February 21, 2013
News from the Shared Ministry 
of Christ Church Portsmouth & Trinity Church Hampton
In the Episcopal Diocese of NH

Lent 3
 
Shared Ministry Logo  
Like us on Facebook
 Christ Church
 Trinity Church
Diocese of NH
The Episcopal Church



Spread the word! Forward this email to your friends and invite them to sign up.

 E-News Archives

 

Worship Services
The Rev. David "Chip" Robinson

Vicar 

 

All people of faith are welcome to receive Holy Communion at the Lord's Table 

 

Christ Episcopal Church 

1035 Lafayette Road

Portsmouth, NH 03801

Rite II at 10:30 am
Coffee Hour follows
 

200 High St.
Hampton, NH 03842
Rite II at 8:45 am
Coffee Hour after the service
 
Pastoral Care/Stephen Ministry Leaders

Linda McVay

603-430-9888 (home)
603-988-9755 (cell)
Jean Shula
603-740-0036
 
Links

Little Blessings Child Care Center at Christ Church Portsmouth  
Little Blessings Child Care Center
Village Preschool at Trinity Church, Hampton

Village Preschool

Support our Parishioners 
Support the businesses of self-employed small business owners who are also active members of Trinity and Christ Church
updated: 3/29/12

 

 

Episcopal Churches on the Seacoast
Trinity Church, Hampton
Christ Church, Exeter
Christ Church, Portsmouth
St. John's, Portsmouth
St. Thomas, Dover
St. George's, Durham

 

Ministry Schedule
Christ Church
 

From the Vicar...

 

Has Lent become trivial?


Due to Sunday's snowstorm, not many had the opportunity to hear this week's sermon - so I am reprinting it here.

Fr. Chip


It amazes me how trivial Lent is to some people. You'll hear them kid about it: how they gave up some nutty thing for Lent that they probably didn't like that much in the first place. Or some of the distorted concepts you see in grocery store advertising: Some years ago I saw a notice on the blackboard out in front of the Market Basket advertising "great Lenten specials": Salmon filets! Give me a break!

 

And yet, as is the case with most distortions, behind these misconceptions you will find at least a modicum of truth. It may be truth stretched way out of proportion to its original meaning - but it is truth. Take fasting, for instance. Historically, fasting has a very significant, and, I might add, very spiritual purpose - but that purpose has little to do with what most people think of when they mention fasting these days. For the most part, all people think of these days is fasting so they can lose weight.

 

That an act as simple as fasting can be abused sheds some light on our Gospel text this morning. Jesus fasted forty days in the wilderness. And, while I'm sure he lost some weight along the way (I would even suggest a lot of weight - 40 days is a long time!), weight loss had nothing to do with WHY Jesus was fasting. The fact is, this morning's Gospel contains a lot that can teach us about ways things can get perverted from an original good intention. So let's fasten our seat belts and take a look.

 

For me, the place to begin in this Gospel is not the fasting part, but the temptation episode. To put it bluntly, these temptations don't strike us as being all that awful. I mean, if this were really an act of an evil devil, why didn't he invite Jesus to do something really bad? Maybe wipe out the Romans in a massive genocide? Something really sinful, evil, that we could really sink our teeth into? That is evil we can understand - evil we can oppose. But turning a rock into a piece of bread when you're hungry? What's so terribly wrong about that? We're only human; we need to eat. If you could make bread out of a rock, why not do it?

 

This devil wasn't very imaginative if this was the most perverse temptation to which he could invite Jesus. His other two temptations didn't seem to get any more creative.

 

He took Jesus to the top of a mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a vision, and said that, if he liked, he would see to it that these kingdoms were given to Jesus. We have to wonder: why not do it? What could have been better for the world than if Jesus had taken the reins of government right then and there? Not such a very awful thing for the devil to offer him. We might even be forgiven for wishing Jesus had taken him up on it.

 

The third temptation seems almost ridiculous: jump off a building. Who would be tempted by such an invitation, and to what purpose? Was it to prove to those who might doubt it that Jesus really was someone special? Why not do it? Through the centuries, haven't Christians been saddled with the task of convincing a doubting world that Jesus was special? Why couldn't he have made the job a little easier      with a few acrobatics off the pinnacle of the temple? What kind of devil is this, tempting Jesus with such commonplace, silly temptations? Pretty tame stuff - until we begin to think it over.

  

Take, for instance, the temptation to turn stones into bread. What's the real temptation here? It's not about Jesus' ability to feed himself. It's the temptation to take the easy way out. In short, the devil tempted Jesus with the most insidious of temptations, the temptation to do what appears to be attractive and good - but that represents a shortcut that bypassed the excellent, that bypassed God's plan and purpose for Jesus' ministry.

