February 16, 2024

Prayer for Israel and Palestine from Bishop Logue

“God of peace, we pray for the people of Israel and Palestine in this time of war.

For all who are fearful for the safety of their loved ones and themselves, we pray that the assurance of unfailing love, even in the midst of danger, settles upon them. Shelter them from despair and protect them from harm.

We remember before you the Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, the Most Reverend Hosam Elias Naoum, and the people of his churches, hospitals, and other ministries.

For all who have died, we pray they find rest.

For all who grieve, we pray they find comfort.

For all who are wounded, we pray they find healing.

For leaders on all sides, we pray for the will to lay down arms and for the conviction to embrace a path of reconciliation and peace that preserves the rights and dignity of all of your children.

God of justice, we pray with hopeful hearts that your beloved children of the Holy Land.

We ask all this in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.”

Church Office Hours for interim period:

Monday - Thursday

10 am - 2 pm

Closed on Friday

Worship Services

February 18: Lent I

8:00 a.m, Holy Eucharist, Rite I

10:00 a.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite I

Genesis 9:8-17

Psalm 25:1-9

1 Peter 3:18-22

Mark 1:9-15

From the Rector

Father Hal offers up an informative report in regards to Lent, Holy Week and Easter.

Find Father Hal's report here.

Christ Church seeks Administrative Assistant

Christ Church is seeking an Administrative Assistant to work in the Church office Monday - Thursday from 9a - 2pm.

Those interested in applying can send a resume along with 3 reference letters to Father Hal at rector@christchurchvaldosta.org.

Complete job description can be found here.

Audio/Visual Services

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Live-Streaming this week of the 10 a.m. worship service on February 18, 2024 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 February 11, 2024 - Holy Eucharist

Link to the 10:00 bulletin for the February 18, 2024 service.

A Link to YouTube video that will begin Sunday, February 18th at 9:55 a.m. is here.

Feature for in-person worship - Our hearing assistance feature is available as part of our sound system. This feature uses your smartphone, earbuds, or hearing 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 Audio/Visual booth staff.

The McRae's will host HEP nooners on , Friday, Feb 16 at noon, bring sandwiches or salads to share, soup and drinks provided skipping desserts since during lent.

John and Rev, Marića's home, bring a friend.

2701 Green Meadow Dr

229-220-5619

Evening Prayer

Evening Prayer at Christ Church on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. We invite you to join us.

Tuesday Night Bible study

Bible Study led by Willa Valencia, is held at 7:30pm at the home of Ron and Tammy Borders (1718 Williams St.). All adults are welcome. Please bring your Bible—any translation. 

The Garden Guild will meet Wednesday, February 21st. We focus on the church grounds. The Garden Guild meets each Wednesday from 1:30 - 3:30pm. More hardworking people are welcome to join us. Bring your gloves and tools.

Wednesday Night Holy Eucharist, Dinner and Program resumes, Wednesday, February 21st.

A head count is needed in order to have enough food for all. Please RSVP to the church office, or on sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall.

Serving this week - February 18, 2024

Eucharistic Ministers: Patricia Tyson, Nancy Lutsko, Maddie Yarbrough

Lectors: Kathleen Parsons, Patricia Tyson, Maddie Yarbrough

Acolytes: Joel Williams, David Holland, Holly Rogers

Altar Guild: Frances Guice, Krystle Black, Nikki Yarbrough, Martha Leake, Kathleen Parsons

Ushers: Stephen Sandbach, Tanner Darby, Martin Holland

Greeters: Julia Ariail

Coffee Hour: Sallie Honeycutt, Pat Denmark, Eric Nielsen, Ann Burnette, Mimi Allen

Audio/Visual Crew: Julius Ariail, Ken Rumstay, Larry Wisenbaker

Serving next week - February 25, 2024

Eucharistic Ministers: Phyllis Holland, Jeani Synyard, Mike Tanner

Lectors: Mike Holland, Marcie Dennard, Phyllis Holland

Acolytes: Nancy Lutsko, Haley Hood, Elizabeth Hood

Altar Guild: Debi Saeger, Julia Ariail, Lucy Tomberlin, B.J. Mistick

Ushers: Al Turner, Tom Carroll, John McRae

Greeters: Michael Black

Coffee Hour: Phyllis Hiers, Patricia Tyson, Julia Ariail, Jeri-Lyn Flowers, Cathy Hanson 

Audio/Visual Crew: Julius Ariail, Ken Rumstay, Larry Wisenbaker



For many more serving opportunities see a Vestry Member.

