Weekly Update 23 October 2026

Reflection

Jim Minton

Jim Minton

I originally intended this week’s reflection to be about scripture, but I decided to take it in a completely different direction. I started volunteering at Hospice of the Northwest in Mt. Vernon almost 8 years ago, shortly after Grace and I moved here. There was a little ad in our HOA newsletter about hospice, so I inquired about it and got involved. One service that hospice volunteers provide is respite or companionship. Respite involves about a 3-hour shift spent with the patient while the caregiver gets a break to shop, run errands, whatever. Companionship, which I chose, involves visiting a patient and sitting with them, talking or reading, or just being a compassionate presence.

My first patient was a man in his 60s named Eldon. He had advanced Parkinson’s and was confined to his bed in a nursing facility. The disease had robbed him of the ability to speak, so my “job” was just to read to him. His tastes, according to his wife, ran to detective novels and crime thrillers, so I just started in reading what he had on his nightstand. As time passed, I grew more comfortable being around him and learned that we could communicate in ways other than verbal, using our eyes and facial expressions. One day I decided we were going to read something different, an old favorite of mine. It was “The Little Book” by Selden Edwards. It’s a charming story of time travel back to 1890s Vienna, with all kinds of plot twists and turns. It was great fun reading it to him, and I believe he enjoyed it too. Unfortunately, that was the last book I was able to share with him because he declined rapidly and passed on. I can still feel him holding my hand during that final visit, and not letting go. I think he might have been saying goodbye to me.

The point I’m trying to make is that we all have God-given gifts to share, ways to show love to our neighbors. This all is part of stewardship, sharing our time, treasure, and talents. When I give unselfishly to others, with no thought of “what’s in it for me”, I find the rewards are greater than I could imagine.

Sunday Service

25 October 2026
The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 25

Morning Prayer

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

Servers
Presider: Sharman Badgett-Young
Homilist: Emily Sander
Altar Guild: June Cook
Readers: Jerlyn Caba, Judy McClelland
Ushers: Jerlyn Caba, Geoff Holmes
Organist: Lynne Berg
Coffee Hour Host: Shirley Barrett

Readings
Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18
Psalm 1
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Matthew 22:34-46
Readings may also be found in the Episcopal Lectionary.

Hymns
H 423 - Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
H 602 - Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love
H 517 - How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place
H 450 - All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name!

Bulletin Link: October 25 Morning Prayer
YouTube Sunday Service Link

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

Ed Barton

Faith Formation Series
Last Things: Preparing for a Christian Death
12:15 - 1:15 pm
Parish Hall
Presenter: Ed Barton
October 25 Topic:
Your Funeral and Your Last Gift
At this session, you will have the opportunity to fill out a Christ Church funeral planning record.
Questions? Please contact Ed Barton.
All are welcome. 

Announcements

A Joyful Noise October 2026

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

All Saints’ Day Memorial Plaque Dedication

Sunday, November 1
Following the service on All Saints’ Day, we will gather in the Memorial Garden for the dedication of the new memorial plaques.

2027 Stewardship

Please prayerfully consider your pledge to Christ Church and then return your pledge card on or before November 1. Your generosity empowers our church to embody the love of Christ in real and tangible ways.
-Your 2027 Stewardship Committee
Sharman Badgett-Young, June Cook, & Tom Young

Pledge cards may be mailed to the church office, or placed in the offering plate or the mail drop (to the right of the parish hall door). All pledges will be blessed on November 1, Ingathering Sunday.

Fundraiser for Tino Bonilla

June Cook

Tino Bonilla, brother of Jose Bonilla, our faithful groundskeeper, was recently severely beaten while on a job in town. The perpetrator is in jail, but Tino will be unable to work for possibly six months, and he has a young family to care for. Look into your hearts and consider helping support him during this time of healing. Please be generous. Send checks (made out to Tino Bonilla) to the church office, drop in the mail slot, or place in the collection plate. Note that your donations will not go through church accounting but will go directly to Tino. Thank you, thank you!

Trans Day of Remembrance Service

Wednesday, November 18
6pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
Each year, Episcopal Churches remember the trans, non-binary, and two-spirited lives lost in the past year.
The service will be held in place of our Evening Prayer service.
All are welcome.

Val Long Memorial Service

Saturday, November 21
1pm
Presider: The Rev. Dianne Andrews
Christ Church Sanctuary
A reception will follow in the Parish Hall Gathering Room.
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.

Meditation/Silent Prayer

Todd Fifield

Weekly on Wednesdays
5pm
Christ Church Sanctuary

Come dwell in silent prayer. This is a quiet, intentional time to be still in God’s presence–to pray, reflect, or simply rest. There will be two 15-minute periods of silent prayer, with a 5-minute walking meditation/break between them. Come for one period or stay for both. No experience is necessary; Todd will guide you through the time.
All are welcome.
Questions? Please contact Todd Fifield.

Evening Prayer

Sharman
Badgett-Young

Weekly on Wednesdays
6:00-6:30 pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
October 28 Presider: Sharman Badgett-Young
All are welcome.

Men’s Group

No Men’s Group on Friday, October 23, due to Diocesan Convention.
Group will resume on Friday, October 30.
9-10 am
Parish Hall Gathering Room
All are welcome.
Questions? Please contact Tom Young.

The Red Door Thrift Shop Update

Dawn Jex

Hello Everyone,

I want to start today's message by letting you all know that longtime volunteer and church member Val Long passed away last week. We appreciate Val and all of her work at The Red Door. I knew her as a jewelry pricer and I know she trained and organized all of our of current jewelry people. She was a sweet, sweet lady and we will miss her.

As I came into the shop today, I was so blown away by everything that our Monday crew does to make the shop look so appealing. Kathy Ives moved some things around to make the craft area look brighter and more appealing to customers, Laurie did some displays out front to highlight Thanksgiving, many folks priced items and put them out, the Linen Ladies displayed their weekly horde of pretty linen items. It just looks fabulous in here. Thank you everyone for all that you do. Together we are a great team!

Please, if you have an idea to make things look better, to help us be a better help to our community, to organize and display things - Let's talk about your idea and see what we can come up with! Together we make this place better all the time. 

I also want to mention that Laurie Towey came up with an idea for a weekly "Flash Sale" for Fridays. She has chosen one area of the store to highlight each week to have a special sale on Fridays only. This idea will help us make a bit more money and get customers excited to see what our Friday Flash Sale will be. It's a really great idea and this week that sale will be: Games and Puzzles. 

The calendars for November are up on the bulletin board. Please make any necessary changes to your schedule or sent me a quick message and i will do it for you. 

We only have two weeks left in October, so we have all of the Halloween items on sale for half price this week. We also have all of our Thanksgiving decor out - focusing on fancy dishes and cooking implements. Christmas will start to go out in early November. Debbie and I are hoping that all of that pre-pricing that we did throughout the year will make this the smoothest transition to Xmas we've ever had. 

Sales this week are: Green tagged clothing $1, Halloween half price, Bin clothing 50 cents (bras, underwear socks).

I hope you all are staying warm out there as the weather has really started to dip down into those cooler temperatures. 

Cheers to all,
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

Tino & family
Family & friends of Val, 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