Mission Statement of Christ Church

To the glory of God, the mission of Christ Church Parish is to serve Jesus Christ and all the people of God; to
encourage and facilitate spiritual development for people of all ages; to grow as Christians in a loving and
forgiving fellowship, thereby confirming, witnessing, and leading others to the faith by the power of the Holy
Spirit.

Dear Friends:
As we begin the season of Lent, I think of a woman in
another parish who burst out: I love Lent! I am sure many of
us join her in loving Lent, because of the opportunities it offers
for deepening our life with God.
Lent is early this year, which means that Easter will be
earlyMarch 27, to be exact! So at mid-month we will move
from the season of Epiphany to that of Lent. This change will be
marked by change in color of the altar cloths and vestments, from
green to purple. But first, we gather for a delicious Shrove
Tuesday dinner, on February 9, cooked by Bob Rex and his team. The event will start at 5:30
p.m. ($7.95 for dinner, to support needs at Christ Church).
We will gather for Ash Wednesday on February 10 at either 12:00 noon or 6:00 p.m. in
the Nave. Ash Wednesday is one of the two days singled out for fasting in the Prayer Book. (p.
17). The other weekdays of Lent and Holy Week are observed by special acts of discipline and
self-denial. What these acts are is up to you as you prayerfully prepare yourself for Lent. I
hope to see you at one of the two Ash Wednesday services, because they offer a powerful
experience of walking the way of the cross.
We will begin our Tuesdays in Lent on Feb. 16 by gathering at 5:30 p.m. in Lewis Hall
for soup and bread. We will also view a new set of commentaries on Holy Week and Easter,
which will include a brief video. The series is entitled, What Wondrous Love. This gathering
together is a beautiful way to observe each Lenten week.
Open the doors of our hearts, dear Lord, and enter in. Deal with what thou dost find of sin and
contrariness, of discouragement and fear, of guilt and loneliness. Make peace in our hearts,
good Lord, and send us forth with thy strength to face the day and not run from a single
encounter, certain that thou art with us.
--Holy Island: A Lenten Pilgrimage, James W. Kennedy
Mother Susan

By now you have received Mother Susans letter announcing her plans to retire at the end of this year. Christ
Church has been blessed that she was with us when Father Ron
Griffin left. Her presence has given us time to feel secure in
our identity as a congregation and she will be with us as we
transition to the next stage of our church life. We will also have
time to celebrate Mother Susans ministry and all the gifts we
have received during her time as priest in charge of Christ
Church.
As you adjust to Mother Susans future retirement, foremost in many of your minds will be searching for a new rector.
The current vestry has been in contact with the Diocese and will be guided by Canon Andrea
McMillin through the Discernment Process of calling a new rector to lead Christ Church. We
will be asking for input from the congregation and will keep you informed as we move through
the process. Because we are just at the beginning, the process will seem slow. Each phase
moves differently. Canon Andrea has assured the vestry that the coming year will allow for the
time needed to move through the process and be close, if not already there, to calling our new
rector.
Christ Church has achieved a great deal in 2015. Everyone here has in some way been
involved in the many ministries that have contributed to the life of our congregation and to our
community. Now we are entering a new phase in our life together as a church family. I see it
as an exciting time to learn more about our community and each other.
I ask you all to celebrate Mother Susan, the gifts she has given to each of us and I also
ask you to pray for the vestry and Christ Church as we begin a new phase of our spiritual journey during this coming year.
O God, who has made us creatures of time, so that every tomorrow is unknown country, and
every decision a venture in faith: Grant us, frail children of the day, who are yet blind to the
future, to move toward it in the sure confidence of your love, from which neither life nor death
can ever separate us. Amen.
Reinhold Niebuhr
Lyn Klay, Senior Warden

