Homecoming Sunday - September 13th

TheSpire
A Newsletter by and for the people of Christ Church Bronxville
Homecoming Sunday - September 13th
One of the great and ocasionally
unintentional blessings of this
summer has been the unearthing
of much of our parish story. Each
decision regarding the buildings
and spaces, the walls and
windows, the pipes and parapets
was brought into sharp relief as
we continued to follow our capital
improvements plan.
At a Glance
Children’s Formation
2
Adult Formation
3
Youth & Confirmation
4
Music at CCB
5
Parish Life
6
Parish Events
7
September Highlights
8
Contact us:
914.337.3544
Monday-Thursday
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Fridays
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
www.ccbny.org
Five years ago, during my first
months as rector, the parish
published our history, Built Upon
a Rock. This summer, I met the
“rock” - granite bedrock right
where we needed to go with our
restored heating system.
In all of this forensic excavation/exploration what I have found is what I
had hoped to find. Each decision about our buildings was made to honor
the life, heart and activity of the parish at that time. Each decision, no
matter how difficult, was made to support Christ Church’s mission to
share God’s love with the world in as many ways as her people could
conceive.
That tradition continues. This fall we will celebrate the arrival of a
new pipe organ, we will continue to expand our educational offerings
and outreach programs, we will experience heat in the church that is
economical and effective, we will adapt spaces to new purposes, we
will welcome wonderful new members to our staff and we will, in all of
these things, rejoice in the love of God. The next exciting chapter of our
family history is beginning!
I can’t wait to see all of you again on Homecoming Sunday, September
September 2009 VOL. LXIV, No. 1 13. We will continue our celebration on this “Rock” as the work
progresses and our family joyfully reunites!
Michael+
The Spire
2
Weekly
Children’s
Christian
Formation
Schedule
9:45 AM Church School
teachers are in
classrooms.
9:50 AM
Parents bring their
children to classrooms.
(Nursery care is
available for babies and children too young
for Church School.)
10:40 AM Presentation Hymn
Grades 2 through 6
enter church from the
Narthex (rear of the church) and sit with
their parents.
10:50 AM At Communion
Children 3 years old through first grade
enter through the
door by the pulpit and go to their parents.
For more information please
contact: Barbara Potgieter
Children’s Christian Formation
bpotgieter@ccbny.org
Children’s Christian Formation
Welcome Breakfast 2009
September 13th at 9:30 AM in
Taylor Hall
Please join us for a welcome
breakfast in Taylor Hall. This
is your opportunity to reconnect with one another after
the summer break, meet our
Church School teachers, and
confirm that your child’s registration information is correct
(or to register your child for
the first time). The classroom assignments for each grade will be posted so you
can take your child to their Church School room by 9:50 AM in time for their
first class.
What Matters to Us
The goal of Children’s Christian Formation at Christ Church is to help our
children learn the Bible more fully, grasp their faith more deeply, and gain a
tangible sense of God’s love for them. Much of the curriculum revolves around
the art of storytelling and active engagement with the great stories of our faith.
Additional crafts and activities will be offered each week, especially for the Godly
Play classes, to augment the learning of this material, but at the end of the day it
is these stories of God’s relationship with humanity that we want our children to
know.
Godly Play
Ages Three Through First Grade
At Christ Church we have two Godly Play classes, an older and a younger group.
The goal of Godly Play is to teach children the art of using religious language,
parable, sacred story, silence, and liturgical action to help them become more fully
aware of the mystery of God’s presence around them and in their lives. Godly Play
is Montessori-based and uses high-quality wooden pieces to focus the children’s
attention on the wonder of the story and encourage them to internalize their faith
through the rhetorical questions that are part of the story-telling. A good place to
learn more is www.godlyplay.com.
Godly Dialogue
Grades Two Through Six
Nursery Care
is available for babies
and children too young for
Church School.
Building on the philosophy of Godly Play, Godly Dialogue allows children to
build an awareness of God’s presence by actively engaging with the stories of our
Faith. Each weekly session is focused on dialogue and discussion about the class
topics and stories, allowing the children to explore the ways they are relevant in
their own lives. Each year has a special focus:
2nd grade: The Eucharist (Communion)
3rd grade: The Old Testament
4th grade: The New Testament
5th grade: Church History
6th grade: World Religions
Confirmation classes begin in 7th grade.
