Have you wished for a more convenient and secure way to pay your pledge and make other contributions to Christ Church? It is now possible with online giving on the church website and on your smartphone or tablet. A few clicks will take you through a process that is simple, fast and secure.

     After researching several online giving services, we chose tithe.ly, a company that serves over 13,000 churches nationwide, including many Episcopal churches of all sizes as well as several dioceses, and is the online giving service recommended by The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS). Tithe.ly’s online forms are easy to access, clear and simple to use, and integrate well with our website. Their reporting services will help simplify our internal financial recording and will help you as a contributor with your record keeping.

     How can you give online? Go to our website, christchurchtacoma.org, click on Give at the upper right corner of the homepage. This will take you to the Giving page and the blue Give to Christ Church through Tithe.ly button. Click that button and you will proceed to the tithe.ly giving form. There you may make a onetime contribution or set up recurring contributions, which requires setting up a secure personal account. Please create a unique, strong password. You may make your contribution using either your credit card or through a bank transfer. Again, all transactions on the website are made through secure, encrypted connections, and your information is guarded with great care.

     Are there costs for using this service? As with all credit card and bank transfers, there are fees for each transaction. The tithe.ly fees are among the lowest available: 2.9% + $0.30 per credit/debit card transaction or 1% + $0.30 per bank transaction. We encourage selecting the option to cover these fees when contributing, ensuring that Christ Church receives the full amount of your donation.

     Christ Church is pleased to offer this option for making contributions. Please take a look on the website or through the mobile app. The ability to make online contributions may be especially helpful during this time when worship services, meetings and events are suspended. If you have questions about this service, please email Mark Brombaugh, who administers the website, at mark@christchurchtacoma.org.

Mark Brombaugh

 

THIS SUNDAY - THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
March 22, 2020
Readings: I Samuel 16:1-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; Psalm 23; John 9: 1-41
The texts can be found on The Lectionary Page http://www.lectionarypage.net

HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY: Find this Sunday's Household Worship booklet on our website here.

SERMONS preached at Christ Church are posted on our website christchurchtacoma.org and can be accessed from the Worship page or by clicking this link on the homepage: Sunday Sermons 
Sermon posting will resume when services resume.

LITANY FOR ALL AFFECTED BY THE CORONAVIRUS will be posted on our website today, Friday March 20
  
THIS WEEK OUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR:
Members and Friends of our Community:  Ross; Edie; Jannette; Dennie; Rob and Mel; Joanne; David and Lauren; The Powell Family - Samantha, Anthony, Aaliyah and Aubree; Leslie; Kevin; Frank O; Angela and family; Jan S; Barbara and Hank; Michael and Mary Kay; Ann S.
Those who have died: Jacqueline Farwell; Gretchen Plotkin; Peter Rockwell
For all in need: For all affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus and for efforts to discover its cause and stop its spread. For effective gun control policies. For victims of sex-trafficking; for refugees and migrants, especially separated families. For solutions for the crisis of homelessness. For progress in reversing global warming. For all affected by storms, flooding, wildfires and earthquakes. For all working to eliminate bigotry, racism and violence. For all serving in the military. For the people of Hong Kong, Lebanon, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Venezuela.
Diocesan Prayer Cycle: Emmanuel, Mercer Island; Holy Cross, Redmond
Anglican Prayer Cycle: Pray for the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui The Most Revd Paul Kwong - Archbishop of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui & Bishop of Hong Kong Island

To request prayers in the prayers of the assembly e-mail mary@christchurchtacoma.org. If you are submitting a name other than your own, please ask permission from that person first. You must send the full name of the person in order for us to manage the prayer list, but first names only will be in the list of those in need. Last names will be used in the list of those who have died. Names remain on the list for four weeks, unless renewed by the one who submitted them.