An opportunity for Lenten Meditation

On Fridays during Lent we will be offering a brief service of Stations of the Cross. These services will take place in the Chapel of
our Merciful Savior where we will use Kathrin Burlesons original
watercolor paintings as a focus for our meditations. The service will
begin at 11:45 a.m. and should last about 20 minutes, allowing time
for you to move to the Nave to hear the seasonal music program beginning at 12:15 p.m., should you wish. (See article from Merry Phillips our Music Director).
A brief history of Stations of the Cross: In the 313 Edict of Milan, Constantine I, Emperor
of Rome, announced toleration of Christianity. It was shortly after this that Christian pilgrimages to Jerusalem began. Near the end of the fourth century, a Spanish nun named Egeria
chronicled her experiences as she walked the Via Dolorosa, the route between Pilates judgment seat Gabbatha and Mount Calvary or Golgotha: Until the present time this walk has
continued to be part of a Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem. In parish churches the walk has
been translated into a series of devotions known as Stations of the Cross, or The Way of the
Cross.
During this simple service you are invited to walk the stations following the leader, stand in
place, or be seated for the entire service. We hope that you will be able to join us in this ancient observance, Fridays in Lent beginning February 19, 11:45 a.m. in the chapel.

Mother Lesley

Learn more about Kathrin Burlesons paintings in her book, The Souls Journey - An Artists
Approach to the Stations of the Cross, 2014, Forward Movement, Cincinnati, Ohio.

What if this year we dont ask what am I giving up for

Lent? What if, instead, we ask How can I be open to how
God wants to love in and through me this Lent? What if we
decide not to dread Lent as deprivation and gloom, but welcome it as a time to clear out whatever might keep us from
loving God and each other? As Ive been thinking about Lent
this year, what keeps coming to me is the idea of Lent as
Spring Cleaning. After all, the word Lent comes from the Old
English word that meant Spring.
Some people and traditions still think of Lent as a time of
penance, of brooding on our sins, our sinfulness, our need
for a Savior. Fine. Lets start there. We do sin. We are sinners.
In the words of St. Paul, we miss the mark as does an archer who misses the target. There
are things we permit to come between us and God and between us and loving our neighbor as
ourselves. These are facts with which we all struggle, if were honest with ourselves, and we
all need Gods help. So Lent is a great time to focus on clearing away blockades in order to
allow closed places in us to open to the fierce and implacable and deeply compassionate love
of God.
How might we do that? There are as many answers as there are people, in regard to our private needs for spiritual growth and openness. For example, in response to my own blocked
places Im taking on what is called the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge. As a Sister vowed to
poverty to simplicity of life I am shamefully possessed by too many things. I even have
reluctantly to admit that this includes too many books. The challenge is to prayerfully, deliberately, daily during Lent seek Gods gentle guidance in rehoming, recycling and even just plain
discarding a bagful, a boxful, an item per day. Its a helpful opening to conversation with God
about where I also have shelves and drawers and bags hidden away with emotional and spiritual detritus resentments, old hurts, refusal to forgive, areas where Id just as soon God not
know my thoughts. As part of this process, I plan to take on the Carbonfast that Green Anglicans has proposed. Heres a link: https://carbonfast2014.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/carbonfast-2016.pdf Its not just about having too much stuff, but about how my daily choices impact other people and this wonderful, battered planet on which we live. Finally, (you just knew
there had to be a book in this somewhere, didnt you?) Im joining Anglicans around the world
in a slow, reflective reading of I Am With You, the Archbishop of Canterburys Lent book for
2016 by Kathryn Greene-McCreight. It is strongly recommended by Bishop Beisner, whose
book recommendations have always enriched me.

