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March 22, 2020
10:00am
Morning Prayer via Zoom led by
The Rev. Elise Feyerherm, Ph.D, assisted by
Myra Anderson
Missed last Sunday's sermon, or just want to hear it again?
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G
racious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Please
click here
for this
week's readings.
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WHERE WE ARE TODAY
Greeting to you all, siblings in Christ.
Grace to you and peace in the Name of the One, Holy, and Undivided Trinty.
Earlier today, your Wardens and I participated in a Zoom meeting with over forty clergy and wardens in the Charles River and Alewife Deaneries. Called together by Bill Parnell, Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese, those on the call included James Thomas, Diocesan Disaster Coordinator (parishioner at St. John's, Sandwich)
and Dr. Michelle Holmes, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the T. F. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard (parishioner at St. James, Cambridge).
It was a wide-ranging conversation, begun with a prayer from St. Patrick's Breastplate, which I shared with the parish on Tuesday. Among the salient points in my view were these:
We are preparing for a marathon, not a sprint.
A new and unpredictable normal will last for at least the next eighteen months, that being the shortest reasonable amount of time to develop an effective vaccine. Treatment for symptoms could appear much sooner but that possibility is completely unpredictable. We may need to prepare for a shelter in place order from the Governor.
We will not have Holy Week and Easter Worship in our Churches. There are resources to help clergy and lay leaders plan to gather worshippers effectively on-line.
The Diocese has cancelled or postponed its calendar of events until early June, at the earliest. Our theological, Biblical, and liturgical traditions are full of resources to ground us in the love of God during catastrophic times. We have the technology to remain connected, but the transition will be difficult for some.
What most touched me, however, was God's grace and power as reflected in the compassion and competence of the leaders gathered. We are truly blessed to be in this Diocese, and in our particular deaneries.
~~~
Your Wardens and other lay leaders and staff are working to keep us knit together.
Ali Heard, our parish administrator, sent out an invitation to
activate your Realm account and on-line directory.
Check your spam. This will help us stay connected. Please see the instructions below to sign-up.
Thank you to those who have done so already.
We are also pulling together a calling plan so that we can stay connected, especially those for whom the phone remains the primary way to interact, apart from in person contact. It is safe to send cards and letters of encouragement through the mail.
We will continue to offer Sunday morning worship, and perhaps expand the opportunities for worship online. Many thanks to Myra Anderson, Annie Russell, Ali Heard, and our guest preacher Elsie Feyerherm for preparing this Sunday's worship. Wednesday Bible Study successfully inaugurated its first online class yesterday.
On my lips today were these words: "Oh God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come... our shelter from the mighty blast..." (Hymn 680: listen
here).
Faithfully yours,
Nick+
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THIS WEEK'S GUEST PREACHER: THE REV. ELISE FEYERHERM, Ph.D.
The Rev. Elise Feyerherm, Ph.D. is Associate Rector at St. Paul's in Brookline and an old friend and colleague of Nick's; they were confirmed as adults together many years ago. Her ministries have taken her from New England to the Mid-West and back, and have included high school, college, and seminary teaching, as well as parish ministry. Currently, in addition to her work at St. Paul's, Elise serves as professor and mentor to the Anglican/ Episcopal Community at the Boston University School of Theology
.
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ZOOM WORSHIP - This Sunday!
This Sunday March 22, you can join the morning prayer on Zoom. Zoom is a remote conferencing service you can use to meet virtually with others, either by computer or your telephone. Click
here to read an article about Zoom .
We had a test run today that went well! On Friday, we will send an email with the link to access the meeting and the bulletin.
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CONNECT WITH REALM, OUR ON-LINE DIRECTORY
Realm is an online tool used by churches throughout the country. Currently, Christ Church is using Realm as administratively for managing contact information and financial processes.
In these times with social distancing and quarantining,
we want to set up our Realm online directory to give parishioners to access each other's contact information (just like you would in a printed directory), so we can stay in touch and support each other as the Body of Christ. And we need
YOU
for help us accomplish this! It is safe and secure, with bank-level encryption.
Thank you to the 35 parishioners who have signed up so far!
You should have received an invitation to Realm on Wednesday.
Check your spam. Please create an account, updated your contact information
(including BIRTHDAYS, please!!)
, and, mostly importantly,
opt in to the online directory
.
Please check your junk/spam mail if you don't see an invite. If you didn't receive an invitation, please reply to this email.
Click
here for some instructions and more information about Realm.
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PASTORAL EMERGENCY CONTACT WHILE NICK IS ON VACATION
Nick is on vacation from the afternoon of March 15 through March 28. In case of pastoral emergencies, please call the Wardens (Jeff Murphy 781.956.4960 or Stan Hitron 617.838.0070).
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PURSE FOR KEN
As we know, Ken Cook, our facilities manager, is moving to Florida with his wife Nancy. As has been our custom for departing staff, we are taking up a collection for a "purse" as a sign of our gratitude. Checks should be made out to Christ Church, with "Ken Cook purse" in the memo line.
Please bring them by the Church or send by US Mail (please put Attn: Maryann on the envelope) by April 1.
Thank you for
your generosity!
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ORGAN NOTES
The new Meta Virtual Pipe Organ is coming to Christ Church this summer, just in time to cap the celebrations of our 125
th
Anniversary! At the heart of our new virtual pipe organ is the world-renowned Hauptwerk software program, giving us access to nine pipe organs recorded pipe-by-pipe by experts from around the world. (
Click here
to hear Meta Organ builder Dan Lemieux discussing the nuances of the virtual sound with a local church's music director). Watch this space for more information over the coming weeks about the historic and modern organs accessible from our one console!
Our goal is to raise at least $125,000 to pay for the removal of the old organ, the installation of the new organ, a fund for future maintenance and any necessary repairs and updates to the Chancel area. We'll make sure you have all the information you need to make a generous and lasting contribution to our communal worship space for generations to come!
Donations in any amount payable to Christ Church and earmarked for the
"125th
Anniversary Fund" can be dropped in the office, in the plate or in the mail. Be on the lookout for a parish-wide mailing with pictures and more information, along with a remittance envelope for your convenience. We'll keep you posted on our progress!
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Meta Organ installed in St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Taunton, MA
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Your Organ Committee
(click on the committee members name to email them directly)
When in our music God is glorified,
And adoration leaves no room for pride,
It is as though the whole creation cried
Alleluia!
F. Pratt Green
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EASTER MEMORIAL FLOWERS
Please MAIL your donation to the Church. On a separate sheet of paper, please note this is for Easter Memorial clearly print the memorial name(s) by April 3.
Suggested donation is $25.
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HELPING HANDS STRENGTHEN THE BODY
If you are over 60 years of age and identify as part of a vulnerable population, and could use assistance with errands, please call or email the Parish Office.
If you are under 60 years of age and do not identify as part of a vulnerable population, and would like to add your name to a list of people who are happy to run errands please call or email the office. We will do our best to make matches.
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Please click on the organization's name to link to their website.
GUN SAFETY
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
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THE WEEK AHEAD
Click here to view the online calendar that lists this week's events and all upcoming events.
SUNDAY, MARCH 22: with guest preacher The Rev. Elise Feyerherm, Ph.D. at the 8:15am and 10:00am services
8:15am Holy Eucharist Rite I (Chapel)
No Child Care.
9:45am Church School
10:00am Holy Eucharist Rite II with Choir (Sanctuary)
5:30pm
Evening Prayer led by Myra Anderson (Chapel)
Please note communion is not offered.
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