TIMELESS FAITH FOR TODAY
Christ Church is a historic Episcopal Congregation that serves the spiritual needs of today. Our congregation is a place of inclusivity, hospitality, community, and discipleship. We have a place for you!
6329 FREDERICA ROAD • ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GA 31522
912-638-8683 • WWW.CCFSSI.ORG
ST. IGNATIUS CHAPEL
2609 DEMERE RD., ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GA 31522.
STAFF CLERGY
The Very Rev. Tom Purdy Rector
The Rev. Ashton Williston Associate Rector
The Rev. Deacon Becky Dorrell
ASSISTING CLERGY
The Rev. Bill Barton
The Rt. Rev. Charles Bennison
The Rev. Dr. Bob Brown, UMC
The Rev. Becky Rowell
VOLUNTEER LAY ASSOCIATES
Beryl Blatchford
PROGRAM AND SUPPORT STAFF
Glenn Queener
Parish Administrator
Jim Broussard
Organist and Choirmaster
Harrison Branch
Sexton & Cemetery Superintendent
Lily Packard
Communications Associate
Ebonee Moore
Bookkeeper
CONTENTS
PAGE 3
Reimagining Children and Youth Ministry Fr. Tom Purdy
PAGE 5 PAGE 6
Our starting place
More Fun Than Heaven Fr. Tom Purdy Jim and Luke Orser Schwalm
PAGE 8
Echoes of the Saints: A Walk Through Faith and Time
PAGE 9
Stewardship as LegacySecuring Our Foundation for the Future Dr. Angela Scott
PAGE 10
Christ Church Mission & Outreach Deb Luginbuhl
PAGE 12
Deep Calls to Deep Rev. Bill Bartlett
PAGE 15
15 Years of Christ Church's Backpack Buddies Program Lily Packard
PAGE 17
Life at Christ Church
Reimagining Children and Youth Ministry
The Very Rev. Tom Purdy
Someone once asked the Rector why we spend time worrying about children and youth and funding ministry for them at Christ Church. It was evident to that person that ministry with young people wasn’t our “gift,” and young people aren’t our demographic. Some have even suggested that we divert resources away from children, youth, and family ministry in favor of ministry opportunities that align with the majority of our adult membership. While that may be tempting, we never want to focus only on what and who is immediately before us.
and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9
We are called to do what is faithful, not what is easy or convenient. We are called to look to the margins of our parish (and community), identifying the places where there are gaps and weaknesses. As we identify such places, we bring our faith to bear. Ministry to, with, and for children, youth, and young families is an example of this holy work. It’s also a mandate.
“We are called to do what is faithful, not what is easy or convenient.”
When asked what law is the greatest, Jesus quotes the Shema, a daily prayer he likely prayed multiple times per day, taken from the book of Deuteronomy: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Jesus adds to that the corollary, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
For Jesus, there is no law greater than these. Looking at Deuteronomy, we also find that the words that follow that summary of the law inform our discussion here, as well: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children
What would happen if we remembered this command every time we recited the Great Commandment in church? We are commanded to live these tenets and are also explicitly instructed to teach them to our children through word and deed.
Verse twenty in the same chapter also instructed the Israelites to tell the story of God’s saving acts, “When your children ask you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord our God has commanded you.” Our kids may rarely ask us such questions out loud (though getting pre-teens to church might evoke tangential complaints!), but they are pondering them in their hearts as they make sense of what they hear and see from their parents, grandparents, and church members.
In the New Testament, there are several places we find the encouragement and expectation to teach, including in the Great Commission in Matthew’s Gospel: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20). Combined with Jesus’
earlier admonishment to “let the children come to me”, (Matthew 19:14), it is clear that the Great Commission is for application to ALL ages, not just adults. Our tradition also makes it clear that ministry to and with children, youth, and families is essential to our mission and our identity.
“Let the children come to me” (Matthew 19:14)
The Baptismal Covenant in our Book of Common Prayer places our mandate to “continue in the Apostles teaching and fellowship” alongside the Apostle’s Creed with equal importance. We proclaim our role in supporting all those who are baptized into the faith in our congregation. Parents and sponsors of young children pledge that they will “be responsible for seeing that the child [they] present is brought up in the Christian faith and life.” The congregation is then asked whether it will “do all in [its] power to support these persons in their life in Christ?” to which there is almost always what sounds like a heartfelt “We will.” That can’t be an empty promise!