 

The same could be said of the temptation to rule. If wresting political power from corrupt and oppressive governments is good, why not start a movement to change all that? Oh, yeah. It's been done. It was called the Bolshevik Revolution - and we all remember what mincemeat folks like Stalin made of that.

 

And you could do the very same thing with the temptation to prove God's love. Shall I recall for you all the charlatans out there who appear to inspire faith, but in fact are nothing but lying manipulators?

 

You see, the devil actually thought he knew what he was doing. He attacked Jesus at his points of greatest strength: his compassion, his commitment, his faith. When the devil failed, Luke tells us - in some of the most chilling words in the New Testament - that the devil left him "until a more opportune time."

 

And so, we come back to today. And, guess what? It would seem the "opportune time" has arisen - big time! Instead of fasting as an act of self-emptying humility, we now turn it into an act of self-righteousness - or, worse, "self-improvement." Instead of honest and earnest prayer for healing, now, subtly and almost imperceptibly, things have changed until one day we look up and see the charlatans I mentioned a moment ago all over our TV screens fattening their own wallets and making flashy names for themselves.

 

You think the more "legitimate" churches are doing any better? Consider: The joy of an open-minded fellowship of Christians can move glacially over months and years until one day we realize we have exchanged our open-mindedness for closed minds: We begin to, subtly at first, but later more overtly, exclude those who think differently from the prevailing opinion. We become a club of people with like minds, like interests, like incomes, like worldviews. Is that really what Jesus wanted the church to be like?

 

So here we are, entering another Season of Lent, and, somehow, we're called to remember a few things, and chief among them is this: that we are not to take the evil of the world too lightly. Someone once wrote that the devil's greatest triumph is that, in time, people came to stop believing in him. We came to find him no more menacing than that little fellow with the pitchfork you'll find pictured on the side of a can of deviled ham sandwich spread. And once it gets to that point, the danger is only beginning.

 

As we embark upon this Lenten season, we must pray for faithfulness, and pray earnestly, as our Savior does, "Lead us not into temptation." We must pray for eyes to see and ears to hear the word of God for us all. That word is the word that dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, that word that is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And if faithful to him we remain - faithful to the spirit revealed in today's Gospel - the all-too-real devil cannot, will not, win.

                                                                                      - Fr. Chip

   

The sacrament of reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Book of Common Prayer, pp.446ff) is a rarely-used, yet always-available opportunity to seek spiritual refreshment in troubling times. If your conscience troubles you and the confession of sins in the common liturgy has not proved sufficient to bring comfort, you might want to consider meeting with me to share in this confidential sacrament of solace and spiritual strengthening. I will be available throughout the Lenten season, whenever it might be convenient to meet with you. Simply give me a call and I would be most happy to prepare you for this rite, and then walk with you through it.

-    The Vicar

 

 

Our Lenten Program for 2013...

 

"Finding Our Purpose: Toward a More Deeply Shared Ministry" 

 

 Our Lenten Program... 

"Finding Our Purpose: Discovering Our Best"

 

Thursday Evening, Feb. 28 at Christ Church


  "Awakening to Our Purpose"

 

Wednesday Evening, Feb. 27 at Trinity

                    Thursday Evening, March 7 at Christ Church                 

 

 

 Note change of date at Christ Church. This is due to the fact that our Fair Share adjustment hearing before the diocesan Mission Resources Committee is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 21. We will therefore move all sessions at Christ Church one week later than our original schedule.

  

7:00 p.m. - Preceded by Soup and Bread Supper at 6:00 and Worship at 6:40

 

This week, our four-part series, "Finding Our Purpose: Toward a More Deeply Shared Ministry," begins. The series was originally designed to continue the conversation begun in our joint Bishop's Committee retreat in early February, but as that was postponed due to the blizzard of a week ago, we will instead devote our first session to providing some input to the rescheduled Feb. 22/23 retreat. The ultimate goal of our conversations is to develop the framework of a covenant between our two churches.

 

While the sessions of this program do build on one another, each is self-contained so that no one need feel "left out" if they cannot commit to the full series. They are also open to members of both congregations, so if you are a member of Christ Church and Wednesday is more convenient for you, you may attend the Wednesday program at Trinity Church instead of the session at Christ Church.

