From the Rector's Desk

Dear Saints of God,

Greetings!
As I think of what's next in ministry and family life, this prayer which has always been a source of spiritual renewal continues to give me strength and courage in facing the days ahead. Please pray this prayer with me, and for me and my family as we think of our ministry together in this place...
Let us pray:
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look
favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred
mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry
out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world
see and know that things which were cast down are being
raised up, and things which had grown old are being made
new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection
by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen. BCP Pg. 292
In all we do, may it always be to the glory of God!

Respectfully,
Fr. Trevor+

Noonday Prayer 07/10/25
Week 9: HYMNAL 556
Hymn: "Rejoice, Ye Pure In Heart"

Did You Know?

The shortest war in history lasted only 38 to 45 minutes: This incredibly brief conflict occurred on August 27, 1896, between the United Kingdom and the Sultanate of Zanzibar. The war began after Sultan Khalid bin Barghash refused to step down following the death of his predecessor, which was against a treaty with the British. The British Navy, stationed in Zanzibar's harbor, bombarded the Sultan's palace for less than an hour, quickly forcing Khalid to flee and ending the war.

Ancient Romans used a form of "fast food" called Thermopolia: Far from being a modern invention, grab-and-go food establishments were common in the Roman Empire. These "thermopolia" (from Greek "thermos" for hot and "poleo" for sell) were essentially ancient snack bars, often with L-shaped counters embedded into the walls, featuring large jars (dolia) where hot food and drinks were stored. They served a variety of dishes, including stews, bread, cheese, and wine, providing quick meals for those who couldn't afford a kitchen in their homes or were traveling. The best-preserved examples can be seen in the ruins of Pompeii.

Before pencils, Romans used a stylus on wax tablets, and a "rubber" was often a sponge: While the modern pencil wasn't invented until the 16th century, ancient Romans had their own writing tools. They primarily used a stylus (a pointed tool, often made of metal, bone, or ivory) to scratch letters into wax-coated wooden tablets called "tabulae." To correct mistakes or "erase," they would simply smooth over the wax with the blunt end of the stylus. For ink on papyrus, corrections were sometimes made by licking the papyrus to remove fresh ink, but for more substantial errors, a sponge was used to wipe away the ink, making the sponge a very early form of an "eraser.

Online Morning Prayer

Online Morning Prayer with Bishop Heyd Every Weekday at 8 a.m.

Please note that you'll need to register before you join.
Click here https://dioceseny.org/online-morning-prayer to register.

Announcements

Coffee Hour

As summer officially begins, we would like to inform everyone that our regular weekly coffee hour fellowship will be on hiatus for the season.  We will have a few small, special coffee hour events, which will be shared in advance (as posted above). We'll be back in the fall with a regular weekly schedule, and we'll share an update with the exact return date as we get closer. We look forward to seeing you all then!

Coffee Hour 175th Anniversary

Come celebrate the grand finale of our 175th Anniversary celebration! Anne Devlin is hosting a special Coffee Hour this Sunday, July 13th, 2025, and we'd love for you to join us. Let's mark the close of this momentous event with a time of fellowship and great conversation. Whether you've been with us for years or are new to our community, everyone is welcome!
We look forward to seeing you there!

Welcome

We'd like to extend a warm and joyful welcome to the Freeman/Fahnbulleh Association, along with their esteemed President, Abrom M. Shepard, who are visiting us and gracing our worship service as honored guests today.

FYI

Sunday, July 20, 2025, marks a significant day for our community as we gather for ONE special service at 4:00 p.m. This will be a momentous occasion, serving as Father Trevor's final service before he embarks on his well-deserved retirement.

Christ Church Transition Schedule

With Father Trevor's retirement, we'll be transitioning our service schedule. The new schedule below will go into effect starting Sunday, July 27, 2025.
TRANSITION SUNDAY SCHEDULE
July 27, 2025 – Diocesan Canons will come to Christ Church to do a Transition presentation to the congregation,
August 3, 2025 – Rev. Kirstin Swanson – Eucharist Service
August 10, 2025 – Rev. Hank Tuell – Eucharist Service
August 17, 2025 – Rev. Kirstin Swanson – Eucharist Service
August 24, 2025 – Rev. Dcn. David Barr
August 31, 2025 – Rev. Dcn. David Barr

WANTED

Coffee Hour Coordinator. Christ Church is looking for a Coordinator to coordinate the Coffee Hour every Sunday after the 10:00 am service. This Coordinator position has been open since June 1, 2025.
Contact Sheila Hewitt at 718-447-8049 for more information about this position.

