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May 16, 2013
News from the Shared Ministry
of Christ Church Portsmouth & Trinity Church Hampton
In the Episcopal Diocese of NH
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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 |
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Jean Shula
603-740-0036
jeanshu@comcast.net
Linda McVay
603-430-9888 (home) 603-988-9755 (cell) lprebl@comcast.net |
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
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Episcopal Churches on the Seacoast
Seacoast Convocation
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Ministry Schedule
Christ Church
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"Welcome to the quiet, to the hidden space, the door that opens up between your worries, the opportunity to slip out the side door, your chance to make a break for it, just disappear into the meadows of your other self, the place where you go when you want to be alone. I am glad you made it. We all need those moments when the world can wait, when we put our need to be still above our need to solve the next problem. Switch off the conveyor belt of questions. Come outside where all you need to decide is which cloud to watch paddling through
the sky."
The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, Choctaw
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From the Vicar...
What does Pentecost mean for you?
Pentecost - the celebration of the Spirit - the birth of the church as a missionary body - what does that mean for us?
If we're honest, we might admit that it's not always easy to claim this feast's potential for ourselves. After all, we're Episcopalians - not generally noted for exuberant outpourings of any kind. We tend to prefer our spirits watered down, or at least tempered by a goodly measure of decency and order!
So there's something about the events we remember this Sunday that may almost frighten us. After all, nobody hearing the account from Acts can imagine that "decency and order" were how you'd describe things. God's Spirit loose in the world - a prospect almost as alarming as it is joyful.
But what does it mean to us? What gift would you ask from the Holy Spirit today?
Episcopal priest and writer Barbara Brown Taylor speculates, "If I had been in that room on the first Pentecost day, would I have prayed, 'Oh God, if you are about to pour out your Spirit and this is what it looks like, would you please skip me?'" and I think that many of us would share her anxiety.
But that's the point.
When we look at the Christian task, our calling, from the outside, it all looks much too scary.When we realize that with the help of the Spirit, we'll find ourselves engaging in ways that we'd never have imagined, we may wish we could run and hide. But when we remember that it is this same Spirit who will not only lead us into all truth, but gift us to communicate the truth of God's love wherever we may find ourselves, we can perhaps begin to relax, to open clenched fists, to allow the words to come from our startled mouths.
-Fr. Chip
Let's wear red for Pentecost!
On the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, May 19, we will continue our custom of wearing red as a small sign that the Holy Spirit lives within each of us. Our services in both churches that day will feature some powerful Pentecost hymns - including some from more contemporary sources - and a multi-lingual reading of the Pentecost Gospel. I'll be adorned in bright red vestments, the altar will be decked in red as well - why don't we all wear red to make the scene a "sea" of Pentecost color!
- Fr. Chip
"Let Your Talents Shine" campaign...
So far we've heard from a handful...but what about you?
We have begun receiving Time and Talent Pledge Forms from some of our households - but there are many from whom we have yet to hear. When you do, please fill out one form for each member of your household who plans to serve in some capacity in the program year to come (June 2013-May 2014). After results are collated, you'll be contacted by a Bishop's Committee member or ministry chair to define these meaningful contributions of Time and Talent for the ongoing life of our congregations. You are asked to return your form(s), in person, by mail, or electronically, no later than Friday, May 31.
- Your Stewardship Team
Working Group drafts outline for proposed Covenant
Our six-member group held its second meeting Tuesday, and began working on an outline for our proposed Covenant between Trinity and Christ churches. In broad brush strokes, the outline looks like this:
- Title: A Covenant for a Shared Ministry between Christ Church, Portsmouth and Trinity Church, Hampton
- Purpose of This Covenant: Statement of our purpose in entering into this agreement: to make both churches stronger by sharing resources. The primary shared resource is our Vicar, who serves both congregations.
- Shared Ministry: Parameters of our shared ministry defined. Each congregation maintains its own Bishop's Committee while sharing other resources.
- Mission: A statement of our shared mission as churches serving our Seacoast communities and of our vision for what our joint ministry can accomplish.
- Affirmations: List of ways we will continue to maintain our identities as separate congregations while sharing a priest and other resources.
- Responsibilities: Specific responsibilities to be taken on by each congregation, by the congregations together, and by the Diocese in support of our ministry.
- Scope and Duration of Covenant: Statement about how long this covenant will be in effect. (We are proposing an initial term of two years.) Though we hope this will be a continuing agreement, this covenant and the shared ministry will be reviewed when the term of this covenant expires, at which time we will evaluate the shared ministry and decide whether we are committed to its continuation.
- Adoption: A statement outlining the ratification procedure in both congregations, and providing space for the signatures of the Vicar, the Wardens, and the Bishop.
Our next step is to begin drafting specific language for each of these elements. Our goal is a clear, simple, easily read and understood document. Between now and our June 5 meeting, various subcommittees will prepare drafts for each of the sections. We will begin reviewing and refining these at that meeting.
Council of Churches urges...
Video Slot Casinos are an insidious form of gambling. In their design and manner of operation they are highly addictive. The money they uneasily promise is seductive in difficult times.
