March 1, 2024

Prayer for Israel and Palestine from Bishop Logue

“God of peace, we pray for the people of Israel and Palestine in this time of war.

For all who are fearful for the safety of their loved ones and themselves, we pray that the assurance of unfailing love, even in the midst of danger, settles upon them. Shelter them from despair and protect them from harm.

We remember before you the Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, the Most Reverend Hosam Elias Naoum, and the people of his churches, hospitals, and other ministries.

For all who have died, we pray they find rest.

For all who grieve, we pray they find comfort.

For all who are wounded, we pray they find healing.

For leaders on all sides, we pray for the will to lay down arms and for the conviction to embrace a path of reconciliation and peace that preserves the rights and dignity of all of your children.

God of justice, we pray with hopeful hearts that your beloved children of the Holy Land.

We ask all this in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.”

Church Office Hours for interim period:

Monday - Thursday

10 am - 2 pm

Closed on Friday

Worship Services

March 3: Lent III

8:00 a.m, Holy Eucharist, Rite I

10:00 a.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite I

Exodus 20:1-17

Psalm 19

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

John 2:13-22

Baton Rouge Parish gutted by fire.

A colleague in seminary, the Rector of St Luke's, The Rev'd Dr. Bryan Owen, writes to his parishioners. "With a heavy heart, I share the news of the devastating fire that engulfed our church in the early hours of Saturday, February 17, 2024. The fire destroyed the church, Pope Hall, and the church library."

As an example of how supportive we are to our brother and sister Episcopalians, I invite you to donate what you can to Christ Church, and we'll forward your donation to them. Please mark in the note section for St. Luke's Fire. Thank you.

Grace and peace,

Fr Hal

Christ Church seeks Administrative Assistant

Christ Church is seeking an Administrative Assistant to work in the Church office Monday - Thursday from 9a - 2pm.

Those interested in applying can send a resume along with 3 reference letters to Father Hal at rector@christchurchvaldosta.org.

Complete job description can be found here.

Fr. Pace to be rector at Christ the King

Fr. Jim Pace, who has been serving as a supply priest at Christ the King in downtown Valdosta since January 2022, has accepted a call to be their new rector as of August 2024. Fr. Pace previously served at Christ Church during a transition period. For more information on his new position, click here.

Audio/Visual Services

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Live-Streaming this week of the 10 a.m. worship service on March 3, 2024 will begin at 9:55 a.m. If for any reason we experience Technical difficulties with the Live-streaming, a recording of the service will be uploaded and a link sent to the congregation at a later time.

If you missed it, here is a video of the February 25, 2024 - Holy Eucharist

Link to the 10:00 bulletin for the March 3, 2024 service.

A Link to YouTube video that will begin Sunday, March 3rd at 9:55 a.m. is here.

Feature for in-person worship - Our hearing assistance feature is available as part of our sound system. This feature uses your smartphone, earbuds, or hearing aids to bring the sound directly into your ears. An information sheet is linked here, and copies are also available from the ushers or the Audio/Visual booth staff.

Happy March!

On, or around the first of each month we will publish a calendar of events for the month.

Please find the March calendar linked here.

Evening Prayer

Evening Prayer at Christ Church on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. We invite you to join us.

Tuesday Night Bible study

Bible Study led by Willa Valencia, is held at 7:30pm at the home of Ron and Tammy Borders (1718 Williams St.). All adults are welcome. Please bring your Bible—any translation. 

The Garden Guild will meet Wednesday, March 6th. We focus on the church grounds. The Garden Guild meets each Wednesday from 1:30 - 3:30pm. More hardworking people are welcome to join us. Bring your gloves and tools.

Wednesday Night Holy Eucharist, Dinner and Program held, Wednesday, March 6th.

A head count is needed in order to have enough food for all. Please RSVP to the church office, or on sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall.

Serving this week - March 3, 2024

Eucharistic Ministers: Eric Nielsen, David Sandbach, Julia Ariail

Lectors: Julia Ariail, David Sandbach, Ruth Holland

Acolytes: Molly Stevenson, Erica Thieme, Mara Shenton

Altar Guild: Sandra Fletcher, Sallie Honeycutt, Amber Tanner, Robin Coleman

Ushers: David Blevins, Jason Reynolds, Sparky Greneker

Greeters: Martin Holland

Coffee Hour: Amber Tanner, Pepi Nelson, Elizabeth Wisenbaker, Jennifer Hood

Audio/Visual Crew: Julius Ariail, Ken Rumstay, Larry Wisenbaker

Serving next week - March 10, 2024

Eucharistic Ministers: Tammy Borders, Molly Stevenson, Nancy Lutsko

Lectors: Tammy Borders, Daphne Wright, Molly Stevenson

Acolytes: Maddie Yarbrough, Blake Yarbrough, Chip Whiting

Altar Guild: Phyllis Holland, Anne Reid, Mimi Allen, Pat Bezona

Ushers: Bobby Yarbrough, Blake Yarbrough, Glen Flowers

Greeters: Jeani Synyard

Coffee Hour: Bonnie Hanson, Phyllis Holland, Elise Sandbach, Chris Roan, Melissa Carter

Audio/Visual Crew: Tom Carroll, Glen Flowers, Ken Rumstay

For many more serving opportunities see a Vestry Member.

