News You Can Use
June 23, 2021
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Rector's Ramblings - Encounters with the Divine |
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Divine Encounter
By Lynn St. Clair
Every day, one welcomes God with thanks. Viewing the intricacies of nature is mesmerizing and a grateful form of thanks. Be quiet and view. Suspend your thoughts. It's midsummer in late afternoon. I'm seated in my garden. The Casablanca lilies are in full bloom. An afternoon breeze carries their scent that's breathtaking in its sweetness and fullness.
My easel is set up and the painting paper is attached - my watercolor paints and brushes are ready to begin sketching these lilies. As I dip my brushes into the pigments, the leaves and lily forms are taking shape.
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In-Person Indoor Worship Update:
11:15 am Service Moves from the Parish Hall into Historic Christ Church
We are now holding in-person worship services in historic Christ Church and in the Christ Church Parish Hall every Sunday morning.
The 8:00 am, BCP 1928 Holy Eucharist, the 9:15 am, Rite II Holy Eucharist and 11:15 am Right I Holy Eucharist services will take place in the Church.
The 10:20 am Child-Centered Holy Eucharist service will be held in the Parish Hall.
COVID Stage II Guidelines for Worship: UPDATED
Christ Church has shifted into Phase II of the Diocesan Guidelines for COVID-19 safety in worship. The current guidelines are listed below.
• All those attending worship services who are unvaccinated are required to wear masks.
• Those who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks.
• We will continue to adhere to social distancing of three feet between family groups or pods.
• Reservations for worship services are no longer required.
Drive-Through Communion - 10:15 - 11:00 am
Drive-Through Communion takes place on Sundays from approximately 10:15 to 11:00 am. There is no need to make a reservation. Cars should enter at the gate next to the mailbox on Frederica Road and exit onto Stevens Road. Please bring your four-legged friends, too. We have special blessings and treats waiting for them!
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9:15 am Online Worship Continues
Every Sunday, we will continue to offer online worship from Christ Church at 9:15 am, which you can watch on the Christ Church website at https://ccfssi.org, the Christ Church Facebook page HERE and the Christ Church YouTube page HERE.
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Worship at St. Ignatius to Resume in August |
Our 5:30 pm, Saturday evening worship services will begin again at St. Ignatius Chapel on August 21, 2021. Details relating to the Diocesan COVID guidelines will be forthcoming. Father Tom will be back from his Sabbatical and will preach at this first service! |
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Worship Service Volunteers Urgently Needed |
Now that we have resumed in-person worship every Sunday at Christ Church, we are in dire need of volunteers to help with all aspects of the four services. We need greeters, ushers, lectors, chalice bearers and audio technicians to help at 8:00 am, 9:15 am, 10:20 am and 11:15 am. If you are interested in any of these important service opportunities, please contact Glenn Queener at glenn@ccfssi.org or by calling 912-638-8683. Glenn will be delighted to explain what each job entails and make sure you receive any training you may need. Please prayerfully consider joining the Christ Church worship team now!
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Evening Prayer
If you enjoy hearing Evening Prayer read, please look for it at 5:00 pm on the Christ Church Facebook page HERE. The Rite I bulletin for evening prayer can be found HERE. The Rite II bulletin for evening prayer can be found HERE.
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Flower Dedications for Worship Services |
We are now accepting requests for flower memorials for the beautiful floral arrangements on display during our Sunday worship services. Remember a loved one and give glory to God with a gift of flowers. Please contact Ethel Horton at ethhorton@comcast.net or call her at 912-634-8327 for more information.
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Wednesday Men's Study Group Resumes Meeting In Person |
The Men’s Study Group has resumed meeting in person on Wednesdays, at 10:30 am, in the Youth Room of the Christ Church Parish House, beginning on June 9, 2021. They are currently reading The Screwtape Letters Study Guide: A Bible Study on the C. S. Lewis book, The Screwtape Letters, by Alan Vermilye.
For more information about the book or joining the group, please contact Te Turner at royteturner@gmail.com.
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If you are a regular reader of the Forward Day by Day devotionals, you may pick up a copy in the church office during regular business hours Tues. - Thurs., 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, or Fri., 9:00 am - 2:00 pm. You can also find the devotionals online HERE.
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Child-Centered Worship Every Sunday |
Families with young children are encouraged to join us in the Parish Hall every Sunday, at 10:20 am, for our child-centered Holy Eucharist service. Each week, Biblical lessons will be presented in a child-friendly way, as the youngsters learn more about God and Jesus, who always welcomed the little children to his side. |
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Back to the Creek Retreat for Youth! |
July 30 - August 1
Grades 6-12
Cost: $125
Registration Opens Next Week!
At the end of July, after a hiatus of almost 17 months, the Diocese is excited to start offering in-person gatherings for youth at Honey Creek! Our first event will take place Friday, July 30 - Sunday, August 1 and will be for youth in Grades 6-12. This "Back to the Creek Retreat" will allow our young people to take a break before their school year begins. Because Covid-19 is still a risk, participant numbers will be limited for this event. Smaller numbers will enable everyone to spread out in the dorms and during worship and other activities. Sign up quickly when registration opens next week!
Please contact Canon Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org with questions about this event! We strongly encourage all participants who are able to do so to get vaccinated before the event!
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Christ Church Families on Facebook |
Families! Please join the Christ Church Families Facebook group to keep up with all the latest events and activities. Find us on Facebook HERE!
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The Door Ministry Continues to Answer the Knock at the Door |
‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. – Matthew 7:7
Since 2013, the Christ Church Door Ministry has provided emergency assistance to help local residents pay their utility bills in times of acute distress. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, teams of dedicated interviewers sat down with those requesting assistance and assessed their needs, so that they could be appropriately helped. After social distancing requirements were enacted and in-person interviews were curtailed for health and safety reasons, the interview process shifted to being conducted by telephone, so that people in need could continue to be helped every month.
Often, a request for assistance can be as little as a few dollars, to keep the power or water from being shut off. Other times, the situation might prove to be more dire. Our interviewers gather all the information necessary to help individuals and families, on a case by case basis. Mother Ashton, who oversees the ministry, then makes the final decision about each situation. Up to $250 can then be transferred directly to the utility requesting payment from the customer. Recipients of this emergency funding must then wait for six months before they may make another request for help.
Gay Barron, one of our long-time Door Ministry team members, has met hundreds folks, in the process of conducting interviews over the years. Many are grandparents, struggling to raise their grandchildren on fixed incomes. Others have been beset by medical emergencies that have caused them to fall behind on paying the utility bills. Small troubles snowball into financial disasters quickly. That’s why the Christ Church Door Ministry is there to help bridge the gap when it’s possible. As Gay says, “Sometimes people just need help.” If you’d like to help with the Christ Church Door Ministry, please contact Mtr. Ashton at ashton@ccfssi.org. Or you are welcome to make a donation by writing a check and sending it to Christ Church, Frederica 6329 Frederica Road St. Simons Island, Ga 31522. Please write “Christ Church Door Ministry” in the memo line.
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Backpack Buddies: It's All About the Children! |
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Summer has been a great time for guest packers to join the team and we are delighted to have the grandchildren of some of our seniors buddies helping us on the packing line and even on food bags delivery days. It’s both heart-warming and invigorating to see these little ones put their seemingly boundless energy to such good use, and inspiring to see how they so eagerly reach out to help other young children. Thank you to all who have helped load, pack and deliver food this summer - young and old!
All are welcome to “adopt” a Backpack Buddy at any time during the year, even NOW, when the school year has come to an end! A sponsorship for a child is $100, which will supply the youngster with weekend food bags for the entire school year. You may donate online HERE, (choose Backpack Program from the drop-down menu), or by check (just mail it to Christ Church, at 6329 Frederica Road St. Simons Island, GA 31522; memo line, Backpack Buddies).
If you have any questions about the Backpack Buddies program or are interested in joining the packing and distribution teams, please contact Susan Shipman at susanshipman920@gmail.com.
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A Thank You Note from Our Friend, Deacon R. V. Cate,
Holy Nativity Episcopal Church
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Greetings and Peace to the Christ Church Daughters of the King! I give thanks to God for the most kind and generous food offering for our Shepherds for Seniors Ministry. I will lift you all at the altar, giving thanks for allyou do for others!
- Deacon R. V. Cate
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Celebrating Glenn Queener! |
Our Christ Church man-behind-the-scenes and Parish Administrator par excellence, Glenn Queener, is celebrating a milestone birthday next week (June 30). Since he’s taking a well-deserved vacation on his actual birthday, the clergy, staff and volunteers took some time on Tuesday to celebrate our favorite workaholic and self-professed “grumpy old man”! If you see Glenn, please wish him a “Happy Birthday!” We don’t know what we’d do without him here at Christ Church!
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You may use the CCF website to make pledges, donations and payments for some activities. Just select "Giving" at the top of the CCF homepage. This brings you to the pay portal. The process is fast and easy and allows you to pay by credit or debit card or by electronic bank transfer. You may change or add new payment methods at any time. Contact: Glenn Queener, CCF Parish Administrator at 912-638-8683.
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Pastoral Care & Prayer List |
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Pastoral Care
Your pastoral care team is here for you! If you have a pastoral concern, a blessing you'd like to share, want to arrange a hospital or home visit, and/or receive Holy Communion, please contact Mother Ashton Williston at 912-638-8683 or ashton@ccfssi.org.
Pastoral Care Hospital Visitation Update
Your Christ Church Clergy love you and want to know when you're in the hospital. The hospital COVID visitation policy has been updated, so that you may now have two visitors AND a clergy member visit you at the same time.
Please contact us at 912-638-8683 when you or your loved one is admitted into the hospital and we will arrange a visit. If you have any questions or concerns please let Mtr. Ashton know.
Prayer List
To amend our prayer list or to update the church on the condition of your loved one, please email Mtr. Ashton Williston at ashton@ccfssi.org or call the church office at 912-638-8683.
Alana Andrews
Joan Ballard
Allen Bowen
Bob Budd
Beverly Burns
James Burns
Oscar Covington
Zoann Covington
Jim Curran
Jackie Davis
Marie Dennard
Tom Dennard
Jack Erikson
Kurt Federer
Sydney Federer
Lynne Fox
Ron Garrett
Mark Jicha
Paul Hackenberry
Billie Huggins
Michael Hulett
Eileen Hutchinson
W. J. Hydrick
Ginny Jarrett
Penny Jones
Mary Landen
Davi Langston
Jennifer Littlejohn
Sharon Longmire
Dorothy McClain
Maryalice McDonald
Kelly Macjewski
The Rev. Tom Martin
Carlotta Martz
Jack Martz
Chuck Moore
Connie Moore
Katie Orrel
Josh Payne
Pep Peppiatt
Dale Pierson
Jim Polezoes
Michael Principato
Willou Smith
David Somerville
Edith Tayloe
Douglas Turner
Kelly Valentine
Glenda Ward
Pat Wilkinson
Jennifer Willingham
Cannon
Chamblee
Jack
Joseph
Mary Susan
Virginia
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