November 19, 2022

Hello Grace Vineyard and Friends of Grace,

Welcome to a Saturday edition of our weekly update email.  Happy Thanksgiving Week to you!   There’s a bit of a chill in the air (at least in the early morning), and it feels like the holiday season is upon us.  Of course, it is upon us, cuz Thanksgiving Holiday is this coming Thursday!

I’m going to take advantage of the season and bring a message on Entering the Lord’s Presence with Thanksgiving tomorrow.

To make it really special, I’ve invited Jennifer Rowe-Goodwin (yes, check out that new name!  Mark Anthony Goodwin and Jennifer just got married a week ago, if you haven’t heard the good news!) to share some of her testimony.  We often call her “Joyful Jennifer”, and part of her testimony reveals how the Lord brought Joy out of suffering.   It is always profoundly encouraging and inspiring to hear the stories of how God has redeemed our lives. This will be another one of those mornings where it would be great to invite a friend who hasn’t yet entered into life with Jesus to experience the morning with you.  It’s already Saturday, so you might want to stop reading this and text-invite a friend right now!

By the way, last Sunday was really awesome with our special guest CJ Orndorff, and the wonderful time we had at our fellowship lunch after church.  Here’s a video of CJ’s message (including his opening song) if you’d like to see it again:

Remember the Poor

In his letter to the church at Galatia (chapter 2, verse 10), the Apostle Paul is recalling the time he met with James, Peter, and John in Jerusalem to discuss his ministry.  He says they affirmed his message and his calling to the Gentiles, adding this one requirement they asked of him: “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.”  Isn’t that remarkable?  Of all the things these apostles in Jerusalem might have been concerned about, there was only one thing: remember the poor.

We have a wonderful opportunity to do that here in Oceanside in conjunction with Michael Aplikowsky and Convicted 4 Christ, the nonprofit organization he helps run.  They minister to the poor of Oceanside several days each week all year around, and we are always invited to join them.  Much of their ministry is done among the homeless population, and there is a special need during the winter months when rain and cold weather can wreak havoc for these neighbors of ours.  On their website, Michael writes:

It may not seem like it folks, but very soon it will be cold and raining. I don’t know if you’ve ever been homeless or not, but the rain does more than just get you wet. It wipes out your living environment and washes away everything, leaving behind a sense of hopelessness and despair. I speak from lived experience!

Last year we were able to provide people with nearly 1,000 blankets and rain tarps. We also provided $7,000 worth of arctic sleeping bags, 300 lunches each week, and hundreds of pairs of socks. On one occasion, we were even able to provide emergency shelter to a 78-year-old woman whose life was literally saved through this act of kindness. Today this woman, Edna Lazarz, has a Section 8 Voucher and is currently looking for permanent housing which she has the financial capabilities to maintain on her own. (This is just one of many testimonies)

It was through the efforts and kindness of all those that stood beside us at Convicted4Christ that made this story, and others like it possible.”

If you’d like to donate a blanket or tarp, please look for the box in the lobby this Sunday where we’ll be collecting these things.  You can also make a cash donation.  And I would especially encourage you to talk with Michael about when you can join him and his team in bringing the love of Jesus to these neighbors of ours.  (Remember the Great Commandment to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves.)  You can find out more about the C4C winter fundraiser by clicking here: https://www.convicted4christ.org/winter-fundraiser

Decorating Grace Vineyard for Christmas

All are welcome to help us decorate the church for Christmas Sunday December 4th after the service.  Pizza and salad will be provided.  Please call Kim Ohst if you have questions 760.519.4558.

This year, Christmas falls on Sunday, so we’re going to be celebrating Christmas together on Christmas Eve, and taking Sunday as a day of rest.  That’s right, no church on Sunday, December 25th.  And this year Ammee Huzil is planning a Christmas Eve service with a place for just about anybody to participate.  Here’s the info she’d like you to know:

Please email Amy: ammeepearl@gmail.com to book your spot for an audition and to sign up to help.

Also, check out these other events from our Worship Community:

Worship Community Small Group

Our Monday Evening Worship Small Group has been going strong and we have been able to work on our voices, and our instruments, and even do some songwriting exercises.   We have one more date in November on the 28th. 

We will be pausing through the month of December to work on Christmas Eve preparations. No RSVP is required and this is open to All ages and skill levels. If you have any questions please email ammeepearl@gmail.com

Vocal Workshop December 3, 1-5 P.M.

Attention singers and those who want to sing!

We are having our (rescheduled from the summer) Vocal Workshop on Saturday, December 3rd, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the church. This vocal training will be led by Jaime Nicolaisen, a professional Voice Instructor and Music Educator since 1986.

You can read more about Jaime on her website: https://www.sing4yourlife.net

Even if you are not on the worship team, but want to learn how to use your voice, this is for you!

The cost is $65/person and scholarships ARE available.

RSVP is required so we can get a headcount for the day.

Email ammeepearl@gmail.com, Subject: Vocal Workshop RSVP

Ladies Christmas Luncheon

Ladies, Come celebrate the birth of Jesus with us for our December 10th Women’s Christmas Lunechon.  We’ll have Christmas carols, a Christmas message from Jennifer Rowe-Goodwin, soup and salad bar and a white elephant gift exchange ($5 or less).  Tickets are $10 and you can sign up to host a table, or bring a soup or dessert.

Wow! Lots of exciting ways for us to connect with each other and our North County community as we enter the Holiday Season.  I hope you’ll all dive into life giving relationship as much as possible!  I’ll see you all tomorrow for worship at 9:30.  I recommend you get up a little earlier to spend some alone time with the Lord before we all come together.  When we all do that, our worship of Jesus seems to be even more engaging and Spirit filled!  Looking forward to encountering His Presence with you!

With blessings and love,

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.