Weekly Announcements (Aug 24-30)
August 22, 2008
Youth Group is back September 7th! 6:45-8pm…see you there!
Today’s Adult Sunday School Classes: Theology A La Carte, led by Erin Wells, Donovan Room, 8:50-9:50 a.m. From June- August the class will hold informal talks on wide-ranging topics, with Scripture as reference, on any theological, ethical, and moral issues which those attending wish to discuss. The four Scripture readings appointed for each Sunday may be used as a starting point, in order to apply them to historical and contemporary subjects. But many other readings and unlimited directions of study can be pursued. As always, drop-ins are welcome!
Acolyte training will take place today in the Sanctuary following the 9 o’clock service.
Staff notes: Lyn Gunsalus is on vacation August 18-22 & 25. David Norfrey is away and will be back in the office on Thursday, Aug. 28. Marcy Hooker will be out of the office on August 29th returning on September 3rd.
Beginning September 4th, the women of Christ Church are invited to attend a weekly Bible study on David, Thursday mornings in the Gibson room at 9:30 a.m. They will use a study guide by Beth Moore entitled, A Heart Like His.
Beginning September 9th, Christ Church will host a weekly Men’s Bible Study on the Book of Romans, Tuesday mornings from 7:15 - 8:00 a.m. in Meade Hall. Bagels and coffee will be available beginning at 7:00 a.m.
Families of Children/Youth, gr. 1-8 interested in participating in the music ministry: Please complete and return the registration form that went out in the mail or contact Elizabeth Norfrey at davidneliz@christchurchcville.org or 293-2347 x.110 to sign up. (Note: If you are interested, but the have schedule conflicts with the times offered, please communicate that.) Rehearsals begin during the week of Sept. 8th.
Adult Choir rehearsals have resumed on Thursday evenings, 7-9 p.m. and sings at the 11 a.m. service. Newcomers are welcome - we especially need sopranos, altos and tenors. A new season/school year is a great time to join a ministry group! Contact Elizabeth Norfrey for more information.
USHERS NEEDED: We have 2 vacancies for the 9AM Service, one on Team II (2nd Sunday of the month) and one on Team III (3rd Sunday of the month). First come, first to serve. Please contact Bob Garland, Jr at 293-2045 or bgarlandjr@aol.com if you would like to serve your Church. Training is free !!
Casserole Ministry: If you know of anyone who is sick or could use dinner delivered to their house, please contact Merle Robertson at 973-2749.
Dessert Brigade: Please contact Merle (see previous announcement) if you would be willing to donate dessert once a month for the 5 p.m. dinners when they begin on Aug. 31st. Store-bought or homemade - it doesn’t matter. All will be appreciated by the students!
Christ Church is starting a prison ministry for male and female inmates at the local Albemarle/Charlottesville Regional Jail and at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women. There are many ways to get involved: 1. Lead a bible study to a group of men (male volunteers) or a group of women (female volunteers). 2. Serve as a mentor and meet one-on-one with an inmate. 3. Donate gently used/new books (bibles, Christian literature, fiction, non-fiction, educational, etc.) to the “Books Behind Bars” boxes located in the church office and in the narthex. 4. Sign up for the Angel Tree program and purchase Christmas gifts for children. (For planning purposes, we need to know how many children we can help as soon as possible, so please contact Lindsey right away.) For more information contact Lindsey Holcomb at lindsey@christchurchcville.org or 434-466-6785.
Mark your calendars for a church potluck on September 7, following the 11 o’clock service. This will be wonderful opportunity to build community at Christ Church! Your ideas, questions and assistance are invaluable during the planning process; please contact Melissa Vander Plaats at melissavp@gmail.com or 434-409-6764. Depending on feedback and interest, we will explore the possibility of having a monthly potluck.
Please see the bulletin boards around the church for information about Abundant Life tutoring!
The flowers on the High Altar are given to the Glory of God and in loving memory of William Gitchell, by his wife, Jackie.
The flowers on the altar of St. Anne’s Chapel are given to the Glory of God and in celebration of our 30th wedding anniversary, by Carol and Jimmy Downing.