3
Adult Christian Formation
Christ Church Welcomes the Rev. Dr. Amy
Lamborn
CCB is pleased to be joined by the Rev. Amy Lamborn
for the 2009-2010 year. She comes to us with both
an engaging personality and a truly remarkable
academic record. Amy holds a B.A. in English
literature and interdisciplinary honors studies from
Union University in Jackson, Tennessee; an M.Div.
from the School of Theology, University of the South
(Sewanee); and an M. Phil. and Ph.D. from Union
Theological Seminary (UTS), New York City, where
she was awarded the Robert Wood Lynn Fellowship
for Excellence in Teaching. Since her ordination as an
Episcopal priest in 1998, she has served in institutional
and parish settings in both Indiana and New York.
Further, Amy is currently a candidate in psychoanalysis
at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies and
an adjunct professor at UTS. She has previously served as a tutor in the Psychiatry
and Religion Program at UTS; an adjunct professor in Psychology and Religion at
both Marymount Manhattan College and UTS; and editor of the Union Theological
Seminary Quarterly Review. Her recent essays and scholarly articles have appeared
in Pastoral Psychology, The Journal for Religion and Health, and the Living Pulpit.
She is a member of the National Association for the Advancement of
Psychoanalysis, the American Acadamy for Religion (including the Psychology,
Culture, and Religion Group of the AAR), the Society of Pastoral Theology, and is a
Clinical Member of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education.
Dr. Lamborn lives in Riverdale with her husband, The Rev. Dr. Robert C. Lamborn,
and their daughter Caroline. Her interests include cooking, cycling, traveling, hiking
and gardening.
Welcome the Rev. Jennifer E. Brown
After serving for two years as one of our seminarians from the General theological
Seminary in NYC, Mother Brown (Jen) will be joining Christ Church as the
Assistant to the Rector. This part-time position will allow Jen to be with us on
Sundays, to help teach Seventh Grade Confirmation Class, to assist with pastoral
care visits and tracking, and to support our Young at Arts Program.
Before entering seminary, Jen served as a Middle School Social Worker for the New
York City Board of Education. In that capacity she provided individual and group
counseling to students and their families, led groups on peer pressure and other
issues related to adolescence, and conducted parent workshops. She holds an MSW
from Yeshiva University and a BS from Syracuse University.
We are delighted that Jen’s ministry with us will continue!
Outreach
If you are interested helping plan Outreach Sunday or getting involved in outreach
programs this year please contact Dorothy Thomas at (914) 667-1625 or email
her at Dorothy.acee.thomas@gmail.com. There will be an Outreach Committee
meeting on Sunday, September 20th following the 10 o’clock service. All are
welcome.
Adult Programs
Adult Christian Formation
continues this fall at Christ Church
Bronxville with Working Mother’s
Fellowship, Circle of Light and
the Women’s Spirituality Group
meeting at their regular times (see
www.ccbny.org for a complete
schedule).
Sunday Luncheons in the Crispell
Lounge. All parishioners are invited
to help make these wonderful
occasions and opportunities for
special guests to meet and catch
up with friends. The first Sunday
Luncheon will be held on Sunday
October 18th.
The Hobart Committee, which
meets after major events at Christ
Church to man (or woman) the
Hobart dishwasher and skillfully
process the dishes from spotted
to sparkling in less than half an
hour. Highlights:The Shrove
Tuesday Pancake Supper, and
Seniors Luncheons. Bonus: Hobart
Committee T Shirt.
The Women’s Spirituality group
will resume meeting on Thursday,
September 17th, at 9:30 AM in the
Conference Room. Join the women
for a lively discussion of Reinhold
Niebuhr’s collected essays.
For more information contact Ruth
Singleton 337-6450.
The Circle of Light , an interfaith
prayer group dedicated to
peacemaking and healing will
resume on Tuesday, September 15th
in the Library. If you are interested
and/or have questions about the
group, please contact Hondi Brasco
at mmhdb1@aol.com or by phone
771-8870. We welcome your
participation!