Beyond the scripture and the Church’s expectations, we also recognize the importance of this on a personal level. Few of us would be in the Church today were it not for someone teaching us about God's love when we were children.
It may have been formal and explicit, taught to us in Sunday School, or we may have largely absorbed it from our families. We get a sense of the importance of the family role when Paul writes to his friend Timothy for the second time, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now I am sure, lives in you.” (2 Timothy 1:5).
There is a sense here that faith is somewhat inherited, of course, but it’s also deeper than that. We pass on our faith because it’s what we do by nature. Christ Church’s Vestry has begun a process to re-imagine our ministry with Children, Youth, and Families. Our hope is to reinvigorate this area of parish life with new ideas that take-
into account today’s realities and the needs of this important group. As we work through this process in earnest this fall, We have agreed that there are certain truths and assertions that will guide or work. See the sidebar article that follows this introduction to the topic to see what we are thinking about. If you find yourself inspired to get involved, please reach out to me or a member of the Vestry.
There is a sense here that faith is somewhat inherited, of course, but it’s also deeper than that. We pass on our faith because it’s what we do by nature. Christ Church’s Vestry has begun a process to reimagine our ministry with Children, Youth, and Families. Our hope is to reinvigorate this area of parish life with new ideas that take into account today’s realities and the needs of this important group. As we work through this process in earnest this fall, We have agreed that there are certain truths and assertions that will guide or work. See the sidebar article that follows this introduction to the topic to see what we are thinking about. If you find yourself inspired to get involved, please reach out to me or a member of the Vestry.
Reimagining Children, Youth, and Family Ministry at Christ Church:
Our starting place
WeHaveTreasuretoShare
Christ Church and the Episcopal Church have something valuable to pass along to young people and their families.
ChurchofToday
Children and Youth are not “the church of tomorrow,” they are very much the church of today, here and now, and worthy of special intention.
IttakesaVillage
We all have a role in raising young people in the faith and in supporting their parents. Every member of Christ Church is called to be a part of this important ministry.
VolunteerismandPassionareaChallenge
We acknowledge a historical struggle to identify enough volunteers who are passionate about children and youth. We’re blessed with some, but we need more, and we will have to raise them up!
FamilyLifeLooksDifferentToday
Family life and its demands are not the same today as they were in generations past. We can’t – and mustn’t – use our experience as a template or a measuring stick against which we find today’s parents lacking. We must hear where they are and meet them there.
ParentsAreaUniquePastoralGroup
Parenting today is as hard as it’s ever been and parents’ unique ministry needs are worthy of targeted ministry the way we make special efforts with shut-ins or the sick.
FamiliesStillHaveResponsibilities
Families still have an important role to play by participating in the life of the church when and how they can.
Intergenerational Ministry is Important (and challenging)
Intergenerational ministry does not mean one size fits all, but it is a unique gift that churches can offer and should shape inten-tional ministry.
We Don’t Have to Keep up with Saint Jones Parish
We will not offer programs or ministries simply because other churches do. We will do what our families need from the depth of our gifts and resources.
WeWillHavetoChange
We must be willing to change to respond to today’s opportunities and challenges.
More Fun Than Heaven
Jim and Luke Orser-Schwalm
When we entered Christ Church as visitors two years ago in August, we could never have imagined the wonderful gifts that awaited us: the fellowship, the food, the fun, the laughter, the music and always, the Eucharist. What we thought might be a quiet time for reflection and rest quickly became a vibrant, life-giving chapter in our journey. As we pulled away from the parking lot that very first Sunday morning, Luke exclaimed, “Wow! Just WOW!”
“What we thought might be a quiet time for reflection and rest quickly became a vibrant, life-giving chapter in our journey.”
Before we had even fully settled in, Jim Broussard and several others in the congregation invited us to join the choir. To say that the choir is a family is truly an understatement. We spend just as much time laughing and loving one another as we do singing and preparing to lead worship. Rehearsals are filled with both music, meaning, and conversations that carry over into meals, group texts, prayer chains, and the rhythms of everyday life.