The wine, wafers and candles for the month of August are given to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Mary Ann Mundie, by her mother, Mary Gilligan.
Hornsby Newsletter (July 2008)
August 18, 2008
Greetings everyone! We arrived in Montevideo on July 10th to a wonderfully warm welcome. We are amazed at the sense of community we feel already within the Anglican church and the wider church community. We have been staying in the home of another missionary family (who are currently in the US) while finding second-hand furniture and appliances for our rental home, which Jonathan found on his trip here in April. Though small, it promises to be a cozy, happy home for us for this year.
Some Facts and Impressions of Montevideo
For those of you who don’t know much about Uruguay and its capital city (as we didn’t until a few months ago!), here’s some basic information. Montevideo is a large city of approximately 1.5 million people. They are almost all of European (specifically Spanish, Portuguese and Italian) decent, as the indigenous Indian population fled or were killed during European colonization. The city has a decidedly European look, with some beautiful old colonial buildings and squares with fountains and statues. The “golden age” of the city was the 1930s; many of the buildings are now run-down and trash and graffiti are common sights. Recently, however, European banks and other businesses have taken an interest in refurbishing some of the older buildings, so parts of the city are getting cleaned up.
The food is also quite European — lots of pasta and pizza and mucho meat, as cattle ranching is one of the biggest industries here. We are enjoying exploring the city as we journey from where we are staying, in a residential area east of the city, into the city proper each week for church services and language classes. Since we don’t have a car, we travel by taxi or bus; both are readily available. We also walk — a lot!
The Human Spirit
As we look at the faces of the Uruguayans we see on the bus and in the streets, we often see fear or fear mixed with despair, especially in the 20-something set. We’ve been told that Uruguay ranks third or fourth highest in the world in rates of suicide and depression. Jobs and money are scarce. In fact, the poor are becoming thieves at an alarming rate. Within the last ten years, peaceful residential neighborhoods have become filled with spiked metal gates and barking watchdogs. Car and house alarms go off with such regularity that everyone ignores them.
Spiritual comfort is almost non-existent. The Christian presence in this country is so minimal that God doesn’t even seem to be an option in people’s search for meaning or comfort. Jonathan told one man about how his knee was healed when a minister laid on hands and prayed to Jesus. In an astounded voice, the man asked, “You say the minister put his hands on your knee? What do you think it was? Reikki (a massage technique)?” The idea that Jesus is real and still heals people was nowhere near the man’s radar. (We hope it is now.)
And yet, we get the strong impression that God ’s heart is aching to let His Uruguayan children know He loves them and wants to rescue them from their disbelief and depression.
The Anglican Church
We have attended church at the Anglican Cathedral four times now. There are two services on Sunday mornings, one for the English speaking congregation and one for the Spanish, and both are sparsely attended. As alluded to above, Uruguay is one of the most secular countries in Latin America, and not many people go to church. But these two groups, though small, are faithful. The cathedral itself is spacious and beautiful, with lovely stained glass windows. It sits near the water in a run-down part of the city. Its steps are home to many of the city’s homeless.
The Larger Christian Community
Though not large, there is still an active Christian community here, with many denominations represented. We participated in a Friday evening gathering of a young-adult group, “El Living.” Their motto is “a safe place to ask dangerous questions.” Most of the 25 or so people we met attend the nondenominational church pastored by the family whose house we are in. The evening was lots of fun for us and our two teenagers — we played Cranium and sang contemporary praise songs.
Our Work with the Church
Jonathan has visited the men’s night shelter, which will be on of his main places of ministry this year in addition to the soup kitchen. I (Paige) have attended a meeting of the Spanish women’s group and will soon attend a meeting of the English women’s group. I hope to learn about their respective projects to see how I can help. The girls and I have also begun a short Sunday school program for an 8 year-old girl who will be baptized soon. (Since she speaks both English and Spanish, she helps us understand the materials, which are only in Spanish!)
Prayer
Despite the spiritual void here, God is moving and we are convinced that your and our prayers play an important part in bringing about His will for spiritual renewal here in Montevideo. We welcome the opportunity to pray for you; just let us know what we can pray for. Here are some of our specific prayer needs for this month:
- Logistics for moving into our house and safety once we are there (there is a lot of theft here).
- Supernatural ability to learn Spanish.
- Smooth start of school for our three kids and that they would make good friends.
- For the homeless people who live near the cathedral and the church’s ministry to them.
Weekly Announcements (Aug 17-23)
August 13, 2008
Acolyte training will take place next Sunday in the Sanctuary following the 9 o’clock service.
Lyn Gunsalus will be on vacation August 18-22 & 25. Al Loving will be on vacation August 18-22.
Beginning September 4th, the women of Christ Church are invited to attend a weekly Bible study on David, Thursday mornings in the Gibson room at 9:30 a.m. They will use a study guide by Beth Moore entitled, A Heart Like His.
Beginning September 9th, Christ Church will host a weekly Men’s Bible Study on the Book of Romans, Tuesday mornings from 7:15 - 8:00 a.m. in Meade Hall. Bagels and coffee will be available beginning at 7:00 a.m. Adult Choir rehearsals resume this Thursday evening, 7 p.m. Newcomers are welcome - A new season/school year is a great time to join a ministry group!
Families of Children/Youth, gr. 1-8 interested in participating in the music ministry: Please complete and return the registration form that went out in the mail last week or contact Elizabeth Norfrey at davidneliz@christchurchcville.org or 293-2347 x.110 to sign up. (Note: If you are interested, but the have schedule conflicts with the times offered, please communicate that.) Rehearsals begin during the week of Sept. 8th.
Casserole Ministry: If you know of anyone who is sick or could use dinner delivered to their house, please contact Merle Robertson at 973-2749.
Dessert Brigade: Please contact Merle (see previous announcement) if you would be willing to donate dessert once a month for the 5 p.m. dinners when they begin on Aug. 31st. Store-bought or homemade – it doesn’t matter. All will be appreciated by the students!
Christ Church is starting a prison ministry for male and female inmates at the local Albemarle/Charlottesville Regional Jail and at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women. There are many ways to get involved:
-Lead a bible study to a group of men (male volunteers) or a group of women (female volunteers).
-Serve as a mentor and meet one-on-one with an inmate.
-Donate gently used/new books (bibles, Christian literature, fiction, non-fiction, educational, etc.) to the “Books Behind Bars” boxes located in the church office and in the narthex. -Sign up for the Angel Tree program and purchase Christmas gifts for children. (For planning purposes, we need to know how many children we can help as soon as possible, so please contact Lindsey right away.) For more information contact Lindsey Holcomb at lindsey@christchurchcville.org or 434-466-6785.
Mark your calendars for a church potluck on September 7, following the 11 o’clock service. This will be wonderful opportunity to build community at Christ Church! Your ideas, questions and assistance are invaluable during the planning process; please contact Melissa Vander Plaats at melissavp@gmail.com or 434-409-6764. Depending on feedback and interest, we will explore the possibility of having a monthly potluck.
Please see the bulletin boards around the church for information about Abundant Life tutoring!
Weekly Announcements (Aug 10-16)
August 8, 2008
Today’s Adult Sunday School Classes: Theology A La Carte, led by Erin Wells, Donovan Room, 8:50-9:50 a.m. From June- August the class will hold informal talks on wide-ranging topics, with Scripture as reference, on any theological, ethical, and moral issues which those attending wish to discuss. As always, drop-ins are welcome! Salvation Belongs to the Lord: A Study in the Book of Jonah, a 5 week class led by Justin Holcomb, Gibson Room, 10:10-10:50 a.m. The purpose of the Book of Jonah is to show God’s people that His plan is exceedingly compassionate (God is gracious) and exceedingly certain (God is sovereign).
Staff Note: Paul Walker and his family will be on vacation Aug. 8-16. David Norfrey will be away for continuing education (national handbell conference) August 7-12.
Anyone who likes to sing is welcome to join the Adult Choir each Sunday at 10:15 a.m. in the choir room to prepare to lead the hymns and psalm singing and a familiar/easy offertory anthem.
Children and Youth in Grades 1-8 and their Parents: Plans are in the works for the new choir season, which will begin in September. If you have interest, for more information and to coordinate schedules, please contact Elizabeth Norfrey after a service, by e-mail at davidneliz@christchurchcville.org or call 434 806-1129.
Sunday Service Team Schedules: If you are an usher, acolyte, lay reader or chalicer, you can view your schedule online at our new website. Under “Resources” click on calendar, then choose Sunday Service Team Schedules.
Casserole Ministry: If you know of anyone who is sick or could use dinner delivered to their house, please contact Merle Robertson after Aug. 16th at 973-2749.
Dessert Brigade: Please contact Merle after Aug. 16th (see previous announcement) if you would be willing to donate dessert once a month for the 5 p.m. dinners when they begin on Aug. 31st. Store-bought or homemade - it doesn’t matter. All will be appreciated by the students!
Important Parking Announcement: Please do not park in the McGuffey Art Center lot on Sunday, Aug. 17th. They are having an event that day.
Christ Church is starting a prison ministry for male and female inmates at the local Albemarle/Charlottesville Regional Jail and at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women. There are many ways to get involved:
-Lead a bible study to a group of men (male volunteers) or a group of women (female volunteers).
-Serve as a mentor and meet one-on-one with an inmate.
-Donate gently used/new books (bibles, Christian literature, fiction, non-fiction, educational, etc.) to the “Books Behind Bars” boxes located in the church office and in the narthex.
-Sign up for the Angel Tree program and purchase Christmas gifts for children. (For planning purposes, we need to know how many children we can help as soon as possible, so please contact Lindsey right away.)
For more information contact Lindsey Holcomb at lindsey@christchurchcville.org or 434-466-6785.
Mark your calendars for a church potluck on September 7, following the 11 o’clock service. This will be wonderful opportunity to build community at Christ Church! Your ideas, questions and assistance are invaluable during the planning process; please contact Melissa Vander Plaats at melissavp@gmail.com or 434-409-6764. Depending on feedback and interest, we will explore the possibility of having a monthly potluck.
Weekly Announcements (Aug 3-9)
August 4, 2008
Today’s Adult Sunday School Classes: Theology A La Carte, led by Erin Wells, Donovan Room, 8:50-9:50 a.m. From June- August the class will hold informal talks on wide-ranging topics, with Scripture as reference, on any theological, ethical, and moral issues which those attending wish to discuss. The four Scripture readings appointed for each Sunday may be used as a starting point, in order to apply them to historical and contemporary subjects. But many other readings and unlimited directions of study can be pursued. As always, drop-ins are welcome!
Salvation Belongs to the Lord: A Study in the Book of Jonah, a 5 week class led by Justin Holcomb, Gibson Room, 10:10-10:50 a.m. The purpose of the Book of Jonah is to show God’s people that His plan is exceedingly compassionate (God is gracious) and exceedingly certain (God is sovereign).
Staff Note: Paul Walker and his family will be on vacation Aug. 8-16. David Norfrey will be away for continuing education (national handbell conference) Aug. 7-12.
Anyone who likes to sing is welcome to join the Adult Choir each Sunday at 10:15 a.m. in the choir room to prepare to lead the hymns and psalm singing and a familiar/easy offertory anthem.
Children and Youth in Grades 1-8 and their Parents: Plans are in the works for the new choir season, which will begin in September. If you have interest, for more information and to coordinate schedules, please contact Elizabeth Norfrey after a service, by e-mail at davidneliz@christchurchcville.org or call 434 806-1129.
Casserole Ministry: If you know of anyone who is sick or could use dinner delivered to their house, please contact Merle Robertson at 973-2749.
New Pipe Organ Update: Thanks so much to all who have so generously contributed to our Organ Fund. We have received over $260,000 for the Hook organ. The good news is that we now have our payments through 2008 fully funded and have $25,000 in seed money for the architectural and construction fees that will accompany the installation of the new instrument.
Our challenge is that we have approximately $690,000 to raise over the next two years. Please consider making a donation or a pledge for future donations to the Organ Fund. Make your check payable to Christ Church and indicate “Organ Fund” on the memo line. Call the church office (293-2347) if you wish to make a pledge to the Organ Fund.