March 6, 2014
News from the Shared Ministry 
of Christ Church Portsmouth & Trinity Church Hampton
In the Episcopal Diocese of NH
    
 
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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
 
Clergy office hours 
Tues & Thurs 9am-12noon  
200 High St.
Hampton, NH 03842
Saturday Rite l at 5pm
Rite II at 8:45 am
Coffee Hour after the service
 
Clergy office hours
Mon & Wed 9am-12 noon
 
Pastoral Care/Stephen Ministry Leaders
 
Jean Shula
Linda McVay

603-430-9888 (home)
603-988-9755 (cell)
Links

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

Village Preschool

Episcopal Churches on the Seacoast
 
Seacoast Convocation
 
Christ Church,Portsmouth
St. John's, Portsmouth
St. Thomas, Dover
St. George's, Durham
Ministry Schedule

 

Christ Church
 

 
The Spirit seeks the silent soul, the one too shy to speak, who seems lost in the pressing crowd, a small island in the midst of the great sea, a person on the back pew, the quiet girl who rarely speaks, the boy least likely to be noticed, an honest life without adornment. Healing to this gentle heart, strength and comfort ever present, for no human story goes unheard, no life unnoticed by God, whose Spirit moves to choose the one standing alone, to grasp the hand of the last in line, and lift up that soul from silence, beautiful and light, rising in joy to be so free to sing.

 
The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

 

 Shared from 

Steven Charleston's 

facebook page.

Going into the hospital?

 

Due to privacy laws, churches are no longer routinely informed if you or a loved one is admitted to the hospital.  Please be sure you let us know when and where you will be a patient so we can be in touch with you and include you in our prayers and healing ministry. Don't assume the Vicar knows - he would much rather hear from several people than from no one!

 

From the Vicar...

 

A holy Lent starts with being here

 

I want to take this opportunity to invite you to keep a holy Lent.

 

For me the emotional heart of Lent is the reading of Jesus' story as it unfolds from the temptations in the wilderness (1 Lent) through Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus (3 Lent). On 4 Lent we will read the long story, which I love, of Jesus stopping by the blind beggar, and healing him (from John, chapter 9). On 5 Lent, we have the story (from John 11) of Jesus going to his friend Lazarus who has died, and at the door of the tomb ordering the people to unbind him and let him go. The journey is from God urging us to let go of our temptations, to Jesus urging us to let go from the past, from what binds us, to enter into the new resurrection life.

 

How do I suggest that we keep a holy Lent? Come to the altar of your church! Come gather with your Christian family on Saturday night or Sunday. In addition, join in our Via Media study Wednesday nights at Trinity Church or Sunday at noon at Christ Church, which will provide the opportunity to share your understanding of the faith we share with others, some of whom may be new to the Episcopal Church, and others of which may have long experience as Episcopalians.

 

Come to the altar on Palm Sunday, at the beginning of Holy Week, and then through the week: to Tenebrae on Tuesday evening at Trinity Church, to the Maundy Thursday liturgy, at Christ Church, when we remember Jesus at the Last Supper. And then come on Good Friday, when, at Trinity, we remember the story of his laying down his life for us in love. And then come on Easter Eve, to the great Vigil at Christ Church. And then to the light and joy of Easter Day, to be celebrated in both congregations.

 

I know this sounds awfully simple. I've suggested here no "spiritual exercises," no particular course of reading or study, no "extra stuff" that we normally associate with Lent. What I desperately want in each of our churches is a congregation that has committed itself to simply coming week by week and letting Lent state its case and make its point. The best Lenten gift you could give me is your presence each week so you can hear and see God at work in this powerful season and its stories.

 

I invite you - please - make that commitment and join us week by week as Lent unfolds.                     

 

In Christ,

Fr. Chip

 

 

Our Shared Ministry Cycle of Prayer this week and next

 

Each week, in both of our churches, we pray for one ministry we share and one or two households in each church. About once every six weeks, we will instead using the Shared Ministry Collect we prayed throughout the opening months of our Shared Ministry.

 

In our prayers the next two weeks, we give God thanks for...

 

Mar. 9

(we will use the Collect for our Shared Ministry)

Mar. 16

Pastoral Care ministries of both congregations; Leo & Lori Gagnon of Christ Church; Barbara Hall of Trinity Church

 

 

Vicar's Discretionary Fund needs your help

 

The new joint Vicar's Discretionary Fund has now been set up to serve the pastoral needs of both of our churches. This fund exists to quietly and confidentially assist people in need either through direct personal aid (helping people with utility bills, rental and heating assistance, etc.) or through participation in community-wide charitable efforts.

 

If you are in a position to help bring this fund to full operating strength, any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Please make your check payable to your own church (Trinity or Christ Church) with a memo, "Vicar's Discretionary Fund." Even better: why not consider making a quarterly (monthly?) contribution? Calls for assistance come in throughout the year and it would be good to know the fund is ready to meet these needs at any time.

