Weekly Update 14 August 2026
Reflection
The Rev. Vicki Johnson
The Rev. Vicki
Johnson
“What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart comes evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witnesses, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.” (Matthew 15:18-20)
In this week’s gospel we are walking into the aftermath of another encounter between the Pharisees and Jesus. The Pharisees were upset because Jesus and his disciples were ignoring the Jewish ritual of washing their hands before eating. In a roundabout way the Pharisees were accusing Jesus and the disciples of not being faithful to God because they were not following the traditions and rituals of the Jewish faith.
Jesus’ response, in modern day terms, was that faithfulness is not determined by how well you keep the church traditions and rituals. It’s not about how much money you give to the church, how many Sundays you show up or how many Bible verses you have memorized. It’s not about how well you follow the traditions of your faith. Instead, faithfulness to God is shown by how you live your life, showing God’s love and mercy to the world around you. Ultimately, it’s what comes out of your heart that matters.
May our hearts be filled with God’s goodness, mercy and grace.
August Theology Potluck
Saturday, August 15
5 pm
Fifield Farm, 1119 41st Street, Anacortes
We will continue our conversation with John Delautre on Early Church History and Heresy.
All are welcome.
Questions? Please contact Mary Ellen Huggins, 425-330-3640, hugginsmaryellen@gmail.com
Sunday Service
16 August 2026
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 15
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
Homilist: Emily Sander
Eucharistic Minister: Melissa Simonsen
Altar Guild: Martie Arnold, Jim Minton
Bread Ministry: Stephanie Galbraith & Dan Moore
Readers: Grace Minton, Jim Minton
Ushers: Betty Anne McCoy, Frank McCoy
Eucharistic Visitor: Maggie Collinge
Organist: Lynne Berg
Coffee Hour Hosts: Lorne & Judith Render
Readings
Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
Psalm 67
Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
Matthew 15:10-28
Readings may be found in the Episcopal Lectionary.
Hymns
H 542 - Christ is the World’s True Light
WLP 773 - Heal Me, Hands of Jesus
H 380 - From All that Dwell Below the Skies
WLP 772 - O Christ , the Healer
H 533 - How Wondrous and Great
Bulletin Link: 16 August 2026
YouTube Sunday Service Link
Designated Plate Offering
The loose plate offering this Sunday is designated for the Christ Church Discretionary Fund. If you would like to make a donation by check, please make your check out to “Christ Episcopal Church” with memo to “Church Discretionary Fund”.
Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour follows the service. All are welcome.
Mary Ellen
Huggins
Faith Formation
Scripture: Continuing the Conversation
12:15 – 1:15 pm
Parish Hall Conference Room
We will discuss the topic of Silence with a reading from Luke 5: 12-16. All are welcome as we share our thoughts and study the scriptures more deeply.
-Mary Ellen Huggins
Announcements
A Joyful Noise August 2026
Find all the August news at A Joyful Noise August 2026.
Guest Presider & Homilist
The Rev. Canon
Carla Robinson
Sunday, August 23
10:30 am Holy Eucharist service
We will welcome The Rev. Canon Carla Robinson as our presider and homilist. Rev. Robinson is the Canon for Multicultural Ministries and Community Transformation in the Diocese of Olympia.
A festive Coffee Hour will follow the service, with time for conversation with Canon Robinson.
CROP Hunger Walk
Christ Church will be participating in the 2026 CROP Hunger Walk on Saturday, September 20.
We are Team Anacortes Christ Episcopal Church. The walk is about 3.1 miles. We will begin at The Depot and follow the Tommy Thompson Trail.
From the CROP Hunger Walk website:
No one in this world should be hungry. That's why the CROP Hunger Walk is more than just a yearly gathering. It's a movement that's 57 years strong, made up of compassionate people in more than 500 communities across the U.S.
The steps we take - and the funds we raise together - will provide life-saving support including emergency food and resources, along with the seeds, tools and programs that will help families feed themselves in the future.
Every step and every donation ends hunger!
Learn more at CROP Hunger Walk.
Would you like to join the Team?
Contact Mary Ellen Huggins, 425-330-3640, hugginsmaryellen@gmail.com
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
The Rev. Diane
Ramerman
Weekly on Wednesdays
6:00-6:30 pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
August 19 Presider: The Rev. Diane Ramerman
All are welcome.
Men’s Group
Weekly on Fridays
8:00 - 9:00 am
During August, the Men’s Group will meet for breakfast at The Brown Lantern.
All are welcome.
Church Office
Marcy, our Office Administrator, will be in the church office on Tuesday this week, rather than Wednesday. Marcy may be reached at 360-293-5790 and office@christchurchanacortes.org
The Red Door Thrift Shop Update
Dawn Jex
Dawn Jex, Red Door Manager
Hello Everyone,
Well, the cooler weather has settled in and it is starting to feel like Fall this week. With Fall comes a change in displays to Back to School, Football and the beginnings of Fall Decor and Halloween! Yikes!
I stopped by the shop this weekend to pick up something out of my office and noticed a large donation bin full of linens ready to go to Northwest Center. I was hoping to take a look through that bin this morning but Alas, it had already been donated. Thoughts of that red polka dotted sheet, the little purple flowered set.....
I want to encourage all of you to put on your imagination caps with me and think of all the fun things that could be made out of old linens. A cape for a young child, A halloween costume? Cutting up fabric to make rugs....there are so many things that can be made with cotton sheets and with the price of fabric nowadays, I'm sure we can sell these older linens. Unless of course, they are stained or damaged in some way. So from now on, before donating these items to Northwest Center, think about crafting ideas, or maybe we could at least save the pillow cases? If in doubt, leave a bin of items for me to look at before we get rid of them. Thank you for thinking outside the box on older/vintage sheets and linens.
If you've been in the shop over the last week you may also have noticed that I have been hanging curtains and other linen type items on hangers and putting them on a rolling rack. We sell items more quickly this way rather than having them packaged up in a bin. So as linens/curtains etc. come into the shop, let's make sure the price tag is attached to the item and hang some of these displayed on the rolling rack to help keep these items moving. Thank you!
The shop is looking great with our "Back to School" Display and also the west window Football gear! Thank you to everyone who works so hard to make the shop look so good every day. You make working here a joy.
See you all soon!
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
Family & friends of Dee, Diane, Sarah, and Creamy
Tony
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