 

ADULT FORMATION
 

THE GIFTS OF ST. BENEDICT IN A TIME OF SOCIAL ISOLATION - on our website here - draws on the wisdom of Benedictine spirituality to help people create a healthy rhythm of prayer and work in the home in a time when many people are either working from home, are retired, or need to be home for a variety of reasons, including the present coronavirus pandemic. This guide leads people to biblical readings throughout the week. Benedictine monastics brought the gospel to the English people, from whom Anglican spirituality flowed into the world. This school of spirituality is deeply embedded in our collective DNA and continues to bring forth fresh gifts and insights for Christians laboring in the world.

MONDAY BIBLE STUDY - Contact Doug Dahlgren (habidoug@gmail.com) to see if the group is planning to meet by phone or internet.
 
THE MONTHLY READING GROUP - Contact Don Johnson (weddjohnson@msn.com) to see if the group is planning to meet by phone or internet.
 

CHILDREN’S FORMATION
 

 

THE ACTION NETWORK: PETITION TO ASSIST PERSONS WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS during the coronavirus emergency:
From parishioner Sean Horner: "You might have already seen and signed this petition to Mayor Woodards, Tacoma City Councilmembers, Pierce County Councilmembers, and State Representatives. If you live in Pierce County and haven't sign, please consider doing so, and share it with your family and friends:

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tacoma-and-pierce-county-we-need-an-eviction-and-foreclosure-moratorium 

As we reflect, pray, grieve, and hope during what feels to be a scary, unprecedented time for many of us, I pray that we may also be graced with the peace of Christ to strive with and for our most vulnerable neighbors. We are one Body."

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND TREATMENT HOMECARE'S 30th ANNIVERSARY RECEPTION - by Linda and Len Johnson
     On Saturday, March 7, we attended AHAT Homecare’s 30^th anniversary reception at the Washington State Historical Museum. AHAT Homecare’s Executive Director David Strong served as the event’s Master of Ceremonies and, after a few brief comments, introduced the Board Chairman Sean Walker. Sean personally thanked a number of key supporters and donors, ending with Christ Episcopal Church Tacoma. He then described in considerable detail the story of AHAT/3 Cedars beginning back in the 1990 time frame and Christ Church’s significant role.
     Sean recalled Christ Church parishioner, Michael Self’s experience with a close friend at a Seattle hospital being administered to by staff dressed in hazmat suits, such was the fear associated with HIV/AIDS at the time. Michael asked his friend what he could do for him and received the response “would you just hold my hand”. Michael did. His friend died that night. Michael and his partner Paul Krupke decided at that point that people with HIV/AIDS deserved to be treated with dignity. Sean reminded us that in the 1990 time frame, no one survived HIV/AIDS.
     So Michael and Paul brought the idea of establishing a hospice to the Rector and Vestry of Christ Church which resulted in the conversion of the church’s rental property at 301 L Street into the 3 Cedars Hospice. This conversion involved many members of the parish rolling up their sleeves to do some of the work required.
     For a time, Christ Church supported 3 Cedars by charging no rent. After several years of this arrangement, Christ Church sold 3 Cedars hospice to AHAT for $1. Also, once AHAT was established as the parent organization for 3 Cedars, several members of our parish have served as board members. When new medicines changed the survival dynamic, AHAT Homecare shifted its focus to long term care and housing and continues to provide these service in our community.
     Sean finished his remarks by emphasizing how courageous Christ Church was at the time to invest itself in the creation of 3 Cedars given the stigma and fear associated with HIV/AIDS and repeated his thanks for our action and bravery.
     This action taken by our parish back in the 1990 time period is an important part of our history and something for which Christ Church can be proud.
Blessings, Linda and Len Johnson
 
