Women’s Ministry
The Women’s ministry at Grace church exists: To help women establish Godly relationships with other women, that will encourage and equip them to live for God’s glory. To pass on to the next generation the biblical and covenantal principals of womanhood. To strengthen the women of Grace in their love of and service to Jesus Christ and His church. We do this, by God’s grace through bible study, prayer, and fellowship events. A key verse for our Women’s ministry is Acts 2:42 “and they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and the prayers.”
Women’s Bible Study
An important part of Women’s Ministry at Grace Church is the weekly Bible
study. We are blessed with an abundance of women who have taught such
studies over the years.
This year, Judy Carroll, Chris Crist, Theresa Dodson, Sue Scott, Suzanne
Shields, Sharon Tebbano, and Julie Yoho are co-teaching a 14-week study
on the Book of Amos beginning September 14, 2021. They will be using J.A.
Motyer, The Message of Amos.
The study meets Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the sanctuary
to permit social distancing. Zoom is also available for those who want to
make the class but are unable or uncomfortable with in-person meetings.
Many attend via Zoom, including participants from North Carolina and
Fort Worth, Texas.
Judy Carroll is a longtime member of Grace, wife of Deacon Mark Carroll,
mother of Cami (Carroll) Graham, and proud grandmother of Max, Carrie
and Gin. She is a fervent follower of the Lord Jesus.
Chris Crist has taught women’s Bible studies for more than 30 years, both
at Grace Church and in 2004-2005 at a PCA church in San Francisco,
where the women attending named themselves the Covenant Sisters. Chris
has a BA from Nebraska Wesleyan University, and has taken master’s
degree classes from Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North
Carolina. Chris has also led women’s retreats or discussions at sister
churches in the Ohio Presbytery–Harvest PCA in Medina and Veto PCA in
Vincent. Chris and her husband Paul have three children and eight
grandchildren.
Suzanne Shields has married to Dr. Carl Shields PhD for 40 years, is the
mother of four and grandmother of seven. Suzanne and Carl have attended
Grace for over 20 years.
Julie Yoho and her husband, David, recently returned to Northeast Ohio.
They previously lived in Lubbock, Texas, Wheaton, Illinois, Portland,
Oregon and Napa, California. Julie has a B.F.A. from the University of
Akron and studied Bible and Theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.
Julie led her first Bible study in 1980 and went on to be involved in writing
and leading studies and women’s ministries at The Chapel in Akron and
College Church in Wheaton, as well as other churches they have attended.
Julie has been involved in short-term missions as a single and married
woman and with her family in Europe, South America and Russia. Two of
the greatest joys of her life are her grandson, Archie, and helping women
discover the joy of the Gospel.
Women’s Retreats
Grace PCA has periodically hosted a number of women’s retreats, drawing attendance from sister PCA churches as well,. Among those who have spoken at our women’s retreats are Elyse Fitzpatrick (https://www.elysefitzpatrick.com/), and Valerie Shepard. Elyse holds a masters degree in biblical counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She is a retreat and conference speaker, head of Women Helping Women Ministries, and a member of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors. Valerie is the daughter of Jim Elliot, noted Christian missionary and martyr, and his wife Elisabeth Elliot, also a renowned missionary and author.
On Oct. 15-16, 2021, an Ohio Presbytery-wide Women’s Retreat will be held at Harvest PCA in Medina, Ohio. The retreat will feature speaker/author Rachel Craddock. This promises to be “a weekend designed for the women in the Ohio Presbytery … the daughters, mothers, sisters, wives and friends … to bring us together, to bring us closer to our God, and to bring us a bibilcal perspective on who we really are in Christ.” Please visit Rachel’s blog at www.rachelcraddoc.com.
Women’s Prayer Circle
The women’s prayer circle meets the first Monday of each month both in person at the church and remotely over Zoom.