THE SPIREA Newsletter by and for the people of Christ Church

Through their words the prophets remind us, in this season of Advent, how far we have strayed from God’s hope for humanity. They demand that we remain alert, that we keep watch. From the loving circle of God’s sacred light Christ too calls us to be attentive. Be attentive – to our world – God’s world.Be attentive to the world’s pain – to our own pain.Be attentive to the movement of the spirit.Be attentive to injustice and discrimination and then take action.

Advent 2014Volume LXVI, Number 9

Christ Church Bronxville

914-337-3544

www.ccbny.org

page 3 page 14page 10page 7page 6

Our open eyes and ears and hearts point the way to the kingdom of God, the kingdom that began in the self-offering of Jesus Christ and continues today through our efforts of love. That is a high calling.And this kingdom can not be realized unless we lay claim to justice for all people. You see, we are the people in whom God has invested much. We are the people who long for things to be better, who long for peace and equity. We are the people called to do a full court press for justice, to share the story of God’s faithfulness to others, to remember how God would have us be not only through our words, but also in our works. You see, we are that very light to the world when we answer the call to serve as truth tellers or bearers of one another’s crosses. God’s face shines through our own countenance when we hear his call and bear witness to the power of his coming – for today and all the tomorrows of our lives.This is Advent’s demanding and life-giving message, and the world is desperate for us to hear it and act. - Mother Brown

Prepare the way of the Lord - Advent and Justice

Facilities Committee Update on page 12

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Baptisms at Christ Church: All Saints’ Day

Baptismal Candidate: Annie Willet Brown

Parents: Kevin & Amy Benns Brown

Baptismal Candidate: Rebecca Katherine Ingles

Parents: David & Elizabeth Ingles

Baptismal Candidate: Lucinda Rose Partridge

Parents: Michael Partridge & Diana Benton

Baptismal Candidate: Amanda Marion Wallace

BirthdaysDECEMBER

1: Edward Barr, Wink McKinnon 2: George Palmer 3: James Kirby 4: Brendan Elkerton, Charles Goodell, Elizabeth Goodell, Jonah Martin 6: Katherine Brasco, Brian Sica 7: Gregory Gilliam, Katharine Rooney, Abigail Sullivan 9: Caroline Sorensen, Luca Meloni 10: Patrick Early 12: Marca Ewy 14: Steve Ecklond, Rachel Roberts 17: Eliza Elder, Ruth Singleton 18: Tracey Minich 19: Michael Barrett, Warren Kraemer, Letizia Seirup, Carter Boyle 21: Carol Costa 22: Kim Olson, Noel Carroll, Owen Jones, Charlotte Prior, Sophie Halaby, Marie Preis 24: James Redpath 25: Frank Simpson 26: Avery Jones, Erica Kenney 27: Emma Mandanas 28: Blake O’Guin, Thomas Roth, Andina Clarkson 30: Fiona Barr, Mallory Bates, Vincent Pazienza 31: Piero Giorgio Costa, Edward Deichert

Congratulations and welcome to the newly baptized and their families!

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Advent Lessons & Carols SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH 5 PMChrist Church hosted its annual Advent Lessons & Carols last week. This service, in preparation for the Christmas celebration, was an opportunity for us to reflect on the coming of Jesus and our call to be Christ at work in the world. The Christ Church Choir was joined by The Kensington Brass (plus timpani), and choristers from Young at Arts. The congregation joined in thrilling hymn arrangements of the season. Director of Music and Organist, Christopher Wells, conducted the music for this liturgy. Featured music for this service included the breathtaking setting of Ave Maria by Franz Biebl and Wachet auf! by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Thank you to Michael Pollack & Paige Nagle for hosting the reception following the service!

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Flowers and music beautifully enhance our Christmas season at Christ Church. With the closing of our organ this fall, we have invited a full orchestra (strings, flutes, oboes, bassoon, trumpets, organ, timpani) to accompany our choirs for services on both Christmas Eve. Help CCBNY offset the cost of this addition to our worship!

