Click here for worship updates.
If you need help with Zoom links, or didn't receive the church's email on Thursday, please contact Eric or Jen. For security reasons, we're not putting the links online.
Noon on Sundays: Adult Formation—An Adult Christ at Christmas
Little baby Jesus meek and mild, swaddled in the arms of a beaming Mother Mary, is omnipresent most Christmases--a child's Christ surrounded by glistening angels and lowing cattle and pristine sheep, all secure in an unbelievably tidy manger, with choirs singing softly in the silent night. But always with us, too, is the Jesus of scripture, a Christ for adults, a Savior who understands our tensions, our crises, our fears, our suffering. For the babe born in Bethlehem is also the crucified one.
In a provocative little book titled An Adult Christ at Christmas, the great Roman Catholic biblical scholar Raymond Brown reminds us that tragedy and suffering surround the Baby Jesus of the Gospels just as surely as they surround the adult Jesus that hung upon the Cross and just as surely as they surround us in these perilous times. The evangelists knew how the story ended before they wrote the beginning. It is we who edit the agony out of the Christmas Gospel. This year, of all others, is a time to return to the adult Christ of the Gospels.
Join us at noon Sundays for adult formation centering on this adult Christ.
If you need help with Zoom links, or didn't receive the church's email on Thursday, please contact Eric or Jen. For security reasons, we're not putting the links online.
Vestry Note: Pledge Update
Hi all, we have received 49 pledges to date, coming to $174,000. Thus far it has been encouraging and worrying. We are encouraged, as the vestry has tried this year to set some grand plans for 2021, which would require about a 10% increase in pledging compared to prior years (a goal amount of $276,000 in pledges). We knew this was a long shot, given the state of the world. And so we have been so encouraged to see that on average the pledges have increased by about 10%.
At the same time last year we received close to 80 pledges. If something like that number of pledges doesn't come in, we will not be able to sustain our current staffing levels long term, and would have to look at our reserves in the short term. If you haven't yet, you can make your pledge here. — Doug Swanson and Eric.
Coming up
A Note on Advent Worship
We expect to be fully online for the season of Advent. This year we'll make a bigger deal than usual of lighting advent wreaths in our own homes each Sunday morning. If you don't have an advent wreath with candles for your home, let Jen Enriquez know and we can get you one from our Advent Craft Night kits (some assembly may be required). Or, any four candles will do.
Thursday Nights at 8:00 pm: Night Owl Lectionary Bible Study
Continuing Thursday, we'll hold a weekly Zoom bible study on the lectionary texts for the upcoming Sunday. No real preparation is required, but you can find the texts we'll be discussing next week here. We'll publish the link in the weekly email next week. Want a bible study but don't want to stay up late? Email Eric and if there is some demand, we'll add a midday bible study, too.
Invitation from St. Martin's
Zoom worship makes enjoying the company of our near neighbors even easier. St Martin's, our partner church, welcomes visitors and would especially love to have St Christopher's folks join them any Sunday at 10:00. For a Zoom link, just contact St Martins.
Give Online
No offering in person? No problem! You can give online and set up a recurring gift here. Help keep our doors open, even while they're "opened" unconventionally during this time. Don't worry if you can't give online. We are continuing to check the mail, and a mailed check will work just fine.
SUNDAY SCHOOL is suspended until further notice
If your child is 3 years old, they are eligible for Sunday School! Glitter pens have arrived, and Ms. Alex's homemade Ark is ready for action. The youngest kids have fun learning traditional Bible stories, which [somehow] always relate back to PawPatrol.
Youth groups meet EVERY Sunday at 9:15 am
All parents and youth are encouraged to partake in reminders through the Remind app.
Healing prayer available Sundays
We offer healing prayer in the chapel most Sundays (at 8:00 and 10:30) during communion. To receive healing prayer, simply take communion as usual and then duck into the Mary Chapel where Deacon Sue and other prayer ministers will be waiting with holy oil and the prayer book. Of course, receiving communion is not a prerequisite for receiving healing prayer. If you feel called to take a leadership role in this ministry, please talk to Deacon Sue or Father Eric so that a rota schedule can be set up for this healing ministry.
- Click here for St. Christopher's Facebook page
- Click here for a PDF of the Book of Common Prayer.
- Click here for Sunday's 10:30 Morning Prayer liturgy
If you need help with Zoom links, or didn't receive the church's email on Thursday, please contact Eric or Jen. For security reasons, we're not putting the links online.
Noon on Sundays: Adult Formation—An Adult Christ at Christmas
Little baby Jesus meek and mild, swaddled in the arms of a beaming Mother Mary, is omnipresent most Christmases--a child's Christ surrounded by glistening angels and lowing cattle and pristine sheep, all secure in an unbelievably tidy manger, with choirs singing softly in the silent night. But always with us, too, is the Jesus of scripture, a Christ for adults, a Savior who understands our tensions, our crises, our fears, our suffering. For the babe born in Bethlehem is also the crucified one.
