Weekly Announcements
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General Announcements for the August September 16-23, 2020
Sunday Morning Outdoor Worship. Join us this Sunday. Bring a lawn chair, a mask, and maybe sunglasses (we will have extra of the first two). We are confident that we can accommodate all who come, so there is no need to register as long as we stay outdoors. New option: you can stay in your car in the parking lot and listen to the service at 87.9 FM. If you have trouble hearing outside, you can also use a radio pack and headphones available at church. You can come out to receive communion or drive up in the circle after the service to receive. The Sunday morning email will include a downloadable bulletin and a link to our video-based worship. In-person Worship One Question Survey. As we make plans for winter worship, it would be helpful to know your thoughts on indoor services. Everyone has different comfort levels, so we are just trying to assess where our congregation is. Currently, our Sunday attendance is 80% of pre-pandemic levels; half of our congregation attends outdoor worship, and half our congregation attends virtually. We will continue a virtual option through the pandemic, but this will help us plan for the winter months.
Pet Blessing Service in celebration of St. Francis of Assisi will be on Sunday, October 4, 10:00 am. All animals are welcome and we will celebrate them together and with a special blessing. Child-Friendly Sermon/Services this fall. Because we are unable to have traditional Sunday School, we will make a special effort to be inclusive of children in the sermon and worship a few Sundays this fall at the 10:00 am, including September 20and October 18. If you have not been to outdoor worship with your children yet, you are missing out! The ability to move around more freely, the shorter service, and the absence of echoes in the sanctuary have made it a pleasant adjustment for our youngest members. Men's 4Cs and Women's LIFT. The 4Cs and LIFT are our monthly social groups for men and women, respectively. The 4Cs meet on the second Monday evening of the month and LIFT on the third Monday evening. To be included in updates on when and where, contact Kevin Price for the 4Cs and Judy Warnock for LIFT.
Make a Connection – Be a Pen Pal! We’re creating a new way for parishioners to connect across generations – pen pals! Simply fill out our online form and we will match you with a pen pal of a different age. Friendships between young and older are often a beautiful gift to both — full of both play and wisdom! In this time of social distancing, these new friendships will provide a wonderful opportunity for connection. After signing up, participants will receive an email from the church when they’ve been assigned a pen pal. If you would like to sign up for this ministry or simply want to learn more about it, please click on the link below. If you decide to volunteer, please fill out the requested information on the link by September 20, 2020. If you have any additional questions, please contact Cathy Scott or Rev. Chana. St. Christopher’s Spirit Wear available now. As the weather begins to cool and we continue to gather outside on Sundays, we thought it would be a good time to offer some St. Christopher’s swag (aka stuff we all get). Stay warm and represent St. Christopher’s well. The link below will be active and open until Wednesday, September 30 for all to order. Thanks to our own Annie Weissert and Promotions Plus, there are many options to choose from: scarves, blankets, hats, and many articles of clothing plus golf umbrellas and tumblers. Orders will be ready for distribution at both services on Sunday, October 11, or you may opt to have your order shipped directly to you for a small fee. Go to www.promotionsplus1.com. Click on showrooms at the top the page, scroll down until you see St. Christopher’s logo. Click on that and take a look! If you have questions, please contact either Annie Weissert or Tricia Seitz.
Psalms Revisited. Members and friends of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church are invited to participate in Psalms Revisited, an exhibition of artwork by Black, Indigenous, and/or Persons of Color that interprets biblical psalms through the lens of the artists’ life experiences. The recent “Conversations on Racism” series, sponsored by St. Christopher’s Dismantling Racism Team, cultivated a sense of longing for opportunities to listen and learn from diverse voices. Learn more . . .
Formation news
Children's Programming. An animated Bible Story series, Friends and Heroes, will be shared through weekly email links directly to families, grandparents, or other caretakers of children in preschool through fourth grade to view at home. This is a very well done series that will engage children while sharing stories and values from the Bible. A discussion page will be part of the weekly curriculum.If you are new to St. Christopher's and would like to have additional information about Children's Programming and be added to the distribution list, please contact the Children's Coordinator. Youth Programming Youth in Grades 7-12, September 20, 9:15 am. Weather permitting, we will meet in person at the shelter on the natural playground. If it is raining 15-20 minutes before start time, you can assume we will not have formation. In the event the group cannot meet outdoors, Youth Leader Allie Wacker will send a Zoom link for the youth to gather. We begin the new school year by going "Back to Genesis." We will explore the first book of the Bible and the idea of creation and the loss of perfection. Youth in Grade 5 and 6, next Formation on September 26, 9:15 Youth Calendar. A calendar for Youth Formation and Youth Group has been developed for the fall semester. Youth Leader Allie Wacker will send this to parents and youth via Remind. The youth schedule also is available on the parish calendar. You can get to the calendar from the homepage of St. Christopher's website. If you are new to St. Christopher's and you are not on the youth contact list and want to receive information about youth formation and youth group, please contact our Youth Leader. Adult Programming “Singing in Spirit and Mind” What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” ~ 1 Corinthians 14:15 Saint Augustine once said that “those who sing pray twice.” Join Robert, our Music Director, and Rev. Chana as we explore the (unofficial) ninth sacrament of the church: our music! We will look at the background experiences that shaped our beloved hymns, what they tell us about God and one another, and how to pray using these hymns even during this time we can’t safely sing together as a congregation. The course will be virtual only, on Thursdays at 6:30 pm beginning September 24 and continuing through October 22. Outreach: Serving the Community
Back Sack Program. St. Christopher’s for the fourth year, along with multiple churches, is participating in the Back Sack Program which provides weekend food packages for 135 Carmel students. Our church has been assigned two dates: October 7/8 and February 10/11 to deliver over 800 food packs to ten schools. The list of needed food items includes individual serving sizes of:
A second need is for volunteers: 10 to pack the food from October 3, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm and 10 to deliver the food to the various neighborhood schools on either October 7 or 8. The recent Summer Meals Program succeeded thanks to your support, and we ask for your ongoing generosity with the Back Sack program. Food needs remain serious as the impact of COVID affects so many. Please use the sign-up genius below . St. Christopher's Crops Garden. On Saturday, September 26, the 2020 season for St. Christopher’s Crops will be complete. All are welcome to join us at the Garden at 9:00 am for a brief (10 minutes or less) liturgical blessing. Those interested are invited to stay and help with the final harvest. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed. As soon as all produce has been gathered, members of the 4C’s will disassemble, till, and close the garden for the winter. Thank you to all who helped in any way this year. The need for the produce at the food pantries has been even greater than in previous years. With the help of many, we have been able to make a solid and important contribution. |