Weekly Update 25 April 2025
Reflection
Catherine Clemens
The church gives us the rhythm of the Church Year to re-enact the story of our salvation, and in doing so, to align the story with the here and now of our own stories.
We live in a culture that focuses on the first half of life. And yet, when I reflect on this congregation, I see the gray hair and I know that two-thirds of us, or more, are living the last half of the journey. I am now in my 87th year. My hope for myself is to refrain from lamenting my own decreasing energy, and rather to stretch to understand the purpose of this last part of the journey. I want to defy the culture! I know there is much that I - we - can do. I believe that if we carry the Light, it will radiate out to others. I believe that age carries the traditions and the heart of a community to the next generation. I believe that we have a responsibility to witness to how God has acted in our lives. I am also cognizant of the words of Jesus to his disciples which are contained in the gospel for the coming Sunday: “As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.”
The Resurrection isn’t just about Jesus. He was changed, but so were the disciples, and so can we be changed if we believe it and fold the meaning of it into our own lives. We are his disciples now! Wendell Berry has some ideas for those who ask: “What can I do?”
“So, friends, every day do something that won’t compute. Love the Lord. Love the world. Work for nothing. Take all that you have and be poor. Love someone who does not deserve it. Ask the questions that have no answers. Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias! Practice resurrection!”
I cling to the 18th verse of Psalm 71:
“Now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me, till I make known your strength to this generation and your power to all who are to come.”
Sunday Services
Sunday, 27 April 2025
The Second Sunday of Easter
Year C
Chandler’s Square Morning Prayer
9:30 am
Chandler’s Square Retirement Community
1300 “O” Avenue, Anacortes
Presider: John Okerman
Christ Church Morning Prayer
10:30 am
1216 Seventh Street, Anacortes
The service is also available on YouTube.
Servers
Co-Presiders: Todd Fifield, Jim Minton
Homilist: Melissa Simonsen
Readers: Jason Wells, Tierney Wells
Ushers: Diane Guinn, John Guinn
Altar Guild: Melissa Simonsen
Organist: Lynne Berg/June Cook
Coffee Hour Host: Sharman Badgett-Young & Tom Young
Readings
Acts 5:27-32
Psalm 118:14-29
Revelation 1:4-8
John 20:19-31
Readings may be found in the Episcopal Lectionary.
Hymns
H 432 - O Praise Ye the Lord!
H 178 - Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks to the Risen Lord
H 174 - At the Lamb’s High Feast
H 205 - Good Christians All, Rejoice & Sing!
Bulletin Link: April 27, The Second Sunday of Easter
YouTube Sunday Service Link
Designated Plate Offering
The loose plate offering this Sunday is designated for The Foundation for Academic Endeavors.
Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour follows the service.
All are welcome.
Announcements
Youth Group
Youth Group meets this Wednesday, April 30
6:00-7:30 pm, beginning with dinner
Parish Hall Gathering Room
Our lesson for the evening is Society: Walking Humbly
All youth in Middle School & High School are welcome.
Eucharistic Visitor Training
The Rev.
Vicki Johnson
Thursday, May 1
10am - 12:30pm
Christ Church
If you are interested in participating in this training, please contact The Rev. Vicki Johnson at 509-302-7364, vicki_johnson66@yahoo.com
Anacortes Art Walk
Christ Church will be a participant in Anacortes’ First Friday Art Walk
Friday, May 2
6-8pm
Our stained glass windows and our sign by Kevin Paul will be featured, as will our paintings by Dederick Ward.
Light refreshments will be served.
If you are interested in greeting and visiting with our guests, please contact Melissa Simonsen at 360-797-2511 or mvsimonsen@gmail.com
Cathedral Day
Saturday, May 3
St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle
Stephanie Galbraith and Jim Minton will be confirmed and Dan Moore will be received.
Please join in the celebration. All are welcome.
RSVP: https://Cathedral-Day-2025.eventbrite.com
Memorial Service for The Rev. John Filler
Sunday, May 18
3pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
All are welcome.
The Rev. John Filler Obituary
Garden Shed
Our Building & Grounds Team will be replacing the garden shed behind the parish hall with Ed’s Shed, which will be moved from the Red Door Thrift Shop. The garden shed is 8’ 3” by 14’ 3”. If you are interested in moving the garden shed from the Christ Church premises for your own use, please contact Geoff Holmes at 360-317-8539, gholmes@rockisland.com
Centering Prayer
Maggie Collinge
Weekly on Wednesdays
1:15 - 1:45
Christ Church Sanctuary
All are welcome at this short, simple service: a scripture reading, 20 minutes of silence, an intercessory prayer, and the Lord’s Prayer. Questions? Please contact Maggie Collinge, 360 202-5588.
