When Bishop Breidenthal visited Christ Church at the end of January, he suggested that it would be good for congregations to develop forums where the people of God could practice telling their stories. We Episcopalians shy away from the E-Word (Evangelism), because too often it has been accompanied by folk trying to beat us over the head with bibles, threats, and coercions. But if we understand that evangelism (proclaiming good news) is most effective when we simply share our own stories, then it is non-threatening to others and can even be inviting.

We are exploring how to do this in the deanery Lenten study series . . . telling our personal stories, exploring the stories of our parishes, and pondering where those stories might be calling us in the future.

When I first came to Dayton, the Dayton Daily News had a Board of Community Contributors, which was a group of people chosen annually to write a series of opinion pieces. I became familiar with the process, because my wife Ann was a “Community Contributor” one year.

I want to take this opportunity to invite you to become a “Community Contributor”—to share your personal story in this Broadcast or other forums. I’m thinking of 300-500 word summaries of what good news, experience(s), or discovery of meaning that brought you to faith, to church, to discipleship. It would be a delight to publish several such stories every month. We shall get to know one another better, and we’ll be better prepared to share our faith with others (neighbors, co-workers, even family members) because we’ve given it careful thought and practice.

So take out your pencil and paper, your computer, instant messaging system or whatever method you use for composing your thoughts and begin to write. Use poetry or prose. Music, photography, drawing or other graphic arts are not out of bounds. Use the mode of expression that speaks of your heart and we will find a way to share it, if not in print, then on the web or in a live setting.

Let the stories of God’s people be told!

--John Paddock

Welcome to The Rev. Mary Slenski

Bishop Breidenthal has assigned Mary to Christ Church for the balance of her Residency Program. The Residency is a two-year training program for newly ordained clergy.

Mary and her family have been members of Christ Church for many years. Upon graduation from The Episcopal Divinity School in 2008, Mary Slenski served at St. Mark's Church in Riverside, OH. She with work half-time at Christ Church with the title "Assistant to the Rector" where she will be involved in general parish ministry and oversee several projects.

Christian Discovery

The Episcopal Church in Dayton Lenten Series: 
Dying to Old, Rising to New: Life in the Spirit

March 2: Christ Church Dayton
March 9: St. Christopher’s
March 16: St. Margaret’s
March 23: St. Paul’s

In every generation, God’s people discover the truth of the resurrection.   We experience death and God offers us new life, a life empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Things change and a new way emerges to live as God’s people.  This Lent, join us to discover the new way emerging for the Episcopal Church in Dayton.  We will use Scripture,  History, and Art as three ways of understanding what God is doing in our lives and in our church.  The Lenten Series will be held on five Tuesday nights during Lent.  The program will begin with prayer and  a simple soup supper from 6:00 – 6:45 pm. The program will have three separate tracks to choose from between 6:45-8:00 pm. 

1. The Story of People of God in Scripture: We will use Scripture as our guide and study together the new ways that emerge to be the people of God in every age, from Abraham through the Exodus, from the kingdom of David through the Exile.    We will study how God’s way is recognized throughout time.
2. The Story of the People of God in Dayton: We will study the history of the Episcopal Church in Dayton, Ohio and work to discern the new life that God is inviting us to in our time.  We will also discuss how the social changes in Dayton have shaped the churches here in the Miami Valley.
3. The Story of God’s People in Art and Culture: We will look at examples of art and culture in the Dayton area, especially how art and music have been used in our churches.   Art is a vehicle through which perceptions are challenged and new expressions or ideas are made known to the world.  We will discuss the impact of artistic expression and innovation on our understanding of God’s call to us today.

This program will be held at several of our deanery churches. We invite you to join us as you are able on this special Lenten pilgrimage!  A signup sheet is on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall.  If you wish to register online, click here.( https://diosohio.wufoo.com/forms/dayton-deanery-lenten-program

Outreach News

Christ Church continues to move forward on three new outreach projects: a community garden, a rebuilding program, and microloans.  The other Episcopal Churches in the Dayton Deanery have also shown interest in these projects.

