Messenger - Christ Church Whitefish Bay, WI

CHRIST CHURCH
Messenger
We seek and serve Christ
No One Left Behind
March 2016
A few scattered seeds...
In the second season of the critically-acclaimed podcast, Serial, Sarah Koenig is in the midst of telling the story of a U.S. Army
private who walked away from his post in Afghanistan only to be captured and held by the Taliban for five years. The unfolding story provides one window into a larger conflict with many complex actors. In one of the early episodes, Koenig tells the
story of the U.S. military’s response to the report that one of its own has gone missing. For a time, all branches of the service
stop their operations for the search. Thousands of soldiers are deployed to go looking and are often placed in harm’s way for
the sake of finding one man. Acting on a basic tenet of the military, the knowledge that this kind of response would be mustered for everyone gives courage to the whole group.
My primary purpose is not to glorify military doctrine. But I have been thinking about how this fundamental principle of never
leaving a person behind applies to a Christian community. When a parish commits to looking after everyone in its care, not
only does it help those experiencing some trouble, but it also fills the whole group with a sense that all of us matter; and that no
matter how hard things get, we too, will never be left behind. Consequently, a parish community should ideally have an organized, systematic response to come alongside everyone in this parish who may find themselves, even for a brief time, in the
midst of some kind of loss, recovering from some kind of illness, bound to their home for some period of time. I know I have
needed this kind of coming alongside myself.
From September through December, a group of 12 Christ Church parishioners volunteered to undergo extensive training for lay
pastoral care. Bp. Ed Leidel, who has been leading this training for 30 years, walked the group through basic listening skills,
non-judgmental support, the power of personal story, emotional self-awareness, and more. At the end of training, ten people
discerned that the Holy Spirit was calling them to this work. As the rector, I affirmed their call. On Sunday, January 24 th, we
officially commissioned them in the context of worship.
The Pastoral Care Team is committed to the strictest confidence, sharing nothing about parishioner visits/conversations with
those outside the team and only the barest minimum of information, on a need-to-know basis, within the team itself.
The Pastoral Care Team does not pretend to be better caregivers than everyone else. And this group does not seek to replace or
manage the many informal networks of care, which exist inside and outside the parish. But they have volunteered to reach out.
And no matter how large or small one’s personal network, can any of us ever have too many people humbly reaching out in
love? If you would like to know more about this group, or you think you or someone you know might benefit from their care,
please contact me.
Continued on page 2
IN THIS ISSUE
Pastoral Care
Christian Formation
Small Groups
Our Faith
Altar Guild and Flower Guild
Outreach
Youth Ministry
Choir
Parish News
Seeds, continued
Continued from page 1
Jesus tells the story of the
Good Shepherd, who leaves
the ninety-nine sheep to go
looking for the one who
needs support. I hope this
team serves as just one more
manifestation of the extravagant, ever-searching love of
Christ.
In Hope,
Seth D.+
Back row: Bp. Ed Leidel,
Steve Bruemmer, Tim Kobussen, Fr. Seth Dietrich,
Greg Bell
Front row: Catherine Davidson, Susan Labudde, Judy Moburg, Andrea Frankenberry, Cheryl Dunn. Not pictured:
Barbara Larkin, Sonja Pavlik, Fr. Seth Raymond
What is the Lay Pastoral Care Team?
Last fall, a group of individuals from our parish embarked on pastoral care training, in order to reach out to those
who may need a listening ear. The understanding is that this ministry is done at the direction of one of our clergy.
Who is involved? On Sunday, January 24, during the worship services, the following along with Fr. Seth Allen,
Bishop Ed Leidel and Father Dietrich, were commissioned as the Pastoral Care Team: Steve Bruemmer, Greg
Bell, Cheryl Dunn, Catherine Davidson, Andrea Frankenberry, Tim Kobussen, Susan LaBudde, Barbara
Larkin, Judith Moburg, and Sonja Pavlik.
