Page September 2016

September 2016 Volume 39, Issue 9

: E

Christ Church

Rector’s Reflections: The Way

grandmother, she sings when we sing;

she comes forward and puts her hand on

her grandmother, along with the rest of

us, as we offer healing prayer; and she

comes to Holy Communion with tiny

fingers wide open to take the bread and

make it her own.

Almighty God, merciful Father… Sanctify every family, help its members

to grow in faith and strengthen the bonds of unity, peace and serenity.

Bless the children and protect the young. Sustain us in all our daily labours

with your unending love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

St. Anthony of Padua Prayer

A curious turn – as an introduction to this

article, I went to a Bible commentary in

search of a particular quotation of Jesus

about children. When I opened the book,

a prayer card fell into my lap, the one

above attributed to St. Anthony of Padua.

It is most fitting for this subsequent

reflection.

Every Wednesday at noon, a small

gathering of the faithful come together

for Holy Eucharist and healing prayer.

Most of those who attend are retired

folks whose schedules permit attendance

at noonday Eucharist. However, we have

been blessed by the occasional visit of

Beth Haun Coetzee and her son, David,

a lively two-year-old.

Recently, we have welcomed yet another

young one, Avery Loeber, Greta Loeber’s

granddaughter. To those of us who

are grandma wannabes and those

who have little contact with our own

children and grandchildren, Avery is a

marvelous delight. Modeling her devout

Photo: Greta Loeber

Little Avery helps Monnie Hammett

extinguish the candles

At the conclusion of the service, Avery

eagerly rushes toward the altar and

meets me there to extinguish the

candles, (you can’t begin acolyte training

too early). The absolute wonderment in

this child’s face as she carefully lowers

the candle snuffer to the flame beckons

me to see anew the infinite capacity in

the miracle of creation. Avery reminds us

that Jesus welcomes the little ones;

Jesus delights in their delight; Jesus

wants us to love and care for them with

all that we have and all that we are.

As we begin another school year, and

families trickle back into church after the

(Continued on Page 19)

This Month’s

Calendar Highlights

Sunday, Sept. 4

Holiday weekend, NO Sunday School classes

5pm — Jazz/Folk Service; NO Childcare (p. 9)

Thursday, Sept. 8

Ladies Night Out (p. 8)

Friday, Sept. 9 and Saturday, Sept. 10

Christ Church Players pre-sent “TRIAL BY JURY” (p. 28)

Sunday, Sept. 11

5pm— Celtic Service (p. 9)

Monday, Sept. 12

Grief to Relief classes begin (p. 5)

Wednesday, Sept. 14

Men’s Group Trivia Night (p. 10)

Sunday, Sept. 18

10am — Start time for ALL Sunday School classes

11am—ONE, COMBINED English and Spanish worship service

12:30pm — Annual Parish Picnic (p. 3)

5pm — Sung Evensong Service (p. 9)

Sunday, Sept. 25

5pm — Contemporary Ser-vice, with our praise group singers (p. 9)

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 myri-ad levels.

To nominate someone for this column, email newsletter@ccnorcross.org.

joined the Episcopal Church — my

father’s family has generations of

Episcopalians and Methodist Episco-

palians; it was not uncommon for

them to switch amongst the common

denominations! Attending church

regularly was an important part of my

upbringing. The church we attended

changed with each move, but the

Bible, the liturgy, the service struc-

ture, the sense of community and

God’s presence were always there.

St. Bede’s Episcopal in Atlanta was my

church for many years. I was con-

firmed at age 13 at St. Bede’s. My son,

Brandon, was baptized and confirmed

at St. Bede’s. My daughter, Ansley,

was baptized there. One of my mar-

riages occurred there! I taught Sunday

School, and was a pledge

poster (updating the pledge system

with weekly pledge contributions);

Brandon was an acolyte and active in

youth group.

After Ansley’s birth, her father and I

visited Christ Church a few times and

decided to transfer in 1998. After

completing the Advancing Authentic

Leadership course (ccnorcross.org/

advancing-authentic-leadership/),

under [then-rector] Joel Hudson’s

tutelage, I had clarity on some im-

portant areas in my life that I felt

called to pursue.

First, I felt a strong call to become a

member of the The Order of the

Daughters of the King, or DOK

(ccnorcross.org/dok/); I was admitted

to the Order in 1999. Second, I want-

ed to complete college. I made the

commitment in fall of 1999 to go to

Shorter University fulltime, while

(Continued on Page 16)

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 for Youth & Outreach

The Rev. Napoleón Brito Associate Rector for Hispanic Ministry

Monnie Hammett Director of Young Children’s Ministry

Judy Moore, Editor

newsletter@ccnorcross.org

Deadline for submissions is the 10th of each month for the following month’s issue

Photo: Courtesy of Cathy Canfield

“On the move” literally describes my

childhood. I was born in Urbana, Ill.,

and moved the first time at age three

months. My family moved 17 times by

the time I was 13. My father was the

NE Florida regional manager for

Metropolitan Life Insurance and I

guess he enjoyed living in ALL the

cities/towns in his region! I was in a

different school each year, always the

new kid — painfully shy and with-

drawn. The only consistency was my

family; they were my world. And

church. Our family moved to the At-

lanta area, and I was able to attend

the SAME school for the remainder of

my high school years. I graduated

from Lakeside High School in DeKalb

County.

We were in a different church every

year. I was baptized at First United

Methodist Church in Gainesville, Fla.

(same church my parents were mar-

ried in). When I was seven, my parents

Page 3 September 2016

Christ Church Annual

SUNDAY, SEPT. 18 AT 12:30pm (Following the Combined 11am Service)

COME FOR FUN, FOOD, AND FELLOWSHIP!

BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIR, APPETITE, AND ENTHUSIASM!

There will be Fun and Games, Live Music, and Piñatas!

HOT DOGS AND HAMBURGERS, GRILLED BY THE MEN’S GROUP

Along with BAKED BEANS, CHIPS,

ICED TEA, LEMONADE, AND DESSERT*

*You may sign up in the Parish Hall to bring a plate of finger desserts,

such as brownies, cupcakes, cookies, and bars,

or to help with set-up and clean-up tasks

Page 4 Communiqué

Enneagram Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 1

The first of our special Saturday-

morning workshops will be on

Enneagrams*, on Saturday, Oct. 1,

2016, from 10am-2pm. The cost is

$10, which covers the speaker’s fee

and lunch.

Reservations are due by Monday,

Sept. 26, 2016. E-mail to

office@ccnorcross.org or call Beth

Holland at 770-447-1166, x222.

Our guest speaker, Tavye Morgan, is

a therapist and Spiritual Director

with a private practice in Decatur,

Ga. She also works as a mental

health counselor for Positive

Impact Health Centers in Atlanta.

