1Christ Episcopal Church 2011

2

Since our beginning in 1820 as Charlottesville’s first church, Christ Episcopal Church has proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ. Each week we hope to communicate the love of God summarized so powerfully by St. Paul in his letter to the Romans: “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This gospel message is for one and all and is the foundation of our life at Christ Church.Because of His love for us in Jesus Christ, we know that God AL-WAYS cares. God is always ready to listen. God wants you to tell Him everything – no detail is too small. As we read in 1 Peter, God asks that we cast our cares on Him, because He cares for us.

This annual manual is designed to help you navigate your way through the life of Christ Church. We hope this will help you find your place within our community and get to know what is hap-pening here.

Please know that we at Christ Church are here to serve you. Ever Yours,Paul

Paul and Christie WalkerPhoto Courtesy Cramer Photography

Welcome to christ church

3

Christ Episcopal Church Physical Address: 120 W. High St.Mailing Address/ Church Office:100 W. Jefferson St. 22902Phone: 434-293-2347 Fax: 434-977-1227Email: cec@christchurchcville.orgWeb: www.christchurchcville.org

Membership at Christ ChurchIf you are already a confirmed Episcopalian, we can write to the church where your record resides and request a Letter of Trans-fer.  If you are not an Episcopalian we have classes in the spring for new members.  If you are Catholic or Lutheran, you can be re-ceived into the Episcopal Church.  You may also reaffirm your faith as an Episcopalian.  The Bishop comes to confirm new members at the 11 a.m. service Sunday, March 25, 2012.  For more information contact Paul Walker or Dave Johnson.  To request a Letter of Trans-fer contact Lyn Gunsalus in the Christ Church office at 293-2347 or lyn@christchurchcville.org.

Sunday Service Times:7:45 am Rite One Communion9:00 am Rite Two Communion11:00 am Rite One Communion (2nd and 4th Sunday: Morning Prayer with Communion)5:00 pm Rite One Communion6:00 pm Dinner

4

Staff and Vestry of Christ Church

Staff of Christ Episcopal Church(Not Pictured: Donna Murray and Hannah Byrd)

Rector The Rev. Paul N. Walker paul@christchurchcville.orgAssociate Rector The Rev. Dr. David A. Johnson dave@christchurchcville.orgYoung Adult/College Minis-ter/Licensed Lay PreacherDavid W. F. Zahl dz@christchurchcville.orgYouth Ministers Liz Edrington liz@christchurchcville.orgRoss Byrd ross@christchurchcville.orgHannah Byrd hannah@christchurchcville.orgChildren’s Ministers Christie Walker, Kemp Hill, kids@christchurchcville.orgMary Boyce Hicksmbh@christchurchcville.org

Music MinistersSam Bush samuelpbush@gmail.comEmily Guffey emilywilliamsguffey@gmail.com Alice Laymanalice@christchurchcville.orgSarah Kennedy sarah@christchurchcville.orgFacilities ManagerAl LovingHospitality MinisterDonna Murray donna@christchurchcville.orgParish AdministratorMarcy Hooker marcy@christchurchcville.orgOffice Administrator Lyn Gunsalus lyn@christchurchcville.orgUrban MissionerJosh Bascombascom.josh@gmail.com

5

Mike Sadler, Senior Warden (mike.p.sadler@gmail.com)Bill Blodgett, Junior Warden Jo Gitchell, Register Dale Varga, TreasurerJill BascomKathy Brust Stewart CraigJohn Desmond

The VestryJudy Drayer Punkie FeilJo GitchellJoe JenningsJay JoseyCharlie OwenBill Sublette Nelson (Tee) Teague Anne Worrell

Christmas Eve candlelight servicePhoto Courtesy Rob Garland

The Fellows Addie Jenkinsaddiejenkins@gmail.comEthan Richardsonethankrichardson@gmail.com

Win Prattjwpratt@gmail.comLuke Wilsonlukewilliamwilson8@gmail.com

6

Worship at Christ Church

AcolytesWe have a team of youth acolytes who assist the clergy during the 9:00 and 11:00 Sunday services, as well as other services such as Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Christmas Eve.  Acolytes, usually 5th to 12th graders,  lead the procession, light candles, help set the table for Holy Communion, etc.  For more informa-tion, contact Dave Johnson.

