Crossings: Pentecost 2022 at Christ Church Grosse Pointe

rossings C Pentecost 2022

Pentecost, Donald Jackson, Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The mission of Christ Church is to bring God and people together to know and live the good news of Jesus Christ.

Contents

On the Spiritual Life.................... 10

Rector’s Message........................... 3

BBQs Journey of Generosity................. 12Summer Secret Saint Ministry.................. 19

Godly Play...................................... 4

A Family History......................... 13

Youth Confirmation.....................20

Easter Appeal Thank You............. 5

St John’s Bible Preview............... 14

Spring Clean Up Thank You........22

Birthdays & Anniversaries............ 6

Choir Trip Preview...................... 16

Parish Calendar...........................23

Preaching Lent: Passion................8

Senior Recognition.......................17

Senior Reflection......................... 18

WEDNESDAYS

Join us as we gather for food and fun!

Games on the front lawn!

Bring a dish or dessert and a friend and share the love! For more information contact Colleen Fitzgerald cfitzgerald@christchurchgp.org, 313-885-4841 ext.

June 29 July 20 August 31 6-8 pm

He `ōlelo i ku’u mau hoaloha (a word to my friends)

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Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

(Galatians 5:22-23a)

ear Friends, Is this not what we seek?

I watch our lives – overflowing with activity and wealth, with more stuff than any of us could ever imagine possessing as young children (truly, what would our grandmothers say!?). We seem to be ever-sharing our lives through social media, yet we never seem to truly connect, because the reality of our hearts and the struggles of our life are hidden away behind the perfection we promote.

In a community that appears to have it all – all the wealth and “community” that one could ever wish for – I see, still, a yearning for something more, something kinder, something fuller, something more real, more peaceful, more truly connected; something more gentle and joyous. It is as if, in spite of all that we possess, our hearts are remembering what Paul proclaimed to the Church in Corinth: “there is a more excellent way.”

And what is this “more excellent way?” Is it not way of being and living that is filled with “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Is this not what our hearts yearn for? It certainly speaks to my heart!

But it’s a way of living that we adults seem to lose. It seems that as we grow the naturalness of love

and joy, peace and gentleness, that comes so easily to our children, gets pushed out by the jealousies and envy, and general fear and activity of adulthood. In the hopes of having it all, or giving everything and every opportunity to our children, we are losing the very things we most desire – gentle and generous relationships within a genuine community of love and patience and joy.

But it needn’t be. The way of kindness and generosity, of love and joy and peace, is always there for us to enjoy – in fact, they are much closer than we may think.

The mystical Body of Christ – “the Church” by another, more ordinary, name – is here to nurture and to share these very gifts.

CROSSINGS | Christ Church Grosse Pointe/Pentecost 2022

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

This is who we are and who we strive to be.

Fortunately, this isn’t our work alone – rather it is our work together and, together, it is our work with God. And, like all things, the principal work is God’s – ever filling and ever blessing us with His Spirit from by these sumptuous fruit are grown.

What is our work in all this? Perhaps it is first to be present, to show up to receive and to share another.

Are you ready for something new?

I look forward to sharing the good fruit of the Spirit with you,

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Godly Play at Christ Church

by Angela von Schwarz

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his is my first year as a Godly Play teacher. I was hesitant starting out with this as it was a new endeavor and I wanted to make sure that I was providing rich, meaningful lessons to the children and fostering their love of God at the same time. What I found was a wonderful curriculum that is simple, easy to plan, laid out with everything I would need to inspire the children. This program teaches kids to wonder a lot and asks them questions to help them make meaningful connections with the lessons. I have begun to

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develop a wonderful relationship with the Godly Play students and love seeing them grow in their love and understanding of God and the church. I encourage anyone who wants to share their love of God

with the youngest members of our congregation to reach out and ask questions, come and observe on a Sunday but most importantly get involved and help our church grow.

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Easter Appeal Supporting Rebuilding Together

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 12:34-35 With gratitude for your continued generosity as disciples of Christ, we are pleased to report we raised $10,500 to support Rebuilding Together Southeast Michigan and their work in the Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood.

Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Adams Ms. Lynn Anslow Mr. Joel Anyim Ms. Martha Bangs Mr. Jeffry Bauer Mr. & Mrs. John Benson Mr. & Mrs. Brad Blaine Mr. & Mrs. Michael Bowe Mr. & Mrs. Zach Carr Mr. & Mrs. Michael Cowan Mrs. Betsy Creedon Mr. Henry Darlington Mr. M ichael DeFillipi & Mr. David Gerdis Mr. & Mrs. Jon Deimel Mr. & Mrs. Scott Durkee Ms. Susan Ervin Mr. Steven Fehniger Miss Margaret Ferrara Mr. James Flannery Mr. & Mrs. Derek Gaffrey Mr. Gregory Gallagher Mr. & Mrs. Richard Hall Mr. & Mrs. Michael Hix Mr. & Mrs. Henry Hubbard Mr. & Mrs. Peter Huebner

Ms. Terri Lyn Huston Mr. & Mrs. Marshall Irby Mr. & Mrs. Walter Jacques Mrs. Heather Jones Mr. & Mrs. James Kastner Mrs. Barbara Knight Mrs. Mary Ledyard Mr. & Mrs. Mark Lorenger Mr. Patrick Mansfield Mr. W . John Mara & Mrs. Maureen Finnigan-Mara Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Maycock, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Al Mazur Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth McIntyre Mrs. Helen McKnight Mrs. Lucinda McMahon Mr. & Mrs. Steven Nicholl Dr. & Mrs. Peter Nickles Dr. Patricia O’Brien Mr. & Mrs. Blair Osborn Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Ostrowski Mr. & Mrs. Colin Padden Mr. Benjamin Paddock Mr. William Platt, III Mr. & Mrs. Tedmund Pryor Mr. & Mrs. Michael Reich