“EPISCOPAL 101”

After the 10AM service on the First Sunday in Lent, February 18th, I begin leading an hour-long class for those who want to know more about being an Episcopalian. It could also be titled, “How do I join Christ Church?”

The classes will continue on February 25; March 3, 10, 17, and 24; and April 7 and 14 and are held in advance of Bishop Frank Logue’s time with us on the 21st of April.

The Episcopal Church is very accepting of newcomers and our parish is no different. We want you to become “official”—voice and voting—members and active in our ministries as soon as possible. There is much work to do in our chaotic world.

Those interested in becoming members of our parish do this through baptism, confirmation, or reception. Episcopalians who move to our area may transfer their membership to us from their previous Episcopal Church.

At baptism we are adopted by God into God’s family, i.e., the Church, and given a renewed life in which to share. This sacrament reminds us that nothing separates us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Baptism is received by a candidate through the pouring of water over them or by them being immersed in water. This marks a formal entrance to the parish and the wider Church. During the liturgy, a candidate for the sacrament makes a series of vows, including an affirmation of the Baptismal Covenant, and are baptized in the Name of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When infants or small children are baptized, godparents or sponsors and their parents answer questions about the Christian faith for them. If you haven’t been baptized, let me know.

Confirmation is for those already baptized and have received instruction in the Christian faith and beliefs and the nuances of the Episcopal Church. This is also when an adult who was baptized as an infant or small child commits to Christ. At confirmation, a bishop lays hands on and blesses the confirmand. Confirmation is both an affirmation of faith and the reception of the Holy Spirit. They may also be chrismated if this wasn’t done at their baptism. (Being chrismated is when the sign of the cross is made with holy oil upon the forehead of a newly baptized or confirmed person.)

Reception is for those already baptized and who have previously made an adult affirmation of faith. Reception welcomes them into the Episcopal denomination of Christianity.

Sometimes Episcopalians feel the need to undergo the Reaffirmation of their Baptismal Vows after a period of unbelief or if they have entered a new level of spiritual life in Christ Jesus. This option is also available to you during Bishop Frank’s visit.

So, if you want to join the Episcopal Church, or want to know about what it means to be an Episcopalian, let me know or just come to the first class on the 18th. —Fr Hal

Stitchers of Love



The Stitchers of Love meet on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month in the Parish Hall from 4 to 6 p.m. All are welcome. Join us to learn to knit or crochet or bring your projects and socialize with the group.

An anonymous donor left these two friends and other stuffed animals for our Children's Advocacy Center project last week. Thanks to all who have ever donated to this worthwhile project!

Grace Cafe News

As we swiftly approach Spring Break our interns managing Grace Café have been working arduously – serving more than 1,150 visitors since the beginning of the semester. 

This last week was the Café’s best yet, and it wouldn’t have been possible without your assistance. We hereby would like to express our deepest gratitude to the following: 

• To Chris Rutland for “wokking” the chicken and vegetables for the Asian inspired dinner. 
• To Krystle Black for helping to get dinner organized and out to the students and for providing vegan egg rolls and a wok. 
• To Charles Whiting for providing fortune cookies for the dinner. 
• To Abigail Easton and Nikki Yarbrough for loaning us large woks.
• To Rita Watters for the donation of salty snacks, volunteering each week on Wednesdays so that our interns can work on Garden Guild, and for her unwavering support of Grace Cafe.
• To Anne Reid for volunteering at the Café on Wednesday with Rita Watters
• To our Men in Blue for preparing 360 egg rolls for the dinner.
• To Dr. and Mrs. Black for taking some interns out to dinner on Saturday night.

We appreciate you all!

The Café needs the following:

• A toaster 
• A dedicated team of volunteers to cook homemade desserts for Thursday dinners.
• Pictures of the old labyrinth behind the rectory.
• Breakfast casseroles for the March 21st Thursday Dinner

If you would like to provide assistance or donate any of the items mentioned above, please text or call Jeri-Lyn Flowers at (404) 771-7116. 

Our interns continue to help out parishioners where they can, while still loaning their assistance to the Church’s Garden Guild – where work has commenced to clear out the Labyrinth behind the Rectory. Most recently, our interns aided with Lunch Bunch and continue to work on various cleaning and organizing projects for Fr. Hal. One of our interns has made a few “house calls” to help some parishioners with computer troubles. 

We have made 6 purchases from Second Harvest so far this semester. This is where we get most of the coffee, snacks, and canned foods that we serve at the cafe. Our most recent purchase was for assorted frozen meats which totaled $79.00.

