Weekly News & Updates
But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. 2 Peter 3:13-14

Navigating in Stormy Days

Some don’t believe the Second Epistle of Peter belongs in the Bible at all. It is possibly the last text to be written among all the books of the New Testament, Christians were still arguing about whether it should be included as Holy Scripture as late as 360 A.D. While it appears to begin in the form of a Letter from St. Peter to all believers, it quickly moves the form of a Jewish Testament, a witness recorded after the death of a great leader recounted in the voice of the deceased.

All disputes aside, 2nd Peter is now one of the Catholic Epistles, so called because they are addressed to the whole church. We hear from it this Sunday (one of only two times we read from 2nd Peter on a Sunday). It’s here because the passage reminds us that the Advent we await is not simply the Birth of Jesus our Messiah. We are awaiting a new heaven and a new earth. One commentator observes, “Christian expectation looks beyond the crisis of the Last Day (judgement) for the final fulfillment of the divine promises”. The text envisions a day when we will be “found by him at peace”, not simply the absence of struggle, but in the objective state of friendship with God.

Our Tuesday night zoom study group is thinking together about hope. Hope is that dot on the horizon that we use to navigate the storms of life. Our hope today is for a time when the strictures of pandemic and the struggles of war have been removed from the earth. The Epistle for Sunday tells us to regard God’s patience with our current situation as salvation: a time of healing and renewal.

I hope that you are building a little of the new creation in your home. Extra lights, greenery, and the decorations of the season are meant to be navigational reminders. Even in the storm, God is our fixed hope on the horizon. Keep Advent, friends, Christmas is coming.

Peace,
Mark +

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
No In-Person Worship this Sunday

Find us on YouTube or ccpki.org
Updates about future gatherings will be published soon

On Sunday, December 6 at 3 p.m., we will host the Virtual Christmas Caroling through YouTube. The event can be accessed by clicking on this link: https://youtu.be/njJZcR3mRj8.

Our resource for the music and text for the carols is found here. This digital PDF book contains lots of Christmas carols and music. It is well organized with a clickable table of contents and page numbers.  

Gary Van Essen, Minister of Music, and his wife Emily will be at the piano at church hosting the live stream. You may request your favorite carols using the chat feature in YouTube. To do this, you will need to log in to YouTube either with a Google/Gmail account or by creating a free YouTube account. An account is not necessary if you only want to watch and do not want to use the chat feature.
Christian Formation

Today, people get news in many different ways. Think for a moment about how your family gets the news. No matter how you get the news it is important to know what is going on in the world around us. Winnie demonstrates how she gives news to all around her on “Wednesday’s with Winnie.” Tune in to “Lessons with Lisa” to learn how God chose to bring the good news to His people. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. How can we be God’s messengers and share the good news with others?

This Advent season is very different from the past due to Covid-19. Making room for rituals that connect us to others is soothing and sacred. Please join us on Zoom for the lighting of the Advent wreath on Sunday at 5:00. Zoom meeting information will be emailed to all on the Christian Formation email list by Sunday afternoon.

Peace,
Miss Lisa and Winnie
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Passcode: 587103

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Meeting ID: 892 8303 0357
Passcode: 587103

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 Follow Winnie on "Wednesdays with Winnie"

Join Winnie and Miss Lisa for Lessons with Lisa
Adopt-a-Bear gifts are now due. Please remember to place UNWRAPPED gifts in a plastic bag and tape the tag to the outside of the bag with the details facing up. You can return the bag to Christ Church OR Chester’s RE/MAX BAAR Executive, OR a Bear tree location as found on the Adopt-A-Bear Queen Anne’s Facebook page BEFORE Tuesday, December 8th. 
 
Questions? Email adopt-a-bear@outlook.com 
or call/text 443-506-6099.
Please pray for: Lorraine Aaron, Angela & Trent, Peggy Brengle, Lynda Brody, Buck Buckingham, Camp Wright, Chris, Connie Clark, Scott & Lynn Clark, Jane Coppage, Wendy Costello, Corie Davis, Bryan Dalheim (RIP), Bob & Laura Dean, Deny, Paul Dorr, Jim Ewing, Susan Fralic, Jim Gallagher, Dave Grapes, David Grimes, Rick H (RIP) & Family, Anne Habberton, Rita Hadlock, Melanie Hallowell (RIP), Liza Hamill, Ronald Hartman, Carol Holland, Jim Hoverman, Clint Hoxter, Charles Jewell, Anne Jones, Josette, Rowan & Lyla, Ray Kemp, Albie Kimbel, Jeff Kolbeins, Mike Kratzer & Family, Olivia Marguerite, Sharon McCain, Toinette McDowell, Doug McMillan & Family, Bob Meile, Greg Middleton (RIP), Faith Miller, Bill Moore, Renee O’Rourke, Camilla Parrott, Al Peppel, John Perkins, Gail Renborg, Rick & Christina, John Riley, Jeff Rouse, Adele & David Sadiq, Judy Schubrook, Kirsten Shelek (RIP), Donna & Rob Sherwood, Anna Sisson, Ian Vansant & Family, Monty Wells (RIP), Kathy & Roger Whitehead, Larry Wilkens, Candace Williams, Bob Willis, Lee Wilson (RIP), Jack Wright
This Sunday's Worship Service

