Being a priest’s wife and former hospital chaplain, I have been with people on the worst day of their lives. I know what that awfulness looks like. Now, I know how it feels.

 

The loss of Sam, our son, who died in February, has brought dark nights, deep and profound sadness, and a strange numbness.

 

Christ Church has been the steady in hand and a light in this darkness. I have a sense of unending prayer and the precious hope of being held in your thoughts.

 

So many of you have brought meals. I have also received beautiful cards, quick notes, and preschool fingerprints on a huge construction paper egg, and phone calls, just to touch base. I am so very thankful for Christ Church and your expressions of love.

Sincerely,

Michelle Weidman

May 2023 Church Calendar

The Parish Life committee has reserved a spot for Christ Church at Honey Creek for a Parish Retreat the weekend of May 19-21, 2023. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend. Cost of the weekend is broken down below. Please sign-up by May 5^th. Link for registration is below.   Please contact Jeani Synyard (jsynyard@bellsouth.net or 229-834-6004) if you have further questions.  

Youth option available - Children who can handle a spend the night away scenario can bring your own bed linens and towels and sleep in the dorms. $128 Gives children and youth an opportunity to experience what camp and youth events are like at Honey Creek.

Commuter rate - $10 - guests not spending the night

Deadline to sign up will be: May 5, 2023  

email GeorgeAnne at georgeanne@honeycreek.org

Live-Streaming this week of the 10 a.m. worship service on April 30, 2023 will begin at 9:55 a.m. If for any reason we experience Technical difficulties with the Live-streaming, a recording of the service will be uploaded and a link sent to the congregation at a later time.

If you missed it, here is a video of the April 23, 2023 - Holy Eucharist

Link to the 10:00 bulletin for the April 30, 2023 service.

A Link to YouTube video that will begin Sunday, April 30th at 9:55 a.m. is available here.

New feature for in-person worship - We now have a hearing assistance feature available as part of our new sound system. This feature uses your smartphone and earbuds or hearings aids to bring the sound directly into your ears. An information sheet is linked here, and copies are also available from the ushers or the media booth staff.

Listening Everywhere Information session will be held on May 7th after the 8:00 worship service (roughly - 8:45) in the front of the Parish Hall. Anyone interested in learning more about the system are welcome to attend.

Eucharistic Minister: Tammy Borders, Molly Stevenson, Nancy Lutsko

Lectors: Nancy Lutsko, Krystle Black, Tammy Borders

Acolytes: Nancy Lutsko, Chip Whiting, Phyllis Holland

Altar Guild: Team 5 – Nancy Lutsko, Judy DeMott, Happy & Peter Ingeman, Frances Guice

Ushers: Tom Carroll, Glen Flowers, John McRae

Greeter: Julia Ariail

Coffee Hour: Amber Tanner, Pepi Nelson, Elizabeth Wisenbaker, John McRae

Media Crew: Julius Ariail, Tom Carroll, Ken Rumstay

Eucharistic Minister: Stefani Carroll, Patricia Tyson, Sheri Gravett

Lectors: Sheri Gravett, Chris Rutland, John McRae

Acolytes: Joel Williams, Phyllis Holland, Nancy Lutsko

Altar Guild: Team 1 – Rita Hightower, Sallie Honeycutt, Amber Tanner, Robin Coleman

Ushers: Alex Alvarez, Eric Nielsen, Delrick Bradley

Greeter: Martin Holland

Coffee Hour: Bonnie Hanson, Phyllis Holland, Elise Sandbach, Chris Roan

Media Crew: Julius Ariail, Ken Rumstay, Larry Wisenbaker

It’s a wrap. As part of our Lenten study, anywhere from 15 to 20+ folks met weekly on Sundays to participate in the Beginning to Pray Lenten book study encouraged by the diocese. Each year, the diocesan office chooses a book to study as a diocese during Lent. This year’s selection, Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom was a rewarding challenge. It started out making me a bit uncomfortable… making me look a little closer in the mirror than I like, but once I faced that, the light began to shine more brightly and by the end of the book, I was excited about what the future may hold for me spiritually. It’s not too late to read the book and it is readily available on Amazon or even through a free digital library website. I have a copy of the discussion questions if anyone is interested. I encourage it!

