November 2014 message

November 2014 • Volume 16, Number 6

Junior Acolytes preparing for the 9 AM service.

Prayer: The Humanizing Discipline: 2 Christmas Eve Service Times: 5 Farewell Old Friend: 7 A Dramatic Start to Advent: 9 Closing Out 2014: 12 From the Rector’s Book Stack: 14

FROM

In this issue: Music Ministry ...................... 6 Outreach ............................... 7 Youth Ministry ...................... 7 Family Ministry .................... 8 Our Church Life..................10 Pastoral Care.......................12 Planned Giving....................13 Page Turners.......................14 Calendar of Events ............15

Sunday Services: 7:30 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 9:00 a.m.

Family-friendly Communion Service with Music 10:00 a.m.

Christian Education for Children, Youth, and Adults 11:00 a.m.

Choral Eucharist, Rite 2 6:00 p.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite 2 Visit us on-line at www.cecsa.org

Prayer: The Humanizing Discipline

W

hen my legs were knocked out from beneath me, I began to pray.

On November 6, 1981, when I had been 27 for all of fourteen days, the phone rang.

PATRICK GAHAN Rector I picked it up patrickg@cecsa.org and my mother screamed across the line, “Johnny is dead!” For the first and only time in my life, my legs were knocked out from beneath me, and I crumpled there on the steps.

Some moments later, Mother regained her breath and reported the whole terrible story. Both my brother Johnny and his pregnant wife had been killed that night in a head-on collision. Johnny, age 23, had been called out on an emergency Coast Guard mission during a torrential, coastal thunderstorm in Galveston Bay. An elderly man, who could no longer see the dividing lines in the road, struck my brother’s crackerbox Datsun B-210 and killed the two of them instantly.

Only days before, Johnny had phoned me, and with his typically jovial manner, said, “Big brother, guess what? I am gong to have a son.”

“That’s terrific, Johnny, but how do you know it will be a boy,” “Oh, it will be a boy, Pat. God wouldn’t give me a girl. And guess what I am going to name him? William Patrick Gahan, IV.” “Name him after yourself, for goodness sakes,” I protested.

“Nope, I want my son to be just like my big brother.”

Cover photo by Susanna Kitayama Back Cover photo by Clark Niles 2

That was the last time we ever spoke.

In my quieter moments, I think about continuing our conversation on that farther shore and finally meeting William Patrick, IV.

The following days remain a blur for me even now. We had to get Johnny’s and Jane’s bodies transported from Galveston to Birmingham. The Coast Guard provided a military honor guard from those who served with Johnny.

Mother insisted that Johnny and Jane be buried together in the same grave, which took some strenuous negotiations with the cemetery board.

Of course, they were to be buried from our home parish, Grace Episcopal Church, where Kay and I buried my sister Julia, Johnny’s twin, last June.

All of this seemed to take days upon days, but it is the nights at mother’s house that I remember best and most painfully. Mother sat there on the right side of her living room sofa every night.

Her faithful rector, Charlie Horne, sat next to her each evening for hours, as she broke out in tears repeatedly. The pain came from so deep within her that I thought the walls of the house would crack open in sympathy.

I was cracking wide open, yet I would not admit it – not then. My job was to get mother through this crucible. Only months out of my military service, I knew the objective and the sequence of operations required to meet it. I went into mission mode, a place where I have hidden out quite often.

My heart was inoperative, yet I carried on. However, I had lost touch with the seat of my humanity. The truth is that there were other cracks fragmenting my life at that time. Kay and I had moved back to Birmingham, our hometown, after my military commitment was completed. After all, it was Bishop Furman Stough, the wise Bishop of Alabama, who had sent me off to serve in the Army. He considered me “too rough around the edges” for the priesthood. Thus, he prescribed a dose of military service to round me out.

After I made the journey from private to 1st lieutenant, the bishop relented and allowed me to return home to prepare for ordination.

The problem with our homecoming was

From Our Rector... that our family and friends had become accustomed to life without us. We were not ill treated or ignored, but we were no longer written into the scripts of their routine lives. Compounding this was the fact that our peers, with whom Kay and I had grown up, had advanced in their careers and bought bigger and nicer homes during our absence.

“What would that bearded hippie know about me repressing anything.

Ship that fruit-loop off to Haight-Ashbury where he belongs....

My explosion verified to the bishop that I was, indeed, repressing a lot of volatile things.”

My little family felt like poor country mice coming to the city. Finally, the transition from military life to civilian was quite a jolt for me. Even on the surface, my civilian clothes were five years out of date, which accurately portrayed my insides that screamed each day that I felt completely out of place. Furthermore, Kay was sevenmonths pregnant with our second child, Catherine Grace, and her emotions were close to the surface, as well. Johnny’s and Jane’s deaths would bring all these deep cracks to the surface.

Bishop Stough was the first to see the cracks in me. When he invited me to attend seminary the next fall, he put me through the compulsory psychological testing. Mine lasted a full day and a half. The bearded psychologist looked like a photo from a Sigmund Freud fan club magazine, and he spoke to me like one of Pavlov’s dogs. Batteries of written tests, ink blot identification, puzzle solving, and strange interviews ensued one after another. At the end, he shook my hand and said merely, “A report will be sent to your bishop.”

Two weeks later Bishop Stough called me to his office. “The doctor says that

you are repressing some things, Pat.”

cracks would open up and consume me.