When and where does a lay pastoral visitor contact a parishioner? We visit in hospitals, care centers, or home
settings. Father Dietrich offers insights and perspectives during our monthly check-in sessions.
Why does Christ Church have a Lay Pastoral Care Team? Everyone has stories to tell. For some, it means just
being with another person to listen. Receiving pastoral care is like opening the doorway into one’s life and inviting the caregiver to come in (paraphrased from Ch. 2 p. 31 in Listening and Caring Skills by John Savage).
How does one become a Lay Pastoral Caregiver? Contact either Father Seth Dietrich or Bishop Ed Leidel. Those
who were recently commissioned engage in reading and discussion as well as practice active listening skills together. Our prayer is that, as all have been called by God, we each be led into our special ministries.
Judith Moburg
www.christchurchwfb.org
Have you visited our new website?
If not, take a look. The website is regularly updated.
You can keep up with all of our news in our News and Publications section—that’s where you will find the
color version of the Messenger as well as where you can sign-up for our weekly e-newsletter, the
Broadcast. The Broadcast has the most timely detailed information concerning upcoming events.
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Our Faith
Saint Peter, “The Rock”
Simon Peter, like his brother Andrew, was a simple fisherman born in the village of Bethsaida in the
province of Galilee. When Jesus came upon Peter and his brother fishing, he told them to abandon their
nets and follow him to become “Fishers of Men.” Thus, they became among the first of the 12 apostles
who were called to the ministry of Jesus. Peter was an outstanding apostle, who today might be called the
“right-hand-man” of Jesus. He was frequently seen at the side of Jesus and is thought to have been the
spokesman for the other apostles.
The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 14, tells the story of Jesus walking on the sea and then entering Peter’s
boat to preach to the multitude on the shore. Jesus calls Peter to walk on the water as Jesus had done.
Peter did so for a time, but then the wind and the waves rose up, and he became frightened; he lost his
faith and had to be rescued. Often Peter was present when Jesus performed miracles and healing. One
time Jesus cured Peter’s mother-in-law in their home at Capernaum. From this account, we learn that Peter was married and probably had children. The Christ Church pilgrimage to Israel in 1992 included a visit to Capernaum where they viewed the remnants of one of Peter’s homes.
The stories of Simon Peter can be found in the Gospels as well as The Book of Acts and The Letter to the
Hebrews. In Latin, Peter or Petra actually means “rock,” and Jesus said to Peter that he would become
the rock on which God would build the church. The Roman Catholic Church looks to Peter as the basis of
papal authority.
But Peter had his weaknesses. On the eve of the crucifixion, Jesus told Peter that he would deny knowing
Him three times before the cock crew, signaling the start of a new day. When Peter was asked if he knew
Jesus, he denied it, not once or twice but three times, just as Jesus had predicted. On the slope of Mount
Zion, overlooking the old walled city of Jerusalem, is a church called The Church of St. Peter Gallicantu,
“the crowing rooster,” which is said to be the place where Peter denied Christ. It is a beautiful church
and one of the places visited by the Christ Church pilgrims.
After Christ’s ascension and the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, Peter delivered his first sermon
and won many Jewish converts, also healing in Jesus’ name. Peter preached the gospel in Jerusalem as
well as many other cities including Lydda, Joppa, Caesarea, Galatia and Cappadocia. However, under
Herod Agrippa I. there was a persecution of the
Church in Jerusalem, and the ruler had Peter thrown
into prison. Eventually he was released and went
about his missionary work.
During the last part of his life, Peter lived in Rome
where he was condemned to death under the turbulent reign of Emeperor Nero. Peter requested that he
be bound to a cross upside down, so as not to die as
Jesus had. That was in the year 67 A.D. and his
bones are said to have been interred in the basilica in
Rome which bears his name.
Jeanne Birch
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Youth
Holy Friendships: Youth Retreat at Kusel Lake
On January 30th a group of 24 enthusiastic high school youth and 5 adult leaders drove two big church vans up
to Kusel Lake for the second combined Christ Church and All Peoples Church high school youth retreat.
