Remember when the world outside was beautiful and warm and there were flowers and sunshine and warmth? We just wanted to remind you and to say that spring will be here before you know it.
Soon the birds will return from where ever they've been hiding and the air will be filled with their songs and with the fragrance of flowers.
Everything will come back to life, the grass will be green, the insects will return, it will be warm. Here is a mantis deep in prayer from last year.
Water will return to its liquid state and geese will block your path and challenge you as you walk to the ferry.
...no matter the weather conditions. Here are some faithful parishioners running the Second Saturday Soup Kitchen. From left to right: Sheila Swigert, Jane Sharif, Judy Davis, Susan Fowler, and Fr. Jerry Keucher.
Flowers are never out of season on the altar.
The tryptich was painted by Peter Schnackenberg sometime during the nineteenth century.
As evidenced by my son Charlie's outburst in the children's homily last week (in case you missed it, he wanted everyone to know he was going to give up school for Lent), we know that the practice of sacrificing during Lent can be a hard concept for children. Letting go of one thing (sugar or LEGOs) for 40 days can make the whole world seem made out of just those things. It's not that much different for adults or even when we are trying to take on a new, positive habit. Unfortunately, sometimes Lent can start to feel like just another opportunity for us to fail at trying to be better Christians and people.
In my search for Lenten activities for youth, I've noticed another way of practicing mindfulness during the season -- one that is particularly well-suited to our busy, plugged-in lives. From individual pastors to religious organizations, you can sign up to receive daily suggestions -- like little nudges -- via email or text of discreet activities meant to deepen your connection with the Divine while making a real difference in the world. I did my own version of this with the Rite 13 students and their families last year, borrowing heavily from Nadia Bolz-Weber's "40 ideas for keeping a Holy Lent" on patheos.com. Each morning I sent a text: "read Psalm 139 today", or "donate your extra clothes today" meant to help focus on preparing for the coming of our Risen Lord (rather than on the chocolate we weren't letting ourselves eat).
Which brings me to this Lent. This year, I have decided again to encourage our youth to engage in discreet acts of sacrifice and prayerfulness over the course of the season. But instead of texting the daily suggestions, our class is learning about and modifying for our lives an ancient Greek Orthodox tradition, the Kyra Sarakosti, or "Lady Lent."
On Clean Monday (the first Monday in Lent) it is traditional to make a doll known as Kyra Sarakosti or "Lady Lent". She can be made out of paper, clay or flour and baked.
Kyra Sarakosti is depicted with no mouth, a sign she is fasting. She has no ears, as she refuses to listen to gossip. There is a sign of the Cross above her head, eyes closed and her arms are folded reverently in prayer as a reminder of each person's spiritual journey during Lent. Like an Advent calendar leads us toward Christmas, Lady Lent is covered in little blocks of activities-prayerful and sacrificial-to lead us to Easter. While commercially available Lady Lents come richly colored and with perforations making each day easy to pull off (slowly revealing a beautifully costumed young lady beneath), I have a feeling ours will look more like patchwork quilts of marker colors by Easter.
I have extras if you'd like to add this tradition to your Lenten practice. And blessings to you this week and always.
Lisa Rhoades
Rite 13/J2A Coordinator
Worship Schedule |
Christ Church |
| Sundays | 76 Franklin Avenue |
| 7:30 AM Morning Prayer | Staten Island, NY 10301 |
| 8 AM Holy Eucharist | |
| 10 AM Choral Eucharist | 718-727-6100 vox |
| Second Sundays | 718-727-6101 fax |
| 11:15 AM Service for Healing & Anointing | A Community of Worship, Love, and Service. |
| Thursdays | |
| 11 AM Holy Eucharist | |
| Monday through Friday | |
| 7:15 AM Morning Prayer | Contact Us » |
Collect: O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
This Sunday, March 1, is The Second Sunday in Lent. The liturgical color is purple.
The During Lent the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist will begin with a silent procession and the Penitential Order, which emphasizes the Confession by putting it a the beginning of the service.
During Lent for the Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy) we will use S96 by Franz Schubert, for the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) we will use S125 by Richard Proulx, and for the Agnus Dei (O Lamb of God) we will use S 161 by David Hurd.
The child-friendly hymn in Lent is 217, He's God the Whole World in His Hand, from the Lift Every Voice and Sing hymnal.
Pocket Crosses, (see article below) which were distributed on the First Sunday in Lent, are still available in baskets by both entrances of the church.
