| This Weekend's Readings | Ascension Day (transferred)
Click HERE to view this weekends readings.
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This Weekend's Preacher
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The Reverend Dr. William J. Danaher, Jr.
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5/14 Thursday
| 8:30 AM - Morning Prayer
7:30 PM - Choir Rehearsal
7:30 PM - Outreach Committee Meeting
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5/15 Friday
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8:30 AM - Morning Prayer
9:30 AM - Al-Anon Meeting
11:30 AM - Women's Spirituality Group
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5/16 Saturday
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5:00 PM - Holy Eucharist: Rite II with Holy Baptism
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5/17 Sunday
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8:00 AM - Holy Eucharist: Rite I
9:00 AM - Rector's Forum
9:00 AM - 6th-9th Grade Christian Formation
10:00 AM - Holy Eucharist: Rite II
10:00 AM - Sunday School
11:30 AM - Docent Tour
11:30 AM - St. Francis Choir Rehearsal
11:30 AM - Healing Ministry Meeting
11:30 AM - Baptism Preparation Class
11:30 AM - DR Mission Trip Group Meeting 6:00 PM - Sunday at Six Evensong
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5/18 Monday
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8:30 AM - Morning Prayer
7:00 PM - Vestry Meeting
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5/19 Tuesday
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8:30 AM - Morning Prayer
11:00 AM - ECW Program and Luncheon
4:00 PM - Columbarium Committee Meeting
7:30 PM - Shiloah
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5/20 Wednesday
| 7:00 AM - Holy Eucharist: Rite II
7:30 AM - Bible Study
8:00 AM - Stewardship Meeting
8:30 AM - Morning Prayer
9:30 AM - Adult Children of Alcoholics Meeting
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5/21 Thursday
| 8:30 AM - Morning Prayer
6:30 PM - Thursday Night Movie
7:30 PM - Choir Rehearsal
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| CCC Youth Ministry Taskforce | | One of the great blessings of life at Christ Church Cranbrook is that we have such a vibrant children and youth ministry. Although like life itself it has it challenges. The CCC youth program has undergone many changes over the years. The departure of the Associate Rector in March of 2014 followed by the departure of the Youth Director in October 2014 left an uncertain future for the program. At the same time the long-time running J2A/Rite 13 curriculum was losing momentum and discontinued. There are a few contributing factors to the challenging climate of the youth program.
The first is logistics. The church draws families from the Bloomfield Hills area and neighboring cities; up to 40 minutes away. Stopping by church on a weeknight is not convenient for many. The youth come from thirteen public and private high schools and numerous middle schools. There is not an automatic sense of neighborhood or familiarity of community within our youth when they enter the doors of the church. Most of the youth have acquaintances at church, although many do not have existing friendships with their peers in the church. CCC Youth programming is one place where they would build these relationships.
The second challenge is one that all churches face these days - overscheduled youth. Today's families lead very busy lives and the teens have many activities packed into their day. They feel immense pressure to perform in academics and extracurricular activities. Sports often compete with Sunday morning worship time. The most opportune time to meet with youth at CCC is on Sunday mornings before worship, however, they are somewhat tired and groggy, or after worship during lunch.
In November 2014, a new Youth Director was hired. In January 2015 a task force was formed to set new direction and gain buy in for the rebirth of the program.
The members of the task force are:
- Fr. William Danaher, Rector
- Jessica Neeper, Director of Children's Ministry
- Jill Bednas, Director of Youth Ministry
- Edie Wakevainen, Acolyte Leader
- Susan Schulte, Parishioner
- Elizabeth Witten, Parishioner
- Eric Linder, Vestry
- Lenny Froehlich, Youth Parishioner
- Jon Bricker, Children and Youth Committee Chair
- David Carleton, Parishioner
The plan for the task force was to put the Children and Youth Committee into a holding pattern for a few weeks and focus on the Youth piece for five meetings then create a report that will guide the strategic next steps.
