Keeping Connected March 8, 2024 | |
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Connect Virtually
We will continue using our new live streaming equipment. You may access our Sunday morning worship service via our YouTube Channel and our Facebook page.
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Greetings Church School Families,
Our Church School is bustling with activity as we gear up for the upcoming Easter celebrations. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks for entrusting us with your children in both church school and worship. Beginning a Sunday morning in the church building with the warm greetings and high-fives from your child is truly special. Watching your child participate in the Lord's Supper and sharing in that sacred moment not only nurtures their faith but also enriches the spiritual tapestry of our entire community.
Being part of the communion experience alongside believers of all ages, witnessing the connection between adults and children as they share profound words about Jesus, and offering prayers with folded arms create visual reminders of Jesus' sacrifice for all of us. We understand that parenting is a demanding journey, and there might be Sundays when you crave a moment of quiet reflection. We also acknowledge that there may have been times when you wondered if your little ones truly belonged in the worship setting. Despite these challenges, we encourage you to persevere, because beyond the joy your children bring to our collective worship, you are actively shaping their path of lifelong worship—a journey we're privileged to undertake together.
Top of Form
Holy Week Schedule
March 24th: Palm Sunday--Palm Procession
- Students will attend Church School at 9:30 and teachers will bring them into Church for the opening procession and blessing of the palms. We will return to class afterward to learn more about Palm Sunday.
- Prepared Communion class will meet as usual after their regular Church School class.
March 28th: Maundy Thursday--Prepared Communion Class, Bread Making, and Foot Washing
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5:00 PM Prepared Communion Class: Bread Making, Soup and Supper in the Parish Hall. ALL families are invited to bring 1 cup of your favorite vegetable (or more!) for our community chicken broth soup. While the soup is simmering students will hear the story of the last supper and participate (if they choose) in a foot washing activity. We will share a simple supper together after the lesson.
- We will make Communion Bread for the 7PM service, visit the Sacristy and the altar with Robin Nielson. She will show them how to set the altar and show them the "secret door"! We will also make our very own Communion Bread to be blessed and used at the 7 pm service.
March 29th: Good Friday--Stations of the Cross for All Ages
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10:30 AM Story and Craft: All families are invited to participate in a craft, story lesson, and snack focused on Good Friday and Easter.
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12:00 PM Stations of the Cross: Stations of the Cross for students and families. This is a truly meaningful way to help students understand the events of that day and the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.
March 31st: EASTER SUNDAY!!
- There will be an Easter Egg Hunt for kids of all ages after the 10 AM service. We are providing special bags for collecting your eggs!
Please encourage your children to invite their friends to our Good Friday activities and stations of the cross and our annual Easter egg hunt.
Blessings in Christ,
Donna Eby & Su D’Ambrosio
Interim Sunday School Coordinators
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A great big thank you to Christ Church Singers who participated in the 10:00 AM service with Bishop Alan, singing the anthem with the choir Sunday February 25th. | |
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Dear Beloved Church Family,
Warm greetings to each and every one of you! As we approach the joyous season of Easter, we are thrilled to embark on the preparations for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Christ Church.
In the spirit of togetherness and celebration, we invite those who are willing to contribute to the festivities. We are kindly requesting donations of plastic eggs, small, individually wrapped nut-free candies, and Easter-themed items to fill these eggs with love and joy.
Your generous donations can be dropped off conveniently at either the education office or the church office. The collection period will run until Sunday, March 24th, giving everyone a chance to participate in making this event truly special.
We sincerely appreciate your kindness and the spirit of giving that unites our Church Family. Thank you in advance for your heartfelt generosity, which will undoubtedly, again this year, make our Annual Easter Egg Hunt a cherished and delightful event for all.
Blessings and gratitude,
Donna Eby
Interim Sunday School Coordinator
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Dear Ones of Christ Church,
This weekend our clocks “spring forward” for daylight saving time. I do not like this annual change, mostly because we all lose an hour of sleep. There is a sort of communal solidarity in it, though, since we all lose an hour’s sleep together.
There will be another change happening, for us at Christ Church, this weekend— at the Sunday 10am service we will resume our previous practice of coming to the altar rail to stand or kneel and receive Holy Communion, with one change: the floor station will now be in our Mary chapel, at the rail there. While the floor chapel Communion station is offered for those who are unable or prefer not to navigate stairs, anyone is welcome to receive Communion there. Our ministry of healing prayers will move to a new location—we will let you know on Sunday during the announcements where that will be.
