Greetings!

Christ Church is always spectacularly beautiful with a couple of inches of fresh snow around and about, so no better time to come to a First Friday concert than tonight, January 7, at 8 PM.  David Yang, and his renown Poor Richard's String Quartet, offers the music of Mozart and Bartok that will warm the wintry and snowy soul.  Make plans now for the First Friday concert on February 4 when the Gospel Choirs of the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas offer an evening of gospel music.

If you're attending the 11 AM service this Sunday, welcome Elliott Ama Swanlund Fackler who'll be with Mom Callie.  While Callie is on maternity leave, her husband, the Rev. Phil Fackler is helping on Sundays, and he will be the preacher this Sunday.  Callie's ordination to the priesthood, as well as our parishioner Michael Giansiracusa's, is January 22 at 10 AM in the Philadelphia Cathedral, 38th and Chestnut.

The regional food pantry Philabundance, which does so much to combat hunger in our area, is in great need of supplies now that the holiday blitz of donations is over.  We will hold a food drive for Philabundance on Sundays January 23rd and 30th.  Details and your shopping list below.

Annual Meeting Sunday for our parish is Sunday, February 6.  We have one service at 10 AM, followed by the Annual Meeting at 11:15 AM where we will elect new vestry members, receive important reports on the state of our parish, and hear what I expect will be a very exciting announcement.  Come out the day before, Saturday February 5, 8:30 AM to Noon, for Parish Work Day, so we can make our church beautiful and ready for the meeting.

Later Sunday afternoon, February 6, at 3 PM, is the institution of the Rev. Susan Richardson as fifth rector of Grace St. Paul's Church in Mercerville, New Jersey.  Those attending will be home in plenty of time to watch the Eagles win the Superbowl.

Happy New Year!

Timothy Safford