In addition, she is a certified

Enneagram teacher, and workshop

and seminar leader. She received her

Enneagram certification through The

Enneagram Professional Training

Program, where she studied with

Helen Palmer and David Daniels,

foremost writers and teachers of the

Enneagram in the United States.

She received a Masters of Divinity

from Emory University, Candler

School of Theology, and a Masters of

Clinical Mental Health from Mercer

University. In her Psychotherapy

and Spiritual Direction practice,

she utilizes her expertise in the

Enneagram to assist clients in

recognizing their personal strengths

as well as obstacles, which may

create difficulties in living the life

they want for themselves.

*What is an Enneagram?

The Enneagram is a powerful tool for personal and collective transformation. Stemming from the Greek words ennea (nine) and grammos (a written symbol), the nine-pointed Enneagram symbol represents nine distinct strategies for relating to the self, others, and the world. Each Enneagram type has a different pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting that arises from a deeper inner motivation or worldview.

The Enneagram fosters greater understanding through a universal language that transcends gender, religion, nationality and culture. While we are all unique, we share common experiences. […]

Determining our personality type through the Enneagram does not put us in a box, but helps us see the box from which we experience the world. With this awareness, we can step outside of our limited perspective. Ideally, personality is an effective way to express ourselves, but challenges arise when our point of view becomes rigid and we get stuck in automatic habits. By discovering these unconscious patterns, we can lead more fulfilling lives, enjoy healthier relationships, and connect to our true essence.

— Excerpt from enneagramworldwide.com/

the-enneagram/

Page 5 September 2016

Grief to Relief Returns to Christ Church

The Purpose of Pain

“I wouldn't take anything for my faith and love of God, but truly believe that God brought Anne and Grief to Relief to my life as an answer to my prayers to feel like I was alive again. There are no words to convey how much she and the program have helped me.” (40-year Episcopal Church member)

Most would agree that the purpose of

pain is to give us critical, life-saving

information. The physical pain felt

when we put our hand on a hot stove

alerts us to remove our hand … quick-

ly. Heart attack pain demands that we

get help NOW!

Pain is painful, but it keeps us safe and

alive by forcing immediate and correct

action.

So, why is emotional pain so different?

Why do we think emotional pain

should be endured? That we should

“man-up” and “get through it”?

Imagine advising a heart attack victim

to “man-up, get through it, and learn

to live with it.” Or imagine saying,

“don’t feel bad, it will get better soon”

or “just stay busy,” to a person whose

hand is burning on a hot stove.

We wouldn’t dare. We’d be horrified

to witness someone idly standing by

while their hand burned to a crisp.

We’d think them wrong and in need of

serious help. We’d scream for them to

move it and maybe even remove their

hand by force.

And yet, with emotional pain we

attempt to endure or deny the

emotional wound, hoping that time

will heal it.

When it comes to the heart, we’ve

mistaken pain for love. We attempt to

demonstrate love and loyalty—or our

righteousness—by living in pain.

Instead of using the emotional pain as

a call for action, we choose to stand

by while our emotional hearts burn.

The pain we feel at loss—death,

divorce, pet loss, loss of home/health/

finances, just to name a few—is not

love.

Pain is not love. Pain is pain.

The purpose of pain is not to live in

pain. The purpose of pain — physical

and emotional — is to demand that

we act so that we can heal.

Please join Grief to Relief at Christ

Church on Mondays from 7-9pm,

Sept. 12-Oct. 31 in the Parlor. An

Informational Session will take place

on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 7pm.

This is an 8-week course with a fee of

$345 for Christ Church members and

$375 for non-members. Scholarships

may be available. Registration dead-

line is Sept 12.

Visit www.grieftorelief.com for

more information, or contact

Anne Keeton, GRS, CPCCC, at

anne@grieftorelief.com or

678-653-5513 for more information.

— Anne Keeton, GRS, CPCC

Grief to Relief offers the Grief Recovery

Method Outreach Program® —

the most sensible, accessible, and

authentic plan available for recovery

from loss. Despite your pain, you can

feel better. For over 30 years, the

proven Grief Recovery Method® has

helped over a million people world-

wide. It can help you, too!

Photo: www.ccnorcross.org

Anne Keeton, GRS,

CPCCC, Certified Grief

Recovery Specialist &

Life Coach

Page 6 Communiqué

Praying Out Loud

Extemporaneous prayer seems

to terrify a lot of Episcopalians.

It certainly terrified me the first few

times I tried to do it. I worried a lot

more about how my prayer sounded

to other folks than how it sounded

to God. I wanted everyone to think

I had come up with a good prayer.

I wanted to make sure I was doing

it right.

Why is it so scary to pray out loud?

My hesitation was the result of

depending too much on prayers

written by others. We have beautiful

prayers for almost every situation

and occasion in The Book of

Common Prayer. Want a prayer on

Healing? Check out pages 458-461.

How about thanksgiving? Look at

page 58, 71, 101, 125, or 836. No

wonder our Prayer Book is the heart

of our worship! I love these prayers!

I love praying these prayers together

during our liturgy. But I also want

to be able to come up with my own

prayers, and I’d like to be able to

pray in front of others easily and

meaningfully.

Fortunately, extemporaneous prayer

seems to get easier the more you do

it. Since becoming involved in the

Order of St. Luke, I’ve had a lot of

practice praying aloud in front of

others. I’ve come to realize prayer

is just talking to God. I’ve finally

become more interested in what

God thinks about my prayers than

my audience. A good prayer doesn’t

have to contain a lot of fancy words.

I don’t believe God is impressed by

how eloquent our prayers sound,

but He is impressed by what we

have to say to Him.

We pray for a lot of different

reasons. Healing prayer is about

asking Jesus to heal someone, then

stepping out of His way so He can

flow into them with His healing

energy and bless the person we’re

praying for. God is in charge and

something always happens when

we pray.

Want to learn more about healing

prayer? We have a chapter of OSL

(Order of St. Luke) 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 announce-

ments, 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

s_pitman@charter.net

Page 7 September 2016

Theme for the 2016 Pledge Season: “WE ARE THE BRANCHES”

Let’s just admit it. Many of us at

Christ Church really like the fruit of

the vine that comes in bottles of

wine (some of you may remember

the Kingston Trio song about that).

The good taste of wine depends on

healthy grapes from strong vines in

rich soil tended by grape growers

extraordinaire. The vintner then

can combine those grapes with the

wine-making process to bring that

happy liquid to us. It takes a string

of

connections to get results.

“Oneness”

Our desire as stewards of God’s

world is to be connected to God,

Christ, and each other through the

Holy Spirit. The Stewardship Logo at

right depicts three persons holding

each other’s hands, forming a circle.

The logo is often termed as the

“Circle of Friends” or, in our case,

the “Circle of Stewards.” Without

this connection, the church would

cease to exist. Our vision is to create

unity, goodwill, and harmony among

everyone.

