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July 2008 Newsletter Like a rainbow of fireworks on a clear Carolina night, crepe myrtles burst into brilliant color in July, reminding us of the promise and the potential that God has placed in us at Garden of Grace United Church of Christ. Many June Blessings! *** Working with Lutheran Family Services of the Carolinas, we gathered household furnishings and other items for Myanmar refugees, Eh Klo Paw and Marry Aung. The young Burmese women have spent years in refugee camps. We also raised more than $2,000 to help with their resettlement expenses. Joy and Carol Smith-Dailey, fotosetc@yahoo.com, are leading this growing Outreach Team. *** Thanks to the ministry of Patrick Parker, parker557@hotmail.com, we added a monthly Men’s Night Out ministry. The first event is dinner at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 3, at Nonnah’s, 930 Gervais St. in Columbia’s Vista neighborhood. *** Patricia Grello’s Care Circle, pgrello@sc.rr.com, began a social-justice ministry that volunteers at Harvest Hope Food Bank and creates baby clothes for people in poorer African and Asian nations. *** We celebrated fathers and father figures with a Multi-Media Tribute, Sunday, June 15. Our Multi-Media Team and Music Team grew in June. *** Lay delegate Charles Joye, CJOYE3@sc.rr.com, Errol Croft, errolshome@sc.rr.com, and Trustee Clerk Jennifer Spears, JenniferVSpears@aol.com, represented us at the 2008 UCC Southeast Conference annual meeting June 13-14 in Pleasant Hill, TN. *** We began the application process to sponsor an Adventure Scouts group for youths 12 years old and older. This will be Columbia’s first such progressive scouting group, made up of boys and girls. Barbara Johnson, compmom1@yahoo.com, and Jennifer Schneider, jenandkris2002@gmail.com, are leading this youth ministry, which is open to church and non-church youth. *** Pastor Andy was one of scores of supporters who helped overcome opposition to a Gay/Straight Alliance student group at Irmo High School. Other GSAs may be formed at Dutch Fork and Chapin high schools. *** Celebrating S.C. Black Pride, Pastor Andy took part in a Town Hall panel discussion about homosexuality and the scriptures. Held at the University of South Carolina Law School, the forum brought together Garden of Grace with Unity Fellowship Christian Church in Charlotte. Some members of this large, progressive church joined Garden of Grace for worship, boosting attendance to 92, on June 29. *** An Ice Cream Social and Envisioning Forum followed fifth Sunday worship, June 29. Among other visions, a diaconate ministry is planned for lay leaders at Garden of Grace. This will be a part of our new In-reach Team. More information is available from Pastor Andy, pastorandys@msn.com. Our Garden Grows with Fellowship! Membership Class will be taught by Pastor Andy, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, July 13. A signup sheet has been posted. Seven people have already signed up! Lunch will be provided. The 90-minute class is offered quarterly. Prospective members are encouraged to attend at least one Care Circle or other small-group gathering. The Sacrament of Baptism and the Rite of Membership will be offered later in July. Our internet ministry has expanded with a MySpace site, which can be reached at http://www.myspace.com/gogucccolumbia. Our web minister Richard Kiraly, gardenofgraceucc@yahoo.com, maintains our web site, www.gogucc.com. Garden of Grace will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a Crystal Extravaganza Weekend of events Aug. 23-24. Celebration team members include Frank Kiraly, Grant Lorick, Joe Matthews, Richard Morris, Christine Walker, David Withers, and Pastor Andy.
The Rev. Michael Piazza, national pastor of Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ and founder of Hope for Peace and Justice, both in Dallas, Texas, will be special guest.
Reverend Piazza, author of several books and widely acclaimed speaker, led the Cathedral of Hope to become the third largest UCCs in the world and the largest predominantly gay and lesbian church in the world.
He will present a leadership forum Saturday afternoon, Aug. 23 to people from Garden of Grace and the three other UCCs in South Carolina, including the newest congregation, Peace Congregational UCC in Clemson. Work has begun on a fifth South Carolina UCC, one in Greenville, and those planners may also be represented.
Reverend Piazza also will deliver the Sunday morning message at 11 a.m. Aug. 24 at Garden of Grace. Annual community and congregational awards also will be presented.
