A People With Vision Have Hope

Transcription

1 January 2019 A People With Vision Have Hope ARE YOU COMING? One of the time honored traditions of our family is to, at some point in the Christmas season, watch the Polar Express. As many of you know the movie depicts a number of children being selected to board the Polar Express train headed for the North Pole on Christmas Eve. It is here that they receive a very intimate view and understanding of how Santa and the Elves get it done for the big day! Of course the movie is meant for entertainment purposes only, however, I am always taken at the many examples it gives of the Christian journey. For example, while there are many children aboard the train, the movie focuses mostly on three who have very different understandings of what Christmas is all about. One is on the fence where Santa is concerned. He used to believe, but lately has been doing his homework and has some serious doubts about the viability of the whole Santa package. Another has deep respect for the season and doesn t appear to waver in her belief only in her ability to navigate through life with confidence. The final young boy comes from what appears to be an impoverished home situation and expresses how Christmas just doesn t work out for him. He boards the train but sits by himself in a different car from the rest something he has probably done most of his life. Throughout the movie you witness a miracle of sorts as they become aware of who they really are and how belief and friendship mix to create the best life one could hope for. While they are on the same train, they have different needs and therefore different things need to be accomplished in their lives. But is clear that despite the diversity, they need each other to find belief, affirmation, and place in life. The movie begins with the conductor asking each one the same question, Well, are you coming? Inherent in the question is an invitation to join in on a journey. They board the train not exactly sure of the way to their destination, but nonetheless, they give themselves fully to the care of the conductor who keeps the train moving and on time. At the end of the movie the conductor says to the boy with all the doubts, One thing about trains, it doesn t matter where they re going, it s deciding to get on! I believe we enter the Epiphany season hearing Christ echo the invitation of the train conductor, Well, are you coming? In Matthew s gospel Jesus begins his ministry by calling Simon and Peter with the simple words, Come, follow me (Matthew 4:19). It s a very simple invitation, but inherent in these three words is a deeper question, a question that goes something like, Do you trust that I will take you somewhere and accomplish something profound in and through your life? As the children in the movie were diverse in their needs, personalities and gifting s, so were Simon and Peter, and so are you and I. We are different people with different needs, and hopes and dreams. All on the same journey but needing God to work in personal and specific ways. Some needing encouragement and affirmation, some needing to find meaning and place in life, and others needing renewed faith and hope in a God that they struggle to get their mind around. All of us needing each other! My prayer, as we enter 2019 is that we will give ourselves a chance to hear that question and respond willingly by joining God and each other on the journey of a lifetime! Are you coming? Many Blessings in Christ, Fr. Steve

2 January

3 January Epiphany Celebration January 6th at 5:30 pm Service of Light Chili Supper Christmas Tree Bonfire Roasting Marshmallows Sing-a-Long Friends and neighbors are welcome!!

4 January Mon 7 Tue Wed DOK 6:30 pm Annual State of the Parish Meeting & Potluck Vestry Meeting 7 pm Sat 2 DOK 6:00 pm 14 Fri 1 Men s Ministry Chuck Knox home 6:00 pm 13 Thu Women's Bible Study: 10:15 am/noon Eucharist Sun Ladies of Grace Working Lunch 11:00 am Intercessory Prayer 7:00 p.m. 17 Ladies of Grace HUM Sandwiches 9:00 am Prayer Garden Meeting 11:00 20 ULTREYA St. Barnabas DeLand Grandparents Ministry 6:00 pm The Parish Administrator s office will be closed from January 15th through the 25th and will be open from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. January 28th through the 31st. Regular hours will resume in February Thank you for your patience & understanding. EVENTS SUNDAY SERVICES 7:30 and 10:00 am CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 8:45 am FAITH PLAY 10:00 am Have you visited our Facebook page for current events, news & announcements TUESDAYS: Music Ministry 7 pm Dan Murray on WAPN 91.5 The first and third Thursday of every month from 9:30-11:00 am. In support of the Christian Healing Center Next Month Worship Service Daytona International Speedway February 10th 10:30 a.m. Gates open at 10 a.m. (Additional information on page 15)

5 January The Church of the Holy Child bus will be available for transportation! A sign-up sheet will be posted prior to the event. Please make every effort to attend this momentous event!