“EPISCOPAL 101” CLASS STARTS ON THE 18TH!

After the 10AM service on the First Sunday in Lent, February 18th, I begin leading an hour-long class for those who want to know more about being an Episcopalian. It could also be titled, “How do I join Christ Church?”

The classes will continue on February 25; March 3, 10, 17, and 24; and April 7 and 14 and are held in advance of Bishop Frank Logue’s time with us on the 21st of April.

The Episcopal Church is very accepting of newcomers and our parish is no different. We want you to become “official”—voice and voting—members and active in our ministries as soon as possible. There is much work to do in our chaotic world.

Those interested in becoming members of our parish do this through baptism, confirmation, or reception. Episcopalians who move to our area may transfer their membership to us from their previous Episcopal Church.

At baptism we are adopted by God into God’s family, i.e., the Church, and given a renewed life in which to share. This sacrament reminds us that nothing separates us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Baptism is received by a candidate through the pouring of water over them or by them being immersed in water. This marks a formal entrance to the parish and the wider Church. During the liturgy, a candidate for the sacrament makes a series of vows, including an affirmation of the Baptismal Covenant, and are baptized in the Name of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When infants or small children are baptized, godparents or sponsors and their parents answer questions about the Christian faith for them. If you haven’t been baptized, let me know.

Confirmation is for those already baptized and have received instruction in the Christian faith and beliefs and the nuances of the Episcopal Church. This is also when an adult who was baptized as an infant or small child commits to Christ. At confirmation, a bishop lays hands on and blesses the confirmand. Confirmation is both an affirmation of faith and the reception of the Holy Spirit. They may also be chrismated if this wasn’t done at their baptism. (Being chrismated is when the sign of the cross is made with holy oil upon the forehead of a newly baptized or confirmed person.)

Reception is for those already baptized and who have previously made an adult affirmation of faith. Reception welcomes them into the Episcopal denomination of Christianity.

Sometimes Episcopalians feel the need to undergo the Reaffirmation of their Baptismal Vows after a period of unbelief or if they have entered a new level of spiritual life in Christ Jesus. This option is also available to you during Bishop Frank’s visit.

So, if you want to join the Episcopal Church, or want to know about what it means to be an Episcopalian, let me know or just come to the first class on the 18th. —Fr Hal

Stitchers of Love



The Stitchers of Love meet on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month in the Parish Hall from 4 to 6 p.m. All are welcome. Join us to learn to knit or crochet or bring your projects and socialize with the group.

Grace Cafe News

With the semester moving by the interns managing Grace Café have served more than 800 visitors!

This week we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the following:

• To Rita Watters, Krystle Black, Pat Denmark, Chris Rutland and Stefani Carroll for providing soups and assisting with making 80 grilled cheese sandwiches for our Thursday dinner.
• To Mimi Allen and Sallie Honeycutt for providing snacks for our Super Bowl watch party.

We appreciate you all!

Our interns continue to help out parishioners where they can, while still loaning their assistance to the Church’s Garden Guild. Most recently, our interns helped to cook dinner for Shrove Tuesday and helped with Lunch Bunch this past Saturday.

We have made 4 purchases from Second Harvest so far this semester. This is where we get most of the coffee, snacks, and canned foods that we serve at the cafe. Our most recent purchase was 250 lbs of food which totaled $50.00.

On February 22nd we will be hosting another Thursday dinner with inspiration from Asian culture.

Please follow our Instagram page @gracecafevaldosta

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 February 4, 2024..

“St. Barnabas Episcopal Church Staged Reading of ‘The Gospel of Mark’

Few books of the Bible are as fast paced and action-packed as the Gospel of Mark. And St. Barnabas Episcopal Church aims to bring this story of Jesus’s mission and ministry to life in the way it was originally intended: as an oral interpretation of the story of God’s saving work through Jesus. Done as a staged reading, the performance will be Saturday, February 10 at 3pm at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 3565 Bemiss Road, Valdosta, GA.

“Most people will only hear snippets of scripture on Sunday mornings,” says the Rev. Susan Gage, priest-in-charge at St. Barnabas. “But Mark is a whole, tightly knit drama, and depicts a Jesus who has come into a chaotic and dangerous world with an intent to bring light and unselfish love into the world. To fully grasp this, a person needs to hear it completely, not just a few choice stories or verses here and there.”