CROSSINGS | Christ Church Grosse Pointe/Pentecost 2022

Mr. & Mrs. Brendan Ross Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Ryan Mr. & Mrs. John Shehigian Mr. & Mrs. Conrad Squitieri Dr. & Mrs. Robert Stevenson Mr. James Stuart Mr. & Mrs. George Sutton Ms. Kimberly Sutton Mr. Everardo Tapia Ms. Sarah Teachey Mr. & Mrs. David & Anne Thomas Mr. & Mrs. Richard Trost Mr. & Mrs. John Van Osdol Mr. Richard Walker Mrs. Lynda Webster Ms. Karyn Weir Mr. & Mrs. Edward White Ms. Kathy Williams Ms. Mary Wilson Mr. D onald Wray, Jr. & Dr. Arlene Rozzelle The Rev’d Andrew Van Culin & Mrs. Jessica Van Culin Anonymous Donors

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Birthdays & Anniversaries!

61 Grosse Pointe Boulevard Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 Church Office (Hours: 9 am–5 pm) Phone: 313-885-4841 | Fax: 313-885-7019 www.christchurchgp.org

Pastoral Emergencies: 313-885-4841, ext. 4 The Rev’d Andrew Van Culin, Rector dvanculin@christchurchgp.org 313-885-4842 The Rev’d Maureen L. Martin, Associate for Parish Life & Community Engagement mmartin@christchurchgp.org 313-885-4841 ext. 121 Joseph D. Daniel, Executive Assistant to the Rector rectorsoffice@christchurchgp.org 313-884-4842 Jessica Van Culin, Interim Director of Children and Family Ministries jvanculin@christchurchgp.org 313-885-4841 ext. 104 Scott Hanoian, Associate for Worship and Liturgy, Director of Music and Organist shanoian@christchurchgp.org 313-885-4841 ext. 102 Jackson Merrill, Assistant Director of Music and Organist jmerrill@christchurchgp.org 313-885-4841 ext. 103 Diane Ward, Associate for Finance and Administration dward@christchurchgp.org 313-885-4841 ext. 111 Colleen Fitzgerald, Member Engagement Coordinator cfitzgerald@christchurchgp.org 313-885-4841 ext. 115

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Birthdays June 1 Joan Micou Julian Wray 2 Dennis Partridge Cooper Gaffrey Allison Durkee 3 Marshall Irby Joelle Reich 4 Emily Tennyson 5 Elizabeth Wall 6 Barbara Arrigo Huntley Prieur Ava Carr 7 Mike Hix Lynnette Iannace 8 Joe Maycock Pahl Zinn Ryan Everham 9 Polly Ledyard Bill Champion 10 Chuck Tasin Mike Martin 11 Cheryl Wesen Martha Ingalls Brendan Ross Matthew Oliver Duncan Richards Heather Tokman 12 Anne LeFevre Cheryl Colman 13 Shelia Minetola Phoebe Miriani 15 Micah Hall Pauline Vogt 16 Linda Carlson 17 Walter Jacques 18 James Williams 19 Eric Lucander 20 John Stroh William Bowen 21 Bill Johnstone William Clay 22 Allison Blaine

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Evan Pile Biffy Fowler Derek Gaffrey Carol Geyer Sarah Pile Jen Fozo Barbara Kennedy Matt Schuetze Vanessa Young Daphne Irby Michael Flores John Buell Paul Rentenbach Ed White Pierson Fowler Alex Nealssohn Raegan Niscoromni Lynn Alandt Elizabeth Walsh Isaac Hall William Ford Kim Starr Amie Sweeney Mil Hurley Zach Bowe Rose Stevenson Geoffrey Everham Reznor Prieur Amy Clark Collin Peabody Sara Waller Patrick Mansfield William Utley Lauren Platt Christine Alcantara Betsy Creedon Laila Hakim Madeline Whims Lori Varas Dominic Bennett Amy Hermon Luca Young Cathryn Skedel

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18 Karyn Weir 20 Greg Grosfield John Freudenthal 21 Jane Knaus 22 Joseph Stevenson Jon Ostrowski 23 Judy Thoma Butch Wardwell Ren Graves 25 Pixie White 26 Allison Graff Megan Ryan 27 Alexander Detwiler Katherine Moran 29 Brenda Mattila Katherine Kogel Susan Kaler Margaret Lally 30 Dave Redfield Don Sweeny 31 Andrew Cornwall August 1 Albert Minetola Ann Yeamans 2 Douglas Cowan John Gillooly 4 Robbie Peabody 5 Sara Tennyson 6 Julia Hartnett Alexandra Ostrowski Amber Ritchie Jon Deimel 7 Paige Peabody Blair Ott Daphne Felix 8 Christian Redding Liz Johnson 9 Jeanie Powers Marilyn Richardson Scott Durkee 10 Simon Stallings Bob Moorhead Lisa Baruah Joel Anyim Karen Kienbaum 11 Stephanie Flom 12 Kitty Swickard John Benson Christy Martin 13 Matt Hurley Hadley Hermon 14 William Albrecht

Ainsley Hagan Gerald Cannon Thom Nealssohn 15 Phyllis Walker 16 Isabel Standish 16 Leigh Anderson 17 Jim Grabowski Jerry Tokman 18 Charlotte Peabody Welling French Vickie Blaine 19 Charlie Turner 20 London Barnwell Laura Bradley 21 Richard Best Ursula Persidskis Maxwell Hakim 22 Martha Henkel Nancy Nicholson Judy Gaffrey Frank Stellingwerf 23 Lisa Armentrout 25 Maddie Wrubel 27 Greg Heald Gretchen Valade 28 Martha Stott Ron Solterisch Kathryn Reck Alison Dirkse 29 Margie Garbarino Kate Fridholm Abbye Nealssohn 30 Laura Green 31 Lillian Irby Roy Ritchie Anniversaries June 2 John & Vivian Stroh, III 4 Dick & Mary Trost 7 Brad & Mary Kay Blaine Dave & Jean Redfield 12 Brian & Lisa MacLean 13 Dave & Sue Chaklos 14 Peter & Miranda Ferrara Richard & Diane Platt 15 Dennis & Jeanie Powers 18 Bob & Beth Alltop Peter & Barbara Nickles 23 Eric & Lindsey Huebner 24 George & Julie Sutton 25 Sam & Elizabeth Felix 27 John & Biffy Fowler

