Sunday, June 23: The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 a.m. Nursery Opens
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist: BULLETIN
Livestreamed services can be found on the on the Christ Church YouTube channel.
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MESSAGE FROM THE REV. SAMANTHA K. MCKEAN
What a weekend it was! On Friday, we danced and toasted and gorged ourselves on Leopold’s ice cream at Michael and Helen’s going-away party. On Sunday, we sang and prayed and wiped tears as we held our last service of Holy Eucharist with Michael as our Rector and Helen as our Associate Rector. Everything belonged: the jokes, the tissues, the remembering, the gratitude, the grief, the joy (and, of course, the cake at the reception afterwards).
But perhaps the best and brightest part of the weekend was the togetherness of it all. I felt a true spirit of community, of together belonging to something bigger than ourselves. The story of Christ Church also came into sharper focus: the devoted few who have since grown into several hundred, the scaffolding of welcome, humility, and joy that has supported our growth. All of us have played a part in this story, whether we’re lifelong members or have only just arrived.
This togetherness brought to mind some lines from the wise, tender poem that Rena Patton wrote and shared on Friday (the whole poem is printed below, towards the end of this week’s newsletter, and it is very much worth reading):
Michael and Helen, our two beloved priests,
Now freed and unleashed,
Are giving us the most remarkable gift:
The Gift of Ourselves.
As they model for us, here, Christ’s Church, our own meaning.
Church is WHO we are, not WHERE we are.
Not a priest in chasuble, not only Sunday morning.
Church is how we CHRIST in the world.
We ARE Christ’s—we ARE Church.
While entering this new season can feel wobbly—like a colt on new legs—it’s also bright with promise of living again into our own meaning, this “Gift of Ourselves.” We belong to each other and always have, because in Christ, all of us belong. Together, we are Christ's. We are Church.
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Welcome Savannah Young, Children's Chapel Coordinator
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Christ Church is delighted to announce that Savannah Young has agreed to serve as our Children’s Chapel Coordinator for the summer and into the fall. She will be the contact person and organizer of our Children’s Chapel volunteers and will make sure that everything runs smoothly in these coming months. When the new interim rector arrives in September, Savannah can support whatever decisions are made about programming and hiring of new staff.
Savannah is a lifelong Episcopalian who grew up attending Trinity Episcopal Church in Cochran, Georgia. During college, she served as head Honey Creek camp counselor, during which time she was mentored by Helen White. She received a Doctorate in Human Development and Family Science from the University of Georgia in 2016, where she studied refugee families. Savannah currently works remotely for Remitly, a tech company based out of Seattle. She and her husband, Will, joined Christ Church in 2021, when they moved to Savannah with their children, Hanks and Alice, and their dog, Manfred.
Savannah says, "I am honored and excited to step in to help coordinate our children’s chapel ministry. This ministry is one of the main reasons my family has been drawn to Christ Church, and I am passionate about the value it brings to our families and sweet kids. I’m looking forward to contributing more to this aspect of Christ Church.”
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The Rev. Canon Cathy Zappa Called as Interim Rector
On Tuesday, the Christ Church vestry announced tha t the Reverend Canon Cathy Colquitt Zappa has been called to be the Interim Rector of Christ Church. She is currently Canon for Liturgy and Pastoral Care at The Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta where she has worked for ten years.
Cathy was drawn to Christ Church at this time because of her interest in pastoral leadership through times of transition, having led ministries through significant change. She completed Interim Ministry training in April 2023. Cathy comments, "With the spiritual work, reflection, and intentional planning you have done already, your interim promises to be a fruitful, spiritually rich time."
In her current role Cathy shares pastoral leadership in a large, complex, and vibrant cathedral parish, preaching and officiating in a variety of services and spaces. In her role she also coordinates the Cathedral’s worship life, including weekday Eucharists, pastoral liturgies, diocesan services, and six Sunday services.
Cathy enjoys teaching in multiple settings and styles, working with volunteers and guilds, mentoring staff members, and leading ministry training.
At the Cathedral she was instrumental in expanding pastoral care through new community partnerships and support groups, including off-site worship services. She has deep experience both in homeless ministry as well as prison ministry.
Cathy is originally from Atlanta and has received degrees in English and German from the Universities of Georgia and Texas, as well as a Master of Arts in German Literature from the University of Texas Austin and Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She and her husband are recent “empty nesters” with children both in college and recently graduated. For many years she has had a family home in Savannah and is familiar with the area.
Given commitments at the Cathedral in Atlanta this summer, Cathy will join Christ Church on September 1, with September 8 being her first Sunday officiating. In the meantime, Rev. Samantha, our Deacons, and our Priest Associates will continue to serve on Sundays and be available for pastoral care.
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In the Spirit: Monday, June 24 at the Sandfly 5-Spot
Second and Fourth Mondays, 5:30 p.m.
"In the Spirit" is a discussion group for those who seek to deepen their faith through meaningful conversations. Join us this Monday at The 5-Spot in Sandfly (7360 Skidaway Rd), where you can grab a drink or a bite as we spend time together. We'll gather at 5:30 p.m. and begin our discussion at 6:00.
This week's topic: Faith and Technology
A lot has changed since Jesus walked the earth 2,000 years ago. Technological advancements have caused seismic shifts in how human beings think, express ideas, and relate to one another. Today, those changes seem to be emerging faster than ever.
How does technology interact with our faith, either for the better or for the worse? How are we, as Christians, called to live in a rapidly changing world?
Questions to Ponder:
- What, do you think, is the purpose of technology? What is the purpose of our Christian faith? Where do these purposes align, and where do they conflict?
- What technologies have changed life the most drastically in the past 50 years? How do you think these changes have impacted the practice and expression of Christianity in particular?
- Are there any new or emerging technologies that you see as potentially harmful to Christian practice or mission? Why?
- Are there any technologies that give you hope for the future of Christianity?
If you have questions or would like to receive emails about upcoming In the Spirit topics, please contact the Rev. Samantha McKean.
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Buildings and Grounds Committee Report
Your Buildings and Grounds Committee, Chuck Chewning, Bill Haile, Rosalie Morris, Stephen Smith, Suzanne Smith, and Denton Stone, report the following:
- The church’s roof was inspected, repaired, and recoated with a 10-year warranted material. This work was completed June 11, 2024.
- Three windows in the Parish House have been ordered to replace the ones that are broken.
- The refrigerator in the undercroft kitchen died and could not be repaired. On Friday, June 14 a new stainless-steel refrigerator was installed.
- The lectern’s covering was in shreds. Last week an upholsterer recovered the lectern with new fabric and binding.
- We are aware of the leak in the undercroft ceiling and are working to resolve the underlying cause.
- Thoughtful consideration is being given for the feasibility of several major painting projects in the nave, as well as, scheduling approved restoration of the decorative exterior ironwork.
Please share with us any maintenance problem you see by sending an email to Suzanne Phillips Smith, our Parish Administrator. Suzanne keeps a maintenance journal.
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Do you know a child who loves to sing?
This coming fall, Christ Church will start a new chorister program for all children and youth in 3rd through 12th grades. Through this program, young singers will learn musicianship, leadership, music theory and history, as well as the Episcopal liturgy and theology that we practice every Sunday. The program is affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music in America, which shares our Christ Church belief that children are not the church leaders of the future; they are the church leaders of the present. For more information or to sign up, please contact Director of Music George Fergus.
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"For Two Priests, Coming and Going"
You came to us when we were homeless,
Sheltered beneath the wings of All Angels.
We were wandering in the Desert of Legal Wilderness
And you led us home with grace and wisdom.
Look at us now—thriving, still growing,
Dwelling in God’s historic white house on Johnson Square.
The faithful few have become many,
bearing fruit, filling the coffers and the pews
With love and welcome and gratitude.
Because you heard the Spirit’s call to come.
Here.
And now here you go, again.
Obedient, courageous, prayerful.
Going again, knowing this:
That you—and we— are His.
Whether wearing a priest’s collar
Or robed in tennis white, Nike’s and a sun visor.
All we know about this wild, splendid life
Is that we find our Way by losing.
That our God reveals Himself in leaving.
We learn who we are by loving.
By being IN Christ, we become ourselves.
Michael and Helen, our two beloved priests,
Now freed and unleashed,
Are giving us the most remarkable gift:
The Gift of Ourselves.
As they model for us, here, Christ’s Church, our own meaning.
Church is WHO we are, not WHERE we are.
Not a priest in chasuble, not only Sunday morning.
Church is how we CHRIST in the world.
We ARE Christ’s—we ARE Church,
Just like Michael and Helen Slingluff White.
So let each off us go forth in the power of that same Spirit
That brought us all here, to celebrate these two beloved priests.
We thank you, Lord, for Michael and Helen.
For their coming and their going,
Amen and Amen! And all God’s children said, AMEN!
—Rena Patton
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Next Week at Christ Church
Sunday, June 23: Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist
Monday, June 24
5:30 p.m. In the Spirit. Faith and Technology
Monday through Friday, June 24–28
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Docent Tours
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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
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![](https://mcusercontent.com/5da6420af0ce411d2ce23d0bd/images/5b0b112d-340c-48f2-635e-5fbad5863d3f.jpeg) ![](https://mcusercontent.com/5da6420af0ce411d2ce23d0bd/images/77097f4b-68fa-409f-ad57-184971c0df3a.jpeg)
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![](https://mcusercontent.com/5da6420af0ce411d2ce23d0bd/images/d891f690-52ef-0214-088b-126022eeecf4.jpeg) ![](https://mcusercontent.com/5da6420af0ce411d2ce23d0bd/images/8c644f26-2555-621e-d3b3-a5730f151d22.jpeg)
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![](https://mcusercontent.com/5da6420af0ce411d2ce23d0bd/images/6a1806ec-c2ea-d55d-dcf8-3c4882d4b479.jpeg) ![](https://mcusercontent.com/5da6420af0ce411d2ce23d0bd/images/9578dfe7-0da0-230c-37d6-fbd62b870c9d.jpeg)
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Thanks to Mills Fleming for the photographs
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Centered in Worship
All are Welcome
Joyful Living
Servant Leadership
We invite you to worship with us at Historic Christ Church.
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