June 30, 2023
Hello Grace Vineyard and Friends of Grace,
Happy Friday/Saturday to you (I began this email on Friday afternoon, but wasn’t able to finish it until Saturday morning). I hope you had another wonderful week in our beautiful part of the world. I’m getting ready for another weekend full of activity with family and friends. I recently overheard my son talking with a friend as they were making preparations for a graduation party, about one of the great things he experiences in being part of a church – the same church – for his whole life so far. He talked about being part of a community with many people that have known him and his sister their entire lives, and how it’s like having an extended family who know you and love and you support you and celebrate with you at important milestones (like high school graduation in this case). I agree, and I think it’s a point worth emphasizing. But note well, you don’t experience that kind of community – koinonia, to use the Greek word for Biblical community/fellowship – by merely attending church services (whether in person or online), but by diving into community. That’s one of the reasons I take the time every week to send you these emails and highlight ways we can be connected with each other in small groups, outreach activities, Bible Studies, prayer meetings, connection events, potlucks, etc. Please make it a priority to enter into community with the Body of Christ. The benefits are immeasurable, and I can almost guarantee that at some point in your life you, like me, will need a community of people to support you as you go through one of the trials that come your way in this life. We really do need each other!
With all that in mind, let me remind you of some of the ways we can connect with each other in the coming month. Here’s a challenge: if you are not currently connecting outside of Sunday mornings, would you pick one of the things I will mention and put it on your calendar for the coming month? That would be cool!
Worship and Song Connect 2nd & 4th Mondays
Everyone is welcome on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month for Worship and Song Connect. This group is focused on worship art, but anyone who loves to worship the Lord would enjoy. If you want, bring your instrument. Ammee Huzil leads this group, so if you’d like to know more, reach out to Ammee at 8 or ammeepearl@gmail.com .
Thursday Night Small Group
Every Thursday night a group of us meet for fellowship, worship, prayer ministry, and a Bible discussion (where every person can participate, if they want). Doors open at 6:30pm for hang out time, and worship starts at 7pm. Currently we’re reading through the Gospel of Matthew. Matt Evans leads this group, so if you’d like to know more, reach out to Matt at 760-802-9121 or ousdgeek@gmail.com
Sunday Nights at Grace
Our Sunday night service is a much more intimate setting than Sunday mornings for connecting with the Lord and with each other. We meet in the lobby at 6pm and sit in one of the living room areas. There are coffee, tea, and snacks, hang out time, worship, discussing the Bible together, and prayer ministry. Steve Rogers leads Sunday Nights at Grace, so if you’d like to know more, reach out to Steve at 760-500-4324 or srogers@gracevcf.org
Care 4 U Ministry
Care 4 U Ministry is not a weekly meeting, but a service team. Our mission is quite simply to do our best to meet the needs of people in our Grace Vineyard family. For example, if you need to have surgery, we would love to bring meals to you and your family. So, if you have a need, let us know. And if you’d like to be on our team to practically bless people in our Grace Vineyard family, join us! Michelle Ertel leads Care 4 U Ministry, so if you’d like to know more, reach out to Michelle at 760-994-5962.
Morning Prayer on Zoom, Tues-Thurs at 7am
Every Tuesday – Thursday morning at 7am-8am, we meet on Zoom to start our day with connection and prayer. We read a chapter of the Bible together and then pray for whatever needs the participants are thinking about that morning. We have SO many answers to the prayers we bring that it’s almost hard to believe. We also frequently have some guests join us from countries around the world. Here’s the info for the Zoom meeting: Meeting ID: 812 2225 0027 Password: 006314.
Monday Night Women’s Bible Studies
Our Women’s ministry puts on short term Bible Studies throughout the year. Some are in person, and some are online via Zoom. Currently a group is meeting in person at Kim Ohst’s home on Monday nights, watching an episode of Season 3 of The Chosen (it’s dramatization of the life of Jesus), and then reading through the Bible passages from which the current episode is based. Of course there’s also ample fellowship, and opportunities to pray for each other. But that’s just the current Monday Women’s Bible study; you can be certain another themed Bible Study will be starting in the coming weeks and months.
Face to Face Monthly Women’s Home Group
Face to Face is our women’s home group where we worship together, share a time of teaching, pray for each other and EAT. In July, Face to Face will be on July 21, and the details on the location will be coming soon. Watch these weekly emails and Sunday morning announcements for the specific details each month, or contact Kim Ohst at 760-519-4558 or kimohst@gmail.com.
Women’s Saturday Morning Walks
On the 2nd Saturday of every month at 9am, Kathy Green leads a ladies hike/walk in one of the many beautiful spots in North County. It’s always a very easy walk, and it’s just a great way to connect in the beauty of Creation. This month, the ladies will meet at the Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center (7380 Gabbiano Lane, Carlsbad) at 9am Saturday, July 8th at 9am. This is such a pretty walk around the lagoon. Please let Kathy Green know if you plan to attend 760.583.1779.
Monthly Men’s Breakfasts
Our Men’s Ministry puts on a GREAT breakfast on the 2nd Saturday of every month. We meet at Ty’s Burgerhouse at 8am, enjoy conversation around eggs, bacon, potatoes, biscuits & gravy, coffee, and juice. We spend some time worshiping together, listen to an inspirational message focused on issues related to our lives as men, and save some time to pray for anyone who could use a touch from the Lord. Richard “Snake” Ertel leads this ministry, so reach out to Snake for more info at (760) 622-4572 or richard@convicted4christ.org
Authentic Manhood
Authentic Manhood is a group for men that meets on Wednesdays at 7pm, with location varying. The Authentic Manhood series looks at the life of Jesus for our example of what it means to be a man. There are 6 volumes in the series, each lasting 6 weeks, so it’s easy to jump in throughout the year. Please call Steve Pittman at 760-525-0748 to learn more about the current series and location.
Mercy Ministry
The Vineyard is built on the foundation of Worship and Compassion. Ministry to people hurting all around us was so important to the founder of our movement, John Wimber, that he would say, ”Serving the poor isn’t an option. If we don’t care for the poor we’re good as dead. I see it as a life and death matter.” Michael Aplikowsky leads people into encounters of love with unsheltered people in North County 4-5 days every week. Teams bring food and other resources to those in need, but the main thing is connecting relationally with our neighbors who happen to be homeless, building trust, offering prayer…bringing The Kingdom of God. If you go, what you’ll experience is that you’ll be more changed and blessed than the people you meet on the streets. For the next opportunity to love powerfully in the name of Jesus, reach out to Michael at (760) 473-9177.
Well, as you can see we have so many ways for us to connect with each other and God, and it’s almost certain that I’ve forgotten to mention some of them. I hope you’ll not only join us on Sunday mornings, but you’ll dive into community; it’s WONDERFUL!
This Sunday we’ll be in week 3 of our WITNESS series as we read about the 1st followers of Jesus and how their lives proved to be witnesses for Jesus that changed the world. From their stories we are learning principles for ours. See you Sunday morning at 9:30am.
with love and blessings,
Ron Ohst
Tithes and Offerings Online
THANKS for taking ownership in the life and ministry of Grace Vineyard! And thanks to all of you who are stepping into a lifestyle of generosity with your tithes and offerings. It really does take all of us doing our part with the income God has entrusted to us for His church. If you’d like to give your tithe or offering online, click the donate button below.
P.S.
Don’t forget we’re needing to build up our building fund for some important improvements around our Grace Vineyard home. If you’d like to give a special offering, just make sure to mention “building fund” in the “what’s this donation for” section of the online giving system. Thanks!