The Spire
4
EYC
Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Dias
Youth Minister and Active Parishioner Wed July 25th
On July 25th Christ Church’s Director of Youth Ministry Krista
Miller, and Youth Group Volunteer John Dias were married in their
hometown of Boulder, Colorado. They had a morning ceremony
in a beautiful mountain setting, highlighting God’s magnificent
creation. Father Bird performed the ceremony and Patrick and
Edelawit Bird played the roles of ring bearer and flower girl. It was
a beautiful day enjoyed by all.
Krista has since changed her last name to Dias. You can now find
her by emailing kdias@ccbny.org.
Episcopal Youth Community
For grades 9-12
The first and great commandment is this: you shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your
mind. And the second is like unto it: you shall love your neighbor as
yourself.
The Truth of Christianity is not accessible to us without practice.
At Christ Church high school students have the privilege of joining
the EYC, the Episcopal Youth Community of Christ Church. The
purpose of the EYC is to engage in the practice of Christianity.
We intend to seek this truth through a fellowship of love, through
reflection on Spirit and Truth, and through action in service to the
community and world of our neighbors.
Regular Meeings
Monday Nights 7:30-8:30 PM
Monday night meetings are a time to gather, ask questions,
pray, and discuss our faith in the context of teenage life
today. We also eat dinner, build lifelong friendships and have
fun!
Annual Weeklong Pilgrimages
The EYC takes very seriously the Christian formation of its members. One powerful way we practice this is by traveling
together in pilgrimage and in service. Twice a year the group spends time together in active Christian mission, for a week of
prayer at the Taizé monastery and a building project either domestically or abroad.
Please check the website for this year’s calendar and contact
Director of Youth Ministry Krista Dias (kdias@ccbny.org) for
more information.
EYC Weekend at the Beach September 27-28
The EYC will kick off the year by spending a weekend
together at the beach. Information and registration
Once or Twice Each Month
forms are available for download at ccbny.org or by
emailing Youth Minister Krista Dias at kdias@ccbny.org.
The EYC puts Spirit to work in regular active Christian
mission throughout the greater New York metropolitan area.
Registration is due September 15th.
One Friday a month we bring food, clothes and toiletries
September EYC Events
to Manhattan’s homeless population through work with the
· 11th – Midnight Run
Midnight Run organization.
· 14th – First EYC Monday Meeting
Additional service days are spent painting, building and
repairing area churches, serving at soup kitchens and other
· 27th and 28th - EYC Weekend at the Beach
places in need.
EYC Events
Christian Service
5
Music
Come, , Thou Long Expected Casavant Organ
Choir Registration
can be done online
at www.ccbny.org.
Register TODAY
and join the fun,
the fellowship, the
excitement, the
occasional applause,
and the best seats in
the house. We have
choirs for kids, teens,
and adults. If you
have any questions,
contact Christopher
Wells: cwells@ccbny.
org or 337-3544x116.
Our new organ is completed and is being prepared to ship to Bronxville! It is scheduled to arrive on October 5th.
The installation in the newly renovated chambers here at Christ Church will take 10-12 weeks, we expect to hear the
organ for the first time on Christmas Eve.
I had the great pleasure of seeing and playing the instrument in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec in July. I literally could not
believe my ears – it surpasses every expectation.
We have a number of installation and dedication events planned for this season including a procession of pipes on
October 18, special Christmas Eve music, and a series of dedication services and recitals. - Christopher Wells
Choir Rehearsal Schedules
Detailed schedules can be found online at www.ccbny.org
Voice for Life - boys and girls Grades 2-8
Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-5:30PM
Wednesdays 2:30-3:30PM
Wednesdays
3:30-4:30PM
(choose two of four rehearsals)
Sing n’ Ring – boys and girls Grades 2-8
Tuesdays 6:15-7:30PM
Primary Choir – boys and girls Kindergarten and First
Grade
Wednesdays 3:45-4:30PM
Schola Cantorum – teens
Thursdays
7:00-8:15PM
Christ Church Choir – Adults
Thursdays
7:30-9:00PM
feel free to contact Christopher Wells if you have any
questions: 914-337-3544 or cwells@ccbny.org.
