J2A Update

Our J2A class has been lighting the candles on their class Advent wreath each week. The group has been discussing the three parts of The Holy Trinity, and practicing Lectio Divina, a form of prayer that comes to us from the monastic tradition, in which Scripture is read multiple times and responded to personally.
The J2A class practiced the version known as the African Bible Study, which was promoted by the 1998 Lambeth Conference. Each time we read the text we had a different meditative prompt, ending with: How is God inviting me today to change, to act?
This class is beginning the discernment process for their pilgrimage, scheduled for 2023.

Spiritual Enrichment Opportunities

Six Women of the Old Testament

Led by Rich Whaley, Sundays at 2 PM..

Prayer Meetings...

...ending with Compline with Fr. Trevor+ Wednesdays at 7 pm. A reminder announcement is sent out every week with the details.

BIBLE STUDY

Led by The Rev. Anthony Lamourt. The class had been studying the Book of Isaiah, but is currently on summer hiatus until September.

Please call the office at 718-720-6100 if you have any questions about any of the above information.

Christ Church Needs Volunteers...

...for coffee hour for the next several decades. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the parish hall near the main entrance.

Counters

We also must re-constitute our Counters Guild. If you had been a member of the Counter Guild before the pandemic and would like to resume this vital ministry, or if you've never done it before asnd would like to learn how, please contact Susan Fowler or call Kelly in the church office (718-727-6100).

Did You Know?

Did you know that hunting unicorns is legal in Michigan?
Lake Superior State University in Michigan offers a unicorn hunting license. Unsurprisingly, the "chief herald of the Unicorn Hunters" was once quoted as saying: "The pursuit of the unicorn is a lonely quest." We wish them nothing but good luck!

Did you know that there's an American town with a population of one?
Monowi, Nebraska, is the only town in the United States with an official population of one person. Yes, she owes taxes… To herself! She's in her 80s, and she's employed as the village's mayor, librarian, and bartender.

Did you know that high heels were originally invented and created for men?
High heel shoes are largely associated with women, but that's not always been the case. In fact, the first known pairs date back to the 10th century and were used by Persian soldiers to help them keep their feet in stirrups while on horseback. When heels made their way to Europe they were adopted by male aristocrats who wanted to make themselves look taller and more formidable. Over time, the footwear became popular among women as well and it became fashionable for women to wear thin heels while men wore a thicker style. In 1673, King Louis XIV handed out shoes with red heels and red soles to the nobles in his French court. and the style was later taken up by royalty across Europe and became highly fashionable. However, by the 1800s men had largely abandoned wearing high heels of any kind, and they became the popular shoe style for women and remain so to this day.

Announcements

Pledge Envelopes:

If you have handed in a pledge form for the Financial Secretary, your box of pledge envelopes will be in the back of the church. If you do not hand in a pledge form, you will not get envelopes. If you have any questions, please, see Beth Mclean

Making of announcements in worship

Effective January 1st, 2022 announcements will be made at the beginning of worship. This change will assist in the streamlining of our liturgy for social media broadcast. Announcements, therefore, will begin at 9:55 a.m. followed by the liturgy of the day.

ANNUAL MEETING JANUARY 23rd 2022

All Committee Chairs and Commission Chairs are asked to submit their respective annual reports to the parish office no later than January 8th, 2022. Any reports received after January 8th will not be included in the Annual Report. Thanks for your ministry.

Positions are open for (1) WARDEN, (3) VESTRY MEMBERS (for a three-year term), (1) VESTRY MEMBER (for a two-year term) AND (2) ALTERNATE DELEGATES TO DIOCESAN CONVENTION.

Current nominees are: 1. John Gerney, 2. Stephen Gross.

If you are interested in being a member of the vestry or an alternate delegate to Diocesan Convention, please speak to one of the Nominating Committee members: Shelly Heath, Eva Black, Sheila Swigert, Kathy Galvez, and Mary Larimer.

NOMINATION FORMS can be obtained from the Nominating Committee members or the parish office.

Monthly Musical Concerts

We hope to begin our monthly organ recitals on February 13, at 4:00 p.m. Our Organist and Musical Director, Rev. Anthony M. Lamourt, will be performing an organ recital every second Sunday of the month. Your presence and participation will be most appreciated. More details will be forthcoming.

INVITATION

Native Plant Society of SI Meeting has been postponed until further notice.

Save the Date

January 23rd – Annual Parish Meeting
February 5th – IPC Zoom Conference
February 12th - Absalom Jones Celebration (Diocesan)
February 13th - Absalom Jones Celebration (Parish)
February 14th - Vestry Meeting
March 12th - Memorial Service for Ed Craig
March 19th - Meeting with Vestries, Clergy and Lay Leaders of Staten Island Episcopal Churches

Parish Prayer List

The following individuals have requested our prayers: Fred Allen, Marcella Babb, Gregory Brown, Deborah Broome, Jennifer Brumskine, Frank Cangemi, Martha Catul, Rosa Carisino, David Clark, Marcia Clendenen, Sandra Cocks, Iris Colbourne, Laura Craig, Kylon Craig, Vincent Cresci, Carnetta & Athelridge Cumberbatch, Marlene Elia, Anna Galvez, Arnold Galvez, Garfield Evans, Anthony Fulton, Sr., Denyse Gonzales, The Rev. Ivan Harewood, Marian Hamblin, Mary Haugen, Amelia, Jaime, Jan, Mark, Tom & Joy, Colenthia Hunter, Jebbeh Jagaba, Eva McClary, Willie Marcus, Quinzel Mayers, The McIntosh Family, Kevin & Nathan Meighan, Dudley Menzies, Mary Nucci, Sheryl Perkins, Saint Maurice Phillips, Linda Pinnock, Cherise Richards, Jason Rivera, Joyce Rowan, Huguette Sauer, Vie Saursinger and Family, Barnett Shepherd, Bendu Sherman, Candy Tice, Carol Tysen, Lucille Williams, Tonisia Williams-Sealy, Marsha Wynter, and the people of St. Vincent's Girls' Home.  

Please Note: The Prayer List is intended to uphold and encourage those who are in need of 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 Alan Saursinger and Jeff Blocker. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, 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 those who are suffering from the physical, mental, or economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

We pray for the people of Tonga, Haiti and Afghanistan.

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 Kirstin Swanson-Basso and David Barr, now in the process as Postulants for Ordination.

We give thanks to God for the following individuals who are celebrating their Birthdays this week: Christy Ann Nerline (Szczepanik) (27).

We give thanks to God for the individuals who are celebrating their wedding anniversaries this week.

The Election of a Bishop Coadjutor in the Diocese of Liberia and for Archbishop Johnathan B. Hart who will be entering retirement.

The Election of a Bishop Coadjutor in the Diocese of New York and for Bishop Andrew Dietsche who will be entering retirement.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui.

In the Diocese of New York, we pray for +Michael our Presiding Bishop; +Andrew, +Allen, and +Mary, our Bishops; Trevor+ our Rector; Wardens and Vestries of the Diocese; St. Paul's Church, Pleasant Valley; St. Paul's Church, Staten Island; St. Paul's Church, Poughkeepsie; Church of St. Matthew & St. Timothy, Manhattan; The Rt. Rev. Catherine S. Roskam, Retired Bishop Suffragan of New York, on the anniversary of her consecration; The Diocesan Director of Communications; and The Episcopal New Yorker Advisory Board.