As the old saying goes, we’ve both come to believe that when we sing, we pray twice. When we sing and our voices blend with our beloved choir and church family, we feel the Spirit moving among us, lifting us all just a little closer to Christ. In those sacred moments, we are reminded of a beautiful truth, joy and praise are not just things we wait for in the life to come they are things we live now, together.
“The bonds we’ve formed are deep and abiding, born in song but carried through friendship and shared faith.”
Being part of the music ministry at Christ Church is a joy-filled experience. Music at Christ Church is not just about harmonies and rehearsals, it’s about connection. It’s about prayer. It’s about showing up for one another, not only on Sunday mornings, but through life’s ordinary and extraordinary moments. The bonds we’ve formed are deep and abiding, born in song but carried through friendship and shared faith.
One of the most unexpected joys has been witnessing how music becomes ministry that reaches far beyond the sanctuary walls. Whether through special musical offerings, Lessons and Carols, or spontaneous songs shared in moments of grief or celebration, music becomes an invitation. It meets people where they are, often when words alone would not suffice. We’ve seen tears fall at a beloved hymn, and laughter rise at a surprise harmony. Music speaks, and it speaks deeply.
Please know we have plenty of room for you. We’re saving you a seat at the table, family. Thanks be to God for the music. Thanks be to God for Christ Church, Frederica.
Echoes of the Saints: A Walk Through Faith and Time
For over twelve hundred years, Christians have celebrated the saints on November 1, which we now call All Saints’ Day. It's been a church-wide celebration for over one thousand years, and remains one of the principal feast days in the Episcopal Church, just behind Easter, Christmas, and Pentecost in importance. It is a day to remember all the saints, living and dead, known and unknown, and to celebrate their faith and witness. All Souls' Day is closely related to All Saints’, which Anglicans commemorate on November 2. It's known as "All Faithful Departed," and is a day to remember those we have loved who have gone before us into the great cloud of witnesses.
The Church didn't start with saints in the sense we often think of them. In the church's earliest days, the members were simply known as saints. As time went on, however, those who led particularly holy lives, worthy of emulation, were recognized as a special kind of saint. Sometimes we call these folks "capital S" saints, meaning they have been recognized by scripture or the Church as having a significant role in the story of Jesus or the life of the Church. We have also maintained, and within Anglicanism strengthened, the idea that all believers are saints, including those of us who are still alive.
More than twenty-five years ago, Catholic theologian Elizabeth Johnson helped the Church understand the communion of saints as the body of all the saints through time who are bound together through the Spirit. It is a way of acknowledging that we are never separated from those who have gone before us through the mystery of the Church and the miracle of Christ's resurrection. It is a comforting way of realizing just how closely we walk with those who have been pioneers in the faith and regular Christians alike. Johnson had a fantastic name for All Saints’ as the Church’s feast of "splendid nobodies."
Named saints are not holier than others because of anything they did or because they were better than others. In drawing near to God and reflecting Christ, we all become holy.
Traditions vary on All Saints’ Day. In some cultures, graves are decorated and candles are lit. In other places, it is a time for a feast to celebrate all the saints. Halloween was born out of the festivities on the day before All Saints’ Day, which is also known as All Hallows Day. All Hallows Eve became a time to dress up in costumes like the saints and to have fun that would ward off evil spirits. This year, Christ Church will offer All Hallows Eve festivities again, but we are also bringing back an All Saints’ commemoration we first offered in 2020.
On All Saints’ Sunday, November 2, we will start with a potluck dinner in the parish hall. We hope that people will make dishes that remind them of their loved ones who are no longer walking the earth. Maybe it will be mom ' s meatloaf, or grandma's sponge cake. Whatever it is that will bring that person close to our hearts, and which we can share with others. Then we will repeat the All Saints’ cemetery walk after sunset. We encourage families with loved ones in the cemetery to decorate their graves. If someone doesn't have a loved one buried at Christ Church, small "shrines" could also be placed along the
road through the cemetery. We will light hundreds of candles in the cemetery, and there will be guided walks with music and prayer. It was well-received five years ago, and we ' re pleased to offer it again.
We have many saints to give thanks for, and we can all be inspired to remember that we ourselves are saints. We live, work, and pray alongside one another as faithful followers of Jesus who are passing along the treasure of the faith to those who will come after us. Whether we ' re a saint who gets a special holiday or a "splendid nobody," All Saints’ Day is a day to celebrate each and every saint of God.
