September 2017 1

The Messenger

Thank You ALLYN

Best wishes for all good things in the years to come. We will miss you!

The people of Christ Church

Dear Friends, September feels more like a new year to me than

January does. January 1 is always a time of

exhaustion and recovery from the madness of the

Christmas season. But September brings energy and

enthusiasm. Although my school days are well in

the past, as the air cools, I have the almost

irresistible urge to peruse the pencil and notebook

aisle.

Here at Christ Church, we are looking forward to a

full yet sedate September, with no funerals (please,

God). We’ve spent the summer trying to organize

the files, figure out the books, and most

importantly, meeting and coming to love all of you.

It has been a great welcome. I truly appreciate your

hospitality and openness to the changes that have

come to your parish with a whole new staff with a

new way of doing things.

Now we hope to be able to actually engage in active

ministry with you. I hope that you are praying on

the prospect of being a Family Promise site. We

have such a perfect space here, and it is my belief

that Jesus would want us to use our treasures as he

instructed—to love our neighbors as ourselves. If

you have questions about this program, be sure to

attend the Parlor Chat on September 17.

I know that many other ministry opportunities will

present themselves to us as time goes by. Exciting

days, indeed!

Veronica +

P.S.

I will be on

vacation

September 11-30.

My hubby and are

cruising up to

Canada.

Dear Friends,

September 2017 2

It is with great joy that I write this note to all of

you. Last month, I was invited by the Bishop to

apply for candidacy for Holy Orders. My interview

with the Commission on Ministry (COM) is

September 12. Currently I am a postulant and

becoming a candidate is the next and step in the

ordination process. It turns out that will be a busy

week for me.

On September 11, I begin Clinical Pastoral

Education (CPE) at Geisinger in Danville. CPE is

interfaith professional education for ministry. It

brings theological students and ministers of all

faiths into supervised encounters with persons in

crisis. Out of an intense involvement with persons

in need, and the feedback from peers and teachers,

participants develop a new awareness of themselves

as persons and of the needs of those to whom they

minister. I will be part of the Fall extended Unit

which will last until May of 2018. I will be

required to attend one class every other Monday

from 8 am-noon and complete one overnight shift

per week.

The Stevenson School for ministry begins classes in

October and I am enrolled in two classes for the

upcoming term. Once they are completed, I will

only have ONE MORE CLASS TO TAKE before

completing my certificate! The school offers great

classes for congregations too! So, if anyone is

interested in taking a course, please talk to me about

it. I am excited for all of the new learning that will

happen over the course of these next nine months

and I ask for your prayers as I move forward with

the ordination process and I thank you for your

support.

Although my schedule might change a bit over the

course of the next few months, know that I am

always at your disposal and I am more than happy

to hear from you at any time.

I also had a terrific week in Canandaigua New York

at the College for Congregational Development at

the end of July. It was definitely a week jam-

packed with learning but I am excited to put some

of those things into practice with you as we

continue to grow together and learn the ways we

GATHER, TRANSFORM, and SEND.

More to come………….

Much peace, Kyle REMINDER! I also am inviting you to join me

in a recurring fast on the 21st of every month,

continuing until the end of the year 2018. Our

Presiding Bishop has asked us to remember that

time of the month is a very difficult time for

people who are on public assistance and have

received their assistance earlier in the month. So,

we fast, pray, and advocate in a variety of ways

for the poor, for those who need public

assistance for children who are the primary

beneficiaries of most of the forms of assistance

that our government provides. At Christ

Church, this is in line with the already amazing

food ministry happening on First Saturdays. So,

I ask that you join me in this spiritual discipline

as we search for ways to feed and be fed

physically and spiritually.

On Saturday, August 26 from 10:00 am to 12:00pm

I will hold a worship ministers meeting. We will

take some time to discuss what it means to be a

lector, chalice bearer, acolyte usher, altar guild

etc. This is a great opportunity for all of us to

spend some time together and discuss the ways in

which we glorify God in worship and talk about

some areas in which you might want some re-

training. It is also an opportunity for you to join

one of these ministries if you have been thinking

about it. Please let me know if you will be able to

attend by sending me an email or a text or giving

me a call at the office. Thank you all for your

amazing service to Christ Church. THERE WILL BE DONUTS AND COFFEE TOO!

