Sunday School Begins New Year,Ministry Fair,Turning Swords Into Plowshares

​Dear Hearts,
 
Our Sunday morning Christian Education/Formation programs begin their new year this Sunday, September 16!

• The Rectory Forum returns at about 9a.m. in the Rectory living room.  We'll begin reading Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's inspiring reminiscence about The Songs My Grandma Sang.  This offering provides a second crack at the parallel Tuesday Supper conversation.  No prior reading required!
• Children's Chapel starts gathering at 9:30a.m. with Sunday School Director Laurie Varley for a story and activities.  Look for Children's Chapel further along the Sunday School corridor; their usual room is now brim-full of Tag Sale merchandise.
• Sunday School for grades Pre-Kindergarten through Sixth Grade begins along the corridor at 10a.m.  Please note that Sunday School includes sixth grade this year.  If you followed the August deluge saga, you'll be glad to know that a thoroughly professional mold remediation process was completed, damaged materials have been replaced, and there's just a bit of re-painting left to do.
• Youth Program is what we're calling, for now, our gathering for grades 7-9; they'll be meeting in the large room at the end of the Sunday School corridor.   Some Tag Sale items are currently housed on that room's abundant shelving; they are only temporary!

You may notice that there's no listing for a Sunday morning gathering for grades 10-12.  Since these folks have been confirmed, and are considered "adults" in The Episcopal Church, we're going to try a different approach.  Jennifer Huebner and YFNR will be offering a post-confirmation Young Adult Program on Last Mondays; our intention is to help these folks find their places as adults in the life of the parish. We'll begin by conferring with them at 7p.m. on September 24, about group norms, expectations, and even the name of the group. 

If it's mid-September, it's also time for our Annual Ministry Fair during Coffee Hour this Sunday, September 16.  The range of opportunities for going a little deeper in the life of the parish with fellow parishioners will be on display;  and, friendly folk will be on hand to talk about what's up in the range of ways to engage in fellowship, formation, and service offerings within the life of the parish!  And there'll be goodies at each table to sustain you!

The devastation being wrought by Hurricane Florence is all over the news!  Whenever such a disaster approaches, Episcopal Relief & Development starts getting ready to come to the aid effected communities.  You can learn more about, and support, this important witness of the Episcopal Church to God's steadfast concern by going to ERD's website here.  Our prayers for those displaced by Florence include parishioner Suzanne Rogers and her family in New Bern, NC; they're in temporary housing elsewhere.  Our ECW will be keeping in touch and letting us know how we can be of assistance.

Earlier today, I was part of the Christ Church contingent attending the South Central Region's Convocation at St. Peter's Church in Cheshire.  Chris George, director of New Haven's Integrated Refugee & Immigration Services, brought us up to date on the current challenges and opportunities which IRIS seeks to address.  Although Chris is a great speaker, the highlight of the morning for me was Bishop Jim Curry's announcement of the upcoming "Swords Into Ploughshares" program organized by the Newtown Action Alliance and the New Haven Police Department.  You may recall Bishop Jim's story about his pectoral cross, given to him by an African bishop; the cross was made from firearms given to the Church following the end of hostilities.  In the New Haven program, firearms voluntarily turned over to the Police Department are going to be destroyed, melted down, and reforged as garden tools!  Bishop Ian Douglas will be joining in the hands-on work.  Bishop Jim asked us to watch for details about days and times.

I look forward to our conversations about the songs of Bishop MIchael's grandmother, about our opportunities for ministry together as Christ Church, and about our first day of Sunday School!
In faith, hope and love,
Harrison+
YFNR