During the season of Advent we will be collecting donations to help offset the cost of both flowers and music. Envelopes are available in the narthex for your contribution. Please indicate if your gift is in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving for a particular blessing and they will be listed in the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day bulletins. Please turn in donations to the Church Office by Dec 18th.

“Jauchzet, frohlokket,” [Shout for joy] declares the choir in the chorus in Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio! The orchestra has prepared their entrance from the first few measures: first from the timpani, followed by two flutes, next two oboes, and finally the violins, viola, cello, three trumpets, and organ join the band in absolute ecstasy. This will be a Midnight Mass to remember at Christ Church.The Christ Church Choir, Staff Singers, and Orchestra have been preparing for several months to present selections from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Below is a list of pieces you can except to hear1. Chorus: Jauchzet, frohlocket 4. Aria: Bereite dich, Zion 8. Aria: Großer Herr, o starker König 9. Chorus: Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein 12: Choral: Brich an, O schönes Morgenlicht 20. Recit: Und alsobald war da be idem Engel 21. Chorus: Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe 24. Chorus: Herrscher des Himmels 29. Aria Duetto: Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen 35. Choral: Seid froh dieweil 38. Recit/Chorale: Immanuel, o süßes Wort 39. Aria: Flößt, mein Heiland 40. Recit/Chorale: Wohlan, dein Name soll allein 41. Aria: Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben One highlight of the prelude is the aria Flößt, mein Heiland, or sometimes called an “echo aria”. Written for two sopranos, oboe, and organ – the second soprano only sings two words – ja and nein [yes and no]! The first soprano is singing to Our Savior, asking questions like should I be afraid of death? - NEIN. Or should I rejoice? – JA! In common performance practice, the second soprano is placed at some distance from the first soprano. At Christ Church, that place is the balcony, rescored for two oboes to reinforce the “echo”.The anthem at the offertory will be numbers 20 and 21 from the oratorio – the familiar passage from Luke “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”The instruments Bach used in his Christmas Oratorio include two Flauto traverso, an instrument predating the modern flute. Relatively uncommon today, we were fortunate to engage two authentic traverso players; one from Brooklyn and the other from Washington D.C. They will also play the flute parts for the mass ordinary – Messe de Minuit pour Noël by Marc-Antoine Charpentier – a charming setting based on French Carols.Of course no Midnight Mass would be complete without the beloved hymns O come all ye faithful and Hark! the herald angels sing. With an orchestra on hand, we have the opportunity to sing these hymns with the famous arrangements by David Willcocks including the festive fanfares for three trumpets! - submitted by Christopher Wells

Music for Christmas Eve Midnight Mass

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Christmas Eve Crèche ServiceWednesday, December 24th at 4 pm

We invite the children of the parish to join us in telling the Christmas story at the service, which will take place at 4 pm on Christmas Eve.

Children in grades 4, 5, and 6 are invited to participate as narrators or speaking characters. If your child would like to have a speaking role, please contact Eileen Visco at ecvisco@gmail.com.

Children of all ages are invited to participate in the Crèche Service as angels and shepherds. It is not necessary to contact us yet if your child is interested in participating as an angel or a

shepherd. Any parents interested in helping during the general rehearsal, costume fitting and service are encouraged to contact Eileen.

rehearsal scheduleCHRISTMAS CHRÈCHE

SUNDAY, DEC. 14TH - after 10 AM service• Narrators and speaking roles only

SATURDAY, DEC. 20TH - 11 AM• General rehearsal and costume fitting

for all participants

• Angels & shepherds join for the end of the rehearsal only

SUNDAY, DEC. 21ST - 12:00 PM• Run-through for narrators & speaking

roles - after Christmas Party

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24TH 4 PM• Speaking roles & narrators arrive by 3:15

• Angels & shepherds arrive by 3:40

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Evensong will be offered on the last Sunday of most monthsSUNDAY, JAN 25TH – “Taizé Evensong” SUNDAY, FEB 22ND – Lenten Evensong, music by William ByrdSUNDAY, APRIL 26TH – Eastertide Evensong, music by C.V. Stanford sung by the Christ Church Choir and YAA choirs