I exploded, “What would that bearded hippie know about me repressing anything. Ship that fruit-loop off to Haight-Asbury where he belongs…”

Later on, when I did finally attend seminary, I learned that my new feelings, cracks and all, were the beginning of life in God. Frederich Schleiermacher, (1768-1834) in his book, On Religion: Speeches to it’s Cultured Despisers, states that authentic faith begins when we realize our “utter dependence” on God. The occasion may be one like mine, where your legs are knocked out beneath you in sadness or despair. On the other hand, Schleiermacher notes that we may be overcome with the majesty of creation so that we begin to feel this utter dependence on the One who made the panorama of life surrounding us. Regardless of the theory, that is where Ron led me and where I began to pray for the first time.

My explosion verified to the bishop that I was, indeed, repressing a lot of volatile things. He insisted that I undergo therapy. While I sat there squirming in his office, he phoned a monastery in Indiana, where he hoped to send me for six weeks. They were full. I felt delivered. He next phoned Ron DelBene, a priest in Birmingham who ran a ministry known as “The Hermitage,” a place where priests could get their legs and their lives back. Ron would be pleased to meet with me the next Tuesday. We met at the Hermitage every Tuesday for an entire year. At our last meeting, Ron admitted, “Pat, at our first meeting, I thought you were the most boring person I had ever encountered.” That was no surprise to me, as I was hardly human during those early days of counseling.

I will resist relating all that Ron led me to do during that year. The hardest part was opening doors of my heart that I had closed and locked, especially those regarding my father and the reign of terror he exercised over our lives until he disappeared. Being poor was far better, I learned, than being scared. Nevertheless, I did not want to recount those terrible days for Ron or anyone. Ron knew that I must reopen those doors and let the light in, for those experiences were all part of me.

To shut them off was to deny whole chapters of myself.

When the doors were finally open to light and air, Ron could lead me to pray. I say “lead” rather than “teach,” because Ron did not give step-by-step instructions as much as he led me to see my need for God. In my world of airtight control, God was a seasoning, a mere bit of spice that I added to life – certainly not an essential ingredient. As the doors blew open, however, I knew that I needed a Savior, or I would sink neck-deep into the muck of my history and the sadness of Johnny’s and Jane’s death, and my mother’s sadness. The

.

“My breath prayer during that time and for many years following was, “Lord, give me your peace.” Reciting the prayer with every breath for ten to fifteen minutes in the morning and again at night slowly began to redirect my psyche”

The only specific prayer that Ron ever taught me was the “Breath Prayer” or the “Jesus Prayer.” Derived from 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “to pray without ceasing,” a Russian mendicant began the practice of repeating with every breath, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” You may read the story of the prayer in the classic 1935 book, The Way of the Pilgrim.

Fourteen hundred years before that book was published, the 5th century Russian monk, John Cassian (360-435), directed Christians to repetitively pray, “O God, make speed to save me,” which he culled from Psalm 40:131. Most any 1 Rowan Williams, Being Christian: Baptism, Bible, Eucharist, Prayer (Grand Rapids, MI:Eerdmans, 2014), 79.

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From Our Rector... line of scripture or plea from the heart will work. My breath prayer during that time and for many years following was, “Lord, give me your peace.” Reciting the prayer with every breath for ten to fifteen minutes in the morning and again at night slowly began to redirect my psyche, so that I was praying the prayer all day long – at my office desk, in the elevator, perusing the aisles of Piggly-Wiggly, sharing lunch with a friend, or putting our son to bed.

Through the grace of the Holy Spirit, this central desire of my wounded heart became a continuous prayer.

Some weeks after I began the morning and evening discipline, I began to see my world in a totally different light.

Birmingham, which seemed to have a perpetual shroud of smoke and gloom cast over it, began now to be bathed in light. As I drove along the elevated four lanes of IH-20, I saw steeples of churches and domes of synagogues dissecting the skyline instead of the array of impersonal skyscrapers and smutty, mothballed steel mills. The breath prayer was recasting my vision in a miraculous way.

.

“As the long closed doors of my heart opened, and I began to pray earnestly, the fear surrounding my life began to fall away.”

Once we begin to pray – really pray – we see our world very differently than we did before. At the same time, we begin to see ourselves very differently. As the long closed doors of my heart opened, and I began to pray earnestly, the fear surrounding my life began to fall away.

Saint Paul, who carried at least as much baggage as I did, wrote these liberating words: For you did not receive spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption.

When we cry, ‘Abba, Father,’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our own spirit that we are children of God… Romans 8:15-16

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Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, takes Paul’s words to heart and states that when we pray we do not simply put ourselves in the presence of God. No, “we put ourselves in the place of Jesus.”2 Jesus alone can call God “Father” or “Abba,” and yet, according to Paul, we are invited to address God with the selfsame intimacy. The point is not that Jesus gives us permission to use his address; rather, the point is that we stand with Jesus in approaching God. Once we have submitted our life to Jesus Christ, the Father sees us within the grasp of the Son. That’s why Paul claims a bit later that ‘the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words’ (Romans 8:27). Once we are “in Christ,” the Spirit that directed his every step begins to direct our deepest yearnings in prayer – especially when we cannot gather the words to express our innermost trials.

In that season of my life, when my world cracked wide open as to consume me, I would put on a good face all week, only to arrive home on Fridays, walk up to our bedroom, lay across the bed and weep uncontrollably. I did not know why I was sobbing or where the deepest hurt originated – but Christ did, and he began to intercede for me with “sighs too deep for words.”

Christ inhabits us and redefines us. Irenaeus (130-202), one of the earliest Christian writers, noted that in Christ humanity is “recapitulated.”

In other words, in Christ, humanity is restored to our original, glorious purpose bequeathed at creation, and that purpose is to become like Jesus – the perfection of humanity. This fact has enormous impact on our personal prayer lives. For if we are restored to be like Christ, then we pray in solidarity with his wishes. The Lord’s Prayer, the only prayer that Jesus gave us, is the best illustration of how we pray according to his dreams for humanity and the world. In this way, the Lord’s Prayer is an illustration of how we are changed and who we become when 2

Williams, 62.