Christ Church Parish Prayer List

The following individuals have requested our prayers:
Fred Allen, Ricia Augusty, Betty Babb, Elma Babb, Erma Babb, Marcella Babb, Jenny Badger, Richard Biada, Deborah Broome, Frank Cangemi, Merle Carrington, Irvin Celestine, Eva Charney, Matthew Cileli, David Clark, Wayne Clark, Marcia Clendenen, Sandra Cocks, Lisa Colli-Hogan, Theodore R. Coletti, Carmen Conrado, Barbara Corregan, Laura Craig, Gaynelle Cumberbatch, Stefan Dreisbach, Wayne Dupuis, Marlene Elia, Garfield Evans, Tabitha Foxx, Julio Gambuto, Marcella Goodridge, Sebastian Gattullo, Sandra Giambalvo, The Most Rev. Drexel Gomez, Melonie Griffiths, Steven Haley, Mary Hamblin, Mary Haugen, Anne Heather, Avion Hernandez-Elcock, Michael Kelly, The McIntosh Family, Eva McClary, Mary Mcclellan, T. Rauch, Ann Reilly, Olivia Rey, Leila Rollock, Willie, Marcus & Dylan Schumaker, Barnett Shepherd, Daphne Smith, Joyce Smith, Thomas Sox, David Lloyd Stephens, Christopher Still, George Sullivan, Fred Tucher, Rob Tucher, Linda Tuell, John Tuohey, Deborah Vurckio, Lucille Williams, Doreen Wood, Marsha Wynter, Joan Yearwood, Teresa Brown-Zapken, Patrick Zapken, and the people at The Girls & Boys of Heartshare St. Vincent's Services.
Please Note: The Prayer List is intended to uphold and encourage those who need healing prayers. If persons have been fully recovered and no longer need to be lifted up in this way, please let us know so that we can make room for others. This list will be updated every three months unless otherwise notified. If you need a loved one or friend to remain on the list, please call the parish office. Thank you!
We pray for the repose of the souls of Roger Williams, Nacere Ellis, Amos Bannah Kollie, and all the faithful departed. May their souls rest in peace.
We pray for all the frontline and essential workers in our parish, and around S.I. and the world.
We pray for the hundreds of asylum seekers in New York City, particularly on Staten Island, and ask God's Holy Spirit to help us as citizens, civic organizations, and religious institutions respond with love and compassion.
We pray for comfort to the families and communities impacted by gun violence, and for the will and determination to enact appropriate gun control legislation and promote a culture of safety.
We pray for an end to armed conflict and lift up the people of Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, Russia, and Sudan in the hopes that they can move towards peace and diplomacy.
We pray for all those negatively impacted by climate, environmental, and naturally occurring disasters.
We pray for those who are suffering from the impacts of systemic racism, and for those who are committed and working towards change, unity, and equality for all peoples.
We pray for Tommy Basso, Kimani Bratton, Cora Gross, Mia Wynter, Marsha Wynter, Carol Bratton, and Catherine Barnett on their pilgrimage to Italy.
We give thanks for all those who have graduated and pray for their continued blessing and success.
We give thanks to God for the following individuals who are celebrating their Birthdays this week. Brian McLean (13), Nick Lettiere (15), Bonnie Nygard (15), Renate (16), Marigold Johnson (17), Paige Gunther (17).
We give thanks to God for the individuals who are celebrating their wedding anniversaries this week:
In the Richmond IPC Cycle of Prayer, we pray for Christ Church Steel Drummers.
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for The Church of North India (United).
In the Diocese of New York, we pray for +Sean, our Presiding Bishop; +Matthew, and +Allen, our Bishops;  and Trevor+, our Rector.

The Rev. Kirstin Swanson