Join us for Evensong at 5:00 pm

Confirmation Breakfast Run On Sunday morning, November 23rd I was excited to go into the city and give the homeless a hot meal that morning. This was my first Breakfast Run to help people in need and I was looking forward to the experience. The confirmation class came to the kitchen at church by 6:30 am and started making sandwiches, toasting bagels, boiling eggs and separating the toiletries into different bags. We spent about an hour in the kitchen preparing food, which included putting sandwiches

in a bag along with a hardboiled egg and a granola bar. We left for the city at about 7:30am, and when we got there, a whole bunch of people were already waiting in line. All of us had been assigned jobs such as handing out bottled water, making hot chocolate and serving the casserole. I was assigned to hand out the lunches we had prepared earlier, which included 50 sandwiches. The other confirmands on the trip served casserole, hot chocolate and coffee. We also provided oranges and packed

bagels for people to eat later as well and handed out socks and hats.It was really nice to see these people come up to the table and smile whenever I said, “Good morning!” There was one gentleman who played the harmonica and led the confirmands in singing songs. At the end of the run, I felt very accomplished and happy that I had made a small difference for the people we had served that morning.-summited by Callie Ewy

BirthdaysJANUARY

3: Claire Hayes, Jane Sears, John Kirby, Nash Dembowski, Lucinda Partridge 4: Tyler Morse 6: Bette MacGregory, Theodore Rooney, Amalia Torres 7: Lily Crystal, Jane Werner, Jonathan Murad 8: Amanda Wallace 9: Sarah Sullivan 10: Ashley Allen 12: James Lee, Anthony Meloni 16: Bailey Johnson, Laura Holland 17: Heidi Wolfgang, Edelawit Bird 20: Allison Barker, Megan Barker, Luke Stephens 21: Trudi Bottari-Hornick, Stratton Werner 22: Fred Heintz 23: Tyler Carroll 24: Robert O’Connor, Ellen Tighe 25: Kathleen O’Guin, Ian Palfrey, Caitlin Thomas 26: Cece Jablonsky 27: Virginia Newcombe 28: E. William Bates, Michele Richardson, Treva Thoms, Gus Vaughan, Hadley Barr, Wilyem Thoms 30: Georgina Partridge

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Men’s Group Harvest Supper Two years ago Fr. Bird asked John O’Neil to lead an effort to form a group to provide opportunities for men of Christ Church to befriend each other and work together towards common goals. We meet on the second Monday of each month at The Tap House in Tuckahoe for supper, kibbitzing, and planning. From these meetings have come several Midnight Runs, re-invigorated Shrove Tuesday Pancake Suppers, and for the second year, a Harvest Supper for the whole parish.On Sunday evening, October 26, more than 100 members of the Christ Church family dined on homemade BBQ with all the fixin’s prepared by the Men’s Group. Jim Rooney conceived an ambitious menu, Joseph Philips corralled volunteers, and many hands made light work of the shopping, prepping (48 hand-diced garlic cloves!), cooking, serving and clean-up. We were delighted to use this supper as the ‘kick off’ for the 2015 Stewardship Program which was beautifully introduced by Jenn Redman and Fr. Bird.There’s much evidence that modern churches are bereft of male leadership and engagement. We beg to disagree. The CCBNY Men’s Group works at supporting the work of the parish, our part of the Body of Christ, while having a whale of a good time! Men’s Group activities are open to all men of the parish - and your best buddy is welcome too! -submitted by Kevin Cook

Join the Men’s Group for supper, beer, laughter and

another new year of serving God’s people.