Godly Play classes (age 3-5th grace) should receive Communion with their teachers immediate after the choir receives, and then accompany their teachers to the classrooms.
At 12:10 p.m. a Godly Play teacher will ring a bell on the first floor, indicating that parents should go to the Godly Play classrooms to pick up[ their children. Parents must sign their children out of Godly Play.
Rite 13 class begins at 11:30 a.m. in the second floor J2A classroom.
Adult Education class begins at 11:30 a.m. in the vestry room. We will be discussing Day 53 - Day 59 (Joshua 7:1 - Judges 12:15) in the NRSV Daily Bible.
Childcare begins at 9:45 a.m. in the nursery.
| Altar Guild: | Nick Dowen, Laura Kennedy, David Wood, Agnes Thompson, Paige Gunther |
| 8 a.m. Server: | Nancy Reiersen-Scromo |
| Greeter: | David Wood |
| Ushers: | David Wood, Dan Wood, Hal Kennedy, Kevin Larimer |
| Lector: | Joyce Mandel |
| Epistoler: | Paige Gunther |
| Intercessor: | John Gerney |
| Chalice: | Lisa Rhoades |
| Crucifer: | Richard Zayzay |
| Acolytes: | Eleanor Larimer, Victoria Noel |
| Verger: | Paul Smith |
| Counters: | John Watson, Linda Reiersen |
| Coffee Hour: | Adrienne Abbate Mackta |
Knitting Group, Thursday, February 26, 3:00 p.m. at Christ Church.
Christ Church Community Youth Choir, Thursday, February 26, 6:00 p.m. at Christ Church.
Cub Scouts, Friday February 27, 7:00 p.m. at Christ Church.
Cub Scout Blue & Gold Dinner, Saturday, February 28, 4:00 p.m. at Christ Church.
Girl Scouts, Tuesday, February 3, 6:30 p.m. at Christ Church.
Wednesday Nights in Lent, Wednesday, March 4, starting at 6:00 p.m. at Christ Church.
Plant & Equipment Committee, Thursday, March 5, 7:30 p.m. at Christ Church.
The following individuals have requested our prayers: Kelsey Allen, Gale Bellafiore, Robin Beveridge, Jean Bissell, Shirley Black, Willie Black, Jr., Steve Borelli, Gregory Brown, Patricia Brown-Prestia, Robert Burak, Fr. Steve Challman, Joseph Chesseman, Jessie Cinelli, Sandra Cocks, Inez Colborne, Barbara Corrigan, Sophie Diaz, Tanisha Edmonds, Marlene Elia, Billy Fowler, Barbara Finnerty, Laura Glen, Tina Grosick, Philip Jorgue, Theodora Juliano, Siafa Kromah, Michelle Lane, Alice LeClair, Robert Leverock, Angela Lillo, Jesse Luke, Karen Luke, Joyce Mandel, William Marcus, Janet Massa, Sunitha Massey, Peter Mazes, Andrea McIntosh, Hugo McIntosh, Sr., Tristan Meiselbach, Anthony Mobilia, Lynne Morishita, John Ogdon, Linda Oppenheimer, Annaliese Parrish,Zorgoloe Portue, Jayme Robertson, Joyce Rowan, Meg Rowan, Barbara Rowan Allen, Sean Rowan Hanly, Kiattisak Rungrerngvanich, Ann Sohm, David Spitz, Reed Stewart, Sophia Vazquez Pazos, and Robert Wandlaincourt,. For the people of Liberia and West Africa and all who are suffering from the Ebola vius that they may be relieved and protected. For the safety of the men working on our tower.
We give thanks to God for the following individuals who are celebrating their Birthdays this week: Clyve Stephen Hutton (2), Preston Aghailas (5), Ian Basso (6), Betsy Kalfa (6), Mark Richards (6).
We pray for the repose of the soul of Joseph Russellwho passed away this week.
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we are asked to pray for the Episcopal Church of Mbale, Uganda, The Rt. Rev. Patrick Gidudu.
In the Diocese of New York, we pray for Katharine our Presiding Bishop, Andrew and Allen, our bishops, and Candidates to be ordained to the Diaconate.
We pray for the continued growth of the Carpenter's Kids Program.
Christ Church is offering multiple special opportunities to deepen our faith and grow closer to God during this holy season of Lent.
Our program on Wednesday nights is Lent will offer two options. The first is the Intercessory Prayer Group begun by Deacon Novella. The group has been meeting regularly for several months, but Lent is the perfect time either to check out the group to see if its something you'd like to do long-term, or to commit to the group as a special practice during Lent.
