern Ohio Synod Congregational Resource Team (CRT), which I joined last year. The CRT monitors congregations in transition, or those requesting assistance and resources for their congregational contexts. The CRT, using workshops and resources from Healthy Congregation, offers a series of six workshops. Pr. Matt Musteric, the leader of our CRT, has prepared a "flyer" which outlines the workshops that are available through the team. You can view and read the flyer HERE.
Organ MIDI Connection Will Be Made Soon
Greg Jess has been working hard with Lynea from Church Music Solutions, the provider of the Substitute Organist Service (SOS) program that we have used to provide organ tracks for our worship services, to make a connection between their service and the Grace organ. When the connection is made, we will be able to play the Grace organ to play requested hymns and provided prelude, offertory and postlude music on our organ, controlled by the SOS app on an iPad. One of the benefits of connecting to the organ MIDI is that it will work with a Bluetooth connection, which means that the connection will be wireless, unlike the wired connection that we have used so far to play digital organ tracks through the sound system.
Since Hyo and Susan have come on board as our organists, the need for SOS has been greatly reduced, but not entirely. Susan was unable to play for Wednesday evening Lenten worship because of illness. I was able to send in an emergency request for SOS tracks for the hymns, which were delivered in time for the service. Hyo will be unavailble for four weekends in May and June, so SOS will come to the rescue.
LIFT Midweek Lent Series "Making Change" Continues
The second of our 5-week Lenten series services were held on Wednesday. Pr. Matt brought the message at Grace with the theme "Change of Circumstances." I traveled to St. Mark and helped to lead the 7:00 service there, bringing the theme "Change of Habit," the message that I will bring to Grace on the last Wednesday of the series on March 20. This coming Wednesday, Pr. Paul brings the message "Change of Heart" to Grace. Remember that supper beginning at 5:00 pm precedes 6:30 worship at Grace. The menu for this week is: Pulled Pork, Mac & Cheese, Salad, Fruit, Dessert. Sounds yummy to me. Hope to see you there!
Bridge of Hope news
Pr. Paul has reported that an interview for the director position has been held. Further conversation with the candidate, and it is hoped that the new director can be hired soon.
Spouse of Former Grace Pastor Reports on ELCA Church Council Service
Rev. Beth Wright was an Associate Pastor at Grace under Pastor Fuchs until accepting a call the St. Mark in Toledo and eventually marrying Hans Giller. In 2022, Hans was elected by the Churchwide Assembly to the ELCA Church Council, a legislative body which makes decisions on ELCA policy between Churchwide Assembly. Hans wrote a reflection on his service on the Council in this week's synod email. You can read his reflection HERE.
Just Three Things
You can read this week's email HERE.
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