Our upcoming dinners are on March 7th and the 21st. The first will be an Authentic Mexican meal of ensalada de nopales, tostadas de tinga, chilaquiles al horno, and pambazos while the subsequent dinner will be Breakfast for dinner. We are looking for Breakfast casseroles – please reach out to Jeri-Lyn if you would be able to provide anything for the dinners mentioned! 

Grace Cafe was featured in VSU Spectator. You can find that article here.

Please follow our Instagram page @gracecafevaldosta

Asian inspired dinner

Labyrinth

Sunday Evening Vespers - a group of Christ Church members meet on Zoom (2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays) at 6:00 p.m. to read the Compline Service, pages 127-135 in the Book of Common Prayer and for friendly conversation afterwards. The first and third Sundays of the month we will meet in-person, but will make an audio recording available after Vespers for those unable to attend in-person. To join the group and receive the link to the weekly gathering, contact Phyllis Hiers or call 229-563-2464.

Ever wondered what Vespers was all about? Here is Audio Recording from February 18, 2024.

The McRae's will host HEP nooners on, Friday, April 19 at noon.

John and Rev, Marića's home, bring a friend.

2701 Green Meadow Dr

229-220-5619

Ways to donate

We are utilizing VANCO Payment Solutions to safely and securely make your offering.

Christ Church now uses a free mobile app that makes it simple for you to make an online gift.

Download the free “Vanco Mobile” app and search for Christ Episcopal Church and then Valdosta, GA.

Or you can donate on our Vanco Online site, or by scanning the QR code above or our website donate page located here.

We now also have a mobile text to give number simply text your gift amount to 844-928-4938 and then follow the instructions on your phone to complete your donation.

Thank you for your continued support of Christ Church.

Birthdays

March 3 - March 9, 2024



 5 Marilyn Kemper

 8 Jerry Tyson

Anniversaries

March 3 - March 9, 2024

None this week

Contact the church office to update our records if we missed your Birthday or Anniversary

A Prayer for Ukraine

God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine today. We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons. We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or peace for wisdom, discernment, and compassion to guide their decisions. Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Amen.

Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby

Church of England, Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrel

Remember in Your Prayers

Patsy Boone, Don Brice, Alexis Carr, Christa Crawford, Jeanna Culpepper, Deborah Davis, Allan Dear, Irene Dodd, Merrill Guice, Gene Greneker, Louise Harden, Frances Hatcher, Liz Hatcher, Tommy Hatcher, Greg Holland, Peter Ingeman, Michane James, Dennis Marks, Doug Mayer, Mindy Meeker, Ed Mistick, Gnann Moser, Ray Murphy, Della Richards, Rocky, Burt Tillman, Lucy Tomberlin, Willa Valencia, Sue Marie Waddell, Michelle Weidman, Jackie Wheeler

Family of Brett Nelson

Congratulations to proud grandparents Jeri-Lyn & Glenn Flowers and proud great grandparents Jerry & Patricia Tyson and Connie Flowers on the birth of Elizabeth Alexandra Flowers.

We are keeping those in need of prayer on the list for 1 month. We ask you to renew the need for continued prayer by calling the office. - Fr. Hal

Clergy and Staff of 

Christ Episcopal Church

Church Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 10-2

 

Father Hal Weidman, Rector

rector@christchurchvaldosta.org 

church office (229) 242-5115

Nancy Sartin, Deacon

nancysartin@att.net 

church office (229) 242-5115

Position Available, Administrator

Job posting available here

office@christchurchvaldosta.org 

church office (229) 242-5115

Amy Creasy, Bookkeeper

books@christchurchvaldosta.org 

bookkeeper's office (229) 242-0616 

Michelle Weidman, Director of Christian Education

michelle@christchurchvaldosta.org

mobile (229) 262-0426

Jeri-Lyn Flowers, Director of College Ministry

collegeministry@christchurchvaldosta.org

church office (229) 242-5115

Elise Sandbach, Director of Preschool

sandbach1@bellsouth.net

mobile (229) 460-4738

Sue Ellen Rumstay, Organist

rumstaysue@gmail.com 

church office (229) 242-5115

Issa Young, Choir Director

issayoung@gmail.com 

church office (229) 242-5115

Stefani Carroll, Treasurer

treasurer@christchurchvaldosta.org

church office (229) 242-5115

Steve Honeycutt, Jr. Warden

jrwarden@christchurchvaldosta.org

church office (229) 242-5115

Molly Stevenson, Sr. Warden

mollybs64@outlook.com

church office (229) 242-5115



Nancy Lutsko, Verger

luts@bellsouth.net 

home (229) 241-7527

Email us at office@christchurchvaldosta.org

website: www.christchurchvaldosta.org

Call us at 229.242.5115

or bookkeeper at 229-242-0616

Christ Episcopal Church is a parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia.