Weekly Update 17 July 2026

Reflection

Tom Young

Wheat vs. Weeds

He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.” (Matthew 13:24-25)

‍ ‍ Tom Young

Weeds and wheat. Intertwined, tangled up with one another, competing for the same spots of moist soil and sunlight. Each unsure of the future as long as the other is still around…

Depending on the crop, distinguishing weeds from wheat is sometimes difficult, maybe even impossible. Who are we to judge? I’m certainly not a master gardener. I can’t tell a daisy from a dandelion.

When I look at the news (when my curiosity exceeds my aversion), it’s immediately obvious that weeds are growing like crazy in the garden of the world! We want the fields to flourish with good crops and not be choked by the weeds of injustice, greed, and war. Why, oh why, must weeds always keep coming back year after year?

Why don’t we start pulling those weeds now? In his commentary on this parable, St. Augustine offers this answer (paraphrased): “There is a difference between people and wheat/weeds, for what was grain in the field is grain and what were weeds are weeds. But in the Lord’s field (the church), what was grain sometimes turns into weeds, and what were weeds sometimes turn into grain. We don’t know what they might become.”

When Jesus’ enemies nailed him to the cross, he forgave them. Risen from the dead, he forgave those disciples who skipped out in his hour of need, and he set them up in the business of spreading his forgiveness to anybody who needs it—which is to say everybody. Forgiveness and forbearance are God’s way of working with our broken world.

Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ (Matthew 13:30)

Sunday Service

Sunday, 19 July 2026
The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 11

Holy Eucharist

10:30 am
Christ Church Sanctuary
1216 Seventh Street, Anacortes
The service is also available on YouTube.

Servers
Presider: The Rev. Rilla Barrett
Deacon: The Rev. Vicki Johnson
Homilist: Shirley Barrett
Eucharistic Minister: Ed Barton
Altar Guild: Martie Arnold, Jim Minton
Bread Ministry: Stephanie Galbraith & Dan Moore
Readers: Sharman Badgett-Young, Tom Young
Ushers: MJ Barrett, June Cook
Eucharistic Visitor: Shirley Barrett, Maggie Collinge
Organist: Lynne Berg

Readings
Isaiah 44:6-8
Psalm 86:11-17
Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Readings may be found in the Episcopal Lectionary.

Hymns
H 601 - O Day of God, Draw Nigh
H 654 - Day by Day
H 423 - Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
LEVAS 151 - One Bread, One Body
H 344 - Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing

Bulletin Link: 19 July 2026
YouTube Sunday Service Link

Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour follows the service. All are welcome.

July Designated Plate Offering
The loose plate offering this Sunday is designated for Faith Action Network.
Donations by check should be made to Christ Church with “Faith Action Network” in the memo line.

Mary Ellen
Huggins

Faith Formation
Scripture: Continuing the Conversation
12:15 – 1:15
Parish Hall Conference Room
We will use guided conversation to reflect on the Sunday readings.
Questions regarding Faith Formation? Please contact Mary Ellen Huggins, 425-330-3640, hugginsmaryellen@gmail.com

Announcements

Passing of Diane Canington

Diane Canington, a member of Christ Church’s Ministry Support Circle, passed on to her new life in Christ on July 13. Please offer prayers of thanksgiving for Diane’s life and keep her family and friends in your prayers.

A Joyful Noise July 2026

Find all the July news at A Joyful Noise July 2026.

Bishop’s Committee Meeting

Monday, July 20
5:30 – 7:00 pm
Parish Hall Gathering Room & Zoom.
All are welcome to attend.

Theology Potluck

Saturday, July 25
5:00 pm
Fifield Farm, 1119 41st Street, Anacortes
Presentation: The Usefulness of Heresy
Presenter: John Delautre
Over the centuries the Christian church has pursued, and often disagreed over, the true “content” of faith and the question of how believers should understand the meaning of the “Christ event.” Was he human, divine, somehow both, other? Since he was undeniably Jewish, what is our obligation to Judaism and its practices? Scripture makes no explicit reference to the Trinity, so where does that notion come from and why does it seem so important? From the earliest days of the church interpretations of these issues emerged that differed radically from what became accepted doctrine. And some of these “minority” opinions - also known as heresies - in their own time and place may well have been in the majority. This informal overview will explore some of the most durable questions about Christian faith and along the way help us understand what we ourselves believe. —John Delautre

Mass on the Grass

Outdoor Holy Eucharist Service
Sunday, August 2
10:30 am
Christ Church lawn
Presider: The Rev. Keith Axberg
Homilist: The Rev. Vicki Johnson
Musical Guests: The Steel Band from Pacific Lutheran University
A Potluck Picnic will follow the service.
Invite a friend! All are welcome.

Centering Prayer

Maggie
‍ ‍ Collinge

Weekly on Wednesdays
1:15-1:45 pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
All are welcome.
Questions?
Please contact Maggie Collinge, 360-202-5588, collingmargaret72@gmail.com

Evening Prayer

‍ ‍ Sharman
Badgett-Young

Weekly on Wednesdays
6:00-6:30 pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
July 22 Presider: Sharman Badgett-Young
All are welcome.
Questions?
Please contact The Rev. Vicki Johnson, 509-302-7364, vicki_johnson66@yahoo.com

Men’s Group

Weekly on Fridays
8:00 - 9:00 am
Parish Hall Gathering Room
Questions?
Please contact Tom Young, 425-263-1916, seathos@comcast.net
All are welcome.

The Red Door Thrift Shop Update

Dawn Jex

Dawn Jex, Red Door Manager

Hello All,

Wow! We are already half way through July! It just goes so fast. I will be working on the calendars for August this week and will send them out to you in a subsequent email. Displays will be changed to Arts Fest items tomorrow. This will include anything deemed "artsy" paintings, pottery, clothing, etc. Should be fun and look really good in the windows! And then we will be ready for Back to School, followed quickly by the Holidays. Yikes!

Every once in a while it is good to remind ourselves about some of our policies here at TRD. Today I want to make sure that you all understand our Policies regarding checking items out. I would like to highlight a few things. ALL items should be priced by someone other than you before they leave the building. All items should be written down in the white book if you are not paying for them today. You should be paying for checked out items within one week. 

New name tags are on the magnetic board in our staff bathroom. 

Please remember to use the smaller white garbage bags before you use the larger black ones for clothing/soft goods for NWC. The white ones are recycled from donations and are FREE for us to use. The large black ones are brand new and expensive. Let's be as cost conscious as we can and recycle first. Thank you. 

We are still looking for a couple of new volunteers to help with pricing on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Our donations crew is so quick that we are working hard to keep the flow of goods moving into the shop smoothly. Invite your friends and neighbors to come work with you? They might just love it here. 

I have ordered pulled pork and slider buns from Dad's Diner for our Potluck picnic at Washington Park on August 26th. We will be there from 3-6pm and I hope you can all join us! Please let me know what you'd like to bring as a dish to share with others by signing up on the bulletin board.

Let me know if you have questions,

Hugs, 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

Proceeds 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

Tony
Family & friends of Creamy
Rev. Eric & Lynette
Charlene
John, brother of Lynne, & family
Diane
Myrna
Arra, aunt of Carol
Sandy
Dale
Zoanne
Tom
Leslie
John
Ken & Dana, Pete & Charlene & family, and Rachel, family & friends of Mary