At our Worship Committee meeting this past Sunday, as we discussed how and when to resume receiving Communion at the rail, Brenna Buckley shared that one blessing of moving the floor station to the Mary Chapel is that we will all be moving forward, together in the same direction, toward the altar and Sacrament. Just as there will be unity and solidarity this weekend in all of us being moved forward by the time change, there will also be unity and solidarity in our shared forward movement as the Body of Christ, to receive the Body of Christ. As we resume our practice of gathering close to the holy table, there may be a bit of holy chaos as we refresh our bodily memories, and incorporate those who are engaging in this practice at Christ Church for the first time (like me!). I know we will be gracious, as we spring forward, together.
With peace,
Melissa +
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Finances: Last week we received in over $6977. When giving online, be sure to change the 'Fund' to 'Pledges' so your contribution goes toward your pledge.
Thank you for your loving support of Christ Church.
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“My Lenten Mite Boxes”
Dear Christ Church Family,
As we step into the reflective Lenten season, our church school children invite you to join them in a heartwarming initiative to conclude their "Loving Neighbor" segment of the church school curriculum. This year, we introduce "My Lenten Gift Box" – a simple way to spread love and kindness throughout Lent. Donations collected will support our Christ Church Food Pantry, an essential resource that helps those in need within our community. Your generosity will contribute to the ongoing efforts to make a positive impact on the lives of others.
In alignment with our Loving Neighbor lessons, our church school children have been encouraged to express gratitude and love to family, friends, neighbors, and God through kind actions. You might consider encouraging your children to take on extra chores, such as helping with household tasks, collecting cans from family and friends to contribute to the Lenten Gift Box and various other ways your children may choose.
Along with the financial contribution, you may want to create a Lenten Love Jar or something similar to express heartfelt gratitude, love, and reflections on God's sacrifice and love for humanity. Take time to write notes to your family, sharing moments of appreciation. Also, consider crafting love notes to God, expressing your deepest thoughts on His boundless love and sacrifice. All of these notes can be put into the Lenten Love Jar or something similar to be shared with each other.
By participating in this Lenten initiative, we symbolize our collective commitment to love, generosity, and service. The commitment to love, generosity, and service reflects the essence of Lent and the resurrection story of Jesus Christ, embodying the transformative journey of self-sacrifice, renewal, and the triumphant victory over darkness, echoing the divine example set by Christ during his sacrificial journey towards redemption and resurrection.
Kindly return your Lenten boxes the weekend of March 17th & 18th, to be blessed at the 10AM service March 18th by Rev. Melissa Howell, adding an extra layer of spiritual significance to the collective journey of reflection and generosity we've undertaken during this season.
For those wishing to participate, the Lenten Gift Box will be conveniently available for pickup at all church entrances.
Wishing you a meaningful Lenten journey,
Our Church School Children, Coordinators, Teachers and Assistants
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The Resource of Prayer: Six Week Lenten Series |  | |
Join us at Christ Church in Plymouth this Lent as we explore the meaning and gift of prayer in the Christian tradition and share resources and practices to enrich our prayer lives. We will meet for six weeks, with two options for meeting times and "spaces:" either Thursday evenings by Zoom from 6-7:30 PM, or Saturday afternoons in-person from 3-4:30 PM at church.
Here are our meeting schedules and topics for each week:
Week 1: Introduction - What is Prayer? - Thurs 2/15 and Sat 2/17
Week 2: Praying with Scripture - Thurs 2/22 and Sat 2/24
Week 3: Time and Space: Making a Habit of Prayer - Thurs 2/29 and Sat 3/2
Week 4: Praying Through Action, Movement, and Service - Thurs 3/7 and Sat 3/9
Week 5: Praying Without Words (or With Very Few Words!) - Thurs 3/14 and Sat 3/16
Week 6: Praying With the Senses and the Arts - Thurs 3/21 and Sat 3/23
Melissa will start each meeting by sharing about a particular way to pray, and then we will break into small groups to share our thoughts and experiences using reflection questions to guide us. There is still room in our Thursday evening Zoom group - to join, or if you have questions about the series, please contact Melissa: revmelissa@christchurchplymouth.org
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Palm Sunday Weekend Passion Readers Needed
We are looking for people to read bit parts in the Passion for each of the three Palm Sunday weekend services.
