The Courier

February 2004

Volume 58, Issue 2

HOW ARE THE KIDS?

 

Some members of Christ Church are children. Not many of them make a financial pledge. Not many of them serve on our ministry committees. Nevertheless, Christ Church is their spiritual home. Like every household, our children do the things that are appropriate for children. Many serve as acolytes. Some will bring the gifts to the altar at the offertory. I regularly call upon them to help with little chores like setting up chairs for the Adult Forum, or serving beverages at parish suppers, etc. They always respond cheerfully.

 

As a church household that includes children, we need to make sure that our worship is meaningful for them, as well as for the adults. One of the purposes of worship to form us, or shape us in ways that are consistent with the holy nature of the Divine. The readings, prayers, hymn texts and tunes, confession, and Eucharistic story repeated week after week, combine to make us “the people of God.” Our current format does not allow this function of worship to shape the spiritual lives of our children.

 

Currently, our children arrive at the church campus a little before 10 AM, and go directly to their classes in the parish house. They do not enter the worship service until late in the Eucharistic prayer. They find their family members and then come to the altar rail to receive communion. A closing prayer, blessing, (boring) announcements, hymn, and dismissal constitute their perception of what happens in worship. In order for them to develop a sense of worship as an experience that has power and meaning in their lives, we need to expose them to the other elements of worship. We need to show them that their lives can be found in the ancient stories of the Bible. We need to offer prayers that give them home. We need to provide the relief and peace that comes from a true confession and absolution. We need to give them a place at the family table, the altar.

 

The Sunday School teachers, staff, and Parish Life members have been working to plan a liturgy that will be accessible for both children and adults of the parish. Our first service will be Sunday, February 1 at 10 AM. We decided that the first Sunday of the month will work best for this service for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s easy to remember. (Just thing to yourself, ‘Our kids come first.”) Secondly, the first Sunday usually includes our wonderful parish breakfast. We can all have breakfast together and then move into the sanctuary and nave together. Thirdly, at present, the choir members have to bolt down their breakfast in order to make the rehearsal in the north transept. Since the adult choir will not be part of the service at the “All Generation” worship, they can be more leisurely over breakfast and linger over coffee. Fourthly, and perhaps mort importantly, our children will experience all the parts of a Christian Eucharistic service on a regular basis. Depending upon the preparations, they may lead us in song, or lead us in prayer. They may help with the distribution of communion, or present a reflection on the readings or a hymn. For this one Sunday every month, all the generations that call Christ Church “home” will join together to proclaim God’s goodness and love. I’m looking forward to it.

 

Michael

 

A NOTE FROM GOD

Feb 1

Psalm 71:1-17

Jeremiah 1:4-10

I Corinthians 14:12b-20

Luke 4:21-32

Feb 8

Psalm 85:7-13

Judges 6:11-24a

I Corinthians 15:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

Feb 15

Psalm 1

Jeremiah 17:5-10

I Corinthians 15:12-20

Luke 6:7-26

Feb 22

Psalm 99

Exodus 34:29-35

I Corinthians 12:27-13:13

Luke 9:28-36

Feb 29

Psalm 91:9-15

Deut. 16:(1-4)5-11

Romans 10:(5-8a) 8b-13

Luke 4:1-13

 

THE COMPANIONS OF CHIRST CHURCH OFFER

A Traditional Evenson Liturgy

 

Centered around the prayerful journey with icons

 

Friday, February 6, 2004 at 6 PM

 

Christ Episcopal Church

Academy Street at Barclay, Poughkeepsie, NY

 

The service is open to all.

There will be a potluck supper for all women following the service.

 

Also

 

A Quiet Day of Reflection and Meditation FPR Women

 

With interactive workshop on icons featuring guest artist

The Rev. John H. Walstead, an Episcopal preist

From Staten Island, NY

And

Becky Neilsen, a local Poughkeepsie artist.

 

Saturday, February 7, 2004

9AM-3PM

 

Bilingual-English & Spanish                   Childrcare available Friday & Saturday

 

For information call 845-452-8820, e-mail: christchurch@mindspring.com, www.christchurchpok.org

 

Please come and invite a friend!

An icon is a painted (“written”) one-dimensional religious image that conveys a presence. Icons, says Archbishop Rowan, …”invite us to follow a journey, to engage in pilgrimage,…and show us the way.”

 

The Friday liturgy and the Saturday Quiet Day will explore the use and creation of icons. There will be icons books on display. An interactive workshop will afford women the opportunity to experiment with the meditative process of making an icon. Saturday Feb. 7th Schedule for the day: 9:00am Coffee, 9:30am Morning Prayer, 10:00am Father Walstead, 12:30-1:30pm Light lunch, 1:30 Becky Nielsen, 2:30pm Closing Eucharist.

 

NEWS LETTER DEADLINE

 

The DEADLINE for input in the March issue of “The Courier” is Sunday, February 15. Please be sure to have all information to Michele Haynes (452-8220 or christchurch@mindspring.com) by that date. Any form of input is gratefully received. You don’t have to be experienced in writing to submit anything. I will make it work for you! Thank you.

 

FROM THE BATON OF LAURA RUSSELL, MUSIC DIRECTOR

 

February 8th – Old 100th Psalm – Vaughan Williams

February 15th – Beatitudes

February 22nd – Go not far from my oh Lord – Zingarelli

Ash Wednesday and February 29th – Thou knowest Lord – Purcell

 

Upcoming Musical Events

 

John Sullivan will present an organ recital on Sunday, February 15th at 3pm at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Please come and support our fine organist!

 

During Lent we will have a Sunday of special Lenten music on March 21st during the service.

 

During Holy Week and on Easter Sunday we will sing music from the Easter portion of Handel’s “Messiah”.

 

The Spring Choir Concert will take place on Saturday May 8th in the evening. It will feature “Requiem” by John Rutter, a Back Cantata, and “Psalm 148” by Gustav Holst. Please support the choir and attend this concert of beautiful sacred music.

 

FEBRUARY ACOLYTE SCHEDULE

 

Feb 1               Irene Currie, Steven Battaglia, William Herrero

Feb 8               Jason Gregorius, Gracie Phillips, Tonia Scott-Overfield

Feb 15             Jessica Lawrence, Irene Currie, Kadeesha Weise

Feb 22             Nick Currie, Steven Battaglia, Alice Friedle

Feb 29             Gracie Phillips, Jason Gregorius, Tonia Scott-Overfield,

                        (1st Sunday in Lent)

 

COMMUNITY MINISTRY

 

At the meeting in early December the Community ministry members decided to make the following donations, later approved by the Vestry: Locally – Meals on Wheels $300, Habitat for Humanity $500, Dutchess Interfaith Council $100, Green Haven prison ministry $100, Mission Guadalupe $500 for Lay ministry development, Volunteer Caregivers $300, Foundation for Mental Health $200, Rural Migrant Ministry $500; and nationally – in addition to Episcopal Relief and Development for which we have a special collection, CDSP (Michael’s Divinity School) $500; and internationally – The Heifer Project $500, African medical Mission $500, and AIDS projects in villages in Uganda $500. We thank the whole congregation for supporting our fund-raisers which, along with the Winant Fund, enable us to reach out to our community.

 

Alice Bunnell

 

A NOTE FROM THE TREASURER

 

There are three ways you can honor your pledge of financial support in 2004 to Christ Church.

  1. by cash – in which case you need to put your money in a numbered envelope
  2. by check – in which case you need to be sure to enter your parish number on your check so you will get properly credited
  3. by EFT (electronic funds transfer)

 

If you pay by check or EFT you do not need an envelope, though, of course, you may use them if you pay by check if you wish. When you made your pledge, you were asked if you wanted a box of envelopes, your parish number will be 2xx. The numbers 1 through 100 are reserved for those with envelopes. If in previous years, you had a number above 100, you will have a new parish number. If you have not yet returned your pledge card, no box of envelopes has been prepared.

 

If you chose to receive a box of envelopes when you made your pledge for 2004, you should find your envelopes at the front of the sanctuary. If you have not made a pledge yet, please indicate whether you want envelopes or not and I will prepare a box for you. If you are pledging by EFT or did not ask for envelopes, you will have a number in the 200s as a way of identifying your contributions. To save the expense of unused boxes of envelopes, all envelope numbers will be between 1 and 100. Finally, please be sure to put your parish number on your check to save the counters having to find your number and to assure proper credit.

 

Loyd Lee, Treasurer

 

 

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