A grant for a community garden was approved by the Episcopal Community Services Foundation (ECSF).  The plan is to set up a Community Garden at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church since they have several acres of open land.  Fresh produce from the garden would be provided to the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church pantry and other local pantries.  We have discussed using the square foot gardening concept and would welcome help from folks who are familiar with this gardening technique.  We will need lots of volunteers to make this work.  See Maureen Boyles if you are interested in this project.  Also consider growing your own garden and donating produce to our local pantries.   

We plan on participating in the Rebuilding Together Dayton (RTD) program this year and expect to have a Dayton area house selected soon.  We will need volunteers to help rehab our house on April 24, a Saturday starting at 8am and finishing by 6pm.  No skills are required; we will have knowledgeable folks on the job site for instruction and support.  We expect to be doing caulking, painting, wall repairs, and other small projects.  I’ll have a sign-up sheet out soon and feel free to sign-up for as much time as you can spare or have the energy for.  The Dayton Denary Episcopal Churches plan on also participating and as a group, we need to raise $3,000.  A friend of Christ church has already donated $500 toward this effort.   If you are interested in donating please write Rebuilding program on your check to Christ Church.  We need to have our funds raised by mid March.   Homes are selected by RTD and folks have to qualify for the program.  Typically they are unable to make their own repairs due to physical disabilities, age or limited income.  According to the RTD website, every dollar we donate is turned into $4 with in-kind donations and other funding received by the organization.   See me see if you have any questions or have construction experience and would like to help organize the effort.

We have setup a Christ Church microloan program and Dayton Episcopal Deanery Community through Kiva, a microloan website.  Go to www.Kiva.org and sign-up for a Kiva account.  You can then go to the community area and search for Dayton Episcopal to join our group.  By joining our team we can invest together.  So far our community as made 17 loans to people trying to improve their lives and their families lives throughout the world.  Loans are $500 to several thousand dollars and are funded by dozens of folks all over the world.  If you sign up for a Kiva account you can make your own loans.  Another option is to donate to the Christ Church microloan fund (mark microloan fund on your check, which is also tax deductable).  I’ll hold meetings as needed after church services or another announced time so, as a group, we can make loans.  What is really cool is that 98% of the loans we will make are paid pack within a year or so and we will receive the loan money back as a credit which can then be re-loaned out to another entrepreneur.  This effectively creates a self perpetuating outreach program.  While microloans will not solve world poverty, it is one way that we can have a positive impact and see the results first hand.  I find it interesting that the largest group that donates on Kiva is the atheists, skeptics and agnostics community.  We, as Christians and Episcopalians, are also now part of this world community.   

                                  In His Service, George Slenski, g.slenski@ameritech.net 

National Rebuilding Day – Saturday, April 24, 2010

Rebuilding Together Dayton is the only organization in the Miami Valley dedicated to rehabbing owner-occupied homes for low-income homeowners at no cost. As a Dayton Deanery, we have signed up to rehab a house.  Our house has been selected and possible rehab projects include window repair, external door replacement, storm door replacement, roof repair, and wall repair.   Don’t be concerned about your skill level; there will be plenty of jobs for everyone.  Lunch will be served and this year if you work eight hours Disney is offering a one day pass to a theme park.  A sign-up sheet should be posted and you should also sign-up through the Rebuilding website at http://www.rtdayton.org/volunteer/volunteer.html  under Christ Church by March 29.   If you have any questions please contact George Slenski by email: g.slenski@ameritech.net  or ph 937.429.5513. We will contact those who are interested in working on Saturday and provide directions to our house.  You can find out more about the program at Rebuilding Together Dayton website:  http://www.rtdayton.org/index.html

Emergency Update:  Earthquake in Haiti

We are working with Diocese of Haiti to provide critical, life saving assistance such as food, water and medicine, as well as long-term recovery and rehabilitation aid in the aftermath of the January 12 earthquake.

Donations can be made directly to Episcopal Relief and Development (electronically or by check). To donate to the Haiti Fund electronically, visit www.er-d.org. If sending a check directly to ERD, mail to Episcopal Relief & Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. Please put "Haiti Fund" in the memo line of all checks.

Donate for Easter Flowers/Brass

It was the first week of February and the phone began ringing off the hook. Is this the place where I can get my taxes done? For free? Again and again and again the phone rang. Over and over and over the same question. Taxes done for free?