But Lent is not just about individuals. Its about how we are the Body of Christ together and
how we are growing in understanding and living our faith. This year our Tuesday night soup
and bread suppers will include a study of some of the final events of Jesus life. Church Publishing, Inc. has released a DVD and study guide called What Wondrous Love: Holy Week in
Word and Art. Together we will explore the raising of Lazarus, Jesus Palm Sunday entry into
Jerusalem, Jesus washing the disciples feet, the Last Supper, Jesus betrayal and arrest, his crucifixion and burial. We will enter into the question of how these ancient historical events can
teach and guide us in our lives together today. Perhaps the most valuable sacrifice and offering
of love we can give to God this Lent is our time; time for listening, for prayer, for letting God
work with us. To enhance that offering, this Lent on Fridays are opportunities to walk the Stations of the Cross in the Chapel, starting at 11:45 a.m., followed by a quiet, reflective half-hour
of organ music for Lent in the Nave. Mother Lesley and Merry Phillips have written about
these opportunities elsewhere in this issue.
[Note: the following was inadvertently dropped from the annual report by your not-so-vigilant
office staff]
It has been a non-stop, roller coaster of a year, beginning with the grief and love of Sister
Alices funeral on January 3, rushing with great speed to my ordination to the priesthood at the
Convent of the Transfiguration on May 7 and hurrying on through the rest of the months of
2015 so quickly that its hard to absorb and recall all the challenging grace, let alone report on
it.
My gratitude to so many wonderful friends at Christ Church cannot be overstated. I have
felt your love and support and been privileged to join the ranks of the priests who are able to
serve here alongside you. My ministry here is limited, as most of my responsibilities are to the
Community of the Transfiguration. However, I have been grateful for the joy of preaching and
presiding on a regular basis, thanks to the generosity of Mother Susan, for being able to walk
alongside those preparing for Confirmation and Reaffirmation, and for the trust given to me by
people who have asked for help in prayer and connecting faith to daily life.
I am frequently asked what is going to happen next, what is going to be my future as Sister
and priest. The answer must remain that I do not know. It is likely that, in the next several
months, the Community of the Transfiguration will engage in a time of discernment with the
help of Bishop Nedi Rivera, whose gift for leading discernment processes was part of the Communitys decision-making about my ordination. So I continue to learn to live in not knowing,
trying to trust God in the day to day without expecting God to lay out every step of the future
for my humble approval. It does help to have my new companion, Motka the amazing kitten, to
share my life and add to the hospitality ministry at Transfiguration House. His name means
Gift of God and he is just one of the many gifts God has given me in my time in Eureka.
Sister Diana
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The Socks Project

"for I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was naked and you gave me
clothing."
Matthew 25:35-36a

What do you do when cold, rainy weather leaves you with wet shoes, wet
socks, and cold feet? Those of us who are fortunate go home and change into
some dry socks and shoes or slippers, and turn up the heat.
Our brothers and sisters who live on the street do not have that
luxury. They may not even own a second pair of socks.

During Lent, as an annual program sponsored by the School for

Deacons, donations of new socks will be collected in Lewis Hall .
The socks for children will go to foster children, and socks for men and women
will be delivered to Betty Chinn for distribution to the homeless and needy that
she serves.

The collection for socks will run from Ash Wednesday, February 10, until
Palm Sunday, March 20, when Mother Susan will bless them.
Please join in this effort to share Christ's love.

Jannetje Vrieze

February 10

Karl and Suzanne Kellawan February 10

Barbara Walser

February 11

Catherine and Barrett Mace

February 15

Royal McCarthy

February 15

Dan Vega

February 21

Sanford Pyron

February 27

Rohn Selfridge

February 27

A New Book
Parishioner Jeff Sellars, who manages our webpages, Facebook, Twitter, and any other internet presences the church has, has a new book out from Cascade Publishers. The publishers
description:
The Beach Boys are one of rock's most enduring and enigmatic groups, and while the band has
been the subject of numerous biographies and
other in-depth studies, there has been no focused
evaluation of the religious and spiritual themes in
their work. Spiritual and theological themes are
present in much of their work, and when this realization is coupled with Brian Wilson's mission "to
spread the gospel of love through records," and
his sense of music as spiritual--of thinking "pop
music is going to be spiritual . . . that's the direction I want to go"--this is a striking way to explore the band's music. In God Only Knows, the
contributors attempt to come to grips with just a
small amount of this band's massive output--by
circling around its theological virtues. Each section of the book is a loose investigation of the
guiding topics of faith, hope, and love. Each essay
is a free exploration of theological and spiritual
themes from the contributor's own perspectives.
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Diocesan Historiographer
Im enclosing some information on the National Episcopal Historians & Archivists for several
reasons:

1) Before becoming the Historiographer, I wasnt really familiar with this organization,
which is dedicated to encouraging every diocese, congregation, and organization in the Episcopal Church to collect, preserve, and organize its records and to share its history.
2) Id like to encourage you to review your current efforts and means of preserving and
sharing your congregation's history, or even to begin the process of doing that in your congregation if you havent already done so. The information enclosed here includes two helpful
and inexpensive booklets: Writing A Congregational History and Archives for Congregations.
3) Those who are really into this process might even want to consider becoming
members of NEHA.
If I can be of any help to you, e.g., in preparing for parish anniversaries, etc., or if you
have historical questions relating to your parish or to the Diocese of Northern CA, or wish to
share historical items, photos, etc. with the Diocese, please dont hesitate to contact me:
Peace,
Harry Allagree+
Diocesan Historiographer
coggy37@comcast.net or (707) 367-1115.

