Christ Episcopal Church Mission Statement: The mission of the church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.

SUNDAY SERVICE INFORMATION 



Our current worship schedule is as follows:

8:00 AM Rite I Holy Eucharist Service

10:30 AM Rite II Holy Eucharist Service.

Live Stream links can be found on our CEC Facebook Page and our CEC YouTube Page.

If you receive an email and/or text message from Fr. Richard or the Christ Episcopal Staff requesting money or gift cards please DO NOT RESPOND, instead, contact Fr. Richard or the staff directly. Thank you.

Come Learn Mah-Jong at CEC! Have you ever watched a group playing Mah-Jong and wondered what all those beautiful tiles mean—or thought it looked like something you’d love to learn? Here’s your chance!

Our own Mai Wines has graciously agreed to teach anyone interested in learning to play Mah-Jong. Whether you are a complete beginner or have played a little and would like to sharpen your skills, you are invited to join us Fridays in October from 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Mah-Jong originated in China in the 19th century and made its way to the United States in the early 1920s, when it quickly became a national craze. Over time, an American version of the game developed, and the National Mah-Jong League was founded in 1937 to standardize play. Today, Mah-Jong continues to be enjoyed around the world and is experiencing renewed popularity in the United States. Part strategy, part luck, and a whole lot of fun, it has always been as much about gathering around the table with others as it is about winning the game.

Come once or come to all four sessions! Each week will give you another opportunity to learn, practice, hone your skills, and—most importantly—enjoy the fellowship of your fellow Mah-Jongers.

Sign-up sheets are available in the Narthex. We hope these October gatherings will be just the beginning and will lead to regularly scheduled Mah-Jong times at CEC where players can gather, practice, and enjoy one another’s company.



So, whether you’re curious about those mysterious tiles or already know your bams, cracks, and dots, come join the fun. There’s a seat at the table for you!

We will have our annual episcopal visitation on Sunday, November 15, at the 10:30 service. We will be visited by the Right Reverend Brian Seague, Assisting Bishop of the Diocese of Texas for the Fort Worth region. Bishops visits is also the time when we have the sacramental rite of Confirmation. If you wish to be confirmed, o if you were confirmed in another church tradition, or if you have been confirmed and would like to reaffirm your baptism before the bishop, Confirmation classes are held Sundays at 9:00 a.m., in the library.

You're Invited to Our Newcomer Lunch!

Join us for our Newcomer Lunch on Sunday, October 18th, following the 10:30 a.m. service.

Whether you're new to Christ Episcopal Church or simply haven't attended a newcomer event before, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the parish, ask questions, meet fellow parishioners, and enjoy a meal together.

Families are welcome. Children may join the meal, and supervised childcare will be available afterward.

While recent newcomers will receive a personal invitation, everyone is welcome, including long-time parishioners who would like to connect with newer members of our church community.

Please sign up in the Narthex beginning October 4th and indicate the number of children attending so we can plan accordingly. We look forward to seeing you!



Newcomer lunches are held quarterly, with the next gathering planned for January 2027.

Join us on Sunday, October 25, from 11:30–3:00 p.m. for CEC’s Fall Festival! This special afternoon will offer fun, fellowship, and opportunities to connect with one another and our neighbors.

Activities will include a cake walk, photo booth, Trunk-or-Treat, hotdogs, face painting, bead-making, pumpkin decorating, fall crafts, Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe, and more. Guests can also visit the Prayer and Encouragement Wall, Get to Know Your Neighbors table, and Community Care table. The Tiny Chapel will be available for quiet prayer.

Volunteers Needed

Please consider helping with one of these opportunities:

• Sponsor an activity, such as the cake walk, photo booth, pumpkin decorating, crafts, or games
• Help staff a station or activity, including face painting, bead-making, crafts, games, food, or the Community Care table
• Provide a vehicle for Trunk-or-Treat
• Serve as a greeter to welcome guests and explain the festival
• Help with hospitality, setup, or cleanup

Our ministries—including Music, Ushers, Lay Readers, Book Club, Discipleship Group, Children’s Ministry, and Senior Shepherds—are encouraged to participate by hosting a table, leading an activity, or connecting with attendees.