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7 January rd David Dodge 6th Ava Loguidice 12th Eric Robbins 13th Lois Freebourn 14th Richard Lohmann 16th Don Dickson 20th MaryAnn Jones 21st Lucy Allan 27th Audrey Lohmann 15th Richard delancy & Antonette Williams Dear Holy Child, Thank you so much for the cards and gifts received at the Clergy Appreciation function. I deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness and love. Both Roxy and I are grateful to be here worshipping among you. Tyrrel Dear+

8 January All ladies are invited and encouraged to attend! Please bring family, friends and neighbors with you! We will begin discussing our plans for 2019 which include: Regular bimonthly evening meetings for greater inclusion of all ladies in the parish family in planning activities and events Spring picnic at Washington Oaks Holy Land Experience around Easter Daytona Playhouse events St. Augustine/San Sebastian Wine Tour & Lunch What are thoughts and ideas from your bucket list? Share them at our meetings! Bring a brown bag lunch and drink!

9 January 2019 Thank you Mary Ann for hosting our annual Christmas party at the Ormond Heritage. Food and fun was had by all. Of course we include Ministry in everything we do, assembling gift bags for the Angel Tree caregivers. A special thanks for Madelyn doing a tribute of remembrance for our own Barbara and Pat whom we've lost this year and will always hold dear to our hearts. May 2019 be a beautiful year of spiritual growth and good health to our entire church family. Looking forward to what God has for us. Peace to all. Ellie Hearn 9 We have wonderful news from Chris and Jenna, our oldest son, and his wife, that we may finally share! First, a little background: Chris grew up here at Church of the Holy Child. We moved to Ormond Beach in 1990, and joined CHC when he was just four years old, and Matthew was two. Through those years, many of our members helped to nurture their walks with Christ: Fr. Joe and Catherine Maher, Fr. Comforted and Judy Keen, Rich and Audrey Lohmann, The Clements, The Winns, the Sullivans, Jerry Frisbie, Davis s, Biggs, Lenox, Golovichs, Knights, Cobbs, Miss Vivian, and many many more, too numerous to mention! Through Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Acolyte ministry, grounds cleanup days, foyer group dinners, mission trips, and even a Promise Keepers Retreat, you helped guide them and show them how to be good husbands, fathers, and servants of Christ. You were there for them, when they needed someone to talk to (for those times when mom and dad, just don t understand!) and to lead them through your example and life experiences. We are grateful for your prayers, example, wisdom, service, and love, through the years, which helped form our young boys into Godly men! Now, they are both married to wonderful Christian women, and have careers which have taken them far away. Matt and Casey have settled in North Carolina, where Matt is a Prosthetist/ Orthotist in a hospital in Asheville. Chris s career with Chick-fil-A has taken him to Illinois, and Ohio, and more recently, to Estero, in southwest Florida, where he has been the owner/operator of a unit there for eight years. We are proud of them both! And now, we are grateful and blessed to find out that Chris has been chosen to lead the Chick-fil-A on International Speedway Blvd. in Daytona Beach! This is an amazing opportunity for him. And, we are grateful that he and Jenna and their little ones, James (5) and Elizabeth (4) will be living close by again! God s provision is indeed amazing! Please keep them in prayer during this transition. We are so happy and blessed beyond measure! Mark and Cindy

10 January The nominees were given four (4) questions to answer to help the parish family prayerfully discern who will best represent the church and their interests when they cast their ballots on January 13th during the Annual State of the Parish Meeting. You must be present to cast a ballot. There will be three (3) incoming Vestry members to fill the vacancies left by Senior Warden June Rhodes, former Junior Warden Selvyn Byfield and Risk Management specialist Jeannie Norcia. Robert Bob Allan 1. What is your "faith story? How did you come to know and love the Lord? When I graduated high school in 1969, I was deployed to Japan with the US Army. My faith had me trusting in the Lord to guide me, and do the job I was assigned to. 2. Share one particular blessing you have had as a result of worship at Church of the Holy Child. My personal blessing are the members of the Church. After I made my Cursillo in Feb. 2017, I was invited to join the Men's Ministry. Great group of guys. 3. I think an important challenge to the parish is... Expanding our membership, by getting new members into the congregation. 4. As a vestry member I would do the following to address that challenge... I would to establish a children's/student ministry, so that young people could come to know and love Jesus, as they mature in age. Jean Dickson WHAT IS MY FAITH STORY. HOW DID I COME TO KNOW AND LOVE THE LORD? I ve always known there was a God and I grew up loving him and knowing He loved me. He was like a Santa Claus. I d make my list of wants and needs and give them to him through prayer and expected they would not only be fulfilled, but the way I wanted them fulfilled. I was at times joyous and then there were times I was disappointed and even angry when I didn t get my way. When I decided (or rather God decided) that I should go to a Cursillo weekend, that was my game changer my Ah Hah Moment when my relationship with my Lord and Savior changed It was not all about me!!!. I have realized He wants me to be a servant for Him and to serve as He leads and guides me on His path.