CROSSINGS | Christ Church Grosse Pointe/Pentecost 2022

July

28 Tim & Milissa Crowley 29 John & Ebony Gillooly

1 Patrick & Polly Ryan 6 Jerry & Elizabeth Ahluwalia Erik & Kirby Traynham 7 Derek & Judy Gaffrey Ron & Kimberly Porter 8 Mike & Stephanie Stallings 9 Tim & Sally Whims 10 Jim & Stephanie Flom, Jr. 15 Thom & Laura Nealssohn 17 Ed & Colleen Fitzgerald Geoffrey & Amber Everham 18 Adam & Rema Waugh Jeff Smith & Lisa Vallee Smith 21 Joseph D. Daniel & Alfredo N. Silvestre Blair & Nancy Osborn 23 Nathan & Heather Duda 24 Al & Margaret Torp Samuel & Martha Stott 25 Jim & Ann Spica 28 Don and Candy Sweeny August 2 Chad & Stephanie Johnson 3 Adam & Stephanie Beattie Jeffrey & Abi Peck Michael & Paula Labadie 5 James & Amy Hermon 9 Kathleen & Jim Kastner Ken & Sandra Walters 11 Ed & Elsie MacKethan, III 15 Butch & Chris Wardwell, II 18 Ted & Nancy McConnell 20 Frank & Lisa Niscoromni George & Nancy Nicholson, III 21 Katherine & Frank Moran 22 David & Lynne Cameron 23 Stephen & May Jean Chan 24 Brendan & Nancy Ross 25 Brendan & Kelly Walsh 27 Eric & Catherine Ash 28 Jerry & Heather Tokman Richard & Judy Thoma 29 Henry & Monica Hubbard Patrick & Theresa Spain

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Preaching Lent

On Passion: The Reverend Maureen Martin, Priest Associate

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The 4th Sunday in Lent, March 27, 2022

ast week our topic was presence. I had debated whether or not I should use my best story so soon out of the gate here, but it was so perfect an example of what it means to be present to others that I decided to just go for it and trust that more great stories will come my way.

As I considered one of the world’s most brilliant men pushing the neighbor girl on the swings I came to the conclusion that presence and passion are like two sides of

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the same coin. You don’t get one without the other, and so it is fortuitous that we placed them here in the middle of our series. Here is a centerpiece of the Christian life.

Presence and passion.

As I considered this image it came to me that the image isn’t that of a coin, on which you can only see one face at a time. Passion and Presence are more like an orb in their perfect completeness, one does not obscure the other. Then the image I was seeking came into focus. It is that of

Julian of Norwich’s hazelnut.

She writes of God showing her this round little ball the size of a hazelnut in her hand. What may this be, she asks, and God tells her that he has shown her that all that is made was brought into being through the love and passion of God. Her response? “And I was answered in my understanding: “It, the hazelnut, lasteth and ever shall, because God loveth it. And so hath all things being by the love of God.”

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And so I spent some time meditating on the intensity of presence and passion together. You know it when you encounter it in others. Certain people have that single-minded focus, intensity of gaze. A life filled with overflowing passion testifying to the presence of God’s unending love. However, as I said last week, most of us are Alberts, not Einsteins, but God is no less present in our passions. Passions of any kind should be celebrated and nurtured.

One way we encourage human passion is through arts education.

I have a funny story that I hope is relatable. When I was nine my mother finally gave in to my begging

a hint of God’s passion and a direct experience of his never ending love for us.

If you aren’t sure what you are passionate about, know that passion is the thing that makes you lose all sense of time. It keeps you up late at night. It makes you talk people’s ears off. It is energy. It is love.

Most people who engage in any kind of passion experience this inner drive. They also experience the drive to share their passion: no matter how scared they feel when they offer themselves they do it anyway. Passion is risk. Whether the thing you are sharing with the world

generosity of the Father prevents him from receiving his true inheritance; joyful intimacy with the father. The prodigal son who doubts his worth and also does not expect joy when he returns. It is the thing they share in common, this under appreciation of the Father’s joy in them. Their lack of imagination. Their inability to understand what it means to already be forgiven. I think that is where we are sometimes with God, avoiding risks, and keeping him at a safe distance. Working ourselves to the bone for the treasure that we cannot take with us. In this way the brothers are the same. One toiling

“We should look at what we hold dear and see it is beautiful and God given.” for piano lessons. Soon, I was crying at every lesson. Hot Cross Buns was my utter defeat, but I was not giving up. I just kept crying at lessons and struggling away at home. It wasn’t exactly what we think of when we imagine passion, unless you consider that one time I got so angry that I passionately colored an entire page of my piano book jet black with my pencil.

I was on fire. I scribbled and scribbled until the paper shined with pencil lead. Once this fit of passion left me I realized, a little too late, that there was no hiding this masterpiece. My mother and teacher would see the evidence of my rage.

Needless to say, I wasn’t heading off to Interlochen anytime soon, but I persisted and eventually the things I understood in my head were finally coming out of my hands. I learned to love practicing. Within the practice of anything which requires a great deal of concentration there is a godly gift waiting to be discovered,

is your first poem, a lumpy vase, your awesome free throw, a blurry photograph of your cat, your fanciest cupcakes, or your first solo, you are sharing with the world a little corner of your true self. Through your passion your are becoming present to the world as the blessed child of God you were meant to be.

