The season of Lent
We bid farewell to Epiphany on Shrove Tuesday, March 5 for
which we will have the traditional Pancake Supper from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Let’s offer a big “thank you” to Carol O’Keefe for
coordinating that! There is a sign-up sheet in the parish hall,
which will help us know how many to plan for.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 6; the liturgy of the day
will be offered at noon and 6:00 p.m.
LENTEN STUDY
The Wednesday evenings of Lent (March 13, 20, 27, April 3 & 10) will begin at 5:45
p.m. with the Holy Eucharist in the chapel, followed at 6:15 p.m. by dinner and a series
called Embracing an Alternative Orthodoxy: Richard Rohr on the Legacy of St. Francis,
which Riley Chattin and I will co-lead.
The format is video presentation and discussion. You don’t need to buy anything to
participate, but if you wish to have the participants’ guide (not necessary to participate)
you can purchase it online. Simply search the title of the series and choose your preferred
vendor.
Many of you have likely—at the very least—heard of The Rev. Fr. Richard Rohr. He
is a Roman Catholic Franciscan priest who founded The Center for Action and
Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has written prolifically on spirituality
and mysticism. Among his famous books, some are in our library: Falling Upward: A
Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life; Immortal Diamond; The Naked Now; Everything
Belongs; Breathing Underwater.
Fr. Rohr’s great gift is the ability to communicate—in very plain language—the wisdom of the Christian tradition, and how we experience it in everyday life. His writings have
helped me to understand prayer more deeply. He explains things that many of us think
we know, but in ways that reveal a deeper truth.
I hope that this series will open doors for you. Please don’t be alarmed or put off by the
words “Alternative Orthodoxy.” As you will quickly learn, it’s probably more fitting to call it “original orthodoxy”—that is, before the Church started making our tradition so
much more about sin than grace.
I hope that what you begin to discover in this series is that our faith is much richer than
we may have first thought; that it encompasses all things, all people, and all experiences; that it is a religion, but is also in some sense beyond religion; and most importantly, that
all people—literally all people—are God’s children. (continued on page 5)
Volume 34 – Number 3
March 2019
At Christ Church
Sunday Worship
8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Young People’s Choir 9:00 a.m.
Church School for All Ages
9:30 a.m.
Coffee Hour follows
10:30 a.m. worship.
Morning Prayer
is read Monday-Friday
at 8:30 a.m. in the Chapel.
Centering Prayer
Thursdays at 12:00 p.m. in the Parlor
__________________ MARCH CALENDAR
Tuesday, March 5 Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
(see page 5 for details)
Wednesday, March 6 Ash Wednesday Services
12:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 10
Daylight savings time begins
Monday, March 11
Vestry at 5:30 p.m.
Wednesdays
March 13, 20 & 27 Lenten Study at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 14
Social Club at 5:00 p.m.
Show & Tell
Monday, March 25
Pastoral Care Meeting
2:30 p.m. ~ Parlor
Thursday, March 28 Social Club at 5:00 p.m.
Wheel of Fortune
2
Looking Ahead
YOUTH APRIL 14TH
HIKE AT PEAKS OF
OTTER
You will need to bring a
bag lunch. More details
coming soon.
All youth in 6th-12th grades,
are invited to attend!
DID YOU KNOW . . .
You can donate to Christ
Church through Kroger’s
Community Rewards
Program. To sign up,
visit, www.Kroger.com.
To register for the first
time, please use our
new account number
(AM377) when signing
up. You can search for
us by using the account
number or by searching
for Christ Episcopal
Church. Questions?
Contact
Patricia Cope-Levy
YOUTH EVENTS
CALLING ALL 6TH—12TH GRADE STUDENTS!
Saturday, March 23 - Pinball Museum
Christ Church youth have been invited by the St. Elizabeth’s youth to join them for two youth
events this spring.
Our first event will be a trip to the Roanoke Pinball Museum in Market Square, downtown. This
interactive museum is dedicated to the science and history of pinball. Meet Patricia Cope-Levy
and the other youth at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church (2339 Grandin Road Roanoke, VA 24015)
at 11:30 a.m. Please bring $20.00 for entrance to the museum and for a hot dog stand lunch!
Children @ Convention 2019
Thank You Christ Church
for your help with Children @ Convection. We
had a fun, faith-centered weekend that would not
have been possible without your help of food
donations for snacks.