The second option is Bible study. As we do on Sunday morning, we will discuss that week's selections from the NRSV Daily Bible. The readings for each week will be published in the Weekly Update so if you don't have a Daily Bible, you can still participate. If you are not currently participating in our Bible study, this will give you an opportunity to do so. If you are currently participating in our project to read the Bible in a year, this will give you another opportunity to discuss the week's selections if Sunday morning is inconvenient for you, or if you'd like extra discussion time.
The schedule for Wednesday evening will look like this:
6:00 p.m. Potluck Supper
7:00 p.m. Intercessory Prayer Group or Bible Study
8:00 p.m. Compline
Feel free to participate in all or part of the evening.
Lenten mediation guides from Episcopal Relief and Development are available at both entrances to the church.
Irish Brunch, Sunday, March 15, 11:30 a.m. at Christ Church.
Bring a Friend to Church, Sunday, March 22, 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church.
Stop and Swap, Saturday, March 28, Noon to 3:00 p.m. at Christ Church.
Wine Tasting, April 17, 6:00 p.m. at the Christ Church Rectory.
Soup Coffee Hour, Sunday, April 19 11:30 a.m. at Christ Church.
Battle of the Rock Bands, Saturday, April 25, 7:00 p.m. at Christ Church.
On the First Sunday in Lent, pocket crosses will be blessed and distributed. Praying with a pocket cross is a devotional practice to help us pray for someone special during Lent. When you receive your pocket cross (and you may take more than one) think of a person, or persons, you'd like to pray for during Lent. Your pocket cross, kept in your pocket or purse, will be a reminder to pray for that person. When Easter comes, you may want to give your cross to that person and tell them that you've been praying for them during Lent.
Sponsored by the Richmond Inter-Parish Council
The Episcopal Parishes of Staten Island invite you to its Annual Lenten Program, "All Are Precious in HIS Sight," Featuring Jim Hughes Ministries.
Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 4 PM.
St. John's Episcopal Church
1333 Bay Street
Staten Island, NY 10305
(Please park along the side of the church—parking behind Canterbury House is for residents only. Thank you.)
Please join us for a light supper and fellowship in Eccelston Hall in Canterbury House immediately follwing the program.
We ask all Parishes to bring salads & desserts to share (suggested salads: fruit, bean, mixed green, broccolli; desserts: cookies, pies, & brownies).
For more information please contact:
Annette Tardy, (St. Albans), Diane Schaming (St. Stephens) at 718-948-0615, Edwina McCrimmon (St. John's), Fr. Richard Marchand (Ascension).
Sunday, March 22 is bring a friend Sunday. The Evangelism Committee encourages everyone to bring a friend to church. The Christ Church Choir and the Community Youth Choir will sing, the evangelism committee is sponsoring a special coffee hour, and visiting children are welcome to attend Godly Play and Rite 13 classes.
At St. Mary's Church on Sunday, March 15 at 4:00 p.m., Featuring works by Ayleward, Dyson, Purcell, and Wesley. A reception will follow the service. At St. Paul's Church also on Sunday, March 15 at 4:00 p.m.
Who cChrist Church's own Togba Porte will be honored by Councilmember Debi Rose at her annual celebration of Black History month, to be held this year at St. Philip's Baptist Church, 77 Bennett Street in Port Richmond, on Friday, February 27 at 7:00 p.m.
WTogba is being recognized for his his work spearheading the Ebola Crisis Committee. Togba will be unable to attend, but Edwina Dean-McCrimmon, a committee member and a member of St. John's Church, will accept the award on his behalf.
For more information and to R.S.V.P. call 718-556-7360.
The Evangelism Committee has been working with Father Chuck to introduce Friendship Tablets to Christ Church. What are those, you may ask? The Friendship Tablet is a device 
which allows both first-time visitors and established parishioners to sign and indicate any needs that they may have. Each pew will have one tablet, which can be passed during the announcements in the worship service.
According to Elizabeth Rankin Geitz, author of Fireweed Evangelism: Christian Hospitality in a Multi-faith World, A friendship tablet has two different purposes: 1) it gives the church an immediate list of first-time guests in attendance that day, and 2) it gives parishioners in each pew a chance to know who the newcomers are and welcome them accordingly.
Friendship tablets will be in the pews for the first time this Sunday. If you have any questions, please speak with Father Chuck, Catherine Barnett, evangelism committee chairperson, or another member of the Evangelism Committee.
Christ Church