News You Can Use
July 21, 2021
|
|
Rector's Ramblings - Encounters with the Divine |
|
Thin Places
By Kathryn Saunders
My Mother loved words. That love is one of the greatest legacies I received from her. Church is full of exotic words and phrases: fun, interesting and sometimes very meaningful. Narthex*, lavabo**, “thin places”. That phrase – thin places – speaks to my heart.
"Thin places" is Celtic Christian term for places where the distance between heaven and Earth is reduced or, in more secular terms, where we experience a feeling of being out-of-the-world, a closeness to something “other”. Googling tells me the old Celtic saying is, “heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in the thin places that distance is even smaller”.
|
|
|
|
In-Person Indoor Worship Schedule
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, the 9:15 am, Rite II Holy Eucharist and 11:15 am Right I Holy Eucharist services will take place in the Church.
The 10:30 am Child-Centered Holy Eucharist service will be held in the Parish Hall.
Important Indoor Worship Information
COVID cases are on the rise in southeast Georgia, and we are monitoring the information from the Georgia Department of Health closely. Currently, only 40% of all Georgia residents have been fully vaccinated, and because of that, and the fact that we have many children 11 and younger in our parish who cannot be vaccinated, we must insist that you follow the guidelines that are set for indoor worship and gatherings. (See below.)
Updated Christ Church COVID Safety Guidelines
|
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.
|
|
Drive Through Communion - Sundays from 10:15 to 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 should enter at the gate next to the mailbox on Frederica Road and exit onto Stevens Road. Please bring your four-legged friends, too. We have special blessings and treats waiting for them! |
|
|
Save the Date for the Blessing of the Backpacks |
On Sunday, August 8, 2021, we will be holding the Blessing of the Backpacks at the 9:15 am service. Please come if you are student, no matter your age, or bring your young students, if you’re a parent or grandparent. Mother Katie will have Christ Church key chains for the students at every service, including Drive-Through Communion, so they’ll know that our prayers are with them wherever they go.
|
|
Worship at St. Ignatius to Resume in August |
Our 5:30 pm, Saturday evening worship services will begin again at St. Ignatius Chapel on August 21, 2021. Details relating to the Diocesan COVID guidelines will be forthcoming. Father Tom will be back from his Sabbatical and will preach at this first service!
We will also have a Parish-wide celebration of Father Tom’s return on Sunday, August 22, so mark your calendars for that. More information will be coming soon!
|
|
Worship Service Volunteers Urgently 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, lay eucharistic ministers and audio technicians to help at 8:00 am, 9:15 am, 10:30 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!
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
Wednesday Men's Study Group Resumes Meeting In Person |
The Men’s Study Group is now meeting via Zoom, for those who are unable to attend the sessions and in person on Wednesdays, at 10:30 am, in the Youth Room of the Christ Church Parish House. They are currently reading The Gospel of St. Thomas, translated and annotated by Stevan Davies.
For more information about the book or joining the group, please contact Te Turner at royteturner@gmail.com.
|
|
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.
|
|
Child-Centered Worship Every Sunday Now at 10:30 am |
Families with young children are encouraged to join us in the Parish Hall every Sunday, at 10:30 am, for our child-centered Holy Eucharist service. Each week, Biblical lessons will be presented in a child-friendly way, as the youngsters learn more about God and Jesus, who always welcomed the little children to his side. |
|
Acolyte Training: August 14 & 15, 2021 |
August 14, 2021 - 2:00 - 8:00 PM
and August 15, 2021 - 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
For Rising 3rd - 12th Grade Students
As we head back towards the program year, we would like to rebuild our altar party - which includes our most helpful acolytes. This will be a great opportunity to learn about the service of an Acolyte and practice in teams going through the liturgy and the various jobs, as well as vesting. So, acolytes please sign up with Mother Katie for this upcoming training. katie@ccfssi.org
|
|
Mark your Calendars! Our first Youth Group meeting of the school year will be on Sunday, August 15, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm, in the Parish House. All rising sixth through twelfth graders are invited! There will be fun, there will be games, there will be prayer, and there will be pizza! For more information, please contact Mtr. Katie at katie@ccfssi.org.
|
|
Back to the Creek Retreat for Youth! |
July 30 - August 1
Grades 6-12
Cost: $125
Registration is Open!
At the end of July, after a hiatus of almost 17 months, the Diocese is excited to start offering in-person gatherings for youth at Honey Creek! Our first event will take place Friday, July 30 - Sunday, August 1 and will be for youth in Grades 6-12. This "Back to the Creek Retreat" will allow our young people to take a break before their school year begins. Because Covid-19 is still a risk, participant numbers will be limited for this event. Smaller numbers will enable everyone to spread out in the dorms and during worship and other activities.
Christ Church is fortunate to be a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. Our Diocese has people and programs where we can gather as a larger church of your peers. Mother Katie will be attending this summer's retreat back at the creek and would love it if you would join in a group going from Christ Church! I promise you that it will be fun and you will return to SSI with more friends than you had before going! Christ Church will provide scholarships - don't let fees hold you back!
Please contact Canon Varner at jvarner@gaepiscopal.org with questions about this event! We strongly encourage all participants who are able to do so to get vaccinated before the event!
|
|
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!
|
|
Backpacks and School Supplies Needed |
With the start of a new school year just a few weeks away, there are many families in the area that struggle to provide school supplies for their children. In the past few years, Christ Church has worked with GEM (Glynn Episcopal Ministries) to make sure area students have the materials they need. Your generous donations in previous years have gone to help six area schools. Please look at the following list and consider helping area students by donating some items and leaving them in the church office by Thursday, August 5.