We all want this for our kids, that they develop a sense of passion for something in their lives, but I feel like we give up on it for ourselves somewhere along the way. Like, somehow becoming an adult takes all the fun out of taking risks and being vulnerable in front of others.

And yet, God is wild and passionate about us. How can we learn to reengage with God joyfully and with passion?

Today we heard the parable of the prodigal son which is a passionate lesson. So many feelings. The good boy who always colors within the lines and whose anger at the

CROSSINGS | Christ Church Grosse Pointe/Pentecost 2022

away in the pigpen eating pig food, the other toiling away, probably eating something healthy and prudent. In terms of distance he is closer, but in terms of allowing his father into his heart he might as well be on the moon.

And the father looking for the return of his child just as God looks for us to enter the banquet with joy, not just someday, but now. In our lives, we should pay attention for when enslavements to work and social status replace the passions of our younger selves. We should consider if these entanglements are no more life-giving for us than the locust pods in the pig pen. We should look at what we hold dear and see it is beautiful and God given, like the little hazelnut, and if it not, we should set it down and return to the Lord our maker. We should become as brave and as passionate as children and enter God’s banquet with gladness in our hearts ready to be filled with the joy of our return.

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On the Spiritual Life

by The Rev’d Maureen Martin

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hen I became an Episcopalian I had some questions, chiefly, what would it feel like to have an authentic spiritual life? I read everything I could on the spiritual life and attended everything offered at my new church. I hung on the words of every sermon, and read every book the Rector mentioned. I joined the choir. I threw myself into learning to chant. However, I was still kind of hoping that someone would come along and give me some kind of checklist because I wasn’t sure that I was doing it right. And then one of our priests said the thing I needed to hear: It can be hard to tell if we are making spiritual progress. Thank God, I thought, there must be hope for me yet. She went on to say we see it when we examine how our lives look in the rearview mirror. Signs of spiritual progress are little and easily missed so we must ask ourselves a few questions. Do I get angry less often and laugh more easily? Has it become easier to be generous, both with others and myself? Essentially, am I living a life that allows room for the fruits of the spirit to grow: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control?

I do not remember what I thought would happen, but it turned out that something like the 90/10 rule applies to the spiritual life. When we commit to showing up and bringing our whole selves to God our spiritual lives will begin to grow because of God’s love and faithfulness. God provides the bigger part for us. The challenge of the spiritual life is that smaller part, the last 10 percent,

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The Rev’d Maureen L. Martin

or what ever you want to call it, that is ours to own completely.

We must till and mulch the soil, watch for pests, and encourage the

little tender shoots as they emerge.

God cannot do that for us. In the Wisdom of God, it is our work given to us by God in his desire for our

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participation in our own lives that brings the final sweetness.

We must joyfully pursue God knowing that we will never, this side of the veil, get all the way there.

The spiritual life is indeed a journey and how heavenly is the landscape as we travel through and within the heart of God. The part that is God’s, a spiritual friendship with God, is offered to us unreservedly. The part that is ours, though it is the smaller part, can feel insurmountable.

Sometimes we forget to hope. We coast. We stop thinking about God and the fruits of the spirit seem a bit boring. What is so great about goodness and self-control, anyway, we may ask. How will those characteristics help me get ahead in the world, and how will they

I no longer wake up and wonder if I will ever find my way on the spiritual path. My life is centered in Christ and he is in me as I am in him. My biggest desire now isn’t to get something spiritual for myself but to see growth in others. My dim view of my little part to play in my spiritual journey has been transformed by God’s infinite love into an awareness that all of us are given the same opportunity.

Everyone can participate with God in allowing God’s transformative presence to grow in them the same fruits of the spirit as have grown in human hearts forever All of this is to say thank you for participating in the RenewalWorks process. Over the next couple of weeks the RenewalWorks team

to see and for God to enjoy.

Another tip: don’t worry if the words don’t feel like your own, just keep saying them. In time, the words we pray begin to center us, even when they weren’t words we would have thought to use on our own. Soul work is sneaky that way.

For the team: Bless, O Lord, your servants as they work together to more closely understand your will for our communal lives. May they be upheld by you in their time together; May they be refreshed by you and find joy in this process; May they feel the grace of your presence as they find new ways for us to excel in love. To the glory of your name. Amen

“We put our trust in God and allow him to open new eyes in us.” increase the esteem that others feel for me? Isn’t it just better to be self reliant? When we drop the thread on our pursuit of God we begin to believe the lie that the material stuff of this world has all the substance we will ever need.

The spiritual life, it turns out, is both simple and impossible at the same time. We put our trust in God and allow him to open new eyes in us. When we do, the fruits of the spirit become more real to us and our former life becomes less appealing as we begin to see things with deep honesty and clarity.

will begin to formulate a plan for spiritual renewal at Christ Church.

God’s part is always the lion’s share, ours will look small and impossibly simple. We will be asked to commit to each other in new ways because this is what it looks like to till the soil of the heart so that God may plant the seeds of growth. In preparation I suggest two things: pray two simple prayers daily this summer. One for the RenewalWorks team and one for yourself. Do not look too quickly for signs of your own growth, they will eventually follow gently behind you for others

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For yourselves: A Prayer of Self-Dedication Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

—Book of Common Prayer p. 832

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Journey of Generosity Pledging is an act of worship – thanking God for all God has done for us.

Pledging is an act of love – sharing our abundance to help others experience the joy and love of Christ.

Pledging is an act of faith – reminding ourselves that our greatest joy is found not in our wealth, but in God’s love for us and for all.

Thank you to all who have made a pledge to support God’s ministry at Christ Church.

Thank you for joining us in our worship, love, and faith!