This retreat is one of the highlights of the year for youth
formation. 15 youth from
Christ Church participated,
including 6 seniors, 3 juniors,
1 sophomore, and 5 freshmen.
All Peoples had 9 youth attend, six of whom are freshmen. With 11 freshmen attending, the Christ Church/
APC youth connection shows
signs of a promising future!
Even more impressive than
squeezing 29 people into one
cabin for 36+ hours was the
friendship, fun, and conversation that transpired. Perhaps
because we’ve been cultivating these relationships for
three years now, or perhaps
because everyone was excited
to go tubing, we had the most cohesive group and most honest and open conversations between the combined
group yet!
The theme of the retreat was “Holy Friendships” and we purposely spent the majority of our time building up
connections between youth through games, short presentations, and group discussion. Some of the best laughter came during team charades and group Pictionary. Some of the most thought-provoking material came
when seniors gave short presentations to the group answering the questions “How do you want to be remembered” and “what problem do you want to solve in your lifetime?” Seniors spoke eloquently of wanting to be
remembered for hopefulness, compassion, and welcoming. Others admitted that they don’t know what problems they want to solve, but they want their lives to have a great purpose – bringing people together, informing others, working to promote greater understanding in the world.
Just in case the conversation got too weighty, the group enjoyed watching the theological “classic” Bruce Almighty on Saturday night.
In our communion service on Sunday morning each participant was asked to give thanks to God for something
during our shared time. One senior gave thanks to God for an amazing end to a high school career.
While there are still a few months left with this group of seniors, I couldn’t agree more. These seniors have
come a long way from four years ago when I arrived at Christ Church, young and inexperienced. They have
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Youth
taught me incredible lessons about living
with joy, persevering through pain and
anxiety, living with questions and faithfulness, listening and being patient, paying
attention and valuing each person’s unique
gifts, and most of all, how to love God and
high school students with all my heart.
Thank you Sam, Sophie, Danielle, Liam,
Isabella, Billy, and Ben.
Seth Raymond+
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Children’s Formation
Children’s Formation Update
Since the November Messenger, Christ Church children
have been busy! In November, toddlers through teens
collected money in socks for the “Save a Sole” initiative
to support Sojourner Family Peace Center. In December,
the Great Hall was packed with families and parishioners
of all ages who decorated cookies, wrapped presents for
Journey House families, and worked on beautifying cards
for children in Jeanette, Haiti. I only wish I had a picture
of the cookies piled high with marshmallows and sprinkles! They were unlike any I had ever seen. This event
would not have been possible without the many parent
volunteers who helped with cookie decorating, translating, and wrapping and delivering gifts.
My favorite memory of December was undoubtedly the
Christmas Eve pageant. I got to witness Chris Binder
work her magic, with the help of many faithful parent
volunteers who dressed and prepped the sheep, shepherds, wise men, angels, and Holy Family. Chris has directed the pageant for many years and her passion for it
was contagious! The children did an amazing job in each of their roles, as many had their lines memorized ahead of
time!
Now that we are in full swing with 2016, children have enjoyed eating syrup-laden pancakes and burying the Alleluias in the columbarium. Many were present on Ash Wednesday to receive a cross and gather for a potluck soup supper. We look forward to a Palm procession on Palm Sunday followed by an interactive, all-ages “Stations of the
Cross” event on March 20.
I always look forward to commemorating Holy Week at
Christ Church. There are many opportunities to walk
with Jesus to the cross and to behold God’s love and
sacrifice. Families are invited
to the annual
Maundy Thursday Agape Feast
in the Great
Hall. Please
note the back of
The Messenger
for more information on Holy
Week services
and opportunities for children
to participate.
Anna Harmon
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Altar Guild and Flower Guild
Behind the Scenes of Altar Guild
Last summer, I joined the Christ Church Altar Guild. There
are teams of people, each taking a different week of the month.
I’m on Team Three with Mary Jones (team captain), Jackie
Keene and Sarah Butterfield. Mary and Jackie are Altar
Guild veterans and Sarah and I are the newbies on our team.
At first, I thought, this will just be behind-the-scenes grunt
work, like doing dishes after a church event. But then, the
cupboards above the counter in the sacristy were opened….and
before me were gazillions of different sized and shaped vessels, drawers of linens – that by the way, all have different
names! There was obvious order and care taken here. The sacredness of it really hit me.
I had another realization during that first session with Team
Three. These ladies know everything! I also realized that I
never really thought about how all the stuff got out on the altar, it just was always just there, in perfect order. I had no idea
how much work and ritual went into the process. I’m several
months into it and I don’t know if I’ll ever know the difference between a chalice and a ciborium, but I aspire to.
The ladies on my team have taught me that being on Altar Guild is a ministry, not just a duty. The reverence with
which the tasks are carried out, and the devotion of all the people who work to get church ready for a Sunday service is
still amazing to me. For me, this ministry is a privilege. By helping make the place in which we pray and honor God
a sacred space, I feel more connected to the holiness of the Eucharist, the holiness of what we do here in this space.
Bridget Elliot
Flower Guild
Left: The flower Guild celebrated their ministry at the January luncheon.
Below: One of the bright and beautiful winter
arrangements.
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Choir
Choir Celebrates Old Members, Sings Special Offering for Lent
While the Christ Church Choir continues to welcome new members throughout the year from elementary school to
adulthood, it is interesting to note that some of our members have continued in this ministry for decades! To name a
few, Martha Prince first joined in 1954, Libby Vogel joined in 1982, Willette Knopp joined in 1983, Sandy Dawson
since 1992, Andy Stillman and Chris Binder in 1993, and John Dawson joined in 1995 and together have sung joyfully for 213 years! This merely represents 7 of our 24 adults who presently serve this ministry.
On Mardi Gras Sunday, we welcomed children in 1st grade and up to join us in singing “Amazing Grace,” accompanied
by the Dixieland Jazz Band. Two other anthems which the choir sang during February are "Call to Remembrance" and
"Lord for Thy Tender Mercies Sake" by the English composer Richard Farrant (1525-1580). While Farrant was a
well-known composer, he also helped to develop English drama by establishing the Blackfriars Theatre which became a
venue for the children of the Chapel Royal (children associated with the Queen's Chapel Choir). Our anthem "Call to
Remembrance" represented Farrant's ability to mix music and drama in his composition. He also often presented his
music and plays for Queen Elizabeth 1 as organist at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Willette Knopp
The Flower Guild gathered for a winter luncheon in January.
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Small Group Ministries
Weekly and bi-weekly Small Groups are a wonderful way to build community, offer and receive support, and deepen one’s
faith . There are many small group offerings through Christ Church, and even more in the works for the coming program year.
Sunday Night Live
Sundays at 7 p.m., this group meets to discuss readings or scripture, and to pray.
All welcome. For more information, contact Christine at
[email protected].
Centering Prayer
Tuesdays from 5-6 p.m., this group meets to pray. All welcome. For more information, contact Helen Benton at 414-231-3723.
Tuesday Morning Women’s Faith Group
On Tuesdays, this group meets at Christ Church for prayer and book study. For
more information, contact Ira Leidel at [email protected]
Downtown Mid-Day Small Group
This group meets on the first and third Tuesdays at noon , in a downtown
MOPS mothers show off winter flower arrangements.
location to discuss podcasts or short readings related to spiritual enrichment.
For more information, contact Fr. Seth Dietrich at [email protected] or Dan Janssen at [email protected].
Tuesday Evening Women’s Group
Every other Tuesday at 7 p.m., this group gathers for fellowship, book discussion, and prayer. For more information, contact Anna at [email protected].
Wednesday Morning Men’s Bible Study
Wednesdays 7:30– 8:30 a.m. at Christ Church, this group reads and discusses the scripture readings for the Sunday worship service. Afterwards, group members enjoy coffee at City Market. For more information, contact John Haydon at 414-732-5013 or
[email protected].
MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)
MOPS meets the first and third Thursdays of the month from September to May from 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at Christ Church.
This group is for mothers with at least one child not yet in kindergarten. Childcare and brunch provided. For more information,
contact Anna Harmon at [email protected].
Christ Church Bagpipe Band (Lochs and Bagels)
This group of men and women meets weekly to play and learn to play the bagpipe. No musical experience necessary. For more
information, call Chuck Cruse at 414-719-1240.
Feasts of 2016
Co-chairs, Sandy Honecker and Lyn Slater with committee members, Denise Kobussen, Fran Lile, Jean Bieszk, Jane Tomasi, want to THANK all the generous, enthusiastic, creative hosts of the Feasts:
Jan. 8: Epiphany Dinner hosted by Ira & Ed Leidel and Fran & Darrell Lile
Jan. 22: Winter Soups and Stews hosted by Carol Crowley and Sandy Johansen
Jan. 29: Comfort Food on a Winter Night hosted by Susan LaBudde
Jan. 30: Sophisticated Dinner hosted by Sarah Streed & Roger Luhn
Feb. 6: Dinner, Drinks and Parlor Game hosted by Kathy & Mike Pratscher
Feb. 20: Pizza Game Night hosted by Anna & Dave Kirk and Jen & Nick Willems
Feb. 27: Yoga and Brunch hosted by Louise Konrath, Joan King, Jane Tomasi
Mar. 4: Sips and Apps hosted by Denise & Tim Kobussen; Alice & Nick Funsch
Mar. 11: International Fine Dining hosted by Maureen & Mike McCabe
Mar. 12: March Madness hosted by Meredie & Tom Scrivner
Mar. 19: Barbeque & Bourbon hosted by Susan & Kent Lovern and Hilary McCown & Rick Donner
Apr. 9: Riverview Dinner hosted by Sybil & Greg Bell
Apr. 23: Gracious Gathering hosted by Kathy & Peter Stanford
Apr. TBD: Dessert Cooking Class hosted by Kari & Bill Foote
Mar. 21: Traditional English Garden Tea hosted by Amy Dadmun
HUGE thanks also go to all the supporters from the congregation who have reserved spaces at one or many of the Feasts. We
are delighted to say that nearly $5000.00 has been raised to support in-church activities and the outreach programs.
9
Outreach: Haiti
Haiti Mission Takes Shape
In three and half short months, nineteen Christ Church parishioners will board airplanes that will eventually arrive in
Port au Prince, Haiti. We will be guests of Fr. Jean Lenord Quatorze and the people of St. Marc’s Episcopal
Church in Jeannette, Haiti. This mission experience is a
new adventure for Christ Church, combining high school
youth mission with adult mission in the developing world.
First and foremost, this mission experience is an opportunity
to deepen our ties with the people of St Marc’s whom the
Haiti Project has supported since 1986.
There are many ways our congregation and mission team
will engage with the people of St. Marc’s. We will join in
worship, conversation, and listening. We will also be assigned tasks to help with particular projects that the people of
St. Marc’s have identified alongside the
leaders of the Haiti Project. These include tutoring at St. Marc’s School
(which boasts a 90% graduation rate, far
above the national average!), hanging
gutters on the school buildings, cistern
repair, and for those of us who are qualified, lending assistance to the microfinance program that began assisting
women last year to start small businesses. Each of these projects has been
identified as integral to the long term
development of Jeannette: education,
health and sanitation, and small busiPictures from the first Haiti mission trip taken by the Haiti Project in 1986.
ness growth. It is a joy to join our sisters and
brothers and work with them and learn from them!
Our own team will be doing some serious preparation work of our own before we leave. We will engage the history, culture, and language of Haiti by visiting the Haitian art exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum, attend a 2.5 hour class on
Creole language and Haitian culture taught by a Haitian who lives in Madison, learn Haitian history from Sam Harshner,
and do personal reading to better understand the culture we will enter.
We are grateful for the support we have already received along the way, and we hope you will continue to be generous in
your support as we grow deeper in relationship and service with our sisters and brothers in a place of great joy as well as
a place of great need.
Your Haiti mission team includes: Jean Maier, Ed Inderrieden, Betsy Head, Liam Hagen, Beth Hagen, Ana Eurich,
August Eurich, Dave Eurich, David Low, Beatrice Low, Katie Richards, Seth Dietrich, Danielle Santa Cruz, Cameron Santa Cruz, Melissa Santa Cruz, Seth Raymond, Maureen McCabe, Cindy Gault, and Sophie Kowaliczko.
If you are interested in learning more about Haiti along with the group, please join us for any of our preparation events
and fundraisers. Please let Fr. Seth R know in advance so we can plan on including you!
Sunday March 6, 12-2pm “Haitian History with Sam Harshner”
Sunday March 13, 12:30-1:30pm : Guided Tour of Haitian Art @ Milwaukee Art Museum $12/adult; $5/student
Saturday April 23 4:30pm :Classical Benefit Concert @ Christ Church featuring the Collegium Ladyes and Chamber
Ensembles of Christ Church musicians
Sunday May 22 12:30-3:00pm Creole Lesson with Clarel Algere
Sunday May 29 7:30am-12:00pm Car Wash! At Christ Church
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Outreach: Local Efforts
We Saved Some Soles
The Outreach focus for November targeted the feet of the needy…and we did, indeed, save some soles. In response to
a request from The Hospitality Center of Racine,
outreach funds were used to donate a year’s supply of socks, for distribution to the homeless and
nearly homeless guests of the Hospitality Center.
We learned that socks are the least donated and
most needed clothing item for the homeless, who
often walk all day long and do not have access to
laundry facilities.
At the same time, the parish participated in two
collections. Gently used shoes were collected for
the guests of the Milwaukee Rescue Mission. We
collected about 100 pairs of shoes and hope to
collect more in the future.
In a turnabout of the usual St. Nicholas tradition,
we collected coins to give to St. Nick, who is usually the coin giver himself. The coins, totaling
just over $1,000, were given to Sojourner Family
Peace Center for unrestricted use. This cash collection replaced the holiday toy collection of past
years, because Sojourner is really overloaded
with toy donations at holiday time.
All three of these giving opportunities were simple, meaningful and much appreciated. Thank you to all who participated.
Meredie Scrivner
Parishioners of all ages worked
hard at the December Outreach/ Wassail Party. Children and confirmands decorated cookies, others wrapped
dozens of gifts for three Journey House families, while
Francophiles translated Christmas cards for our brothers and
sisters in Jeanette, Haiti. Several families traveled to the
south side of Milwaukee to
deliver gifts to families in
need. One Journey House recipient surprised parishioners
with an invitation to eat homemade tamales in her home.
What an amazing opportunity!
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Parish News
Recent Baptisms at Christ Church
May 24, 2015
Sydney Grace Madden, daughter of Gregory and Emily Madden. Her sponsors
are Ross Treffert and Amanda Poide.
July 19, 2015
Hannah Lee Raymond, daughter of Seth and Elizabeth Raymond. Her sponsors are Ben and Chloe Groth,
March 29, 2015
Catherine Camille Boemer, daughter of Steven and Nicole Boemer. Her sponsors are Karen Kohl and Kurt Boemer.
January 10, 2016
Benjamin Christopher King, son of Chris and Joan King. His sponsors are
Austin Latke and Beth O'Reilly.
February 7, 2016
Bonnie Louise Harmon, daughter of Drew and Anna Harmon. Her sponsors
are Nathan and Annie Baldwin.
We remember Bob Staeck
On February 1, 2016, Christ Church lost its long-time parish administrator
and parishioner, Bob Staeck, to pancreatic cancer. Bob was well loved by
Christ Church and by many friends and family.
To listen to Father Seth Dietrich’s funeral homily, visit the Christ Church
website at: http://christchurchwfb.org/Sermons/robert-e-staeck-homilyfebruary-6-2016/
Bob Staeck, second
from right, enjoying the summer sun
with friends from
the Wednesday
Men’s Group.
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Newcomers
Newcomers Update: Christ Church Welcomes
New Families
The Husi Family: Linnet and Stanislaus (Stan) Husi and their two
sons Stanley, 6, and William, 3, are new members at Christ Church.
Linnet is originally from the St. Louis area where her parents still
live, and Stan is from Switzerland where his family still lives. They
met in St. Louis when Stan came as an exchange student. Linnet
picked him up at the airport and dropped him off at his dorm. Several weeks later, they met again on the Washington University campus. Stan needed help with transportation and Linnet needed help
with German. This was the launching pad of their relationship that
resulted in marriage four years later. After some time in Houston,
they moved to Milwaukee in 2012 for Stan’s job as a professor of
philosophy at UW Milwaukee where he continues to teach. Through
Community Preschool, they met Beth Durant, who guided them in
their journey to learn more about Christ Church.
Linnet grew up in an Episcopal church in St. Louis, which had liturgical and architectural similarities to Christ Church, so she immediately felt at home here. Her children began the Children’s Formation
program, and they have gotten involved in MOPS. In addition to
taking care of her children, Linnet works part time as a freelance
writer for the National MOPS Organization.
Katharine H. Stanford: A long-time resident of Milwaukee, Kathy
went to Whitefish Bay High School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison before beginning her career in New York. She has an
extensive background in human resources and consulting, and has
over 30 years’ experience in financial services in both New York
and Chicago.
She and her husband, Peter, live in River Hills with their three dogs
and a cat. They have one daughter, Annie, 23, who works and lives
in New York. Among her interests, Kathy enjoys walking, hiking,
cooking, and gardening. She started a community vegetable garden
at her previous church which distributed produce to Sojourner Family Peace Center.
Kathy is an active volunteer and has been involved with several non
-profits: Pearls for Teen Girls, Carmen High School of Science and
Technology, and First Stage. Currently, she serves on the Committee for the Environment in River Hills. She started coming to Christ
Church in September. Kathy is enjoying getting to know the community of Christ Church and thanks the parishioners for being so
very warm and welcoming!
13
Our Life in Pictures
Above Left: Children take a
break from decorating cookies to pose for a picture at the
December Outreach/Wassail
Party.
Above Right: Parishioners
work diligently on their Advent wreaths at the November
Community Formation Advent Workshop.
Above: Christ Church parishioners masquerade and celebrate Epiphany at one of
the Feasts of 2016.
Right: Senior Warden Greg Bell helps to
kick off the Annual Meeting in January.
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Anglican Communion
What is the Anglican Communion?
Unlike most other Christian denominations, the Anglican Communion is not a confessional church that requires its members to
“confess” to a specific set of doctrines. The 1930 Lambeth Conference described the Anglican Communion as a 'fellowship, within
the one holy catholic and apostolic church, of those duly constituted dioceses, provinces or regional churches in communion with the
see of Canterbury.'
Anglicanism is a tradition comprising the Church of England and churches that are historically tied to it or have similar beliefs, worship, and structures. With a membership at around 85 million worldwide in 165 countries, the Anglican faith is the third largest
Christian communion in the world, after the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches.
Anglicans and Episcopalians share aspects of a common history, tradition, and ways of worshipping. But no two churches are exactly alike even within a diocese, let alone a province or between countries. This unity in diversity is one of the things that make the
Anglican Communion so special and such rich ground from which to change the world. Anglicans agree that their beliefs and practices derive from an integration of scripture, reason and tradition. This “three-legged stool” is said to demonstrate a “balance” in the
Anglican approach to faith, contrasting it with Roman Catholic and Protestant doctrines. The term via media generally refers to the
idea that Anglicanism represents a middle way between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism.
How does the Anglican Communion Govern itself?
While authority in Anglicanism is always local, in recent times it has undergone new ways of governing its international common
life. We have what we call four “Instruments of Communion” which work at binding us together:
1) The Archbishop of Canterbury, which has been in existence since 597.
2) The Lambeth Conference of bishops, which gathers every ten years in Canterbury and has been in existence since 1867.
3) The Anglican Consultative Conference which began meeting in 1971. The ACC now meets every two or three years to facilitate
the cooperative work of the churches of the Anglican Communion, to exchange information between the churches, and to help coordinate common action. It advises on the organization and structure of the communion, and seeks to develop common policies with
respect to the world mission of the Church.
4) The Primates, who are the episcopal heads (archbishops or presiding bishops) of each of our 34 provinces have met since 1978 at
the beckoning of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Primates meet for “leisurely thought, prayer and deep consultation.”
Can the Anglican Communion dictate marriage policy to the Episcopal Church?
No. Although joined in a global communion, Anglicanism has no international juridical authority. Each province is self-governing.
Since there is no binding authority in the Anglican Communion (the Archbishop of Canterbury has no authority outside of his own
province), the “Instruments of Communion” serve to hold the various churches and provinces together. Archbishop Justin Welby
said, “our authority as a church is dispersed, and is ultimately found in Scripture, properly interpreted.”
Episcopal Church Policy
Our General Convention, where canonical changes take place, is both hierarchical and democratic, both catholic and protestant. The
recent canonical change allowing for same gender marriage had the approval of both our House of Bishops and our House of Deputies (clergy and laity elected from each of our 100 dioceses) in two sequential General Conventions.
What happened in January in the Anglican Communion?
In his weekly internet message, Bishop Miller summed up the recent January news out of Canterbury:
“The Primates both affirmed their desire to walk together as a Communion of which the Episcopal Church is a member and resolved
that the Episcopal Church not participate in certain parts of our common life for the next three years as a consequence of our decision in General Convention to allow same-sex marriage. It remains clear that members of the Anglican Communion disagree over
issues of human sexuality and that some members believe our actions at General Convention went too far. It is also clear that some
want us to step back from these actions and that other members of the Communion support the decisions of the Episcopal Church.
This state of being is also nothing new as is the multiplicity of letters and responses to the events of the past week. For that matter,
members of the Anglican Communion disagreeing is nothing new either. We are a Communion which has room for different understandings about Christ's presence in the Eucharist, the rite of Confirmation, and the interpretation of Holy Scripture.”
Bottom Line
During the next three years, our Presiding Bishop and our elected members of the Anglican Consultative Council will continue to
connect with the four Instruments of Communion. While they will have a voice, they will be censored from any voting. In the meantime, the Archbishop of Canterbury will appoint a task group to “maintain conversation among the Primates with the intention of
restoration of relationship, the rebuilding of mutual trust, healing the legacy of hurt, recognizing the extent of our commonality and
exploring our deep differences, ensuring they are held between us in the love and grace of Christ,” (from the Primates 1/18/2016
Statement.)
Ed Leidel
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Holy Week at Christ Church
Palm Sunday, March 20
8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Palm Procession and Reading of the Passion Gospel. Interactive Stations of the Cross following the service.
Maundy Thursday, March 24
6:00 p.m. Part Seder Meal, Part Agape Feast, Full Immersion into the Great Three
Days
Good Friday, March 25
12 p.m. and 7 p.m. (new this year). Solemn remembrance of Jesus’ Passion
Holy Saturday, March 26
9 a.m. Quiet Service of Waiting
Great Vigil of Easter, March 26
8 p.m. Resurrection feast with Vigil
Fire, Salvation History, Baptism,
Chocolate Fountain and Champagne
Easter Sunday, March 27
8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
Festival Celebrations of the Resurrection
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Christ Episcopal Church
5655 North Lake Drive Whitefish Bay, WI 53217
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Weekly offerings of the
Holy Eucharist
Sunday 8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday 8:00 a.m.
(chapel)
Evening Prayer
Wednesday and Thursday
5:30 p.m. (chapel)
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