Altar Guild Preparing the Lord’s table is a wonderful way to serve the Church.The sacred vessels and linens, the candles and flowers transform both the worship space and those who take loving care of them. We have four teams, each responsible for one week per month, with occasional fifth Sundays rotated among the teams. We have opportunities to share the joy of weddings and honor the faithful departed as well. There are also the special times in the Church year when all guild members come together to share liturgy with the Rector and adorn the Church for Christmas and Easter servic-es. For more information, please contact Anne Dodge at Jld4fshs@aol.com.

SUNDAY SERVICES

The 5 o’clock service , in Meade Hall during renovation.

7

Lectors and Chalicers Lectors and Chalicers--At the 7:45, 9:00, and 11:00 Sunday morn-ing services we have a team of adults who  serve during the worship services.  Lectors read scripture passages and lead the prayers, and chalicers serve the wine at Holy Communion.  For more information, contact Dave Johnson.

UshersUshering is an ideal way to serve the church, get to know people, and become an integral part of the Sunday services. It’s also a great way to introduce children to the joys and responsibilities of volunteering. In many cases, multiple family members serve to-gether on an individual team.

Ushers are needed at all four Sunday services but are only sched-uled for one service each month. Usher communications are facil-itated by email and all training and procedures are standardized through the use of separate “Usher Manuals” for each service.

At the present time there are almost 100 individuals serving on the various usher teams at the four services, but there is always a need for ushers to fill the occasional vacancy and we never turn down a willing volunteer. Children as young as five are always welcomed to serve alongside their parents, especially at the 9AM service.

Training takes about 45 minutes and can be scheduled as desired. Those who are interested in ushering should contact our Usher Coordinator, Bob Garland, at bgarlandjr@aol.com or 293-2045. Training is free!

Worship Commission The Christ Church Worship Commission meets quarterly to dis-cuss various aspects of the Sunday morning services and address ways we may need to change, improve, or adjust things as need-ed.  If you have any issues you would like the Worship Commission to address, contact Dave Johnson.

8

Children’s ChapelChildren ages 3-9 are invited to attend Children’s Chapel dur-ing the 9 am service. Children exit the service before the Gospel reading and return during the Passing of the Peace. Teaching and games reflect the lesson of the sermon that day. For more infor-mation, email kids@christchurchcville.org.

NurseryThe nursery at Christ Church is available from 8:50-12:10 each Sunday located in the downstairs of the Fitzhugh House. Children ages 0-3 are welcome to stay in the nursery while their parents and older siblings attend services and Sunday School. For more information, email kids@christchurchcville.org.

9

9am and 5pm BandsThe 9AM and 5PM service bands both seek to reinterpret the well-known hymns of the Episcopal tradition with a more Americana/folk sound.  Comprised of two guitars and a piano and frequently involving four part harmonies, the band hopes to respectfully blend the songs of old with the sounds of today.  It is also a com-mon thing to hear popular songs of artists such as Bob Dylan, Gillian Welch or Wilco should such a song carry the theological truths that we hold dear. For more info, contact Sam Bush. Adult choirThe adult choir practices Thursday nights, 7:30 to 9 p.m., and sings in the 11 am service on Sundays. All who are interested in music are welcomed. Alice Layman will join the church staff in January 2012 to lead the choir. For more info, contact the church office.

Bell Choir The Handbell Choir is open to all high school students and adults. We are a diverse group that comes together to share in the joy of ringing handbells. We rehearse weekly on Thursday evenings from 6:30-7:30pm. Beginning with basic music knowledge, we explore the different techniques unique to handbells and increasingly in-tricate musical selections. The choir attends regional massed ring-ing festivals, where several hundred ringers ring together under a single conductor, as an opportunity to learn new skills and ex-change ideas with other choirs. We invite anyone who has some basic music knowledge to come join us!