Similar in size and demographic as CCC, Christ Church Winnetka in Illinois had gone through similar issues and had successfully reorganized with a contemporary model that offered longevity and sustainability for the future. The book that inspired them was "Sustainable Youth Ministry" by author Mark DeVries. Several copies were purchased and committee members all read the book for background on current thinking on Youth Ministry. Jill Bednas met with Youth Director, Leah Romanelli from Christ Church Winnetka to gain insight as to their current status and level of commitment their new model. It seemed to be working well.
Mission
During the first few task force meetings we spent time brainstorming and took a hard look at three things: Where are we now? Where do we want to be? and How are we going to get there?
Current Picture:
- The Acolyte Corps is strong in number and well organized but does not provide religious education or reflection.
- Sunday School is for grades sixth through ninth. The ninth graders rarely attend because they are in high school and see this a middle school function.
- The DR Mission Trip targets high school students. The meetings are monthly from September through July. The 2015 mission trip is July 3 - 13 and includes a pilgrimage, and clinical work in addition to building the church and grounds improvements. This year 13 youth and 6 adult chaperones will venture to the Dominican Republic.
- Confirmation preparation for those age 15 and older ran for 6 weeks in the spring.
- There is no religious formation at present for 10-12th grades
- There is no music program for 6-12th grades.
The feedback from youth is they would like more outreach projects to work on and more social events, but not in a classroom setting.
The youth opinion is the services are too long and they have trouble paying attention and therefore rarely attend if they are not serving in some capacity.
Ideas were generated, grouped by like ideas and sorted into summary statements.
As we continued to look at these statements, we were able to summarize them into three categories and we synthesized those statements into mission statements which took the form as follows:
Seek God as God Seeks Us
Why do we seek God? Why should we seek God?
Why does God meet us where we are? Why do we matter?
Why does worship help us seek God?
Why does reading the Bible help us seek God?
Why does belonging to church help us seek God?
See Christ in Others and Ourselves
Who is Jesus for me?
Who is my neighbor?
In whom can I see Christ?
To whom is Christ sending me?
Whom is Christ sending to me?
Share in the Spirit's Gifts to Us
How do I pray?
How do I learn to forgive, give, welcome, and receive?
How do I live my faith?
How do I serve others?
How do I find my place?
These guiding statements followed by the relevant questions create a strong backbone of who we are and what our youth program is trying to achieve. By referring back to these statements they will provide the proper guidance for future activities.
A New Model:
The traditional role of the Youth Leader has been that of the "Pied Piper" a person who is trying to get the body of youth to follow him or her in the teachings of Jesus.
This model relies significantly on the dynamic personality and energy of the youth leader and can often lead to burn out after a year or two. It also puts the burden on one person to lead the youth and does not allow for backup or transition when the youth leader leaves, and encourages the youth to build a relationship with one leader in the church rather than a support network of relationships. The model we are choosing to follow is putting the youth at the center of the equation and creating a constellation of interconnected groups around the youth who work in cooperation to support and build programs to form a more dynamic youth program with teams of volunteers with whom the youth will form relationships. This model also encourages intergenerational relationships within the congregation. This model increases opportunities for interaction and communication with the youth, decreases the liability should staff changes occur, and spreads the workload across many.
The task force on youth ministry will be meeting this month to finalize the summary report and agree on next steps. If you are interested in working in Youth Ministry please contact Jill Bednas at jbednas@christchurchcranbrook.org
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| This Week's Intercessions | | |
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| CCC Services Live Streamed | | Christ Church Cranbrook is now live streaming our 10:00 AM Sunday service! No matter where you are you don't have to miss a service. To view services, please click HERE. Videos of previous services are archived on this page as well.
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| Rector's Forum: Practicing the Presence of God | |  Sundays at 9:00 AM - Hospitality Center
April 26 - May 24, 2015
When we proclaim Jesus Christ as risen from the dead, we say more than that he has defeated the powers of sin, death, and the grave. We say more than that our own lives will end, like his, in resurrection. Christ's resurrection comes with the promise that he is always with us. "Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age," so the resurrected Christ tells his disciples in the Gospel of Matthew (28:20).