11 January Jean Dickson (continued) SHARE A PARTICULAR PERSONAL BLESSING YOU HAVE HAD AS A RESULT OF WORSHIPPING AT CHC? My personal blessing was the first Sunday my husband and I attended CHC and the warmth and inclusiveness I felt not as a stranger dropping in for a visit but this was where I belonged. AN IMPORTANT CHALLENGE TO CHC: I feel an important challenge of CHC is to work on getting our expenses more in line with our income while also helping members find an area they can use their unique gift and talent. REMEMBER everyone at CHC has a gift and/or talent given to us by our Lord to be used for His Glory. WAYS TO ADDRESS THAT CHALLENGE: If elected to the Vestry I would seek ways to strengthen the lines of communication within the parish. As an individual Vestry member, I pray to be open to listen to parishioners and be open minded and discern God s direction. Brenda George (1) What is your Faith story? How did you come to know and love the Lord? I am not a cradle Episcopalian nor did I have the privilege of even regular church attendance as a child, but my love of our Lord has always been profoundly deep and trusting. I remember at the age of seven seeing a vision of Jesus reading to children under a tree. At that instant I felt His love and protection wash over me. I am the eldest of ten children from a rural area in Maine. Growing up was a challenge as we were the poorest of the poor. My siblings and I endured extreme poverty as well as homelessness. Yet, for as long as I can remember I have felt and continue to feel the comforting reassuring presence of the Lord with me. Ultimately my siblings and I were placed within the foster care system. I know without a doubt, my deep love and faith that the Lord loves me helped me to endure and transcend these hardships. This love shaped me into the person I am today. (2) Share one particular personal blessing you have had as a result of worshipping at Church of the Holy Child. There are a multitude of blessings that I could share. First and foremost the miracle of Alpha introduced me to Church of the Holy Child along with the intense unconditional love of this parish family. This amazing family patiently taught me about Holy Spirit and how to follow His Grace. These blessings brought about a closeness with my husband that I know is God given. While following His Grace and learning to listen to Holy Spirit I was blessed with the gift of being allowed to feed thousands of needy families. Now, I look forward to what Holy Spirit has in store through me for the good of CHC!

12 January Brenda George (continued) (3) I think an important challenge to the parish is.? An important challenge to the parish is...willingness to accept "growth". Thinking beyond just numbers. (4) As a vestry member I would do the following to address that challenge. Many of you know that through my willingness to accept Holy Spirit's Grace I formed a not for profit organization. This organization grew successfully for a number of years. Now, I feel the same strong pull of Holy Spirit's profound strength and grace when it comes to myself and addressing the growth of CHC.! I firmly believe that utilizing the extensive techniques I learned that propelled the organization forward will be a beneficial ingredient toward the growth of CHC both physically and spiritually. I have developed an outline that I believe will result in growth in numbers as well as a spiritual sense of well being within our parish family. It is reasonable to believe it is imperative to promote good works that will give a "push" to the name "Church of the Holy Child" making this holy place a sanctuary that the community seeks out as a source of His grace through the love of the Holy Spirit. Robert Robbie Harlow (1) What is your faith story? How did you come to know and love the Lord? I have always had a good relationship with God and Jesus. I fell away from the church in my mid twenties and found my way back here in Church of the Holy Child. I feel closer to the church than ever. (2) Share one particular personal blessing you have had as a result of worshipping at Church of the Holy Child Very easy question! Cursillo!!!! Also the relationships I have built with Father Steve and the men's ministry, the music ministry, and my grouping family. (3) I think an important challenge to the parish is. Financial stability and doing everything possible to curb expenses. (4) As a vestry member I would do the following to address that challenge. As a former business owner, I would look at the current budget and try to find items to change or condense that will not effect the mission of Holy Child.

