Christ Church Chimes

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8am and 10am

Masks are required
at all functions
inside church property.

Worship with us in person or online via Facebook or our website




Please join us for a review of the 2022 Annual Budget.
Vestry members will host a discussion/listening session this coming Sunday at 9am in the Parish House.

This is your opportunity to question, to support, and to hear the 2022 Annual budget. The Vestry will adopt a budget at our Tuesday February 8th Vestry Meeting and present the 2022 budget at the Annual Meeting, February 13th following the 10 am service.

I am writing to encourage you all to make plans to attend the annual meeting in the Parish Hall following our 10 am service on February 13th. This meeting will be an in-person meeting. We don't have the capability to make this a hybrid meeting.
We will still have our regular Sunday services at 8 am and 10 am.  The agenda for the meeting is roughly as follows;
 
    I.    Opening Prayer
 
    II.    Call to Order / Declaration of Quorum
 
   III.    Recognition of First Time Annual Meeting Attendees
 
  IV.    Review / Approval of 2021 Annual Meeting Minutes
 
    V.    2021 Ministry Reports Reviewed and Received
 
  VI.    2021 Annual Treasurer’s Summary Report
 VII.    Review of 2022 Annual Budget, as approved by vestry February 8, 2022
Information will be presented on our significant and not sustainable deficit and what that may mean for 2023.

VIII.    Recognition of Outgoing Vestry Members
 
   IX.    Election of 2022 Officers/ Vestry Members / Convention Delegates

    X.    Other New Business
 
   XI.    Closing Prayer

We realize COVID continues to impact people’s willingness to attend in-person events. In light of that, Current MA law requires all voting be done in person at the annual meeting, so only those in attendance may vote on the slate. Proxy votes, call-ins, drive-byes will not be allowed. Windows will be open and all are required to wear masks.
  
Yours in Christ,
Alan+
Guest Article - From the Pews

Who am I?
Parishioner and Vestry Member Sue Carvalho
 
           Amy Schneider just finished her run-on Jeopardy as the second winning-est person on Jeopardy. She is also a woman and a trans woman. My hope, our hope should be that we see her not as a trans woman but as a woman and perhaps we also see her as a person. We are given a gender at birth but as trans people can attest that may not be the gender for which we are most comfortable. I feel a need to write this as my girlfriend’s son is transgender. He was born female and identifies as male. He did not wake up one day and say “Look at me I am a boy, but has had to spend time with psychiatrists and doctors. It was not easy for my girlfriend to understand. I once asked her how it feels to give birth to a daughter who now identifies as a son? She said it can feel like death, and there is a grieving process you go through. You still love them.
           
You love your children and want the best for them. You want them to be happy and fulfilled. Deciding to transition is not any easy decision. Although I don’t understand all aspects, I feel those that choose to transition are surely courageous, attempting to live their authentic life. I also choose to write this as recently I was in a group of people and someone was talking about his job as a TSA agent and how he had a transgender female who he had to ask questions during the search. As I overheard the conversation, I could tell he was nervous, so I spoke up and thanked him for being kind and courteous. Kind and courteous, because even if we don’t understand we should always be kind and courteous.
           
I also feel transgender is the (hopefully) the last frontier of acceptance. We live in a community with little diversity yet we welcome all with open arms. We have many versions of family in our parish. We have “traditional” families, same sex, single families, widows, divorced, blended and with the potential collaboration of St Luke’s we will have multi ethnic families. You may or may not know someone who is transgender. I would ask you if you do and you have questions, ask, we only get more accepting with knowledge, if you don’t know someone who is transgender today at some point in your life you will.
           
What is the definition of a man? Or of a woman? The genitalia we have does not necessarily define our gender nor does our clothes or mannerism. When you google “What is a man? Or what is a woman? You will be surprised with the answer you get.
           
