For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 10:17-19
One Nation Under God
With very few exceptions, Christ Church Parish uses the Prayer Book Sunday lectionary for our gatherings, so in this eBlast I’ll take opportunity to make a few observations about our nation’s 245th birthday. First off, commemorating Independence Day in the Episcopal Church was contentious for almost a century and a half. Remember that all the Church of England clergy in the colonies swore an oath to the sovereign and were obligated to pray for the Royal Family daily. Even the officers of George Washington’s army toasted to the King’s health nightly in the Officers’ Mess until 1778. So, it was not until the 1928 BCP that prayers for Independence were added to our Prayer Book!
If we did offer a dedicated celebration for Independence Day, the First Reading would be from Deuteronomy 10. Moses is instructing his fledgling nation about to enter the Promised Land in the ways of their sovereign Lord. God is impartial and takes no bribes. God demands justice for defenseless orphans and widows. God loves and provides for refugees and immigrants. Most importantly the great, mighty, awesome God expects the same of God’s people!
Whatever democracy means 245 years after the founders declared independence from England, it does not make each American a law unto themselves. We need each other, not as clones or same-minded thinkers, but as people of many gifts, many opinions, and many skills. We need to live for each other, even in our differences. And we must be aware daily of the needs of those who have no advocate. We must seek justice for all who are pushed to the margins.
Since the Declaration, our nation has made the rights and privileges of being American available to more of our people. July 4 gives us a moment to see ourselves in the light of God; but it also asks us to share that light with refugees, immigrants and those who need an advocate.
More than 80 years later, speaking at the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln spoke of a renewal of liberty first described in the Declaration of Independence: “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
May this 245th birthday of our nation give us each an opportunity to find our place in a nation under God.
Peace,
Mark +
Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
|
|
This Sunday's Worship Service
|
|
Face Mask Update!
In response to the rising number of vaccinations and declining number of COVID 19 cases in our area, Christ Church leadership has revisited our mask policy. While everyone is encouraged to wear masks during Sunday services, especially those who are at heightened risk of infection, the use of masks is not required.
This change is effective immediately. As conditions change with the evolution of the pandemic, this policy may be revised.
|
|
Serving This Month
Serving In Person for Sunday, July 4th
Lectors: Keith Fulmer, Charlie Mead
Eucharistic Minister: Mike Herold
Ushers: Bob Rosekrans, Charlie Schwan
Greeters: Caroline & Tim Aland
Altar Guild: DeeDee & Kevin McCracken, Carole Tulip, Gini Wathen
Recording the Online Service for Sunday, July 4th
Readers: Sally Lewis, Kathy Sells
Eucharistic Ministers: Liza Hamill & Charlie Mead
Serving In Person Sunday July 11th
Lectors: Maria Jones, Betsy Sipes
Eucharistic Minister: Leslie Schneider
Ushers: Eric & Linette Hummel
Greeters: Tim & Caroline Aland
Altar Guild: Sherry Lissitz, Lois Rys, Dot Deren, Cara Fehrenbacher
Recording the Online Service for Sunday, July 11th
Readers: Jeff Pike, Charlie Mead
Eucharistic Ministers: Dick Sells & Lois Vanderbok
Serving In Person Sunday July 18th
Lectors: Ruthanne Herold, Mike Herold
Eucharistic Minister: Keith Fulmer
Ushers: John Reckord, Bob Rosekrans
Greeters: Maria Jones and Molly Cannon
Altar Guild: Betsy Sipes, Tom Christensen, Lynne Shand, Patti Snyder
Recording the Online Service for Sunday, July 18th
Readers: Leona Parker, Mike Parker
Eucharistic Ministers: Mike & Ruthanne Herold
Serving In Person for Sunday, July 25th
Lectors: Bob Thompson, Dottie Wilson
Eucharistic Minister: Dick Sells
Ushers: Leslie Schneider, Charlie Schwan
Greeters: Dottie Wilson, Bob Thompson
Altar Guild: Sally Lewis, Maria Jones, Eileen Shreve, Anne Tyler
Recording the Online Service for Sunday, July 25th
Readers: Bob Seitz, Leslie Schneider
Eucharistic Ministers: Liza Hamill & Charlie Mead
If you are unable to serve, please find a replacement and contact the Parish Office.
|
|
Race and Reconciliation Book Discussion |
You are invited to read Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, and discuss it with a group of parishioners on Tuesday, August 24, 2021 at 7 p.m. by Zoom. Feel free to invite friends to join us in the discussion.
Caste describes racism in the United States as an aspect of a caste system – a society-wide system of social stratification characterized by notions such as hierarchy, inclusion and exclusion, and purity. Wilkerson does so by comparing aspects of the experience of American people of color to the caste systems of India and Nazi Germany, and she explores the impact of caste on societies shaped by them, and their people.
Caste has been included in several lists of best books of 2020, including the Washington Post, Time, and NPR. The New York Times described the book as "an instant American classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century thus far." To hear Wilkerson talk about this book, click here or here. For more information, contact Dottie Wilson at 615-478-2366.
|
Sign up Now for Fall
EfM Class
Every one of us is called to ministry. The Education for Ministry (EfM) program provides people with the education to carry out that ministry. We start in September and meet once a week until May. As lay people we face the challenging task of interpreting the richness of the church's faith in a complex and confusing world. We need a theological education that supports our faith and teaches us to express our faith in day-to-day events. The EfM program is preparation for the ministry to which we all are called. EfM is a four-year program: Old Testament, New Testament, History, and Theology.
We are now recruiting for the Fall where we will do both Zoom and In-person meetings (we hope for in person!). For more information, please contact one of our mentors: efm@ccpki.org
Adele Sadiq (410-924-3313), Bluette Blinoff (610-212-6366), Ann Sieracki (302-547-5692), or Connie Clark (502-235-9674)
|
Ways to Support Christ Church
-
Electronic Giving: Click Here
-
Text to Give by texting CCPKI to 73256
-
Bank: Have your bank send a check or make an ACH transfer
-
By Check: CCPKI 830 Romancoke Rd. Stevensville MD 21666
|
|
Please pray for: Robin, Pender, John Perkins, Bob Willis, Deny, Chris, Avery, Jack Wright, Laura & Bob Dean & Family, Carol Holland, Susan Fralic, Dot Deren, Camilla Parrott, Sally Russell, Jay Czerniak (RIP)-Lisa Oesterling & Family, Barbara Jerome, Barbara Faulkner, Nancy King, Shelia McJilton, Aubree Burton & Tiffany Tia, Daniel Bedard, John Price (RIP), Abdul Sabur (RIP)-Susan Fauceglio, Chalk Jewell, Dot Deren, Colleen Minahan, Sheila Savage, Terry Thomas (RIP)-Megan Christopher & Thomas Family, Roger Brown, Michael Sipes, Danny Brown, Melody Sutherland, Gabriel Ratcliff, Matthew Versis (RIP)-Versis Family, Scott & Lynn Clark, Anna Sisson, Sharon McCain, Kayla, Pat Sherbert, Lynne Benton, Susan V.
Prayer Requests can be sent to prayer@ccpki.org
|
|
CONGRATULATIONS!!
TO OUR GRADUATES OF THE WEEK
|
|
|
|
Sophia Patti graduated KIHS class of 2021. She plans to start as a Film Studies major at AACC in the fall. |
|
Caroline Plank graduated KIHS and will be attending and playing soccer on the women’s soccer team with Marywood University in Scranton PA
She is majoring in biochemistry
|
|
|
Christ Church Parish Kent Island| 410-643-5921 | office@ccpki.org | ccpki.org |
|
|
|
|
|
|