Junior ChoirThe Junior Choir is open to children in 1st through 5th grade. We practice every Wednesday from 4-5pm and sing in church about once a month, alternating between the 9:00 and 11:00 services. Through rehearsals and singing in church, the children learn ba-sic music reading skills and vocal technique. The choir members help lead the rest of the children in singing during the Christmas Pageant in addition to regularly acting as worship leaders on the Sundays that they sing for the service.

MUSIC

10

BaptismsOur clergy perform baptisms (babies, youth, or adults) on Sun-days as well as private ones.  Please call the church office to in-quire about possible dates and to arrange an appointment with one of the clergy.

Funerals and Memorial ServicesPlease call the church office to make arrangements for these services.  We also offer families the use of our parish hall for re-ceptions.  A Memorial Garden adjacent to Christ Church is avail-able for the internment of ashes for a fee of $250.

Lay Eucharistic MinistersFollowing Sunday morning services, Lay Eucharistic Ministers take monthly Holy Communion to members of Christ Church who re-side in nursing homes or are unable to attend church services.  For more information, contact Dave Johnson.

WeddingsChrist Church hosts weddings for parishoners and non-parishon-ers. The first step is to call the church office to check on availabil-ity.  If possible, arrangements for instruction should be made 3 months in advance of the wedding. Couples normally meet with the minister 3 times before the wedding.  For more information contact the church office.

SPECIAL SERVICES

11

20s and 30sChrist Church has a very active 20s and 30s community. We host get-togethers roughly every six weeks, where folks can unwind and get to know one another (e.g. cookouts in the summer, cock-tail parties in the Fall, a Christmas gala in December, etc). We also organize local service opportunities, play-groups for small chil-dren, and Bible studies for adults. To get involved and/or hear about upcoming events, please email David Zahl.

5 pm Dinner Serving TeamWe have teams of six or more people (men and women) who come each Sunday during the UVA school year to set up,  serve and clean up for the 5 o’clock dinners.  Contact Merle Robertson at Robertson844@va.net.

5 pm Dinner Dessert TeamThe women of the Church supply desserts each week for our 5 o’clock dinners. Their are volunteers of 6 or more who sign up for each week to serve in this way.  To get involved, contact Merle Robertson at Robertson844@va.net.

Adult EdJoin us every Sunday at 10am in the Gibson Room for the explora-tion of the intersection of the gospel message with everyday life..

Parish Life

Adult Education, Sunday mornings.

12

Card MinistrySend cards or notes to those who are bereaved, have physical problems or congratulations on the birth of a new baby.  Contact Merle Robertson, Robertson844@va.net.

Casserole Ministry Prepare casseroles and take with bread or dessert to those who have lost a loved one, have a new baby or have a need for some help with food.  Contact Merle Robertson at Robertson844@va.net.

Children’s Sunday SchoolChildren in grades Pre-Kindergarten to 5th grade are invited to attend Sunday School September to May from 10:10-10:50am. Children are divided by age and taught stories of the Bible with an emphasis on God’s grace and forgiveness using crafts, drama, songs and much more. For more information, contact the chil-dren’s ministers.

Christ Church Classics SeriesThe Christ Church Classics Series is a monthly book club that reads and discusses classics from literature. All are welcome, regardless of literary background. We meet the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m in the Youth Room. If you would like to be notified of our meetings or monthly titles, please e-mail Abby Farson Pratt at ab-byfpratt@gmail.com.

Children’s Sunday School

13

Coffee Hour BaristasThe Baristas are a group of dedicated volunteers who provide the beverage portion of our coffee hour.  We rotate our duties, which consist of brewing the coffee, heating the tea water, and setting out the cream and sugar.  The coffee time begins at the conclu-sion of the 9:00 o’clock service and is cleared away by 11:00.  While the duties are clear cut and straightforward, we feel that this is a vital part of the church’s weekly hospitality ministry.  New baristas are always welcome!  If you would like to find out more, please call Kathy Brust at 975-0545.