A BIG Thank You to Boo & Don Pack
Sally & Wayne Adams Bonny & Bob Lee
Suzi Wright & Becky Harris for coming and cooking meals for the children
and leaders.
We welcome all mothers in all seasons of the journey.
In March, we will NOT meet on Wednesday, but instead on Thursday, March 28, in order to prepare and serve dinner for The Social Club. Please save that date and look for details to come (time to meet, childcare, etc.). Thank you to Katie Gardner for her leadership in arranging this wonderful opportunity to serve our community. Looking ahead:
Sunday, April 7 — Family Lunch at Ballast Point, 555 International Pkwy, Daleville, immediately following 10:30 worship
Wednesday, May 15 — Reflections on Mother’s Day, Christ Church parlor, 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 19 — Dinner at the Wildflour Restaurant, 1212 4th St SW, Roanoke, 7:00 p.m. July—Service Project, TBA August— Family Lunch immediately following 10:30 worship, TBA
Spending time as a group has been really fun and rewarding, as we learn from and encourage one another. Help spread the word and invite other moms to join us! For more information, or to RSVP to our events, please contact Julie Ann Hodgson, 703.463.8813 or [email protected].
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The New Needlepoint Kneelers are coming! Our Needlepoint Kneeler Committee has been hard at work this past year with our consultant, Nancy Lukoskie, of Fancywork Finishing, to design new kneelers for our worship space. We are pleased to share that the designs are being finalized, and we will soon be receiving our painted canvases. Our current six kneelers will be replaced by twelve (12) custom designed kneelers. Each of the twelve kneelers has a unique central medallion that conveys an aspect of our shared Christian life at Christ Church. In addition there will be a thirteenth kneeler that will be used for special occasions, such as weddings and ordinations.
As we receive each painted canvas, they will be displayed in the parish hall for the Christ Church commu-nity to see. We will be offering sponsorships for each kneeler. Anyone who sponsors a cushion, either in memory of, or in honor of, will have that person(s) name
memorialized on the bottom of the kneeler.
A full share to sponsor one of the twelve communion rail kneelers will be $2,800 per cushion. The larger, thirteenth kneeler can be sponsored for $3,200. If you are interested in sponsoring a portion of a kneeler, we would be happy for you to find like-minded folks so that your group can share a full sponsorship.
In order to secure a sponsorship, a deposit of at least 50% of the share is needed. Sponsors will be able to select the specific kneeler they would like to sponsor in the order that they provided their deposit to the program. The remaining 50% will be due within twelve months of the initial deposit.
In addition to monetary support of these kneelers, stitchers will be needed too. Stitchers will also be able to stitch their selected kneeler in memory of or in honor of the person(s) of their choosing.
We hope that you will consider supporting this project which will add so much to our beautiful worship space and be a permanent honor or memorial for a special person of your choosing.
Please contact Ellen Urbanski, [email protected], or Joanne Jones, [email protected], if you have any questions about this exciting opportunity.
Koinonia Groups koi·no·ni·a
Early 20th century: from Greek koinōnia 'fellowship'.
Purpose: To build a sense of community in the parish. To offer a comfortable setting and simple framework in which parishioners can get to know each other better and build friendships.
What: Koinonia Groups are 10 to 12 people who meet once a month for a year in members’ homes. They share in dinner, fellowship, and discuss one faith based topic and end in prayer.
Leaders Needed: Patricia Cope-Levy is looking for people who might be interested in leading a Koinonia group. We need two leaders for each group; this can be a couple or two friends who would enjoy running a group together. If you are interested in leading or would like to learn more about Koinonia groups, please email Patricia at [email protected].
Can One Person Really Make a Difference? As I come to the halfway point of my year here as a NOLA YAV, I’ve been reminiscing of all of the places I’ve been and the experiences I have had over the last couple of months. I’ve traveled from my hometown of Boones Mill, Virginia, to Stony Point, New York, and then here to New Orleans. During my time here, I have also become reflective of where I come from and what I will take away from this journey. During this week, I went to a meeting with other non-profits that Trinity Episcopal Church is involved with. During the meeting, I heard about the good that these organizations bring to the community. At a point in the meeting, one of the people that was talking said that zip code matters when it comes to education and health care. I had never thought about that until that very moment. It is true that zip code and areas that you live in matter. Here in New Orleans I live in a community called Gentilly. Living in this community, I get lots of different reactions when I mention where I live. I have gotten comments from negative, “wow, that’s a pretty rough area,” to positive comments of “that’s a really nice area.” From personal experience, Gentilly is a really pretty part of the city and diverse, which is something my roommates and I really enjoy. Zip codes really do matter, because it determines what school and education you get, what doctors are nearby, and what kind of health care will you get. Working for Trinity Loaves and Fishes has given me the opportunity to serve those underserved zip codes. Every week, volunteers and I make over 500 lunches for a wide range of people from youth to adults and senior citizens that might not know where their next meal is coming from. One hard part of this job that I have seen is one of the sites that feeds kids in the afternoon and on weekends, is having to close, because they just do not have the funding to keep their doors open. One perk of this job is to see what a simple PBJ sandwich does to somebody’s day. Living here in New Orleans, I’ve learned to try to look at a zip code as just a set of numbers, rather than discriminate against someone based on those numbers.