Jesus Christ indwells us. The changes that should take place within us are so pronounced that an anonymous author made these disconcerting observations:

.“For if we are restored to be like Christ, then we pray in solidarity with his wishes.

The Lord’s Prayer, the only prayer that Jesus gave us, is the best illustration of how we pray according to his dreams for humanity and the world.”

I cannot pray Our, if my faith has no room for others and their needs.

I cannot pray Father, if I do not demonstrate this relationship to God in my daily living.

I cannot pray who art in heaven, if all my interests and pursuits are in earthly things.

I cannot pray hallowed by thy name, if I am not striving, with God’s help, to be holy.

I cannot pray thy kingdom come, if I am unwilling to accept God’s rule in my life.

I cannot pray thy will be done, if I am unwilling or resentful of having it in my life.

I cannot pray on earth as it is in Heaven, unless I am truly ready to give myself to God’s service here and now.

I cannot pray give us this day our daily bread, without expending honest effort for it, or if I would withhold from my neighbor the bread I receive.

I cannot pray forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, if I continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.

I cannot pray lead us not into temptation, if I deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.

I cannot pray deliver us from evil, if I am not prepared to fight evil with my life and my prayer.

I cannot pray thine is the kingdom,

From Our Rector... if I am unwilling to obey the King.

I cannot prayer thine is the power and the glory, if I am seeking power for myself and seeking my own glory first.

I cannot pray forever and ever, if I am too anxious about each day’s affairs.

I cannot pray Amen, unless I can honestly say, “Cost what it may, this is my prayer.”3 Reading the Lord’s Prayer in that way, I feel my legs begin to buckle. I see my shortcomings and shallow faith revealed in most every line. Jesus was pressing that point home when he gave us the prayer in the first place. On that day, the disciples had watched Jesus praying and asked that he teach them to pray, too (Luke 11:1-4). I have always thought the disciples were really asking how to draw close to the Lord in the intimate way demonstrated by Jesus.

His response to the twelve seems to be less of a list of pressing petitions than it is a blueprint for a changed life. To truly pray is to truly want to be transformed into a person “after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). Such a person, shares his bread, drops her grudges, fights evil, and daily invites the Father’s vulnerable and compassionate will to overcome his own resistant and self-serving one.

Through the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus is telling us that daily prayer is our traveling music. We should not be surprised that just before we make our weekly journey to the altar rail, the Prayer Book demands that we recite the Lord’s Prayer. To pray is to be reminded of what it really means to draw close to Christ and receive his grace. To pray is to be reminded that we cannot stay in the same place. We must keep moving towards a transformed life of obedience to the Lord and the demands of his kingdom. To pray is to be changed.

for His Highest. Therefore, it is worth noting that Chamber’s meditation for August 28 reads: To say that “prayer changes things” is not as close to the truth as saying, “Prayer changes me and then I change things.” God has established things so that prayer, on the basis of redemption, changes the way a person looks at things. Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person’s inner nature.4

. To truly pray is to truly want to be transformed into a person “after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22).

“Prayer changes the way a person looks at things,” states Chambers. I would say it another way – prayer fully humanizes a person. Until my brother and pregnant sister-in-law died, I did not pray – not really. I tossed up petitions for dates, good grades, touchdowns as a boy, and as a young man I asked God to protect my little family and bring me home safely from deployments. I did not pray 4 Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House, 1935), August 28th entry.

in the way Jesus taught his disciples.

I did not pray to become a changed man, a more human one. When Johnny was killed, that all changed. With my legs knocked out from beneath me, I began to pray in utter desperation and dependence to the Lord. Slowly, I became more of the man God intended – more human than I was before.

I consider now what would have happened if I had gone off to seminary without this immense pain of loss.

I presume I would have functioned adequately, but I would not have the heart for God and the people he has sent my way. I do not for a minute think that God orchestrated Johnny’s death as some object lesson for me, but I do think he used that profound loss in my life to make more of me. How curious it is that the Lord Jesus Christ is forever raising us up from great injuries in our lives. At one time or another, we are all Lazarus, wrapped up, stone-cold dead in that dark tomb, and imagining we’re at a complete dead end. Then Jesus appears and cries, “Come out” (John 11:1-44)!

When he calls, we get back on our feet and walk toward the sound of his voice.

Your brother,

Patrick U

Such a statement is reminiscent of the renowned Scottish Baptist author, Oswald Chambers (1874-1917).

Chambers wrote the most beloved prayer devotional of all time, My Utmost 3 The Anglican Digest, “A Few Thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer,” Autumn, 2014, vol.56, no.3, 39.

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MINISTRY DING!

dong! merrily on high In heaven the bells are ringing!

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” Isaiah 11:1 Imagine

Y JOSH BENNINGER Interim Director of Music and Worship joshb@cecsa.org

ou are sitting in a pew on Sunday morning right before the start of worship. This, however, is not a typical Sunday morning at Christ Church.

Imagine that it is the third Sunday of

Advent, and the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols is about to start. The church is packed to capacity. The professional twenty-plus member orchestra consisting of strings, woodwinds, brass, harpsichord, piano and timpani finish their warm-up. The 100-member singing ensemble made up of adult, teen and children’s choirs is eagerly anticipating the downbeat of the entrance hymn “Once in royal David’s city.” If you are new to Christ Church and you have not yet experienced the magnificence of this celebration, then you are in for an amazing holiday gift.