An anniversary dinner and dance will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23 at Hanlee Hall, Columbia’s newest banquet facility. Boasting “Old South” charm, Hanlee opened in December on St. Andrews Road near Irmo. Good news! “Bulletproof Faith: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians,” a new book by Reverend Candace Chellew-Hodge, revcandace@gogucc.com, is scheduled for release Sept. 4. Not only is Reverend Candace our associate pastor, but she also is co-host of Rainbow Radio and founder and editor of the on-line magazine, Whosoever Inc., for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered followers of Christ. The book will be published by Jossey-Bass. It is available now for pre-orders through Amazon. To pre-order, follow this link http://tinyurl.com/3yv59u or do a title search at Amazon.com. Don’t forget to get your copy autographed in September. A book-signing and celebration party are planned Saturday, Sept. 13. Our Apron Brigade, led by Joe Matthews, jmatthewssc@bellsouth.net, coordinates Sunday refreshments and greeters and lunches for membership classes. The team has expanded, offering ministry for those who want to help but feel too shy to greet first-time guests. Donations of coffee cups, lids, snacks and much more are being collected. This is a great way to serve “behind the scene.” Lois Spears, loistalk1948@aol.com, is church sexton and leads a team that includes Carol and Joy Smith-Dailey and Trustee Jennifer Spears. Christine Walker serves as office assistant. Jan Hogan, janh244@yahoo.com, leads our Women’s Spirituality Group and serves in our bulletin and hospitality ministries. The Women’s Group dines out at 7 p.m. third Wednesdays or July 16. Minister of the Month for July is Kelley Huff, who serves on our Music Team and Multi-Media Team. This entitles him to special parking privileges in July. Our Garden Grows with Worship! “Gracious Gardening,” is Pastor Andy’s message, July 13. “Some Good Weed” is Reverend Candace’s message, July 20. Our Celebration Choir, led by Andy Farmer, jandyfarmer@yahoo.com, shares special music in July. Choir practice is at 9:45 a.m. Sundays. Kevin Dove, kdove@lander.edu, and Mike Hughes, mike_hughes_@bellsouth.net, are our instrumentalists. Dan Greshel is soloist July 13. Jho Carter, jcarte76@sc.rr.com, leads Garden of Grace's Prayer Team, which gathers community praises and requests in our prayer book. Sermon CDs are available for those who miss worship or to share with a friend. Reverend Candace coordinates this ministry and also provides CDs for first-time guests. Our web site, www.gogucc.com, maintained by Richard Kiraly, includes sermon podcasts. Our Multi-Media Team includes Shawn Crook, Kevin Dove, Kelley Huff, and Trustee Carol Smith-Dailey. Jan Hogan, Pam Lewis, and Erick Snyder are bulletin ministers. Erick, esnyder8@gmail.com, also provides name tags for new members and regular visitors. Wearing name tags allows us to be friendlier to first-time guests. Grant Lorick and David Withers of Something Special Florist in Irmo provide Sunday altar flowers in exchange for gifts to our building fund. To honor or remember a loved one with flowers, please see the flower calendar in our gathering room. Sunday worship is always at 11 a.m. Our Garden Grows with Caring! Joy Smith-Dailey, fotosetc@yahoo.com, leads an Outreach Team, sponsoring families through the Lutheran Family Services of the Carolinas’ Refugee Resettlement program. Two young women arrived from Myanmar (or Burma) May 22. Kevin Dove leads our Fair Trade Ministry, selling coffee, tea, chocolate and other items from small independent farmers to raise money for our denomination’s Justice and Witness ministry. Non-perishable food items can be brought to our new Food Bank, coordinated by Jan Hogan, Joe Matthews, and Richard Morris. Garden of Grace members, visitors, and others gather in Care Circles to examine the scriptures through various series of discussions. Care Circles gather twice monthly to share in prayer, devotion, and fellowship. These are great places to find friends and ministries. Dan Greshel's Care Circle, DGRESHEL@sc.rr.com, begins a new series, “Easter Moments” at a new time. His circle gathers at 6:30 p.m. first and third Thursdays in Columbia’s St. Andrews neighborhood. The circle gathers July 3 and July 17. Linda Renner, lgrenner@aol.com, and Loretta Cobb lead a Care Circle, which gathers at 6:30 p.m. second and fourth Tuesdays in Columbia’s Earlewood neighborhood to explore “Bible Study for Amateurs.” The circle gathers July 8 and July 22. Jan Hogan, janh244@yahoo.com, leads our Women’s Spirituality Group and serves in our bulletin and hospitality ministries. The Women’s Group dines out at 7 p.m. third Wednesdays or July 16 Our Men’s Night Out is at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 3. Our game night is 7 p.m. Thursday, July 24. More information is available from Patrick Parker, parker557@hotmail.com, and Joe Matthews, jmatthewssc@bellsouth.net. Barbara Johnson, compmom1@yahoo.com, and Jennifer Schneider, jenandkris2002@gmail.com, have launched a Youth Ministry, ages 12 and older. The small-group Care Circle plans movie nights in Finlay Park and other fun outings for older youth. Reverend Candace’s “Living the Questions” series includes light meals. The circle gathers first and third Fridays at 7 p.m. at Garden of Grace. The circle gathers July 18. As Christians, we know that our religion offers something valuable to our world. At the same time, we may despair at the image of Christians in our world as judgmental, legalistic, and graceless. join us on a 21-week long spiritual journey to reclaim our faith. "Living the Questions" provides an opportunity for people to ask the questions they've always wanted to ask without the fear of being called a heretic – or worse. Donations to defray the cost of meals will be gladly accepted but are not necessary. The sessions are free and open to all. For more information, contact Rev. Candace at revcandace@gogucc.com. The Rev. Kathy Clark of Atlanta, associate UCC conference minister, kclark@secucc.org, and Reverend Candace and Carolyn Hayford, chayford9@hotmail.com, lead us in a fourth Theology Among the People series at 1 p.m. Sundays, beginning July 13. These classes offer certification for lay ministers. More information is available from coordinator Jennifer Spears, JenniferVSpears@aol.com. Some Garden of Grace basics!
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