  

Schedule of Topics:       
  • Mar. 6 at Trinity; March 14 at Christ Church                   Imagining Our Future
  • Mar. 13 at Trinity; March 21 at Christ Church                Eliminating the Obstacles
  • Sat., Mar. 23 - location to be announced                       Toward a New                                                                                                            Shared Ministry Covenant

 

Our Lenten worship

 

Sunday services throughout the season of Lent strike a simpler, more penitential tone than those normally offered through the rest of the year. By changing the liturgy in different seasons of the Church Year, our worship will be deepened as we experience different windows that are opened to God by our service.

 

At Christ Church... There will be no sung liturgy until Palm Sunday. By offering the Eucharist in a more austere setting through the remainder of Lent, we will be reminded of that "stripping away" that is at the heart of the season's self-examination and repentance.

 

At Trinity Church...  At Trinity Church's 8:45 a.m. Eucharist this Lent, the Penitential Order with Holy Eucharist, Rite One, will be offered. Like the liturgical setting we are using at Christ Church, this liturgical setting reminds us, through its penitential language and tone, of our call to prepare our hearts for the Paschal feast.

 

 

   

 
Events, Meetings & Announcements
 
Yearly Calendars

 

The close of this year's Stewardship Campaign  

Part of the Shrove Tuesday night celebration was the close of this year's Stewardship Campaign.  Those who attended brought their pledge forms and placed them under the homemade lighthouse.  If you were not able to attend Tuesday night you can still save yourself a call from the Stewardship team by bringing in your pledge form this Sunday!

 

 

A reminder about name tags

In my early time here, I have discovered that Christ Church folks are great about wearing their name tags on Sunday morning - and Trinity folks are less so. I know some feel uncomfortable wearing them, but name tags let our guests know who we are. It makes them feel more comfortable. Please check the rack by the church entrance in the Narthex. If you don't find a tag with your name on it, let the usher or the Vicar know, and we'll be sure to make one up for you. In the meanwhile, there are blank extras on the shelf by the guest book. Make one up and slap it on! When we all are "tagged" we can better welcome our guests and show them we are doing our best to create a hospitable atmosphere.

                                                                                                            - The Vicar

    

OH SNOW...here we go again...

FUNdraiser committee meeting 

There will be a FUNdraiser committee meeting at Christ Church on Sunday, February 24, 2013 in the education room at 11:45 a.m. Please plan to stay an hour so we can finalize our spring events and get our assignments. This is a joint meeting of Christ Church and Trinity FUNdraisers. Anyone interested in helping or has new ideas is encouraged to come to the meeting.

Where:  Education Room - Christ Church

When:: February 24, 2013 at 11:45 a.m.     

  

Healing Liturgy at Christ Church 
On March 3rd: Christ Church is beginning the Healing Liturgy as part of the service on the first Sunday of every month.

One of the most significant community-building experiences that Christ Church parishioners recall with quiet joy is the monthly Healing Liturgy which was a part of the worship service.This was a time for those who wished to come forward to join with others in the quietness and confidence of God's healing love.

Fr. Chip is instituting the Healing Liturgy once again, to remind us that we are a community dedicated to carrying out Christ's commission of healing and wholeness not only in ourselves,but in the healing of the world. During the liturgy, all are welcome to come forward in silence.  This is not a time to speak your prayer requests out loud. It is a time for you to pray internally, and the priest will bless your prayers and requests.  
 


Highlights of the February Bishop's Committee meeting 

After an opening reflection from Fr. Chip based on the Gospel, "I am the vine, you are the branches," the combined Bishop's Committees of Christ and Trinity churches set about several tasks related to organizing themselves for the new year. Annual Parochial reports were reviewed and approved and preliminary results of this year's Stewardship campaign were shared: 

Christ Church
19Total Pledges (thru 2/17/13)$32,030
 2New Pledges included in above    2,030
 9Increased Pledges    3,003
 8Decreased Pledges    5,175
 5Lost Pledges (died/left parish)    9,020
13Pledges Outstanding*    9,565
PROJECTED TOTAL$41,595

  

Trinity Church
22Total Pledges (thru 2/17/13)$51,092
 4 New Pledges included in above    2,800
15 Increased Pledges    5,408
 3Decreased Pledges    1,092
 2Lost Pledges (died/left parish)    3,980
12Pledges Outstanding*  11,580
PROJECTED TOTAL$62,672

* Pledges outstanding = Amount pledged in 2012 from households not yet heard from in 2013.   All are active households that we believe will respond to follow-up. Note: There may be newcomers from whom we have not yet heard, but no assumptions have been made in their case.