We chose “WE ARE THE BRANCHES”

as our theme during our time of

prayerful consideration and decision

making to determine our tangible

financial support for our church and

its many ministries. We are ALL

ONE — connected to each other as

branches on the vine tended by the

Ultimate Gardener.

Through my research, I met

Matthew Henry (1662-1714)

I like his commentary (John 15:1-8):

“Jesus Christ is the Vine, the true

Vine. The union of the human and

Divine natures, and the fullness of

the Spirit that is in him, resemble

the root of the vine made fruitful

by the moisture from a rich soil.

Believers are branches of this

Vine” [emphasis mine].

I am paraphrasing from

Matthew Henry’s Commentary:

The Father, the Gardener is so wise,

so watchful, as He tends his vine-

yard. God pours that wise watchful-

ness into His church so that it might

prosper. Since we are the branches,

we must be fruitful. From a vine, we

look for grapes; from a Christian, we

look for deeds and behaviors that

are in line with the belief in love and

service we espouse. We must honor

God, and do good; this is what we

mean by bearing fruit. Even fruitful

branches need pruning from time to

time. We are all constantly growing

and letting go of unhealthy leaves so

that we can bear fruit.

What is our fruit? It’s connection

with God and God in Self. It’s

connection to others with whom

we are in relationship. It’s connec-

tion with the community and

world through Outreach. It’s also

investment in our Resources and

Environment, both of which require

our financial commitment.

Join us for the kick-off of

the CCEN Pledge Season

on Oct. 2

Mal Underwood,

diocesan Stewardship Commission

chair emeritus,

will deliver the sermon.

Together, let’s bring in a

spectacular harvest!

— Betsy Pickren

Chair, Stewardship Commission

Page 8 Communiqué

Daughters of the King Meeting

When: Thursday, Sept. 15 at

6:30pm

Where: Parish Hall

What: Dinner at 6:30pm.

Meeting begins at 7pm

Our first meeting of the season

includes officer elections, discussion,

and consensus of the year’s monthly

meeting schedule and of the minis-

tries the Daughters support.

This is an excellent opportunity to

reconnect after our summer hiatus!

We have exciting programs planned

for the upcoming year that comple-

ment our commitment to prayer,

service, and evangelism. All Daugh-

ters are encouraged to attend this

very important planning meeting.

Not a current member, but would

like to see what The Order of the

Daughters of the King is about?

Our meetings are open to all.

Come join us! For more information,

contact Cathy Canfield at

cathy.canfield22@gmail.com.

The Christ Church Women’s Group

invites you to come join old friends

and make new ones at our monthly

Ladies Night Out!

This month, join us on Thursday

night, Sept. 8, at 6:30pm at

Ba Bellies, at 6025 Peachtree Park-

way in Norcross (the old Firenze

location, at the corner of Jay Bird

Alley and Peach-tree Parkway).

Ba Bellies is an Asian “gastropub,”

serving “flavors of Chinese, Korean,

Thai, and Vietnamese cooking, plus

a few nods to Southern dishes, all

presented in an approachable way.”

It’s getting rave reviews from some

of our parishioners!

For more information about the

restaurant, visit their website at

babellies.com.

Please RSVP to Judy Moore at

jjmpiano@gmail.com or 404-312-5436,

so that the restaurant will be pre-

pared for us. But, COME, even if you

forget to respond. We can always

make room for another one, two,

three….

We go to a different restaurant each

month. So, come with us to some-

where you’ve loved before, or have

always wanted to try. And be sure to

suggest one of your favorites!

— Judy Moore

We’re Trying “Ba Bellies” for Next Ladies Night Out

Page 9 September 2016

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,* except as noted.

Weekly offerings feature:

1st Sunday of the Month:

Jazz/Folk (Sept. 4) Holiday

Weekend — No Childcare

2nd Sunday of the Month:

Celtic Tradition (Sept. 11)

3rd Sunday of the Month:

Choral Evensong – no Eucharist

(Sept. 18)

* Childcare begins at 3:45pm on

the 3rd Sunday of the month

4th Sunday of the Month:

Contemporary (Sept. 25)

5th Sunday of the Month:

Contemplative – sung Compline,

no Eucharist (Oct. 30)

Design: Jane Scott

New Hispanic Bible Study Classes Have Begun

In the photo at right, Maricela is

holding the Bible (“Biblia Latino-

Americana”). It is a Latin American

version in Spanish. Fr. Napoleón is

the teacher, and he is using his

notes about the whole Bible. First is

an introduction, and then we will

study the book of Revelation to

understand many things about the

prophecy. We combine the study

and the prayer (healing prayer).

— Diana García

There are now two new Hispanic

Bible Study programs underway,

which began on Aug. 2, 2016. They

are on every first and third Sundays,

after the 1pm service, and on every

first and third Tuesday nights, from

7-8pm in Room 115 in the Education

Wing Hallway. Our Bible study

is for everybody (young, children,

and adult).

Photo: Compliments of Maricela García

Page 10 Communiqué

Guys’ Night Out: Trivia Night at Tavern at Medlock

The Men’s Group Trivia Night for

this month will be on Wednesday,

Sept. 14, 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 benpitman99@gmail.com (note

new email) or 678-571-4179.

Men’s Group “Trivia Report” from Aug. 10

Well, we didn’t do so well, even

though we had a ringer guest –

Chip Franzén, a Duke grad with a

photographic memory. But we did

have a lot of laughs, and drank the

free pitcher of beer we won last

time.

People kept coming all night:

Steve Franzén and Chip showed

up part-way through the first half,

Bo O’Kelley about halftime, and

Richard Becker dropped in midway

thru the last half, after finishing

another meeting at the church.

During the night several of us

enjoyed the monster pizza Mike

Hladish bought and shared with us.

Thanks, Mike (and John).

We lost on the last question. It was

so hard. Here are the answers a

couple of the other groups gave:

“Worst question ever!” and “We

don’t know and we don’t care!”

— Ben Pitman

Photos: Ben Pitman

Page 11 September 2016

Men Held Mini Retreat and “Lounge on the Lake”

The rest of the day was spent eating

great burgers, swimming, going for

short walks in the woods, and most

of all, cruising on the lake, all thanks

to Bo O’Kelley. Here is a picture of

“Captain” Mike Hladish on the lake

(below).

If you missed us this year, we’re

planning to do a repeat next year!

— Ben Pitman

Thirteen men of the Christ Church

Men’s Group had a great time on

the lake this year. It started out a bit

cloudy but that did not dampen our

spirits any.

Our morning and afternoon sessions

were led by The Rev. Doug Coil.

He read two meditations from a

Cursillo* weekend: The Prodigal Son,

and The Figure of Christ. Each was

followed by discussion on what it

meant to you. They were a big

success, as evidenced by the after-

noon 1-hour session going on for

2½ hours.

* What is a Cursillo Weekend?

