Notes from the Office

Birthdays this week
Dick T, Jackie B, Nancy M, Karlett B, Sarah M, Hanna T, Sally H, Greg C, Mary C, Andrea V, Noah N, Judith A, Trish V, Nancy B, Leslee  S, Clint S, Lexie O, Julia T

Anniversaries this week
Greg and Teresa Barnett

We offer our condolences to Martha on the death of her “second mother” Elizabetha.

At the Feb. 14 Annual Meeting the parish elected four new Vestry members: Jerry D, Karen E, Steve F and Leslee S. Selected to represent our parish as delegates to the Diocesan Convention are: Charles C, Lesley F, Ray L, Dan R, Paula S, Libby S and Kate V (alternates are Ellen B, Kate R and Leslee S).

At the Feb. 16 Vestry Meeting the Vestry elected their new officers: Libby S, Senior Warden; Doug A, Junior Warden; Karen E, Clerk.

Easter Flowers: If you wish to contribute, in memory or in thanksgiving for loved ones, please complete the yellow form included with this publication (also available in the narthex and office. The deadline to submit names is Sunday, March 28.

Are you a Fan? Get the latest news and info of Christ Church through our Facebook Fan Page. Anyone can view the daily stream on our website (www.ChristEpiscopal.org). Facebookers, go to the stream and click “Become a Fan” so that you can follow (and add to) the conversations.

Thankful? Add your thanksgiving to the United Thank Offering poster in the hallway by the nursery.

February Lock-up: Tim & Paula
March Lock-up: Donna & Jeff

The Education Hour

Children (K-4th grade)
Heart-Land Sunday School
Lent series topic: Daniel in the Lions' Den.

Tweens (5th & 6th grade)
Base Camp 2010
This is a transitional program for 5th and 6th graders, who have outgrown elementary-level  Sunday School and are ready to prepare for their own Journey to Adulthood process, starting next fall. Base Camp 2010, where these young people will begin to “gear up”, happens down in the parish hall at 9:15. Letters were sent to all known 5th/6th graders, friends are welcome to join! Leaders are Dennis, Brad and Lesley.

Teens (middle / senior high)
Journey to Adulthood: Rite 13 and J2A
Ongoing discussions and group fun prepare our young people to embrace adulthood and understand and affirm Christian living and leadership skills.

Adult Forum
The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See - Session II will meet in the library this Sunday. All are welcome to a discussion and practice of chapters 4 - 9. Titles of the chapters this week are “We Should Have ‘Known’ Better,” “A Lesson from the Monks,” “Glimpses of Wonder: The Quest is Begun,” “But We Have to Make Judgments, Don’t We?,” “Yes, But” and “Not Many Things, but One Thing.” Leaders this Sunday are Karen and Sherry . We have two extra copies of the book available.

Prayer and Personality: Join the Sunday prayer study group in the downstairs kitchen as we investigate and practice various styles of prayer during Lent. This spiritual exploration is available online in an email group also. Questions? Contact: MarthaR@ChristEpiscopal.org.

Save the Dates

August is Kids' Ministry Month at CEC
Put these dates on your calendars:
Vacation Bible School is Aug. 2-6
Coe Summer Reading Camp is Aug. 9-12
Want to get involved? Call a Leslee/ey!
Evening volunteers (VBS): Lesley F.
Day volunteers (reading camp): Leslee S.

Women, Save these dates: There are two retreat weekends planned for the women of Christ Church in 2010. Put them on your calendars now—and more details will be provided as the year progresses. The first retreat, June 4 - 6, will be at Our Lady of the Prairie in Wheaton; the second retreat, Oct. 8 - 10, will be at Prairiewoods in Hiawatha. Make a New Year’s resolution to give your spirit the gift of a lift.

Calendar Items

These items are submitted by committee leaders to highlight upcoming events (see note about submissions, above). Please see our Calendar page for all events at Christ Church.

From Ashes to Joy: On our Welcome Table in the narthex, pick up a copy of our Lenten brochure, From Ashes to Joy, for a full listing of our programs, services and activities during Lent. There are also Lenten devotional materials available on the table and in the track racks in the narthex and outside the library.

Easter Herb Bread orders are being taken now. This will be your last chance to purchase herb bread until November! There is a sign up in the narthex for orders and to volunteer to butter bread. You may also contact Kate R through the parish office. Each loaf costs $6.50. Proceeds go to Christ Church Community Ministries.

The 1st Monday Supper will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the parish hall on Monday, March 1. All are invited.

The Men of Whatever invite all the men of the parish to join them at 6 p.m. in the parish hall on Tuesday, March 2 for food and fellowship.

Church Of The Open Mouth: At Christ Church, we joke about the number of activities we sponsor which involve food. The truth of the matter is, we all like to eat, and more importantly -- we like the fellowship! From Coffee Hour to Octoberfest, the behind-the-scenes work is organized by the Fellowship Commission. If you’re someone who’s not found a place to be involved at church, perhaps you’d consider being part of Fellowship. There will be a (re)organizational meeting of the Fellowship Commission on Tuesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. in the church library. Join us! If you're unable to be at the meeting, but interested in joining the Commission, please contact Libby through the parish office.

Giving Empowers My Sisters (GEMS) will meet on Wed., March 3 in the parlor as usual, but we’ll meet at 6 p.m. instead of 5 because Taizé-style worship is scheduled for the parlor at 5:30. How about coming at 5:30 for worship and then stay for fellowship? Food can be placed on the counter or in the oven on your way in. All women are invited to this monthly gathering where we share treats, conversation and take up a collection for a woman in need.

St. Siskel’s Guild will meet in the parlor at 6:15 p.m. on Sunday, March 7 (rescheduled from Feb. 21). The movie is Defiance which depicts the true story of four Jewish brother who escaped from Poland into the forests of Belarus during World War II to lead a band of resistance fighters and create a safe haven for Jewish refugees. It is a powerful story and shows different points of view of the Jewish experience. Join us!

Women of Excellence: We will eat-in at the church on Wed., March 10, at noon. We’ll enjoy a soup, salad and bread luncheon provided by Melody Rockwell, Jackie Bryant, MaryAnn Wetherbee and Barbara Schlachter. Please sign up in the narthex so the cooks can be ready. We are hoping everyone will come for Eucharist at 11 a.m., and we want to especially invite all women who have turned 60 within the past year who have not been “inducted.”

The Dedication of our new Allen Organ will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 14. Dr. Brett Wolgast, who will present the concert, is an organ professor at the University of Iowa and Coe College, and cantor at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. A reception will follow the concert. Please plan to attend.

POLISH Day is coming March 27! What is POLISH day? Polish Our Lord’s Inner Space Help us, please! Altar Guild members will clean and polish Sat., March 27 from 9 a.m. to noon. This is a great opportunity for anyone seeking a one day commitment to help at Christ Church. We know that not everyone can make an ongoing commitment to the Altar Guild and this is an opportunity to help for one day only - even if only for an hour. Please consider coming - we need you!

Reaching Out: Jubilee / Community Ministries

February's Food Pantry Items:
Mac & Cheese; canned pears

March's Food Pantry Items:
Fruit cocktail & peas (no glass please!)

Community Ministries' Current Project: We are collecting supplies for students at Johnson School and Inn Circle through March 31. Needed items include: wide-lined notebook paper, hand sanitizer, glue sticks, Kleenex and #2 pencils. Donations may be placed in our basket in the narthex. Thank you!

Volunteers needed to pack food boxes for Haiti: Trinity Church, Iowa City, has invited anyone from Christ Church who might be willing to help put together food packages for Haitians to come to Trinity on Sunday, March 7 from 2 to 4. And, if you are able, stay for Evensong at 5 p.m. This could be a good Lenten project for a family, or it could be a fun carpool time for others. Please sign up in the narthex so we know how many Trinity can expect.

Children’s Clothing Project: The Loaves & Fishes Pantry has begun offering clean, gently used or brand new clothes to children in need. The sizes needed are children’s 0-16. We’re collecting Spring and Summer clothes. We do not want to give stained or torn clothing; we’re not collecting adult clothing. Please put items in the tall hamper at the office entrance.

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD). The first Sunday in Lent has been named “ERD Sunday” by General Convention. At Christ Church we will have our ERD ingathering at the end of the Lenten journey, Palm Sunday weekend – this will be designated to help with recovery from the devastating ice storms in the Dakotas. Information about ERD’s work in the Dakotas and their continuing work in Haiti are available on their website, www.er-d.org. Thank you.

Needed: Jig saw puzzles, Scrabble, Sorry, Pictionary and other board games for evening activities for flood recovery volunteers. Please leave donations in the library.

From the Community

While we don't always have space in our printed version for community news and events, we are happy to include your submissions in this online edition and for print when possible.

The 7th Annual Catherine McAuley Center’s “Movin’for McAuley’ Mall Walk is Sat.,  March 13, 10 - 11 a.m. at Westdale Mall. Pre-registration is open until Feb. 26 and fees are based on age. Registration will be available on the day of the walk, although fees increase after Feb. 26. Register early to be guaranteed a “Movin’ for McAuley” t-shirt! Please visit the Center’s website at www.cmc-cr.org for registration forms, team packets (must have 5 walkers to be a team) and to register online! Direct questions to the center at 363-4993.

Spirituality in the 21st Century: Prairiewoods’annual spring conference features Michael Morwood speaking on “God, Jesus, Prayer and Ritual in the New Universe Story.”  Morwood is the Associate Director of Adult Spiritual Renewal and Empowerment, Inc.  The seminar meets Friday March 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sat., March 27 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  More information is available in brochure form in the office. I think people interested in Christian formation of all ages, worship, mission, and theology will find this a stimulating and helpful conference. Please join me. Barbara Schlachter.

Free 2009 Tax Preparation and Electronic Filing by volunteers sponsored by the IRS and AARP Tax Aide Foundation will be offered at several Cedar Rapids sites, including Christ Church. Call the community action number 211 (dial 739-4211 if using a cell phone) to schedule your appointment.