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great Light.” Isaiah 9 A Brief History The Festival of Lessons and Carols celebrates the promise of the Messiah and the birth of Jesus told in short Bible readings interspersed with the singing of Christmas carols and choir music. The original service was first celebrated at King’s College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve, 1918. It was planned by thirty-four year old Eric Milner-White, who had just been appointed Dean of King’s College. His experience as an army chaplain convinced him that the Church of England needed a more imaginative worship service for Christmas. He adapted it from an older service that had been written for the Truro Cathedral in 1880.

At King’s College, the Festival is a Christmas Eve service, and the lessons and music move from the season of Advent into Christmastide. In 1919, a revision of the service was made involving rearrangement of the lessons, and since then the service has always begun with the hymn “Once in royal David’s city”. Churches throughout the world have mirrored this annual Christmas tradition, modifying it as needed.

Since the complete service can be quite lengthy, it is not unusual to omit a lesson or two. In fact, the version you will hear at Christ Church incorporates only seven lessons.

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

Luke 2:8

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It Takes

an

Army

This celebration is by far the most musically rich, liturgically oriented and spirit-filled worship service in the city of San Antonio. But I would be remiss in failing to stress that this monumental undertaking requires more than just beautiful voices and professional musicians. Behind the scenes it takes a small army of first-class leaders and selfless volunteers over eight weeks to connect all the dynamic pieces together.

Ruth Berg, our Children’s Music Director, devotes her loving heart, soul and countless hours into preparing YOUR children for this performance. Madolyn Fallis, our gracious artist-inresidence assists me as rehearsal accompanist for the two months leading up to the performance. Meg Parker and Janet Fenton, our music librarians, pour through, organize and edit thousands of sheets of music. Susan Artiglia ensures that all choir members look their “Sunday best” by supplying and outfitting choir robes. Ferne Burney, Elizabeth Martinez and Kathleen Fry cook and feed the hungry choir 5-star dinners prior to Thursday evening rehearsals.

The setup of chairs, music stands and the rearrangement of the altar spaces would not be possible without the strong backs of Robert Vallejo, Rudy Segovia and Joe Garcia. Dennis Eberhardt, my logistics point man, consistently charges ahead looking for ways to make things run more smoothly and efficiently. Finally, we must not overlook YOUR financial generosity that makes this event possible, year after year.

Lessons and Carols December 14, 2014 9 AM & 11 AM If you have not yet experienced the Festival of Lessons and Carols at Christ Church, then I highly encourage you to save the date and make it a priority to attend. Whether you plan on enjoying the 9 AM or 11 AM service, I highly recommend you arrive early to ensure decent parking and a front row seat. See you there!

Josh Benninger Music Minister

DING! dong! merrily on high In heaven the bells are ringing!

Ding! dong! verily the sky Is riven with Angels singing!

Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis.

George Ratcliffe Woodward

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ur annual SAMMinistries Christmas Dinner will be held on Sunday, December 7 from 5-7 PM in the Parish Hall. As you may know, SAMMinistries provides transitional housing and support to families in need. We hope you will consider shepherding a SAMMinistry family, buying Christmas gifts or making a donation.

Let’s Go Caroling!

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Heinrich at 210-3152288 or lauraandkatetoo@aol.com, Catherine Markette at 210-260-9399 or cmarkette@satx.rr.com, Julie Zacher at 210-396-6615 or jmzacher@ sbcglobal.net.

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alling all Jr. Daughters of the King for caroling on Saturday, December 13, 2014 from 2:30 to 6:30 PM. Please bring one dozen cookies to give as gifts. We will gather at the Parish Hall, go caroling, & then have a Christmas party. Bring a friend!

Please call Tina Bigley at 215-3435 or Lily Fenton at 383-5236 for more details.

SAMMinistries Dinner

Food Pantry Christmas Lunch

T

he Hospitality Food Pantry will be holding its 14th Annual Christmas Luncheon on Saturday, December 6, 2014, from 11 AM – 1 PM in the Parish Hall.

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although

they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Luke 14:12-14 We are inviting Christ Church parishioners to join us in volunteering to serve our guests and to provide holiday home-baked desserts such as cookies and brownies and to assist with various crafts. Parishioners are encouraged to come and sit down with our guests and enjoy a meal with them.

For information, please call Tina Honsaker at 859-5062 (cell ) or 3978682 or Rita Millwater at 534-7042.

MINISTRY

I

just wanted to take a moment to thank many of you who today I count as a friend, though friend doesn’t describe how special some of you here at Christ Church have become to me. I guess some might say I am like an old dog, you know the way you “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But because of you I have grown so much over the last four years. I think this points to the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father to mold and shape us and to grow us up, no matter how young or old we are. So, as much as I may have been here for you, you have been there for me. Isn’t it amazing how God gives us to each other in this growing process of change, in how we think, and feel, and love, all

into the likeness of our Lord Jesus.

As of today, Lori and I still don’t know where we will end up church wise. But whether it is here or somewhere out closer to where we live in the Bulverde area, I will look forward to the days ahead when our paths cross again and we get to swap stories about what God has been up to lately.

You guys light me up and warm my heart!

Clark Niles And remember: Old Youth Ministers never die, they just grow mean and gnarly.

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MINISTRY Preparing

for the

Pageantry

S

HALLETA HEINRICH Director of Family Ministries halletah@cecsa.org

anta is a Saint – Saint Nicholas, and he has a favorite story. Our children will share “Santa’s Favorite Story – Santa Tells the Story of the First Christmas” with their Christ Church Family on Sunday, December 7, during the 11 AM service. This year’s pageant is based on the children’s book of this title written

by Hisako Aoki and illustrated by Ivan Gantschev.