Emily Harden, January ‘19
A Note of Thanks I was so touched by how many of you came to my institution as
rector of St. Elizabeth’s! Thank you for your kindness and support.
It meant so much to me to have you there. I’m grateful for the
time I had in the Christ Church community and the chance to get
to know so many of you. Thank you again for all the ways you
continue to bless our family.
With love and gratitude,
Karin+
The Rev. Karin MacPhail
Rector of St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church
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Litt le Did We Know
M any people at Christ Church know we have a Social
Club, but most people at Christ Church know little
more about it. This is hardly surprising, because Social Club
has been around for decades, and its activities hum along
so smoothly that they attract little attention.
The club serves the mentally disabled - a lively, diversely-
gifted group. The club was started in early 1982 and was
the first of its kind in Virginia. Ironically, the needs for a
club arose from improvements in treatment of mental
illness. New, more effective drugs had been developed,
so that many in institutions no longer required care in
such closed settings, but were not capable of working
to support themselves or of establishing necessary social
supports for independent living. All too often, the newly
“de-institutionalized” lived in small group homes or in
efficiency apartments, isolated from the mainstream.
People from Christ Church, from other parishes, and from
a variety of mental health agencies and organizations,
came up with a program to bring them together twice a
month for an evening of social activities and dinner. Volun-
teers prepared the meal and joined with guests in the
activities. In 1982, The Roanoke Times published an article
describing these developments and the second evening
gathering at Christ Church. A copy of this article has been
posted on the Parish Hall bulletin board and is worth your
attention.
In the decades since, other Roanoke
parishes have started additional
clubs, and all have maintained the
central focus of developing social
relationships between guests and
volunteers. At Christ Church we
have also maintained the successful
model of gathering twice a month
for a meal and activities. The activity
changes at each gathering - a
magician or a juggler; vigorously
contested games of bingo with
prizes, of hangman, or of Wheel of
Fortune; picnics in the summer; a
birthday night when everyone gets a personalized, iced
cupcake; Thanksgiving at Golden Corral; a sing along of
carols at Christmas; a talent show and a show-and-tell
night for the guests to showcase talents and interests; the
list goes on. And we
gather twice a year
with the five other
clubs in the Valley -
in the winter for a
dance, and in the
summer for a picnic.
Although it was not
the result of any
explicit plan (and is
rarely explicitly
realized), Social Club
has over the years developed as a full realization of the
Beloved Community, a sustained, mutually supporting
community of those diverse by race, gender, ethnicity,
orientation, and age.
We Invite YOU to join us! The work is fun and always
important, but attendance is flexible - show up when you
can; if you’re new and uncertain, give it a try and see how
it goes. Volunteers are divided among three groups, each
with its own coordinator. The floor workers join the guests
in the activities and meal; the cooks plan, shop, prepare,
and serve the meal; the kitchen crew helps serve the meal
and does the cleanup. We invite you to be part of the
rewarding opportunities that Social Club offers.
Please speak with one of the coordinators listed below or
call the Parish Office at 540.343.0159.
Floor Workers: Ron Nemura, 540.556.7014
Cooks: Claude Lauck, 540.798.3291
Kitchen Crew: Nancy Ford, 540. 353.3246
MARCH SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 14 - “Show & Tell”
Thursday, March 28 - “Wheel of Fortune”
We welcome “Moms In All Seasons” who will prepare and serve dinner to our Social Club
guests on March 28.
Christmas Celebration
Volunteers prepare a Halloween dinner.
5
(continued from page 1)
If you would like to learn more or listen to Richard Rohr, I suggest searching for him on YouTube, where there are many
clips of his preaching and teaching.