“The Cursillo weekend is not a retreat,

but an opportunity to meet clergy and

laity seeking to strengthen our faith. It

provides an environment to experience

the reality of the gift of God’s love

through shared prayer, individual

meditation, worship, study, fellowship,

laughter, tears, and unconditional love.”

Excerpt from

episcopalcursilloministry.org/index.htm

Photos: Ben Pitman

Page 12 Communiqué

Amazing Changes to Haiti Pilgrimage ̶ Oct. 21-28

There are exciting changes going

on in our Haiti ministry! We have

transitioned our medical, dental,

and eye clinics in the next step of

reaching our dream of a fulltime

clinic. The clinics are now monthly,

and staffed by Haitian doctors and

nurses. There are two clinics at

Jasmin and one at Colin each month.

One of the Jasmin clinics will be

Saturday, Oct. 22. So, we will spend

that day up the mountain, helping

at the clinic and seeing old friends.

Sunday, Oct. 23, we will attend

church at either Colin or Jasmin.

The clinic changes allow us time to

get to know the students and staff at

our school better. Monday, Oct. 24,

we will head back up the mountain

to visit our school at St. Joseph of

Arimathea. We can observe classes

and read with the kids. After I know

how many people will be going, I will

contact our school principal to make

more specific plans for that day,

and others.

We will have some time to visit

the school at St. Philippe and

St. Jacques, and tour around

Léogâne and Jacmel during the

week. I hope to arrange other

tours at the Cathedral School in

Port-au-Prince, and other places,

so you can learn more about the

Episcopal Church in Haiti.

We will be staying at the Episcopal

Nursing School in Léogâne, which

has recently built a beautiful guest-

house, with air conditioning, and all

the comforts of home. This will be a

new experience for us, as our usual

guesthouse at the hospital was

booked already.

If you'd like to travel with me

on this trip, please contact me

at 404-357-7569 or terryfranzen@

gmail.com.

— Terry Franzén

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!

Donations for Haiti of Things We Take for Granted

Photo:

Courtesy of Terry Franzén

Page 13 September 2016

Zombie Walk to Benefit Haiti School

Get out your walking shoes and your costume, and join us for the inaugu-ral Zombie Walk to benefit our school in Haiti on Saturday, Oct. 29 [note the new date]. Registration begins at 10 and the walk begins at 11, followed by lunch with the Varsi-ty Food Truck. What'll ya have?!

We will walk throughout Norcross, before returning to the church and delicious food. You might even spot some Pokémons along the way!

This is your opportunity to ask your friends and relatives to support our Haiti partnership by supporting you. We ask all walkers for a minimum

donation of $100. There will be a longer and a shorter walk, for all fitness levels. The donation forms will soon be available from the Christ Church website, or you can pick some up at church in the Com-munications Breezeway. Those who register before October 10 will "earn" a T-shirt. For more infor-mation and to register, contact Terry Franzén at terryfranzen@gmail.com.

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.

Outreach Opportunities?

During our Outreach Ideation

sessions this summer we heard

from many in our parish! Some are

already very active in our various

Outreach efforts, while others want

to be, but don’t know where they

could be of service.

In the days, weeks, and months

ahead, we will be creating more

intentional methods of communi-

cating what we are doing in each of

our primary Outreach ministries, and

we’ll invite you to serve.

We also want to stay open to other

ministries the Holy Spirit may be

calling us to, so if you have an idea,

please share it with The Rev. Jody

Greenwood and she will include it as

we explore the Christ Church

Outreach plan.

To learn more now about how to

help, please contact:

Thrift Shop

Susie Duke or Ivonne Obelar

Rainbow Village

Rita Boughrum or Mary Halliburton

Co-op Ministries

Joe Barnes or Myrna Campbell-Kelly

Haiti School

Terry Franzén

Refugee Resettlement

Beth Jonsson

Page 14 Communiqué

Mission of Mercy on Sept. 4: Rainbow Village

The recipient for our Mission of

Mercy offering on Sept. 4, 2016, will

be Rainbow Village.

For 25 years, Rainbow Village has

carried out its mission of transform-

ing lives for homeless families with

children of North Metro Atlanta,

through a community-based

transitional housing program that

promotes self-sufficiency.

Who knew that a small idea started

here at Christ Church would grow

and blossom into the vibrant village

it has become? From the humble

beginnings of a modest home-

turned-duplex to the present

campus of 18 apartment homes

and a bustling Community Center,

the program has helped over 300

families and nearly 800 children.

The cost for the final two apartment

buildings (now under construction)

is $1,700,000. That’s a large number,

but every dollar contributed by

Dec. 1, 2016 will be doubled, up to

$250,000, through a generous

matching donation from The Scott

Hudgens Family Foundation.

Thanks Be to God! To read all about

Rainbow Village, please visit their

website: www.rainbowvillage.org.

The Mission of Mercy collection

basket will be placed in front of

the ALTAR rail to receive your offer-

ing at Communion on Sunday,

Sept. 4.

Thank you for your generous

contributions.

Thank You, Summer Lunch Program Volunteers!

To all our CCE participants...

See message below. Thanks!

— Mary Halliburton

Dear Summer Lunch

Program Volunteers!

Thanks so much for volunteering

and serving in the Summer Lunch

Program! With your help we were

able to provide nourishment for

our youth as they attended

summer camp.

With Sincere Gratitude,

JoVantreis Tolliver

Community Engagement Specialist

www.rainbowvillage.org

Again this summer, Christ Church participated with other Faith Part-ners 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 “Wild & Wacky Wednesday” in the Parish Hall, the evening’s activity for our children was to pack lunches for the RBV summer camp-ers. Then they packed 440 individu-al lunches for the 88 RBV campers (five days of camp). Read more and see photos on Page 13 at www.ccnorcross.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/August-Communique.pdf. Photo: Courtesy of Rainbow Village

Page 15 September 2016

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 1979.

— Craig Ray [Jr.]

thing. A simple smile can

brighten someone’s day.

I am reminded of the times

when a smile has lifted

my spirits, has bade me

welcome in a strange

place. I know a smile is

no small thing to God.