Each Sunday School class will play an important role in telling this most important story of the birth of the Christ Child. Our Stars of the pageant will be the fifthgraders who will portray the Nativity Characters. The two and three-year-olds will be the sheep and fourth-graders will be their shepherds who come to adore Baby Jesus. PreK 4’s, 5’s and Kindergarteners will portray the woodland and manger animals who witness the birth. First and second-

of

Christmas

grade girls will be Christmas Angels, and first and secondgrade boys will be Christmas Stars. Third-graders will be Santa’s Helpers. Pageant Narrators will be sixth-graders, and Santa will be played by someone special.

The parish is invited to a Christmas Pageant Reception honoring our children immediately following the pageant in the FMC Tomlin Room.

Parent Reminders: Saturday, December 6 - All Cast Practice from 10 – 11 AM in the church. Fifth and sixth-grade Stars and Narrators will remain until 12 noon.

Sunday, December 7, Pageant Day – All Cast and Narrators should report to Sunday School classrooms by 10 AM so they can get ready for the pageant. We will line up to go into church beginning at 10:30 AM.

Halleta

Come, Give Your Heart

to Jesus

C

take the Light of Christ with them to shine out to all.

hildren will follow the Star and the Three Kings in search of Baby Jesus in celebration of Epiphany on Sunday, January 11.

This fun and simple ritual is a meaningful event in the lives of our children. I treasure it each year as I see the Baby Jesus doll in the manger smothered in the hearts the children have lovingly placed there. What a beautiful symbol of child-like faith and the mutual love between God and Child!

All Sunday School classes will gather with their teachers in Chapel at 10 AM and begin the journey. They will take with them the most precious gift they can give, their hearts, which they will present to the Christ Child at the end of their trek. In return, they will receive a star as a symbol of the Light of Christ and the Guiding Light of their Life.

Children will recess out into the world at the conclusion of their journey and

The Christ Church Players

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King’s Cake will be enjoyed in the Tomlin Room after the Chapel journey.

Whoever finds the tiny baby Jesus in their piece of cake, gets a prize to be shared with their class.

in

Rehearsal

Family Ministry...

“A Christmas Carol”- A Dramatic Family Advent Event

W

e are very excited to invite our Church Family to this year’s Family Advent Event, “A Christmas Carol”, a play based on Charles Dickens’ classic story. Join us on Sunday, November 30, following the 11 AM service at 12:15 PM in the Parish Hall.

This will be the premier presentation by the Christ Church Players, a newly formed Drama Ministry, led and directed by Karla Pollock. Karla is a gifted drama teacher, director, and actor who is graciously sharing her gifts with Christ Church in this offering. The cast is made up of some great Christ Church members of all ages from 5 years and up. This presentation is suitable for all ages, but Nursery Care will be provided

for infants through young preschoolers in the FMC nurseries during the event.

A casual pizza and salad lunch will be served. Those who attend are asked to bring one dozen favorite Christmas cookies to share as our dessert. An offering of $5 per person or $10 per family is requested to help cover pizza costs.

Please RSVP to Halleta Heinrich at the church NO LATER than Monday, November 24 if you plan to come so we can plan accordingly. Contact Halleta at halletah@cecsa.org or phone her at the church at 736-3132.

Please come support our newly formed Drama Ministry and begin to get in the Christmas Spirit on this first day of Advent! We are hoping to have many more dramatic presentations as part of this ministry and welcome new members to join.

Movie Night - Irreplaceable The Movie that Answers: What is Family?

Does Family Still Matter In Today’s Society?

Family Movie Night and Dinner Wednesday, January 7 5 – 7:30 PM In the Parish Hall

W

e encourage all of our Christ Church Family to come see “Irreplaceable,” a documentary from Focus on the Family concerning the importance of family in all cultures. This is a beautifully filmed, mind-stretching, and grace-filled production which will be of interest to all families no matter how large or small, old or young. In this film, we will travel around the world with host and film-maker Tim Sisarich to explore what impacts families most today. We will learn how all of us can have a role in creating and encouraging stable families.

“Irreplaceable” offers a message of hope – that it’s never too late to become a better father, mother, sister, brother, grandparent or friend. A very profound conclusion and connecting thread throughout the film is that “There are NO perfect families, but any family can be redeemed.” The message of hope and grace, that we all need to hear, is so profoundly expressed in this film.

A casual dinner will be served beginning at 5 PM in the Parish Hall for those who will be viewing “Irreplaceable”.

Because of some challenging content, the film is recommended for ages 15years and older. Pizza will be served for preschoolers to fourteen-year-olds in the FMC first floor from 5 – 6 pm.

A fun, kid – friendly movie will be shown for children ages three-years and up in the FMC movie theater room 302 after

dinner. Nursery care will be provided for infants to young preschoolers in FMC nurseries. Please bring finger food for nursery children. Supervised Study Hall and “Hanging Out Time” will be available in the Carriage House for 6th graders and older. Teens may opt to help with children’s movie time in the FMC. An offering of $5 per person or $10 per family is requested for dinner. Please make a reservation with Halleta at the church at halletah@cecsa.org or 736 3132 by Friday, January 2 if you plan to attend Family Movie Night.

“Irreplaceable” is the “kick-off” event for “The Family Project,” a twelve session series that will be presented as an adult Sunday School class beginning Sunday, January 11 at 10 AM in the FMC Movie Theater room 302.

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The Christ Church Bible Study

res·o·lu·tion

ˌrezəˈlo͞oSH(ə)n/ noun 1. a firm decision to do or not to do something.

Sunday Proper

November 30 Advent 1

and

Preaching Series

Advent - Epiphany 2014-2015: My New Year’s Resolution!

A nother New Year is upon us, and what will we do about it? Will we put off changes for yet another year, or will we heed the Holy Spirit’s prodding, open the Bible, and get on with the transformed life Christ promises? How strong is our Resolve?

Lesson Mark 13:24-37

Inspiration

Watch for the master to come!

