|
One family of birds roosting around the church will have a new home! This birdhouse was presented to Christ Church by Robert Adoue and Chip Stewart. It is a replica scale model of the church building, including the entrance and the steeple. It's on a table in the parish hall for now. It is fitting that the stained glass windows of this model are open so that birds can come and go. A couple of months ago we had a small bird in the church during Sunday 8 am service. It kept flying up to the windows trying to get out (it eventually flew out the opened front door).
Another week, another act of violence in the world; this time at one of the Istanbul airports in Turkey. Our prayers are offered for the victims and their families. Here is a prayer from the Episcopal Peace Fellowship Facebook page, adapted from a prayer by Sister Joan Chittister, Benedictine Sister of Erie.
Great God, who has told us
"Vengeance is mine,"
save us from ourselves,
save us from the vengeance in our hearts
and the acid in our souls.
Save us from our desire to hurt as we have been hurt,
to punish as we have been punished,
to terrorize as we have been terrorized.
Give us the strength it takes
to listen rather than to judge,
to trust rather than to fear,
to try again and again
to make peace even when peace eludes us.
We ask, O God, for the grace
to be our best selves.
We ask for the vision
to be builders of the human community
rather than its destroyers.
We ask for the humility as a people
to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.
We ask for the love it takes
to bequeath to the children of the world to come
more than the failures of our own making.
We ask for the heart it takes
to care for all the peoples
of Afghanistan and Iraq, of Palestine and Israel
of Turkey, as well as for ourselves.
Give us the depth of soul, O God,
to constrain our might,
to resist the temptations of power
to refuse to attack the attackable,
to understand
that vengeance begets violence,
and to bring peace-not war-wherever we go.
For You, O God, have been merciful to us.
For You, O God, have been patient with us.
For You, O God, have been gracious to us.
And so may we be merciful
and patient
and gracious
and trusting
with these others whom you also love.
This we ask through Jesus,
the one without vengeance in his heart.
This we ask forever and ever. Amen.
Christ Church Spiritual Library Book highlight
Last week I spent three days on private retreat at St. Andrew's Benedictine Abbey (east of Palmdale, CA). I usually take a spiritual book with me. My selection was from our Spiritual Library: "Wisdom Distilled From the Daily" by Sr. Joan Chittister. She highlights the major themes of Benedictine spirituality and applies them to contemporary living outside of the monastery.
For example, Benedictine monastics do not take the traditional vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. Chastity is assumed as part of the monastic calling. The formal Benedictine vows are stability, obedience and conversion of heart. These have meaning both within a monastery and for those living 'in the world.' Stability means finding the ways that God is present in an experience or situation. The word "Obedience" has it roots in the Latin word that is translated as "Listen". Benedictine obedience means always listening for the direction of God. The last vow is conversion of heart. When we are willing to discern God's presence (Obedience) in the current situations of our lives (Stability), we experience a shift in our understanding of God and our relationship with both God and others.
The spiritual journey has a dynamic quality that invites us to experience continued conversion. Sr. Joan writes, "Benedictine spirituality is based on the simple acknowledgement that God will come to life before us and be reborn in us in unexpected ways day after day throughout our entire lives." (p. 168)
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+
|
|
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 29, 2016
Christ Church Upcoming Events & Announcements
10 am music change for the months of July and August: We will sing one communion hymn followed by instrumental music during Communion. MONDAY, July 4, 2016 - The office will be closed in celebration of Independence Day.
SUNDAY, July 24, 2016
- Fr. Norm will be preaching and celebrating at both services.
July 24-30, 2016 - Mother Marilyn will be on vacation.
ART SHOW SAVE THE DATE
- Friday, September 30th 7pm-10pm, Saturday, October 1st 10am-4pm, and Sunday, October 2nd 10am-12 noon. If you would like more information, or have questions about this event, please contact Susan Mulledy-Defrank at [email protected].
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.
|
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 JULY
July 3:
July 10: Ryder Want
July 17: Christopher Dedo
July 24:
July 31: 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.
|
 |
 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; Eric; Bob Nelson and the Nelson family; and Carol B
.
For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, especially:
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: Maya, Ava, and Alice.
The anniversaries of: Jeanne and Ron.
|
 |
The flowers in the church this Sunday are donated to the Glory of God by:
Jeanne and Ron Kipp in celebration of their 32nd wedding anniversary.
|
 |
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 - Please see the Guidelines below. Extra copies of the Guidelines are also
attached to the Coffee Hour Sign up sheet in the parish hall.
Any questions, please call or email Trudy in the church office at (310) 540-1722 or [email protected].
July 3, 2016 (Pentecost VII)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: The Pringles
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
August 7, 2016 (Pentecost XII)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
August 14, 2016 (Pentecost XIII)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
August 21, 2016 (Pentecost XIV)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
August 28, 2016 (Pentecost XV)
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
|
|
ACE OF HEARTS
What are Jesus' instructions to the seventy appointed by him?
1. They should take no provisions.
2. First offer their peace when entering a house.
3. Graciously receive any provisions given to them.
4. In each town, stay in the same house.
Note: there may be multiple answers.
|
|
COLLECT AND READINGS FOR THIS COMING SUNDAY
July 3, 2016 Proper 9C Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
The Collect
O
God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; 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
2 Kings 5:1-14
N
aaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, "If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram said, "Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel."
He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, "When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy." When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me."
But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel." So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean." But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, "I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?" He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, `Wash, and be clean'?" So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
The Response
Psalm 30
Exaltabo te, Domine
1
I
will exalt you, O Lord,
because you have lifted me up *
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried out to you, *
and you restored me to health.
3 You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead; *
you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
4 Sing to the Lord, you servants of his; *
give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.
5 For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *
his favor for a lifetime.
6 Weeping may spend the night, *
but joy comes in the morning.
7 While I felt secure, I said,
"I shall never be disturbed. *
You, Lord, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains."
8 Then you hid your face, *
and I was filled with fear.
9 I cried to you, O Lord; *
I pleaded with the Lord, saying,
10 "What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? *
will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?
11 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; *
O Lord, be my helper."
12 You have turned my wailing into dancing; *
you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.
13 Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever.
The Gospel
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace to this house!' And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, `Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.'
"Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."
The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
|
|
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
|
 |
|
Christ Church Mission: Who We Are & What We Hope to Do and Become