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Dear Friends,

This weekend will be a turning point in the life of our church. I have invited the Rev. Dr. Todd Hunter to come speak to us at several different venues. Todd is a recent convert to Anglicanism and will be made a missionary bishop in the AMiA in September. His background and church planting initiative are outlined on the website for his ministry, Churches for the Sake of Others. I am proud and honored to have him join us this weekend.

He will speak to our Small Group leadership on Saturday night, preach at our Sanctuary services on Sunday, and also spend some time with our church planters (there are a growing number here.) But I also want to be sure that you know you are invited to hear Todd speak this Sunday night in the Fellowship Hall at 6 p.m. Click here for all the info. He is an outstanding and inspirational speaker. I invited him to come to Christ Church because I want our whole church to hear his important message. Our church is growing in the midst of an incredible mission field. The ethnic populations, the un-churched, those with a heart for God but no church, and the families in our community who need Christ…these are the people whom our church can reach for the sake of the Gospel.

Do you remember when you first came to that awareness of a living God? It undoubtedly shook your world. Or perhaps you never knew a time when you did not know of Christ and His love for you. Either way, you know the great joy in knowing God…and serving Him.

Let’s remember our mission, especially this fall, as we come back together from a great summer of ministry.

Here are a few things you should know:

1) On Point Bible Study is expanding to co-ed! What does that mean? It means that the same lesson on Tuesday morning (at 7 a.m.) will be offered on Wednesday evenings for men and women. Couples are invited. Singles, too. This season, On Point will focus on the seminal chapters in Genesis (1-11.) Jason Bowman and I will team teach throughout the year. My main focus will be Tuesday mornings and his will be on Wednesday evenings. Plan to join a session.

2) It should be noted that our Small Group Ministry is undergoing a quiet renewal. Christ Church began as a small group that met in people’s homes 25 years ago. It is in our DNA. It is a feature of who we are. Beginning with the weekend of September 12/13, the sermon from Sunday morning will be condensed, outlined, and emailed to all small group members early in the week. Small Group discussion questions will be included as well. My hope is that the subject and content of the sermon will be discussed and applied in the lives of the hundreds of people who are in any and all of our small groups.

Some may choose to receive the curriculum at home for individual study, but my hope is that everyone in our church would have the opportunity to join an existing or new small group. You can email Susan Freeman for more information.

3) The congregation generously received the announcement of the delay to Susan Freeman’s ordination. I did hear from a number of people about it and, as I mentioned last week, I will take the time in the weeks to come to educate and help people understand the role of the priest in the Anglican Communion.

4) On a personal note, my mom turned 81 last week. I was able to make a quick trip to see her. I appreciate the time afforded me by our vestry and staff. She is in great health and she is in a great marriage. It was wonderful to see!

I will see you this weekend.

In Christ,
David+