Gary Dozier presented a proposal for a joint pictorial directory, which we can produce in-house using inexpensive software from a firm called Directory Solutions. This project would allow us to get to know one another better across congregational lines. Each church would have its own section in the directory, but the full list would be distributed in both churches. Approval was given for the purchase of the software, and he will begin, between now and next month, to input data from the two churches. Sometime later this year, we will have four Sundays for photography, after which the directories will be compiled and distributed. They can either be printed out (for those without internet access) or e-mailed as a .pdf file. There is even an option for password-protected access through the church websites. An ongoing license allows real-time updating as new members join and other changes occur.

 

In other business:

  • The Bishop's Committee approved a fundraising proposal for a presentation by ACTONE's  Director, Stephanie Nugent, called  "The History, Lore, and Legend of the Isles of Shoals." The slide show and talk will be a joint fundraiser for both churches held in Trinity's Hobbs House hall in April or May, and will be open and publicized to the general public.
  • Bids are being obtained for electrical upgrades in Hobbs House. It seems that every time there is a substantial load (e.g., at last week's Shrove Tuesday pancake supper), we blow a fuse. This not only presents a potential hazard but is disruptive when we're trying to put on a meal.
  • Repairs are being made to Christ Church's "Holy Roller" bus to keep it running for the new year.
  • Glen Flowers and Peter Monte were approved for Eucharistic Minister and Visitor licenses at Christ Church.
  • It was noted that Christ Church is in need of a new Safe Church minister following the departure of Tanya Miranda.

Full minutes will be posted as soon as they are available. Future meetings will be on third Tuesdays, with the March meeting set for March 19 at Christ Church.

  

  

  

The 2013 Stewardship Institute
Lay and Clergy (not just stewardship Leaders!) are invited and encouraged to register for a completely new kind of ...
STEWARDSHIP INSTITUTE
March 16, 2013; 10:00am - 3:00pm
Lake Opechee Conference Center
62 Doris Ray Court, Laconia, NH 03246

Topic: The Art of Hosting and Harvesting Conversations that Matter
Co-presenter: The Rev. Tom Brackett
Missioner, Church Planting, Ministry Redevelopment & Fresh Expressions,
The Episcopal Church

  

The 2013 Stewardship Institute will be different from any Institute we have previously held. It is open to all leaders, not just stewardship committees. Bring excellent leaders. We will touch on Living Systems Research, Chaordic Theory, Divergence and Convergence and Theory U and the four-fold Practice of The Art Of Hosting.

  

 "We are living and working and making friends in that "in-between space" - the space between what used to work and some emerging new ways of coming together and paying attention to each other... (following) a sacred call to lead prophetically...into the future for which so many of us are longing."  the Rev. Tom Brackett

  

Seacoast Episcopal Churches
 
Seacoast Convocation Series on Israel-Palestine 
During Lent, members of Seacoast churches will be presenting  A Steadfast Love, a series about the complex relationship between the Jewish & Palestinian people in Israel. For more information click here.
 

Praying Our Lives  

This Lent join the Brothers of SSJE on a daily journey into the heart of God in prayer. Subscribe to "Brother, Give Us A Word" and during Lent you will receive a short daily video via email. View the trailer: www.ssje.org/prayer 

  

The series will also be available via SSJE's YouTube-  Facebook page -  Twitter - Pinterest.

 
Episcopal Relief & Development
Episcopal Relief & Development
Daily Lenten Meditations by Email 

 

Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday...again  

Due to last week's snowstorm, we are repeating our emphasis on Episcopal Relief and Development this Sunday so all who are so inclined can make a contribution to this year's effort. Envelopes will be in the bulletin this Sunday for your donations. You may either make your check payable to your own congregation and place the envelope in the offering plate - in which case we will combine the donations into a single check from the church - or you may mail your offering to the address shown on the envelope using the instructions on the envelope itself.

 

 At the 2009 General Convention, Lent was officially designated as a time to encourage dioceses, congregations and individuals to remember and support the life-saving work of Episcopal Relief & Development. We invite all Episcopalians to join together on Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday, and throughout the Lenten season, to pray for those living in need.

 

  We invite you to share in the 2013 Lenten email series from Episcopal Relief & Development. Each day during Lent you will receive a daily reflection, in both English and Spanish, co-authored by a group of respected leaders from across the Episcopal Church. During this season of reflection on our Christian faith, their writings will enhance your spiritual journey as they both inspire and challenge you.

 

Be sure to pick up your copy of the ERD Daily Lenten Meditations on the table of the narthex or... 

Children

 

Children and Youth Programs  

 

Gospel for Kids

During the Gospel for Kids we will be looking at how we sometimes reject Jesus from our lives and do things that do not please him. We will look at how when people rejected him in his hometown. We will work on ways that we may welcome him into our lives.