He is a warm, avuncular man, but what I like best about him is
that he really knows his stuff! Please sign up on the Parish
Hall bulletin board and if you wish to attend and need child-
care, please let me know.
HOW CHRIST CHURCH CHANGED LIVES
in JANUARY/FEBRUARY
Many of us attended the Episcopal Revival at the Berglund Center at which our Presiding Bishop preached. One of the happy outcomes is a renewed interest in the Episcopal Church that Michael Curry brings. I have long wanted to see our bishops, and the presiding bishop in particular, use their office and visibility to model and proclaim what authentic evangelism is. It is to love everyone.
Another happy outcome was the visit of a man who came one Sunday, and two days later came in for a cup of coffee to talk. He was drawn here because he was at the Revival, and wanted to know if Christ Church had the same vision that the presiding bishop preached. It’s the age old question of every newcomer: Do you have a place for me?
The answer is, of course, yes, but rarely is the vulnerability admitted to, so that assurance can be given. I wish you had seen the look of relief on his face, when I told him that the presiding bishop was simply saying what the Episcopal Church has been (quietly) proclaiming for years: that we are a big tent, and the welcome and inclusion are real. But it is real, because we collectively choose to make it real.
On February 10, we hosted Mrs. Claudia Whitworth, and the Revs. Kenneth B. Wright and Edward T. Burton for A Conversation with the Elders of Roanoke’s Black Community, which some
175 people attended, including both Christ Church parishion-ers and many from the local community. The conversation included reminiscences of the panelists and questions from those assembled. Despite some challenging history and topics, it was a powerfully uplifting event and many stayed for the reception.
These are life changing events. I’ve offered you two from the last two months; there are many more. But even if you weren’t directly involved, through your financial giving (which funds everything we do) you helped make it possible. Your giving
provided the venue for some measure of healing in our city, along with every other liturgy, conversation, and interaction that happens here.
Thank you for your support. Please continue and strengthen that support, which does so much more than we can possibly know or see.
SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE SUPPER
Tuesday, March 5 Dinner will be served continuously from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Choose Your Time!
Good Food, Good Fun with Good Friends!
Pancakes, Bacon, Sausage Links, Sausage Gravy with Biscuits, Baked Apples, Maple Syrup, Fresh Strawberry Topping!
Make Plans to Come!
Sign up on the bulletin board in Parish Hall OR call the Parish Office, 540.343.0159 to RSVP!
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES
Wednesday, March 6
12:00 Noon ~ 6:00 p.m.
Lenten Study Soup & Bread Donations Needed
Wednesday evenings during Lent
Donations of soup and bread are need each week for the soup and salad meal as part of our Lenten Study Series (March
13, 20, 27, April 3 & 10). If you would like to provide a soup and/or bread, please sign up on the Parish Hall bulletin board.
For more information, please email Laura Harden, [email protected] or
Mary Catherine Baldridge, [email protected].
Lent’s Quiet Morning Saturday, March 23 at 9:30 a.m.
Special Guest Leader: Steve Berneking, Ph.D. Global Translation Facilitator, United Bible Societies
Join us for quiet reflection and prayer during the season of Lent. We will gather in the chapel and conclude with lunch in the Parish Hall at 12:00 p.m. Please sign up on the Parish Hall bulletin board.
† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †
COMMUNITY
NEIGHBORHOOD
JUSTICE
COMMUNITY
DEVOTION
EVANGELISM
A Conversation with the Elders of Roanoke’s Black Community
6
Organ Anniversary Recital
Tuesday, April 30
7:30 p.m.
Our Christ Church Director of Music, Tom Baugh, plays a recital of Bach, Messiaen, and Vierne in celebration of the Fifteenth Anniversary of the Christ Church Organ. Please join us for this special celebration!
Greetings from Michigan!! We hope all is well and you had a great start to the New Year.
Duane and I are sitting here having a late leisurely breakfast and
we thought of you and the wonderful visit with all of you last
summer. What a blessing to have met all of you and to have a
chance to revisit the church. God always knows what we need
and He placed me back to my roots to remind me of the awesome
environment in which I grew. I am so thankful for that. Hope you
and the church have a blessed new year and we look forward to
a revisit one day. Thanks again for making our day.
Sincerely, Kaye Davis (Kaye’s parents, Fred & Jessie Rice, were sextons at Christ Church)
With parents, grandparents, and friends looking on, the
young artists explored their musical talents.
On Sunday, January 20, children were invited to play the Fisk
organ. They tried out different sounds, both soft and LOUD!
June 17 - 21
5:00 - 7:00 PM
Please see enclosed
postcard for more details!
A Week of Wonder Evenings with Godly Play
A Formation Opportunity For All Ages
Babies — Adults
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DON’T FORGET . . .
Sunday, March 10
Daylight Savings Time Begins
Turn your clock ahead!
March Feed the Hungry
MEALS ON WHEELS
Meals on Wheels is this month’s Feed the Hungry recipient.
Meals on Wheels is the concept of delivering meals to those
who are unable to prepare their own. Here in the Roanoke
Valley, Meals on Wheels is available to homebound seniors,
ages 60 and older, who have no one available or willing to
prepare a meal for them. Spouses and disabled dependents,
regardless of age, may also qualify. This helps alleviate caregiver
stress and worry. Having a midday meal is key, allowing many to
stay in their homes longer. Often, even those seniors who have
adult children that live nearby are still alone all day while their
family members work.
Meals on Wheels has 43 routes that have to
be covered each day, and because a lot of
volunteers work only once a week, it takes
200 volunteers to cover the routes each week.
More volunteers are needed all the time. Please consider giving
of your time to this worthy cause. To volunteer, contact the
Director of Nutritional Services at 540.345.0454, ext. 3027.
While the program receives funds from state and federal
governments, United Way, and Foundation for the Roanoke
Valley, the needs for Meals on Wheels grows each year. To do-
nate, please make your check payable to Christ Episcopal Church
and earmark “Feed The Hungry.” You may also place your
donation in one of the yellow envelopes found in the pew racks.
Drop your check or yellow “Feed the Hungry” envelope in the
offering plate.
OUTREACH PEOPLE
Condolences ●
To Alex Moore upon the death of his friend, Lee Lineberry.
To Meredith Cope-Levy upon the death of her friend, Carol Reed.
To Kate Garcia upon the death of her aunt, Dot Williams.
To the family and friends of Freeland Mason upon his death.
Visit My Mosque!
An Educational Tour
Voices of Faith, a Roanoke Interfaith Organization, invites you to tour the Mosque of the Islamic Society of the New River Valley.
Saturday, March 23 ~ 10:00 a.m. to 12 Noon 1284 North Main Street, Blacksburg, VA
Please RSVP to [email protected] by March 18.
Carpooling from Roanoke available (I-81 park and ride, exit 140 in Salem), contact Jim Bier at [email protected].
Christ Church
is now part of the
Amazon Smile Program
Use this direct link to shop, smile.amazon.com/ch/54-0541702
and Amazon Smile donates to Christ Episcopal Church.
Christ Church Announcements
Have your event posted on our Facebook page! Email Kate Garcia
To advertise in the diocesan weekly email, please send announcements to [email protected].
www.facebook.com/ChristRoanoke/
Emily Harden’s NOLA Adventure Check out Emily’s blog and get the latest updates on her NOLA
adventures. https://emilyyav.wordpress.com/.
8
1101 FRANKLIN ROAD, SW
ROANOKE, VA 24016-4397
PHONE: 540.343.0159; FAX: 540.342.9983
Visit Us Online- www.christroanoke.org
Email Us - [email protected]
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ROANOKE, VA
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night,
shall not cease.”
“We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father
your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” --- 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
VESTRY OFFICERS - 2019
Bill Poe, Senior Warden
Don Pack, Junior Warden
Chuck Reedy, Treasurer
Jim Cromwell and Ben Bazak, Co-Receiving Treasurers
Lynn Bastian, Clerk
STAFF
The Revd Alexander D. MacPhail
Rector ([email protected])
Mr. H. Thomas Baugh, III
Director of Music ([email protected])
Ms. Patricia Cope-Levy
Coordinator of Christian Formation
Ms. Lynn Bastian
Parish Administrator ([email protected])
Mrs. Shana Daniel
Bookkeeper ([email protected])
Mrs. Ashleigh Fisher
Nursery Coordinator ([email protected])
Mr. John Smarz
Sexton
DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT EDITION OF THE PARISH HOME COMPANION IS TUESDAY, MARCH 19
VESTRY MEMBERS
Mary Catherine Baldridge
Stephen Claytor
Katie Gardner
Cy Harbourt
Laura Harden
James Jennings
Marshall McMillan-Zapf
Don Pack
B. Ray Phanelson
Bill Poe
David Robinson
Virginia Sweet