Items Needed: backpacks for younger children, #2 pencils, colored pencils, pencil boxes and pouches, pencil sharpeners, pencil top erasers, pink erasers, glue sticks, crayons (16 and 24 packs), large crayons (8 pack), scissors, Fiskars for the lower grades, wide-rule composition notebooks, single subject spiral notebooks, primary paper, loose leaf notebook paper, 2-pocket folders, pocket folders with prongs, black or blue pens, 3-ring binders, markers, highlighters, composition books with grid paper
|
|
Backpack Buddies: Their Smiles Tell the Story |
|
The Backpack Buddy ministry is more than just a feeding program for our young buddies. It is a ministry of hope and love. When foods are distributed, conversations start and relationships form, both with the children and their families, who know they are cared for, even when times are tough.
“...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me..."
-- Matthew 25:35
Can you help us by looking for a few elusive items the next time you go grocery shopping? We would appreciate any donations of the following:
• Vienna sausages
• Juice Boxes
• Peanut Butter(18 oz. plastic jars)
And of course you are welcome to “adopt” a Backpack Buddy at any time during the year, even NOW, during summer break. 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.
|
|
Docents Needed for Opening the Church to Visitors Again |
The docent team is working hard making plans to safely open the church to visitors on selected days beginning September 7. Our visitors have appreciated having us on the grounds, but they really want to see and hear about the church. Can you help us?
We will follow the same COVID protocols we are following on Sunday mornings. Ideally, we will have a Greeter at the door to welcome people and a Docent on hand to answer questions or give a presentation on the history, as requested.
Our wonderful Docent Team is all in, but this plan will require a significant increase in the number of Greeters we have on the roster at this time.
PLEASE COME TO A MEETING IN THE PARISH HALL AT 10:00 A.M. ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2021 to find out more about this fun and vital ministry of the church. Glenn Queener will explain the protocols, Cindy Rackley, our chief archivist, will talk about the Archival Display, which will be available to view following the meeting, and Susan Garrett will lead the discussion on Docent and Greeter duties and schedules.
This plan will have to be approved by Fr. Tom when he returns from Sabbatical before we can move forward, so we need to know how many people we can count on before submitting our proposal to him.
Please Contact Susan Garrett, Afternoon Docent Team Captain, (912) 230-8566 or alnsusan@comcast.net for more information and to let her know you will attend the meeting.
|
|
Parishioner Randy Siegel Publishes A New Book |
Author, Seminar Leader, and Christ Church parishioner, Randy Siegel, has written a new book, entitled, Change Begins Here: Adopt the Mind of Christ and Build a Better World.
In Change Begins Here: Adopt the Mind of Christ and Build a Better World, Randy shows us how to become architects, ambassadors, and workers for a new age of unity, sustainability, peace, and love by embracing Christ or Unity Consciousness.
Most books of this type are long on information but short on practical application; this book provides both. Complete with compelling stories, real-life examples, powerful questions, and impactful exercises, this book gently guides readers through a process that is highly informative, engaging, inspiring, and empowering.
“Change Begins Here” is a book for these troubled times. By offering practical, how-to steps, the wisdom from a wide range of holy texts, and personal experience, Randy Siegel shows us how to substitute love for fear and emotional reactivity to change the world one action, one encounter, and one person at a time.
— The Reverend Becky Rowell
Change Begins Here: Adopt the Mind of Christ and Build a Better World is available for purchase at Amazon.com, HERE.
|
|
Safeguarding Training in 2021 |
The first Safeguarding God’s Children training session of 2021 will take place on Saturday, August 28, beginning at 10:00 am, in the Christ Church Parish Hall. The class will be led by Mtr. Katie, and is for all who work with the children and youth in the parish, including those who have never received this training before and those who need to renew their eligibility. Please contact Mtr. Katie at katie@ccfssi.org or at 912-638-8683, to find out if this applies to you, if you need to sign up for the class, or if you have any other questions.
The Episcopal Church is committed to providing a safe and loving environment for our children and youth to come and explore their faith and spirituality. One of the ways we do our best to accomplish this is training our children and youth workers, as well as our church leaders in the prevention of sexual abuse happening with any children trusted in our care. If you have questions, please contact Mtr. Katie at katie@ccfssi.org.
|
|
Many thanks to Paul Salter, Uli Keller, Mark Davis, Bob Nesbitt, David Boland, Lynne Turner, Harry Branch, Janice Boland, Ed Turner and Glenn Queener (not pictured) for helping fold up and put away the massive Christ Church tent last week! Well done everybody! |
|
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.
|
|
Pastoral Care & Prayer List |
|
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
Allen Bowen
Bob Budd
Beverly Burns
James Burns
Oscar Covington
Zoann Covington
Jim Curran
Jackie Davis
Marie Dennard
Tom Dennard
Jack Erikson
Kurt Federer
Sydney Federer
Lynne Fox
Ron Garrett
Walter Graham
Mark Jicha
Paul Hackenberry
Billie Huggins
Michael Hulett
Eileen Hutchinson
Ginny Jarrett
Mark Jicha
Penny Jones
Mary Beth Keys
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
Tommy Rowell
Willou Smith
David Somerville
Edith Tayloe
Zack Taylor
Deric Tipton
Douglas Turner
Te Turner
Kelly Valentine
Glenda Ward
Jennifer Willingham
Chamblee
Dave
Joan
Joseph
Mary Susan
Virginia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