My life has been filled with things I don’t understand, why are people mean? People who don’t drink wine, people who prefer cats over dogs, and those who have never seen an episode of Yellowstone. My point is, life is filled with those things which we don’t understand and we may never understand. Do you need to understand why I choose the clothes I wear to like me? I hope not. Do you need to understand that not everyone is born into skin they feel comfortable in. No but you do need to try and understand. Our niece has a son who is almost a year old and she allows him the freedom to “draw on the walls” as they will be painted soon. Do I understand? No, but he is one of the happiest children I have ever met. He is lucky to have parents who have a diverse and eclectic group of friends. He has been raised with gender neutral clothes and pronouns and I know when he is older will be allowed to express himself however, he chooses. They have also shown him to be kind and caring and loving. I hope he grows to have my love of shoes (even if he chooses high heels) but for now I will be happy that the next generation already understands there is no he or she, just you and me.
Those we hold in prayer
Al B., Ali, Alice K., Amanda T., Ann J., Annette L. Ashley, B. Joyce D., Barbara M., Barbara P., Beverly S., Bill B., Bill T., Bob B., Bobby C., Brian B., Brian V., Bruce B., Carol A., Carol T., Charles O., Cherie B., Cheryl A., Christopher I., Claudine S., Dale D., Daniel P., David P, Debbie M., Deborah H., Desiree, Dick N., Donna T., Dorothy P., Dylan B., Ed G., Emmett, Gloria I., Hank F., Hannah L., Heather O., Helen H., Hunter., Jack D., James S., Jan G., Jan W., Janice B, Janice T., Jason S., Jeannette W., Jenny, Joan, Jo-Ann M., Jody F., John B., John C., John G., Judy B., Judy F., Julie C., Julie G., Julie S., June R., Kathleen L. Kimberly M, Kristin F., Larry W., Laurie T., Lawrence A., Lea V., Libby H., Lisa E., Manuel R., Mark A., Mark B., Mark W., Marsha G., Mary Alice M., Mary Lou, Michael F., Missie S., Nan S. Nancy B, Nancy H., Otto, Pauline G., Rachel S., Raymond F., Raymond L., Rebecca J., Rhonda F., Richard S., Rob L., Robert H., Robert S., Robin S., Sandra B., Simona X., Simone B., Steve B., Steve C., Sue S., Terry L., Tom K., Tony F.,Vicki W., Waylon D., Will H.
*Please contact the office to add people or update our prayer list. For privacy reasons, we do not use last names

Parish Office Hours

Tuesday, Wednesday
and
Thursday
10am-3pm.


Christ Episcopal Church
57 Main Street
Swansea, MA 02777

Christ ChurchSwansea.org
Parish Office 508-678-0923 
ChristChurchSwansea@yahoo.com


Al Deston, Minister of Music 
 Susan Correira, Office Administrator

The Reverend Alan R. Hesse
Fralan@verizon.net 
508-505-5668 (during business hours)

Parish Calendar

February 6-Sunday
  8am Holy Eucharist and 10am-Holy Eucharist with
  Livestream
February 8-Tuesday 6pm Vestry Meeting
February 10-Thursday 6pm-Women AA (closed meeting)
February 11-Friday
   4pm Meal Ministry at Church of Our Savior
 
February 13 - Sunday
  8am Holy Eucharist and 10am-Holy Eucharist with Livestream 
Annual Meeting to follow 10am Service
February 17- Thursday 6pm-Women AA (closed meeting)
 
February 20 – Sunday
  8am Holy Eucharist and 10am-Holy Eucharist
  with Livestream
February 24-Thursday 6pm-Women AA (closed meeting)
 
February 28-Sunday
  8am Holy Eucharist and 10am-Holy Eucharist
  with Livestream
  March 2nd -Ash Wednesday TBA
  March 3- Thursday 6pm-Women AA (closed meeting)

February 13th Annual Meeting
  
Vestry Nomination forms are in the back of the church.
DEADLINE is THIS SUNDAY, February 6th. You may nominate yourself or another parishioner in good standing.
Christ Church
57 Main Street, Swansea, Ma 02777
Office: 508-678-0923 or Christchurchswansea@yahoo.com,
The Rev. Alan R. Hesse, Rector; 508-505-5668 cell, Fralan@verizon.net,

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