Prepare the way for the Lord!

Resolution I will Watch for the Lord’s appearing in my life.

December 7

Advent 2

Mark 1:1-8

December 14

Advent 3

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Listen to the voice crying out!

December 21

Advent 4

Luke 1:27-38

Obey as the handmaid of God.

December 24

Christmas Eve

Luke 2:1-14

Look to see the glory of God!

I will Look for traces of God in my daily walk.

December 25

Christmas Day

Titus 2:11-14

Renounce the God-less life.

December 28

Christmas 1

John 1:1-18

...for all who Received him

I will Renounce an indulgent, self-consumed life.

January 4

The Epiphany

Matthew 2:1-12

Wise men are led by a Dream.

January 11

Baptism of the Lord Mark 1:4-11

They came Confessing their sins.

January 18

Epiphany 2

John 1:43-51

Jesus said to them, “Follow me!”

January 25

Epiphany 3

Mark 1:14-20

Repent and believe the gospel!

February 1

Epiphany 4

Mark 1:21-28

Come out and Be Silent!

February 8

Epiphany 5

Mark 1:29-39

She got up and Served them.

February 14

Last Epiphany

Mark 9:2-9

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I will Prepare a place for the Lord in my life.

I will Listen for the Lord’s leading.

I will Obey the call of God.

I will Receive the Lord Jesus Christ into my life.

I will submit to God’s Dream for my life.

I will Confess my sins to God and get well.

I will Follow Jesus’ leading instead of my own.

I will Repent and change my life’s direction.

I will Be Silent and wait for the Lord.

Once healed, I will Serve the Lord.

He was Transformed before them. I will be Transformed into the likeness of Jesus.

Our Church Life...

Women’s Bible Study

A

s we enter this fall season on the heels of Halloween, we all eagerly await the arrival of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Fall is my most favorite season for this very reason. It’s a season of eager anticipation, wide-eyed wonder and promises of good things to come. I guess I’m still childlike that way. I remember the feeling of the cold night air, trick-or-treating with childhood friends, candy by the bucketful, school holidays, wondering what Santa might bring me, the air of mystery during midnight mass as the church lights were lowered. It’s a magical and miraculous time of year for me.

In Bible Study, we’re reading the parables of Jesus. In them, Jesus is shouting the Good News to anyone who will listen. He is the Messiah! The one prophesied who will destroy sin and death! Yet only a very few believed their good luck. The others could not understand that they’d been given a second chance to live forever in God’s kingdom. Jesus even put the message in parables to make the meaning easier to understand, for goodness sake! His message is one of salvation, love and forgiveness. This is indeed Miraculous News!

As we enter this magical time of year, let us also rejoice in remembering that

The Family Project - The Profound Impact A Sunday School Class

T

he Family Project Sunday School class for all families will begin on Sunday, January 11 at 10 AM in the FMC Movie Theater room 302. The twelve sessions class will include discussion and related video clips.

The documentary “Irreplaceable” to be shown on Wednesday, January 7, is the launch event for The Family Project.

The Family Project class is for families of all ages and sizes and presents the case that there are no perfect families, but the hope that all families and their situations can be redeemed.

Biblical families present this model of redemption if we look at them closely.

for

of

Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He gave himself up as a willing sacrifice so that we might live forever! I think that’s the most miraculous and magical thing of all! It even beats Santa Claus and Halloween candy.

Come see what Thursday morning women’s Bible study is all about. We meet every Thursday from 10 until 11:30 AM at the church. I promise you won’t regret it!

Sarah Barton *To register, please call Anna Jewell at 210-736-3132. We will take a break after November 20th and will start up again on January 8th.

Biblical Families

All Families

Many of these families were pretty “messy.” Look at the story of Joseph in Genesis or David! But through faith in God, all worked for good. That can be all of us, and this hope and grace is eloquently presented in The Family Project.

Jim Daly, President of Focus on the Family, who produced this series, explains The Family Project in the following statement: “The institution of the family stands at a pivotal moment in history. You don’t have to look far to see signs of trouble…. but amidst this bleak landscape there is reason for hope.

And that hope comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and from God’s blueprint for the family. The Creator’s design works! We need to embrace that design rather than run away from it. The solution to many of our society’s ills can be found in a wholehearted investment in stable, healthy families. That’s what The Family Project is all about.”

Please join us for The Family Project!

The Family Ministry Adult Sunday School Teaching Team includes Halleta Heinrich, Nancy and Mark Wright, Charles and Cindy Huey, Amy and Chad Case, and Catherine Easley.

Annual Pari s h Ch r i st ma s D in n e r Wed., December 10 6 - 7 PM in the Parish Hall

Volunteers are needed to prep, serve, set-up and clean-up.

Contact Logan Ames @ lbames@sbcglobal.net or Fern Burney @ ferneburney@hotmail.com / 734-2445 11

CARE

Life After Loss

L

ife After Loss is a program designed by the American Cancer Society to help bereaved people better understand the process of grief and how to live through it.

The Pastoral Care Ministry of Christ Church and Porter Loring Family Care CAROL MILLER Services invite you to join us in a six Pastoral Care week program to help you understand Administrator and heal your grief. The program also carolm@cecsa.org provides a place for people to share their experiences and support each other in their grief. These sessions are open to those who have experienced the loss of

Christ Episcopal Church Community of Hope invites you to a

Quiet Day with

Sylvia Maddox Author, Retreat Leader Professor of Spirituality, UIW

"Walking in the Way of Gratitude" In our longings, desires, and disappointments, we often miss God’s gifts right before our eyes. This quiet day of prayer and reflection will offer a time and beautiful space to pause and open ourselves to the abundance of God’s gifts and overflowing love. Walking the way of gratitude, we see how the deepest prayer is thanksgiving.

