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ejoice September 2019 R 118 N. Washington St. ✠ Alexandria, VA 22314 www.HistoricChristChurch.org ✠ 703-549-1450 Be The Church: Offering the Gracious Invitation and Reception of Christ to Everyone By Darrin Hostetler, Chair, Stewardship a vibrant and diverse group Committee who are also passionate hen one Googles “Episcopalian” Christians. We hope that Wand “evangelism” it doesn’t as a result of seeing this take long to bump into a picture of community in action, they the Most Rev. Michael Curry, flashing will ultimately be moved a joyous smile and giving a thumb-up to join us in worship and sign, under a caption proclaiming that ministry. “Episcopalians are passionate about It is fair to describe proclaiming the Good News of Jesus this year’s “evangelistic Christ” to others. While I would never expansion” of Welcome doubt Bishop Curry’s passion for the Sunday as a modest effort. mission of evangelizing—or anything We have started spreading involving the Episcopal Branch of the the word in a low-key and Jesus Movement, for that matter— Stewardship Committee has decided limited fashion. But we hope I have often wondered about our to put this concept of evangelism the effort will grow in significant collective zeal for the task. through action at the core of the ways next year and in the future. Stay Episcopalians, while a people of 2020 Pledge Campaign, which begins tuned. towering and enduring faith, are Sunday, September 8. Working In the meantime, please keep a almost legendarily shy about explicitly together with Mission and Outreach; lookout for new faces on September professing that faith to their non- the Welcome Committee; the 8, and make sure to welcome them. practicing friends and neighbors. History Committee; Children, Youth And please prayerfully consider Talking to people in the modern world & Family and many others, we are inviting a friend, neighbor or about religion can be profoundly and seeking to expand our traditional colleague to church that day. Your deceptively hard. Even when one is Welcome Sunday festivities to handshake or a friendly smile, closely connected to God and the include members of our surrounding extended to a newcomer, is in itself Church, we often face deep-seated community. a powerful and perhaps life-changing fears: How would I know what to say? The idea is a simple one: by inviting evangelical act. What if people reject me when I talk our neighbors to participate with us about faith? Will people view me as in the kick-off of the church year, we being disrespectful of non-Christians? have an opportunity to show them Welcome Sunday, Will I be misinterpreted as irrational the many and wonderful ways in September 8 or, even worse, unfairly associated which Christ Church lives the faith elcome Sunday is a fun and with extreme views that are sometimes of its members. festive day for everyone. First advanced in the name of Christ? W They will have a chance to see us in worship, which will feature the Fortunately, while we work to in fellowship (thanks to the work return of the choir, a brass quintet, overcome these obstacles, we know of the Welcome Sunday team, it is and after the 10:00 a.m. service there is another, perhaps even more going to be a great party), to learn in the churchyard with games, powerful and effective, way to profess a little about our many ministries a hot dog bar, live music, and a our faith to others: by sharing ourselves and activities, or perhaps take a tour face painter. Invite a friend for and our actions. of our historic church. Most of all, fellowship, fun, and good food! This year, the Christ Church they will have a chance to meet us, 2 Rejoice is the official Gift Shop Sidewalk Sale monthly publication of Christ Church, eptember is here and that means with your friends. Alexandria, Virginia, an Sthe kids are back to school, and The best thing about the Sidewalk Episcopal church in the fall is on its way. Along with cooler Sale is that it clears room for all the Diocese of Virginia. weather, which promises to come, great merchandise that has started to The Rt. Rev. Susan Ellyn Goff, there will be fun-filled fall events; pour into the shop. A huge shipment Bishop Suffragan and Ecclesiastical Authority Labor Day, Welcome Sunday, and of our delicious jams, jellies and The Rt. Rev. Robert Wilkes Ihloff, end-of-summer sales! Once again, sauces is on the way, and we have Bishop Associate the Gift Shop will have a sidewalk already received the cuddliest puppets Vestry sale during Welcome Sunday. and stuffed animals you’ve ever seen. Abas Adenan, Senior