UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday August 15th
The Diocese will send a photographer to discreetly take some photos of Christ Church during our worship and social time. This will be used at Diocesan Convention as part of a presentation of our many congregations. This is an honor, highlighting some of the work we have done in congregational development.
PRAYER LIST
James, Caroline, Nancy, Marie, Jim & Julie, Bob, Duane, Ray, Joe, Gina, Earl, Steven, Georgia, Virginia, Beth, Teresa.
For those in military service: Joey, Don, Thomas, Tyler, Chris, James, Tom, Dai, Matthew.
From Rev. Andrea, Vicar
Right now in the church we are in "Ordinary Time.‟ It is the long season after the Feast of Pentecost. Our color is green, which symbolizes growing and health. This has been a powerful growing season for our church. We have welcomed several new families into our community, and that is a cyclical process with some clear phases. First, there is an Invitation. Sometimes that happens as a friend invites you to church – or sometimes it is our website or another sort of "invitation‟ that draws someone to our door. Regardless of the form it takes, it is the Holy Spirit that is inviting and drawing people to the church! This is God at work in our life!
There is a time of Welcoming – which starts the minute someone drives or walks up to the church. Welcoming means having a heart that is open to both friend and guest. A part of welcoming is Orienting people to our church – where things are, how we do things, introducing ourselves (sometimes more than once!)
The final stage in this cycle is Incorporation – where a new member is drawn more fully into ministry in our community. Incorporationalso happens when any of us moves into a new area of ministry – for example some of us are being trained as altar guild or acolyte – and this also has elements of orientation - incorporation as we learn new ministries! Welcome – Orient – Incorporate – We are all in various stages of this process! Blessings to you all during our long Growing Season.
Andrea +
Outreach Notes
Christ Church has provided 849 pounds of food to the Blaine Food Bank so far this year. When you shop please consider purchasing extra food – for babies or families – and bring it to church. Donation baskets are in the back of the nave. The blessing over donated food is done on the last Sunday of the month. St. Martin‟s Clothing Bank set a new record again in the month of June, serving 297 families, an average of 210 per month for the year. July has been somewhat slower, but we still passed the 200 mark, serving 202 families. I urge all of you to please remember when clearing out closets, linen cupboards and culling shoes, that St. Martin‟s accepts donations of clean, gently used clothing, bedding and towels from 5-7 pm Wednesday evening through September.
Ann Duvall Spooner
Building and Grounds
A big thank you to Jerry & Leslie Mason, and Jerry‟s daughter Stephanie “The Roof Angel,” who prepped and painted the church the last week of July and will finish the first week in August. They also clipped the bushes for easier access to the buildings. Leslie suggested that the shrubbery ought to be kept trimmed away from the building to prevent the shingles from absorbing moisture and rotting. They found a large hornet‟s nest in the kitchen porch roof. I called a professional exterminator who removed it.
Mary Rebman, Junior Warden
Building and Grounds
CONTEMPLATIVE BIBLE STUDY
Tuesday Mornings at 10:00 Starting in September at Christ Church
This is a new offering for those who wish to increase in knowledge about scripture and to deepen spiritually in community.
I understand that this time conflicts with work and school schedules. We are planning additional offerings for study and prayer which will be announced soon. Andrea+
NEWSLETTER NEWS
Mary and Jim Rankin have graciously volunteered to edit and produce the newsletter for Christ Church. They both bring experience to this job, and are happy to increase our communications. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Send your notices to mary@audiodivina.com by the 15th of the month prior to the newsletter date. Content will be edited for brevity, accuracy, and clarity
Organization Notes
Christ Church is shifting from a church where a few people do most of the work, to a church community where the ministry and „chores‟ of our common life are spread out more evenly. This is a difficult transition to make, and it requires planning, training, and a gracious heart as new people bring their gifts and skills into the ministries at Christ Church … or even long time members try their hand at new things!
Thank you all for your willingness to serve, and your graciousness and patience as I and others stretch into new ministries.
Take note of some new and refocused ministries:
Colleen Gilliam is serving as Treasurer through Jan 2011, which the Bishop‟s Committee approved by vote. She is ably assisted by counters and is working in partnership with Debbie Appollonio, our bookkeeper.
Mary and Jim Rankin will edit and publish our newsletter, and will oversee the mailing.
We now have six chalice bearers, twelve readers, an enthusiastic choir, four hospitality teams, two new acolytes, a bible study is in the works,
and we are planning other opportunities for spiritual formation for adults after the church service on Sundays.
Ann Spooner serves as Outreach Minister – and is refocusing our efforts to increase our contributions to the Food Bank, Food Pantry and St. Martin‟s Clothing Bank. She is inviting us into ministry as we bring food and clothing to the church, bless and send it out to those in need.
Carl Bradley and Caroline Hodgins are working together on Stewardship, particularly planning this Fall to create a budget that is based on our ministry priorities, thereby increasing our focus on vision and ministry as Christ Church.
We hope to receive a Congregational Grant from the diocese in January 2011, which will enable us to hire Debbie as our bookkeeper and hire babysitters for Sunday mornings.
Again – let us have gracious and grateful hearts as we receive the gifts of time and talent at Christ Church. Refrain from criticism, and be sure to thank those who give so generously of their time to our community.
BIRTHDAYS
8/3 Pat Corcorran
8/5 Emily Hockey
Susan Thompson
8/8 Mary Rankin
8/10 Alice Crazy Bull
8/15 Jim Comer,
Jake Crazy Bull
Clara Stockburger
8/17 Alice Owens
8/18 Sue Peeples
ANNIVERSARIES
8/12Alan and Marjorie Hatter
8/21Dawn and Pete Corcorran
8/31 Jim and Mary Rankin