Dear Lord, help me to

smile this day and spread

your love to others.

~~~

Thank you, Lord, for this

new day and for my children.

May we show our love for

one another.

O God, forgive me for

my sins. May I remain calm

today, showing your love and

joy in all that I say and do.

Thank you, God, for my

family and friends. Thank

you, God.

Dec 28th

A Simple Smile As you walk down a

busy street, try smiling

and you will feel a great

comfort. Exchange a

smile with someone.

This quick exchange of

love can be a gift to God.

As I consider if a smile

can really be counted as

a gift — it is such a simple

Writings from My Mother’s Journals

Coffee Hour Offered on First and Third Sundays

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!

Please join us on the first Sunday of

each month from 9:15-10:15am

(between services) in the Parish Hall

for fellowship, coffee, fruit and

more, sponsored by the Parish Life

Forum!

The Grace Chapter of the Daughters

of the King (DOK) hosts a Continen-

tal Breakfast between the 8am and

Page 16 Communiqué

Stewardship TNT – Time and Talent

where Brandon has forged a success-

ful career since graduating from

Georgia Tech.

In 2006, I married the love of my life,

Don, at Trinity Episcopal Parish in

St. Augustine, the church of the

Canfield family for generations. Don is

a very kind, encouraging, supportive,

generous and selfless man. He has

two sons whom I love dearly and am

blessed to have in my life. We are also

blessed with an adorable two-year-old

grandson, Kilian.

For many years I had wanted to study

Education for Ministry (EfM) but didn’t

feel I was at a point in my life to

commit to a four-year study program.

By 2007, I finally thought I was in a

good place to make the EfM journey.

Yes, you can start and stop this

journey and not do all four years

consecutively, but that’s not how I

wanted to do it. I graduated from EfM

in 2012. It’s such a life-changing

course that I cannot express in words

its impact on my life: spiritual, intellec-

tual, emotional, physical. EfM hits all

the notes. DO IT, if you can. It will

change you in all the right ways.

There! I’ve evangelized, a hard thing

for an Episcopalian to do; it doesn’t

come naturally.

Running is an activity that both Don

and I enjoy. I started running so that

I could earn a Peachtree Road Race

T-shirt. I intended to train and run just

that one Peachtree on July 4, 1992,

and never run again; however, I

caught the running bug and I’ve

been running ever since. Running is

physical, mental and spiritual. I can

work through problems, pray,

(Continued on Page 18)

(Continued from Page 2)

working fulltime, while having a

toddler, while having a child in

college, and while my marriage was

falling apart, and NOT getting side-

tracked for any reason. There were

many obstacles but I graduated with a

Bachelor of Science in Management in

December 2001. I started college in

1977 and it only took 24 years to

graduate! Perseverance and the grace

of God got me through.

Christ Church provided spiritual

nurturing for Ansley and me. As a

divorced parent of a young child,

Ansley was with me for all our activi-

ties at Christ Church. She attended

DOK meetings with me and she even-

tually became a Junior Daughter. My

mother, also a Daughter, was present

at Ansley’s admission to the Order —

three generations of Daughters. I was

on the Flower Guild and Ansley was

my lively helper when I was at the

church arranging flowers. We were

also active in the Girl Scout program

that met at Christ Church.

Ironically, I did not need my college

degree to have a successful career.

I went to work at Tucker Federal

Savings and Loan in 1979 as a Teller.

I resigned my position as Vice Presi-

dent of Deposit Operations at Tucker

Federal in 1997. While I loved my

career as a banker, I was ready for a

change. I pursued and received the

Senior Professional in Human Re-

sources (SPHR) certification in 2002.

It’s the CPA of the HR world. I worked

at Silgan Plastics Corporation from

1997 to 2010. How providential this

workplace proved to be! It is where I

met my now-husband, Don, and

Page 17 September 2016

SUMMER CLOSEOUT SALE!

Aug. 23—Sept. 3 — 50% Off ALL Clothing & Merchandise *

Sept. 6—Sept. 10 — BAG SALE — $6 per bag

Sept. 13—Sept. 16 — Closed for restocking

Sept. 17 — REOPEN with Fall and Winter Fashions * Jewelry and Case items are excluded from entire sale

400 Holcomb Bridge Rd Norcross, GA 30071

770-447-1166

OPEN: Tuesday — Saturday 10:00am — 3:00pm

CHRIST CHURCH THRIFT SHOP

We would like to extend an invita-

tion to any individual or family who

has visited Christ Church Episcopal

since summer 2016 to attend our

next series of classes offered to new

members or visitors. This three-part

class is designed to help you become

more familiar with our parish and its

many activities and groups. Our

rector and various lay leaders will

lead the sessions.

The next session begins Sunday,

Sept 25, 2016. The first class will be

a general introduction and tour of

Christ Church Episcopal and its build-

ings. Our second class will be held

on Sunday, Oct. 2. Our rector,

The Rev. Ceci Duke, will discuss the

history and traditions of the Episco-

pal Church, and it will give you an

opportunity to meet with her in a

small group setting. The final class

will meet on Sunday, Oct. 9. Various

committee chairs and Vestry mem-

bers are invited to give an overview

of our activities, groups, and forums.

If you want to learn more about our

parish offerings and programs,

please plan to attend any or all of

the sessions. We would like to get to

know you better and give you the

opportunity to know each of us

better, and we would like to answer

any questions you have about Christ

Church Episcopal.

Each class will be held in the Parlor

(behind the stained glass windows in

the Narthex) from 9:15am–

10:15am.

Please let us know if you plan

to attend by contacting me at

thecure00@hotmail.com or 678-

488-4741. We look forward to see-

ing you at Christ Church Episcopal

Newcomers 101 class!

— Kristie Bernard,

Vestry Liaison for Growth Forum

Newcomers 101 Classes Begin Sept. 25

Page 18 Communiqué

Stewardship TNT – Time and Talent

In mid-January 2014, the world

stopped for me. My mother’s cancer

returned with a vengeance and she

was failing quickly. I called Ceci in

desperation. My mother was in

hospice in my home and not expected

to live more than a few days. Ceci and

[her husband] David were out of town

when I called. They did not go home

but came directly to my house. Ceci

read mother Last Rites. Before

starting, Ceci said to my mother what

a wonderful life she led, and proof of

that was the beautiful family she

nurtured. My mother said, “Thank

you.” It was the last time my mother

spoke. What a beautiful moment that

is forever etched in my heart.

After my mother’s passing, I became

my father’s caregiver, with much

support from my husband and sisters.

The task was daunting; my father’s

needs were many and overwhelming

for me. His health was declining rapid-

ly and I took a leave of absence from

Gwinnett County to care for him.

I eventually quit my job so that I could

be with him; he passed in July 2014.

Losing both parents within a few

months of each of other was almost

too much to bear. Within a few

weeks, I was back at Christ Church,

wanting to connect with a spiritual

community and be with others who

could accept me as a broken mass of

emotion and grief. Christ Church did

not disappoint. I cannot tell you how

many times I burst into tears, sobbing

quietly while attending Sunday ser-

vices, Sunday School, DOK meetings,

Flower Guild, etc., and I was comfort-

ed and allowed to share my grief.

(Continued on Page 21)

(Continued from Page 16)

meditate, plan my future, plan the

next meal — so many things that

weigh down my mind can be cleared

while running. I’ve run every

Peachtree, with the exception of four,

since 1992.

In 2011, I went to work for Gwinnett

County Government in the Human

Resources Department. I was part of a

team that supported HR functions for

several departments, including Fire &

Emergency Services, IT, and Finance.

At the end of 2012 my family was

thrown a huge curveball. My mother,

the rock, the matriarch of our family,

the glue that held us all together, was

diagnosed with advanced lung cancer.

Even with rigorous chemo and radia-

tion treatments, she would not live

long. My father, in poor health for

over a decade and completely

dependent on my mother, would

more than likely outlive her. What to

do? All of us kids lived in the Atlanta

area and couldn’t continue the con-

stant back-and-forth to St. Augustine

to take care of them. My whole family

pulled together; we moved my

parents into my home in the summer

of 2013. Mom and I started attending

services at Christ Church that fall – we

knew [rector] Ceci from our St. Bede’s

years, and I wanted my mother to see

a familiar face with her relocation

from St. Augustine to Atlanta. Mom

told me, “Christ Church is where you

belong, Cathy.”

As I reconnected at Christ Church after

a seven-year absence, my mom also

began connecting. She was going to

participate in PrimeTimers’ lunches.

Page 19 September 2016

(Continued from Page 1)

merriment of summers on the lake,

by the sea, or other worthy explora-

tions, it is important for us to focus

our attention on these young mem-

bers of the church, the ones who will

take the message of Christ into the

future.

In only a few short weeks, we will

turn our attention to the long and

vital activity of creating a budget for

2017. We will choose a course for

our service in Christ by deciding how

much and to what ministries we will

direct our financial commitments.

Among the many initiatives that

call out to us, the inviting, nurturing,

encouraging, and guiding of young

people in the faith is among the

most important.

Rector’s Reflections: The Way

In Matthew 18:6, Jesus tells us,

If any of you put a stumbling

block before one of these little

ones who believe in me, it would

be better for you if a great mill-

stone were fastened around your

neck and you were drowned in

the depth of the sea.

These provocative words are meant

to stir our hearts in love to those

who count on us to show them

“The Way.” I believe that little ones

such as Avery show us The Way as

we teach them of its wonders.

I pray we respond generously to

Jesus’ admonition.

Ceci +

CCE Financial Summary: YTD June 2016

Actual Budget YTD June YTD June Difference Pledge/Plate Income 296,429 307,793 (11,364) One Time Gift Income 76,184 0 76,184 Other Income 32,787 32,644 143 Total Income 405,400 340,437 64,963 Total Expenses 391,817 388,766 3,051 Net Surplus/(Deficit) 13,583 (48,329) 61,912 Through June year-to-date, pledge/plate income was $11K below budget, while expenses over that same period were $3K above budget.

This combined $14K shortfall to a budgeted YTD deficit of $48K was entirely offset by one-time gifts of $76K over that period, resulting in a YTD surplus of $14K. While this surplus is a positive, it is important to note that without such unpredictable one-time gifts we would be running a YTD deficit of $62K.

To support the ministries and work of CCE please keep your pledges current, and support our spreading of Christ’s love with your time, talent and treasure.

Stock Internet Photo

Page 20 Communiqué

Transitions

Blessing of a Civil Marriage

Edwin and Mle-Klade Landford, on

Aug. 20, 2016, in honor of their 15th

wedding anniversary. They were

married in front of a judge in Ghana.

Happy Birthday, Fr. Napoleón!

Fr. Napoleón Brito, our Associate

Rector for Hispanic Ministry,

celebrated his birthday on Sunday,

July 17 at church with cake, and

a visit by Lavinia and Alfredo,

Napoleon's daughter and son-in-law,

who live in NYC. Cake by parishioner

Deisy Castellanos-Claros.

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.

9-2 Keith & Kristie Bernard

9-2 Bob & Cheryl Byrne

9-4 Ron & Tracey Rice

9-7 Michael & Hailey Proctor

Barnett

September Anniversaries

9-13 Joe & Marlaine Barnes

9-17 Robert & Dana Riedinger

9-24 Ed & Mary Ann Fair

9-25 Jim & Shirley Wilson

September 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.

9-5 Lori Landis

9-6 Jim Wilson

9-8 Bob Byrne

9-8 Daphne Gary

9-8 Norma Jean Johnson

9-10 Paula Van Sickle

9-13 Barbara Brack

9-15 Toddy Erickson

9-16 Nick Arminio

9-17 John Haeger

9-18 Shlaina Van Dyke

9-19 John Sears

9-19 Shelby Smith

9-21 Brianna Furey

9-24 Scott McCue

9-26 John Allen

9-28 Jeff Broomfield

9-30 Newell Baker

9-30 Mellie Fitten

9-30 Barbara McCue

9-30 Karl Woltersdorf

9-1 Callie Wilson

9-3 Judy Haeger

9-3 Ann Post

9-5 Marcia Curtis

9-5 Lydia Dodson-Lehrer

Photo: CCE Facebook Page

Page 21 September 2016

Stewardship TNT – Time and Talent

can’t mess it up! You will have plenty

of support, encouragement, and love.

I firmly believe these calls from God

change as we change and as we age.

What is God calling me to do TODAY?

The possibilities are endless! What

great joy to awaken each day with a

clean slate – what can I do TODAY?!

I thank God for the loving community

and family at Christ Church. It indeed

has been a lifeline for me as I navigate

life — its joys, sorrows, challenges. I

know I am not alone in this journey.

While I endeavor to give back as much

as I have received, I am humbly aware

it is a fraction of the love and grace I

have received.

As I write this story of my faith and

life’s journey, I have not mentioned by

name very many of the wonderful

people who have had an impact on my

journey. They are so numerous and I

worry I would forget someone instru-

mental. And as much as I have moved,

I truly feel all souls who cross my path

in life have worth, have value, have

some impact on me. For each of you

at Christ Church, God bless you. Know

that I am profoundly grateful for

crossing paths with you. I am, as you

are, forever on the move.

— Cathy Canfield

(Continued from Page 18)

I reconnected with many activities and

then some. I became active again in

DOK and Flower Guild. I joined the

Altar Guild, participated in the Christ

Church Players’ December 2014 pro-

duction of A Christmas Carol, joined

the Funeral Reception Ministry,

Wednesday Bible Study, and Women’s

Group Sunday School.

This may sound like a lot to be in-

volved in, but it is time that I feel I get

so much more out of than what I put

in. I know some people shy away from

committing to church involvement,

committees, and groups because they

are afraid they can’t fulfill the obliga-

tion. The time I give can be a little or a

lot. It is what I feel God calling me to

do. Being on the Flower Guild, for ex-

ample, is a minimal commitment.

I can sign up to do a Sunday service

altar arrangement, or I can show up

on a group work day, such as deco-

rating for Advent, and help where

needed. There’s plenty of support and

encouragement. In my opinion, ALL

floral arrangements are beautiful;

flowers are God’s gift to us, and you

can’t mess it up! Many other groups

at Christ Church are similar. Your time

and talent commitment is your call –