Coffee Hour SnackThe Coffee Hour Snack Committee is a group of CEC Families and individuals that take turns providing snacks, juice and hospitality to the congregation after the 9am Sunday  service during Coffee Hour.  Each committee member is assigned a Sunday 2-4 times per year, depending on how many members we have.  The church provides cookies and juice and the committee member in charge that Sunday usually  provides a supplemental snack prepared at home or bought.  The commitment is light: showing up about 8:30am to set up, standing at a table to meet, greet and replenish juice cups for littles ones and cleaning up after Coffee Hour.  Par-ticipation on the Snack Committee is a great way to get to know people at CEC.  We’d love to have you join our team! Please con-tact Virginia Josey at josey@chaseinv.com.

College MinistryOur College Ministry is one of the cornerstones of our work at Christ Church. We welcome hundreds of University students, both undergraduate and graduate, to our 5pm Sunday service each week, serving them a free dinner afterward, as well as ferrying them to and from grounds with complimentary car rides. We also offer small group Bible studies during the week and semi-regular weekend retreats for students to get more involved, not to men-tion the countless one-on-one lunch and coffee meetings and re-lational follow-up. To hear more about what we have on tap for students, or learn how you can assist with this crucial outreach, please be in touch with Dave Zahl or Mary Boyce Hicks.

14

CommunicationsWe try to keep everyone abreast of parish happenings through weekly announcements in the Sunday bulletins and on our web-site: www.christchurchcville.org.  We also have a monthly news-letter, The Messenger, which we disseminate, primarily, via email.  It is posted on our website  under  the tab “Resources.”  We also have printed copies available in the church for those who do not have computer access.  If you would like to receive the newslet-ter via email, simply provide us with your email address and we will add your name to the list.  Call the church office or send us an email at cec@christchurchcville.org. If there are time sensitive communications, such as inclement Sunday winter weather fore-casts, we send out mass emails to all members of the parish who have provided us with an email address.

ECWThe Episcopal Church Women, or ECW, brings women at Christ Church together to serve God in our church, our community and the world. Every woman at Christ Church is invited to come and participate in any of the things we do: giving, ministering, and fel-lowship with one another. Giving: Originally called the Women’s Auxiliary to the Board of Missions, the ECW continues the priority of giving to missions. Through ECW you can minister to members of our congregation, too. Monthly Meetings – From September through May the women of Christ Church meet each month to share ideas for activities that can strengthen the bonds among us and to work on ministries that help others. Email Martha Smythe with questions, email marthasmythe@centurylink.net.

Email Prayer Chain We currently have more than 70 Christ Church members who par-ticipate in our prayer chain.  Requests come into the church office via phone calls and email.  We try to respond as quickly as pos-sible by emailing our intercessors, alerting them to the need for prayer.  Even though a significant number participate in the chain, we underscore the importance of confidentiality.  If you feel called to pray in this way for the needs of our parish and beyond, please contact Lyn Gunsalus in the church office.

15

Fellows The Christ Church Fellows Program runs from late August through mid May as an opportunity for recent college graduates to assist with the 5:00 Sunday service, become involved in parish life, serve in various ministries at Christ Church, take seminary classes, and discern a possible call to ordained ministry.  For more information, contact Dave Johnson.

Hospitality and ReceptionsEach Sunday we serve approximately 125 UVA students dinner. Each fall and spring the church sponsors a six week educational series, all of which start with dinner. Attendance at these events is usually between 60 and 80 people. In addition to the dinners, we host various receptions – funeral, Confirmation, and others.

It takes more than one person to facilitate these dinners and re-ceptions. Volunteers are needed to assist in set up, serving, and clean up. We also need help in providing food for the various re-ceptions.