Molly Stevenson, Facilitator

Garden Guild will meet on April 29^th. We will focus on the church grounds. The Garden Guild meets Monday and Wednesday from 10 - 12. More hardworking people are welcome to join us. Bring your gloves and tools.

Children’s Church will be held on April 30^th in the Gabard Building. Children aged 3 – 5^th grade are welcome to meet Keri Wilkin in the Children’s Classroom in Gabard. (This is the first classroom on the left in the preschool hallway.) 

Keri is in need of Sunday nursery volunteers, and Children's Church leaders, if you are interested in helping out in the nursery, or children's church, please contact Keri at 229-412-5630.

Total cost for camp is $600 per camper. A deposit of $200 is required to secure your camper’s space. If cost is a concern, please email Canon Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org. Our normal pattern is to ask the camper’s home congregation to cover 1/3 of the cost, the camper’s family to cover 1/3 of the cost, and the Diocese to cover 1/3 of the cost. Other arrangements are possible on request.

Vacation Bible School will be here before we know it! The Vacation Bible School committee is hard at work to get us ready for the kick-off of "Summer Camp for Jesus" in June. Registration information and more details will follow.

Volunteers are needed. If you would like to help with Vacation Bible School, please contact Keri Wilkin at 229-412-5630 or kwilkin83@gmail.com. We need to begin the process of background checks, and Safe Church, Safe Community training (a diocese mandate for working with children and youth).

If you are planning to volunteer, you can begin the Safe Church, Safe Community training by following the directions in this link.

PMO & Preschool registration has begun for the 2023-2024 school year. Preschool is open Monday - Friday from 9 - 12, and our PMO is open Tuesday - Thursday from 9 - 12. If you would like more information, please contact Elise Sandbach.

EYC Junior and Senior High meet each Sunday evening in the EYC room in the Gabard Building (classroom at the far end of Gabard) from 6-7:15p.m. Please tell your friends they are welcome. Join us for supper, devotion, and fun time.

EYC will be having a fundraiser on May 6th. Parking lot fundraiser for VSU graduation ceremonies.

EYC will host Youth Sunday on May 14th during the 10:00 worship service. Please plan to attend and support our youth as they participate with us during worship.

The Creation Series needlepoint exhibit with six panels stitched by Christ Church member Sally Nunn will hang in our Parish Hall for the Easter Season. Be sure to view these striking works of art and thank her for sharing her talent with us.

Tuesday Night Bible Study

The Tuesday night Bible study led by Willa Valencia will be held on May 2^nd, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm in the Parish Hall for May 2nd only. All adults are welcome. Please bring your Bible—any translation.

The Stitchers of Love meet twice a month on the first and third Sundays in the Parish Hall from 4:00 to 6 p.m. All are welcome. We will teach anyone who is interested in learning to knit or crochet. The next meeting is May 7^th.

Sunday Evening Vespers - a group of Christ Church members meet on Zoom (2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays) at 6:00 p.m. to read the Compline Service, pages 127-135 in the Book of Common Prayer and for friendly conversation afterwards. The first and third Sundays of the month we will meet in-person, but will make an audio recording available after Vespers for those unable to attend in-person. To join the group and receive the link to the weekly gathering, contact Phyllis Hiers or call 229-563-2464.

Ever wondered what Vespers was all about? Here is Audio Recording from April 16, 2023.

On Saturday, April 22, 2023, a group from Christ Church cheered on David "Sandy" Sandbach as he participated in the Dancing with the Valdosta Stars event. The last time the event was held was 2019 due to the pandemic.

The event was held at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center. Sandy's dance partner was Ashley Grover. The Valdosta Stars is a fundraiser for VSU theatre, dance and music students. The event raises money for scholarships. Way to go Sandy.

Here is a link to some pictures. Thank you to Larry Wisenbaker and VSU Theatre for the photos.

We are utilizing VANCO Payment Solutions to safely and securely make your offering.

Download the free “Vanco Mobile” app and search for Christ Episcopal Church and then Valdosta, GA.

Or you can donate on our Vanco Online site, or by scanning the QR code above or our website donate page located here.

We now also have a mobile text to give number simply text your gift amount to 844-928-4938 and then follow the instructions on your phone to complete your donation.