From the Priest-in-Charge

I write this to you having just returned from a 10-day mission trip to Honduras with the Youth Leadership Academy of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.  As well as 32 wonderful young people (including our own amazing Caitlin Scott) we were privileged to have our diocesan bishop, Tom Shaw, with us, as well as a fine group of adult mentors.  Our primary project was to help build a new church in Talanga, a rural area towards the middle of the country.

I’ve never actually built anything before.  At first I was quite intimidated, especially when confronted with the skilled Honduras workmen, and a group of  very energetic teenagers, who worked harder than I ever imagined they could (I don’t think Caitlin sat down for more than 15 minutes in the midst of each 7 hour work day – ask her if you need confirmation!); but I quickly got into the hang of it, especially as our Honduran companions had infinite patience in teaching me!  One of the things I learned about was the use of plumb lines, strung across the area where a wall was to be built.  As each layer of blocks was laid, the line was strung above it, to indicate exactly where the next layer should go.  If the layer of bricks was too low, too high, or even the tiniest bit crooked – the line showed us exactly how to correct the problem.  The result is a solid, straight, durable, and beautiful building.

It occurs to me that our dependence on the plumb line as we built the church is a reflection of our very life as the church.  For we, too, have a plumb line that we depend on to keep us upright, solid, and consistently moving in the right direction – Jesus Christ.  Without that plumb line, we are off-balance, and liable to fall.  With Jesus as our reference point, we will always be where God is calling us to be.

In order for the plumb line to work, however, it needs to be visible at all times. When you are laying blocks on cement, it is easy to obscure the plumb line from the vision of others, or to inadvertently hold it down.  Throughout our work day, I would constantly hear people calling, “please get off the line,” and “is anyone holding the line down?  I can’t see it.”  It’s the same with God.  We need to let God do God’s work.  It is so easy, especially in these tumultuous times for both the world and the church, to hold God in one place – to load our image of God up with how we think God should be, and thus obscure our vision.  The truth is that God is far more and far bigger than we can even imagine – and God is full of surprises, when we allow God to be God!  

As we begin another fall, I invite you to be reminded that Christ is our plumb line, and when we allow him to be visible to all people at all times, the church will truly shine as a beacon of hope for all.  How can Christ Church do that as we begin another year together?  How can you be a part of that?  There are many, many ways this can happen, and this issue of the Chimes will remind you of a few.  But along with our activities, our Harvest Festival, our worship, is our constant prayer that we will always be receptive to inviting Jesus Christ into our lives, and the joy we find when we experience the strength, beauty, and faithfulness of the Church with Jesus Christ as its plumb line.  My blessings to all of you for a fruitful and joyful fall season!

Beth+  

 

WORSHIP AND EDUCATION 

Calling All Teachers

We are in need of two or three people to round out our fine group of Sunday School Teachers.  Folks willing to teach grades 1-3 are especially welcome!  The only qualifications are to love God, the church, and being with children, and folks of various ages, women and men, are most welcome.  We will have a Teacher Training and Information Gathering on Saturday, September 18, from 9:00 – 11:00 A.M.  Coffee and pastries will be provided.  Please plan to attend if you are interested.  You may also contact Beth Grundy at 508-678-0923, or our Coordinator of Christian Education, Lori-Ann Bernstein at 774-644-2579.  Please pray about whether God might be calling you to this most important of ministries!

Sunday School Begins!

The first day of Sunday School for grades pre-K – 6 will be September 19.  As has been our custom for the past year, Sunday School will begin at 10:00 in the downstairs classroom area, and the children will join their parents in the church at the Peace and stay for the Holy Communion.

Registration for Sunday School will be held on Sunday, September 12, following both the 8:00 and 10:00 services.  You may also register your child on the first day of Sunday School; but it is extremely helpful to our teachers if they have a sense of how many children will be in their classes before the first day.  We look forward to another wonderful year!

Youth – Grades 7–12

We are looking at how to best serve all of you who fall into this age group.  Please come on Registration Sunday and fill out an information and survey sheet that Lori-Ann Bernstein will provide.  Possibilities include a Youth Group, Bible studies and discussions focused on important issues in your lives, contemporary worship services, service projects, and field trips.  Please come and help us to learn how to best minister with and for young people!

Confirmation

Confirmation will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2005.  Once again, we will be joining other parishes in the Mount Hope/Buzzard’s Bay Deanery for this event.  Please let the Priest-in-Charge know as soon as possible if you or your child is interested in Confirmation, as she will be planning classes fairly soon.  Anyone age 13 or older is eligible, although generally Confirmation is more meaningful when confirmands are at least 15.  However, that is not always the case – so if you are 13 or older, you are most welcome!

Inquirer’s Class

There will be a five-part Inquirer’s Class on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 P.M., from September 29 through November 3 (no class on October 20).  This class is for anyone interested in being received into the Episcopal Church on Sunday, November 21, when Bishop Shaw will be with us for a visitation.  The class consists of a look at Anglican/Episcopal spirituality and theological practice; the history of the church, including the development of the American church and canon law; the sacraments, particularly baptism and Holy Eucharist; and the Book of Common Prayer.  Although especially appropriate for those wishing to be received, the class will also be of interest to anyone seeking more information about the church, or anyone who would just like to brush up.  Please join us!

 

Join the Choir!  

Choir rehearsals will resume on Thursday, September 16 at 7:00 P.M. in the church, and will be held every Thursday evening, with the exception of the first Thursday of the month.  The choir also has a short rehearsal on Sunday mornings.  Please consider joining this wonderful and inspiring group.  You do not have to be a trained singer or read music – just willing to learn and make a joyful noise unto the Lord!  Our choir is a group of most important liturgical leaders – and they have a lot of fun, too!  Please speak to our Minister of Music, Al Deston, if you are interested.