Mr. Joel Anyim Mrs. Barbara Arrigo Dr. & Dr. Eric Ash Mr. & Mrs. Len Azzaro Mr. & Mrs. Michael Bamford Ms. Martha Bangs Mr. & Mrs. Sandy Baruah Dr. Richard Baumgarten & Dr. Cheryl Wesen Mr & Mrs John Benson Mr. & Mrs. Richard Best Mr. & Mrs. Michael Bowe Mr. & Mrs. David Chaklos Mrs. Betsy Creedon Mr. William Cudlip Dr. Joseph D. Daniel & Mr. Alfredo Silvestre Mr. Henry Darlington Mr. Michael DeFillipi & Mr. David Gerdis Mr. & Mrs. Peter Durand Mr. Steven Fehniger Mr. & Mrs. Peter Ferrara Mr. & Mrs. Ed Fitzgerald Mrs. Shirley Fortune Mrs. Hadley French Mr. & Mrs. Scott Hanoian Mr. & Mrs. John Harwood Mr. Mark Higbie Mrs. Gretchen Knoell Mr. & Mrs. Henry Hubbard Mr. & Mrs. Peter Huebner

Mr. Daniel Hughes & Ms. Libby Candler Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Hurley Ms. Terri Lyn Huston Ms. Lynnette Iannace Dr. & Mrs. Edward Jeffries Mr. & Mrs. Edward Johnson, Jr Mr. & Mrs. Robert Johnson Mrs. Heather Jones Mr. & Mrs. Ian Jones Mr. & Ms. James Kastner Ms. Barbara Kennedy Mr. Robert Kingscott & Mrs. Susan Mara Mr. & Ms. Garland Knight, III Mr. & Mrs. Michael Labadie Mrs. Mary Ledyard Mr. & Mrs. Mark Lorenger Mr. & Mrs. Terrance Lynch Mr. David Martin & The Rev’d Maureen Martin Mr. & Mrs. Roger Mason Mr. & Mrs. John McCormick Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth McIntyre Mrs. Helen McKnight Mrs. Lucinda McMahon Mr. & Mrs. George Nicholson, III Dr. & Mrs. Peter Nickles Mr. & Mrs. Frank Niscoromni Dr. Patricia O’Brien Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Partridge Mr. & Mrs. Brian Peabody Mr. & Mrs. Eric Pietsch

Mr. & Mrs. Tedmund Pryor Mr. & Mrs. David Redfield Mr. & Mrs. Michael Reich Mr. & Mrs. Brendan Ross Mr. Charles Ruifrok Mr. & Mrs. Gregg Russell Ms. Carol Smith Mr. Jeffrey Smith & Mrs. Lisa Vallee Smith Mr. & Mrs. Frank Stellingwerf Mr. & Mrs. George Sutton Ms. Amie Sweeney Mr. & Mrs. Donald N. Sweeny III Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Swickard Mrs. Emily Tennyson Mr. & Mrs. David Tobbe Mr. & Mrs. Allan Torp Mr. & Mrs. Richard Trost Mr. & Mrs. Charles Turner The Rev’d & Mrs. Andrew Van Culin Mrs. Charlene Vickers Mrs. Barbara Wachter Mrs. Beverly Walsh Mr. & Mrs. Sheldon Wardwell, II Mr. & Mrs. John Warren, Jr Mr. & Mrs. Adam Waugh Ms. Karyn Weir Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Whims Ms. Kathy Williams Mrs. Margaret Woodford Mr. John Woodhouse & Ms. Susan Vercruysse

We’re pleased to report that seventy families have renewed their pledges for a total of $448,000 in 2022 so far, a 6.5% increase over 2021. We have seven new families pledging for a total of $22,500, an increase of $17,600 from the $4,700 that was pledged in 2021. We invite the seventy families who have not renewed their pledge yet from last year and the 300 other families who call Christ Church home to pledge at christchurch.org/make-a-pledge.

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Susan Chaklos: A Family History

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hen Susan Chaklos was born in Hanover, New Hampshire, she had no clue what Christmas would be like for her.

Her parents, having been married into the community here at Christ Church, decided to bring their threemonth-old baby home to Grosse Pointe to be baptized. Susan told me how the car’s heating system didn’t work, so there she was sitting in the back seat in a bassinet (no good car seats at the time) covered in blankets. Her parents were freezing but they KNEW what they wanted.

They wanted Susan baptized here at Christ Church.

Susan’s parents also were married at Christ Church. Her grandparents were part of the family of founding members to our now prosperous congregation. Her family helped make Christ Church the influence it is today, and I think we are all grateful for that. Sue told me the story of her grandfather paying for land here in Grosse Pointe conveniently the day before the stock market crashed in 1929.

Sue was raised in the Christ Church family, going to bible school when she was little, as well as being confirmed here. Her mother, Betty Williams, was the first female warden. Sue was in the choir from grades 9 to 12 - the choir director was Mr. Billups back then. Her sister was in the choir with Fred DeHaven’s daughters. That was a very fun fact because I’ve been in the choir since I was eight years old.

It felt close to me to hear someone talk about how similar yet different the program is (the uniforms haven’t

by Laila Hakim

changed). Another fun fact: Sue remembers when I was born.

Sue has many fond memories of what it was and is like here at Christ Church. One of them, from when she was a kid, was going on retreats with the youth group. She vividly remembers 75 kids all camping together at once. No parents to stop the craziness, but Polly Ledyard and her husband were both teachers!

Sue Chaklos and Laila Hakim

Sue’s favorite memories growing up here at Christ Church were dressing up for Easter with the fancy dresses and hats, and the Christmas Pageant, where both her sisters played angels and Mary at some point. Sue never played Mary but was an angel.

Sue and Dave Chaklos were married at Christ Church the day before Pentecost—June 13, 1981.

