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The Bread & Wine

February 2019

The Newsletter of Christ Episcopal Church, Albemarle, NC Founded 1890

A Word from The Warden

Wayne Davis, Sr Warden

Hello and God bless to all our faithful members of Christ Church! The vestry and I want to be as transparent as possible going into to 2019. I feel that if you know what I know about the status of Christ Church we can, together, make decisions for the best of the church. The vestry of 2019 has some challenges to face: 1. What is the best option for a rector? 2. How can we unite the congregation? 3. What is the best way to open the lines of communication. 4. The most important issue: How do we show Gods love to each other and in the community. We all know what a great place Christ Church is to worship and raise a family. Let's all try and not lose sight of the church we have been blessed with. Each one of us has a story of how we migrat-ed to Christ Church. My church family is important to me; just like families we have disagree-ments, but just like families we make up and continue to share God's love. I am here as a servant leader for the members of Christ Church. The best way to reach me is my email: wayne.davis@claytonhomes.com Wayne Davis Senior Warden

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A Message from Our Jr. Warden

Elwood Preslar

Our Volunteers,

A Simple “Thank You”

Volunteers are an integral part of our Church’s operations. There are approximately 20 volunteers each

Sunday.

A short list of volunteers required each Sunday: Officiants, Greeters/Ushers, Lectors, Intercessors, Acolytes,

Nursery Volunteers, Coffee Hour Hosts, Counters-in-Charge, Eucharistic Visitors, Altar Guild Volunteers,

Church Choir Members, Members of various Committees

You may have noticed that there are different types of volunteers. People who work week after week, year

after year, are willing to pitch in no matter how onerous the task. There are others who show up for

planned special events at specific times of the year.

Volunteers have been a part of the fabric of our Church for several years. Some may start to feel as if

they’re taken for granted. A simple “Thank You” can go a long way toward helping those volunteers under-

stand that their service is noticed and greatly appreciated.

Now that we do not have a Rector , we have seen even more volunteers take on the task we never needed

before as, “Officiants.” May God bless them in a special way.

What would we do? Without you, our Church could not spread God’s work and word. An engaged group of

volunteers help make a Church into a well-run community.

Here is a simple “Thank You” from your Church Wardens and the Vestry Team.

“You are appreciated for all each of you do. Again, Thank You!”

Elwood Preslar, Jr. Warden

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The vestry would like to ask a favor of the Christ Church Family.

When the lot next door was purchased the intent was to make it into an area for outside gathering for services, Par-ish Days, weddings, etc.

It has turned into a parking lot. The vestry has had several church members come to us and want to make sure we don't turn that area into a parking lot.

First of all, it has turned into a mud hole because folks have been parking on the lot when it was raining. People are dragging mud and leaves into the parish hall and the church.

We are sensitive to making sure we take of each other, we understand that the lot is closer to park than the road and is a shorter walk for our challenged members. The concrete road around the church was designed as a drop of area, so members could drive up to the door of the Parish Hall.

If you see the driveway to the lot next to the church blocked off, please understand we are just trying to do what is in the best interest of our church family. If you have any concerns or questions, please let me know. Wayne Davis Senior Warden

Wayne Davis– Sr. Warden Elwood Preslar– Jr. Warden Don Burris

Gene Hinson Renita Ritchie Clif Robinson

Sidney Weber Allison Poplin– Clerk Archie Chase– Treasurer

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By Dana Glenn

It is amazing what a group of motivated, truly excited, people, who have their eyes on a specific goal, can

accomplish in four hours or less! This was the case on February 5th 2019, when I attended the Diocesan

Communication Conference at St. Margaret’s in Waxhaw. We were a group of 10 people, with me being

the only amateur among true communications professionals. It was a super productive few hours where I

gleaned many ideas about how to improve our communications here at Christ Church. Topics included

newsletters, social media (of all kinds), webpages , and phone apps. I could continue to list all the wonder-

ful things I learned that day, however, I do not want to overwhelm you (or me either, ever heard of an “e-

blast?” I had not).

Anyway, I would like to slowly introduce to you the many things I learned to help us get in and stay in con-

tact with each other. As we all know, our church is going through a crucial period of time right now.

Times, like we currently have, come to every good and healthy relationship. The key, each and every time,

is communication with as much love, respect and honesty as possible. We are “in it, to win it,” but it will

take each and every one of us to pitch in and push even harder, possibly reaching outside “our box” to try

new, and maybe even, scary things.

With that being said, I would like to introduce you to one idea I got from the conference: theme-based

newsletters. This involves you writing, yes, YOU WRITING, a short , and it can be VERY short, if you wish,

sentences or paragraphs about the theme of the month. I will provide fill-in forms if you need help getting

started. These forms will be found on the credenza, under the big mirror, in the hallway leading to the par-

ish hall. Along with the “forms of the month,” there will be forms for any other news, of any kind, that

you would like to share with the parish and community.

Without further ado, the THEME FOR MARCH IS UNITY. You can take this theme in many creative ways.

One idea is to re-read Wayne’s Word from The Warden on page 1 and reflect on his thoughts concerning

the church that we are all blessed to call home and the people we call church family.

Now, put on your thinking caps, sharpen up those pencils, get out of your comfort zone, and WRITE. As

our Bishop Curry says, “there’s plenty good room for all God’s children” to share your stories and your tal-

ents with us. “God love you. God bless you. And God keep you in His Almighty Hands!”

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Altar Guild Help!

Our Altar Guild needs a few

new members. If you

would like to be a member

of a team please contact

Janet Preslar

704-690-5887

SCCM

February 2019

Needs

Canned Soup

Crackers

Daughters of the King: Meet in Parish

Hall

Feb. 19

2 p.m.

or 5

p.m.

Choose

your

meeting

time

Fr. Mack, Celebrant

February 17 and 24

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What will Lent Look Like Without a Priest?

Any Way We Want It To, With God’s Help

By Dana Glenn

The possibilities are practically endless. I don’t know what your personal practices look like during Lent.

Some of us give up a bad habit or deny ourselves a treat. Others see Lent as a time to develop a more

healthy lifestyle or start a new hobby. In whatever way you observe Lent personally, I hope you will con-

tinue that tradition this year as well.

With our current situation of being “priest-less” and somewhat disjointed, I have been brainstorming

cheap to free things we can do together as a group as we follow Jesus to the Cross. My favorite so far is,

with no surprise, The Way of Love for Lent curriculum, which was inspired by our own beloved Bishop

Curry. The curriculum is FREE and, an extra perk for many of us, requires little to no reading, unless, of

course, you WANT to read. I have read two of the seven “short” books that accompany the curriculum.

You do not have to read the books to be blessed by this series(7 total) of 60 to 75 minute lessons. The

books are available on Amazon.com for under 8 dollars. Each book contains 68 to 72 pages of pure bril-

liance. The first one I read, Turn, blew me away. I had two of my most burning questions: What is evil?

And Why do bad things happen to good people, answered clearly and concisely in this neat little book of

under 70 pages. The other titles are Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go and Rest. Here is the link if you are

interested reviewing this curriculum https://www.episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love

Another good one, which I think I will use in my personal practice, is Living Well Through Lent 2019 Prac-

ticing Forgiveness with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength and Mind. This is a free booklet downloadable at

https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/pressreleases/living-well-through-lent-2019-a-living-compass-

seasonal-resource/.

If anyone would like to offer other options for a group study/discussion, please let me know. I am looking

for ideas, facilitators, and students. I am offering my somewhat rusty teaching skills to get this off the

ground. We are a church family and a team. So, remember the family that prays/studies together stays

together AND Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM). Please contact me (Dana Glenn) at 704-616-

1742 or newsletterdana@gmail.com. I text too. FROG( Fully Rely On God) Forever!

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Worship opportunities at Christ Church

Weekly

8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Sunday Worship Services

9:30 a.m. Sunday

6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Evening Prayers, Chapel of the Apostles, Upstairs in Parish Hall

8:00 a.m. Thursday, Holy Eucharist & Bible Study

Each Month

1st Wednesday (7 pm)

1st Thursday (6:30 pm) - ”Stitching for Souls”

2nd Monday evening - Community Inn

2nd Thursday(2 pm) - Communion Service at Stanly Manor

3rd Saturday(2 pm) - Communion Service at Bethany Woods

The mission of Christ Church is to:

Love the unlovable, help the helpless, inspire the discouraged, be a family to those who have none, and be the right hand of God in the world.

Christ Episcopal Church

428 Pee Dee Ave - P.O. Box 657

Albemarle, NC 28002

(704)982-1428 - e-mail

info@christalb.org

The Rev. Philip R. Byrum, Rector Emeritus

Dr. Elizabeth Harrison, Music Director

Ms. Teri Center, Parish Secretary

Vestry:

Wayne Davis, Senior Warden; Elwood Preslar, Junior War-

den; Renita Ritchie, Gene Hinson, Don Burris, Clif Robin-

son, and Sidney Weber.

Archie Chase, treasurer, and Allison Poplin, clerk.

Committees:

Buildings & Grounds: Elwood Preslar, Chair

Worship and Christian Formation:

Christian Formation Director:

Parish Life and Pastoral Care:

Faith Community Nurse:

Stewardship and Good Earth:

Finance: Russ Hollins, Chair

Evangelism and Publicity:

Outreach: Karyn Whitley, Liaison

Women’s Noon Out: Sidney Weber, Facilitator

February Birthday List

1 Ray Allen

3 Wendell Drye

4 Jacob Moore

6 Katrenia Davis

7 Bruce Stickney

11 Ava Amick

12 Cindy Moore

14 Valorie Franklin, McKinley Duell

22 Sidney Weber

27 Walter Davis

28 Michael Lowder

Clery and Staff