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In this Sunday's Gospel Jesus is invited to a meal and notices how the other guests choose places of honor. He responds to their actions by telling a parable that ends with this quote about being humbled.
Jesus even has his own version of "Guess who's coming to dinner?" It's not those you would expect: the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. What if the banquet is more than just a private dinner? What if it is also refers to the Holy Eucharist celebration? In what ways are we inviting those who are in greatest need?
The Work of a Rector
The Parish Profile provides a lot of information about a congregation; it also includes a section from the parish's perspective that is titled: "Qualities We Seek in a New Rector".
As we move towards the calling of a new rector for Christ Church, there is another perspective worth highlighting: what are the duties and responsibilities of a rector?
I have material from two sources to share with you. The first source comes from a blog post by the Rev. Laurie Brock, titled:
We Only Work One Day a Week..... Here are sections from that posting, with permission from the author. She has 10 major areas; I am listing two at a time for the next five weeks.
We Only Work One Day a Week...
Yep, all clergy have heard that joke.
And no, it's not funnier because we've heard it 827 times.
But I do suspect many people wonder what do we do all week. After all, how long can it take to plan a service, write a sermon, and do all the pastoral care a church requires?
Well, since you asked, here's what a typical clergy week is for many of my clergy friends. Depending on church size, denominational affiliation, and full time vs part time, there will be differences (so don't print this out and take it to your pastor, demanding to know why her week looks different). This seriously not scientific study happened mostly over coffee.
Getting the church ready for worship: On Sunday, this means lights on, scripture set, coffee made, doors unlocked, information for worshippers set out, and a dozen other housekeeping items that must be done to make holy space ready. But it also means making sure the building is welcoming to the life that happens at the church during the week. My church has gatherings every day of the week, so carpets have to be vacuumed, chairs arranged, calendars coordinated, and doors unlocked. I'm thankful to have a sexton, an office manager, and many volunteers to help, but many of the clergy I spoke with do all of this themselves. And, even with volunteers and staff, the work lands on my desk if it doesn't get done. Many churches are busy on days of the week other than Sunday, as they should be.
Speaking of worship: Let me be clear - there are no worship service elves who come in during the middle of the night on Saturday and plan the service. Trust me, I've asked. This responsibility sits with the priest, pastor, and minister. Again, some churches have worship committees, but many don't. A typical Sunday service with no special additions takes anywhere from 4 to 6 hours to plan and prepare for, not including the sermon. And if it's Holy Week, Christmas, or a special day, double that time. Even in the Episcopal Church, where our Book of Common Prayer guides us, there are still prayers, music, and physical space considerations. And my favorite thing - bulletins preparation. An aside, I'm convinced the 7th circle of hell will consist of days alternating between church committee meetings and bulletin preparation. Also, funerals, weddings, and other non-Sunday services demand and are given their own holy time of preparation, often in addition to the Sunday worship.
(Source: Dirty, Sexy Ministry web blog, "We Only Work One Day a Week....", 8/9/16 entry)
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 August 24, 2016
Rector Search
The committee is close to the charge of finding 3 rector candidates to present to the Vestry. We started with 22, we interviewed 19 over video and have selected our 3 final candidates. We are preparing to present them to the Vestry by the end of August. After this phase the search committee will be decommissioned and the 3 final candidates will be in the hands of the Vestry for review and discernment. Due to the confidentiality of the candidates, they will not be meeting the whole parish but just the Vestry. Please keep the committee in your prayers and thank you for your support during this exciting process.
Blessings,
The Search Committee
Updated August 24, 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.