Please contact Connie (conmel@aol.com– 508.746.3805 if you would like to participate. Let her know for which service(s) you would be available.
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Prayer Vigil Watchers
As has been our tradition, beginning after the Maundy Thursday service through early Friday morning, we have folks who take an hour block to sit in the chapel to watch and pray as Jesus did in the garden at Gethsemane. A sign-up sheet will be posted by St. Francis Garden door for those interested in participating., or you may call Connie 508.746.3805 or email at conmel@aol.com
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Notes from the Vestry meeting of February 28, 2024
(This meeting was deferred from February 13th.)
Please note that ALL vestry meeting minutes are posted on the bulletin board outside our parish office following their approval at the subsequent vestry meeting.
Rector’s report:
- Rev Melissa welcomed new members Wil Bernard, Barb Hurney and Judy Lutz.
- Our vestry retreat will be held on April 26 in the evening and April 27 daytime.
- The Rector’s installation will be on Thursday May 2nd in the evening.
- A committee will be formed to discern who will be our next organist.
- We need to fill the vacant Alternate to Diocesan Convention position in advance of the diocesan vote for our new bishop.
- Randy Pond has resigned his vestry position. We will discuss filling his remaining one-year term at the March meeting.
- Rev Melissa briefly reviewed the parochial report that was submitted to the diocese. Vestry approved the document.
Senior Warden’s report:
- We reviewed the progress we have made with our strategic plan objectives and tasks. We are currently reviewing our organizational structure.
- Vestry ministry liaison representative activities were discussed and assignments made for this year.
Junior Warden’s report:
- Our driveway needs a partial regrading and resurfacing. We have one quote for $6000 and will seek two more bids.
- With the onset of Spring, there is much to do to restore our grounds. We will need many volunteers to help with these efforts.
- Our elevator has passed the state inspection.
- The ramp to the food pantry needs repair.
Treasurer’s report:
- Finances through the month of January are in good shape.
- Pledges have exceeded the $250,000 target. Sincere thanks to all who made this commitment.
- We are waiting for the town to sign off on our solar permit.
The visit from Bishop Alan Gates was a great success. He met with the vestry following the brunch and discussed our transition and current status. There were about 90 in attendance at the brunch.
The Thrift Shoppe revenues for the first few weeks of the year were $7500.
The next regular vestry meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 13th at 6:30pm in the Hospitality room.
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Margaret Hill's Stations of the Cross artwork on display | |
St John's Church on Washington St. in Duxbury will be having two services of the Stations of the Cross on Wednesday evenings 2/28 and 3/13 at 7 PM with artwork from our very own Margaret Hill. All are invited with a reception to follow. | |
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Creation Care Team
Join our Church Creation Care Team and be part of a community dedicated to stewarding God's creation! We're looking for passionate individuals who want to make a difference in caring for our planet. Whether you're interested in gardening, environmental education, advocacy, or simply want to learn more about sustainable living, there's a place for you on our team. Together, we can work towards a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come. Join us in putting faith into action by nurturing and protecting the world that God has entrusted to us. Our next meeting will be in person on March 14th at 3 PM. Contact Connie at conmel@aol.com or 508.746.3805, if you wish to be included!
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Easter Flowers and Musicians | |
If you wish to remember or honor a loved one or give in thanksgiving, you may do so by sponsoring the flowers and guest musicians for our Easter services. The form will be included at the end of the service bulletins or you can download it here. In order to have your memorial listed in the Easter bulletins, please return the form to the church office by Sunday, March 24. | |
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Overnights of Hospitality Winter Emergency Shelter
We want your help!
The Plymouth Taskforce to End Homelessness, in collaboration with the Fr. Bill’s and Mainspring (FBMS) organization, offers winter emergency shelter to 20-25 single individuals which began here at Christ Church on Nov, 26th and will continue through Saturday, March 30. We can’t continue this important ministry without your help. We want volunteer chaperones to commit to giving one evening of their time from 5pm-11pm to provide support to the Fr. Bill’s staff person and to show our unhoused neighbors that they are not forgotten. We who have volunteered in the past have been touched by the appreciation shown by many of the guests. It has been a very rewarding experience!
Two people are needed at the shelter at all times. There are two Fr. Bill’s staff from 11pm to 7am, so the volunteer chaperone is only needed for the evening until the second staff person arrives.
The shelter rotates weekly among three congregations which began Sunday, November 26 and will continue through Saturday, March 30 - Christ Church, First Baptist Church and St Mary’s and St Joseph Collaborative at St Mary’s Parish Center, using the fellowship halls. Orientation is provided.
To sign up as a chaperone, go to https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/k4w5gd
To review the chaperone guidelines, go to https://plymouth-taskforce-homeless.org/volunteer/
Questions? Call Connie Melahoures, President of the Plymouth Taskforce to End Homelessness at 508.367.0516 or email conmel@aol.com.
The next week that Christ Church will be hosting begins Sunday, March 17th.
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Christ Church Thrift Shoppe | |
We are grateful to the many generous donors who are at the core of this ministry. The need for donations is endless as we work to meet the needs of our community. Donations of gently used housewares, in-style men’s and women’s clothing, and small furnishings from smoke-free homes can be dropped inside during shop hours, or at the garage on Saturdays from 10-1.
Volunteers of all ages are welcome, regardless of religious affiliation. For information please speak with any volunteer or contact a leader at christchurchplymouth.org
Needed - bubble wrap for wrapping of glassware. Please leave in the box located below the office mailboxes. Thank you.
Shoppe Hours
Thursday and Friday 10-4
Saturday 10-2
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Christ Church Food Pantry | |
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All are welcome to the Christ Church Food Pantry!
We are open by appointment:
Tuesday 4:00-5:15
Thursday 12:00-1:15 and 4:00-5:15
Saturday 10:00-11:15.
Call the pantry message line: 508-746-4959, ext 6, BY 1 PM THE DAY BEFORE YOU WISH TO PICK UP YOUR ORDER. Our volunteers check messages and return your call from their homes to ask you what you need.
Christ Church Food Pantry uses its funding only for the purchase of food items, in accordance with our mission to help those in our community who are dealing with food insecurity. We welcome donations of food (see specific needs below) but also other items, such as personal care products, which are always needed by our clients. A collection box is available at the front entrance of the church, or donations may be made during Food Pantry operating hours. We also welcome financial donations. Our volunteers and clients are so appreciative of the ongoing support for our mission provided by Christ Church Parish.
The Pantry currently needs empty egg cartons as our cheapest source of eggs provides them in large containers inappropriate for using with our clients. We are currently in need of the following items:
Cheerios (name brand preferred), canned baked beans and pork, white tuna, any canned meals, such as Chef Boyardee Ravioli and Spaghetti O’s (brand name preferred) and canned soups. Also, shampoo and toothpaste.
If you wish to volunteer, contact Eileen Paris at eileenpca@aol.com
For more information, please contact Barbara Wojtklewicz at 617-291-4634, or by email at barbara.wojtklewicz@gmail.com
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Pastoral Care
For any pastoral care needs of Christ Church, please call Robin Nielsen (774-454-2776) or email robinmarianielsen@gmail.com ~ A home visit, a home visit with holy communion or a phone call can be arranged. Although a small group, our Pastoral Care Ministry team meets monthly in confidence.
For any pastoral emergencies, please call Rev. Melissa Howell 508-746-4959 ext 4, and follow the instructions in her voice message.
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A word from the bishops
on this week's death of civilians seeking aid in Gaza
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March 2, 2024
With heavy hearts we grieve the ongoing death of non-combatants in the war in Gaza. In our December statement we urged all members of our diocese to engage in prayer, learning and advocacy regarding this tragic war.
The Episcopal Church’s Office of Public Affairs, along with its Office of Government Relations, has issued this statement with regard to the death on Feb. 29 of more than 100 civilians seeking aid in Gaza. We commend this statement to you, with its further links to resources for action, learning and prayer.
We join with all those calling for an immediate ceasefire which will allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza without harm to those providing or receiving it.
In the Name of the Prince of Peace,
The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates
The Rt. Rev. Carol J. W. T. Gallagher
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We want to keep you in the loop regarding the happenings at Christ Church. Please send your announcements for the weekly bulletin and Keeping Connected, to the office by 12 Noon on Wednesday. They should include date, time, place, description of event, contact information and should be written exactly the way you want them to appear. | | | | |