Are your Monday
nights free? Want
to have fun?
Learn how to Shelley, weave,
pluck, shake, echo, damp and
swing!
Try a bell Monday, September
21 from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Undercroft. Nervous about
coming? Bring a friend! Interested, but can’t make a fullyear commitment? Let’s talk!
The Handbell Choir rings several times during the year
and would like more hands. Please contact Debbie Cook,
Handbell Director (202.7548 or debbiecook@optonline.net)
if you plan to come on September 21 so we are prepared.
The Spire
6
September
Birthdays
1: Jerri Andersen, Caroline Yerkes;
2: Nicole Clarke, Caroline Kirby; 3:
John Barrett, Ron Cappello; 4: Karen
Bevan, Dylan Richardson; 5: Constance Kleiner, Peter Gross; 6: Royden
Connors, Warren Ilchman, Nancy
Whitney; 7: Jane Kratovil; 9: Sara
Marshall, William Rabsey; 10: Harold
Bogle; 11: Art Nagle; 12: Priscilla
Newman, Jeffrey Minich; 13: Natalie Beit, Willis O’Brien; 14: Parker
Callaway, Maria Hayes; 15: Emma
Donahue, Sarah Reynolds; 17: William Campbell, Katharine George; 18:
Cynthia Ahmuty; 19: Michelle Ruhm;
21: Frederick Engelhardt, Gabriel
Felippe, Mary Thaler, Mark Wood; 22:
Caroline Beit, Ann Petersen;23: Nicole
Sears, William Turino, Sara Hogin;
24; Shelby Goodrum; 25: Nora Foley,
Salley Heintz, Mona McAlarney;
26: Jason Cushman, Robert Devlin,
Jack Marshall; 27: Mary Anderberg,
Hershell George, Piper Gilliam; 29:
Amelia Buendia, Patricia Mutolo, John
Redpath, Mimi Buendia; 30: Olivia
Capello, Helen Wood
Are we missing
your birthday?
As a member of Christ Churh, help us
bring our community closer together.
We love to celebrate each other and
would love to celebrate you on your
birthday. Please join in and help us
grow and change together. We don’t
want to forget you or unintentionally
leave you out. Please contact Amy
Capeci acapeci@ccbny.org with your
birthday so we can send you greetings
and wishes in the years to come. We
have just as much fun with birthdays
as you do having them. Please keep in
touch and let us know when we can
celebrate you. To submit birthdays
please send to acapeci@ccbny.org or
Elisabeth Campbell at ecampbell@
ccbny.org.
Parish Events
EYC Mission Trip
On Sunday August 9th Christ Church Bronxville’s high school youth group,
the Episcopal Youth Community, embarked on a weeklong mission trip in the
Atlanta Georgia area. Led by Youth Minister Krista Dias and Father Michael
Bird, the EYC spent the first part of the week working with the Fowler Street
Redevelopment Corporation in Covington Georgia. In recent years the city
of Covington has experienced steady economic development. Fowler Street
Redevelopment was created by area clergy in an effort to prevent racial and
economic segregation, and keep local people from being completely displaced.
Fowler Street purchased a group of homes in an area that had previously been
stricken with poverty and crime, and turned them into low-income homes in a
stable neighborhood. The teenagers in Christ Church’s Youth Group worked
to repair decaying fences, clear a creek bed behind the homes, install and
replace floor tiles, clear roofs of debris and branches, and remove debris from
underneath houses. Of equal importance, they spent time getting to know some
of Fowler Street’s residents and hear their stories. One man in particular struck
the teens. He was a veteran of the United States Marines who sustained severe
injuries in combat. Hearing his story and understanding that he could not do
essential home repairs on his own helped the teens to understand the importance
of giving of themselves in service to others.
The latter part of the week was spent working at the Episcopal Diocese of
Georgia’s community service center Emmaus House. Emmaus House provides
after school programs, a food pantry, groups for seniors, art classes and more to
residents of the Peoplestown neighborhood in downtown Atlanta. Located next
to Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves, Peoplestown is an impoverished
neighborhood riddled by gang violence. The teenagers in the EYC were deeply
moved by a walking tour of the neighborhood. During the walk they spotted 48
empty homes in a 7 block radius and visited a playground that had been built
on a “brownfield” contaminated by chemicals left there after years of industrial
use. The group also met the mother of a young man who was a member of the
Emmaus House community and who was shot and killed just down the street
- he had been mistaken for a local gang member. While at Emmaus House
the EYC overhauled the interior of a large apartment that will be used by postgraduate interns for the next year. The interns will work on “over-sexualization”
issues such as teen pregnancy and sex crime in Peoplestown.
Though Peoplestown has its fair share of problems, what was just as striking
was the friendliness of the people there. We met old men ready to have a
conversation about the Braves and nearly every person on the street greeted us
warmly. One of the missions of Emmaus House is to draw attention not only to
the problems in Peoplestown, but also to the humanity of the people there, and to
recognize their needs and rights.
In addition to serving people and organizations in Georgia, the EYC had some
fun. They watched the Braves play the Nationals at Turner Field, ate at the
Waffle House and sampled hotdogs at classic Atlanta drive in, The Varsity. On
the last day of the trip, the group witnessed sharks, whales, starfish, sharks and
more at the famous Georgia Aquarium.
The EYC is made up of teenagers from Bronxville, Mount Vernon, Tuckahoe
and Yonkers. While the issues of Peoplestown and Covington were foreign to
some, for others it closely resembled their home neighborhoods. Experiencing
the Atlanta area together allowed the teenagers to recognize and talk about the
challenges that face our local community. At the end of the trip Father Bird and
Krista Dias reminded the teens that the trip wasn’t just about their physical labor
in Georgia. It is about recognizing the ways we can come together and love one
another as Christ loved us, everyday while at home in New York. -Krista Dias
7
EYC Mission Trip to Georgia
Karly Redpath and Nora Hogan
mark out tiles for a repair.
Karly Redpath, Melissa Vasquez,
Alaya Martin painting the fencing
Ian Palfrey, Hyuga Takagi, and
Vincent Pazienza replacing tiles
and repairing the floor in one of the
houses at Fowler Street.
A resident of Fowler Street and the
boys’ tiling team (Hyuga Takagi,
around the houses at Fowler Street. Vincent Pazienza, and Ian Palfrey)
Cousins Michael Conaton and
Chris Behrens strategizing for the
next phase of powerwashing.
Sam O’Neil discovers hidden treasures
under a house in Covington, GA.
Brother and sister team Jessica and
Ian Palfrey getting ready to do some
roofing work.
Nora Hogan, Sarah Mazo, Ian
Palfrey, Alaya Martin, Hyuga
Takagi, Vincent Pazienza,
Michael Conaton, Chris Behrens,
Sam O’Neil, Melissa Vasquez,
Karly Redpath, Jessica Palfrey,
Cailen Jimenez and two local
girls taking a break from a hard
day’s work in Covington, GA.
The Spire
8
Highlights
Monday, Sept. 7th
Labor Day Church Office Closed
Friday, Sept. 11th
7:45 PM Midnight Run
Monday, Sept. 14th
Thursday, Sept. 17th
7:30 PM 7th & 8th Grade Confirmation
kick-off meeting with parents (Church)
7:30 PM EYC Begins (Taylor Hall)
9:30 AM Women’s Spirituality
(First of season)
Sunday, Sept. 20th
5:30 PM Kick off Tailgate Party
(at the home of Art and Paige Nagle)
Monday, Sept. 21st
7:30 PM Confirmation Class Begins
The Spire
Homecoming Sunday
Regular Church Services Begins
8:00 AM Holy Eucharist Rite I
9:30 AM Church School Breakfast and Registration
9:45 AM Children’s Chapel
9:50 AM Church School
10:00 AM Family Choral Eucharist
5:00 PM Informal Eucharist
Next Midnight run
Friday September 11th – meet at 7:45 PM
in the Christ Church kitchen. Volunteers and
donations are needed, in particular jeans,
sweaters, sneakers, ski jackets, backpacks. For
information contact PG Costa at pg@piercosta.
net or Krista Dias at kdias@ccbny.org.
Christ Church Bronxville
17 Sagamore Road
Bronxville, NY 10708-1599
Sunday, Sept. 13th
Midnight Run