 

Youth Database

If you have a youth between preschool and High School please consider sending J.R. Bridle your e-mail address, so that he can add you to the youth e-mail list, and get you the most up to date information the fastest. 

 

JR Bridle 

[email protected]

 

 .

Sunday Schedule

 

1st & 3rd Sundays

  • At Christ Church: Godly Play (10:30 am) 
  • At Trinity: Gospel Lessons for Kids (8:45 am) 

 2nd & 4th Sundays

  • At Christ Church: Gospel Lessions for Kids (10:30 am) 
  • Gospel for Kids

      

Coordinators
Cindy Taylor (Christ Church Godly Play)
J. R. Bridle (Trinity & Christ Church Sunday School & Youth)

 

Volunteers Needed: J. R. needs a volunteer to help out at each church to run the Gospel for Kids programs. This commitment is for two Sundays. If I could get six volunteers that would mean every volunteer would miss TWO Sundays the whole year to offer our expanded Sunday school offerings.    

 

 

 

Alexis Zaricki
Alexis Zaricki, Music Director
Music

Sunday Choir Rehearsals
  • Trinity: 8:00 am - 8:30 am
  • Christ Church: After the 10:30 am service



Church Ministries
If your ministry is missing from this list please send an email to [email protected]
  • Saturdays: Food Pantry at Hobbs House Trinity. 10:00 am - noon (Sandi Nickerson & Gordon Lane)
  • Sundays: The Christ Church "Holy Roller" Bus (Chuck Ott)
  • 1st Saturday of the month: Portsmouth Salvation Army Suppers, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Jean Wadman)
  • 2nd & 4th Mondays of the month: St. Vincent Soup Kitchen, Hampton (Ginny Bridle-Russell & Phoebe Bischoff)
  • 1st Sundays of the month: Pastoral Visit to the Oceanside Rehabilitation Center, Hampton (Bob Main & Belinda Wilkes)
  • The Canister Ministry at Trinity. Have you ever walked out of Trinity Church, and noticed those random boxes by the exit? Were you curious to what that ministry was all about? Well there are actually several ministries being offered in a one drop stop. Learn more   

Hobbs House at Trinity Church
Transportation Assistance for Senior Citizens (TASC)
Providing transportation assistance to eligible seniors and others with medical mobility issues. Currently serving the NH seacoast communities of Exeter, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Kensington, North Hampton, Rye, Stratham and Seabrook.
Contact:  603-926-9026

Dress 4 School Success

Contact Amanda or Aidan for clothing donation drop off or clothing needs 603.918.6816 or email dress4schoolsuccess@comcast.net.

All requests are confidential.

 

 

 

2013 SAFE CHURCH TRAINING SCHEDULE

 

2013 INITIAL TRAINING

For clergy and laity who have never taken Safe Church Training in Province I: 

Sat. April 13, Sat. Sept. 14,  Sat. Oct. 5 

   

2013 REFRESHER TRAINING 

Refresher Training is required every 5 years. For lay people who have completed initial Safe Church Training through the Diocese of NH. If you had  training in 2008 or earlier, you need Refresher Training in 2013: 

Sat. May 18, Sat. June 1, Sat. Oct. 26 

Pre-Registration is done through parish Safe Church Ministers. Pre-Registration

 In order to complete training,  attendees must stay for the entire session. All Dates are scheduled for St. Paul's Church, 21 Centre Street, Concord, NH.   

 

For more information go to NH Diocese Safe Church

 

 Content Submission Guidelines 

The Shared Ministry E-News is an electronic newsletter for members of Trinity Episcopal Church, Hampton and Christ Episcopal Church, Portsmouth. It is published weekly on Thursdays. We welcome submissions that have a connection to the ministry of these churches. Inclusion of submissions is at the discretion of Reverend Robinson.


Please email submissions to [email protected] or mail to the office at Trinity Church, 200 High St, Hampton, NH 03842 or Christ Church, 1035 Lafayette Rd, Portsmouth, NH 03801. Entries should follow the Submission Guidelines.

 

NOTE: The deadline to send a submission is Wednesday at noon.

  

Contacts
The Rev. David "Chip" Robinson, Vicar
Phone: 603-427-8720
e-mail:
[email protected]

Christ Episcopal Church, 1035 Lafayet
te Road, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Office Manager: Tiffany Lanoue
phone: 603-436-8842

Trinity Episcopal Church, 200 High Street, Hampton, NH 03842
Parish Administrator: Nita Niemczyk
phone: 603-926-5688