The Gospel of Mark is thought to have been written sometime between 66 and 70 CE, putting it close to the time of when the Roman Empire destroyed the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem for a second time. It was a period in history when there was growing unrest in the region. The original Markan community suffered from the persecution of the Romans and the growing tensions within Judaism as more Gentiles became drawn into the emerging Jesus community. Mark’s Gospel reflects that dynamic and ends at a point of acknowledging what was the reality on the ground for the Jesus followers: people believed the Messiah had come but were afraid.

Fifteen church members from both St. Barnabas and Christ the King Episcopal Churches will participate in the reading. Each person has one or several parts and will give voice to the persons in the Gospel. Rehearsals have been about learning what was happening at the time and the ways Mark constructed his Gospel in addition to developing character.

“I think this will be interesting even to those who are not ‘church people,’” says Rev. Gage. “It’s a chance to hear the whole story without interruption and to maybe discover a very relatable Jesus who was ministering at a difficult time. We might learn something for our time from listening closely to this narrative again.”

Opportunity to help Honey Creek



Ever since the hurricane, Honey Creek has needed some TLC.

Cursillo has scheduled a work weekend for February 22nd at 4:00 p.m. to Saturday at 4:00 p.m. There will be opportunities to paint and prepare meals. If you cannot come, please consider a donation (go to www.honeycreek.org) to the “give” button (include your email). If you can come, please email Rosewilson50@gmail.com with your name, phone number, and email address.

Ways to donate

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

Christ Church now uses a free mobile app that makes it simple for you to make an online gift.

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.

Thank you for your continued support of Christ Church.

Birthdays

February 18 - February 24, 2024



19 Cheryl Hatcher, Barbara Shirley, Matilda Stubbs

21 Cliff Baker, Julie Reynolds,

Mike Holland

22 Dottie Pitts

23 Martha Leake

24 Stephanie Blevins

Anniversaries

February 18 - February 24, 2024

None this week

Contact the church office to update our records if we missed your Birthday or Anniversary

A Prayer for Ukraine

God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine today. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or peace for wisdom, discernment, and compassion to guide their decisions. Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Amen.

Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby

Church of England, Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrel

Remember in Your Prayers

Julia Ariail, Don Brice, Alexis Carr, Christa Crawford, Jeanna Culpepper, Deborah Davis, Allan Dear, Irene Dodd, Merrill Guice, Gene Greneker, Louise Harden, Frances Hatcher, Liz Hatcher, Greg Holland, Peter Ingeman, Michane James, CathyAnn Kautter, Dennis Marks, Doug Mayer, Mindy Meeker, Ed Mistick, Gnann Moser, Ray Murphy, Brett Nelson, Della Richards, Rocky, Burt Tillman, Lucy Tomberlin, Willa Valencia, Sue Marie Waddell, Michelle Weidman, Jackie Wheeler

Family of Lucile Griffin

Family of Claire Holland

Family of the Rev. Randy Keehn

Family of Dot May

Family of Bobby Warren

We are keeping those in need of prayer on the list for 1 month. We ask you to renew the need for continued prayer by calling the office. - Fr. Hal

Clergy and Staff of 

Christ Episcopal Church

Church Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 10-2

 

Father Hal Weidman, Rector

rector@christchurchvaldosta.org 

church office (229) 242-5115

Nancy Sartin, Deacon

nancysartin@att.net 

church office (229) 242-5115

Position Available, Administrator

Job posting available here

office@christchurchvaldosta.org 

church office (229) 242-5115

Amy Creasy, Bookkeeper

books@christchurchvaldosta.org 

bookkeeper's office (229) 242-0616 

Michelle Weidman, Director of Christian Education

michelle@christchurchvaldosta.org

mobile (229) 262-0426

Jeri-Lyn Flowers, Director of College Ministry

collegeministry@christchurchvaldosta.org

church office (229) 242-5115

Elise Sandbach, Director of Preschool

sandbach1@bellsouth.net

mobile (229) 460-4738

Sue Ellen Rumstay, Organist

rumstaysue@gmail.com 

church office (229) 242-5115

Issa Young, Choir Director

issayoung@gmail.com 

church office (229) 242-5115

Stefani Carroll, Treasurer

treasurer@christchurchvaldosta.org

church office (229) 242-5115

Steve Honeycutt, Jr. Warden

jrwarden@christchurchvaldosta.org

church office (229) 242-5115



Nancy Lutsko, Verger

luts@bellsouth.net 

home (229) 241-7527

Email us at office@christchurchvaldosta.org

website: www.christchurchvaldosta.org

Call us at 229.242.5115

or bookkeeper at 229-242-0616

Christ Episcopal Church is a parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia.