This Week at Christ Church 400 Holcomb Bridge Rd. Norcross, Georgia 30071 office@ccnorcross.org; www.ccnorcross.org 770/447-1166; fax 770/300-8730 May 4, 2014 NEW ORGANIST & CHOIRMASTER We are pleased to announce that we have hired Christian Shoen (pronounced Shane ) to be our organist and choirmaster. His first Sunday with us is today, May 4th. His list of qualification is lengthy, so you can read his biography in the May edition of the Communique. We also want to take this opportunity to thank Richard Moore and Robert Tucker who served as our choirmaster and organist over the last 8 months, as well as the Music Search Committee who spent countless hours in discernment to find just the right person for our parish. Please make Christian and his family welcome. HOW DID JUSTIN USE THE OPPORTUNITY HE WAS GIVEN AT NICHOLAS HOUSE? Justin was a 14-year old boy when he and his family came to Nicholas House. His mom suffered from severe depression. Waking up at 5:00am in the mornings, Justin would help to get his three brothers ready for school before leaving for school. He would take two buses to get his High School where he was an honor student. Today, Justin has his Bachelor s Degree in Engineering, and is working on his Master s while gainfully employed. He returned to Nicholas House as a volunteer and is always willing to share his story and give his gratitude to Nicholas House for the opportunity he was given. For further information on how you can help at Nicholas House, please contact Daphne Gary. PRIMETIMER S LUNCHEON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014 Please join us in the Parish Hall for our monthly PrimeTimer's Lunch at 12:45pm, Wednesday, May 7, 2014. Please let us know if you plan to attend by contacting Leslie Wengenroth at 770/495-9103 or 404/324-3694 or e-mail cmleslie@bellsouth.net, so that they can properly plan the lunch menu.
RITES OF PASSAGE FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH Rites of Passage mark moments of learning and accomplishment in our life and commemorate further maturity in our Christian faith. We invite the congregations to be present and participate in these liturgies, affirming and acknowledging these significant milestones in the lives of our children and youth. Last Sunday we celebrated with twelve of our 3rd 6th graders who participated in their 1st Informed Communion (Atrium II). Aidan Bailey Rory Murphy Norville Tristan Dominy Peyton Murphy Norville Emma Friedrichs Alden Pridgen Sarah Friedrichs Mamie Pridgen Gary Gordon Spencer Van Dyke Will Jordan Ashton Wilson Thanks also to the Atrium II Catechists: Misty Wilson & Jenn Jordan. This Sunday, May 4th, 10:30 Worship: Celebration of Adulthood The Rite 13 Liturgy is the liturgical cornerstone of the Journey to Adulthood program. It welcomes teenagers (7th & 8th grade) to the journey of becoming adults and celebrates publicly, in the midst of worship, God s gifts of adulthood, recognizing the holy power of creation that God gives to each of us. Through this liturgy, we affirm the unique and wonderful gifts of each teenager involved: Bronwyn Bailey Demi Lehman Andrew Pridgen Patti Broomfield Mary Grace Manton Dominic Wengenroth Addie Duke Morgan Noil Roni Wengenroth Zoe Gordon Marisa Posmer Thanks also for the dedication of their Youth Leaders: Kathy & Stephen Smith, and Pamela & Ray Russo. SAFEGUARDING GOD S CHILDREN May 4th @ 12:30pm The Rev. Jody Greenwood will provide Safeguarding God s Children training this Sunday, May 4th from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. If you work with children or youth or serve on the Vestry this class is required every three years. If you have not already done so, please contact Jody to register (jgreenwood@ccnorcross.org or call 770/447-1166). Thanks!! LADIES EASTER BONNET TEA! A few EASTER BONNET TEA tickets still available! Call or email Jenn Jordan today at sopjjordan@gmail.com or 404/786-3642) if you'd like a ticket: $15 - adults/ $10 - children.