What Wondrous Love

Holy Week in Word and Art (DVD)
Holy Week and Easter come alive in these challenging video commentaries by academic luminaries, coupled with masterpiece illustrations by John August
Swanson.
This 41-minute DVD presents key scripture passages and events in the biblical story of Holy Weekthe
last days of Jesus ministry, his death and his resurrection. Each biblical text is illustrated and interpreted by
the beautiful artwork of John August Swanson and also
receives scholarly commentary from members of the
faculty at Candler School of Theology at Emory University. The folk hymn What Wondrous Love is
This? which serves as the accompanying musical
theme, is sung by award winning Celtic vocalist Connie Dover.

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The DVD is divided into six sections, or chapters, each approximately 7 minutes long.
Every chapter features the reading of a passage of scripture, commentary by the scholars, and a
Swanson work of art based on that passage. The six chapters are followed by a brief Coda,
which both concludes the story of Jesus passion by portraying the burial of Jesus and opens
the story to what follows by pointing to the hope of Easter.
This DVD program will be the basis for discussions at our weekly Lenten suppers, beginning
on Tuesday, February 16 at 5:30 p.m.

When Scientists Reflect on their Walk with Jesus

When members of the Society of Ordained Scientists gathered at CDSP earlier this month, it
was to share how they traverse the worlds of faith and science, how those journeys shape their
ministries, and how their ministries can influence their communities.
Everyone in the Society, in some way, has had two careers, has held authority in science
and the church, said the Rev. Lucas Mix, PhD, who is warden for the Societys North American Province. Mix, an adjunct faculty member at CDSP, received his MDiv from the seminary
in 2007 and his PhD in organismic and evolutionary biology from Harvard in 2004. This year
he is a research fellow at the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey, where he
is investigating astrobiology and society.
All of us have this language that we have learned from being church geeks and science
geeks, Mix said, and there is something wonderful about being with people who speak your
language. Being able to talk to each other allows us to put things in new ways.
In addition to Mix, attendees included CDSP President and Dean
Mark Richardson and the Rev. Dr.
Marilyn M. Cornwell (MDiv 06),
rector of Church of the Ascension,
Seattle. Both were presenters, as
was the Rev. Dr. Ted Peters, research professor emeritus in systematic theology and ethics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the Center for Theology
and the Natural Sciences at Graduate Theological Union. Both Cornwell and Peters (from whom Mix
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took a seminary course in religion and science) were accepted as new members during the retreat.
Also attending was the Rev. Deacon Josephine Phina Borgeson (MDiv 74), the Rev.
Robyn Arnold (MDiv 08), the Rev. Barbara Smith-Moran (DMin 09), and the Rev. Dr. Robert Russell, director of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences and professor of theology and Science at Graduate Theological Union.

Bowl for Kids Sake

Bowl for Kids' Sake for 2016 is coming up the first weekend in March! It is the major fundraiser for North Coast Big Brothers Big Sisters whose program supports at-risk kids in Humboldt County. All funds remain local. Christ Church has supported this effort for many
years. Last year we raised $1200. which was our most ever!
Heidi Erickson is our team captain this year, and we want to remind parishioners that we need
team members whether to bowl or just fundraise. We will be seeking donations during February coffee hours. The "Monster Bowl" for Kids' Sake will be held March 4th and 5th at Harbor
Lanes! We usually have a 1 hour bowling slot on Saturday afternoon. Members must raise
a minimum of $50. to bowl (with incentives to raise more). A team consists of 6 or more bowlers...no expertise necessary.
Thank you in advance
for participating in this
outreach to children in
our community.
Anne Van Zandt, past
team captain

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Cameron Carpenter, Organist, at HSU Center Arts

On Thursday, February 11, at 8:00 p.m., the concert at Center Arts
will be a live organist! And not just any organist from the Center
Arts website:
Cameron Carpenter is single-handedly smashing stereotypes
of organ musicall the while generating international acclaim
and raucous audience response. Playing the mighty console of
his own custom-built international touring organ which is
trucked to each of his recitals, Carpenter performs an eclectic
repertoire ranging from Bach to his original compositions and
hundreds of transcriptions and arrangements. No other musician of Carpenters generation has more adeptly fused shrewd showmanship, dazzling technique, and profound
thinking about his instrument (San Francisco Chronicle).
More Info.: https://www2.humboldt.edu/centerarts/events/centerarts/cameroncarpenter
If you go, expect to see some of your local organists there!

