Welcome to Christ Church

Christ Episcopal Church's Friday Fellowship

September 18, 2020

~ An Update from the Rector ~

"Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am." Isaiah 58:8-9 (NRSV)

I love this promise from God to God's people, not because they deserved it, but because God was being God, letting them know he was able and ready and willing to accomplish whatever God saw was best. God reminds God's people of how very much he loves them.

This Sunday your Vestry holds a historic special meeting in which it will receive a plan for the next step in our long journey through COVID-19 from the Worship Committee. It's the plan for how CEC hopes to be able to return indoors for worship.

Once the Vestry approves the plan it then will move forward to a Bishop's committee which will review and confirm CEC's plan meets the Bishop's guidelines for indoor worship during a time of pandemic.

Special thanks to Roberta Arcand, Vestry Liaison to the Worship Committee, to Susan Dees Jr. Warden, to Jean Cave, Linda Dudley, Ann Holsinger, Ginny Browne, and Deacon Marty Dooley for all their hard work as a team, over the past 6 weeks as this plan came into being.

Once we hear back from the Vestry and then afterwards from the Bishop's office we will be back in touch with you to share the final plans.

For now we will continue to enjoy drive-in worship at church utilizing the power and blessings of JD Cave's FM radio transmitter each Sunday morning at 10:30 AM. For those not able to be with us in person the outdoor service is recorded and posted on CEC's Facebook page and on YouTube.

Thanks to everyone who joins in each Sunday morning in worship that is truly a labor of love, first to God and also as an outpouring of unity of 'the little church that would NOT let COVID-19 stop us'.

I thank God for you and for our life together at Christ Church Luray.

Cathy+

~Readings for this Sunday~
Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45
Exodus 16:2-15
Matthew 20:1-6

~ Prayer Lists ~

Parish Prayer List Darold Johnson, Ed Gilbert, Steve Kaufmann, Fritz Browne, Ann Holsinger, Ginny Browne, Hugh and Joey Browne, Pat Lathrop, Katie McAleer, Bill Menefee, Betsy Dilliard, Tom, Diane, Jessica, Matt, Tiffany, Greyson, and Michael Hirsch, Karen and Lowell Baughan, Deacon Marty Dooley and her family, and for Nina and Jack Cullers and their family, Joseph Ripley and his neighbors at Hawksbill Assisted Living; and Dotsy Barber, Ross and Jeanne Montgomery and their neighbors at Hidden Springs Senior Living, David and Kathy Slye and daughters Jamie and Kelly.

Parish Birthdays and Anniversaries Happy Birthday wishes this week to Mike Noblette, Becky Higginbotham, Bob Higginbotham, and Diane Davis, and Happy Anniversary to Joanna and Sean Ryan!

Friends & Family Prayer ListDixon Freeland Jr., Fritz and Jean Trumbore, Victoria Hill, Talley Brown (Jeanne Cave’s brother), Sherry and Mike Meredith, Nelly Texler(Nina Culler’s sister), Joyce M. Ripley, Terry Couse, Mickey Couse, Patsy Painter, Judy Riley, Caroline Melia (Ann and Ginny’s cousin), Vicki Gochenour, Patty Whitmer, Georgia and John Wilmer (Carrie Comer’s parents), Debbie Jenkins, Carole Kemp and family, Sherry Smith, Phyllis Alger, Mary Ann Vaughan, Edna Young, the daughters and grandchildren of Debbie Forrest, Hazel Mills, Margaret Stephenson, Kate Eagle, Susan and Jim Melia (Ann and Ginny’s cousins), Marta Kemmerer (Ann and Ginny’s cousins), Crystal and Rob Volten, Bill and Carol Harrell, Lisa Stiner, Tom Ewing (Becky Higginbotham’s cousins), Charles and Carolyn Roesch (Becky Higginbotham’s mom and dad), Lee Roesch (Becky Higginbotham's uncle); Shawane Atkins, Brayden Rodriguez; Micheal, Jessica, Matt and Tiffany and Baby Greyson Hirsch (Tom and Diane’s children and grandson) and Nate Stambaugh (Diane’s nephew by marriage), Sue and Nick Bush (Diane's sister and nephew), Lucy and Mark Woolard, Doug Cook, Jennifer Gibbs and her mom Alison; and for Shirley Whitley, Sherry Smith (Roberta Arcand’s neighbor), Marilyn Jeffries and family, Alex Zuber, Liz and Jamie DeHaven (Ann Holsinger and Ginny Brown's cousins diagnosed with COVID),Virginia Martin (Linda Dudley’s mother), and Connie Campbell, and Nichole Flood (a dear friend of Pat Lathrop’s diagnosed with breast cancer in the midst of her pregnancy).

All who serve in the Armed Forces at home and abroad Chris Burns, Kara Cave, David Grisdale, Kyle Stewart, Danny Hallman, Bobby Cole, Buck Holsinger, Adam Greenwell, Andrew Fichtler, Steven Higgs, Cooper Martin, Gabe Caton, and Joey Browne.

PV2 Joey Browne

Diocesan and Anglican Cycle of Prayer for the unity and mission of the Anglican Communion; for persecuted and suffering Churches, especially in Iraq, Egypt, Sudan, Myanmar and Palestine; for Lutheran, Anglican, Moravian, Roman Catholic & United Methodist dioceses synods & conferences in Virginia and their bishops.

~ Announcements ~

Zoom Coffee Hour Takes a Break this Sundaywhile Karen and Lowell are driving home from Michigan. Lowell invites everyone to join him for online fellowship the following Sunday, September 27^th at 11:30 am.

Updates from Outreach:

The Page One Shoe Drive ends October 31. New or gently worn adult and children's shoes may be dropped off at any Page One location.

Main Office

Hours: Mon, Tue & Thurs. 8:30 am-11:30 am

35 North Bank Street | Luray, VA 22835

540.743.4863

Page One Thrift Boutique

1 Cave Street | Luray, VA 22835

540.743.4357

Hours: Mon - Fri 8 am-4 pm

Saturday 8 am-2 pm

Page One Treasures Thrift Store

42 West Main Street | Luray, VA 22835

540.743.4357

Hours: Tue - Fri -8 am-4 pm

Saturday 8 am-2 pm

Christ Church is partnering with our neighbor, Luray Middle School, to help keep the Beetle's Blessing Box stocked.

What is Beetle’s Blessing Box?

Teachers at Luray Middle noticed that many students lacked the basic necessities for personal hygiene and that many were hungry. The backpack ministries are for elementary school only so there was no support for middle schoolers. These caring teachers started a blessing box which was kept stocked with nonperishable food and hygiene products. Not long after starting the blessing box a beloved custodian of many, many years, Beetle Bailey, passed away. The suggestion was made to add his name to the blessing box because he was one who did SO much to help others when he knew they were in need. The box is located outside the school, is stocked daily and is open to anyone in the community in need.

We will be collecting items for the blessing box at the parking lot services. The needs are as follows: