May 21, 2014
Important Information
The Parish Picnic will be Sunday, June 1st. For more information, please click here.
Vacation Bible School will begin on June 9th, click here for more. 
Rector's Ramblings

Our family went to a Mexican restaurant this weekend with another family and had a really great time. The food was good, the company was good, and it was just a good experience. As I think about it, the only thing off about it was the frequency with which we were offered chips and salsa. Most every Mexican restaurant provides you with a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa as you wait for your food. Some restaurants will provide one round, but will get more if you ask, while others will charge for anything beyond the first round. This restaurant was in a class of its own. Not only were the chips and salsa unlimited, but the frequency with which we were offered chips and salsa became quite comical. The only thing I can compare it to is an experience of tailgating before a Dave Matthews Concert many years ago, during which there was a constant stream of "alternative" vendors who would discreetly ask if we needed anything. Their offerings were certainly not free, but the experience of constantly being asked for something is as close as I can come to our salsa experience this week.  

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Don't get me wrong - I love chips and salsa. It's dangerous for us to have them at home because if they are there, they will get eaten. It becomes a daily snack until either the jar of salsa or the bag of chips runs out. But, we're talking about almost every five minutes or so, having a server come by with a tray and either asking us if we wanted more or simply swapping them out without asking. And it continued right up until the bill came, long after an attentive person would have noticed that the folks at the table were stuffed.

 

Admittedly, that's a nitpicky problem. It's a good problem, so to speak. The opposite is equally frustrating - when you need more of something and a server doesn't come by for 20 minutes. But in their effort to be hospitable, this restaurant almost went too far. This same phenomenon is not unlike what we see in churches when it comes to hospitality. Some churches are full of the frozen chosen, who were well taught about stranger danger, and rarely speak with new folks, while others can smother a stranger, like a man lost in the desert for days dives into well to slurp up a drink. There is a whole spectrum of responses to hospitality in churches, and most fall somewhere in the middle.

 

I've heard stories from the two spectrums reported at Christ Church, although most of what I hear is in healthy middle ground. We don't tend to stray past the middle ground to smothering at all, yet we do still create experiences for people closer to the stranger danger approach on occasion. We are working to step up our game on hospitality. With the number of visitors we see at Christ Church we should be pros by now (maybe we were once and have since forgotten). We're on our way, but in some respects we're still grinding it out in the minor leagues.

 

That's about to change. Between the work of our Newcomers Task Force and our Communications Task Force, we're going to work on our hospitality ministries to make sure they fall somewhere in the comfortable middle between a satisfying snack on chips and salsa and a Costco bag of chips and a gallon of salsa. We want to be hospitable, but not scary, and we certainly don't want to be aloof. If someone comes to a church, they are looking for something - often a sense of community - even if it's just for one Sunday a year on their annual vacation to Saint Simons. And for those who are seeking a church home, what happens on those first visits often decides if they decide to stick with a particular church or even an entire denomination. No pressure there.

 

In all seriousness, we're going to try some things, and organize ourselves a bit better in this area. This weekend, if you're in church, you'll be asked to fill out a brief survey about your assessment of our welcoming ministries. It will help the Newcomers team get a read on where we are and what we need to work on first. Whether you've been here for a year or a hundred years, your feedback is helpful. Also, I've asked before, and I'll ask again - if you have a gift for hospitality, we need your help. We need smiling faces to make a lot of things happen, from tea and lemonade on the lawn this summer (you've been warned!), to meeting new people at a periodic brunch; you might be someone to help us. Let me know if you want to join us.

 

In the meantime, remember that we're all ambassadors for Christ and for Christ Church. If you don't know someone, introduce yourself. It's a part of being in community. It doesn't matter if they're a regular you've just never noticed, or a brand new visitor - people in communities greet one another. People who come to church are hungry for something, and it's our mission to feed them. So feed them. Just lay off the chips and salsa.

 

Tom +

 

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. 

Worship
Morning Prayer on June 1st

There will be Morning Prayer at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 1st for those who are unable to make it to the Picnic.