What does it mean to be in God's presence? What does it mean for Christ to be present in our own lives? As we move from Easter through Pentecost, this edition of the Rector's Forum will look at different ways Christians have practiced the presence of God throughout history and still today. |
| Item of the Month | | COLLECTING BOOKS IN MAY! This month Christ Church Cranbrook will conduct a Book Drive which will create a Summer Reading Program for the students at Glazer Elementary. All youth books (new and used) are welcome. There is a need for Series Books - especially in a genre for boys. No encyclopedias please. Thank you for supporting this worthy cause.
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| Confirmation | |  Fourteen Christ Church Cranbrook youth and adults were Confirmed/Received last Saturday. They are pictured here with Bishop Gibbs, Fr. Bill Danaher and Jill Bednas.
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| Focus: HOPE Job Seekers Graduation | |  The 26th class graduated from Focus: HOPE --- Job Seekers' Boot Camp on Friday, May first. Two graduates are absent because they found jobs after starting class and are at work. Two of those pictured are in the final employment stage. Classes run from three to four weeks, and a new class started, Monday, May sixth. Bernard Thompson (center, back row) is responsible for the organization and operation of Job Seekers' Boot Camp. He is also the primary instructor, teaching most of the classes.
Christ Church Cranbrook supports the Job Seekers Boot Camp.
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| | Kahemba Keita, pictured here with CCC member Allen Bass, is in traditional West African attire, worn especially for graduation. The dress is a "Tye-bass," an everyday dress, and the head-covering is a "Galay." |
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Upcoming Music Events at Christ Church Cranbrook
| | We have an exciting season of various music events presented by Music at CCC. All events are free unless otherwise noted.
Saturday, June 6th at 8:00 PM, Sounding Light Chamber Choir presents "The World Made New" Free Will Offering (Church).
87th Annual Summer Carillon Series: Sunday Afternoons at 4:00 PM from July 5th through August 9th. Free Will Offering.
Click HERE to see the (updated) 2014-2015 Music at Christ Church Cranbrook music brochure.
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| Attention Parents of all Graduating Seniors! | |  We would like to congratulate all graduating seniors in the Communicant and Take it Home during the first week of June. Please email Peggy Dahlberg (pdahlberg@christchurchcranbrook.org) by May 15 with your graduating senior's name and school he or she is graduating from. We would like to hear from you whether your child is graduating from high school or college!
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| Sunday at Six - Evensong | |  Join us on Sunday evenings at 6:00 PM, as we will be offering weekly Sunday at Six Evensong.
This brief service will be held in the choir stalls and will be congregationally sung. The music will include simple chants and well known hymns. Like our parish discipline of daily Morning Prayer, the Sunday at Six Evensong is an excellent way to ground the day and the week in prayer and scripture. Come and bring a friend! |
| Episcopal Church Women: Program & Luncheon | | Tuesday, May 19th at 11:00 AM, Hospitality Center
THE TALENTED CLAIRE DANAHER will entertain and inform performing her original lyrics and music while playing the guitar, self taught, and dancing to her original steps. For 37 years Claire has been an enthusiast of the genre "acoustic folk music." No reservations needed to enjoy our special guest in the Hospitality Center Tuesday at 11:00. Please make luncheon reservations if staying. Our grateful thanks once again for an entire year of delicious menus planned and prepared by the kind-hearted volunteers: Clare Kabel, Ann Davis, Karen Martin, and Pam Redfield.
