July Communique - Christ Church Episcopal

July 2016
Christ Church
July 2016
Inside this issue:
Stewardship TNT – Time and
Talent
2
New Christ Church SpecialNeeds Cheerleading Team
3
Knit One - Bless Two, or
More
4
Stewardship of OUTREACH
5
Outreach Ideation
Conversation on July 10;
CCE to Host Three Days of
VBS at Norcross Co-op
6
CCE to Provide Sack Lunches
for Rainbow Village;
Be Part of the CCE
“Sandwich Squad”!
7
“June Prune” Draws Small
but Hard-Working Group;
“Red, White and New” Gala
9
5pm Sunday Services
Different Each Week of the
Month; Writings from My
Mother’s Journals
10
Upcoming Haiti Events; Send
a Child to School!; Donations
for Haiti of Things We Take
for Granted
11
Bishop’s Visitation Last
Month
12-13
Christ Church Memorial
Committee & Garden
14
CCE to Help a Refugee Family
with Household Items;
Coffee Hour Offered on
First and Third Sundays
15
“Ladies Night Out” Gets
Creative This Month!; July’s
Mission of Mercy Outreach:
Emmaus House
16
Guys’ Night Out: Trivia Night
at Tavern at Medlock; Men’s
Trivia: We WON Again!
17
A Week in the Woods, and
So Much More …
18-19
Summer Church for Children
20
Transitions; July Birthdays &
Anniversaries
21
Sandwich Sundays
Wild & Wacky Wednesdays
22
23-24
:E
Page
Volume 39, Issue 7
Rector’s Reflections:
“What You Do Expect and What You Don’t Expect”
My Aunt Eva, at my cousins’ urging,
would sometimes tell our fortunes with a
deck of cards. In my mind, I can still hear
the lapping of the water on the shores of
the Rappahannock River, and see the cozy
screened porch where we encircled her,
eagerly waiting to find out about future
boyfriends. One of the categories
included in the fortune telling was “what
you do expect; what you don’t expect.”
As you can imagine, this was the most
intriguing of all. (By the way, my Aunt Eva
was a devout Catholic who would never
engage in the occult. The fortune-telling
was done in good fun.)
I’ve been thinking about “what you do
expect and what you don’t expect” more
frequently now that I have planted a
garden at the church. [Read about it in
“Potential,” the cover story in the May
2016 issue of Communiqué.] For those
of us inclined toward gardening, we discover many spiritual lessons, especially
as related to expectations and reality.
Although I planted the garden boxes
knowing full well that deer were watching
me just inside the woods, I believed that,
using my brother’s advice to rig a string
fence, I could outwit those ubiquitous
and lovely creatures. I expected the fence
to at least be a deterrent. What I didn’t
expect is that they could lean in on one
Photo: Christ Church’s Facebook Page
The Church Garden, photographed on June 6, 2016
side and nibble away at my Italian
green beans.
Likewise, since I had filled the boxes
with enriched soil, and layered abundant
mulch around the plants, I expected a
yield of strong and healthy plants
unencumbered by weeds. What I didn’t
expect was to find squash withering on
the vines, and Bermuda grass sprouts
emerging through the pine straw.
And, I expected that this garden
would be my personal hobby, worked
independently of others. What I didn’t
expect is that I would need the help of
others to plant and maintain it. [Husband]
David and [Parish Sexton] Luis [Cordova]
helped me with the fence. Paul Thurner
helped with soil enrichment, and of late,
Bruce Halliburton graciously installed
netting to deter the deer.
[Continued on Page 20]
Page 2
Communiqué
Stewardship TNT – Time and Talent
This monthly feature highlights
those who give generously in so
many ways to make this church
function on myriad levels. To nominate someone for this column,
email [email protected].
Photo: Courtesy of Jack Brocksmith
Jack Brocksmith
Communiqué
is a monthly publication of
Christ Church Episcopal
400 Holcomb Bridge Rd.
Norcross, GA 30071
770-447-1166
The Rev. Ceci Duke
Rector
The Rev. Jody Greenwood
Associate Rector—Christian Education & Youth
The Rev. Napoleón Brito
Associate Rector for Hispanic Ministry
Judy Moore, Editor
[email protected]
Deadline for submissions is the 10th of
each month for the following month’s issue
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Jack
moved to Atlanta in 1955 and
attended Northside High School.
He graduated from Florida State
University, and after living in several
Florida towns, moved back to
Atlanta, living in Tucker, Berkeley
Lake, and now Johns Creek.
Jack began attending Christ Church
in 1981 when he was engaged to his
soon-to-be wife, Carol, who was a
cradle Episcopalian. Those first
years he was busy working and he
felt he was not contributing enough
time and talent as he would have
liked. Jack spent most of his career
in sales, in the Sporting Goods
industry and in the Licensed
Product industry.
Over the last 25 years, Jack has
served on the founding Board of
[the former] Christ Church Episcopal
School and remained on that Board
until the school closed, seven years
total. He also served two terms on
the Vestry, working on Buildings and
Grounds both terms. He took charge
of repainting and installing new carpet in the Modular Center when it
was needed, getting new appliances
for the Youth Building, and even
pressure-washing the back of that
building. He went on a mission trip
to Mexico with the church, where
they built a house for Casas por
Christo [an organization that leads
trips building homes for families
living in poverty in México,
Guatemala, and the Dominican
Republic]. He also helped to
move-in a refugee family here, and
drove them to church each Sunday
for six months.
About 10 years ago, Tom Erickson,
the namesake of the Memorial
Garden, asked Jack to take over the
reins of the Memorial Committee
[see related article on Page 14]. He
trained Jack, and now Jack says this
has been an especially rewarding
ministry for him. Jack prepares the
burial site for the cremains, orders
the memorial plaques, and keeps
the records of the deceased.
Jack also currently serves as a
Eucharistic Minister and a Greeter.
(Continued on Page 8)
July 2016
Page 3
New Christ Church Special-Needs Cheerleading Team
Sometimes the Lord gives us little
nudges to move us along his path.
Often he continues the nudges
(or shoves) when we try to ignore
Him. He did this to me last year
through the mouth of my daughter,
Ashton. Those of you who know
Ashton know that she has definite
opinions as to what should be done.
She doesn’t hesitate to share her
opinions, kindly but firmly.
The Lord’s nudging, through Ashton,
started last fall. In the past several
years, many of the churches with
large cheerleading programs have
begun to offer a team for specialneeds children. These teams
perform, not compete, at the
Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders
competitions. The smiles and joy
that radiate from these teams are
inspirational to everyone watching.
After watching a team perform last
year, Ashton came to me and said
that Christ Church needed to have a
special-needs team, and she wanted
to help with the team. Since I
already coordinate the church’s
cheer program and coach one of
the teams from June-January, my
sense of self-preservation kicked in.
I replied that although I’d love to
have a special-needs team, I didn’t
have time to take on another team.
She replied “I’ll help!”
Over the next few months, I took
baby steps towards this new
endeavor. I contacted another
program coordinator to ask
questions; I talked to Jody
[Greenwood, Associate Rector] to
get her feedback. It seemed that
every time I slowed in my quest,
Ashton would randomly ask “So,
where are we with the special-needs
team?”
The most difficult part of putting
together a team is always finding a
coach. It usually takes months of
looking and pleading. I knew that I
couldn’t be the head coach for this
team. My schedule would only allow
me to help out. I decided that if God
wanted us to have a team, He’d take
care of the coach, too. I sent out
emails to Special Ed. teachers at
local schools. An hour later
(literally), I had a response from a
Special Education paraprofessional
at Pinckneyville who was delighted
to help! God was no longer being
subtle with His wishes!
Our special-needs team now has a
head coach, LOTS of junior coaches
who want to help, and practice time
at Simpsonwood United Methodist
Church. We need your help to finish
completing the vision. We need
the children. We need at least five
children to have a team. The team is
open to children in elementary and
middle school. The team practices
once a week, on Fridays from
5-6pm. If any of you know any
children who would be interested,
please ask the parents to contact me
at [email protected] for more
information.
— Misty Wilson
Internet Photo
Page 4
Communiqué
Knit One - Bless Two, or More
Twenty years ago my doctor called
me at work to tell me I had breast
cancer. If there’s a good way to tell
someone she has breast cancer, my
doctor sure didn’t know what it was.
Everything associated with having
cancer was scary, but after surgery
and radiation, I relaxed, thinking
I was cured.
“You know I want to be healed Lord,
but I accept whatever You want for
me. My life is in Your hands and I’ll
walk through this valley if you want
me to.” After that, I knew I was in
God’s care and keeping, and it could
never be otherwise. The only healing
I needed was healing my relationship with Him.
But the cancer came back in nearly
the same place nine years later.
Why?! Why me? Where else was it?
I dreaded thinking about receiving
serious treatment that would
have horrible side effects. To be
completely honest, I hated the
thought of losing all of my hair
worse than anything. Then it finally
sank in that the cancer could be fatal
this time. I was beyond terrified.
Sarah Randall makes wonderful
prayer shawls for Christ Church folks
and Ceci blesses them. We also have
several knitters who make prayer
cloths. These are blessed by Ceci,
[Associate Rector] Jody, or [Assisting
Priest] Doug, then prayed over by
our Order of St. Luke (OSL) team as
we hand them to you. Let me know
if you want a prayer cloth.
After surgery, I attended the noon
Healing Service with drains hidden
under my clothes. During the
service, I received a prayer shawl
blessed by [Rector] Ceci and laid on
my shoulders by Sheli Dunn. I can’t
describe how much comfort this
blessed shawl gave me. I especially
liked to wrap up in it and sit in my
prayer chair, where I had long chats
with God about my health. The
shawl comforted me during an
unpleasant time of scans and tests
and doctor visits.
One day while I was chatting with
God, wearing my prayer shawl,
I thought I felt His arms around me.
It seemed like God was trying to
comfort me using my prayer shawl.
I finally relaxed and accepted whatever the future held. I prayed,
Want to learn more about healing
prayer? We have a chapter of OSL
called Healing Hands meeting at
Christ Church the second Tuesday of
the month. Everyone is invited to
attend. Our healing prayer team is
available to pray for you:
 In the Parlor during Holy
Communion, and after announcements, at the 10:30 service
 In the Parlor from 9-10am on the
2nd Sunday of the month
 At our meetings in room 107 of
the Education Wing on the second
Tuesday of the month
 Other times and places by request
Contact me if you’d like to learn
more about healing prayer, or if you
want us to pray for you.
— Sharon Pitman
[email protected]
July 2016
Page 5
Stewardship of OUTREACH
We will be entering our Stewardship
of OUTREACH focus at Christ Church
Episcopal Norcross in August and
September.
We aim the bright light of our
energy toward Outreach.
What does that mean?
FOCUS: To serve the world outside
of Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross
(CCEN), by communicating who we
are, being inclusive, and giving of
what we have.
• Eucharistic Visitors
• Norcross Cooperative Ministry
[see Page 6]
• Rainbow Village [see Page 7]
GOAL of Stewardship focus on
OUTREACH:
 To support CCEN in:
• choosing the vital few focus
areas where we can make a
difference, locally and globally
[see related story on Page 8]
• CCEN Thrift Shop
• Nicholas House
• Emmaus House [see Page 16]
• The IMPACT! Group
• Church of the Common Ground
that serve the needs of others
outside our parish
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to
preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim
freedom for the prisoners and
recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed, to
proclaim the year of the Lord’s
favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one
day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians
by our love, by our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians
by our love
We will work with each other
We will work side by side
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity
and save each man’s pride
• attracting, welcoming, and
involving those who come
through our doors
 To aim the spotlight on programs
They'll Know We Are Christians
By Our Love (partial lyrics )
• Haiti Mission – St. Joseph of
Arimathea [see Page 11]
• Episcopal Relief and Development
(If there are other groups that have
as their primary purpose first to
serve others outside the parish,
and yet did not make this list, please
call Beth in the church office at
770-447-1166 and leave a message
for the Stewardship Commission.)
When I think about Outreach, this
song comes to mind. We translate
love into action; we radiate the
message of what Christianity REALLY
means.
And they’ll know we are Christians
by our love, by our love
Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians
by our love, our love…
Songwriter Peter Scholtes
Lyrics © The Lorenz Corporation
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you
the truth, whatever you did
for one of the least of these
brothers of mine, you did for
me.’” (Matthew 25: 40)
— Betsy Pickren
Chair, Stewardship Commission
Page 6
Communiqué
Outreach Ideation Conversation on July 10
Many of you were here on May 22,
when [Rector] Ceci delivered an
inspired sermon about the findings
from the parish-wide discernment
process.
We learned that, when asked what
you want Christ Church to be known
for by non-parishioners in our
community, the overwhelming
response was Outreach. What’s
more, many of you have added your
name to the list of those interested
in talking more about what this
might look like.
To that end, The Rev. Jody
Greenwood and Vestry member
Natalie Leff invite you to be part of
the Ideation Conversation that will
held on Sunday, July 10 at 9:15am.
(An earlier session was held on
June 26; you did not have to have
attend that one to participate in this
one.) Come and be part of the dialog! Our main goal is to hear from
you!
We will also let you know about
some Outreach opportunities
already at hand, and envision others
for the future. It is up to us to be the
hands and feet of Christ in the
world, loving like Jesus and serving
others. We hope you can join in the
conversation!
CCE to Host Three Days of VBS at Norcross Co-op
As part of our Outreach ministry at
Norcross Co-operative Ministry
(NCM)*, Christ Church will host three
days of Vacation Bible School (VBS)
for children of parents who seek
NCM services.
Photo: Bruce Halliburton
Photo from last year’s
VBS at the Norcross Co-op
This year our Outreach VBS at
NCM will be Monday, July 25;
Wednesday, July 27; and Friday,
July 29, from 9:30am-Noon.
During our 2½-hour morning of VBS,
we provide a morning snack, engage
the children with crafts, games,
and a Bible story. Another church
provides sack lunches for the
children to take home with them.
To volunteer for any of the three
mornings of this rewarding ministry,
please contact Mary Halliburton at
770-248-1923, or email her at
[email protected]. This is a
wonderful ministry for preteens,
teens, and adults who enjoy working
with children.
 Norcross Co-operative Ministry is a faith-based, nonprofit, ecumenical
ministry dedicated to providing emergency assistance to families in
Norcross and surrounding areas of Gwinnett County. NCM is supported
by 23 local churches, and numerous businesses, civic, and social
organizations, foundations, and individuals.
July 2016
Page 7
CCE to Provide Sack Lunches for Rainbow Village
Again this summer, Christ Church will
participate with other Faith Partners
in our area to provide sack lunches
for the children of Rainbow Village
(RBV) to take to Day Camp at Bogan
Park this summer.
On July 13, during “Wacky Wednesday” in the Parish Hall, Christ Church
children will decorate lunch bags,
and assemble five days’ of camp
lunches for 50 children of RBV
residents and recent graduates.
That's 250 lunches!!! The camp
lunches will then be distributed to
Rainbow Village for the week of
July 18.
But FIRST – we need your
contributions of packages of:
 Juice boxes
 Salty snacks
 Sweet snacks
 Fruit
 $20 Publix gift cards for sand-
wich fixings
SIGN-UP sheets are in the Parish Hall
for parishioners to bring these items
to church by no later than Sunday,
July 10.
Thanks so much for contributing
to our Rainbow Village Outreach
Ministry as it celebrates 25 years of
providing transitional housing to
homeless families with children.
— Mary Halliburton
Be Part of the CCE “Sandwich Squad”!
What's that? From time to time we
receive a message from Emmaus
House or other sandwich ministries,
saying they are running desperately
low. When this happens, it would be
great if we could send an email to
the SANDWICH SQUAD, who will
SPRING into action!
What Do I Do? When you get an
email request, you simply put on
your Sandwich Squad Cape and
then ...
1. Buy one loaf of wheat bread, and
either meat & cheese (no condiments) OR peanut butter & jelly;
2. Make sandwiches and put each
one in a sandwich bag;
3. Put all the wrapped sandwiches
back into the loaf bag; and,
4. Bring the loaf to the church the
following Sunday and put it in the
Kitchen fridge with “Sandwich
Squad” on it.
The Rev. Jody Greenwood will get
them delivered to the right place.
Interested? Contact Jody at
[email protected]. Provide
your email address and she’ll add you
to the list!
Rainbow Village featured in
The Gwinnett Daily Post
on June 5, 2016!
www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/
cities/duluth/duluth-s-rainbowvillage-celebrates-years-helping-the
-homeless/article_16cb2242-4966538d-a7d5-c24e31971917.html
Page 8
Communiqué
Stewardship TNT – Time and Talent
(Continued from Page 2)
Jack and his wife, Carol, just
celebrated their 34th wedding
anniversary. They have a daughter,
Sarah, who is 20 years old and
attends Ole Miss. Jack has three
other children, John, Leslie, and Amy,
and seven grandchildren.
Photo courtesy of
Greta Loeber
Greta Loeber
After having visited Episcopal
churches in the Atlanta area,
I became a Christmas and Easter
attendee from 1972 until Sunday,
March 11, 1979. I was aware of the
early formation of Christ Church in
the summer of 1978, from signs
posted around the neighborhood.
I was busy getting ready for the birth
of my son. He was born in December
1978, and was baptized in North Carolina on March 4, 1979, by a priest
known to the family for many years.
As we discussed the baptismal
covenant, Father Gary said, “This
means taking your family to church.”
He then pulled out a book and
shared the Episcopal churches near
Norcross. Having previously visited
those, our family decided to try the
newly forming parish.
When we arrived on March 11, 1979
at Norcross High School on Beaver
Ruin Road, we helped set up the
worship space, hauled chairs around,
and were greeted by friendly people.
Since that time, I have been involved
in many aspects of Christ Church.
Here is a list—pianist, organist, choir
member, Sunday School teacher,
VBS, ECW, cooking, cleaning,
painting, Altar Guild, Thrift Shop,
fundraisers (the infamous crab boil
was a standout.), Vestry, Mother’s
Morning Out, children’s choir,
helping organize early retreats and
Seders, hosting progressive dinners,
and I’m sure you are ready for me to
stop recalling the early days of Christ
Church. Sometimes my activity has
been less; graduate school took a lot
of extra time. As an educator, I saw
some parishioner children six days a
week. Ask if we ever did something
at Christ Church, and I might be able
to recall the occurrence.
At the present time, I am the Forum
chair for Worship, and co-facilitate a
Sunday School class for women.
The support and love of my Christ
Church family has seen me through
many difficult and joyous times,
and cemented relationships for a
lifetime.
I suppose I could place the responsibility of being here on my son’s
baptism, but the reality is that my
tenure is because it has been the
right place for me to be – through
joys and woes.
July 2016
Page 9
“June Prune” Draws Small but Hard-Working Group
The Men’s Group had a grounds
work day at Christ Church on
Saturday, June 4, led by Rita
Boughrum and Paul Van Dyke.
We hope to enlist more volunteers
for our next work day in early spring.
There is still plenty of work that
needs to be done. Please consider
joining us for fellowship and service
on our next project.
With only a few volunteers and
great leadership, we made a small
dent in the church’s grounds care
needs.
— Ben Pitman
Photos: Bruce Halliburton
“Red, White and New” Gala
As an Advisory Council member of
New American Pathways, I invite
you to join us on Saturday, Aug. 20,
2016 at 6:30pm as we host our
fourth annual “Red, White and New”
fundraising gala and recognize some
of America’s newest citizens. This
event will be attended by generous
Atlanta-area individuals and
corporations who support diversity
in our community as well as the
opportunity for refugees to rebuild
their lives in Georgia.*
program to honor newly naturalized
citizens in Georgia.
Join us at the Ballroom at The Carlos
Center (The Hellenic Center), 2500
Clairmont Road, Atlanta, for a night
of elegant and international food,
live and silent auctions, and a
with New American Pathways to
help a refugee family get settled
here in Atlanta in July. Read about
it on Page 15 in this issue of
Communiqué. — Ed.
We will also be presenting the
Friend of Freedom Award to Judge
Meng Lim, Georgia Superior Court
Judge, successful attorney, and former
Cambodian refugee.
For further information and to
purchase tickets online, go to
www.redwhiteandnew.org.
— Terry Franzén
 NOTE: Christ Church is partnering
To learn more about New
American Pathways, go to
www.newamericanpathways.org.
Page 10
Communiqué
5pm Sunday Services Different Each Week of the Month
Christ Church has weekly 5pm
Sunday alternative worship services.
Each week of the month offers a
different musical genre, and diverse
ways to express our praise and
prayers to God.
Please join us, and invite others,
to gather together as we share our
story and the sacred meal.
Childcare will be provided beginning
at 4:45pm.*
Weekly offerings feature:
 1st Sunday of the Month:
Jazz/Folk (July 3 – no Nursery)
 2nd Sunday of the Month:
Celtic Tradition (July 10)
 3rd Sunday of the Month:
Choral Evensong – no Eucharist
(July 17)
* Childcare begins at 3:45pm on
the 3rd Sunday of the month
 4th Sunday of the Month:
Contemporary (July 24)
 5th Sunday of the Month:
Contemplative – sung Compline,
no Eucharist (July 31)
Writings from My Mother’s Journals
My mother, Clara Davis Adams Ray,
lived in Moultrie, Ga., where I grew
up. For many years she had a
meeting/conversation with the Lord
every morning. She wrote down her
thoughts in small spiral notebooks.
We did not know about her practice
until after her death, in May 1981,
when the many, many notebooks
were discovered. She wrote this
in 1980.
— Craig Ray [Jr.]
We might begin by saying, “Thank
you, God, for all my blessings, for all
the good in my life.” Let us take the
time and make the effort to express
our appreciation to the people who
are a part of our life.
Appreciation
Thank you, Dear Lord, for this new
day and may I show others how
much I appreciate them by words
and deeds.
Sometimes a person may feel
most appreciative of another, but
never puts that feeling into words.
But we all know that a word of
appreciation can lift our spirits and
lighten our day.
Today, let us determine to put our
feelings of appreciation into words.
In expressing our appreciation to
others, we add to our own joy and
happiness.
~~~
Be Craig’s [Sr.] and my Pilot and
Host this day. I do thank You, Father,
for everything.
July 29th
Design: Jane Scott
July 2016
Page 11
Upcoming Haiti Events
Oct. 15: “Halloween for Haiti”
Our annual Halloween Carnival and
Haunted Trail benefits the school at
our partner church, St. Joseph of
Arimathea, in Jasmin, Haiti. We are
changing this up for this year! Mark
your calendar now, and stay tuned
for more details!
Oct. 21-29: Medical Clinic Trip
Is God calling you to Haiti? Do you
feel a tug on your heart?
Then come with us on our next
Medical Clinic trip. There are jobs
for lay people! This is a great
opportunity to get to know the
people in the communities we serve,
including our school. No experience
is necessary. Our Medical Clinic trips
are open to everyone who is about
age 15 and older. Medical experience and training is not necessary.
All you need is a willingness to help,
an openness to new adventures, and
a curiosity about how your life may
be different after this experience.
May 2017: Partnership Trip
This is an opportunity to spend time
with the students at the school, as
well as travel around Haiti and learn
more about the country and the
Diocese. We also plan to build a
fence at the church and school.
This is a new trip, and suitable for
those age 15 and older. We will
agree on the date based upon the
participants’ school schedules.
We hope this will become an annual
offering for parents, students, and
others to get to know our partner
and build deeper relationships.
For more information, contact Terry
Franzén at [email protected].
Donations for Haiti of Things We Take for Granted
On each trip to Haiti, we provide our
patients with simple necessities.
Please donate:
 Soap, body wash, and
shampoo (extra unused hotel
shampoo and soap work well)
 Toothbrushes
 Children’s Vitamins with Iron
(not gummies) – a necessity
when malnourishment is so
prevalent.
A container for your donations is
located in the Communications
Breezeway, between the Narthex
and the Parish Hall. Thank you!
Send a Child to School!
Buy delicious Haitian
Coffee on the first
Sunday of each month.
Your purchase supports
the school at St. Joseph’s,
Jasmin, Haiti.
Page 12
Communiqué
Bishop’s Visitation Last Month
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
Bishop Wright at the Bishop’s Forum
Photo: Bruce Halliburton
Making sandwiches for “Sandwich Sunday”
It was a joyous occasion as The
Right Rev. Robert Wright, Bishop of
the Diocese of Atlanta, made the
annual episcopal (episcopal means
of bishops) visit to our parish on
Sunday, June 19, 2016. It was a busy
Sunday, which included “Sandwich
Sunday” and a Bishop’s Forum
between the first two services, a
baptism at the 10:30am service, and
confirmations at the 1pm service!
their CCE Discernment T-shirts
(as were many in the congregation
that day), made a brief presentation
on the findings and actions of our
ongoing Discernment Process.
Ceci presented Bishop Wright with
his own CCE Discernment T-shirt,
which can be seen in the photo at
right, firmly attached to the Bishop’s
crozier (staff) during the closing
procession!
Bishop Wright held a Bishop’s Forum
in the Parish Hall at 9:15am, and
also helped the “Sandwich Squad”
make sandwiches to be taken to the
hungry in our community – in this
instance, Emmaus House in Peoplestown. (See the flyer on Page 22 for
details on the remaining two
“Sandwich Sundays” this summer.)
There was a Jamaican-themed
reception following the service,
in honor of the newly baptized,
graciously hosted by Daphne Gary,
baby Walker’s grandmother, and
assisted by the St. Monica’s Guild
and members of the Vestry.
The Daughters of the King served a
delicious third-Sunday Coffee Hour
brunch between the 8am and
10:30am services, as usual.
The Bishop preached and celebrated
at the 10:30am service, at which
[Rector] Ceci baptized four-monthold Walker Orion Woolley (see
photos on Page 21). Senior Warden
Ted Farmer, along with several
members of the Vestry, sporting
Bishop Wright also preached and
celebrated at 1pm for the Christ
Church Hispanic Community
(Iglesia de Cristo), and confirmed
three persons from Iglesia de San
Beda of St. Bede’s.
Additional photos, as well as video,
from the day are online at
www.pivmedia.com, a blog site
maintained by the diocese’s roving
photographer, Bill Monk.
— Ed.
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
Making sandwiches for “Sandwich Sunday”
Photo: Bruce Halliburton
Ceci Duke at the Bishop’s Forum
Photo: Bruce Halliburton
Jody Greenwood with Bishop Wright
July 2016
Page 13
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
The Sandwich Squad at work
Making sandwiches for “Sandwich Sunday”
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
Bishop Wright with Deacon Nora Cruz-Díaz
and Fr. Napoleón Brito
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
The water of baptism
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
Bishop Wright with Deacon Nora Cruz-Díaz
Photo: Bruce Halliburton
Photo: Bruce Halliburton
Baby Walker’s extended family, shown after his baptism
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk
The Bishop’s new CCE Discernment T-shirt
is wrapped around the crook of his crozier!
Page 14
Communiqué
Christ Church Memorial Committee & Garden
I started coming to Christ Church
over 35 years ago. I have served
two terms on the Vestry and been
involved in a number of other
ministries. I have been head of the
Memorial Committee since my good
friend, Tom Erickson, asked me to
take over for him about 10 years
ago. The Memorial Committee
has been an especially rewarding
ministry for me.
The primary purpose of the
Memorial Committee is to maintain
the Memorial Garden, where ashes
are interred, and prepare the site
for those interments, plus we
encourage and acknowledge gifts
to the Memorial Fund. We also
encourage all adult church members
to participate in the “Before Death
Happens” program. The goal of this
program is to have a permanent file
on every adult member’s service
and burial wishes. Other programs
include the purchase of art in honor
and/or memory of loved ones, and
the dedication of pews and choir
chairs.
The blessing of having our Memorial
Garden is something of which every
member of our congregation should
be completely aware. We owe Tom
Erickson, and his forward thinking
some 22 years ago at the old church,
for this wonderful garden and the
peace it can bring for surviving
family members who are confronted
with major decisions at the very
time of severe emotional strain.
The most selfless and caring act that
one can do is to make their wishes
for their funeral/memorial service
and burial known, through our
“Before Death Happens” program.
We make that easy. By completing a
simple form you can relieve your
surviving family members of much of
this burden. And, most importantly,
they will know they are acting
according to the deceased’s wishes.
We have both a long and short form
so you can be very detailed or just
have basic information on file.
Of course, changes can be made to
either as circumstances change.
Those who are completely sure of
their wishes can even pay costs in
advance for a place in the Memorial
Garden and relieve their family
of this burden.
The most normal reaction to the
inevitable is “I’ll do it later – I don’t
want to think about dying, let alone
fill out a form about my service.”
One must think of those they love,
and do it! Then, encourage those
from whom you would want the
same act of love done for you,
to do it.
All forms are available in the
Church Office. Just email or call
Beth Holland and she will see you
get them promptly, or you can call
me at 770-449-0788 and I will get
you one, and help you with any
questions or additional information.
In Christ’s Love,
Jack Brocksmith
Chair, Memorial Committee
July 2016
Page 15
CCE to Help a Refugee Family with Household Items
World Refugee Week* is observed
in June. The number of people
displaced from their homes by war
and persecution hit a recordbreaking 65.3 million people by the
end of 2015, the United Nations said
in a report released to mark World
Refugee Day (June 20).
Resettlement
Apartment Supply List
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/
d/1PvoSPq5reEmw5hz86UAfe_5urBknH
GGMy01oHkXKQto
This Google Docs spreadsheet is
editable by anyone who clicks on it,
so that church members can
directly sign up for their own
donations.
Simply enter your contact information next to the item(s) you wish
to donate, then click SHARE.
Christ Church is working with New
American Pathways to assist a
refugee family get settled here in
Atlanta. What is New American
Pathways (NAP)? NAP is a relatively
new organization created in 2014 by
the merger of Refugee Resettlement
and Immigration Services of Atlanta
(RRISA) and Refugee Family Services
(RFS). But the roots of this organization have been in the Atlanta area
for over 20 years. The vision of NAP
is to promote safety, stability,
success, and service for individual
refugees and refugee families in
Georgia. They offer five distinct
program areas that focus on jobs,
education, cultural integration,
individual and female empowerment, and building strong families.
We are expecting to be assigned a
family by NAP of three to four
people sometime in July. At left is a
link to a spreadsheet with the list of
items we have been asked to
provide for this family; there will
also be a sign-up list in the Parish
Hall. In addition to the requested
household items, we will need to
have a number of people to help
transport the items, and to set up
the apartment. The biggest issue
with this part of the project is that
we may only get four to five days’
notice on when a family will be
arriving.
If you have any suggestions,
please contact Beth Jonsson at
[email protected].
* If you are interested in reading
more about World Refugee Week,
please click on the following link:
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/
ens/2016/06/20/anglicans-markworld-refugee-day/.
Coffee Hour Offered on First and Third Sundays
The first Sunday of each month,
coffee, fruits, and pastries are
offered in the Parish Hall from 9:1510:15 (between services), sponsored
by Parish Life.
The Grace Chapter of the Daughters
of the King (DOK) hosts a Continental Breakfast between the 8am and
10:30am church services on the
third Sunday of each month.
Please join us for coffee, juice,
and light breakfast fare!
This is a great time to meet new
members and visitors, catch up
with friends, and learn about new
opportunities at Christ Church.
We look forward to seeing you!
Page 16
Communiqué
“Ladies Night Out” Gets Creative This Month!
Come explore the creative side of
your personality at Eye Candy
Art Studio, 3127 Main Street in
Duluth, 678-714-5683, on Thursday
night, July 14, at 6:30pm.
Select and paint a ceramic piece of
your choice, while enjoying great
food, delicious drinks, and, most
importantly, the company of your
church friends. The price averages
$12-$25 per piece, depending
upon what you choose. For more
information, visit their website at
www.eyecandyartstudio.net.
Please bring finger food (appetizer,
light dessert) and drink to share.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
are welcome.
Terry Franzén will provide the
plates, napkins, utensils, glasses,
and corkscrew.
We have to guarantee at least eight
people, so please respond "Yes!"
as soon as possible to Terry at
[email protected].
July’s Mission of Mercy Outreach: Emmaus House
Emmaus House is the recipient of
the Mission of Mercy collection on
the first Sunday of July 2016.
For more information, visit
www.emmaushouseatlanta.org
Emmaus House is a non-profit
Episcopal Community Center,
located in Peoplestown (central
Atlanta), serving those in need in
Atlanta and beyond. Emmaus
House, founded in 1967, seeks to
diminish poverty and its broader
consequences by strengthening
individuals, families, and communities through education, assistance,
and social action. Emmaus House
offers a wealth of services, from
prison ministries to children’s and
senior citizens’ programs, arts
programs, gardening projects, and
poverty rights programs.
In the summer, Emmaus House
offers Camp Summer Hope, a sevenweek day camp for 120 elementary
children. As most people know,
camp is a wonderful time for
children to learn, play, and have a
place where people nurture and
care for the children. On Saturdays
during the school year, they offer art
classes for children, so children can
learn to explore their creative side.
Sunday mornings, Emmaus House
offers Sunday School for children
and adults, with the service held in
the Chapel at Emmaus House.
Emmaus House offers guidance for
those people searching for assistance with obtaining food, housing,
job application, health and medical
care, utilities, and applications for
government assistance.
The Mission of Mercy collection
basket will be placed in front of the
Communion rail to receive your
special offering on July 3, 2016.
July 2016
Page 17
Guys’ Night Out: Trivia Night at Tavern at Medlock
The Men’s Group Trivia Night for
this month will be on Wednesday,
July 13, from 7-9:30pm, at the
Tavern at Medlock, located at 3230
Medlock Bridge Rd., Norcross.
We have a BLAST. Come join the fun,
and eat dinner with us. Feel free to
bring a friend. RSVP to Ben Pitman
at [email protected] or
678-571-4179.
Men’s Trivia: We WON Again!
That’s right, we won again at trivia
on June 8, thanks in great part to
Sam Lyles, who seems to know all
kinds of things only older guys
should know.
We had 11 guys in all, and too many
laughs to count! Rob Waller again
brought two guests, and keeps
hoping they will join the church.
It’s a great way to evangelize!
Also, we welcomed a new member,
Stephen Wright, who recently
started attending Christ Church.
We made it clear to him that he had
to have a thick skin if he was going
to be part of this group.
Our team, “TMG,” now has taken
on three meanings:
1. It was supposed to be for
“The Men’s Group.”
2. But the DJ misread it and called
us “The Man’s Group.”
3. Then, when a late arrival asked
what TMG meant, the jokesters
at the table came up with
“The Mean Geezers”!
And not only did we come in first
and win $50 Tavern Bucks for next
month, but we also won a secondhalf drawing for a free pitcher of
beer. This went extremely well with
the sign I had standing on our table
so guys would know which table
was ours [see photo at right].
We learned that John Haeger had
been in a car accident the previous
week and his car had been totaled
(no injuries though, not even an air
bag deployed). John asked me if
I had any advice about cars, since I
have had to replace mine and my
daughter’s several times in the last
few years. Before I could answer,
one of the guys jumped in and said
that his advice was, “Don’t let Ben
drive it!”
— Ben Pitman
Sign marking the table for “TMG,”
The Men’s Group,
at Trivia Night
Page 18
Communiqué
A Week in the Woods, and So Much More …
If you were at the church early on
Sunday, June 5, 2016, you may have
seen a flurry of vehicles, people,
and equipment over by the Youth
Center. That was the departure of
Boy Scout Troop 26, on the annual
outing called SUMMER CAMP – a
week in the woods, full of fun, with
a generous portion of healthy
learning sprinkled in.
Each camper gets a sleeping bag,
and a footlocker full of clothes and
other personal items. But then we
add in all the extra stuff that we
might want or need. Propane tanks
and lanterns. First aid kit. Tarps for
shelter from sun or showers. Flags
(troop and American). Stove and
coffee pot for the adults. And anything else we can think of that we
might need (after all, the scout
motto is “Be Prepared!”).
This year’s trek was a repeat visit to
Skymont Scout Reservation, up on
the Columbia Plateau of Tenn.
(off I-24, between Chattanooga and
Nashville). It’s a bit smaller than
some camps, but after a trip there
last year, the scouts voted to return.
It’s a bit more back-to-nature, and
the smaller camp population gives a
more personal touch from staff. It’s
also quite a bit flatter than some,
which is appreciated by legs young
and old. We traveled with eight
scouts and three adult leaders.
For those not familiar with scout
summer camp, campers live in
canvas-wall tents (they look a lot like
what you see in old army movies).
There’s a latrine in camp (Skymont
has modern porcelain, rather than
old fashioned pits, but still not as
nice as at home). An open-to-the-sky
shower building is a short walk down
a trail. Food is served “family style”
in the mess hall (seems we all could
learn by having more sit-downtogether family meals at home, as it
was obvious that many boys aren’t
accustomed to the “serve yourself
and pass the bowl along” process).
There was plenty of food, but most
agreed that the description of “camp
food” was a good apology for the
quality.
Summer camp provides a wonderful
mix of inspiration, learning, and just
pure fun. It’s pretty moving to see
young men in their formal Class-A
uniforms, standing at attention as
the US Flag is raised and lowered
each day. Or when another leads the
group in grace before a meal. Scouts
generally use the exchange where
the leader says, “A scout is reverent”, the audience responds, “Let us
pray,” and then the leader prays.
Learning at summer camp includes
all the informal aspects of social
interaction and behavior, but also
classroom training (ok, generally an
outdoor pavilion, or tarp) for Merit
Badges. These include not-soexciting (but required) classes
like Citizenship in the Word, and
Environmental Science, and others
that are pure fun, like Canoeing or
Rifle Shooting (never mind there’s
(Continued on Page 19)
July 2016
Page 19
A Week in the Woods, and So Much More …
(Continued from Page 18)
water and firearm safety that sneaks
in with the learning).
Weather plays an important part in
the success of a week at summer
camp. Hot is rough, and throw in
some wet and it becomes miserable.
We were extremely fortunate, with
a heavy rain Sunday as we checked
in, but then clear and cool for the
rest of the week (highs in the 70s
and lows in the 50s was fantastic!).
Cool weather helps keep the “eau de
scout” under control as well!
One of the hottest spots in camp
was the Ga-Ga Pit. No, nothing to do
with a strangely-dressed singer or a
hole in the ground, but an intense
variation of dodgeball. (Google it!
I learned it originated in Israel, and
Ga is the Hebrew word for touch.)
The biggest injury of the week at
camp was a leader from another
troop who joined a game, and
managed to roll an ankle into a
serious break.
Summer camp always ends with a
big campfire ceremony. But don’t
think quiet songs around a small fire.
The fire itself is a huge ceremonial
fire, and the songs come from a
great sound system and are upbeat
and loud, working the crowd before
the activities begin. A big portion
of any scouting campfire is skits.
Generally built around some corny
joke, and delivered by scouts who
haven’t yet learned to speak up in
front of an audience. Our guys
showed amazing flexibility when
the first scouts up delivered the
SAME skit our guys planned! Oh, the
agony to repeat a skit. But a few
minutes of whispered plan changes
and our guys prepped a different
skit, which they delivered well with
NO rehearsals.
We packed up and returned home
on Saturday. Dirty clothes stuffed in
trunks, and everything piled back in
the trailer. Scouts crash and sleep all
the way home – adults don’t get
their naps until later. Either way,
it’s the deep sleep of recovery after
a week of rest and relaxation (and
marginal comfort on a camp cot).
Thanks again to the church for their
support of Troop 26. The scouting
program is a good one, where we
watch boys grow into men, as they
prepare to be leaders in whatever
the future holds for them.
Yours in scouting,
— Joe Flake,
Assistant Scoutmaster
Photo: Courtesy of Joe Flake
Boy Scout Troop 26, chartered by Christ Church,
departing for summer camp on June 5, 2016
Page 20
Communiqué
Rector’s Reflections:
“What You Do Expect and What You Don’t Expect”
(Continued from Page 1)
I expected the garden to be a lot of
fun, which it is. I expected it to
require labor, which it does. But,
I didn’t expect the challenges and
problems that have emerged.
But isn’t that true of most every
adventure we undertake? It is
certainly true of Church Ministry
and of the Spiritual life. The “what
we don’t expect” is often where the
deepest learning occurs.
Our life in Christ is filled with the
unexpected. And, for centuries,
theology books have been written
to explain why frightful things, such
as the gunning down of innocent
people, happen. Just recently, I
heard a young person ask our Bishop
why God allows people to get
cancer.
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus exhorts his
followers with, “Follow me.”
“Follow me” means choosing Christ
in the things we do expect and the
things we don’t expect: the things
that please us and the things that
hurt us. “Follow me” is a charge that
requires more faith than we think we
have. And, the good news is that
faith is a gift from God, there for our
asking. God provides the grace to
follow Christ. Through our prayer,
worship, and community in the Body
of Christ, God equips us to live fully
in both the harvest and the weeds of
His eternal life!
Ceci +
Summer Church for Children
Children’s Chapel began its summer
break beginning with Memorial Day
weekend.
We invite children to sit up front
during church, on quilts near the
altar, so they can see what’s
happening! Busy bags, coloring
pages, and puzzle books are
available, too.
Children up to 6 years of age may go
to the nursery if they would prefer,
while older kids and youth can help
in worship as readers, ushers,
acolytes, or greeters. Please contact
The Rev. Jody Greenwood at
[email protected] if your
child is interested in helping.
July 2016
Page 21
Transitions
Baptism
Sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism
and marked as Christ's own forever.
Transfers Out
Go in peace to love and serve the
Lord.
Walker Orion Woolley
son of Tiffany Veronica Gary Wooley
and Alain Wooley, and grandson of
Daphne Gary, on June 19, 2016
Margaret Hudson
to St. David’s Episcopal Church,
Roswell, Ga.
Alison White Tauchman
to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church,
Fort Mill, S.C.
Photos: Bruce Halliburton
Baptism of Walker Orion Woolley
on June 19, 2016
July Birthdays
O God, our times are in your hand:
Look with favor, we pray, on your
servants as they begin another year.
Grant that they may grow in wisdom
and grace, and strengthen their trust
in your goodness all the days of their
lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
7-7
Beth Geozos
7-7
George Martin
7-8
Conall Furey
7-8
Tricia Lobaugh
7-8
Brandt O’Kelley
7-10
Willie Díaz
7-12
Margaret Almand
7-1
Isabelle Parent
7-12
Mike Lehrer
7-1
David Self
7-12
Craig Ray
7-2
Carolyn Collins
7-13
Susan Northcutt
7-2
Sarah Cunningham
7-15
Louisa Lobaugh
7-2
Shelley Waxweiler
7-16
Michael Pugh
7-3
Stacy Collins
7-17
Napoleón Brito
7-3
Emily Pitman
7-17
Steve Franzén
7-4
Scott Ortwein
7-19
Mlawin Landford
7-5
Chris Collins
7-21
Karen Allen
7-7
Ted Farmer
7-22
Adriana Castellanos
7-4
Bob & Dianne Olson
7-12
John & Marti Hladish
7-18
John & Jane Sears
July Anniversaries
O God, our times are in your hand:
Look with favor, we pray, on your
servants as they begin another year
of married life together. Grant that
they may grow in wisdom and grace,
and strengthen their trust in your
goodness all the days of their lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
7-22
Alice Withrow
7-23
Sarah Franzén Stevens
7-26
Sue Friedrichs
7-26
Natalie Leff
7-28
Grace Farmer
7-28
Henry Farmer
7-28
Jennifer Scales
7-30
Jody Greenwood
7-31
Kiana Dunn
Page 22
Communiqué
July 2016
Page 23
Wild & Wacky Wednesdays!
Wild & Wacky (& WET)
Wednesday #2 on June 15, 2016:
WILD WATER!
Photo: Jody Greenwood
Photo: Judy Moore
Photo: Jody Greenwood
Photo: Judy Moore
Photo: Judy Moore
COMING UP ON WEDNESDAYS IN JULY!
July 6
July 13
July 20
July 27
Tie-Dye T-shirts!
Rainbow Village Lunches!
Wild Water II!
Fan Favorite!
(See flyer on the next page for details)
Photo: Compliments of Jody Greenwood
Page 24
Communiqué