If you would like to be a part of this fellowship outreach program, please contact Donna Murray at donna@christchurchcville.com.

The 2011-2012 Fellows

16

Knitting MinistryWe gather once a month to knit and share patterns and information about making prayer shawls, baby caps, and baby blankets.  The completed items are blessed and are then given to those who are bereaved, are having physical problems or have a new baby.  Last year we also made shawls to be used by our homeless friends and to Hospice.  Contact Merle Robertson at Robertson844@va.net.

Ladies Night OutEach month the ECW gathers at the home of a member for fun and food. The hostess provides the beverages and paper goods, and we guests bring an appetizer or dessert. It is an easy way for your outside friends to meet some women in the church. Watch the bulletin and The Messenger for announcements. With ques-tions, email Valerie Knapp at gmama12@hotmail.com.

Men’s Bible studyThe Men’s Thursday morning Bible Study meets from 7:15-8 a.m.  Coffee and bagels are available beginning at 7 a.m.  For more in-formation contact Paul Walker or Dave Johnson. 

Mother’s Morning OutMothers Morning Out is part of our Children’s Ministry at Christ Church where we seek to give our moms of toddlers a morning out. There is a small fee to help with the cost of babysitters and space is very limited. We hope you will find it a blessing to you and your family! Contact Mary Boyce Hicks for more info.

Men’s Bible Study

17

Mid-Week Parish DinnersParish dinners are held periodically throughout the year. Usually held on Wednesday nights at church, they are a time for teaching, fellowship and a delicious dinner. Teaching is often multi-media with a strong emphasis on how God and grace affect the daily workings of our lives. Contact the church office for more informa-tion.

Office VolunteersThere are a variety of jobs in the office,  such as  covering the phones during staff meetings or during lunch, or helping out when either Marcy or Lyn is on vacation. There are also occasional mailings and the weekly stuffing of Sunday bulletins every Friday morning.  Call Lyn Gunsalus if you’re interested in being on our volunteer list.

Parish Small GroupsThere are small groups that meet throughout the week, with a wide variety of age groups and contexts represented. Topics range from small group style sharing to studies of books of the Bible. To get involved, call the church office.

Pastoral CareChrist Church has a team of clergy and lay volunteers who visit those who are in the hospital, shut-in, recently had a baby or a death in the family. If you would like to receive pastoral care or join the lay volunteers, please contact Dave Johnson.

Women’s Bible studiesThe Women’s Thursday morning Bible Study meets from 9-11 a.m. in the Gibson room.  Childcare is available.  For more information, contact Carrie Souter or Libby Palmer.  Carrie: carriedish@aol.com; Libby: billlibsam@embarqmail.com.

The Women’s Tuesday evening Bible Study meets at the home of Judy Drayer from 5:30-7 p.m.  For more information, contact Judy at jdrayer@mindspring.com.

18

Youth ConfirmationAt Christ Church we offer the Youth Confirmation Class for 8th graders or high school students who wish to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church.  These classes are held during the Sunday School hour from December 4 through March 18. Confirmation will be on on March 25, 2012.  This class also includes an overnight retreat and serving at a soup kitchen.  For more information, con-tact Dave Johnson.

Youth Group The Christ Church Youth Group is for students from 6th to 12th grade and is led by Liz Edrington, Ross Byrd, and a devoted team of young adult volunteer leaders.  Our mission is twofold: to pro-vide a fun, safe atmosphere where students feel welcomed and loved the way they are. And second, to be a place where students are constantly reminded in word and experience of the inexhaust-ible love of Jesus. We meet every Sunday morning at 10am in the youth room to eat donuts, catch up with one another, and have a Bible study.  All are welcome!  Small groups are also available, which are a great (if not the best) way to connect with one anoth-er on a more personal level, to talk about real issues of life, faith, doubt, etc. If you have any questions at all about our youth minis-try offerings or would like to get involved, please do not hesitate to contact Liz Edrington or Ross Byrd.

Youth Group meets in the Youth Room on Sunday mornings.

19

The GarageThe Garage is an art space/concert venue/amateur film theater/impromptu studio/potluck dining hall/etc located on 1st Street across from Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. On any given night, you can find the Garage’s door wide open as we host art openings/viewings of monthly art exhibitions or concerts by lo-cal or national touring bands that bring together large crowds in the stadium seating (aka: on the hill of the park) across the street. We’re also known to host an occasional film screening, dance party, art performance, potluck, or other creative gathering as requested (or hosted) by a community member. To get involved, email Sam Bush.

Mission and Outreach

Loaves and FishesLoaves and Fishes feeds 100--150 people every Tuesday. There are five teams of volunteers, and each team has responsibil-ity for one Tuesday. The meals vary with each team---everything from beans and franks to meat loaf and potatoes--and are served from noon until 1 PM. Baked goods are usually available to Loaves and Fishes from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. There are about 30 volunteers from Christ Church. For more information, contact Gene Bogen at bearbogen@yahoo.com.

The Garage, on N. 1st Street by the Magruder House.

20

MockingbirdNot everyone knows that Christ Church is home to an exciting lit-tle non-profit organization called Mockingbird Ministries. Mock-ingbird is devoted to connecting the Christian message with the realities of everyday life in fresh and creative ways, which they do via their hyperactive website (www.mbird.com), semi-annual conferences and ongoing publications initiative. Some of their recent publications include Grace in Addiction: What the Church Can Learn from Alcoholics Anonymous and The Gospel According to Pixar. Their next big conference will take place in New York City on April 19-21, 2012. To learn more about Mockingbird, or find out how you can get involved, visit their website at www.mbird.com or email David Zahl.

2011 Mockingbird Conference, New York City.PACEMPACEM stands for People And Congregations Engaged in Ministry.  Christ Church joins other downtown Charlottesville churches in providing housing and meals for the homeless during the winter months.  Typically Christ Church teams up with Wesley United Me-morial Church (near the Grounds of UVA) for two weeks in Janu-ary.  For more information, contact Dave Johnson.

Urban MissionerChrist Church has an urban missioner on staff to connect with the homeless community of Charlottesville and partner with other ministries such as PACEM and the Haven. For more info, contact Josh Bascom.

21

Brazil TripStudents from UVa take a spring break service trip each year to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to work with Seeds of Hope Ministry there. Christ Church fellows often accompany the students on this trip as many of the students are regular attendees of our 5 p.m. service. For more info, contact Mary Boyce Hicks.

Haiti TripOur church takes a trip to Haiti on a medical mission trip serving the people of Northern Haiti. In 2012, we are going from January 20-28th. For more information, contact Paul Walker.

Honduras Trip2012 marks the 5th year of our participation in a Honduras mis-sion. Our mission will serve in two areas. 2/3 of our time will be spent at Our Little Roses, a home for approximately 60 to 70 girls, ages 2 through 17. The balance of our time will be spent working alongside the members of a squatter’s church that serves families and individuals in a location marked by poverty. Our time with this wonderful community will be filled with labor and fellowship.For more information, contact Cleve Brannock at clevebrannock@embarqmail.com.

Honduras Mission Trip 2011

Youth Mission TripEach summer we lead a highly-anticipated Youth Mission Trip.  This past year we traveled to New Orleans to serve through a church there and the year previous to Jamaica.  Stay tuned for more details on this year’s trip. Contact Ross Byrd or Liz Edrington for more info.

22

Giving to Christ ChurchWays to Pledge to Christ Church

Drop your completed pledge card in the Sunday offertory plate.Follow this link http://www.christchurchcville.org/giving/ and pledge online.Send an email to marcy@christchurchcville.org. Confidentiality guaranteed.

We will send an email to folks who pledged in 2011 (and who have email). You could hit reply to that email and let us know about your 2012 pledge then too.

Ways to Give to Christ ChurchCash or check in the offertory plate or via mail.Online via paypal at www.christchurchcville.org/giving.