Most of you are aware that Christ Church is an Ohio Benefit Bank site, but you may not know that one of the services the Benefit Bank offers is FREE tax preparation. Indeed the service is free and it is that time of year! Upon asking these potential tax clients how they came to be referred to Christ Church, we learned that the state office of Ohio Benefit Bank was taking calls from people who receive aid from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps.) Apparently their 1-800 toll free phone number was listed on the back of recipient cards for the month of February. Clients are then referred to a site based on the Zip code in which they reside. I can only imagine the activity level of the phone lines at the state office if the flurry of calls at Christ Church were any indication! What a wonderful marketing tool to reach the low-moderate income wage earners (under $57,000) who often miss out on tax credits simply because they are unaware of them or do not think they qualify. Most notable are the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) or CTC (Child Tax Credit) for families.

Let’s face it, filing taxes can be confusing, difficult and intimidating for most people. Our Christ Church tax counselors; Charley Stough, George Slenski, Ann Pettee and John Paddock have had many clients in recent weeks and have helped many people to file and receive the full refund to which they are entitled. I use the term full refund because many of these same clients might have been charged between $400-500 in fees to use a paid tax service. Or worse yet, a client might have fallen prey to the trap of “Refund Anticipation Loans”, a short-term, high-cost loan offered by many services just to put the money in their clients pockets a little faster! I can’t name names, or even specific dollar amounts, but I can tell you that our counselors have gotten their clients THOUSANDS of dollars they might not otherwise have received. I believe the top number for one household so far has been almost $9000.00!

Please let your friends, relatives and acquaintances know that we are here to serve them. Charley Stough can provide bi-lingual services for Spanish speaking clients and John Paddock can provide ASL interpretation as needed. Call the church office or speak to one of the above mentioned counselors for more information or to make an appointment.

Kris Sexton

YOUTH NEWS                                                                                                

ITALIAN FEAST—Sunday March 28:  Please join us for lunch, fellowship and program being hosted by our youth group following the 10:30 a.m. service. Our goal is to raise funds for the summer mission trip to Good Earth Hunger Mission (see article below). The menu for the day includes; spaghetti, salad, bread, dessert and beverage. Cost  $6.00 per person or $20 per family. Advance tickets will be on sale March 14 & 20 in the Parish Hall, or you can contact Kris Sexton in the church office to make your reservation. (All youth are needed to help make this event a success!)

YOUTH GROUP TO SERVE AT GOOD EARTH HUNGER MISSION
June 14-20, 2010

The Good Earth Hunger Mission grows and gleans fresh produce for food pantries, women's shelters, and free meal programs in Athens County. In addition to feeding the hungry, this ministry educates volunteers about local, sustainable agriculture and helps reconnect people from a variety of backgrounds with the earth. Volunteers help in the garden each week doing everything from planting to harvesting. Many of you were in church on Appalachian Sunday Feb. 14, when Paul Clever visted Christ Church and spoke of his mission and work as the director of Good Earth. In June, our youth group will return to Athens for mission work. Older youth and adults will arrive early in the week to work on building projects to include; an outdoor “camp” shower to be used by mission groups coming to the farm, and the construction of a greenhouse. Other youth and chaperones will join later in the week to help with the garden and farm chores. The mission trip will be a week of service and learning for all participants. We ask for the prayers and support of the congregation as we undertake this opportunity for servant ministry. More information about Good Earth can be found at the following link.  http://www.chogs.org/goodearth.htm

“Come, follow me . . .”

Youth Group Retreat – April 9-11

The retreat will be held in the main lodge at Camp Wesely in Bellefontaine,Ohio. This is a time for us to just get away, be together, have some fun, and learn what it means for us to follow Jesus!! All youth will need to complete a registration form and pay a modest fee of $15.00 per person to help cover the cost of facility and food. Detailed information about the camp can be found at the following link: http://www.westohiocamps.com/camps/wesley_tour.asp

SACSL hosts its 20th Annual Dinner

The Society for the Advancement of Culture and Welfare in Sierra Leone (SACSL) will host its 20th Annual Dinner on Friday, March 12, 2010.  The event will be held in the Parish Hall of Christ Episcopal Church, Dayton, at 6:30 p.m.