The Pentecost mobile hanging above them went up in flames on June 14, 1981.

Sue was brought up in the prefamily-forward era of our church.

Sue remembers the shift to allowing babies to cry, and really pushing the “family first” narrative we all know so well here. I find the children in our congregation are a real cornerstone to how we run things, from communion to allowing them to leave during the sermon to have their own lessons. So it was very interesting to hear what it was like in the past.

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Sue and Dave would go on to raise their kids here at Christ Church.

Their son Ken, was in the choir until his voice changed, and her first volunteer position was as treasurer for the Antiques Show. She also chaperoned a trip to Europe.

Sue first served on the Vestry in the ‘80s, and is currently serving on the Vestry now, as Secretary.

She’s watched our community go through a lot of changes over the years, bringing up her children and going through different life stages.

Her mother had passed away, and she had a lot of mentors, wise women who told her everything would be ok. Sue believes there continues to be a huge need for that, specifically the multi-generational support like she received after her father remarried.

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The Bible Is Coming

by Eric Ash

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n May 3, Mtr. Maureen, Colleen Fitzgerald and I were fortunate to be able to participate in a “deep dive” introduction to the Saint John’s Bible, having journeyed to Saint John’s Abbey in the wilds of Collegeville, Minnesota, for the purpose. The Saint John’s Bible is the result of a years-long project to produce an illuminated manuscript Bible for the 21st century and beyond—a medieval artifact for a modern age. The work itself is a wonder of collaborative artistry: seven volumes, hand-written by a team of calligraphers on calf-skin vellum, gloriously illuminated by a group of artists from Europe and North America. The original manuscript pages have been lovingly cast into a Heritage printed edition, and in December, during Advent, Christ Church will receive one volume of the Heritage edition (the Gospels and Acts) for a year.

The entire St John’s Bible project raises a host of compelling questions, beginning with… Why? What was the point of all this monumental effort? The Saint John’s Bible is the first illuminated manuscript Bible to be made in roughly 500 years, and it is almost certainly the first one ever produced in the English language. It is the product of an unfathomable amount of time, talent, and treasure, one of the most impressive examples of its genre in the history of Christendom.

But why undertake such a thing now, centuries after the dawn of printing, and in the new dawn of a digital age? The Bible today is ubiquitous, available in every motelroom dresser and downloadable to

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one’s phone, just pick your spiritual tradition and favorite translation.

Why, then, did so many feel inspired to produce such a magnificent, yet inconvenient and hard-to-access manifestation of Christian faith?

The answers surely go far beyond the text of the Bible itself.

The creators of the Saint John’s Bible began with a handful of guiding principles: It had to be of the highest quality in terms of material, craftsmanship, and content; it had to be inclusive,

forward-thinking, and long-lasting.

But balancing these objectives sometimes raised new questions.

The Bible had to be theologically sound, and it is; the translation chosen for it is the NRSV, and a dedicated committee of biblical scholars, theologians, and clergy of various denominations determined what passages would be illuminated and helped to shape the message the illuminations would convey. It is, unmistakably, a Christian Bible in all regards. But in addition to being

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theologically sound, it also had to be open-minded and open-ended; it had to invite conversation with all Christian denominations, with other faiths and traditions, and with those of no particular faith. That imperative posed a considerable challenge for the theologians and artists to try and address.

How might this Bible speak to those who believe the Bible has little of value to offer them, who may find it opaque, obsolete, even off-putting?

The Bible contains many difficult and upsetting passages, with which some (including a few of the artists and calligraphers involved) struggle to come to terms. The

How might we invite conversation with other faiths, for example, emphasizing the values and beliefs we share rather than those we do not, without diminishing the elements that make this book essentially Christian? The team of artists worked hard to weave concepts and motifs from all over the world—Native American beadwork, African body-painting, Muslim calls to prayer, and so many more—into their images of Christian faith. The result is not only beautiful in its variety, it is inspiring and provocative in its inclusiveness; it opens doors to engagement rather than closing them. How might God be depicted, to take another example, without rendering a physical image of God? God the Creator commonly appears in illuminated and illustrated Bibles, but some faiths consider the physical depiction of God to be a sin. The artists’ efforts to meet this challenge are both clever and moving.

Saint John’s Bible addresses these troubling themes partly through its illuminations by making use of the natural world—many illuminations depict animals and insects native to Minnesota, and the violence of nature metaphorically suggests the unfortunate violence of humankind, even among the faithful.

How might this Bible reflect our own age and lived experience? What might it mean to other readers, a century hence? Or a millennium?

The Saint John’s Bible was planned, designed, and created with future centuries firmly in mind—it is a work meant to last a thousand years or more. The result is strangely timeless: it was produced using techniques common in the 14th century, but it is every bit a 21stcentury endeavor, not an effort to reproduce the past. A reader will find aspects of modern science sprinkled throughout, from the Big Bang to DNA strands. Jesus the Sower (Matthew 13) is wearing blue jeans. The Valley of the Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37) is part junkyard, part

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charnel house, part Auschwitz; but God is present throughout, even here, though it may be as subtle as a rainbow on an oil slick.

Perhaps the most pressing question—for Mtr. Maureen, Colleen and myself, and really for all of us—is what do we do now? We will have one of the seven volumes of the Heritage edition of this spiritual and artistic treasure for a whole year.

What are we going to do with it? The possibilities are exciting, and that’s what made me want to get involved!

I want everyone in our church to engage with and be inspired by the beauty and magnificence, the power of this book. But if that’s all we manage to do, I would say that we have failed to realize its full potential. How might we open this amazing book to our wider community? To our faith partners in other churches? To those for whom exploring the Bible may be a novel experience, and not at all a selfevident one?

The whole project raises far more questions than answers, and that’s just fine. It was never intended to provide us with answers, but rather to foster contemplation, conversation, and wonder, and to do so across cultures, faiths, and ages. That’s really the crucial difference between illustration and illumination, as the project’s directors explained to us.

