AN UPDATED LETTER FROM OUR RECTOR

Transcription

1 AN UPDATED LETTER FROM OUR RECTOR 22 February 2017 Beloved in Christ, On behalf of the Vestry, and Stewardship Commission, I would like to thank all of you who responded generously to our recent letter about the parish s financial position. In the past week, we have made considerable progress in closing the gap for our pledged income. Although our financial outlook has improved significantly from the original deficit of $128,000, we still need $86,000 to close the budget gap. For those of you who have pledged, or have increased your giving, please accept our gratitude for your faithful commitment. If you would still like to make a pledge or increase your giving, please do so as soon as possible. Our finance committee will finalize the budget at the end of the month based on the promised income for Whereas we are hopeful for the parish, the current deficit for 2017 still signals a need to make difficult choices about how we respond to God s call to ministry. It is a great privilege to share in ministry with you. Let us continue to pray for one another. Grace and peace, Ceci PLEDGES $$ PLEDGED COUNT SAME $ 226, DECREASED $ 61, INCREASED $ 258, NEW $ 36, TOTAL RECEIVED $ 582, IMPACT OF CHANGES $$ NEW $ 36, $$ INCREASED $ 55, TOTAL $$ INCREASED $ 91, $$ NOT PLEDGING $ (12,600) 5 $$ LEFT/MOVED $ (3,310) 3 $$ DECREASED $ (56,800) 18 TOTAL $$ DECREASED $ (72,710) 26 NET CHANGES $ 18, ANNUAL PLEDGE STEWARDSHIP 2/23/2017 $$ PLEDGED COUNT 2017 YTD $582, FINAL $601, DIFFERENCE ($19,429) 0 UPDATE AVERAGE ANNUAL PLEDGE 2017 $3, $3,784 DIFFERENCE ($122)

2 SPECIAL EVENTS FOR thru Pancake Supper & Game Night (Parish Hall) Tues., 2-28, 6pm Ash Wednesday services () Wed. 3-1, 7am, 12pm, & 7pm Mindfulness Workshop (Youth Center) Prune & Plant Clean-up (Church grounds) Adult Outing to Gibbs Gardens Sat., 3-4, 10am Sat., 3-4, 9am Sat., 3-4, 8:30am Diocesan Hunger Walk (Turner Field) Sun., 3-5 *N Indicates that childcare is available in the Nursery (enter from the Parish Hall). UPCOMING EVENTS March 8th Lenten Series Begins (Wednesday evenings) March 9th, 10th, 11th & 23rd Pictorial Directory Days March 11th Grounds Clean-Up Day April 9th PALM SUNDAY April 13th MAUNDY THURSDAY April 14th GOOD FRIDAY April 15th EASTER VIGIL April 16th EASTER SUNDAY April 23rd & 30th Newcomers Class THE VESTRY AND CLERGY THANK YOU! PANCAKE SUPPER & GAME NIGHT FEBRUARY 28TH As a THANK YOU to the parish for your outpouring of support to help close the gap in pledges this year, the Vestry and Clergy will be taking over the Pancake Supper on February 28th. Come and enjoy this Shrove Tuesday tradition of indulging in pancakes before Lent begins, when your church leaders will begin by serving you dinner! We ll still have Game Night, too, so bring your favorite board game or cards. It s a night for ALL AGES!. Join us in the Parish Hall from 6pm to 8pm.

3 FOUNDATIONS OF MINDFULNESS Shirley Banks, Spiritual Director, Facilitator Location: Youth Center; March 4, 2017; 10:00am 2:00pm Cost: $10 covers the cost of the speaker and lunch. This workshop provides an introduction to the practice of mindfulness. We will learn skills for noticing three aspects of daily experience: the body, affective responses, and cognitive states. We will begin and close with a meditation on loving kindness. Suitable for beginners, those who are curious, and those with prior familiarity with meditation. Please send your RSVP to Beth Holland in the church office (office@ccnorcross.org) before 5pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, so that we can order enough lunch for all attendees. HUNGER WALK! MARCH 5TH Sign up to be part of the Christ Church Team! Contact Stacy Collins at snc_ga@comcast.net or follow this link to join our team or donate: engage.acfb.org/site/tr/ HungerWalkEpiscopalCharitiesFoundation/ HungerWalk?team_id=34347&pg=team&fr_id= PARISH RETREAT AT CAMP MIKELL The Parish Life Forum is interested in hosting a Parish Retreat at Camp Mikell in the Fall. The focus of this Parish Retreat would be to enjoy the company of our church family in a relaxing atmosphere. Parishioners of all ages are encouraged to hike, enjoy games, or just rest! Available weekends are September and limited weekends in October. In order to reserve lodging, we need an estimate of interested families by Tuesday, February 28th. Depending on the interest, a weekend and down payment would be decided. If you are interested in a Christ Church Parish Retreat, please contact Kristie Bernard at thecure00@hotmail.com or 678/ COFFEE HOUR Coffee Hour is a beloved tradition at Christ Church! It s time to catch up with friends after worship and a chance to make new friends, making newcomers feel at home. We invite you to be part of this wonderful ministry by signing up to provide something to nibble on and juice to drink. If you are interested, sign-up on the sheet located next to the kitchen, or you can contact Deborah Fuller at deborahfuller2016@gmail.com

4 ASH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 SERVICES FOR IMPOSITION OF ASHES Ash Wednesday is March 1, 2017, and you will have 4 opportunities to attend a service at Christ Church: 7:00am, 12:00 noon, and 7:00pm in English and another at 7:00pm in the Youth Center in Spanish. All services will include imposition of ashes and Holy Eucharist. PRIMETIMERS LUNCHEON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 Please join us in the Parish Hall at 12:45pm on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, for our PrimeTimers Lunch. Contact Leslie Wengenroth at gacmcleslie@gmail.com or 404/ if you plan to attend so we can plan the menu All are welcome! 2017 PICTORIAL DIRECTORY We are creating a new pictorial directory through Lifetouch Photography in March We encourage all parishioners to participate in this event. The photo dates are March 9th, 10, 11th, and 23rd. For more information, please contact Bruce Haliburton at bwhallib@comcast.net or 404/ To schedule a picture session, please access this link: FOOD DRIVE FOR NORCROSS COOPERATIVE MINISTRY We are reinvigorating of quarterly food collections for the Norcross Cooperative Ministry (NCM). We will be collecting non-perishable food items during the month of March. Please leave all donations in the breezeway. Items most needed are peanut butter, jelly, canned meat, vegetables, fruit, and soup. There is a special request for gently used crockpots and silverware, too. If you would like to be a part of the food collection team please contact Susie Duke, sdduke@bellsouth.net or NEEDED: SOUND CONTROL VOLUNTEERS Like playing with switches, buttons, and have a decent ear? We need volunteers to manage the sound control for 10:30am Sunday services, and occasional special events. Normally once a month job, with free training, and lots of support and appreciation. Contact Walt Thompson for more information at waltthompson03@aol.com.

5 PARISH GROUNDS CLEAN-UP DAYS Do you have a green thumb or just enjoy playing in the dirt? Christ Church has TWO Grounds Clean-Up days March 4th and March 11th, both beginning at 9:00am. Saturday, March 4th will be hosted by Rita Boughrum and Kristie Bernard and will focus on winter/ spring pruning in the front and back of church. Please bring shears, gloves and a tarp. Families and children are encouraged to attend! Saturday, March 11th will be hosted by the Men's Group and will focus on the gravel lot area behind the church. Specifically, weeding and cleaning up the wood and dirt piles. Specific jobs will be communicated. Please bring gloves, tarp and tools. Easter is just around the corner which means visitors! Prefer to work inside? Parish Hall has indoor jobs for you too! DAUGHTERS OF THE KING When: Thursday, March 16th (6:30pm) Where: Youth Center What: Dinner at 6:30 ($5.00), Meeting begins at 7:00 You are cordially invited to the Grace Chapter of the Order of the Daughters of the King for dinner and a program presented by Sharon Pitman on Effective Prayer Ideas. Would you like to enhance your prayer experience? Please join us for discussion; handouts will be available to assist your prayer exploration. Prayer Stations will also be set up for participants to experience. All interested Christ Church women and their friends are invited to attend. Questions? Contact Cathy Canfield at 678/ or to cathy.canfield22@gmail.com. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS We re shedding light on the who, what, why, and where within our parish. Look for the weekly highlight Q&A to learn more! Question: What does LEVAS mean on the hymn board at the front of the? Answer: LEVAS II (Lift Every Voice And Sing, second volume) is another authorized hymnal for use in the Episcopal Church. These hymnals are located at the end of each pew. The LEVAS hymnals are used in addition to the blue Hymnal 1982, which are located in the pew racks.