Sunday, November 2
5:30 PM – Potluck Dinner
Bring a dish that reminds you of someone you love who has died. Share a meal and a memory with our church family.
6:30 PM – All Saints’ Walk
We’ll gather for a candlelit walk to the cemetery to honor all the saints.
Family Grave Decorating
Families are welcome to decorate the graves of their loved ones as part of the evening’s remembrance.
Stewardship as LegacySecuring Our Foundation for the Future
Dr. Angela Scott
When my family first came to Christ Church, Frederica in 2007, it was the people who drew us in. We spent many Sundays at coffee hour, making new friends as our children attended Sunday school. Over the years, we joined in chili cook-offs and oyster roasts, parish picnics and the Tour of Homes, and found that somewhere along the way we weren’t just visitors, we were part of the church family.
Many of these memories were made in and around our parish hall, a place that has long been a hub for connection, learning, and laughter. When our capital campaign launched in 2020 to renew and improve our facilities, it felt like a natural continuation of all that had come before. It was a great way to invest in spaces that had already given us so much.
We accomplished much during Phase One of the capital campaign. We now have safer access to our beautiful campus, a labyrinth for contemplation and reflection, upgrades to parking at St. Ignatius, welcoming new signs to our main campus, and a new roof and refreshed interior for the Parish Hall, to name a few. However, during the process, unforeseen issues were discovered. The parish house had hidden damage to its foundation, a problem that could not be ignored. Addressing the problem required extensive repair. It was an expensive, unplanned project that shifted the scope of the campaign’s work.
Phase One was launched with the anticipation of some debt at its conclusion. Soon, you’ll hear more about how we can address this debt with intention. We have an opportunity to finish what we started. Debt reduction is rarely as motivating as building something new, but we’re already benefiting from the latest additions, repairs, and upgrades made over the last four years. All of that work, and the responsibility to pay for it, indicates that we’re preserving and securing what we already love for ourselves, and for those who come after us.
One aspect of Christian stewardship is legacy, choosing to care for what we’ve been given and ensuring that it can continue to bless others. At Christ Church, our facilities and grounds are a spiritual home, places of formation, worship, and community. Just as earlier generations built and maintained this church for us, this generation gets to do the same. My children are now grown and living many states away. I don’t know if they will ever return to be regular worshipers at Christ Church, but I am thankful for those who came before us and created our opportunities, and I hope that we will provide the same for generations to come.
Mission & Outreach is About Relationships
Deb Luginbuhl
Service to the least, the last, and the lost is an essential part of the Christian life. Matthew 25 is perhaps the clearest indication of the importance of this work when Jesus describes a future scene around the throne of God. That moment of judgment is not based upon what people said or believed, but specifically references when they fed, clothed, or visited Jesus himself as he is always found in those who are in need. There are many ways to serve in our community and through Christ Church.
The Christ Church Mission and Outreach committee has identified existing and potentially new opportunities for financial support and volunteering in our community. For example, our beloved Backpack Buddies program receives monthly financial stipends to help support the work of the committed group of parish volunteers that assist in its weekly efforts. In addition, Second Harvest, Manna House, Faithworks, the International Seafarers Center and the St. Athanasius’ Food Pantry are among the organizations we support and with whom we regularly communicate regarding their immediate needs. This summer we distributed an opportunity list for volunteers to use for planning purposes, which should soon be available on our website.
Our committee is also interested in learning more about our community’s efforts to serve those in need. Last month 14 Christ Church parishioners took the church van on a field trip to Sparrow’s Nest and The Well to find out more about their work with our marginalized and unhoused community members. It was enlightening and inspiring!
A successful and faithful outreach ministry grows from an authentic desire to build relationships. In the Gospels, Jesus devoted much of his time to building relationships, allowing the disciples and others to feel genuinely connected to him. Consider Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in John’s Gospel. He traveled to a territory that most Jewish people avoided.
Based on cultural conventions, Jesus could have ignored the Samaritan woman because of her ethnicity and gender. Instead he treated her like an equal and listened. He cared enough about her to initiate a conversation demonstrating an unconventional respect and dignity for this time.