Baptism

We will celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism during the 11:15 a.m. service on Sunday, June 8th. 

Formation
Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School will be June 9-13, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Christ Church Parish House. For registration information, please call the office at 912-638-8683. You may also click here to register. Please contact Jody Bradford, jodyhbradford@hotmail.com if you would like to volunteer. 

Creative Arts Camp

Fellowship
Parish Picnic

On June 1st we will have a Parish Picnic. The picnic begins with Eucharist at Honey Creek at 11:30 a.m., and then continues with lunch, activities for all ages, dinner and a Campfire Compline for those who wish to stay. If you would like to stay overnight (Sunday night) at Honey Creek, please let us know and we will get you the details you will need. Please join us for this special day! Please RSVP by following this link by Friday, May 23rd. 

The Live Poet's Society
The Live Poet's Society will meet on Tuesday, June 3rd at 4:30 p.m. They meet in the Parish House Library
Outreach
Mann House

Christ Church will serve at Manna House on Monday, May 26th and Wednesday, May 28th. The teams gather at 9:30 a.m. to help prepare the lunch. Manna House is located at 1408 G St. in Brunswick.

St. Athanasius' Food Bank

St. Athanasius' Food Bank donations will be accepted on Saturday, May 31st and Sunday, June 1st. Please bring your non-perishable food items with you to worship.

Information
Office Closed
The Office will be closed on Monday, May 26th in observance of Memorial Day.
Pastoral Care
Prayer Needs


Calendar of Events
Serving This Week

 

Acolytes, Altar Guild, Chalice Bearers, Chancel Masters, Lectors, Greeters and Ushers

 

May 24 - May 25: Sixth Sunday of Easter

 

Saturday, May 24, 5:30 p.m. - St. I

      Pat Vinton - Altar Guild

 

Sunday, May 25, 8:00 a.m. - CCF

      Nancy Butler - Altar Guild

      Carl Baumgardner - Chalice Bearer

      Carl Baumgardner - Lector - First Lesson

      Peg McBride - Usher

 

9:15 a.m. - CCF

      NOT FILLED - Acolyte - C

      Daven Wray - Acolyte - TB

      Robert Wray - Acolyte - TB

      Bonnie Chandler - Altar Guild

      Connie Everett - Altar Guild

      Nancy Stoddard - Altar Guild

      Jody Bradford - Chalice Bearer

      Paul Salter - Chancel Master

      Barbara Sullivan - Lector - First Lesson

      Jane Watson - Greeter

      Jim Watson - Greeter

      Ben Slade - Usher

      Will Varn - Usher

 

11:15 a.m. - CCF

      Henry Heery - Acolyte - C

      Roberta Callaway - Altar Guild

      Dale Pierson - Altar Guild

      Dorothy Faye Smith - Chalice Bearer

      Carol Hoffine - Lector - First Lesson

      Bootie Wood - Greeter

      Royce Wood - Usher

This Week at Christ Church

Morning Prayer is held at St. Ignatius' Chapel at 8:00 a.m., Wednesday - Friday.

Evening Prayer is held daily at Christ Church, Frederica at 5:00 p.m.

 

*Unless noted otherwise, all events take place at Christ Church

 

Friday, May 23, 2014

11:30 a.m. - Healing Service

 

Saturday, May 24, 2014

5:30 p.m. - Worship at St Ignatius

 

Sunday, May 25, 2014

8 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m. - Worship at Christ Church, Frederica

10:15 a.m. - Coffee Hour

10:30 a.m. - Adult Sunday School

 

Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day - Office Closed

9:30 a.m. - Manna House

 

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

7:30 a.m. - Men's Bible Study

5:30 p.m. - Mission and Ministry Committee Meeting

 

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

9:30 a.m. - Manna House

Christ Church, Frederica | (912) 638-8683 | glenn@ccfssi.org | http://ccfssi.org
6329 Frederica Road
St. Simons Island, GA 31522

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