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14 January During the last year, starting just before the beginning of one of the hottest summers we ve had in a long time, the Men s Group of Holy Child found themselves busy clearing a path through the well overgrown woods that surround our church. Why? You might ask. Well, it s complicated. You see, ideas morph. It started as a prayer garden and labyrinth which was introduced by the, Ladies of Grace and as we began clearing areas for a possible prayer garden we came up with the idea for our, Walk of Peace. The walk of peace will be a comfortable trail through the woods that surround our church. It will have rest stations at different points along the trail. At these stations there will be comforting Bible passages, like: Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 and also instructions on stress reduction techniques, like deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. At the end of the path there will be a labyrinth with suggestions for a peaceful journey. Like a true labyrinth it will end where it began. At its most basic level the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are. Then, as you walk back along the same path you will see it from a new perspective and there will be signs that lift you up like, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Philippians 1:6 and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 You will be guided to exit the path at an entrance to the prayer garden which is going to be made with the help of The Ladies of Grace. There you may sit and contemplate your journey of peace and thank God in silent prayer. We stopped working on our project because of the heat, and then Thanksgiving and Christmas were upon us before we knew it and we found ourselves doing the busy holiday projects like the Ormond Beach parade float and Breakfast with Santa. It is our intention to complete this project this spring. In these high stress days where it seems like anxiety and anger are on the rise we feel that our Walk of Peace could become a vital tool in finding peace among the chaos of our daily lives. We are building this path for our church with the hope that it will be shared by our community at large. Starting in the new year beginning on Saturdays from 8:00am until 10:00am we will revive this project. Anyone who wants to help at any phase, for however long, is welcome and appreciated. - Just a Thought - Jim Clements

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16 January Do you have some really good ideas you would like to see implemented? Pet peeves that you think you have a solution for? Problem areas no one has addressed? Are you an out of the box thinker? Do you tend to act now and beg forgiveness later or would you rather follow the guidelines? Do you know the guidelines? Depending on the problem there is someone on your Vestry who is responsible. If you aren t certain who has responsibility then take your concern to the Senior Warden or any Vestry member. Remember your Vestry is elected by the parish family to represent the parish family. If it has to do with the building (inside and outside) trash, paint, the driveway, the church bus, you would want to address your concern to the Junior Warden. If your concern centers around a safety issue the Risk Management point of contact would be your first stop. If you aren t satisfied or haven t had your problem/solution, ideas or concerns addressed to adequately satisfy you or your ministry, then please contact the Parish office and ask to have voice at the next Vestry Meeting. The wrong way is to mutter, complain or take it directly to the rector without allowing leadership to listen and explain why (or why not) they can (or cannot) assist you or allow you to implement an idea. Once you have followed every path given to you and still want to pursue your idea, solution, or complaint or you are not satisfied with the answers you were give; then please make an appointment to see Fr. Pessah and discuss the issue(s) with him privately and tell him what avenues you have already tried. Communication is key to success.

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18 January See our members only Facebook page for additional photos

19 January See our members only Facebook page for additional photos

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23 January The 2019 Vestry approved budget is included in The Parish Vision in order to give every CHC member adequate time to review it carefully and to carefully prepare any questions or concerns prior to the Annual State of the Parish Meeting. If you care to discuss this before the meeting please contact Lisa Miller at (386)

24 January Church of the Holy Child 1225 W. Granada Blvd. Ormond Beach, FL President Stephen M. Pessah+: Senior Warden June Rhodes: Junior Warden Jim Clements: (386) Vestry Selvyn Byfield : (386) Michael DeLong: (386) Stephen Knight, M.D: (386) Jeannie Norcia: Thalia Smith: (340) Clerk: MaryAnn Jones Sr. Warden Emeritus: Cathleen Hayes Treasurer: Lisa Miller MISSION To transform the world through Jesus Christ one heart at a time. CHURCH OF THE HOLY CHILD OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. PHONE: FAX: admin@churchoftheholychild.org WEB SITE: SUNDAY SERVICES: 7:30 am & 10:00 am Christian Education 8:45 a.m. Nursery and Faith Play at 10:00 a.m. STAFF: Rector - Stephen M. Pessah+ Retired Associate - Tyrrel Dear + Deacon - Mallene Stowe Parish Administrator - Jennifer Lutterbie Bishop - The Right Reverend Gregory O. Brewer Assistant Bishop - The Right Reverend Dorsey Henderson