 

The Vicar

 

 

"Via Media" Lenten program continues

 

Via Media is a 6-week education series open to anyone who is curious or interested in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition. Each of the Via Media sessions begins with a meal and then a short video about some aspect of our faith. A portion of our time together is dedicated to open discussion and conversation as well. All people are encouraged to ask questions and to learn how to answer their own questions of faith.

 

At Trinity Church, Hampton... 
Sessions will be held Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the parish hall, Hobbs Hall, beginning with a simple soup and bread supper followed by the video and discussion.

  

At Christ Church, Portsmouth...

Sessions will be held Sundays at 12:00 noon beginning this Sunday, March 9. Each session will begin with a soup and bread lunch in the Marshall Room (the room where coffee hour is held), and will continue with video and discussion in the classroom next door.

 

This week and next...                                                    

 

Session 1:

Anglican Way of Being Christian

 

Mar. 9 in Portsmouth

Session 2:

The Abundance of God's Goodness

 

Mar. 12 in Hampton; Mar. 16 in Portsmouth

 

  

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...  On the first Sunday of Lent, March 9, Christ Church's 10:30 a.m. service will begin with the Great Litany sung in procession. This will then be the last form of 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 Saturday evening and 8:45 a.m. Sunday offerings of the Eucharist this Lent, the Penitential Order with Holy Eucharist, Rite One, will be offered. Like the Litany being used 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.

 

 

Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday

 

We invite you to join us as we commemorate Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday on the first Sunday in Lent, March 9, 2014.

 

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.

 

  

 

The Rite of Reconciliation - a Lenten opportunity

 

Lent is a time of seeking right relationships with God and other people. Some people find that it is a good time to use the Reconciliation of a Penitent (pp. 447-452 in the Book of Common Prayer) to let go of past hurts, or take an inventory of their lives and sort of get a fresh start. Although we regularly have a General Confession in our services, the opportunity to use this form of private confession, to speak out loud to a priest (or another person) the things we have been holding in our hearts and to hear words of counsel and absolution, can be a gift to renew us. You are assured that anything shared in this Rite of Reconciliation will always remain confidential. If you would like to learn more about the Rite of Reconciliation or would like to schedule a time to do the rite, please contact Fr. Chip at 926-5688.

 

 

Presiding Bishop's Lent Message 2014

 

nullThe word "Lent" means "lengthen" and it's about the days getting longer. Th e early Church began to practice a season of preparation for those who would be baptized at Easter, and before too long other members of the Christian community joined those candidates for baptism as an act of solidarity.

 

It was a season during which Christians and future Christians learned about the disciplines of the faith - prayer and study and fasting and giving alms, sharing what they have.

 

But the reality is that, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, the lengthening days were often times of famine and hunger, when people had used up their winter food stores and the spring had not yet produced more food to feed people. Acting in solidarity with those who go hungry is a piece of what it means to be a Christian. To be a follower of Jesus is to seek the healing of the whole world.

 

And Lent is a time when we practice those disciplines as acts of solidarity with the broken and hungry and ill and despised parts of the world.

 

I would invite you this Lent to think about your Lenten practice as an exercise in solidarity with all that is - with other human beings and with all of creation. That is most fundamentally what Jesus is about. He is about healing and restoring that broken world.

 

So as you enter Lent, consider how you will live in solidarity with those who are hungry, or broken, or ill in one way or another.

 

May you have a blessed Lent this year, and may it yield greater light in the world.

 

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori

Presiding Bishop and Primate

The Episcopal Church

 

 

After the welcome...

Diocesan Evangelism forum to focus on how we include
and incorporate new members after they've "come and seen"

 

On Saturday, Mar. 15, the 2014 Diocesan Evangelism forum will be held at the Lake Opechee Inn in Laconia. The topic of the day will be including and incorporating new members into the church's ministry once they have been initially welcomed and shown a desire to belong.

 

Several members of our Bishop's Committees have already expressed an interest in attending the 10 a.m.-3 p.m. forum. If you would like to join our team, you may register (free!) at www.nhepiscopal.org/evangelism-forum. See the recent Episcopal News for further details.

 

 

"Road to Repeal" vigil set for Hampton on March 23

 

On Sunday, March 23, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Hampton will serve as the starting point for a "Road to Repeal" vigil to express the support of local faith communities for the death penalty repeal bill now making its way through the state Senate. The New Hampshire Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty is the prime sponsor, with support from the N. H. Council of Churches and the N. H. Board of Jewish Clergy co-sponsoring. The Seacoast chapter of the NAACP is also a sponsor. Trinity Church will be one of the stops on the march. For details, see the recent New Hampshire Episcopal News and the Coalition's website:

www.nodeathpenaltynh.org 

.

 

Upcoming Weeks' Calendar

 

 

 

March 8     First Sunday in Lent

 

5:00 p.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite One, at Trinity Church

 

 

March 9      DAYLIGHT TIME BEGINS - "Spring Forward!"

 

8:45 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite Two, at Trinity Church

 

10:30 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite Two, at Christ Church

 

12:00 noon

"Via Media" - Session One at Christ Church

 

 

 

 

 

March 12

 

6:00 p.m.