Bishop Jones Center, Cathedral House 111 Torcido San Antonio, Texas 78209

Saturday, November 22, 2014 9 AM - 12 PM 12:15 Communion Service RSVP by Nov. 18 to Carol Miller 736-3132 or carolm@cecsa.org Morning refreshments will be available at 8:30 AM

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a loved one. There is no charge for the program which will be here at Christ Church.

We will begin on Wednesday, January 14th and conclude on February 18th. Sessions start at 12:30 PM in the Conference Room. Our Facilitator will be Celeste Miller, Bereavement Counselor with Porter Loring. Please feel free to call if you have questions about this program. Carol Miller, 736-3132 or email carolm@cecsa.org.

We look forward to seeing you on the 14th of January at 12:30.

Carol Miller

YEAR-END GIFTS: What

you should know…

Please note that our office will be closed from noon on Wednesday, Dec 24th till 8:30 a.m.

Monday, Dec 29th. The office will also close at noon on Tuesday, Dec. 31st.

By mail: You will receive a receipt valid for a 2014 tax deduction for any tax-deductible gift received with a check made payable to Christ Episcopal Church, dated 2014 and with a clear USPS post mark of 2014. You should send checks to: 510 Belknap Pl., San Antonio, TX 78212.

Online: Your tax-deductible gift at cecsa.org will be credited as a 2014 gift if it is made before midnight December 31, San Antonio time. You may give 24 hours a day, using a credit card or debit card.

By phone: You may make a tax-deductible gift by credit card. Contact Donna Shreve at the CEC office during business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday. (736-3132 ext. 146) Stock Donation: If you have a stock donation, please contact Donna Shreve at the church office by noon on Dec 29th. (736-3132 ext. 146)

SOCIETY

This Year parish, “This year – Trace and I have committed to putting Christ Church in our wills.”

Upon hearing those words, one friend of mine reported, “I audibly gasped.”

Another declared, “I wanted to stand up and applaud.”

Why did the Burtons’ commitment to add Christ Church to their wills hit the congregation so unexpectedly and powerfully? Most noticeably, Laura Nell is still cradling a toddler in her arms, and not a one of their three children has even exited primary school.

“T

his year,” said Laura Nell Burton in her October 19th address to the

The answer, of course, is that Trace and Laura Nell know that in a blink of an eye, they will be watching Nancy Nell stand at the altar to be wed to the man of her dreams and God’s.

They know that Marguerite will stride up to that same altar to be blessed

Trunk

or

before she flies off to college (I think Harvard or Columbia!). And, “Lord Byron” will stand there to sing with the Mastersingers, just as Nancy Nell does now. Trace and Laura Nell want their parish to grow in strength to meet the challenges and opportunities in the future for their children and their children’s children.

“This year” is the one where we need to strongly consider adding Christ Church to our testamentary giving. All sorts of avenues are open for us to do so. Speak to your financial advisor, your attorney, or contact Tom Frost or me, and we will put you in touch with a parish attorney who can assist you.

This is the year.

Your brother,

Patrick V

Treat 2014

All Saints Sunday all photos this page by Susanna Kitayama

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Our Church Life..

PAGE TURNERS – From

C

hrist-Shaped Character: Choosing Love, Faith and Hope, by Helen Cepero.

This book is so drenched in meaningful instruction for Christian living that I really need to go back and read it again. The chapter headings witness to the importance of Cepero’s work – Compassionate Hospitality: Receiving the Other; Forgiving as We are Forgiven: Learning to Love the Unlovable; Living with Integrity: Sustaining a Life of Commitment; Paying Attention: Watching for God; Trusting Christ: Improvising a Life; and so on. In chapter 6, Cepero writes: As we face the reality of what we are, but also what we are not, there is no threat to our personhood, only an embrace of all that is. We’ve faced the brick wall of our own ego, whether it hides in shame or overreaches its pride. We’ve tried to scale this wall with character improvements, psychological insights, even spiritual understanding or practices, only to find that God’s love alone can carry us through.

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics, by Daniel James Brown.

Joe Dawson game me this book, and it captivated me. What drew me most were the eight young men who made up the boat that won the 1936 Olympics right under the nose of Hitler himself.

These were just hardscrabble boys from the streets and hills of the American Northwest. Their internal strength shines as strongly as their perfectly honed bodies. Each one of “the boys” testifies to what is truly great about our country. Sitting in my bed on Sunday night, I wept openly and uncontrollably when I read these words: Standing there, watching them, it occurred to me that when Hitler watched these boys fight their way back from the rear of the field to sweep ahead of Italy and Germany seventy-five years ago, he saw, but did not recognize the heralds of his doom. He could not have known that one day hundreds of thousands of

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the

Rector’s Book Stack

boys just like them, boys that shared their essential natures—decent and unassuming, not privileged or favored in anything particular, just loyal, committed, and perseverant—would return to Germany in olive drab, hunting him down.

Stitches: A Handbook on Meaning, Hope and Repair, by Anne Lamott.

I was first drawn to Anne Lamott’s rather meandering and conversational writing style through her book, Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith. Her book, Stitches, which Frances Harrison gave to the Christ Church Library (Frances has given a number of great books to our library), is a book about “stitching” together our lives after challenges, setbacks, loss, and terrible heartbreak. Lamott candycoats nothing, yet at the same time, she humanizes life in a way that can bring you from tears to laughter and then back to tears. Coming to terms with her own seasons of sadness and trials, Lamott muses: Periods in the wilderness or desert were not lost time. You might find life, wildflowers, fossils or sources of water. I wish that there were shortcuts to wisdom and self-knowledge: cuter abysses or three-day wilderness experiences. Sadly, it doesn’t work that way.