The New Hampshire Council of Churches is working to bring this issue into the public conversation as a moral issue. It is important that we contact our legislators who report only hearing about this issue "from one side" (i.e. "We need the money.") To raise the question of what this form of gambling will do to our citizens, families and communities we encourage you to pass the word and to call yourselves so that our representatives will know where we stand as people of faith.
The House is poised to vote on SB152, the bill authorizing casino gambling, this month. Visit www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/housemembers.html to find your representative.
Early bulletin deadline at Christ Church
Due to our new office arrangement, all materials for the Christ Church Sunday bulletin now need to be in the office by no later than the close of business
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Events, Meetings & Announcements
Two-Part "Grubby Sunday" at Christ Church
This spring's
"Grubby Sunday" clean-up day will be a two-parter:
- On Sunday, May 19, we'll need some help assisting Little Blessings parents andstaff in sprucing up the playground areas and fencing in a new area for thetoddlers.
- On Sunday, June 2, we'll do a general clean-up of the church grounds, assistedby volunteers from Crossroads House who are earning their Community Servicehours.
As always, "many hands make light work," so come in your jeans and "grubbies" and joinus!
- Craig Davis and Paul Seward
Recognizing our graduating seniors at Christ Church
On Sunday, May 26, we will recognize our Christ Church graduating seniors, Jeff Heinz and Liz Taylor, with a special coffee hour and presentation. Please join us as we wish them Godspeed!
- YARD SALE Saturday June 8th - It's time to clean out the house (and garage)of all that clutter - put it into a box and bring it to church! Please remember thatwe can not accept electronic equipment! We will begin accepting all your otherdonations on Sunday June 2nd!
- Adopt a pot - a flower pot that is! There are 4 large flower pots - 2 in front ofHobbs House entrance and 2 on the front sidewalk entrance to the church. Theyneed flowers and caregivers who are willing to oversee their care thru-out thegrowing season. If interested, please let Nita or Patrice know!
New Hampshire Fisher Cats Vs Portland Sea Dogs
at Manchester
JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!!!
The Holy Roller bus-will leave Portsmouth at 5:45. Don't want to take the bus??? No problem, we can car-pool, tool!
We had a lot of fun last year so let's see if we can top our 35 fans of 2012. 20 tickets have been donated for our use and JR is working on recruiting some young-uns from the area youth groups to join us!! Sign-up sheets can be found at both Trinity and Christ Churches - Lets have some fun!
Tickets are $7.00 each - what a deal!
When: Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Where: At Delta Dental Field, Manchester, NH
Women Singing Out Concert
WSO is having a concert Standing on the Side of Love: A concert to celebrate Marriageequality at Christ Church, June 1 at 7pm, June 2 at 3 pm. Please join us to celebratemarriage equality and support Women Singing Out! See Betty Lane fortickets, bquality@comcast.net, or go to the WSO web site http://www.womensingingout.org/
Join
the Christ Church team on June 9, 2013 for the SPCA Pawswalk.
If you and your pet(s) are interested in being part of
the team, please see John Wolf.
Perhaps you noticed... chapter 2
The electrical upgrade work at Hobbs House was scheduled to begin today!
Don Stebbins Electric completed phase one - new outlets in the hall - over a month ago. Phase two is to change out the fuse box on the the first floor and move those to the panel (circuit breakers) in the basement. Phase three is to change the fuse box on the second floor to circuit breakers.
In last weeks notice, you were asked to consider making a donation for the completion of that work. As of Monday - $925.00 had been pledged towards the $1,500.00 goal.
If you decide to make a donation toward this project, please remember to indicate the NGF on the memo line.
Patrice Wood
Trinity Sr. Warden
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Adelynrood Retreat and Conference center
Adelynrood Retreat and Conference center in Newbury, MA is a retreat and conference center offers women and men an opportunity to visit and to discover new resources for spiritual development through conferences and workshops, as well as individual or group retreats. There are lots of interesting conferences being given this summer, including people like Kathleen Norris and Martin Smith, SSJE. There is also a free open house and picnic on Sat. May 25. Check it out at www.adelynrood.org or see Betty Lane
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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
j_bridle@hotmail.com
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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)
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Gospel for Kids
Coordinators
Cindy Taylor (Christ Church Godly Play)
J. R. Bridle (Trinity & Christ Church Sunday School & Youth)
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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.
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Music
Sunday Choir Rehearsals
- Trinity: 8:00 am - 8:30 am
- Christ Church: After the 10:30 am service
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Church Ministries
If your ministry is missing from this list please send an email to porthamp@gmail.com
- 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
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
Contact Amanda or Aidan for clothing donation drop off or clothing needs 603.918.6816 or email dress4schoolsuccess@comcast.net. All requests are confidential. |
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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
porthamp@gmail.com 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.
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Contacts
The Rev. David "Chip" Robinson, Vicar
Christ Episcopal Church, 1035 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, NH 03801
phone: 603-436-8842
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00-Noon
Trinity Episcopal Church, 200 High Street, Hampton, NH 03842
Shared Ministry Administrator: Nita Niemczyk
phone: 603-926-5688
Office hours: Monday-Friday from 9:00-1:00
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