EfM CLASSES
- EfM is a four year program that studies the Old Testament in Year 1, the New Testament in Year 2, the history of Christianity globally in Year 3 and the Liturgy and Theology of the Christian Church as it applies in the modern world in Year 4. We meet once a week, for 35 class sessions of 2 and 1/2 hours per session. Each class is roughly divided into 3 segments, reports on the weeks reading and study, Theological Reflection and ending with Worship. The cost is $350 per year, payable to the University of the South at Sewanee. If you are interested please contact Kevin Griswold at the coffee hour after the 8AM and 10AM services throughout August, or at his e-mail address kevinjgriswold@Yahoo.com, or by telephone at (310) 375-9891 (this is a land line and not able to accept text messages).
August 21-27, 2016
- Mother Marilyn will be on vacation.
FIFTH WEDNESDAY SHARED BREAD - August 31, 2016.
If you are available to help, Barbara is planning to prepare the food the night before in the kitchen at Christ Church. All volunteers are welcome. If you would like to help, please come to the kitchen on Tuesday, August 30, at 6pm. If you have any questions, please contact Barbara ramsey-Duke at (310) 251-6830 or brdslily1@gmail.com.
ART SHOW - This event has been cancelled. It will hopefully be rescheduled for sometime early next year. We will let you know more details as soon as we have them.
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 AUGUST
August 7: Christopher Dedo
August 14: Brendan Prasad
August 21: Christopher Dedo
August 28:
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 christrb@aol.com. 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; 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;
Gwendolyn; Joannie; Eric; Bob Nelson and the Nelson family; Carol B; Roger; Frieda K; William Ro; Ray; Al; Tom;
the Dwyer family; Lawrence; Carlene; and Bennett
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: Mo.
And we give thanksgiving for those celebrating Birthdays and Anniversaries this week, especially
the birthdays of: Nolan, Kathy, Jianulla, Kevin, Ketryn, Karen, and Kelle.
The anniversaries of: Carolyn and Peter.
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The flowers in the church this Sunday are donated to the Glory of God by:
Barbara ramsey-Duke with love always for Stephen Duke.
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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 - 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 christrb@aol.com.
August 28, 2016 (Pentecost XV)
8:00 AM: Bettycarol
10:00 AM: Barbara ramsey-Duke
September 4, 2016 (Pentecost XVI)
8:00 AM: LeRoy Foster
10:00 AM: Needed
September 11, 2016 (Pentecost XVII)
8:00 AM: Nancy Taugner
10:00 AM: Needed
September 18, 2016 (Pentecost XVII)
8:00 AM: Needed
10:00 AM: Needed
September 25, 2016 (Pentecost XIX)
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 the first part of our Gospel Jesus tells a parable about being invited to a wedding banquet. He says to
1. Always take the lowest place.
2. Always take the highest place (the place of honor).
3. Take any seat that is available.
4. Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the poor to come in and take a seat.
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COLLECT AND READINGS FOR THIS COMING SUNDAY
August 28, 2016 Proper 17C Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
The Collect
L
ord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; 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
Jeremiah 2:4-13
H
ear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord:
What wrong did your ancestors find in me
that they went far from me,
and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?
They did not say, "Where is the Lord
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness,
in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
in a land that no one passes through,
where no one lives?"
I brought you into a plentiful land
to eat its fruits and its good things.
But when you entered you defiled my land,
and made my heritage an abomination.
The priests did not say, "Where is the Lord?"
Those who handle the law did not know me;
the rulers transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after things that do not profit.
Therefore once more I accuse you, says the Lord,
and I accuse your children's children.
Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
send to Kedar and examine with care;
see if there has ever been such a thing.
Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
for something that does not profit.
Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
says the Lord,
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living water,
and dug out cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns
that can hold no water.
The Response
Psalm 81:1, 10-16
Exultate Deo
1
S
ing with joy to God our strength *
and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, *
"Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."
11 And yet my people did not hear my voice, *
and Israel would not obey me.
12 So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, *
to follow their own devices.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me! *
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I should soon subdue their enemies *
and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, *
and their punishment would last for ever.
16 But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat *
and satisfy him with honey from the rock.
The Gospel
Luke 14:1, 7-14
O
n one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, `Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
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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