Connecting with our neighbors in relational ways is so powerful because it opens us to the Holy Spirit and creates the possibility of being transformed by those with whom we connect. Those connections create a community in which everyone feels they belong. The power of relationships is central to discipleship modeled after Jesus’ ministry.
In the ordination of a deacon the Bishop addresses the new deacon and says, “You are to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world… At all times, your life and teaching are to show Christ’s people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself.” A deacon’s ministry is primarily a calling to serve the “least of these.”
Because of this unique calling, Deacon Becky Dorrell, and I (a Deacon Candidate), chair the Christ Church Mission & Outreach Committee. In early meetings we affirmed that our committee would continue to act as the stewards of the parish’s operating budget resources earmarked for outreach and mission, but more importantly, we will serve our community by promoting social justice and faith-based engagement with an attitude of hope, respect, and dignity.
The group that toured Sparrow’s Nest and The Well
This work does not belong to deacons alone, however! Consider joining our Mission & Outreach Committee or learn more about its efforts. Together, Christ Church will continue to build lasting relationships in our community as we seek and serve Christ in all people.
For more information, please contact Deacon Becky at btdorrell@gmail.com or Deb Luginbuhl at luginbuhld@gmail.com.
THE CONTEMPLATIVE WELL at Christ Church
Ancient Christian Traditions for a Contemporary World
CENTERING PRAYER
Each Wednesday, 12:00-12:30 pm St. Ignatius Chapel
CONTEMPLATIVE WORSHIP
Sundays, 5:00 pm
St. Ignatius Chapel
THE LABYRINTH AT CHRIST CHURCH
The Labyrinth is always open during daylight hours, ADA accessible from Frederica, Rd.
Coming SEPTEMBER 27
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:4
IFYOUAREINTERESTEDIN BECOMINGADAUGHTER PLEASECONTACT: SSIMORRISON@GMAIL.COM GABRIT1126@GMAIL.COM
Deep Calls to Deep
The Rev. Bill Barton
Psalm 42 reads in part: My soul is cast down within me, therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Herman, Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me.
The fundamental piece of history which shapes our Christian understanding of God is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of the world God gave order to the chaos and void by breathing over the dark waters (Genesis) and speaking His Word at the beginning (John’s Gospel). And yet we know the reality that there is still chaos in the world, not the chaos of the unformed void, but the chaos of sin and death.
Thus, God now purses the work of redemption. The chaos of sin is fully evident on the cross and so there God again brings order and new life out of that chaos, through His Breath and Word, Jesus the Christ. The great gift to the church from the passion of Christ is the Eucharist. While we resist the peace and order of God ordained by the cross and resurrection by resisting the kingdom of God, with the gift of the Eucharist we now have a way back to God. We have place to gather, as hopeful people, in community, where we are invited to set aside our resistance and seek anew the order and peace of God in the presence of Christ.
Deep calls to deep
The Eucharist takes place at the intersection of the deep desire of God for the good of creation and the deep desire of humanity, and all of creation, for communion with God. “Deep calls to deep” and in the Eucharist we have a door, a portal by which and through which these deep longings are joined, and there we encounter the living God and the living Word of God in the words and elements of the Eucharist.
Our encounter with the Eucharist is an encounter which takes place in two types of time: one of memory and one of the present, the here and now. In the Eucharist we recall God’s lifegiving and saving deeds in history not simply as an
ancient memory but as an ongoing gift through which we can enter the Paschal mystery. In this mystery we glimpse the Kingdom of Heaven set here and now.
How is it then that prayers, bread and wine do this? How do we come to know the Kingdom of Heaven and the risen Lord in the Eucharist? Clearly much about this is a mystery. In most of the resurrection accounts the disciples do not initially recognize Jesus. Whatever it was about him that changed after the cross he seemed a stranger to them. Mary Magdalen takes him to be a gardener, Thomas demands to see and touch the wounds, Cleopas and his companion, on the way to Emmaus, walk all afternoon with Jesus without recognizing him while he interprets things to them about himself. At the end of that day, it is in the breaking of bread that they finally see him for who he is. Luke tells us that Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them and in that instant their eyes were opened.