the call you get from God. Answer the

call; it is God’s gift to you and you

Page 22 Communiqué

As soon as school is out in May, we

start working on getting our Hispanic

children ready to start school in

August. For three Sundays in June,

names are collected of the children

needing book bags and school sup-

plies. Then, the next three weeks,

names are given out to other

members of our church who would

like to give some assistance to these

students.

This year we received 72 names of

children in our Hispanic Community

who needed help with their school

supplies. Parishioners were asked to

take one or more names and pur-

chase the needed supplies. All of the

names were taken.

On Sunday, July 31, the book bags

and supplies were given out to the

students. The children marched into

the church and Fr. Brito blessed the

children with their school supplies,

and prayed for the coming school

year.

This is eighth year we, as a parish,

have done this. It is greatly

appreciated by our Hispanic

parishioners. Last year, the parents

made lunch for all of those who

donated the supplies. There will

be a thank-you get-together in

September, given by the parents.

This year we could see pictures and

thank-you wishes on Facebook. The

greatest joy I receive is seeing the

faces of the little ones when they

receive their new book bags for

Book Bag Day (Día Mochila)

starting school. I must tell you that

this year my heart was warmed

when I read one of the thank-you

notes. It was a note written by an

8th-grader at Summerour Middle

School. The note was for one of my

neighbors who always wants to

participate in our book bag drive

and takes a name yearly. This young

girl made a beautiful card and wrote

on the inside:

I very much appreciate you

providing me with the necessary

supplies to help me achieve all

A’s. I plan to attend EMORY

UNIVERSITY to become a doctor

or veterinarian. Since I’m going

to the eighth grade, this year is

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. It will

determine if I will be placed at

AP/IB [Advanced Placement/

International Baccalaureate]

classes at high school. For me,

it is absolutely CRUCIAL. With

these supplies, it will MOTIVATE

& ENCOURAGE me to do excep-

tionally well in school.”

She went on to talk about her love

for the Beatles. She then signed it –

With appreciation.

This is a reminder that our help is

appreciated. The children have

written thank-you notes for the

book bags and school supplies.

Please stop by the Parish Hall and

find yours.

— Nicki DeVillier,

Coordinator

Photos: © Bruce W. Halliburton Photography

Page 23 September 2016

The first graduation ceremony for

the Centro de Educación Teológica

para Latinos (CETLA), or Center for

Theological Education for Latinos,

was held at the Cathedral of

St. Philip, Saturday, June 18, 2016.

The keynote speaker was Bishop

Wright, who also presented the di-

plomas to the 30 participants in the

program.

Two women from Christ Church

attended CETLA: Mélida Fitten and

María Pérez (pictured at right,

receiving their diplomas). They

studied during two years, one

Saturday each month, at the Cathe-

dral. They studied Theology, Bible

(Old and New Testament), Ethics

and Moral Theology, Church History,

Liturgy, Religion, and Pastoral.

Fr. Napoleón said: “Mellie always

prepares the First Communion chil-

dren and Maria helps her in that

mission. She is in charge of the first

appointment for the baptisms and

quinceañeras. Both are available to

Centro de Educación Teologica Para Latinos - Ceremonia de graduación

help me in keeping order in the 1pm

service every Sunday. They are real

leaders in our Hispanic community.”

CETLA is a theological training pro-

gram developed for people from our

Hispanic churches who wish to

deepen their faith; engage in reli-

gious education in the parish or oth-

er parish ministries; and be leaders

in their respective communities. This

year’s class included people in posi-

tions of responsibility within the

community such as readers, Eucha-

ristic ministers, catechists, vestry,

ushers, and those who have been

called to ordained ministry.

The group started their training in

September 2014. Classes were in-

structed by the Hispanic Clergy from

the Diocese of Atlanta, including our

own Fr. Napoleón Brito, and CCE’s

former deacons, Nora Cruz-Díaz

and Juan Sandoval.

The second two-year class will begin

on Sept. 17, 2016.

Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk

Pictured on June 18, 2016, at the CETLA gradua-

tion ceremony are:

(L-R) Mélida (Mellie) Fitten , Bishop Rob Wright,

María Pérez, and Fr. Napoleón Brito

Diocesan Photo: Bill Monk

Pictured on June 18, 2016, at the CETLA gradua-

tion ceremony are:

(L-R) Canon Isaías Rodriguez and

Fr. Napoleón Brito

Christian Formation for Adults, Children, and Youth

Christian formation is the life-

long process of growing in our

relationship with God, self,

others and all creation.

Christ Church has a rich tradition of

offering many different opportuni-

ties for Christian formation for

adults, children, and youth. Sunday

morning classes meet at 9:15am.

Hispanic Christian Education classes

meet at 11am. Weekday and

evening classes are held throughout

the year as well.

For more information, see:

Adults — ccnorcross.org/adults-program/

Children and Youth — ccnorcross.org/children-youth-education/

Hispanic First Communion — ccnorcross.org/hispanic-first-communion-celebration/

Page 24 Communiqué

A Letter from Gretchen to Christ Church

each of you close to my heart.

These helped me feel connected to

you over the many miles that

spanned between us. I could feel

the excitement of a new group

readying themselves for pilgrimages,

preparing for confirmation,

practicing for the next Christ Church

Players presentation, and the work

days that provide a beautiful space

for worship. The list could go on and

on, as you well know.

I cannot express the level of

gratitude I have for all of you, for

your prayers, your support, and your

encouragement during the last three

years while I was at General. Each

time I came home for a visit I felt

such a warm welcome. Please know

that I am eternally grateful for

everything that you have bestowed

on me during these most informa-

tive, formative, challenging, and,

yes, joyous years that I have ever

experienced. Thank you so much for

being the wonderful Christ Church

family that you are. I cannot imagine

having a better faith community to

have on this journey!

Christ’s blessing on each of you!

The Rev. Gretchen S. Ratterree

be. While I knew there would be

sacrifices that I would need to make,

none of us had any idea of what

those sacrifices would be. Sacrifices

that would challenge my faith in the

church when difficulties arose at the

Seminary, and sacrifices that would

challenge my own faith when

divorce suddenly became a part of

my journey. But it is by living

through those sacrifices that I found

a deeper spirituality than I ever

dreamed of finding. I found so many

who were the Light of Christ for me

in New York, at General, in our

Diocese, and at Christ Church.

The practice of daily worship, both

Morning Prayer and Evensong, in

the beautiful Chapel of the Good

Shepherd kept me grounded even

through the most difficult of days.

It was in the chapel where I prayed

for my faith community of Christ

Church every day, and where I

carried my rosary made by the

children of Christ Church.

I would receive by e-mail the latest

installment of each weekTWACC

[This Week At Christ Church], as

