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SCHEDULE OF WORSHIP
Week of September 19, 2024                                                        PRAYER LIST 

Sunday, September 22: The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
9:15 a.m.      Nursery Opens
9:30 a.m.      Adult Forum and Children's Sunday School in the Parish House
10:30 a.m.    Holy Eucharist: BULLETIN

Wednesday, September 25
12:00 p.m.    Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing

Livestreamed services can be found on the Christ Church YouTube channel


MESSAGE FROM THE REV. SAMANTHA K. MCKEAN

Can a party count as spiritual formation? After the fullness of the past week I’ve had, I’m beginning to think the answer is “yes.”

First, I spent five days at a spiritual writing intensive as a part of my continuing education, tucked in the woods of Minnesota at a semi-monastic retreat center. I spent long hours at a desk and in group conversations about writing. The facilitator, Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew, contends that the deepest work being done in writing is not what ends up on the page; it’s in the writer herself. The person is ultimately the one being made and remade, undone and done again, revised and formed and changed. I think she’s right. It was intense and interior work, a rich and nourishing time spent largely in quiet and solitude.

Then the scene changed. By Saturday I was on a plane again, this time headed to Chicago for my best friend’s wedding. It was a high-contrast pivot from my week in the woods. Instead of being alone, I was surrounded by friends. Instead of sitting still behind a closed door, I moved onto the dance floor. In place of silence, there was, gloriously, karaoke. Take me home, country roads.

Right after that party I went to another, returning to Savannah in time to attend the Midtown neighborhood party hosted graciously by Montie and Steve Acuff. I saw faces new and familiar, enjoyed buzzing snips of conversation, dodged kids as they chased each other under tables and across the yard, and ate delicious food. By the end of the night I found myself thinking: This is spiritual work, too.

Perhaps “work” is a misnomer. It didn’t feel burdensome to immerse myself in the company of others (although, for this introvert, it does require some energy to get myself "out there"). What I mean is that I could tell I was shaped by it, formed. The work we do in quiet solitude is important; God meets us in those spaces. But God also meets us in one another. Shaking hands with a stranger, sharing a meal, hearing about someone's life, laughing at joke: all of these moments have the power to shape us more fully into the body of Christ. Why? Because none of us can be that body on our own. We become more fully who we are in communion with others.

Jesus slipped away from time to time to pray, and I imagine he cherished those times of quiet stillness. But more often than Jesus the mystic we hear about Jesus the partygoer. Weddings, banquets, and house parties: Jesus could be found at them all. If that's not spiritual formation, what is?


CONNECTION

In the Spirit: Monday, September 23 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: Envy

Envy is frequently warned against in scripture, and has earned its place as one of the infamous "vices." Where does envy come from, and what pitfalls does it present to one seeking to walk in the way of Christ? How can one avoid it?

Questions to Ponder:
  • Envy seems to be a universal human experience. Why do you think we experience envy? Where does envy begin?
  • What's the harm of envy? What damage does it do to the envier? To the one envied?
  • What's the antidote to envy? Have you found ways to practice more contentment in your own life?

If you have questions or would like to receive emails about upcoming In the Spirit topics, please contact the Rev. Samantha McKean.

 

Choral Evensong for St. Michael and All Angels

Sunday, September 29, 4:00 p.m.
 

Offered by the Parish Choir, this introspective liturgy is sung almost entirely by the choir, allowing the congregation to relax, reflect, and recharge surrounded by beautiful music in this sacred space. Evensong is a uniquely Episcopal tradition observed by churches and cathedrals around the world.


High School Hangout

Sunday, September 29, 6:00 p.m.


Join us! All 9th–12th graders are invited to a laid-back time of bowling together next Sunday. We'll meet at 6:00 p.m. at Bowlero: 115 Tibet Avenue, 31406. Please let the Rev. Samantha McKean know if you can make it.


Adult Forum Series 
From There to Here: Flourishing in Times of Transition

Parish House, Second Floor, 9:30 a.m.

All are invited to take part in a special adult forum series each Sunday this fall in the Parish House, led by Interim Rector, the Rev. Cathy Zappa, and other Christ Church clergy. Together we will ask, What does it mean to be in an interim period? What might we expect during this time? Join us as we discuss the hope and promise of living into a season of transition. The nursery will open at 9:15 for those in need of childcare, with Sunday School offered for children in pre-K and up.

Children's Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. in Parish House

Parish House, Second Floor, 9:30 a.m.

While the grown-ups are in Adult Forum, kids will be engaged in their own spiritual formation! We will have a fun, enriching bible study for children ages 4 to 5th grade while parents attend the adult forum. It will be held in the Parish House in the room across the hall from the nursery, and will be led by Stephen and Claire Rilee. 

Fall Children's Chapel Program for 3rd–5th Graders

September 8–November 17, during the10:30 a.m. service

Baptisms at Christ Church

October 6, November 3, and January 12

Many will recall the joyful torrent of baptisms we experienced throughout this past spring and into the summer! We've had eleven baptisms so far in the year 2024, a powerful testimony to the work of new life that God is doing in our midst. 

In response to the growing numbers of baptisms taking place at Christ Church, we are moving to what is actually the more traditional model for baptisms recommended by the Book of Common Prayer: instead of scheduling individual days for baptism throughout the year, Christ Church will offer specific days of baptism that are especially fitting for the occasion. All who are interested in receiving the sacrament of baptism are invited to take part on these days. 

The next baptisms at Christ Church will take place on October 6 (transferred Feast of St. Francis of Assisi), November 3 (Sunday after All Saints’ Day), and January 12 (the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord). If you are interested in baptism for yourself or your child on one of these days, please contact the the Rev. Cathy Zappa or the Rev. Samantha McKean.
 

Snapshots of Sunday's Neighborhood Parties


Many thanks to the generous hosts and wonderful guests of Sunday's neighborhood parties! Here are a few scenes from the festivities that took place across the Savannah area on Sunday.




Next Week at Christ Church


Sunday, September 22: Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
     9:30 a.m. Adult Forum and Children's Sunday School
     10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist

Monday through Friday, September 23–27
     10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Docent Tours

Monday, September 23
     5:30 p.m. In the Spirit at the Sandfly 5-Spot. Envy

Wednesday, September 25
     12:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing
       7:00 p.m. Choir rehearsal

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK







Thanks to Mills Fleming for the photographs.
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Church Location: Johnson Square | 28 Bull Street
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Savannah, GA 31401

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