In a provocative little book titled An Adult Christ at Christmas, the great Roman Catholic biblical scholar Raymond Brown reminds us that tragedy and suffering surround the Baby Jesus of the Gospels just as surely as they surround the adult Jesus that hung upon the Cross and just as surely as they surround us in these perilous times. The evangelists knew how the story ended before they wrote the beginning. It is we who edit the agony out of the Christmas Gospel. This year, of all others, is a time to return to the adult Christ of the Gospels.
Join us at noon Sundays for adult formation centering on this adult Christ.
If you need help with Zoom links, or didn't receive the church's email on Thursday, please contact Eric or Jen. For security reasons, we're not putting the links online.
Vestry Note: Pledge Update
Hi all, we have received 49 pledges to date, coming to $174,000. Thus far it has been encouraging and worrying. We are encouraged, as the vestry has tried this year to set some grand plans for 2021, which would require about a 10% increase in pledging compared to prior years (a goal amount of $276,000 in pledges). We knew this was a long shot, given the state of the world. And so we have been so encouraged to see that on average the pledges have increased by about 10%.
At the same time last year we received close to 80 pledges. If something like that number of pledges doesn't come in, we will not be able to sustain our current staffing levels long term, and would have to look at our reserves in the short term. If you haven't yet, you can make your pledge here. — Doug Swanson and Eric.
Coming up
- DECEMBER 6: St. Nick Sunday
- DECEMBER 13: Lessons and Carols
A Note on Advent Worship
We expect to be fully online for the season of Advent. This year we'll make a bigger deal than usual of lighting advent wreaths in our own homes each Sunday morning. If you don't have an advent wreath with candles for your home, let Jen Enriquez know and we can get you one from our Advent Craft Night kits (some assembly may be required). Or, any four candles will do.
Thursday Nights at 8:00 pm: Night Owl Lectionary Bible Study
Continuing Thursday, we'll hold a weekly Zoom bible study on the lectionary texts for the upcoming Sunday. No real preparation is required, but you can find the texts we'll be discussing next week here. We'll publish the link in the weekly email next week. Want a bible study but don't want to stay up late? Email Eric and if there is some demand, we'll add a midday bible study, too.
Invitation from St. Martin's
Zoom worship makes enjoying the company of our near neighbors even easier. St Martin's, our partner church, welcomes visitors and would especially love to have St Christopher's folks join them any Sunday at 10:00. For a Zoom link, just contact St Martins.
Give Online
No offering in person? No problem! You can give online and set up a recurring gift here. Help keep our doors open, even while they're "opened" unconventionally during this time. Don't worry if you can't give online. We are continuing to check the mail, and a mailed check will work just fine.
SUNDAY SCHOOL is suspended until further notice
If your child is 3 years old, they are eligible for Sunday School! Glitter pens have arrived, and Ms. Alex's homemade Ark is ready for action. The youngest kids have fun learning traditional Bible stories, which [somehow] always relate back to PawPatrol.
Youth groups meet EVERY Sunday at 9:15 am
All parents and youth are encouraged to partake in reminders through the Remind app.
Healing prayer available Sundays
We offer healing prayer in the chapel most Sundays (at 8:00 and 10:30) during communion. To receive healing prayer, simply take communion as usual and then duck into the Mary Chapel where Deacon Sue and other prayer ministers will be waiting with holy oil and the prayer book. Of course, receiving communion is not a prerequisite for receiving healing prayer. If you feel called to take a leadership role in this ministry, please talk to Deacon Sue or Father Eric so that a rota schedule can be set up for this healing ministry.
News and Needs:
Have you been waiting for a chance to host coffee hour? There are many opportunities available! We are in need of hosts for the 9:30 and 10:30 coffee hours. See the signup sheet on the bulletin board in Parish Hall, and pick a Sunday before they are all taken! Find out how easy it is to serve by reading Coffee Hour Hosting in 3 Easy Steps! If you are willing, or have questions; please speak to or email Jackie Pingel .
Click here for the ROTA.
Click here for the ROTA.
News outlets for St. Christopher’s
Communication happens in a variety of ways at St. C's and we are always delighted to hear from parishioners who have skills they want to put to use in the following areas of ministry:
Communication happens in a variety of ways at St. C's and we are always delighted to hear from parishioners who have skills they want to put to use in the following areas of ministry:
- Weekly email updates - usually sent out on Thursdays - let people know what's going on in the coming week
- Visit our presence on Facebook at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church
- Update your Online Donation information
- Read our Parish Profile.
- Read about our first 100 years.
- Peruse our annual report.
- Read a recent Service Leaflet
