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Christ Episcopal Church
Seattle, WA
4548 Brooklyn Ave NE 98105
(206) 633-1611
www.christchurchseattle.org
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All in-person operations are suspended at Christ Church until further notice during the outbreak of Covid-19 in order to keep the community healthy, including Sunday services.
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This (Digital) Week at Christ Church
Sunday, August 2
10am - Morning Prayer, coffee hour following
1pm - Socially Distant Small Group Liturgy
Sign up for Sundays in August here!
Tuesday, August 4
12pm - Podcast Discussion: Seeing White (Email Rev. Shelly to RSVP)
Wednesday, August 5
7pm - Zoom Social Hour
Thursday, August 5
6:30pm - Book Discussion: The African American and Latinx History of the United States (Email Rev. Shelly to RSVP)
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This week's Contemplative Evening Prayer podcast is posted! You can listen along at any of the links below:
Anchor
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
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Hello friends,
This week was blessedly busy. I was honored to attend and speak briefly at the memorial for a long-time volunteer, belovedly nicknamed "Z", at the People's Harm Reduction Alliance. Christ Church's relationship with them and him was established through Street Chaplaincy, as we end at PHRA as they open on Sundays at 1pm. The head of PHRA, Shilo, came over to us enthusiastically at the beginning and the end and reiterated how important this work was to Z. He lived for a time in the encampment known as The Jungle, and he would take his food, clean underwear, and cigarette from us down at night, and have a little comfort. He said, "All these other places shut down when it's cold, they never shut down, they always come." Shilo told me directly, afterward, "You're the only church in this neighborhood that cares about us about our people, that carries Z's heart." Z was mentor, friend, brother, educator, and (effectively) pastor of PHRA, having been there 9 years - he knew where everyone was, he kept people safe, he knew all the business and all the drama and all the stories. Shilo called him, rightfully, "one of the greatest harm reductionists this city has ever seen." There are saints in our alleys, doing the work. It was beautiful.
Sunday worship was lovely, and I've been thinking about Chris's sermon all week - about what we remember with our other senses when we're not doomscrolling Facebook or the news. Monday I had a calm Sabbath that involved sitting half in and half out of a river, during the heat. Tuesday was the beginning of our podcast group, and that was a solid beginning to a productive and enjoyable conversation. That afternoon I had the treat of making a visit to Rev. Pete Strimer, who broke his leg on a hike. Picture below that shows how devastatingly strenuous it is to make these socially distanced pastoral calls. Wednesday began with a great staff meeting and continued with conversations about the development south of us (please look out for a survey to come soon to determine our parish priorities about our negotiations), and assorted business. Thursday was sermon prep, calls, and the first meeting of our book group, with an invigorating, kind, and thoughtful conversation. If you're interested in either group, there's still time - please let me know. Tomorrow is sermon writing and a bunch of other e-mail catch-up.
Your staff is really working to make August a time of high connection for us. It's likely we're getting good weather, and we are making the most of it before the rains come. Your clergy are welcoming invitations to come see you, too, for prayer or just for a visit - on your deck, in your backyard, through a window. Please, please reach out and let us know if we can meet you where you are. We know that September is often lovely, but once the rain comes, our opportunities for outdoor visits become smaller, and we have many months of rain ahead, so we're trying to really max out the love and in person connection while we can. Invite us over!
With love,
Shelly
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Christ Church acknowledges that we gather on the land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish people, who are a people still living.
Christ Church discretionary money has gone and will continue to go to pay rent to the Duwamish, to acknowledge that our institution participated in the removal of ancestral owners of this land, and to begin to make material repair to those who have been harmed.
Christ Church encourages individual worshippers to likewise offer this form of confession and sacred amends at realrentduwamish.org. All funds go directly to Duwamish Tribal Services (DTS) to support the revival of Duwamish culture and the vitality of the Duwamish Tribe.
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The Task Force on Regathering met virtually on 7-24-20. We have divided into two groups to focus on tasks. Members of the task force include Wes Ono, Rev Shelly Fayette, Rev.Chris McPeak, Mary Herdell,Joslin Harris-Gane, Liz Osborne, Kathy Chamberlain and Mary Lou Hatcher.