COMMUNIQUE ARTICLES DEADLINE The deadline for submitting articles for the June issue of the Communique is Saturday, May 10, 2014. All articles should be sent to Judy Moore at newsletter@ccnorcross.org. Thanks. CHRIST CHURCH HEALING PRAYER TEAM We have some parishioners of Christ Church who are members of the Order of St. Luke, which is a healing prayer ministry. They will be available to those who would like healing prayer at the 10:30am service during communion and immediately after the service in the Parlor. For more information, contact Sharon Pitman at s_pitman@charter.net. INTERNATIONAL WINE TASTING & FOOD EVENT CANCELLED For reasons beyond our control, the 2014 International Wine Tasting and Food Event, scheduled for Saturday, May 10, 2014, has been cancelled. We hope to bring this event back to the parish in the Fall, so stay tuned for updates. Thank you for understanding. MEN S SPRING HIKE The Men s Group will be going on a hike Saturday morning, May 3, 2014. Last year many of us had a great time exploring Sweetwater Creek Park west of Atlanta. This year we will meet in the church parking lot at 8:00am (return by 1:00pm) and carpool only 29 miles to Sawnee Mountain Preserve in Forsyth County for a 4-mile loop hike on ancient Indian lands past an old gold mine to a panoramic 270- degree overlook. BYO hydration. And survivors get free lunch (as the saying goes Some days you get the bear and some days the bear gets you). Coordinator Rick Waxweiler can be reached at 770/500-0448 or campwax@gmail.com. For more info: www.sawneemountain.org/ and www.georgiatrails.com/gt/indian_seats_trail. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN THRIFT SHOP The Thrift Shop is in need of volunteers to work 3-hour shifts, from 10:00am until 12:30pm or from 12:30pm until 3:00pm, or until the last customer leaves. The days of operation are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. If you can donate at least one shift a month, twice a month, once a week, or more, it would be greatly appreciated. With Spring and Summer upon us, we have received many donations that need to be sorted, tagged, priced, and displayed. For more information, please contact our manager, Ivonne Obelar, at 770/447-1166 ext. 230, or e-mail to thriftshop@ccnorcross.org, or call her cell number at 770/895-4712. Thanks.
PATH TO SHINE SEEKS ADDITIONAL MENTORS FOR THE FALL Path to Shine is a program at Christ Church, Norcross, in which mentors tutor students from our Hispanic congregation each Sunday during the school year. We have fun group activities with special speakers, too. Our Fall session will begin on Sunday, September 14th, and we are looking for additional mentors! The ratio of mentors to students is 1:2. Anyone who loves helping children have hope for the future and can attend the PTS sessions from 12:15-1:30pm on Sundays is welcome to apply. Mentors must go through the Safeguarding God s Children workshop (held throughout the Diocese) and the Path to Shine training to be held on Saturday, August 16th, from 9am until 2pm at St. Benedict s Episcopal Church in Smyrna. Mentors also must go through a background check. If you are interested in becoming a mentor or are interested in learning more about the PTS program, please contact Karen Swenson by July 1 st at cranberry74@earthlink.net or call 770-476-9619. NEWCOMER S 101 CLASSES If you are new to Christ Church or someone who would just like to know more about us, we would like to extend an invitation to you to attend our next series of classes offered to newcomers, CC-101, to help you become more familiar with our Parish, its traditions, its many activities, and groups. The remaining two classes will be held in the Parlor (located behind the stained glass windows in the Narthex) from 9:15am 10:15am. May 4th, Our Rector, Ceci Duke, would like to get to know you better and will discuss the history and the traditions of the Episcopal Church; May 11th, no class due to Mother s Day Car Wash; and May 18th, Various committee chairs and Vestry members will give overviews of their activities, groups, and forums. Please plan to attend any or all of the sessions if you want to learn more about our parish offerings and programs. If you plan to attend or have any questions, contact Beth Holland, our Parish Administrator, at 770/447-1166 or send an e-mail to office@ccnorcross.org. We look forward to seeing you at our Christ Church Newcomer's CC-101 classes. CHILDREN S MUSIC OFFERINGS God gives us many gifts, and one is the gift of music! The children of Christ Church have offered their gifts of music as part of both the Good Friday (Chimers) and Easter Sunday services (Children s Choir and Chimers). There will also be music offerings by children on May 11th, Mother s Day, at the 10:30 worship service. We invite all to come and enjoy what God has provided. Special thanks to Lindsay Patten, Carol Brocksmith, Richard Moore, and all involved in these offerings!
TEACHER APPRECIATION May 18th 9:15 to 10:15 am Although the last day of Sunday School is May 11th, please join for a THANK YOU Breakfast honoring those who have taught and lead Sunday classes for all members of our parish during the 2013-2014 school year! Breakfast will be provided in the Parish Hall between 9:15 and 10:15, so come, share a meal and give a word of gratitude to these individuals who give so much of themselves for enrichment of our spiritual life and that of our children and youth! SALVATION ARMY BAND IN CONCERT ON MAY 18, 2014 A concert by the brass band of the Lawrenceville Corps of the Salvation Army will be held May 18th at 5pm at Christ Church. The Corps band will present a varied program of well-known Christian music. The concert is open to all without charge. The band members, who normally play each Sunday at the Lawrenceville Salvation Army church, is composed of musicians from ages 11 to 80. Many are not trained musicians, while others have been schooled in music. All have fulltime jobs apart from their band volunteerism. Their activities are similar to being in a church choir. The bandmaster is Nick Simmons-Smith, 39, a native of Chelmsford, England (near London), who immigrated to this country about 15 years ago. He and his wife, Roberta, a former Canadian, are with the Southern Territory of the Salvation Army in Atlanta. Simmons-Smith is responsible for all the music of the Southeastern United States, while his wife is creative director for the Territory. Simmons-Smith says of the upcoming concert: The program will be fun. People not used to a brass band may think the music will be loud, but we are used to playing in a church, and with the use of cornets, not trumpets, that makes for a more mellow sound, and an overall a more musically appealing experience. The band usually appears in concert at outdoor ministries, at churches or at nursing homes about once a month. For further information, call the church office at 770/447-1166. SUMMER MASH-UP = VBS KID S NIGHT OUT This summer we re starting something new at Christ Church! We will be merging the structure and content of Vacation Bible School with the timing and energy of Kid s Night Out to create: VBS KID S NIGHT OUT! So, mark your calendar for Wednesday evenings beginning June 11th through July 30th and stay tuned for more information in the weeks ahead!
SPOTLIGHT ON RAINBOW VILLAGE The mission of Rainbow Village is to transform lives for homeless families with children of North Metro Atlanta through a community based transitional housing program that promotes selfsufficiency. Upcoming opportunities to know more and provide support; please sign up in the Parish Hall: May 5 th Golf Classic Sugarloaf Country Club, sign up a foursome or as an individual May 18 th Campus Tour Come hear the story and see the progress we ve made Gratitude - The staff and families of Rainbow Village are very grateful for the ongoing prayers and financial support from this parish. CHEERLEADING IS BACK! Christ Church is once again sponsoring this wonderful ministry for girls this fall. We will be collaborating with the Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders & sponsoring three squads in their Impact program. This program is similar to Upward Sports in that it seeks to minister through the sport of competitive cheer, fostering character building, selfesteem and a relationship with Christ. The girls spend the first 3 months learning a fast moving, highly synchronized routine. They then perform the routine at competitions throughout metro Atlanta that are sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders. Throughout the season the girls pray together at every practice, create devotionals for one another and participate in praise and worship together as a squad at the competitions. The Impact Competitive Cheer Program is one of the fastest growing Christian sports programs around. The girls on the Christ Church squads will practice at our church and at Simpsonwood Methodist. Through this collaboration with Simpsonwood, we will be able to offer this ministry to girls in grades 1-6. If you have a girl who is interested, please contact Misty Wilson at mistyden@comcast.net for more information on fees, practice times, and additional details. Registration will begin on May 2, and evaluations will be held on May 17. Please respond quickly. Since there is a lot of interest in the community, the squads will fill quickly. We are also looking for coaches to work with the squads. No experience is necessary; there will be experienced coaches to guide you. Please contact Misty is you would like to help in this wonderful ministry.
SAVE THE DATES FOR 2014!! May 4th Rite 13 Liturgy 4th Easter Bonnet Tea 4th Safeguarding God s Children Training Class 7th PrimeTimer s Lunch 11th J2A Mother s Day Car Wash 18th Youth Sunday & Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day 18th Rainbow Village Campus Tour 18th Salvation Army Concert June 8th Pentecost Sunday 10th Norcross Co-op Vacation Bible School Night 11th Kid s VBS Night Out begins! 12-22 J2A Pilgrimage to Iona, Scotland 24th Norcross Co-op Vacation Bible School Night 26th Life Line Screening July 12th Norcross Co-op Vacation Bible School Day August 15/16 Christ Church Players Summer Show September 6-18 Trip to Jerusalem 7th Parish Picnic 19-21 Parish Retreat at Camp Mikell October 18th Halloween for Haiti 24th Fall Mission trip to Haiti November 16th Annual Red Cross Blood Drive NORCROSS CO-OP MINISTRY VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Again this year we will be taking the message and love of Jesus Christ to the community at Norcross Cooperative Ministry! We will be providing Vacation Bible School (VBS) on the evenings of Tuesday, June 10th & 24th from 6:00 to 8:00pm and on Saturday, July 12th from 10:00am to noon. Volunteers of all ages will be needed, so keep an eye out for sign-up sheets in the Parish Hall beginning in May. ALL ARE WELCOME!
NORCROSS MAYOR S BOOK CLUB & NORCROSS CLUSTER SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP IN STORE on Saturday, May 3, 2014 from 9am to 10pm. Barnes & Noble at The Forum 5141 Peachtree Parkway Norcross, GA We need volunteers for May 3rd to greet people at the Barnes & Noble Book Fair/Drive. Contact Elaine Fuerst to volunteer. Buy a book on our schools' reading lists and donate to the Mayor's Book Club. B&N has reading lists. Buy Books, toys and other gifts for Mother's Day BOOKS FOR K-2 ARE STILL NEEDED! Use Code #11355435 and percentage of your purchase goes to the Mayor's Book Club. Code is good throughout the U.S. from May 3 through May 15. Tell all your friends and family. Share on Facebook! Mayor s Book Club begins June 6 and ends July 16. ALSO Online at BN.COM/bookfairs Shop 5/3/14 through 5/15/14 Proceeds benefit the Norcross Mayor s Book Club Bookfair ID#11355435 (U.S.-wide online) New To BN.COM? Simply set up a new account when you are ready to check out. Check box at bottom of payment page to indicate order is part of a book fair. Type in Bookfair ID. Already have an account? On Checkout page, go to Payment Tab and click change button on upper right of the tab so that it expands into a full payment page. Check box at bottom of payment page to indicate order is part of a Bookfair. Type in the Bookfair ID. In-store checkout. Prior to checkout, please give the cashier the Bookfair ID
Graduating Seniors During our May 18th Youth Sunday/Teacher Appreciation day, we will be honoring all graduating seniors of High School, Colleges and Universities (Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorates). If you would like your graduating Senior included in this article, please complete the information form below and return to it to The Rev. Jody Greenwood at the church office or e-mail the same information to jgreenwood@ccnorcross.org, no later than Monday, May 12, 2014. If you have any questions, please call her at the church office 770/447-1166 ext. 227. Name School (High School, College, or University) Degree seeking (if graduating high school) College / University Degree Earned Plans after graduating (i.e. what college are you planning to attend, what occupation are you planning to follow, further education, etc.)
