Here is a photo of the luminaries that they created last night.
Here Comes the Fall!
Hello Folks, Welcome Back!
It is wonderful to be able welcome everyone back after what I am sure was an eventful and busy summer for most of us! As a church family we aren?t wasting any time getting back into the full swing of things, beginning with our ?Rally Sunday? on September 9, 2012. We look forward to seeing all of our friends and families back with us to start a great and blessed year together.
We have a few new programs starting in addition to our regular Bible Studies including ?Messy Church?, a redesigned youth group (Kid Crusaders), and our ?Brown Bag Eucharist?. Sunday School is also starting on September, 16 with ?Teen Talk Time? for the older youth and our first parish breakfast following this service.
We also have some special activities in the works for the fall season including, but not limited to, advent wreath making, our Back to Church Sunday, our men?s and women?s Cursillo and a Quiet Day of meditation to begin the Advent season. I hope to see many of you at these special events.
Please see below for details on any of our upcoming activities and be sure to enter them into your calendar.
This fall I will be in my office Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings (most weeks). Drop in to see me if you like. I know I look forward to seeing you all in the upcoming weeks!
Blessings,
Rev. Marie
FALL 2012 AT CHRIST CHURCH
Worship Events
? Sunday Sept 9- Rally Sunday (One service)
? Thursday Sept 13- 12:10 to 12:45 Brown Bag Eucharist begins ? (note change of ? ? ? ?day)
? Sunday Sept 16 ?
o Two services begin (8:30 and !0:00 am)
o Breakfast
o Sunday School begins
? Sunday?Sept 30 ? Back to Church Sunday ? Harvest Home
? Sept 27-30- Men?s Cursillo
? Oct 11-13- Women?s Cursillo
? Sunday Oct 7 ? First Sunday ? Thanksgiving (one service at 10 am)
? Dec 1 ? 9:30-3 Pre-Advent Quiet Day
??Dec 2 ? Advent?begins
Weekday Activities
Bible Studies
(no experience required for any of these!)
Monday 1-3pm ? ? ? ? ??Bible Connections (Book of Exodus)
Tuesday 7-8 am ? ? ? ??Sonrise Study (Book of Luke)
Thursday 10 ? 11:30 ? Lectionary Learning (Looking at the readings for Sunday)
Family Activities
***NEW****Messy Church****NEW****
Fourth Thursday of every month ?Doors open at 5, finish at 6:45
This new ministry provides community families with an opportunity to connect with others, have fun, food and worship together while learning Bible basics. This is open to the young and young at heart (children bring an adult with them, but adults are welcome to come ?solo?). See Rev. Marie if you are interested in being part of ?The Team? or helping with the food.
Kid Crusaders ? Thursday evenings from 6 to 8 pm (first 3 Thursdays of the month)
Grade 5 and up : TheThird Thursday of the month will be a ?Bible? Thursday. The first two Thursdays will be activity nights and the fourth Thursday will see the youth taking part in ?Messy Church?.
Sunday School ? Open to all children (grade 5 and under), this learning opportunity that takes place during the service.
****NEW****Teen Talk Time****NEW****
This lively discussion will take place on Sunday mornings, between the sermon and communion for youth grade 5 and up. The teens will gather in the Friendship Room for a short, but open conversation about the sermon and readings they have just heard
Advent Wreath Making Nov. 25th? This is a nature walk and wreath making activity with Craig and Elaine Hurst. It is always fun and a great family activity.
Ladies' Tea - date to be determined
November 28- (Date Tentative) Prayer Pal Reveal Dinner - if you know about this program you will know the children eagerly anticipate this evening, as do their Prayer Pals! ?If you don't know about this program, please see Elsie Black or Ellen Vaughan!
A Breath Prayer for Today from Sacredise
For your patience, grace and love, I praise you, Jesus.
A PRAYER FOR LABOUR DAY
A prayer for Labor Day
God, maker of the universe,
who work moment by moment
to sustain Creation,
bless those who labor,
who work for the weal of the world.
For those whose unseen labor eases our lives
may we always be mindful and grateful.
For their diligence and pride in craft
and faithful service we render thanks.
For those who work for the sake
of people they will never see,
we ask your blessing.
For those who risk and suffer,
we ask your protection.
For those whose work is demeaning,
whose conditions are poor,
whose pay is unfair,
we pray for justice.
We give honor to those whose labor
is unseen and unrewarded.
We pray for those whose labor is forced,
without rest, or freedom or dignity;
for all who are coerced, endangered, enslaved,
exploited or abused: we cry for justice.
We pray for those who seek labor
and who find none,
who are prevented by their bodies
or their society from meaningful work.
We give thanks for all who labor,
and pray that all may know the blessing
of your Sabbath gift of rest.
Holy One, you who labor for our life,
bless our work, that it may serve you
and the mending of the world.
Amen.
from Unfolding Light
The Rev’d Jesse Zink visits
Christ Church was very happy to have the Rev'd Jesse Zink celebrate the eucharist and preach this past Sunday. We were delighted to meet his new wife, Debbie, prior to their move to England as PhD student and vicar respectively. Jesse signed copies of his book, Grace at the Garbage Dump, after the service. ?We look forward to following their various ministries in the United Kingdom.
