News You Can Use
June 9, 2021
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Rector's Ramblings - Encounters with the Divine |
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Every Picture Tells a Story
Julie Hancock
Do you ever get the feeling that you’re your own worst enemy? Well, I’ve got it now, as I sit here, well beyond the deadline – my own deadline - trying to compose a rambling for this week’s News You Can Use.
When Mother Katie first mentioned the idea of the staff and members of the church writing ramblings to fill in for Father Tom while he is away on sabbatical, I immediately leapt at the suggestion, because it seemed like such a worthy endeavor and I actually had an idea for a rambling in mind. Then I had another idea, and another, and another. And the days went by one by one, without one word ever being recorded.
So here I am on Wednesday, June 9, at 7:30 pm and I’m going back to my original idea. I want to tell you about my love for photos and what an important part of my life they’ve been.
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In-Person Worship Has Moved Indoors
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 and the 9:15 am, Rite II Holy Eucharist services will take place in the Church.
The 10:20 am Child-Centered Holy Eucharist and 11:15 am Right I Holy Eucharist services will be held in the Parish Hall.
New COVID Stage II Guidelines for Worship
Beginning this Sunday, June 13, 2021, Christ Church will shift into Phase II of the Diocesan Guidelines for COVID-19 safety in worship. As we move forward as a community, we want to continue practicing safe procedures to keep all of our parishioners healthy. Children and teens have not been fully vaccinated or can't be and Christ Church attracts many visitors. Taking all this into consideration, our vestry has voted to ease some, but not all of the restrictions to our COVID policy.
• All those attending worship services who are unvaccinated are required to wear masks.
• Those who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks, though wearing masks while singing is strongly encouraged.
• Parents are responsible for making sure that children who are not vaccinated will wear masks for their own safety.
• We will continue to adhere to social distancing of six 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 will enter at the gate next to the mailbox on Frederica Road and exit onto Stevens Road. Please bring your pups, too. We have special blessings and treats waiting for them!
(If you'd like to get out in the fresh air for a brief period each Sunday and be extremely helpful at the same time, please consider helping Mtr. Ashton, as she serves outdoor Communion each week, from 10:15 to 11:00 am in the Christ Church cemetery. If you're interested in this serving opportunity, please contact Mtr. Ashton at ashton@ccfssi.org.)
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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 Service Volunteers 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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Mother Becky Brings Icon Painting to Diocesan Deacon’s Retreat |
We have had a committed group of icon painters at Christ Church for several years now, all of whom feel strongly about the importance of sharing this ancient spiritual and meditative practice with others. Mother Becky, who is a skilled practitioner, recently led a workshop at the Deacons’ Retreat ay Honey Creek, as recounted by class participant Shelley Martin HERE. We are hoping to bring another Icon Writing Workshop to Christ Church in 2022.
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Wednesday Men's Study Group Resumes Meeting In Person |
The Men’s Study Group will resume 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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Christ Church Vacation Bible School - Meet Me at the Well! |
We had a wonderful turn-out for this year’s Vacation Bible School program and want to sincerely thank all the youth and adult volunteers who made this three day “journey to the well” happen! Each evening began with dinner for the volunteers and their families, after which the children arrived for an hour and a half of music, Bible stories, crafts, Bible story-themed activities and a healthy snack. Friday’s program ended with a parents’ night out, while the children played games, ate dinner and watched a movie. It was an exciting week for everybody and Mother Katie is so grateful for the prayers and support of the volunteers and the Christ Church congregation! See photos of all the fun HERE.
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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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Daughters of the King Food Outreach Project |
During the month of May, The Christ Church Daughters of the King, St. Elizabeth of Hungary Chapter, collected a truckload of non-perishable foods for the Shepherds for Seniors program at Holy Nativity. The mission of the Shepherds for Seniors program is to improve the quality of life for elderly residents in Glynn County who may be living below or near the poverty level and increase the amount of time they can remain in their own homes. Find out more about Shepherds for Seniors HERE. To find out more abou the Daughters of the King, contact Mother Ashton at ashton@ccfssi.org.
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The 2021 Tour of Homes Fundraiser Has Reached Its Goal! |
Christ Church ECW is excited to announce that the 2021 Tour Outreach fundraising campaign achieved its $30,000 goal, plus more! Thanks to the amazing generosity of the community, and, especially, the generosity of CCF members, the Tour of Homes commitment to benefiting women and children in need in our area, will again be fulfilled, despite the pandemic. The list recognizing the many contributors who made this possible can be found on the Christ Church Tour of Homes website at http://www.christchurchtourofhomes.org. Thank you all!