VESTRY APPROVES $25,000 GRANT TO FAMILY HOUSING NETWORK                                At its March 17, 2020 meeting the vestry unanimously approved the Community Service Leadership Team (CSLT) recommendation that $25,000 be withdrawn from the Outreach Restricted Fund to be given to Catholic Community Services Family Housing Network in support of their Coordinated Entry Expansion Project at its 5050 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma WA location.
     The Outreach Fund was established in 2010 with a $24,000 bereavement gift to the church to be used for outreach purposes. The gift was invested via the Diocesan Investment Fund and the value had increased to over $60,000 as of year-end 2019.  
     Christ Church’s relationship with FHN started in February 2009, when Christ Church began hosting families in Wells Hall for one week, and soon two weeks, each year while they were participants in FHN’s housing preparation program. Supporting these hostings engaged many of our congregation in a variety of ways: serving as coordinators and doing publicity, set up and take down of the sleeping quarters, providing evening meals, leading child and youth activities, staying overnight as hosts and chaperones and more. Since FHN discontinued this model of their housing program, CSLT has been monitoring FHN’s new direction and looking for ways Christ Church could again be involved.
     In November 2019, three members of CSLT visited the FHN building to better understand its capabilities and layout. Hosted by Alan Brown, FHN Housing Services Director, they saw a newly available space first hand and agreed it presented a wonderful opportunity to substantially increase Coordinated Entry processing capacity. The area is large enough to create 8 new “rooms” where coordinated entry staff can conduct “housing solution conversations”, the first step in getting people connected with needed services.
     Why support Coordinated Entry? Coordinated Entry is Pierce County’s “state of the art” system for impacting the homelessness issue. The objective of the Coordinated Entry system is to ensure streamlined access to the homeless response system for all households that are literally homeless and ensure they are matched to an appropriate intervention to end their homelessness, based on their vulnerability and housing barriers. The Coordinated Entry system is the “front door” of the homeless response system and one piece of the overall system infrastructure. The Coordinated Entry system helps the community meet its goal of ensuring that the experience of homelessness is rare, brief and nonrecurring. Desired results of Coordinated Entry include:
 
• People receive the right resources at the right time
• Waiting times for assistance are reduced
• Length of time that housing slots are vacant is minimized — for each project opening an eligible household is quickly matched and referred to fill it
• Families and individuals receive support to solve their own housing crises and stay out of the homeless response system to the greatest extent possible
• Those with the greatest vulnerability and who are hardest to serve are prioritized for help from the system
• People experiencing homelessness move to permanent housing and do not return to the system
 
     FHN is a partner, along with Associated Ministries and Greater Lakes, in Pierce County’s Coordinated Entry System, the entry point for homeless services in the county. When people experiencing homelessness call the Coordinated Entry hotline (253.682.3401) for an appointment, or see a Coordinated Entry Specialist at an outreach location, including FHN’s drop-in Family Day Center the Specialist will meet with them to help them figure out a solution to their homelessness. The conversation includes problem-solving dialogue to explore options outside of the over-burdened homeless services system, as well as an assessment of strengths, vulnerability, and housing barriers in order to be prioritized for potential referral to an appropriate housing program.
     Our $25,000 gift will cover costs for key items including:

• Round tables and chairs
• Wall furnishings
• Window coverings
• AV conferencing equipment
• Lobby (waiting area) chairs
• Defibrillator
• Emergency inflatable beds (so the area can also serve when needed as an severe weather shelter)

     FHN will put a plaque up near the entrance to the new Coordinated Entry area recognizing Christ Church’s sponsorship.
     If you have questions about this gift, please contact Len Johnson lljbrownspt@gmail.com or other members of the Community Services Leadership Team (CSLT)

 
FOOD BANK CONTRIBUTIONS:  Christ Church offers year-round support to the Nourish Food Bank. At this time, donations of any food or essential paper goods such as toilet paper or paper towels would be helpful as well as food for pets. While we are not meeting on site, we are sure local food banks that remain open would be grateful for any contributions of money or packaged foods you can deliver to them.  
 
CLOTHING DRIVE FOR TACOMA YOUNG ADULT SHELTER - will be rescheduled
 

THIRD FRIDAYS AT NOON CONCERTS - check our website for updates on the status of April and May concerts.