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| Hospitality Hour after 5:00 PM Service on Saturdays | | | Our Hospitality Hour after the 5:00 PM service on Saturdays is a huge hit! Your help is needed to continue this welcoming ministry. Come about 20 minutes before the service to set everything up and then clean up afterward. If you are willing to help out, please contact Debbie Moore at dmoore@christchurchcranbrook.org or at 248.644.5210, Ext. 35. |
| Children's Ministry at Christ Church Cranbrook | | Vacation Bible School
Save the Date! June 22-26 Mark your calendar for the best week of the year, Vacation Bible School. This year we will have the most fun EVER! Youth - please contact Jessica Neeper to sign up as crew leaders or to be a part of the opening/closing celebration team singing and leading worship. Adults - To safely host over 150 children at VBS we need adults to help as Pod Leaders and Station Leaders. (M-F, 8:45AM - Noon). Please prayerfully consider joining our team on this amazing week. Registration will begin end of February. Special note: Afternoon day camp will be limited to the first 20 applicants with completed forms and registration fees. 2015 Theme: Will be revealed in February.
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| Youth Ministry at CCC | | Great Ways to get Involved (6th-9th Grade): - We have an engaging new curriculum called Re:Form that we think your teens will love. Please come check it out every 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sunday in room 201/202 at 9:00 AM.
- June 22-26 - VBS Youth Leaders wanted, 8:30 - 1 PM, please contact jneeper@christchurchcranbrook.org to sign up.
High School Formation & Mission Trip Meeting
The high school youth meeting for those in grades 10-12 will be on the second Sunday of the month at 11:30 AM in the hospitality center. Lunch will be provided. We will be working on plans for the next group outreach project. We will also be discussing the high school mission trip to the Dominican Republic and close our time together with a reading and some reflection time. We may even work a little on our Spanish.
- May 17 - Review Itinerary and Schedule
- June 14 - Parent Meeting: Parents please attend this Q & A with Youth Leaders - 11:30-12:30 in the Room 202
Acolytes - If you are in the seventh grade and interested in becoming an acolyte, please contact Jill Bednas at jbednas@christchurchcranbrook.org |
| Thursday Night Movie | |  About Schmidt
May 21, Hospitality Center, 6:30 PM
Jack Nicholson stars as Warren Schmidt in this 2002 film directed by Alexander Payne and based on the novel by Louis Begley. Warren has led a safe, predictable working career and now faces retirement. He embarks on a journey to his estranged daughter's wedding only to discover more about himself and life than he ever imagined. Mike Frank will provide the introduction and lead an interesting post movie discussion.
This movie is R rated. |
| Fact and Fiction Fun | |  Fact and Fiction fun will meet on Monday, June 1, 2015 from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM in the conference room at Christ Church Cranbrook. The group will continue its discussion of Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, by Erik Larson. Please join us.
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| Can you run a Video Camera? | |  We are going to begin live streaming the 10 AM service every Sunday and need to recruit a team of people to work the video camera. It's quite simple and training will be provided. Depending on the number of people who volunteer, the commitment will be no more than one Sunday a month. Please contact Peggy Dahlberg at pdahlberg@christchurchcranbrook.org or 248.644.5210, Ext. 12 to volunteer or for more information. |
| Wanted: Parish Health Nurses | | 1. To provide First Aid to children at Vacation Bible school June 22-26 9 AM - Noon.
2. To promote and raise awareness of health including the body, mind and spirit in our congregation.
Contact Pastor Joyce Matthews 248.644.5210, Ext. 15 or email jmatthews@christchurchcranbrook.org |
| Vacation Bible School: June 22-26 | | Mark your calendar for the best week of the year. Youth - please contact Jessica Neeper to sign up as crew leaders. Adults - To safely host over 150 children at VBS we need adults to help as Pod Leaders and Station Leaders. (M-F, 8:45 AM - Noon). Please prayerfully consider joining our team on this amazing week. To register and for more information, please click HERE.
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| Women's Spirituality Group | | Women's Spirituality Group meets on Fridays for a sack lunch at 11:30 AM and a one hour program at 12:00 PM in Rooms 201-202. This lively, conversational group addresses a wide range of topics relevant to Christian women today. For example, we have discussed Celtic Christianity, the Books of Common Prayer across the Anglican Communion, Spiritual Gifts, Lenten hymns, Interfaith Understanding and more. Come when you can!
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| Calling for Vergers and Thurifers | |  Christ Church Cranbrook would like to increase the number of people in the Verger and Thurifer Corps. Vergers lead the procession for services, including funerals. Thurifers disperse the incense at the first Saturday of the month at Evensong and occasionally at other services throughout the year. Scheduling is according to your schedule and training is provided. Please consider being part of this important CCC worship ministry. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Chas Kipp at CKipp@mbssecurities.com or 248.633.4546. |
| Help Wanted! | | Christ Church Cranbrook needs help answering phones three mornings a week. If you are able to help out on Monday, Wednesday or Friday mornings, please contact Kathy Doyle at kdoyle@christchurchcranbrook.org or 248.644.5210, Ext. 11.
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| Little Lambs Assistant Teacher/Floater Needed | |
Little Lambs at CCC (littlelambsccc.org) is recruiting an assistant teacher/floater for our Child Development Center. We serve children from 6 weeks through 5 years in a Christian-centered family environment, providing full and half day care. This position is year round, Monday-Friday between the hours of 11 AM - 6 PM.
The ideal candidate will have a strong knowledge of early childhood development, be a team player, be flexible, have the willingness to care for each age level when needed and assume temporary responsibilities of a teacher in their absence. Please email resume, highlighting early childhood experience, and cover letter. |
| Five Women, Five Journeys | | Thursday, May 14 at 6:30 PM at the Baldwin Public Library
This unique WISDOM (Women's Interfaith Solutions for Dialogue and Outreach in Metro-Detroit) program features personal stories of women of different faith traditions - how their childhood impacted their beliefs today, what parts of their religion are misunderstood, challenges to women in their faith tradition, and how reaching out to someone from a different faith tradition has enriched their lives. All are invited! CCC member Ellen Ehrlich will be the moderator of this five woman panel.
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| Interfaith Question of the Week | | |
As a way of learning about our neighbors of different faith traditions, we will be providing a link to the Question of the Week on the InterFaith Leadership Council (IFLC) of Metro Detroit's website. Please feel free to submit our own questions to IFLC for consideration to be featured.
This week's question is: Is Mother's Day a religious holiday?
The InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit is a faith-based civic organization made up of visionary religious and lay leaders of many faiths whose shared values compel them to work toward a community that lives together in harmony.
Our Goals:
BRING TOGETHER, encourage and nurture interfaith groups and networks
SUPPORT CONCILIATION between and among religious groups as well as the community at large through active conflict resolution
PROMOTE INTERFAITH EDUCATION so that the metropolitan Detroit community can benefit from the synergies and creative benefits that knowledge and understanding can provide. |
| Planned Giving | |  Did you know that ... - You can make a gift or pay your pledge using appreciated securities and realize larger tax savings than if you had used cash?
- You can make a gift that costs you nothing during your lifetime?
- You can make a gift that pays you income for life?
- You can preserve your estate for your children and deliver years of income outreach at Christ Church?
- You can donate your house, take a tax deduction, and continue to live in it rent-free?
- You can turn surplus life insurance coverage into a gift?
Please call our Parish Administrator for more information 248.644.5210 |
| Online and Text Giving - It's Easy! | | |
 Contributions can now be made online and by text messaging. Please click HERE and see how quick and easy it is.
We invite you to consider our new electronic "Online Giving" program as a way to automate your donations to Christ Church Cranbrook. Read more
We encourage you to consider these new giving opportunities.
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| Follow CCC on Facebook! |
|  We hope you "Like" us!
 You can view our Facebook page even if you don't have a Facebook account! Our page show a more "relaxed" version of CCC! If you have a Facebook account, simply click the button above and then click the "Like" button on our page. We're just getting started and we need your help to really get moving. |
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