Warden, Napkins, birdcages, select jewelry, (You’ll want to come by just to pet Kelley Brooke Hostetler, and much more will all be at least them!) This year we have a new Junior Warden, Jane Baird, Marilyn half-price! What a great way to brand of (dare I say it) Christmas Bromley, Bob Cady, Nancy Carson, snatch up bargains while having fun cards, which we will be putting out Carol Donlan, Steve Humphrey, Mary this month Dixon Hutcheson, Kevin Metz, for early Sandra Thompson, Julie Zahn Del Turner, Treasurer purchase in Bill Baker, Assistant Treasurer September. Be sure to Clergy The Rev. Dr. Noelle York-Simmons, make the Rector Gift Shop The Rev. Dr. Lyndon Shakespeare, your first Associate Rector stop when looking for The Rev. Seldon Walker cards and Associate Rector/Curate hostess gifts The Rev. Dr. Richard Jones during the Parish Visitor coming The Rev. Dr. Diane Murphy, holiday Rev. Dr. William B. Roberts season. Priest Associates Director of Music M. Jason Abel Christ Church embodies God’s unbounded love by embracing, Fowler House Update: New Ideas, Possible New Partners liberating, and empowering people, whoever you are and wherever you find yourself on your journey of faith. By Chris McMurray, Fowler House our programs and ministries, how we might use our space more effectively, The Rejoice deadline is the third of the Committee month preceding publication. and possible future improvements. Please email proposed articles to ur broker has been in talks this Buying Fowler House continues mbracco@historicchristchurch.org. Osummer with some possible to be one of the smartest things this Those accepted are subject to editing for partners for redevelopment/reuse congregation has done, and we are length and content. Susan Hahn edits of the Fowler House building. The confident that it will continue to be Rejoice while Craig Keith provides design summer months have somewhat and layout. Carol Donlan gives her time an asset for the church in whatever and talent as an advisor. Meredith Bracco slowed the process, but we are new form it takes. We are committed is the staff liaison. hopeful that in the next several to make sure the property continues weeks we will be able to report on to offer important benefits, both viable candidates. spiritual and financial for the parish, Meanwhile, the Campus Planning so Christ Church will keep active and Committee is conducting a study, growing. It will take a lot of work and @historiccc aided by our architect, John Cole, a lot of prayer. Please keep us in your of how we use our current space for prayers. Page 2 ✠ Rejoice ✠ September 2019 Share The Gifts of a Second New Year Celebration This Fall, Beginning September 8 3 By The Rev. Dr. Noelle York-Simmons, 8! We will kick off Rector This is a great gift to us, to be given yet another our new program year n January 1 year after year, opportunity to re-set. It with a bang, with the Owe all celebrate a new start. gives us a chance to use fellowship and joy that There’s a shiny new calendar on the our imaginations to see Christ Church does so wall and a new date to remember to how we might be better, well. It’s a wonderful write. Those of us inclined to make to see how we might day to bring a friend and resolutions do it in January with the become more creative or introduce them to our intention of building new habits to patient, to think about parish community. It’s be better people in the coming 12 healthier living or deeper also a wonderful day to months. loving. re-commit yourself to But the culture of the United States We have these opportunities at the work of our church and the work has the benefit of a second re-start in Christ Church, too. In addition of God in the world. How will you the fall. Whether you are someone to new programs, like a Eucharist engage the people close to you? How starting school, or if you have children class for our Kindergarteners, new will you engage the people you’ve in your life starting school, or even adult classes online, a November never met? How will you seek and if you haven’t been to school in 30 preaching series, and a new outlook serve Christ in all persons, loving years, there’s a feeling in the air that on stewardship, we also have the your neighbor as yourself? we are starting something new each opportunity to live out our faith What a gift it is to be able to reset, fall. Summer travel is behind us, the more fully in a world that grows to recommit, to renew ourselves in air is thinking of starting to cool down increasingly skeptical of goodness and the love of God and in the growing and we are thinking about how we will faithfulness.