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The Sounds of Christmas
Gary Van Essen (music@ccpki.org)

For many people the music of Christmas is their favorite part of the season. At Christ Church, we celebrate the Feast of Christmas with some of the most festive music of the year. The choir begins preparing months in advance.  Although things are a little different this year, because of the pandemic, we will still celebrate the birth of Jesus with wonderful music. More details will be coming out soon about how to access these opportunities, but please mark your calendars now for the following special musical events!

Sunday, December 6th at 3 p.m.: Virtual Christmas Carol Sing. Request your favorite carols in real-time! Gary & Emily Van Essen will lead the singing. We'll be separate, but we will join our voices together.

Saturday, December 12th at 7 p.m.: Westminster Ringers Virtual Concert. Our annual tradition will go on! The Ringers will present a virtual concert this year to get the church and community in the Christmas spirit.

Thursday, December 24th: We will have three different Christmas Eve worship opportunities. Each with different music. Our online service will feature the choir, traditional carols, and special organ music by Dave Hasek. Our 4 p.m. outdoor service will include familiar carols in a family-friendly environment. Our 8 p.m. service will feature a soloist, familiar carols, and festive organ music for the season.

I am looking forward to sharing new ways to worship and sing with you this Christmas season!
Join Us for Living Well Through Advent 2020

The Parish Devotional Book for Advent is from Living Compass. This year they are focusing on “Practicing Hope”. The Books are available at church or online. Go to Living Compass https://www.livingcompass.org and click on the link for a .pdf to download.
 
Pause Ponder and Pray will also use the booklet for our Tuesday Night Zoom Meetings (Zoom Meeting ID: 822 6393 0246) at 7:00 pm. Send us an email if you would like a weekly reminder.

  • December 8 Being a Messenger of Hope
  • December 15 The Power of Hope
  • December 22 Grounding our Hope in God 

Save the Dates:
 
December 6th at 3:00 pm--Online Christmas Caroling
December 12th at  7:00 pm--Westminster Ringers Virtual Concert
December 20th at 7:30 pm--Online Service for the Longest Night
December 24th at 4:00 pm--Outdoor Family Christmas Eve Service
December 24th at 8:00 pm--Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist & Hymns
December 25th at 10:00 am--Christmas Day Holy Eucharist
 
Sunday Nights in Advent
Family Zoom Advent Wreath Lighting Service at 5:00 pm
12/6 – 12/13 – 12/20
Ways to Support Christ Church

  • Electronic Giving: Click Here
  • Text to Give by texting CCPKI to 73256
  • Bank: Have your bank send a check or make an ACH transfer
  • By Check: CCPKI 830 Romancoke Rd. Stevensville MD 21666
NEW VESTRY MEMBERS WANTED

Vestry members at CCPKI serve for three-year terms and are elected at the annual meeting held each year at the end of January. This coming January we will elect three new members to replace Colleen Minahan, Jeff Pike, and Dottie Wilson who will have completed their three-year terms. 

Anyone who is 16 years of age or older, and has been active in Christ Church Parish for a period of six months or longer, is eligible to serve as a member of the Vestry. 

If you would like to suggest someone to be on the Vestry, please contact one of the three outgoing members (Colleen, Jeff or Dottie) or email vestry@ccpki.org.  
From the Desk of Lisa Pinkham

Quarantine has impacted family life significantly.
I have joined a Team called: Mom's Freedom Project
Our Goals are to offer support, tools and validate that you are not alone 

https://momsfreedomproject.com/lisa-pinkham

This powerful FREE online project that will equip you with WISDOM, HOPE, and COMMUNITY! Here’s SOME of what you’ll learn: -How to restore relationship after conflict with your kids -Strategies to stay in relationship even in hard emotions -Awesome skills to develop mental resilience - Easy to implement healthy eating -Methods and strategies to make homeschool easy -Creative strategies to help kids learn & focus -Hear what veteran homeschool moms wished they knew -Brain science ways to build joy and increase family bonding And SO much more!! You will gain CLARITY, CONFIDENCE and COMMUNITY!

Click the Link above to join in the conversation.

Christ Church Parish Kent Island| 410-643-5921 | office@ccpki.org | ccpki.org