2021 ECW GRANT RECIPIENTS
Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Georgia, Caring Connection Chaplaincy, CASA Glynn, Children in Action (CIA) Sports Cub, Christ Church, Frederica ECW Scholarship Fund, Girls on the Run of the Golden Isles, Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association, Golden Isles Youth Orchestra, Grace House of Brunswick, Habitat for Humanity of Glynn County, GA, Honey Creek Summer Camp, Hope 1312 Collective, Hospice of the Golden Isles, Island Concert Association, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful, Memory Matters Glynn, Morningstar Children and Family Services, Operation Bed Spread, Safe Harbor Children’s Center, Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Saint Athanasius Episcopal Church, Saint Mark’s Giving Garden, Social Opportunities and Active Recreation, SSG Dustin Michael Wright Foundation, Star Foundation, The Gathering Place, The Remedy Place
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Backpack Buddies: It's Always a Good Time to Adopt a Buddy! |
The Backpack Buddies Ministry will continue over the summer, as we pack weekend bags for youngsters whose families take part in the Grab and Go weekday children’s meals program, sponsored by the Glynn County School System. We offer weekend food bags from the Christ Church trailer at Perry Park, just behind Burroughs Molette, on Thursdays and from 10:00 to 11:30 am, at St. Athanasius on Fridays, from 9:00 to 10:30 am, and at the Children in Action Sports Camp, held at Perry Park, on Saturday mornings. Thanks to our hard-working packing team, we already have over 500 bags packed and ready to go!
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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The Christ Church Comforters meeting scheduled for June 18 has been postponed. Gay Barron will contact members with the rescheduled date and time.
If you want to learn more about the mission of the Comforters and the projects they do for the homebound, hospital and Hospice patients, the International Seafarers Center and more, please contact Mtr. Ashton at ashton@ccfssi.org
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The Purdy Family - Faithful Road Warriors |
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Where in the world are Father Tom and his family? Judging from recent photos, they’ve made it across the lower part of the United States, all the way to San Diego, California. Wherever they go, the Purdy family is still worshipping regularly on Sundays, so we know they are still with us spiritually, even when they are thousands of miles away. |
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An enormous colony of honey bees has taken up residence in the Christ Church Cemetery, on the west side of the Parish House. The principal part of the bees’ impressive hive is suspended high in the air, attached to a massive lateral branch of one of the larger live oaks in that section of the cemetery. Unfortunately, high winds and excessive humidity have caused big chunks of the hive to fall to the ground, where the bees are actively consuming the honey from the honey combs. As this could be a dangerous section for visitors and groundskeepers, Cemetery Superintendent Harry Branch has cordoned off the area with warning tape. We ask that you please avoid this part of the cemetery for the time being and keep small children away from it, too.
This is not the first time that Christ Church has been invaded by bees. Many years ago, a rogue swarm took over the belfry in the historic church, as recounted by author and historian, Burnette Vanstory, in her book, Georgia’s Land of the Golden Isles, first published in 1956.
“People like to tell about the time when a swarm of bees contributed to the upkeep of the church. A letter to the Trustees from one of the first settlers at Frederica mentions ‘a great plenty of Bees on the island,’ and they must have been still plentiful a century later. The rector of Christ Church, so the story goes, was preparing to ask the parishioners for funds for some needed repairs to the building when a swarm of bees was noticed around the belfry. Upon investigation, a large store of honey was found, enough to be sold for all that was needed for repairs and for the addition of a vestry-room, as well. Thereafter, the church was often called the ‘Bee Hive Church’ and the Ladies’ Missionary Society was known as the ‘Bee Hive Society’ or the ‘Busy Bees.’”
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Frederica Road Realignment Project |
On Thursday, June 3, at 6:00 pm, in the historic courthouse in Brunswick, representatives of Christ Church attended the Glynn County Commission budget meeting for the upcoming fiscal year. There, the Commissioners unanimously voted to approve a motion to support the low bid for the Frederica Road realignment project at Christ Church, which was submitted by Underground Excavating for $1.67 million. The church is funding $1.61 million. All permits needed for the project, including those from the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Park Service have been obtained. The next step in the road realignment project will take place on June 17, when the County Commissioners will vote to approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concerning the land swap, which will be signed along with the remainder of the closing documents. Then actual construction will hopefully begin in July. We will keep you posted as the phases of this project continue to move forward.
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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 Team Needs Small Bud Vases |
Our Pastoral Care Flower Ministry is asking for small bud vase donations. If you have bud vases at home that you're willing to donate or would like to purchase a few inexpensive vases for us to use, we would greatly appreciate it! (Please make sure that used vases are clean.) Donations may be dropped off at the Parish House. If you have any questions, please contact Mother Ashton at ashton@ccfssi.org.
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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
Alicia Caputo
Oscar Covington
Zoann Covington
Jim Curran
Jackie Davis
Marie Dennard
Tom Dennard
Jack Erikson
Kurt Federer
Sydney Federer
Lynne Fox
Ron Garrett
Mark Jicha
Alice Kirk
Bill Kirk
Paul Hackenberry
Billie Huggins
Michael Hulett
Eileen Hutchinson
Ginny Jarrett
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
Virginia
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