Group One will be researching our HVAC system to insure safe and appropriate air flow in the church. Three different engineering firms contacted by Mary Lou have not responded as yet. Protocols for cleaning CEC were submitted, including deep cleaning before opening, methods of cleaning different surfaces, rugs and areas of the church and what cleaning agents are safe and effective. No cleaning will be needed if the church is not used for 7 days. Also discussed was whether our current cleaning company will be used for these tasks. We will research proper forms for waivers and contact tracing if the need arises. KingCounty Health Department would be available to assist with contact tracing if needed. A list of tasks to be completed by group 1 will be developed by Joslin.
Group 2 reported on equipment needed for optimal virtual service. Don Willis researched and recommended a camera which can be used presently but multiple cameras may be obtained for future use. Both groups will submit estimated costs to Kathy Chamberlain and Shelly.
Rev Shelly discussed organizing rotating backyard services beginning the second Sunday of August. There will be many aspects to be established and provided, including safe entering and exiting in each home, providing masks and hand sanitizers and maintaining social distancing. An online sign up form will be developed by Chris to include instructions and directions, waivers and contact forms and medically high risk definitions,. Mary Lou and Joslin will begin establishing and researching available and workable homes.
More information on outdoor services and ongoing developments of the task force will be forthcoming.
Mary Herdell
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Forward Movement Shipment Delayed
Forward Movement Day-by Day Booklets will be shipped to Christ Church as soon as they are available. Please email Cara (office@christchurchseattle.org) if you would like a copy mailed to you.
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Street Chaplaincy needs you! The Street Chaplaincy wagon has been faithfully making the rounds through the U District on Sunday afternoons, even through the days of COVID lockdowns. We've simplified the process down to handing out a pre-packed bag, plus a choice of underwear size and candy preference, to minimize the amount of close contact needed, and volunteers are supplied with masks, gloves and hand sanitizer to keep themselves safe. So far, the process has been going smoothly.
We've kept it going with 4 volunteers, alternating weeks in two groups of 2, but we could use some reinforcements, particularly after some recent schedule changes squeezing Sunday hours for 2 of our volunteers.
There are two ways to help: 1) we could use folks to walk with the wagon on Sundays, or, 2) to pre-pack the bags sometime during the week. We're happy to train first-time volunteers as well. If you would feel comfortable participating in this vital ministry, please contact Wes Ono (w_ono@hotmail.com) to be added to the mailing list.
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Pat Hyland has paperback copies of all four books in The Dalai Lama's Cat series available for loan. They're a fun read, especially for cat people! Email Pat if you're interested.
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Joys of the Week is meant as a medium to keep connected with each other during the Covid-19 outbreak, when we cannot share fellowship with each other in person. No joy is too small! If you have a joy you would like to share, please email a photo or a story to Cara at office@christchurchseattle.org.
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Emilie Han will begin her new position as Kitchen Manager at Edible Hope Kitchen, based at St. Luke's, Ballard. Congratulations Emelie!
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Meet Audrey, a 1-year old cat Mary Herdell just adopted!
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Some photos from my hike at Mount Rainier. I did the Naches Peak Loop, and then up to Sunrise. (Becky Haver)
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Some lovely photos from Linda Donladson's garden and walk to the mailbox!
Top left: a bee buffet on a gallardia
Top right: LY clearance hydrangea
Bottom left: strawberry sundae hydrangea (will turn pink in September)
Bottom right: red hot poker
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John Anderson went gold panning in the north Cascades and got a decent haul from four 5-gallon buckets of sand.
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Staff at Christ Church
The Rev. Shelly Fayette, Rector rector@christchurchseattle.org
The Rev. Carla Robinson, Associate Priest revcarla@christchurchseattle.org
The Rev. Chris McPeak, Curate curate@christchurchseattle.org
Henry Lebedinsky, Music Director and Organist music@christchurchseattle.org
Cara Peterson, Parish Administrator office@christchurchseattle.org
Heidi Hansen, Director of Children and Youth kids@christchurchseattle.org
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