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This week we are reeling from the shootings at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, FL. On Friday, June 17, we also remember the one-year anniversary of the shooting at Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC.
How do we respond to the violence around us?
First, we raise our voices in
prayer. Here is the Litany from the "Liturgy for the Tragedy in Orlando" Eucharistic service prepared by St. Mary's Episcopal Church in St. Paul, MN. Their service had a sung response; I've added the opening line of
The Prayer of St. Francis
.
Our hearts are broken, our minds are reeling, and so we come before you,
Holy
One, God of peace and comfort, laying our concerns at your feet,
seeking solace,
courage, and hope for a better day. Let us pray.
We pray for your church, that our voice may be strong and clear,
our action
effective and swift, bringing an end to gun violence and hatred.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
We pray for protection for those places of refuge and safety, of solidarity and
celebration, because the road to justice is long and we need our strength, and
our friends.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
We pray for first responders, for police and EMTs, for therapists and coroners,
for health care workers and all who sacrifice much to serve the common good.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
We pray for our Muslim brothers and sisters, that in this time of tension and
unrest we as Christians may be especially warm and loving, and shelter them
from persecution.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
We pray for those who inspire hatred, for those governed by fear, especially for
the leaders of the ISIL, for the soul of the man who committed the massacre in
Orlando, and for all considering similar violence.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
We pray for all who are afraid, and all who mourn. We pray for those
throughout history who have suffered violence and death because of their sexual
orientation. We remember those who died in the Orlando massacre.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Fill our hearts with compassion, transform our grief into commitment to follow
the example of Jesus until all live in dignity, safety, and peace. Amen.
Second, we commit ourselves to action in addition to prayer. This is a way to counter the helplessness that arises in us. My colleague, The Rev. Eric H. F. Law, founder of the Kaleidoscope Institute, writes "the Orlando massacre is the work of four deeply divisive principalities and powers: gun violence, homophobia, racism and terrorism."
(The Sustainist Blog)
In what ways might we concretely address one of these in our local South Bay communities? What are we willing to do as an illustration of our commitment to "
Do justice
, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God?"
(Micah 6:8)
Christ Church Spiritual Library Book highlight
"Grounded: Finding God in the World-A Spiritual Revolution"
by Diana Butler Bass (2015)
This will continue next week.
Note: the spiritual library has been updated with several new selections.
The list is at the end of this email update.
Prayer for the Search Committee
Let us pray for the search committee of Christ Church: Kathy Compton, Ann Cooper, LeRoy Foster, Chris Horton, Ron Kipp, Kathy Van Orden, Diana Winn and Arnie Zimmerman. This prayer is also available as prayer cards in the church and the parish hall.
Almighty God, giver of every good gift:
look graciously on your Church,
and so guide the minds of the search committee
who shall choose the finalists for rector of this parish.
May we receive a faithful pastor who will care for your people
and equip us for our ministries
as we work together to align our lives
with God's love, justice and compassion. Amen.
(Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer, p. 818)
Faithfully, Marilyn+
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VESTRY NEWS ON THE SEARCH FOR OUR NEW RECTOR
updated June 15, 2016
Update from the Search Committee:
The Search Committee began the Skype interview process this week with the first 2 candidates. We have additional Skype interviews lined up in the upcoming month. We appreciate everyone's support and prayers blessing the committee's work.
Forward in Faithfulness
,
Chris Horton, Jr Warden and Search Committee Chairperson.
Updated June 15, 2016
Christ Church Upcoming Events & Announcements
WEDNESDAY PRAYER GROUP TIME CHANGE
- starting
in June
the weekly group will gather in the church at 7 am for Morning Prayer followed by breakfast at a local restaurant. All are welcome for this quiet and prayerful start of the day. This midweek group began more than ten years ago and continues its offering of common prayer in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition.
BENEDICTINE RETREAT-
Mother Marilyn will be on private retrea
t
from Wednesday, June 22 through Friday, June 24. She will be back at church on Sunday, June 26 with Fr. Norm preaching at both services. Jeanne Kipp is the contact for any pastoral emergencies.
FIFTH WEDNESDAY SHARED BREAD - June 29, 2016.
If you would like to help out, or would like more information about this event, please contact Barbara ramsey-Duke at (310) 251-6830 or [email protected].
ART SHOW SAVE THE DATE - Friday, September 30th 7pm-10pm, Saturday, October 1st 10am-4pm, and Sunday, October 2nd 10am-12 noon. More details to follow.
MOTHER MARILYN'S OFFICE HOURS -
Sundays at church for services and any scheduled events and meetings.
Monday-Wednesday at church typically from 9 am - 2 pm.*
*When there are evening meetings or services her 'day' usually starts in mid-afternoon.
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SUNDAY SERVICES THIS WEEK
8:00 AM Choral Holy Eucharist (said service)
10:00 AM Choral Holy Eucharist (with music)
Sunday School -
Ms. Sylvia thanks the parents and children of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for another wonderful year of learning and prayer together. Parents, please note that the Catechesis' last session for this academic year was
June 5th
. We will post the opening date for Catechesis in the Fall
,
toward the end of summer.
ACOLYTES SERVING IN JUNE
June 5:
June 12:
June 19:
June 26: Christopher Dedo, Ryder Want
PASTORAL EMERGENCIES OR ILLNESS?
In case of a pastoral emergency, please call Mother Marilyn at (323) 273-3888. If you are ill and not able to attend church or hospitalized and wishing to have a visit by Mother Marilyn, please give her a call and let her know.
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 We are trying to keep our prayer list current. So, every four weeks we will start our list over again. If you wish to have someone added to our weekly Prayers of the People, please call Trudy Bush at 310 540-1722 or send her an email at [email protected]. Thank you.
We commend to God's love and care those for whom our prayers have been requested especially:
For all those serving in our armed forces at home and abroad and especially those known to us: Blake, Joshua, Louis, Eric, Spencer, Christopher, Simon, John Joseph, Jimmy, Gage, Josh, John, Ken, Jeff, Blake H, Danelle, and Jarrod.
We also pray for:
George; Sal; Joe; Pat and Gene; Sandie; Aiden; Alice and Blake; Blanca and Albert; Francesca; Carlene; Fran; Hunter; Allan; Martha; Rita; Byron; Ann; Todd; Sara; Sherry; Bradley; Maria; Nancy E; Ann; Father Bob and Madelyn; John R; Kevin G; Rdythe and family; Al and Shirley Miller family; Anne; Lenia; the Catlett family; David; Teresa; Megan;
Leo and the Licciardone family; George and the Hoag family; Florence Haefner and family; Paula;
the entire Steib family as they help and support Betty, especially Laura and Sam; Carole S
; Kevin;
Gwendolyn; Joannie; and Eric
.
For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, especially: Hitoshi, Tony, Dorothy.
We pray for our pets who we love, or are lost, sick or dying especially:
And we give thanksgiving for those celebrating Birthdays and Anniversaries this week, especially
the birthdays of: Vicki, Arthur, and Patti
.
The anniversaries of: Bob and Sandie, Nan and Gary.
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The flowers in the church this Sunday are donated to the Glory of God by:
Elizabeth Chinyee in loving memory of her husband Stanley and her sister Lillian.
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8 AM COFFEE HOUR - Please use the sign up sheets in the Parish Hall, or call or email Trudy to sign up.
10 AM COFFEE HOUR - The new procedure for coffee hour begins October 11th. Please see the Guidelines
attached to the Coffee Hour Sign up sheet.
Any questions, please call or email Trudy in the church office at (310) 540-1722 or [email protected].
June 19, 2016 (Pentecost V + Father's Day)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
June 26, 2016 (Pentecost VI)
8:00 AM: Leroy Foster
10:00 AM: Needed
July 3, 2016 (Pentecost VII)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
July 10, 2016 (Pentecost VIII)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
July 17, 2016 (Pentecost IX)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
July 24, 2016 (Pentecost X)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
July 31, 2016 (Pentecost XI)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
NEW COFFEE HOUR PLAN AND GUIDELINES
We are going to try something new for Coffee Hour after the 10:00 a.m. service. The change will begin on October 11, 2015. Sticking with the Theme of "Hospitality and Welcome", we will ask that three or more families or individuals sign up per Sunday. This change will help spread the cost and time commitment out among the members of the group serving on that particular Sunday.
The following guidance will help explain what is involved when your group is responsible for providing the refreshments, hospitality and clean up.
1. On a typical Sunday, there will be between 25 and 40 people attending the Coffee Hour.
2. Those providing the Hospitality/Refreshments will plan between themselves what they will bring and serve.
3. Setting out the refreshments can take place just after you have come up for communion, providing sufficient time for everything to be ready for the group at the end of the Church Service. If you need assistance in finding where trays are kept and serving utensils please ask Susan Mulledy-DeFrank and she will be happy to show you around the kitchen.
4. Clean up: Please clear all food and serving trays off of the tables. If food is left over and you wish to take it that is great. If you wish to leave it there are plastic zip lock bags in the pantry. Please make sure if you are using the Refrigerator or Freezer that you make sure that they are closed securely. Wash, dry and put away the utensils and trays. If you are unsure of where they go, please dry them and just leave them on the kitchen counter. Please make sure that all used coffee mugs are placed in the dirty cup plastic bin (it's kept by the Coffee Machine during the Coffee Hour). If someone could put the bin in the kitchen sink and fill with soapy water fully covering the coffee mugs that would be appreciated as the dirty mugs draw bugs. The soapy water keeps them at bay. The mugs are washed and sterilized on Wednesday morning by Susan.
5. Finally please wipe down the kitchen counters to keep any crumbs and food product from attracting bugs.
This offering of Hospitality is one of our most important ministries at Christ Church. As you have read and heard in Sermons over the years " Jesus Christ" was always teaching his followers about the importance of this welcoming gift-the Gift of Hospitality.
Christ's Peace in Welcome & Hospitality,
Susan Mulledy-DeFrank
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ACE OF HEARTS
In today's Gospel, Jesus meets a man possessed by demons. What do they say to Jesus?
1. Help us!
2. Our name is Legion.
3. Send us into the herd of swine.
4. Leave us alone!
Note: there may be multiple answers.
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COLLECT AND READINGS FOR THIS COMING SUNDAY
June 19 2016 Proper 7C Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
The Collect
O
Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your lovingkindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The First Lesson
1 Kings 19:1-15a
A
hab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat." He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you." He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He answered, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away."
He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but theLord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He answered, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away." Then the Lord said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus."
The Response
Psalm 42
Quemadmodum
1
A
s the deer longs for the water-brooks, *
so longs my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; *
when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, *
while all day long they say to me,
"Where now is your God?"
4 I pour out my soul when I think on these things: *
how I went with the multitude and led them into the house of God,
5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *
among those who keep holy-day.
6 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *
and why are you so disquieted within me?
7 Put your trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
8 My soul is heavy within me; *
therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,
and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.
9 One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts; *
all your rapids and floods have gone over me.
10 The Lord grants his loving-kindness in the daytime; *
in the night season his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
11 I will say to the God of my strength,
"Why have you forgotten me? *
and why do I go so heavily while the enemy oppresses me?"
12 While my bones are being broken, *
my enemies mock me to my face;
13 All day long they mock me *
and say to me, "Where now is your God?"
14 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *
and why are you so disquieted within me?
15 Put your trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
The Gospel
Luke 8:26-39
J
esus and his disciples arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me" -- for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.
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CHRIST CHURCH SPIRITUAL LIBRARY
The following books have been added to the lending library. There is an updated book list along with at least one copy of each new book in the parish hall.
They can also be purchased as E-books or hardcopy for your reading.
1.
Grounded: Finding God in the World-A Spiritual Revolution
by Diana Butler Bass.
2. Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today
by Sr. Joan Chittister
3. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
4.
Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion
by Fr. Gregory Boyle
(Note: purchases of this book benefit Homeboy Industries).
5. Holy Currencies: Six Blessings for Sustainable Ministries by The Rev. Eric F. Law
The following books continue to be part of the lending library.
The Kingdom Within John Sanford
Unearthing My Religion: Real Talk about Real Faith Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves
Innocence: A Novel Dean Koontz
Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in 12 Simple Words Brian McClaren
Living on the Border of the Holy L. William Countryman
Violence Unveiled: Humanity at the Crossroads Gil Bailie
Knowing Jesus James Allison
Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha and Mohammed Cross the Road? Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World Brian McClaren
Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife Eben Alexander
Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life Richard Rohr
Healing After Loss-Daily Meditations Martha Whitmore Hickman
Paradoxy: Creating Christian Community beyond Us and Them Ken Howard
The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life Thomas Moore
The Common English Bible (CEB) Study Bible-The Book of Mark
The Power of the Powerless: A Brother's Legacy of Love Christopher de Vinck
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Christ Church Mission: Who We Are & What We Hope to Do and Become