Good Questions!
Rev. Andrew Mills reflects on the difference between encouraging people to "make a decision for Jesus" ( in and of itself a good thing!) and making disciples.
As we approach "Back to Church Sunday" we might ask the same questions about the difference between encouraging people to come to church and be part of the church ( again, in and of itself a good thing) and the process of making disciples.
Our Mission Statement is "To know Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, to make Him known". Knowing Jesus Christ and making him known is a lifelong process of discovery and deepening relationships. It involves both being and making disciples.
So our motto might be "Being disciples, who are making disciples"!
What do you think about what Pastor Andrew has to say?
DISCIPLE MAKING RATHER THAN DECISION MAKING
Mother Teresa wrote this:
You, in the West, have the spirituality poorest of the poor much more than you have the physically poor. Often among the rich are very spiritually poor people. I find it easy to give a plate of rice to a hungry person, to furnish a bed to a person who has no bed, but to console or to remove the bitterness, anger and loneliness that comes from being spiritually deprived, that takes a long time.
I think that this is true and deep. Being spiritually deprived leads to anger, bitterness, and loneliness. And changing that reality doesn?t happen through a tract, it doesn?t happen through one conversation, it doesn?t happen through one big event. Changing that reality takes time, commitment, conversation, and, most of all, Jesus Christ.
I?ve often said that we here are much more interested in people becoming disciples of Jesus, rather than just making decisions about Jesus. Making disciples takes a while. It means addressing people?s spiritual deprivation, their hurt, anger, bitterness, and loneliness. It means being Jesus to them over the long haul. Not just a few weeks, but months, and years.
So here is my question for you: who are you committing to long-term?
It?s not just about giving someone a plate of rice. It?s about giving a plate of rice each week, sitting down for conversation, for connection and for a shared commitment. So that?s my question, who are you committing to be there with, watching, hoping, and expecting Jesus to become real in their life.
Because remember we?re here to make disciples, not just help people make decisions?
30 Hour Famine Results
Chris Wilson reports that the youth group?raised $3155.75 for World Vision during the?30 Hour Famine this year.
This is a terrific accomplishment and the largest amount ever raised by the youth groups at Christ Church. Chris offers thanks to the grace of God, the help of Rev'd Jeffery Hooper and?the Emsdale Youth, and the generosity of all of friends and family.
We are very proud of the efforts to care for "the least of these". ?Youth will?meet after Church on Sunday, June 24th to distribute rewards.
St. Brice’s
Dear Christ Church Family
Our sisters and brothers at St. Brice's were delighted this week to receive support from the Executive Committee to proceed with the necessary renovations to allow them to continue ministry in their beloved St. Brice's building! (FYI - Executive Committee must approve all expenditures on buildings when they exceed $25,000.00) . The Committee was deeply impressed by the passion, faith and commitment evident in their excellent presentation.
So now our sister congregation embarks on a challenging year of "Faith, Finances and Fundraising". There will be any number of fundraising events and opportunities for us to support them in spiritual and practical ways. I urge you to continue in the persistent prayer and concern you have shown in these last months - and as events and opportunities present themselves, to support those efforts as well.
One of our wardens recently wrote when we were considering how best to offer help to our St. Brice's family, "if we preach we are one church and we are one family, we need to put into practice those words when one of the family comes under stress".
Here is a wonderful opportunity to live out our faith together!
We'll keep you informed as opportunities present themselves. In the meantime - keep praying and encouraging!
Rev. Marie
Calling all green – and not so green – thumbs!
One of the lovely gifts we have at Christ Church is our beautiful gardens! They bring glory to God and much joy to our neighbours and ourselves - when they are well kept!
A number of folks who have faithfully - and quietly - tended the gardens for years are finding they are unable to do so this year. They remain happy to help with advice and guidance though!
If you have a green thumb - or a not so green thumb but would be willing to be the muscle to come alongside another with knowledge but questionable knees, and you could give a couple of hours a month over the growing season, we'd love to hear from you.
Our hope is to get a team together who could work jointly, or as individuals, to keep the gardens weeded and trimmed up as the season progresses. This would take an hour or two a week, so if we had several folks on the team, you might end up on "yard duty" a couple or three times a season.
If you are interested, please respond to this email.
As well, a few of us would love to establish a quiet "memory garden" If this sparks your interest, please talk to Rev. Marie about it!
Happy growing - in your gardens and in your soul!
Rev. Marie
Camp Sunday – Come Casual
Tomorrow is Camp Temiskaming Sunday! It is a day when we celebrate our Deanery camp, and have some fun doing that. Please feel free to come to church in "camp clothes". The leadership of the service will be shared with our young people, and after the service - rain or shine - we'll have a Barbecue. We'll supply the hamburgers and such - you bring a salad or dessert or something to share ( enough for yourself and some others) and, as always - we will eat really well.
See you there!!!
Rev. Marie