OUR CHURCH CAT IS HERE Her name is Dante, and she is

a sweetie. She’ll catch mice

for us. She is very friendly

and happy to chat with you.

Please be very careful to not

let her out the doors!

She remembers being able to

go out at our house, and may

try to go out, but we don’t

want her out on Fourth Street.

Thanks!

September 2017 3

Happy Birthday Brooke McNutt ................... 09/01 Thomas Nicholson ...............09/06 William Nicholson ................09/06 Shannon Knight .................. 09/09 Donna Ickes ....................... 09/09 Audrey Walker ..................... 09/11 Michael Knight .................... 09/19 Anne Parsons ...................... 09/19 Matthew Knight .................. 09/21 Giovanni White .................... 09/21 Salvatore White ................... 09/25 Ann Collins .......................... 09/27 Debralee Porter .................. 09/29

Happy Anniversary to Carol & William Derr ............ Sept. 8

Karen & Edward Mitchell ... Sept. 13

A warm hello to my new church family at Christ

Episcopal! My name is Jeff Johnson, and I am

delighted that you have chosen me to be your

choirmaster and organist. Over the past few weeks I

have been warmly welcomed by all! What a

blessing!

I grew up just a few miles from Knoebel's

Amusement Park in a little town called Kulpmont.

Both of my paternal grandparents were organists,

and began giving me lessons when I was three years

old. I started playing for mass when I was age 10 as

an assistant to the parish organist. Feeling God's call

to music ministry, I furthered my education in organ

and choral conducting at Susquehanna University

and Lock Haven University.

Over the past 20 years I have enjoyed being in

ministry within liturgical churches. In 2008, I began

work in Williamsport at Trinity Episcopal and

Annunciation Churches. Moving here in 2011

opened up many opportunities to get involved with

the music community. Currently I perform with the

Williamsport Civic Chorus, Gesang Verein

Harmonia, Repasz Band, Milton Area Community

Band, and Northern Appalachian Wind Symphony.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my cats

and quilting. Please don't hesitate to come up to the

organ after the postlude and say hello!

Jeff

September 2017 4

Family Promise

Parlor Chat September 17

Following the service

In June, we asked the Vestry to prayerfully consider

partnering with Family Promise and last month

Jenny Hull, Case Manager, spoke to us about the

program.

Just a reminder, Family Promise is a non-profit

organization that provides shelter, meals, and

intensive case management for families without

homes by partnering with local churches,

professional staff, social service organizations, and

hundreds of volunteers. The network of local

churches provides much of their support,

infrastructure, and volunteers.

The goal at Family Promise is to help get families

back on their feet by assisting them in finding

employment and secure housing.

At the July Vestry meeting, we decided we need

some more feedback. So, we encourage you to stay

after the service on September 17 to let us know

how you feel about being a host congregation.

Please prayerfully consider this amazing ministry.

Veronica and Kyle

The Lunch Bunch is a monthly get-together for

good food & fun. All are invited; please sign up in

the Parish Hall so we can make the reservation.

PRAY for Dan, Bob, Joh, Susan, Mary, Drew,

Richard, Judy, Donna, Erin, Sue, Olivia, Arn,

Declan, Shannon, Lauri, Charlie, Peggy, Jamie, Pat,

Jose, Delaney, Ed, Tina, Scott, Pam, Kassie, Ben,

Jessica, David, Elaine, Rick

PRAY for the soul of Robert Mayer,

Phyliss Girvan’s brother who died last week.

Eternal rest, grant unto him, O Lord,

and let light perpetual shine upon him.