Illustrations are didactic—they are made in order to communicate to us what the text says, and what it means. The Saint John’s Bible is emphatically not an illustrated, but an illuminated work. Illuminations are open, inviting, exploratory, provocative. At their best, they help us to find meaning within ourselves—and these illuminations are very much at their best!

The Saint John’s Bible is coming to us, here at Christ Church, for one year. How will its illuminations shine forth in us?

The art featured in this story is from the St. John’s Bible: To the Ends of the Earth, Donald Jackson with contributions from Andrew Jamieson and Sally Mae Joseph, Resurrection, Geneology of Jesus, Donald Jackson,.Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Choir Trip

by Scott Hanoian

I

t is no surprise to anyone, I imagine, that the last couple years of pandemic have wreaked havoc on the arts community and, specifically, choirs. Having canceled countless concerts and services due to the dangers of singing (perceived and real), we were also forced to cancel one choir trip and postpone another. You can imagine how excited we all are to resume our travels as a choir community this coming summer!

It just so happens that the new dates of our postponed choir trip to Germany from the summer of 2020 aligned perfectly with an already scheduled choir trip to northern England for this coming July. Having booked a week long choral residence at York Minster back in 2017, the typical time frame for securing such a coveted English cathedral, I was exceedingly glad to be able to simply combine the two trips into one instead of having to choose. As such, the choir will travel to both England and Germany in July, allowing us to experience several different musical, cultural, and religious communities.

The trip will begin at York Minster in northern England, where the choir will lead services for an entire week. This includes the regular round of weekday Evensongs, Saturday Evensong, and Sunday Mattins, Eucharist, and Evensong.

Over the course of seven days, the choir will have sung eight services! We balance our musical responsibilities with excursions to Chatsworth House, the Bowes Museum, Scarborough, and a day

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trip to Fountains Abbey and the Yorkshire Dales. And, of course, we will no doubt share some time together in a proper English pub with some fish and chips and a pint of room temperature beer (or a Coke for the young choristers)!

After a week in York, we make our way to Germany for a week of concerts and sight-seeing, all culminating in our group attending the Passion Play in Oberammergau.

We will offer concerts at the Grunewald Kirche in Berlin, the Nikolaikirche in Leipzig (one of the churches where J. S. Bach worked), and we will sing at the Castle Church in Wittenburg and at the grave of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig. Additionally, we will visit Nuremburg, the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, the house where Dietrich Bonhoeffer lived, the Thomaskirche in Leipzig (another of J. S. Bach’s churches), and the Wartburg Medieval Castle.

Finally, we end our trip together by attending a performance of the Passion Play. In 1633 the Oberammergau villagers promised to perform the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ every tenth year, in so far as no one was to die of the plague anymore. The villagers were answered by God and therefore in 1634 the first Passion Play took place. The promise has been kept until today, though, ironically, postponed by two years because of the pandemic.

Singing and worshiping daily and visiting some of the most beautiful and historic sights of northern England and Germany will be a lifechanging experience for everyone involved, and we are so excited to be able to resume these trips after such a long time. Choirs that travel together grow exponentially, and the experiences the choristers take home are transformative and longlasting. We can’t wait to share these experiences together again this year!

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Congratulations to our Graduating Seniors William Barzzey Armbrister Edwards William will be attending North Carolina A&T to study engineering.

Lauren Platt Lauren will be attending Michigan State University.

Stephen Fozo

Alexandra Ostrowski

Stephen will be attending Duke University.

Alexandra will be attending Michigan State University - Lyman Briggs College of Sciences. She intends to pursue nursing.

Shannon Green

Caroline Peabody

Shannon will be attending University of Vermont to study Sociology.

Caroline will be taking a gap year to build an artistic portfolio and apply to local art schools.

Moira Hix

Grace Romer

Moira will be attending University of Michigan.

Ashlyn Johnson Ashlyn will be attending University of Michigan and is interested in studying bio psychology, cognition and neuroscience.

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Grace will be attending the architecture program at Lawrence Technical University.

Simon Stallings Simon will be attending Purdue University, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

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Reflections of My Time at Christ Church

by Lauren Platt

T

he Christ Church community has been an impactful chapter of my life, along with participating in the Men and Girls choir since 2014, and spending three days a week at Christ Church for the past seven years has definitely made an impact. Growing up in the choir is an experience not many people have. Being able to sing alongside such talented professionals, receiving guidance and advice from Mr. Hanoian, and performing sophisticated and complicated pieces is a luxury I will never forget. When I first joined the choir I was a timid and shy kid, being thrown into this whole new world of music was terrifying.

But I have been surrounded by such strong and influential people, pushing me to strive for more, try new things, and if I fail, know that I have them behind me supporting me in whatever I do. I have grown into such a more confident and strong person thanks to those who have led me.

I have experienced so much love and friendship from my time here.

From Choir sleepovers, trips abroad, weekly head chorister meetings, running to get a slushy before choir, all solidifying my love for a family I will never lose. One particular memory I think of when writing this, is during the girl choir’s annual sleepover at the church. We were playing a hide and seek game called sardines. The object of the game is for everyone to find the one person hiding, and when you do, you join the hider until everyone has found them. So my friend and I were running through the church at night, in the dark,which can be

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quite spooky. It had probably been 20 minutes since we first started searching, and people started to disappear more and more the longer we didn’t find the group. Which made the game even more intense.

The group of hiders thought it’d be helpful to all start singing so we could find them better. So when we heard Ubi Caritas echo down the dark church hallways, I think we screamed while running away for a good two minutes till we found them. Even the silliest memories like this, remind me of how much joy the choir and church have brought me.

Along with the guidance and friendship of the choir, I have always been supported by Christ Church. I have been privileged

with the constant comfort and reliability the church has given me.