I so resent this.

Welcome to the Episcopal Church: An Introduction to its History, Faith, and Worship, by Christopher L. Webber. I am reading this book for the umpteenth time, as it is the volume we use in Christ Church 3.0. For those who want to be reminded why they love this unusual Episcopal Church of ours, you will find Webber’s work clearly written, historically accurate, and, for me, reassuring. The book consists of seven short chapters, which works well for Christ Church 3.0. Those chapters include: History; Worship; The Bible in the Episcopal Church; The Church’s Teaching; Spirituality; The Church’s Ministry and Organization; and The Church’s Mission. Regarding the Bible,

Webber offers this disturbing guidance:

essential

and

The Bible is, first of all, a record of what God has done in history, a God revealed in real events and supremely revealed in one real life. It is the story of how a certain people came slowly to understand who God is by meditating on these actions of God in history.

That aspect of the Bible gives us much to ponder. If God overthrew the Egyptians because they were unjust and if God’s own people were sent into exile when they were unjust, how will God judge my society, my business, and my personal life? If God is working in history toward a purpose, am I in my private life, in my church, and in my society working toward that purpose or against it? Read this way, the Bible may not always add to our comfort.

What am I reading just now?

In the Kingdom of Ice: the Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette, by Hampton Sides. For my 60th, our son John gave me this riveting history surrounding the exploration of the Arctic. It is a trip…a frightening and exhilarating one.

Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did, and Why He Matters, by N.T. Wright. My dear friend and colleague, the Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson, gave me this book.

Only three chapters in, I am covering old ground regarding Jesus in vastly different ways. Wright will not allow my faith to stay snugly and contentedly in the same place.

Your brother,

Patrick U

OF EVENTS November 16: Noisy Offering at 9 & 11 AM

3rd Sunday Lunch Bunch at Order Up, 12:30 PM November 21-23: Happening # 129 at St. Alban’s in Harlingen November 22: Community of Hope Quiet Day, 9 AM - 1 PM at the Diocese November 23: Christ the King Sunday Fall Confirmation Camerata San Antonio Concert, 3 PM in the Sanctuary November 27: Thanksgiving Day, Church Offices closed Thursday and Friday November 30: 1st Sunday of Advent “A Christmas Carol”, 12:15-1:30 PM in the Parish Hall December 6:

Youth Confirmation Team Building Day at Camp Capers Children’s Christmas Pageant practice, 10 AM in the Sanctuary Hospitality Food Pantry Lunch, 11 AM in the Parish Hall

December 7:

2nd Sunday of Advent Rock n Roll Marathon - road closures Children’s Christmas Pageant “Santa’s Favorite Story” 11 AM SAMM Christmas Dinner, 5 - 7 PM in the Parish Hall

December 13: Strategic Planning Event, 9 AM in the Parish Hall

Lessons & Carols rehearsal, 9 AM in the Sanctuary

Junior Daughters of the King Christmas Caroling, 3 PM December 14: 3rd Sunday of Advent

Lessons & Carols 9 & 11 AM Camerata San Antonio Concert, 3 PM in the Sanctuary December 21: 4th Sunday of Advent

3rd Sunday Lunch Bunch at Order Up, 12:30 PM

Middle School Bible Study & Party, 3 PM

High School Bible Study & Party, 5 PM December 24: Christmas Eve Services at 3, 5, 8 & 11 PM

Church Offices close at noon December 25: Christmas Day Service at 10 AM

Church Office closed December 28: Evensong, 6 PM in the Sanctuary December 31: Church Offices close at noon January 1:

New Year’s Day, Church Offices closed

January 4:

Epiphany Sunday Clark Nile’s Retirement Celebration

January 6: Epiphany January 7:

Movie Night: Irreplaceable, 5 PM in the Parish Hall

January 11:

Youth Confirmation classes begin

Christ Church Staff: The Rev. Patrick Gahan, Rector patrickg@cecsa.org The Rev. Scott Kitayama, Associate Rector, scottk@cecsa.org The Rev. Brien Koehler, Associate Rector for Mission and Formation, brienk@cecsa.org The Rev. Rob Harris, Assistant Rector for Community Formation, robh@ cecsa.org Carol Miller, Pastoral Care Administrator, carolm@cecsa.org Halleta Heinrich, Director of Family Ministry, halletah@cecsa.org Clark Niles, Director of Youth Ministry clarkniles82@gmail.com Joshua Benninger, Interim Music Minister & Organist joshb@cecsa.org Ruth Berg, Director of Children’s Music, ruthb@cecsa.org Robert Hanley, Parish Administrator robert@hanleypmservices.com Darla Nelson, Office Manager darlan@cecsa.org Donna Shreve, Financial Manager donnas@cecsa.org Gretchen Comuzzi Duggan, Director of Communications, gretchend@cecsa.org Anna Jewell, Executive Assistant to the Rector, annaj@cecsa.org Donnis Carpenter, Receptionist donnisc@cecsa.org Elizabeth Martinez, Kitchen Manager elizabethm@cecsa.org Robert Vallejo, Facilities Manager robertv@cecsa.org Rudy Segovia, Hospitality Manager rudys@cecsa.org Joe Garcia, Sexton joeg@cecsa.org

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Junior High youth “Sumo Wrestling� on the lawn in November.

The Message (USPS 471-710) is published bi-monthly by Christ Episcopal Church, 510 Belknap Place, San Antonio, TX 78212. Periodical postage paid in San Antonio, TX. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Christ Episcopal Church, 510 Belknap Place, San Antonio, TX 78212. Volume 16, Number 6.

E P I S C O PA L Christ Episcopal Church 510 Belknap Place San Antonio, TX 78212 www.cecsa.org

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