Good and gracious God, you invite us

to recognize and reverence your

divine image and likeness in our

neighbor. Enable us to see the reality

of racism and free us to challenge

and uproot it from our society, our

world and ourselves. This we pray;

AMEN

September 2017 5

SPCA WISH LIST 1. Cat Litter – Clay Type (not clumping type)

2. Kitten Food

3. Paper Towels

4. Laundry Detergent

5. Cash donations to

help pay for

medicines

6. Home-Grown Catnip

7. Copy Paper

8. Postage Stamps

9. Foil-Bagged Dog Treats, Pig Ears, and Rawhides

10. Gift cards for office supplies, department stores

11. Gasoline Cards for our Humane Officer’s trucks

12. Heavy Load Trash Bags

13. Powdered kitten milk replacer

Please place donations in the polka-dotted box

in the hallway by the office. Thanks!

Say it with

There are many open dates throughout the year for

flower dedication at both the High Altar and the

Lady Altar. Flowers are $45 for the high altar and

$40 for the lady altar. Memorials may also be given

for the Eternal Sanctuary Light, which is $8 a week.

Just call the office or drop off a note, and your

intention will be noted in the bulletin on the

appropriate Sunday.

The following dates are available:

1st week 9/3

Sanctuary Candle

3rd week 9/17

High Altar

Lady Altar

4th week 9/24

High Altar

Lady Altar

Sanctuary Candle

EVERY SUNDAY Bible Study ................................................... 8:30 AM

Worship Service ......................................... 10:00 AM

EVERY MONDAY Dropped Stitches .......................................... 2:00 PM

EVERY WEDNESDAY Holy Communion ....................................... 10:00 AM

EVERY THURSDAY Never Again Never Alone ............................. 7:00 PM

9/2 ............................. 1st Saturday Supper@4:00 PM

9/3 .................................................... Jeff’s 1st Sunday

9/6 ......................................................... Lunch Bunch

9/11 .................................. Finance Com. @ 5:00 PM

9/11-9/30 ................................ Veronica on vacation

9/17 ......................................................... Parlor Chat

9/18 ............................................. VESTRY@ 5:30 PM

DROPPED STITCHES Our knitting group is making lap robes and prayer

shawls for the UPMC Susquehanna Tissue & Organ

Donor Council. If you knit or crochet, or would like

to learn, please join us on Mondays at 2:00.

Thank you to everyone who donated school supplies

September 2017 6

STUMP THE RECTOR All are invited to submit questions of liturgy, theology, or any old subject for this new column.

WHAT IS THE CANDLE

LIGHTER-THINGIE CALLED?

The pole with the candle lighter/snuffer is officially

called the LUCIFER. Yes, after the head devil

himself. The name Lucifer means “light bearer”

although he became known as the one who attempts

to extinguish the light. We defy him by continuing

to hold up the light of Christ.

WHAT DOES THE DESIGN OF

OUR CHURCH SHIELD MEAN?

The shield was adopted by the

General Convention of 1940 and is

rich in symbolism. The red cross

on a white field is the St. George Cross, an indicator

of our link to the Church of England, the mother

church of the Anglican Communion. The miniature

crosses in the blue quadrant symbolize the nine

original American Dioceses that met in Philadelphia

in 1789 to adopt the constitution of the Protestant

Episcopal Church in the United States of

America. They are: Connecticut (established in

1783), Maryland (1783), Massachusetts (1784),

Pennsylvania (1784), New Jersey (1785), New York

(1785), South Carolina (1785), Virginia (1785), and

Delaware (1786).

The blue field in the upper left is the color

traditionally associated with the Blessed Virgin

Mary and is symbolic of Jesus’ human nature,

which he received from his mother.

The outline of the miniature crosses is in the form

of St. Andrew’s Cross in tribute to the Scottish

church’s role in ordaining the first American

Bishop, Samuel Seabury, in 1784.

The colors red, white and blue symbolize,

respectively, (Red) the sacrifice of Christ and

Christian martyrs,(White) the purity of the Christian

faith, and (Blue) the humanity of Christ received

from the Virgin Mary. In duplicating the colors of

the American flag, they also represent the Episcopal

Church’s standing as the U.S. branch of the

Anglican Communion.

September 2017 7

6. We talk about more than sex.

We made national and worldwide headlines a

decade ago for consecrating the first openly gay

bishop. Yes, we talk about sex and how God is

present in sexual relationships. We recognize that

sexuality is part of our created humanity. We also

spend time in deep prayer and action for peace, for

equality for all people, for dignity for those on the

margins of society, for welcome to the outcast , and

for justice for the poor.