In celebration of this milestone, the theme this year is "One mission, One Group, One Nation - A 20-year success story."  One combined group of individuals, business organizations, churches and politicians who have come together over the past 20 years to help solidify a single vision for Sierra Leone. 

This year's event will be unique as they will not only center on the accomplishments of the collective efforts, but they will also take a moment to celebrate the driving force behind these achievements - SACSL's founder and president - Mr. Williamson (Ade) Ademu-John!

Donations are $25 per person.  Please print the reservation form below and mail to Dorothea Sammur.

Pilgrimage to Russia

White Nights Pilgrimage to Russia
June 13-24, 2011
Sponsored by the Miami Valley Episcopal Russian Network (MVERN)

The Russian Orthodox Church with its gifts of iconography, liturgy, music and deep spirituality, has nourished the soul of Russia for over 1000 years.  Join Bishop and Mrs. Breidenthal and explore the cultural and historical sites in St. Petersburg and witness MVERN's outreach ministry to St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in the village of Sablino. 

Highlights of the trip:
* Discover St. Petersburg, long considered the artistic and cultural center of Russia.
* Tour the great Hermitage State Museum and the Russian Museum.
* Spend a day at the Palace of Petrodvorets, famous for its gardens and cascade of golden fountains.
* Witness the remarkable revival of the Russian Orthodox faith after 70 years of repression.
* Worship with the parishioners at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Sablino, 30 miles south of St. Petersburg.
* See the work of MVERN's Russian ministry in Sablino, including the outstanding Youth Education Center.
* Join youth from the Diocese of Southern Ohio as they assist with a summer camp program and work on a designated project at the Youth Center.
* Stay in a boutique hotel on St. Petersburg's main street.
* Extend your trip with an optional extension to Moscow.

For further information, click on www.mvern.org or call (937) 435-3550.

• Treasurer's Reports - 2009 year-end summary:  At the end of 2009, our total income was $448,167 and total expenses were $48,167. Our anticipated deficit of $35,000 was reduced by the agreement with St. Paul's Greenville and the elimination of the sexton's job.  This reduced the deficit by $20,000, which brought the deficit to $12,000.  Part of a bequest was used to offset the 1009 operating deficit.
• Grants:  Received a $5,000 grant from ESCF this year for CityHeart.  The deanery garden project also received $1400 from ESCF and will be used for startup expenses. The Fishing Foundation renewed their $10,000 CityHeart grant for another year. 
• The 2010 budget was presented.  Current 2010 pledge estimate is $245,573.  With that amount plus newly estimated increases in the parking lot, endowment, grants, and estimated giving income, the Finance Committee felt safe in increasing budgeted revenue by $33,104 for a total of $458,613.  The Finance Committee recommended a raise for staff. 
• All the good news needs to be balanced with all the painful decisions made in the past: the staff did not receive raises for years, extra hours of work for John, and the cutting of staff.  We are projecting a balanced budget for 2010.  Asking the diocese to reduce our Mission Share based on our capital needs. The vestry voted to adopt the 2010 budget.
• Part-time Pastoral Associate:  Bishop Breidenthal reassigned Mary Slenski to Christ Church so she could get broader experience here. She would be here from February 1 thru June 30 and the diocese will send us the money to pay her salary and expenses. 
• Building Issues:  Heating and AC fan coil units in the youth room:  We received a bid for $12,000 to replace the heating and air conditioning.  Howard Heck was checking to see if the units could be replaced cheaper.  Pointing of brick work: the contractor said he would do the first part of the brick point tucking for $5,000.  The price was reduced because he would like to work on it part-time. Damage from the entryway air handler flooding due to broken pipe: everything was covered by insurance after we paid the $1,000 deductable.  the re-waxing of the floor in the entry way and chapel will need to be done after winter. Sidewalk replacement:  the city will receive stimulus money to pay for sidewalk repair.  The replacement of sidewalks would probably begin in the spring. 
• After looking at attendance information deanery-wide, one thing is evident.  The average Sunday attendance at Christ church and all the other churches has declined since the 60s and 70s.  However, the last two years our attendance has gone up, from 141 average attendance to 147. The 2009 attendance figure will be 152.  That is good news.