well as the monthly newsletter.

Receiving and reading these kept

Gretchen’s Priestly Ordination

Gretchen Ratterree (formerly Creel) was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of St. Philip on June 25, 2016.

As her home parish from where her vocation crystalized, we stood with her gratefully and offered our sup-port in prayer and presence.

Gretchen is now serving as the Associate Rector at the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation in

Marietta, Ga.

July 27, 2016

My dear Christ Church family,

When I arrived on campus at The

General Theological Seminary in

New York City at the end of August,

2013, I had no idea what the next

three years of my journey toward

priesthood would look like; I had no

idea of where the Holy Spirit would

guide and walk with me.

Each year brought with it its own

experiences of challenges and joys.

And these challenges and joys

helped to stretch and mold me into

what God has called me to do and

The Rev. Gretchen S. Ratterree, pictured with friends from Christ Church (to Gretchen’s left; many had

already left by the time the photo was taken) and her new parish, Church of the Annunciation

(to Gretchen’s right), following her ordination on June 25, 2016. Photo: Courtesy of Ceci Duke

Page 25 Communiqué

EfM Begins this Month

Education for Ministry (EfM) will be

beginning our journey of discovery

for 2016-2017 on Sept. 12. The class

will meet for 34 sessions on Monday

evenings at 6:30pm in Room 114 of

the Education Wing.

This year’s EfM participants will

be studying Old Testament, New

Testament, and church history.

Every baptized person is called to

ministry. EfM is a program that gives

each person the opportunity to

discover his/her call to ministry and

how to respond to the call to

Christian service. It is an extension

of the School of Theology at the

University of the South, Sewanee,

Tenn., which oversees the program.

If you have questions about the EfM

program or if you are interested in

joining an EfM class, please contact

Dianne Olson at 770-851-2472

or dolson42668@gmail.com, or

Ellen Lewis at 678-546-0844 or

elewis3000@yahoo.com.

— Ellen Lewis

We have launched the quarterly

Christ Church Book Club with Just

Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson, the Ex-

ecutive Director of the Equal Justice

Initiative (EJI) in Montgomery, Ala.,

and professor of law at the New

York University Law School. The

Women’s Sunday School Class is also

reading this book.

Stevenson was a gifted young attor-

ney when he founded the EJI, a legal

practice dedicated to defending the

poor, the wrongly condemned, and

those trapped in the furthest reach-

es of our criminal justice system.

He has committed his life’s work to

representing people on death row

who have not had adequate legal

representation. His assistance has

resulted in many new trials and the

overturning of death sentences

when his clients were proven to be

innocent.

Hear author Bryan Stevenson speak on Just Mercy

He is speaking at St. Luke’s, 435

Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, on

Thursday, Sept. 29, 7:00-9:30pm, in

a program presented by the Dio-

cese’s Commission for Dismantling

Racism (episcopalatlanta.org/

Events/2016/09/29/commission-for-

dismantling-racism-talk/). There is

no registration nor fee to attend.

We plan to go as a group to this

presentation, and maybe carpool

from Christ Church. A large attend-

ance is expected, so that means we

need to make plans to arrive early.

We will have a plenary session in the

fall after the event, and after time

for some to read the book on your

own, to discuss this.

The book is available at the

Cathedral Book Store, Amazon,

Barnes & Noble, etc. For more infor-

mation, contact Terry and Steve

Franzén at terryfranzen@gmail.com

or stephen.e.franzen@gmail.com.

Page 26 Communiqué

New Worship Options for Older Kids and Youth

We now have a some additional

worship options for our younger

worshippers of Christ Church

during the first half of the 10:30am

worship service. We will gather in

the Youth Center at 10:15am and

begin at 10:30am.

Children’s Chapel will continue to be

available for children age 3 through

Kindergarten. Children and Youth,

1st grade and up, are encouraged to

come and participate in a cycle of

options which will vary based on the

Sunday of the month.

1st Sunday (Begins Oct. 2)

WORD! Young Worshippers

(Youth Center)

2nd Sunday (Sept. 11)

Youth Lead Liturgy in Nave

3rd Sunday (Sept. 18)

Service & Prayer

(Youth Center)

4th Sunday (Sept. 25)

Contemporary Service at 5pm

As an example, the 3rd Sunday of

each month will have a “young wor-

shipper” liturgy of Service & Prayer,

with an Outreach project along with

Prayers. The August Outreach pro-

ject was sandwich making.

If you are an adult interested in

helping with Service & Prayer each

month (or from time to time), please

contact The Rev. Jody Greenwood

at jgreenwood@ccnorcross.org.

Men’s Group Book Study

John Haeger and Bruce Halliburton

will be co-leading discussion of We

Make the Road by Walking, by Bryan

McLaren. It is a Bible-based explora-

tion of contemporary Christian faith.

Check out the table of contents on

Amazon [see link at right]. We meet

in Room 115 of the Education Wing

Hallway.

— Ben Pitman

amazon.com/s/

ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_15?url=search-

alias%3Dstripbooks&field-

keywords=we+make+the+road

+by+walking&sprefix=we+make+the

+roa%2Caps%2C139

Page 27 September 2016

What is Foyers All About?

It is about organized small groups

of adults that share a simple meal

and fellowship together on a roughly

monthly basis. And that is ALL that

it is about ... FELLOWSHIP!

Foyers has a long and rich tradition

at Christ Church, and our goal is to

get to know one another!

Larger groups (8-10), so the fun

goes on even if someone can’t

make it!

Emphasis on a SIMPLE meal

(dinner, lunch, or brunch) that

keeps the hurdle low for the next

host! Seriously, soup, salad, and

sandwiches are excellent menu

choices.

With the agreement of everyone

in the group, patronizing a local

restaurant is also an option. Or,

take those sandwiches on a picnic!

Starting in October and running

through May for maximum sched-

uling flexibility, particularly around

the holidays.

For those who aren’t sure (or are

understandably suspicious about

the definition of “simple”), let us

know that you just want to try it

out and we’ll make sure that you

are included in a group for at least

one or two meals.

Open to all adults – couples and

singles.

The last sign-up date will be Sunday,

Sept. 25 in the Parish Hall following

the 10:30am service.

Please contact me at

thecure00@hotmail.com or

678-691-4264 for any questions.

— Kristie Bernard

Connecting: News of the Diocese — Anytime!

The diocesan news and event infor-

mation you are accustomed to

receiving through the previous

Connecting email is now available

online, anytime.

Instead of being a bi-weekly email,

Connecting will now live as a website

where news and events will be up-

dated throughout the week. It is

accessible to you on your computer

or mobile device.

We suggest you bookmark

Connecting in your web browser

so you can easily check in for the

latest news and events:

connecting.episcopalatlanta.org.

You can subscribe there to receive

Connecting email notices with fea-

tured diocesan-wide news, events,

announcements and inspiration,

linking you to the latest events and

news on the Connecting website.

— Ed.

Page 28 Communiqué

Photo: Bruce Halliburton