PARISH RETREAT AT CAMP MIKELL, SEPTEMBER 19-21, 2014 Mark your calendars for the Christ Church Fall Parish Retreat in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains. Camp Mikell, in Toccoa, is a special place for renewal and relaxation, and we are planning a weekend that will be fun and memorable. Our retreat will be led by Jim Anderson and Carol Shores- Anderson from Black Mountain, NC. Jim and Carol specialize in theatre and dramatic presentations, bringing spiritual matters to life! Acts of Renewal Theatre to Delight the Soul. John and I saw them perform while on vacation last Summer in SC and were amazed at their talent. For a preview of what we will be experiencing, go to www.actsofrenewal.com. This will be a family retreat and activities for children will be offered. Information for lodging at Camp Mikell to follow. For questions, contact Leslie Freeman at Lsfreeman10@comcast.net SCENES FROM EASTER SUNDAY
YOUTH GROUP SUNDAY AFTERNOON / EVENING May 4th Rite 13 10:30 Worship Rite 13 Liturgy May 11th 8 am to 1 pm Mother s Day Car Wash! May 18th 8am to 1 pm Children & Youth Sunday MOTHER S DAY CAR WASH! Bring your pollen-covered cars to Christ Church on May 11th, Mother s Day, and while you re in church, the YOUTH will make them sparkling clean! Donations help fund the J2A Pilgrimage trips, so BRING ALL THE CARS YOU HAVE!! Tell your friends, too, because ALL ARE WELCOME! CHILDREN & YOUTH SUNDAY MAY 18TH On Sunday, May 18th, the children and youth will serve in the worship leader roles at Christ Church, including: Ushers, Greeters, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Preacher you get the idea! If you are a young person (toddler to 12th grade) in our congregation, please be on the look-out for sign-up sheets for this day! If you are no longer a young person in age, yet young at heart, please join us for worship on May 18th and share in this wonderful offering.
THE WEEK OF 5-4-14 THROUGH 5-11-14 Sun., 5-4-14 8:00am Holy Eucharist 9:15am Adult Christian Ed. Classes Ed. Wing & Mod. 1 9:15am Children s Sunday School Ed. Wing 9:15am Newcomers Class Parlor 10:15am Children s Worship & Music Ed. Wing 10:30am Holy Eucharist w/rite 13 Liturgy 12:00am Healing Prayer Team Parlor 12:30pm Safeguarding God s Children class Library, Mod. 1 1:00pm Holy Eucharist (Spanish) 4:00pm Easter Bonnet Tea Upper level Youth Center Mon., 5-5-14 10:00am Spiritual Direction for Young Parents Rector s office 6:30pm EFM classes Rm. 115, Ed, Wing Hallway 7:00pm Adult Christian Ed. Comm. mtg. Parlor Wed., 5-7-14 10:00am Bible Study Rm. 107, Ed. Wing 12:00pm Healing & Holy Eucharist service 12:45pm PrimeTimer s Lunch Parish Hall 5:00pm Meditation & Centering Prayer Rm. 106, Ed. Wing Sun., 5-11-14 8:00am Holy Eucharist 8:00am J2A Mother s Day Car Wash. Outside 9:15am Adult Christian Ed. Classes Ed. Wing & Mod. 1 9:15am Children s Sunday School Ed. Wing 10:15am Children s Worship & Music Ed. Wing 10:30am Holy Eucharist w/holy Baptism 12:00pm Healing Prayer Team Parlor 1:00pm Holy Eucharist (Spanish) April 23, 2014 thru April 27, 2014, Attendance & Offerings Wednesday, 12:00pm 9 Sunday, 8:00am 24 Sunday, 10:30am 166 Sunday, 1:00pm 103 Total Offering $7,203.67