"Via Media" - Session Two at Trinity Church

 

 

 

 

 

March 15     Second Sunday in Lent

 

5:00 p.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite One, at Trinity Church

 

 

March 16

 

8:45 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite Two, at Trinity Church

 

10:30 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite Two, at Christ Church

 

12:00 noon

"Via Media" - Session Two at Christ Church

 

April Calendars
 
Donations for the April  the donations/gifts for the calendar are due at each respective church this Sunday, March 9.  We will be printing and distributing calendars for sale shortly. A big thanks to everyone for the turnout of gifts and support!

Tena Wolfe
 
 
Christ Church Announcements

  

Crossroads House, the homeless shelter just about across the street from us, can use your donations of non-perishable food, - personal toilet items, and clothing items such as sox, gloves, hats, sweaters and coats, or most anything else. Bring items and leave in the basket marked "Crossroads near the front door

 

Intercessory Prayer Book: Do you have a prayer concern that you would like the people of Christ Church to pray for? If so you may add it to our Intercessory Prayer Book which is located in the chapel below the sculpture of the Good Samaritan. If you have an urgent concern, please contact the Vicar at the church office phone number or email.

 

Adelynrood: If you are looking for a place to have a private retreat or attend a spiritually enriching program, Adelynrood Retreat and Conference Center in nearby Newbury, MA offers an inviting space and a group of wonderful programs. To see additional information, click here or talk to Betty Lane at Christ Church.

 

Seeking women who like to sing: Women Singing Out, a chorus which practices and preforms here at Christ Church, welcomes any woman who likes to sing and would like to join us. Our rehearsals this semester begin Wed. Feb. 19, 2014 from 7-9 PM. For more information, see Betty Lane at Christ Church, or checkout our website at  www.womensingingout.org 

 

SAFE CHURCH TRAINING

 

The Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire has revised the Safe Church Policy during the summer of 2013. The curriculum for Safe Church Training now consists of three hours of online training and three hours of class training. On-line Modules must be completed prior to attending any Safe Church Class.

 

Anyone in need of refresher training is asked to take the new Initial Safe Church Training. Refresher training is required every three years vs. five years. Please contact your Safe Church Minister to verify when you are due to take your refresher training.

 

Please register with your Safe Church Minister. You may register anytime. Even if you plan on attending a class this fall you may register now and complete your online training whenever is convenient for you between now and the fall. For Christ Church, contact Patsy Tremblay at [email protected]or call 603-205-2195. At Trinity Church, contact Patrice Wood at [email protected].

 

Training classes for this spring are offered the following Saturdays from 8:30am to noon except as noted on May 22nd below:

 

March 22, 2014 - Church of the Good Shepherd, Nashua

March 29, 2014 - St. Thomas, Dover

April 26, 2014 - All Saints', Littleton

May 22, 2014 - Trinity Church, Meredith, 6pm to 9pm, Thursday

May 31, 2014 - Trinity Church, Claremont

 

Training classes for the fall are offered the following Saturdays from 8:30am to noon except as noted on October 7th below:

 

September 13, 2014 - Trinity Church

September 20, 2014 - St. Thomas, Dover

October 4, 2014 - St. Barnabas, Berlin

October 7, 2014 - Church of the Good Shepherd, Nashua, 6:30pm to 9:30pm, Tuesday

November 15, 2014 - St. Thomas, Hanover

November 22, 2014 - St. Paul's, Concord

A new ministry at Sanctuary Care in Rye

 

This month, Christ Church is beginning a new ministry at Sanctuary Memory Care on Route One in Rye. On the fourth Thursday of each month, an ecumenical service for residents will be offered at 11:30 a.m. Fr. Chip will provide the general leadership. It is hoped volunteers might take an interest in assisting, either by offering readings, assisting residents with their service booklets, or - if we have any among us who have this ability - playing the piano for the hymns. If you are interested in helping us with this ministry (from either church), speak with Fr. Chip

 

 

Music Ministry

  null

Please consider joining one of our choirs.  Trinity Church's choir meets in rehearsal on Sundays at 8 a.m.   At Christ Church, the rehearsal follows the 10:30 a.m. service.  

 

Every voice is welcome; every voice is special; every voice is needed.

Church Ministries
  • Saturdays: Food Pantry at Hobbs House Trinity. 10:00 am - noon  year round (Sandi Nickerson, Gordon Lane & Thelma Hutton) 
  • 1st Saturday of the month: Portsmouth Salvation Army Suppers, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Susan Ott) 
  • 1st Sundays of the month: Pastoral Visit to the Oceanside Rehabilitation Center, Hampton (Bob Main & Belinda Wilkes)

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

 
Dress4 School Success

Contact Amanda or Aidan at Dress4 School Success for clothing donation drop off or clothing needs 603.918.6816 or email  [email protected]. during the school year.  All requests are confidential.

    

If your ministry is missing from this list please send an email to [email protected]  

 

 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
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