Whenever I felt lost I knew I had so many individuals there to help me.

Having such a loving community to be a part of, I have learned great patience, integrity, and care from those around me.

I won’t lie, writing this reflection was difficult, because despite everything I have experienced in this community, I know writing this passage means my career in the choir has come to an end. But even though I will be attending MSU next year, away from home, I know that when I do return, I will be welcomed with open arms.

—Lauren Platt

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College Secret Saint Ministry Forming!

Become a Secret Saint!

Keeping our college kids connected, by staying connected to our college kids!

Christ Church has over 25 youth attending various colleges across the region and country and another 16 scheduled to go away this fall!

What is a Secret Saint?

A Secret Saint is a tangible sign of God’s love and our love to a college student from Christ Church. Secret Saints are assigned one college student for the year.

Secret Saints are encouraged to reach out to their student throughout the year with cards, letters, Christ Church updates, and care packages, etc. An annual Reveal Brunch will be held to connect our students with their Secret Saint!

Interested in dusting off your halo?

Contact Jessica Van Culin (jvanculin@christchurcgp.org) or Mtr. Maureen (mmartin@christchurchgp.org) to find out more about the Secret Saint ministry.

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Youth Confirmation

by Jessica Van Culin

W

e are giving great thanks for many things these days!

One celebration has been the return of confirmation into the life of our young people. After a hiatus of several years, we have 8 young

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people, Lillian Irby, Libby Anderson, Emma Hanoian, Lorelei Carr, Ryann Waller, Henry Chesterton, Duncan Richards and Conrad Squitieri, who have journeyed together each Wednesday night since October, exploring their Christian faith through our Episcopal tradition.

The group gathers at the Rectory each Wednesday evening around the dining table and over dinner build relationships in a community grounded in love and care for one another. Conversation continues in the living room while Fr Drew leads the youth through the topic for the

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evening. Finally, the evening closes through Compline. We’ve had such an engaging, thoughtful group that our “question bowl” (a bowl that was used to encourage the youth to ask questions of faith no matter how off the wall and to help the leaders stay on topic) is full! Fr. Drew will be offering several breakfasts for the youth to answer these questions and more!

Please plan to join us and Bishop Perry on Sunday, June 5th at 9:00am to celebrate Pentecost and to welcome our newly confirmed further into our Christian life together! It will be a day of celebration!

Confirmation, Reception, Reaffirmation: What does this all mean?

Confirmation is a mature, public affirmation of faith, celebrated by the prayers and laying on of hands by our bishop. It is a celebration of one’s baptism and one’s desire to live out one’s faith in the Episcopal Church. If you were baptized as a child (in any denomination) but never were confirmed, one would choose this Rite.

Reception is for those who have been confirmed in an Apostolic tradition such as Roman Catholics Lutherans and Orthodox Christians who wish to join the Episcopal Church.

Reaffirmation of Faith is for those who have been confirmed or received in the in the Episcopal Church and wish to recommit themselves to the life of Christ.

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Spring Clean Up

W

e are grateful to everyone who helped with our Spring Clean Up on April 30.

Whether you were inside polishing silver or outside weeding flower beds, we appreciate your help!

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Special thanks to Jennifer, Matt, and the rest of the crew from Organic Matters— our landscaping team who led the gardening portion.

Our next event will be cleaning up the Parsonages on June 11. Contact Colleen Fitzgerald at Cfitzgerald@ Christchurchgp.org.

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Parish Calendar June 2022 5 The Day of Pentecost Holy Baptism, Confirmation & Eucharist, Strawberry Shortcake to follow 29 Summer Barbecue 6 pm July 2022 15 Bon Voyage Concert 20 Summer Barbecue 6 pm August 2022 7 The Feast of the Transfiguration 22-26 Choir Camp 31 Summer Barbecue, 6 pm September 2022 11 Fall Homecoming Festival, Blessing of Backpacks October 2022 2 Blessing of the Animals, 9 am 28-29 Diocesan Convention November 2022 6 All Saints Sunday Parish Breakfast to follow All Souls’ Requiem, 3 pm 20 Concert, 3 pm 20 Christ the King Sunday 24 Thanksgiving Day Choral Eucharist, 10 am 27 The First Sunday of Advent Advent Wreath Workshop Advent Procession, 3 pm December 2022 9-10 Gifts and Greens Weekend 11 Concert, 3 pm 16 Parish Christmas Party, St. Nicholas Celebration

December 2022 cont’d

May 2023 cont’d

18 Christmas Lessons & Carols, 4:30 pm 24 Christmas Eve Choral Eucharist and Creche Procession, 4 pm Choral Eucharist, 8 & 11 pm Eggnog Reception to follow 25 Christmas Day Choral Eucharist, 10 am

18 Ascension Day Choral Eucharist, 7 pm 21 Recognition Sunday 28 The Day of Pentecost Strawberry Shortcake to follow

January 2023 6 The Epiphany of our Lord 8 The Baptism of our Lord Epiphany Procession & Choral Eucharist, 3 pm 29 Annual Meeting & Parish Lunch

Baptism Sundays: • • • •

The Transfiguration of our Lord The Baptism of our Lord The Great Vigil of Easter The Day of Pentecost

February 2023 2 Feast of the Presentation, Choral Eucharist 7 pm 12 Crossroads Sunday 21 Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, 22 Ash Wednesday April 2023 2 Palm Sunday Liturgy, Palm Sunday Concert, 3 pm 3-8 Holy Week Services Eucharist, 7 pm 5 Tenebrae, 7 pm 6 Choral Eucharist, 7 pm, Choral Eucharist 7 pm 7 Good Friday 8 Choral Eucharist 7 pm 9 Easter Day May 2023 7 Chorale Concert 3 pm 14 Easter Lessons & Carols

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