The choir at their 2016 Epiphany Dinner

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Easter Choir
Would you like to join the choir for Easter? We would love to have additional voices for a
special Easter Choir. Whats involved? Attendance at three Wednesday evening choir rehearsals (5:30-7:00) beginning March 2, plus one additional rehearsal (TBD). The Easter
Choir will sing at the Great Vigil of Easter (March 26) and on Easter Sunday (March 27). If
you are interested, please contact Merry Phillips (merry@merryphillips.com (note, this is a
new email address), or 445-0940.

Music During the Season of Lent

Wednesday, February 10, marks the beginning of the Lenten season, as we gather in humility to be marked by the sign of the cross, with ashes placed on our foreheads. Ash Wednesday
can be a somber day of reflection on what needs to change in our lives if we are to be fully
Christian. Beginning with the first Sunday in Lent (February 14), there will be some subtle
changes in our corporate worship services, perhaps more noticeable at the 10:30 a.m. service
with the changes in music.
Our service on Lent 1 begins with the Great Litany, a penitential marker to the beginning
of Lent. The cross in procession will be veiled until Easter and we will have said goodbye
to our Alleluias until Easter. And as we have done the past two years, our worship will conclude with a brief instrumental voluntary as the altar party processes out. These extra few
minutes of silent meditation may be used to think about Jesus during his forty days and forty
nights as we prepare to go back into the world to do Gods work.
Our service music during Lent will be based on Plainsong. Plainsong, or plainchant, is a
body of chants used in the liturgies of the Western Church. It is monophonic, that is, it consists of a single melodic line. Its rhythm is freer than our hymns (which for the most part are
in strict meter) and typically, it is unaccompanied. Please join the choir (between 10:00-10:15
a.m.) on February 14 and 21 as we learn and practice chanting together the Psalm for the day.
The settings for the Psalms are based on adaptions of the eight original psalm tones. The
intent of the setting is to provide a melodic formula subservient to the text and simple
enough for any congregation to sing (The Episcopal Musicians Handbook). The choir (or
cantor) will alternate with the congregation, singing the psalm.
The Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei are all based on Plainsong as well; settings adapted by
Mason Martens (1933-1991). They are simple, melodic, and sung in unison. Chanting these
simple settings together one body may heighten our sense of community as we worship together.
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Lenten Music Series

Special music will be offered on the Fridays during Lent, from 12:15-12:45 p.m., in the
Nave, beginning on February 19. Each week, a local organist will play a thirty minute program. These musical offerings are free and open to the community. Programs will feature organ music and other instrumental music selected by the performer. Musicians include Helen
Hui, Gary Klemp, Doug Moorehead, Merry Phillips, and Nancy Streufert. A listing of the programs will be available on the church web site.
The series is offered as an opportunity for personal reflection, meditation, and celebration
of this holy season. A printed program of the music being played for the day will provided and
those who attend will be invited to arrive and leave quietly. Come hear beautiful music for the
organ and other instruments, shared in the spirit of the Lenten season.

The remains of the King cake from the choir Epiphany Dinner

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The Rt. Rev. Barry L. Beisner

Bishop, Diocese of Northern California
Staff
The Rev. Dr. Susan J. Armstrong
Priest in Charge
The Rev. Lesley McCloghrie
Resident Associate Priest
The Rev. Nancy Streufert
Associate Priest
The Rev. Sister Diana Doncaster
Associate Priest
Merry Phillips
Organist and Music Director
Dr. Douglas Moorehead, Organist Emeritus
John Hammond, Sexton
Barry Ross, Administrative Assistant
Vestry
Lyn Klay, Senior Warden
Beth Powell, Junior Warden
Bob Rex, Julie Cairns, Irene Hannaford, Lin Chase,
Helen Taylor, Elizabeth Harper-Lawson, Belinda Zander,
Rex White, Heidi Erickson, Gail Freeman
Bob Hines, Treasurer, Peg Gardner, Clerk
625 15th Street
P.O. Box 861
Eureka, California 95502
Phone (707) 442-1797
Fax (707) 442-5647

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