Evening Prayer
Weekly on Wednesdays
6pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
All are welcome.
Men’s Group
The Rev. Eric
Johnson
The Men’s Group meets weekly on Fridays.
9:00 – 10:00 am
Parish Hall Gathering Room
Questions? Please contact The Rev. Eric Johnson.
All are welcome.
The Red Door Thrift Shop
Weekly News
*The Red Door Thrift Shop has a new phone number: 360-202-9966.*
Dawn Jex, Red Door Manager
Dawn Jex
Hello Everyone!
I hope you had a lovely Easter week and that you were able to hug some family and friends and are enjoying the beautiful weather we've been having.
First of ALL:
We have a new phone number at The Red Door. It is 360-202-9966. Please update this number in your contacts. This number is active as of today and we are in the process of updating it online and on all of our paper documents.
Note for Cashiers
We now have a way to help our customers donate funds to our building project on their credit card. I am in the process of writing up a procedure for this. But if you would, just ask me when you come in for your shift and I will show you how it is done. So, not only can we "round up" with cash, we can also do this with a card! Procedure coming soon!
Building NEWS
Things are moving forward! We will have a temporary donation shed that will be delivered on Monday 5/5. So you will notice that we will be clearing out our current shed to move everything over into our temporary shed in the next few weeks. Change is afoot so be aware that things are going to look different for awhile!
Donations
Please do not leave the cardboard FREE signs out overnight. We have found that this encourages folks to leave items when we are not present. This can cause a mess on the sidewalk and issues with people being around the building at night which bothers our neighbors. Please only use the Free signs when we are in the building. Thank you.
Calendars
May calendars are up on the bulletin board. Please check them for accuracy and let me know of any dates that you need to be out as soon as you can. Please and Thank you.
People Treating People Well is Contagious
Last week we had a visit from one of our local unhoused folk. I'll Call him M. M has been around for a couple of months now. I've spoken to him a few times - enough to learn his name. He stopped into the shop, willingly put his bags by the cashier and began to shop. I called him by name and asked what he was looking for, "How can I help you?" He said some shoes would be great. So we looked through the shoes for his size. We found two pair and I ushered him over to the benches to sit down and try them on. I assured him that I would give him a pair free of charge. I walked away to give him some time to try them on. After a few minutes I came back to find him staring off into space (a common feature of those who are using some substance). I asked about the shoes and he said that he thought he would just go to Mom's Closet. I told him ok and that I would hold the shoes for him until the end of the day if he wanted to come back and get a pair. He wandered around a bit more while I watched from a distance, and then he left the shop.
As soon as he left, one of our long-time shoppers came up to me to say how nicely I had treated him. "You were so patient and kind and that's the kind of treatment they should get. I was so glad to see you helping him. You were loving and used his name even." I told her thank you for her sweet comment and explained to her that my son is a recovering heroin addict so I have a heart for young men who are on the street. I know how it feels to be their mom who worries. And it makes it easy to help them because I see my son in them. I want to help them as I would help my own son.
And then I got to thinking, I'm glad I was nice to him today. People are watching me. They are watching us. They see if we are kind or impatient or irritated. They see how we treat folks and that reflects on TRD and The Church and our mission in General. I'm not saying we have to be perfect. I have bad days too. But on this day, I was kind and it was seen and it made an impact on everyone.
And I believe that People Treating People Well is Contagious. And don't we need more of that today?
Sending lots of love your way today,
Dawn
Christ Church’s Red Door Thrift Shop is located at 1019 Seventh Street in Anacortes.
Red Door Thrift Shop
360.202.9966
Red Door Shopping Hours:
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 10am – 3pm
Red Door Donation Hours:
Monday & Wednesday: 10am – 1pm
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 10am – 3pm
Profits generated at the Red Door Thrift Shop fund Christ Church’s Community Support program.
Shoppers, Volunteers, & Donations are always welcome!
Day by Day
Day by Day daily devotions may be accessed at the following link:
Day by Day Daily Devotion.
Prayer List
Patricia, mother of Dan
Michael & Rev. Rilla
Myrna
Mary and family
Arra, aunt of Carol
Sandy
Dale
Zoanne
Linda
Tom
Karen
Leslie
Diana
Val
John
Brendan, Jennifer, Glen, & Donna, friends of Mary