This sharing of a meal should be familiar to the disciples, and to us, for it is so often how Jesus chose to encounter people, in a meal. The actions of the meal at Emmaus are the familiar action of the Eucharist: take, bless, break and give. They were also the action of the final meal with his disciples before his arrest. Jesus makes this very human act of coming together for a meal, the act by which ultimately all of the company of heaven and the company of the saints and all of us are joined together, into something which transcends the chaos of our existence and binds us together in the body and presence of Christ.
Julia Gatta in her book Life in Christ, Practicing
Christian Spirituality says that when we meet Christ in the Eucharist we breath in the “air of resurrection.” The resurrection and the Eucharist are woven together and inseparable, both mysteries, both real, and both giving assurance in the midst of chaos that the peace of God and the Kingdom of God are near.
Deep calls to deep
Over and over we see God bringing order out of chaos. No where is this more evident to us than
on the cross and in the Eucharist, because there is no Eucharist without the cross and it is the Eucharist in which deep calls to deep and we are closest to God.
The grace of our gathering at the Eucharist is, for me, the sense that the deep longings of heaven and earth are met there, and that we are at peace and whole, renewed and sustained. Whatever our successes or failures as a community, in those moments as we gather around that table, we are made whole and given a vision of the peace of God, where deep calls to deep and is answered “I am with you.”
Men’sStudyGroup
Wednesdays, 10:30 am
Parish Hall - Vestry
The Men’s Study Group meets to discuss a book chosen by members of the group. Topics might include biblical study, philosophy, spirituality, or history.
InterpretersTable
Thursdays, 11:00 am
Parish Hall - Vestry
The Interpreter’s Table is a weekly Bible study led by Bishop Charles and Father Bill. Moving thoughtfully through just a few verses at a time, the group explores historical context and contemporary meaning.
AdultSundaySchoolClasses
"We Believe..." – A Study of the Nicene Creed Sundays at 10:15 AM | Parish Hall (Vestry) | Begins September 21
Join us for a six-week exploration of the Nicene Creed, using Michael Carpenter’s new book We Believe: How the Nicene Creed Can Deepen Your Faith. This class meets during the Sunday School hour and will be led by Rev. Dr. Bob Brown.
Women’sStudyGroup
All women are welcome to join this group as we read and discuss books throughout the year. Meeting dates will be announced once they are confirmed.
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
AT CHRIST CHURCH
A look ahead at the first few meals of fall
9/24, Chicken tetrazzini, sautéed vegetable medley, garlic bread, Italian cream cake.
10/1, Lemon dill salmon, greek salad, orzo pasta, pita bread, chocolate pistachio mousse.
10/8, Beef and Chicken kebobs, cobb corn, macaroni salad, chimichurri and red pepper sauces, lemon lime cake.
Sundays, 10:15 am Parish Hall - Sunday School Classrooms
Our Sunday School classes provide a fun, engaging environment where kids can explore their faith through age-appropriate lessons, crafts, activities, and snacks.
Classes are grouped by age: Pre-K–1st, 2nd–4th, and 5th–8th.
Wednesdays, 4:30 pm Parish Hall - Choir Room
The Christ Church Chorister Program offers children a welcoming introduction to music and worship. This is a weekly program.
15 Years of Christ Church's Backpack Buddies Program
The joy, conversation, and laughter floating down the hall on packing days for our Backpack Buddies program is a true blessing to experience. Energy radiates throughout the Parish Hall as volunteers gather to pack food for children in need. This genuine care and selflessness form the foundation that makes this program so successful; it can be confidently said that these bags are packed with love.
Backpack Buddies serves as a vital way for our church to reach into the community. The program focuses on providing weekend food bags to primarily pre-K and elementary age students, while also serving homeless teens through Safe Harbor's Street Beat Program. This year we are providing weekend bags to FACES Pre-K and seven elementary schools: Burroughs Molette, Glyndale, Golden Isles, Oglethorpe, St. Simons, and Sterling. We also serve food-insecure students at Needwood Middle School.
As Christ Church's Backpack Buddies Program prepares to launch our fifteenth year of schoolbased food ministry, we continue addressing this critical need in our community. Backpack Buddies director Susan Shipman shared, “Food insecurity among children in Glynn County is so pervasive that the school system has been approved by the USDA to provide free lunch and breakfast to all students.”
Many of these children lack reliable access to food on weekends and during summer months. This is precisely what Backpack Buddies seeks to address. In response, we provide weekend food bags to students in need beyond regular school hours. Each weekend food bag consists of a gallon-sized zipper bag filled with breakfast items, protein, juice, and snacks.
The program operates entirely through volunteers who handle every aspect: food sourcing and pickup, unloading, setup, packing bags, loading the trailer and cars, and delivery. The program is completely free to students and schools, relying solely on private funds for food and supplies.
The program has experienced an increase in food costs in recent years while also finding less availability from sources like Second Harvest, which does direct distribution and supports food pantries and feeding ministries. In terms of cost increases, according to recent data, the Consumer Price Index for food purchased for home consumption increased 2.4% over the twelve months ending in June. This inflation not only affects our food purchasing power but is also raising costs for families that may now be facing food insecurity for the first time. These cost increases became particularly pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the inflation that followed.
Food insecurity has also been on the rise in recent years. In 2023 18% of households with children experienced food insecurity at some point. Despite the rise in the need for food assistance, recent legislative changes are dramatically reducing the availability of resources to help feed hungry families and children. The cutbacks to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) affect the food pantries, not just individual families. In addition, food pantries across the nation have sounded alarm that with the reduction in family benefits, the non-profit sector is not prepared to fill all the gaps in funding. Normally, under a SNAP contract agencies like Second Harvest, for example, have five pages of source programs from which to purchase foods.
Lily Packard
Currently there are only one and a half pages of options. That means Second Harvest can’t obtain food as easily or as inexpensively. Susan Shipman specifically noted that they have had trouble getting proteins from subsidized sources, and when they have, the cost is higher.
All of these factors highlight why Backpack Buddies is such an essential program in our community. We are blessed with an incredible group of supporters who continue to "adopt a Backpack Buddy" (or multiple buddies) each year, making this program possible. Their commitment keeps students fed and makes a meaningful difference in many lives. You can support this ministry by writing a check to Christ Church, donating online through One Church by clicking 'Give Now' and designating your gift to the Backpack Buddies Program, or visiting www.ccfssi.org/give.
Additional ways to support Backpack Buddies include helping unload food orders and assisting with Thursday deliveries to schools. We especially need volunteers comfortable with towing a trailer. We also welcome help with advance preparation tasks like placing jokes in zipper bags or packaging cookies into snack bags before packing days.
Through the dedication of our volunteers and supporters, Backpack Buddies remains a symbol of hope, working to ensure that no child in our community faces hunger on the weekends. Each bag we pack is a heartfelt reflection of Christ’s love put into practice.
Regular Outreach Opportunities
There are a number of ways that you can serve others in our community.
Backpack Buddies
Our signature outreach ministry, volunteers meet every other Wednesday to pack bags for school-aged children who live at or below the poverty level. To become involved with Backpack Buddies reach out to: Susan Shipman, susanshipman920@gmail.com
Manna House
Join our CCF team as we prepare a lunch for hundreds of our neighbors in Brunswick at the Manna House Soup Kitchen. Contact: Deacon Becky, btdorrell@gmail.com
Brown Bags for Seniors
Each 2nd Friday of the month we travel to Second Harvest to help distribute food boxes to local seniors in need of food support. Contact: Deacon Becky, btdorrell@gmail.com
October 5, Christ Church
Stop by our campus and receive a special drive-through blessing for your beloved pet or pets!
Life at Christ Church
October 26, Christ Church Lawn
Join us for an All Hallows’ Eve Celebration filled with fun games and activities for the whole family, spooky decorations, and a costume contest!
We totaled over 2,500 bags packed for children in our community this summer.
Our Creative Arts Campers planting a tree in the churchyard in front of the Parish Hall
The 50th anniversary celebration of The Rev. Dr. Bob Brown’s ordination as an Elder in the United Methodist Church
Deb Luginbuhl, served a four-month diaconate internship this summer under the guidance of Fr. Dewayne Cope.
We were excited to welcome Ebonee Moore to our CCF team as our new Bookkeeper.
We were thrilled to witness several members of our parish be confirmed, and honored that Bishop Frank Logue joined us to perform the confirmations.
There were so many May birthdays to celebrate at our monthly birthday recognition!
Folks waving as they waited to enter for Easter Sunday.
Our beloved Parish Picnic!