 

Service of Prayer for Peace

As we remember the events of 9/11 once again this month, it seems fitting to mark the anniversary not only by remembering those who died, but by remembering that the church of Jesus Christ is always a place of hope.  To that end, we will have a candlelight service of Prayer on Wednesday, September 22, at 7:00 P.M. in the church.  We will gather to remember, and to pray for peace for the world, an end to terrorism in all its forms, and the will to continue to strive for “justice and peace” and to “respect the dignity of every human being.” (BCP 294)  Please invite your friends. 

 

OUTREACH

As you know, our Outreach Committee continues to be hard at work!  We continue to collect food for the Soup Kitchen at Church of the Ascension, and to make teddy bears for cancer patients, among many other projects.  Two new opportunities have arisen –

Roger Owens’ mother lost her home in Hurricane Charley, and although she was unhurt, as she was staying with Roger and Marianne, she needs help to get back on her feet.  If you are able to make a contribution, please put it in an envelope with Roger’s name on it, and we will see that it gets to Mrs. Owens.  Thank you!

    The church of San Felipe, which is the one that Beth and Caitlin helped build in Honduras, is badly in need of Spanish Books of Common Prayer.  Could we send some to them from Christ Church?  If you are willing to make a donation, please put it in an envelope marked “Honduras” and we will purchase whatever we can.  Thank you!

     Money for either of these projects may be placed in the collection plate or sent to or dropped by the office.

 

HARVEST FESTIVAL!

It’s on Saturday, September 11, from 9:00 – 4:00!  Please come to help out, or simply to enjoy the day with the many activities and varieties of food, crafts, and everything else!  The current issue of the Harvester is also ready; it is a fantastic issue, and has already been mailed.  However, there are plenty of extra copies at the back of the church, so please be sure you have an opportunity to read it and share it with your friends!

Vestry Notes

The Vestry met at its regular time in June and July.  At both meetings, various committee reports were presented (for those interested, committee reports may be obtained through the office).  Other items for discussion and action centered around the completion of the work and payment for the accessibility ramp and the first group of restored stained glass windows. 

A subcommittee looking at the need for the restoration of all the windows presented the vestry with a plan for a timeline and funding for the full project.  The project will begin after the first of the year, with information beginning to go out in the fall.  A subcommittee has also been formed to decide the best way to move the altar.  They will meet in September and present a plan to the vestry in October.  A gift is also being made to us to use for the expansion of the pavement in front of and next to the church.  This generous gift was received with much thanksgiving!

A request was presented to the vestry by the Priest-in-Charge for permission to bless a same-sex civil marriage in the church.  According to Episcopal canon law, while the Rector has the authority to make decisions about building usage, any other clergyperson should consult with the vestry for any new purpose. The vestry voted to give the PIC permission to bless unions in the church.  This is in keeping with the bishops’ decision earlier this spring that while Episcopal clergy may not perform same-sex marriages, they may bless civil marriages that have already taken place. 

A Vestry Day will take place in October, for the purposes of doing some goal-setting for the year.  Beth also mentioned that plans for the discernment process to determine the future clergy leadership at Christ Church will need to begin sometime in the fall.

Vestry meetings are open, and are on the second Tuesday of the month.  Copies of the vestry minutes are available through the office for anyone who is interested.

LET’S APPRECIATE

                We appreciate all that you do at Christ Church. Yes that’s YOU. You thought we had forgotten to say thank-you for all your efforts. We didn’t forget. The Stewardship committee and the Social Committee are planning a wine and cheese party September 18, 2004 from 7-9 PM in the parish house. All are welcome. Please bring your family. We would love to say thank-you.

Please RSVP at 508-678-0923 by September 10, 2004.

We hope to see you there.

 

Outreach committee

So far this year the Out Reach Committee has sewn approximately 100 Sojourn Teddie Bears that were presented to the cancer patients at St Anne's Oncology Center in Fall River and Hawthorth Radiology in Dartmouth. If you like to sew and would like to take part in a worthwhile project please call the church office or Marsha at the number below.

 Don't forget to bring in items for the soup kitchen at the Church of the Ascension, Fall River and Annelle Hagerman Food Pantry at the Church of Our Saviour, Somerset.  Paper napkins, 6" paper plates and 8 oz. Styrofoam cups have been requested for the soup kitchen.

The church is in need of additional "visitors". Approximately once every 2-3 months are you able to bring flowers to the sick, elderly/shut-ins or someone having a special event? 

Can you make handcrafted blankets for "Project Linus" a program of giving "security blankets" to critically ill or traumatized children from birth to 18 years of age? Please call Marsha Gauthier at 508-678-6486.

Coming up soon-details on how you can participate in the "Feed the Children Kids Stuff USA" all church projects.

Do you have any ideas for Outreach Projects for our Church that you'd like to present to the group?  Please come to our meeting Wednesday, October 27th at 7:30 in the Parish House.

Marsha Gauthier Co-Coordinator

Please call the church office or Marsha at 508-678-6486 if you can help with any of the above. Thank you.

 Stewardship News

New statements

The stewardship committee in conjunction with the Vestry has purchased a new computer program (Church Windows 2004) to better record Christ Church’s contributions and membership.  This program has given us the opportunity to post all contributions to specific giving categories making it easier for you the parishioners to keep track.  If you have any question about your new statement that will be sent out the end of September please feel free to contact anyone on the stewardship committee or Vestry. 

Book Group

The Christ Church Book Group will meet on Monday, September 27 at 7:00 P.M. in the Parish House.  We will be discussing The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.  This book is in both hardcover and paperback and is readily available at bookstores.  All welcome!

 

Dear Friends,