We hear and believe the message that God loves all

people. No exceptions. “The Episcopal Church

Welcomes You” is not just a sentence on our signs.

We strive to share that welcome with each other and

those we encounter in our lives.

7. We were not formed because Henry VIII

wanted a divorce.

While the official Church of England came to

fruition in the sixteenth century, Christianity existed

in the British Isles since the second century and

likely earlier. For more than 500 years, residents of

the British Isles practiced a particular expression of

Christian worship, broadly called Celtic Christianity

(which isn’t an exact term).

When the Roman practice of the faith became

official in the seventh century, the deep roots of

centuries of faith were not abandoned or eradicated.

So eventually, when the particular blend of

Protestantism and Roman Catholicism became

official under Elizabeth I, Anglicanism’s ancient

middle way finally had room to bloom and grow.

8. We are working to change the “whiskey-

palian” stereotype.

We have often heard the joke about where you find

four Episcopalians, you will always find a fifth.

While our faith does not prohibit the consumption

of alcohol, we do recognize that for some members

of our church communities, substance abuse

prevents them from fully loving God, their

neighbors, and themselves. An Episcopal priest

worked with Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill

Wilson to create the foundations of The Twelve

Steps. Episcopal Churches have long been a

welcoming space for recovery groups, and our most

recent General Convention re-committed our church

to end complicity in issues of substance abuse and

employ our church as a community of healing for

those in recovery.

9. We are part of something bigger.

The Episcopal Church is part of the Anglican

Communion, a global family of national and

regional churches with roots in the Church of

England. We have no central authority such as the

Pope. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual

head of the Anglican Communion, but each national

and regional church is self-governing.

Like all communities, we have differences, but we

have our liturgy and prayers in common, even when

they are in different languages. Attending a member

church in Hong Kong, a small village church in

England or St. George’s in Jerusalem is a powerful

reminder that the Kingdom of God is far, far larger

than our neighborhood or country. We as

Episcopalians, in our prayers each Sunday for sister

churches across the globe, remember the vastness of

the Church.

10. We take seriously our relationship with God

through community.

We celebrate the Holy Eucharist (also called Holy

Communion and Mass) together on Sundays. We

come together to the altar to receive the Body and

Blood of Christ from a common cup. We do not

have private baptisms; we baptize in community.

We as a community covenant with God and the

newly baptized (if an adult) or on behalf of the

newly baptized (if a child).

Faith in community is wonderful and complicated.

Our neighbors challenge our individual ideas. We

are asked to see different viewpoints, to reach

beyond ourselves and to move outside comfort

zones.

Jesus lived in community with his followers. We

follow Jesus’ example, sometimes in messy ways,

sometimes in transformative ways and sometimes

fearfully as we realize how deeply we need each

other. But we always follow the way of Jesus . . .

together.

The Rev. Laurie Brock serves as rector of St. Michael the

Archangel Episcopal Church in Lexington, Kentucky.

10 THINGS I WISH EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH (PART 2)

September 2017 8

The Messenger The Messenger is the monthly newsletter of Christ Episcopal Church, Williamsport,

in the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.

The Rev. Veronica Donohue Chappell Mr. Kyle Murphy, Lay Pastor

570-322-8160 christepchurch@gmail.com

We Worship Sunday: Holy Eucharist Rite, 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday: Holy Eucharist with Healing, 10:00 a.m.

DATE LECTOR ACOLYTE USHERS COFFEE HOSTS OFFICIANT

9/3 Ana White Tim Hanner Donna Ickes & Brian Mitchell Jean Lowery & Jamie Ellis Kyle/Andy

9/10 Jeff Porter Phyllis Girven Alan & Phyllis Girven Linda Desmond Veronica

9/17 Martha Rommelt Ann Morrison Scott & Jean Lowery Cookie Sunday Kyle MP

9/24 Anne Parsons Tim Hanner Jeff Porter & Jane Smith Carole Smith & Donna Ickes Dee

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