6 CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR thru *N Indicates that childcare is available (enter from the Parish Hall) Sunday, :00am Holy Eucharist (in English) 9:15am Choir Rehearsal *N 9:15am Sunday School for all ages *N Youth Center & Ed. Wing 10:30am Children s Chapel Begins in Church 10:30am Holy Eucharist (in English) *N 11:00pm Hispanic First Communion Classes Upper Level Youth Center 11:00am Hispanic Confirmation Class 12:00pm Healing Prayer Team Parlor 12:00pm Hispanic Youth Group 1:00pm Holy Eucharist (in Spanish) *N 2:30pm Know Your Rights Seminar for Hispanics Parish Hall Monday, :30pm Boy Scouts Troop 26 6:30pm Education for Ministry class Tuesday, SHROVE TUESDAY 6:00pm Pancake Supper & Game Night 8:00pm CA Group Meeting Wednesday, ASH WEDNESDAY 7:00am HE & Imposition of Ashes (English) 10:00am Bible Study 12:00pm HE & Imposition of Ashes (English) 6:30pm Christ Center Yoga Class 7:00pm HE & Imposition of Ashes (English) 7:00pm HE & Imposition of Ashes (Spanish) 8:30pm Choir Rehearsal Thursday, :30pm Handbell Quartet Rehearsal 7:00pm Men s Group Trivia Night 7:30pm St. Cecilia Handbell Rehearsal Friday, :30pm CA Group Saturday, :30am Adult Outing 9:00am Grounds Pruning Day 10:00am Mindfulness Workshop Lower Level Youth Center Rm. 114, Ed. Wing Parish Hall Upper Level Youth Center Lower Level, Youth Center Upper Level, Youth Center Parish Hall Iron Horse Tavern Parish Hall Upper Level Youth Center Gibbs Gardens Around Church Bldg. Upper Level Youth Center

7 Sunday, :00am Holy Eucharist (in English) 9:15am Choir Rehearsal *N 9:15am Sunday School for all ages *N Youth Center & Ed. Wing 10:30am Children s Chapel Begins in Church 10:30am Holy Eucharist (in English) *N 10:30am Youth Liturgy, WORD! Upper Level Youth Center 11:00pm Hispanic First Communion Classes Upper Level Youth Center 11:00am Hispanic Confirmation Class 12:00pm Healing Prayer Team Parlor 12:00pm Diocesan Hunger Walk Turner Field 12:00pm Hispanic Youth Group 1:00pm Holy Eucharist (in Spanish) *N 2:15pm Financial Literacy for Hispanics Rm. 115, Ed. Wing Hallway 6:00pm Youth Group Youth Center To see all of the major events in the life of the parish, please visit our website at thru Year to Date ATTENDANCE & DOLLARS SENT s Wednesday 12:00pm 7 # Hours Sunday 8:00am 25 Adult Sunday 10:30am 128 Youth Sunday 1:00pm 110 Child _2 3 Sunday Total: 270 Total Total Offering $11, Total SENTS Recv d 41 YOU th MATTER S! 1st & 3rd Sundays are all about YOU th! 6 th thru 12 th grade are invited to attend, and bring friends! Upcoming are: Feb 28th 6 to 8pm Pancake Supper & Game Night Mar 5th noon 4pm Hunger Walk Mar 19th 6 to 8pm Youth Night of Wii! Apr 2nd 6 to 8pm Movie & Ice Cream Night Apr 22nd 7pm til Apr 23rd am Youth Lock-in 1st Sunday WORD! Camp Mikell Music Youth Center 3rd Sunday Contemporary Worship Youth Led

8 2017 LENTEN SERIES Dates: March 8, 15, 22, and 29, 2017 Wednesday Evening Schedule 6:00pm Dinner (soups and salads) 6:30pm Speaker and Discussion 7:30pm Closing Prayer Location: Parish Hall During the month of March, Christ Church will host its annual Lenten Supper series. This year features a discussion of different religions of the world, specifically, Islam, Taoism, Buddhism, and BAPS Hinduism. Representatives from these world religions, based in Metro Atlanta, will take the platform, followed by a question and answer session. March 8 March 15 March 22 March Photo: Tracey Rice A light meal of soup and salad will be provided by church ministry groups at 6pm each week. Mark your calendars and join us for these Wednesday evenings during the Holy Season of Lent. Please join us for this series and learn more. Edward Ahmed Mitchell from the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Victor Sze, The Tao Temple, Hui Tzi ( wisdom and mercy ), in Suwanee. Terry Sutton will share his experience of Buddhism. Kishore Ramachandran will share his experience of Hinduism. The Rev. Ceci Duke, rector, says that past Lenten programs have been popular and created lively discussions on the topic. We want to make this occasion an invitation for the greater Norcross community to come and hear and participate in these discussions. We welcome all. So, please invite your friends.