Donations Needed

• Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and other baked goods for the cake walk
• Small pumpkins for the decorating station
• Prizes for children’s games
• Optional items for the Community Care table, such as canned goods, diapers, coats, or school supplies

A donation box is located in the narthex, and sign-up sheets are available on the desk. Please sign up, donate, or volunteer—and help us warmly welcome our neighbors to this joyful celebration!

All Saints' Day, a major feast day in the Episcopal Church, is coming up on November 1. A custom is to remember all who have died in the prayers of the people. We will remember those in our congregation who have died within the past year. These names will be read aloud. Furthermore, we will remember in a list those whose names are submitted. If you would like to have someone remembered during the service, please submit the name of that person to Cullen Senger by Wednesday, October 28.

Intercessors will be at the back of the church in the narthex to pray with anyone who would like special prayers during communion on Sundays. Often people will ask for prayers for healing for themselves or others, but any prayer request is welcomed. If you would like to pray with one of our prayer partners, you are encouraged to come forward for communion and then make your way to the narthex for additional prayers. If you have any questions about this ministry or are interested in becoming a prayer partner to pray with others, please contact Cindy Gravis or Fr. Richard.

If you would like to learn about other ways to financially contribute to the life and work of our parish, please contact our Treasurer.

And Mary Said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior..."

Luke 1:46-47 NRSV

WEEKLY REFLECTION

Making Room for Plenty Good Harvest

The harvest is great, but the workers are few. Matthew 9:37 (NLT)

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When I was a teenager, my grandmother loved her garden. She still does. Her garden required the kind of care that kept her hands in the soil and her attention fixed on the rhythms of the season. On warm afternoons she would call me outside to help her prepare the dirt, loosening the earth, pulling weeds, and clearing space for new seeds. I remember standing there sometimes, puzzled and very impatient. To me, the garden already looked fine.

After the winter season, I had grown accustomed to what it always looked like. To me, it was good enough. Why disturb what was already there? Why dig up soil that seemed just fine? The work felt slow and unnecessary, but my grandmother understood something I was still learning.

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A healthy garden needs tending. She moved through those rows and buckets with patience, gently removing what did not belong, the stubborn weeds, the tangled stems, the crowded patches of soil that had no room left to breathe. She knew that if new life was going to grow, something first had to be cleared away. The garden would overflow with life, all because we made room.

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Season after season, I was, and still am, amazed. Looking back now, I realize something I did not understand then: if the garden had stayed the way I wanted it, untouched, crowded, unpruned, we would never have seen that abundance at all. The garden required room, and a willingness to yield.

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Sometimes that work feels uncomfortable. Sometimes it feels unnecessary. Sometimes we cannot yet see what God is preparing to grow. But the invitation remains the same: make room for new life, make room for deeper faith, make room for the Spirit to move in ways we may not yet understand. And when the seasons of harvest come, we may discover what my grandmother knew all along: when space is made in the garden, there is always plenty good room for the harvest.

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Shannon Whittaker is a member of St. David’s Episcopal Church in Cambria Heights, New York.

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Questions for Reflection:

• What might God be inviting you to release or clear away in your life so that something new can grow?

CEC VESTRY MEETINGS

The Vestry usually meets on the third Monday of each month, at 6:30 p.m. Any congregant can attend a Vestry meeting and observe. Only Vestry members have voice and vote. Vestry meetings do become "closed" when discussing personnel issues or staff salaries. Vestry meets via Zoom. If you wish to attend, please notify Fr. Richard, and he will send you the Zoom link.

CEC Finances – Available in the Library

Quarterly financial statements are available on the bulletin board in the library following the vestry meeting.

Discipleship Group - This group meets the first and third Sunday of the month at 6:00 pm in the library. It includes study of the Sunday service gospel readings and is open to anyone wishing to participate. Please contact Bill Sterling at silverbillwes@gmail.com for more information.

Please note - there will be no discipleship group meeting Sunday, October 18

The Senior Shepherds is a Service/Social organization at CEC. Anyone over the age of 50 in the church is welcome. We meet on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 11:45 am in the Library for a delicious Potluck meal and lively conversation. A short program normally follows the meal. We do various interesting and creative service projects for the church children and the local community; host exciting outside speakers; visit unusual local places and have occasional seminars for better living. Contact: Fr. Richard at rector@cectx.org for more information. 

Please note: this month, Senior Shepherds will meet Wednesday, October 14 for the usual potluck and organization of the Thanksgiving dinner for the Sheriffs and the Christmas party.

The Tuesday Book Club The Book Club meets Tuesday mornings from 10:30 to noon. We always welcome new members. We are in the last two chapters of the Meaning of Jesus, Two Visions by Marcus Borg and N. T. Wright. Our next book, Women of the Bible, looks like a much easier read. While the Rock School is in session, we are meeting in the Outreach Room. On October 20, 27, and November 3, Travis County will be conducting elections in the Outreach Room, so the Book Club will meet in the Sanctuary those three days.

Choir Practice is held every Thursday at 2:30 PM in the sanctuary. Anyone who is interested in joining, or getting more information on our choir, is invited to attend a practice. Questions? Contact Dave Gravis.

Please join us for Sunday Worship:

8:00 AM Rite I Holy Eucharist Service

9:00 AM Adult Forum Class (Library)

10:30 AM Rite II Holy Eucharist Service

Please visit our website (cectx.org) for more information.

Mission: The mission of the church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.

Vision: We are a vibrant, Spirit-filled community celebrating God’s love and seeking wholeness in heart, soul, strength, and mind.

Core Values: Wellness of being, Connecting and supporting, Diverse yet belonging, Beauty of all creation.

LEAD Values: Caring, Community, Prayerful, Serving, Inclusivity

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LEAD Purpose Statement: The purpose of Christ Episcopal Church is to be an authentic, liturgical worshiping community that strives to love God and our neighbors through welcoming, caring, and serving.

Ministry to and with Infants/Toddlers and their Families.

We have three spaces available to minister to our youngest members and their families on Sunday mornings.



1. Our church nursery is open from 9:00 am to noon. The nursery is located in the Family Life Center. The nursery serves children through the age of 4 and is open every Sunday morning.
2. A “soft” play space is located in the back of the sanctuary where children will find a small selection of toys and parents will find rocking chairs.
3. A “cry room” is located above the sanctuary and accessed by the stairs in the narthex/lobby of the church. The cry room contains comfortable seats, toys, and a changing table.

Children who are attending the 10:30 service participate in the service with their parents until after the Collect (the Prayer of the Day). After the Collect, the officiant calls all the children to the altar. The Children’s minister will select one of the children to come forward to be the children’s crucifer, who will lead, and the others will follow the cross out of the church to the Family Life Center. Children return at approximately The Peace in time for the Communion Service. Lessons will focus on learning about either the Gospel or Epistle or one of the Prophets or Kings.

Volunteers assist with the crafts, songs, prayers, or playing Bible games. Once a month or quarter, the children will ‘perform’ a song, recite a prayer or Bible verse, or act out a Bible story for the congregation at the end of the announcements.

If you are one of the volunteers for this ministry, you will be asked to help once a month or once every other month on the same Sunday of the month so that it is easier to remember when your commitment is. Swapping is, of course, allowed. Please join us in our fun way of learning about our belief, our faith practices, and Bible stories.

If you can volunteer, please contact Sarah Martinez.

During youth group meetings, Roots teens discuss Christian educational topics. Teens have input into the selection of topics. Teens also participate in Service Projects such as Trunk or Treat and the Easter Egg Hunt in Spring. Teens also vote on Social activities/outings. Events in the past have included visiting a hay maze, meeting at movie theaters, ice skating, touring Main Street Bethlehem, having parties, swimming, hiking, etc. Join us!

Contacts: Ruth Sobieralski and Fr. Richard

Let us know if you're having a birthday or anniversary this month so we can celebrate with you. Be sure to come to church and get your birthday / anniversary blessing!

Birthdays: Warner Cassidy, Pat Davis, Cooper Livingston, Brian McCarthy, Mike Cooper, Sarah Gravis, Ann Fowler-Smith

Anniversaries: Karen and John Willbanks

All third-party events held at the church are listed here. For parents, if at the church campus while the event(s) is taking place, children should be supervised by a trusted individual, as Safeguarded personnel / volunteers will not be present.

Upcoming Third-Party Events:

Elections - Early Voting October 19-30 and Election Day November 3

AA Meeting - Wednesdays at 6:30 PM in the Library, Stone Building

ROCK Enrichment Academy - Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, FLC and Grounds; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00-12:30 PM, Stone Building

Veritas Homeschool Village - Fridays, 8:00 AM - 4:30, PM, FLC and Grounds