Cotact Joseph Philips for more information at

j.k.philips@verizon.net

Eliza Corwin Frost AnnouncementsECF had a great turnout for the first annual Halloween Parade and Pizza Party. With well over 100 kids in attendance, there were amazing costumes and big smiles! The holiday season is here! Do some holiday shopping at the Book Fair during the week of December 9 - December 13 and stock up on gifts for the kids, nieces and nephews, neighbors and even yourself! This year we are adding a wrapping station to make shopping even easier. The fair will be open Tuesday - Friday 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM and Saturday 10 AM - 12 PM. For those of you who can’t make it at those times, we will also be open Wednesday evening (12/10) from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM when you can have a glass wine and shop!

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HARVEST SALON

On Monday night, November 3, YAA hosted “The YAA Harvest Musical Salon,” the first in a series of more intimate performances planned for the 2014-2015 season year. The recently introduced salons are designed to be an opportunity for students to perform in a more relaxed atmosphere than a concert, with musical selections based on the theme of the evening. Additionally, the look of Taylor Hall was changed from its more traditional concert-row setting to alternating rows and tables, creating a less formal, café-style atmosphere for the audience as well. The evening included songs such as “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas, A Moment In The Woods from Stephen Sondheim’s “Into The Woods,” and “Santa Fe” from the Broadway musical Newsies.An integral part of the new salons is the opportunity for YAA students to work with featured Broadway actors, both onstage and as a part of Master Classes before the show. The inaugural salon brought the talents of Craig Schulman, perhaps best known for his many performances around the world as lead player Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. Prior to the performance, Mr. Schulman listened to songs performed by the students and gave both singing and stage notes on how YAA’s actors might improve their technique, and what it’s like to be a Broadway performer night-after-night. During the salon, Mr. Schulman performed the stirring solo “Bring Him Home” from Les Miserables, then later joined the students for the classic “Inchworm.”The salon also marked the introduction of YAA’s new musical director, Charles duChateau. Charles and his wife AnnBritt (who accompanied the YAA students on piano) are both Broadway veterans, with Charles’s most recent work on the show Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark with music by U2’s Bono and The Edge.

YAA News!

Young at Arts, Christ Church’s resident theatre arts program, has set the pace for the year with two exciting performances this fall; their Harvest Salon and a special appearance at the United Nations

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PERFORMANCE AT THE UNITED NATIONS

On Thursday, November 20, students from Young at Arts, along with their sister choir from the Amani School, traveled to the United Nations in New York to open a major UN Briefing. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the first UN document that specifically outlined the treatment and welfare obligations of governments toward their children. YAA and the Amani Choir were given the prestigious task of setting the tone at the opening of the Briefing with the songs “Alleluia” and “Colors of the Wind,” in front of an audience of delegates from different countries, child welfare agencies and educational organizations. After their performance, the students were invited to remain to follow the proceedings of the Briefing and, at the end, ask questions of and voice their concerns to the panel of speakers. - submitted by Ken Richardson

2: Aaron Srebnik, 3: Paige Nagle 5: Bob Jalang’o, Margot Eaton 6: John O’Neil, Mark Roberts 7: Carter Callaway, Brian Firth 8: Stephen Howard 9: Jim Beit, Hanna Buendia, Stephen Mordaunt, Victoria Mordaunt 11: Patrick Conaton, Joshua Philips 12: Sophie Cappello, Clark Stephens 13: Christopher Behrens, Robert Murray 14: Mary Territo, Anabelle Thurston, Cady Murad 15: Lisa Harrington 16: Timothy McCann, Colm Doherty 17: Patrick Bird, Blanche Johnson 18: James Rooney 19: Rita Durniak, Dylan Ecklond 20: Betsy Howard, 21: Peyton Elder, 22: William Anderson 23: Didi Romley, Camilla Seirup, Lorenzo Seirup 24: Alleigh Thoms, Christian Welch 25: Richard Fursland, Lucille Noone 26: Jack St. Phillip 27: Cherry Lawrence, Casey McKhann, Molly O’Neil 29: Mary Turino

BirthdaysFEBRUARY

facebook.com/youngatartsnewyork

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Episcopal Charities 2014 Tribute Dinner

Christ Church Bronxville was well represented at Episcopal Charities’ Annual Tribute Dinner, held in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on November 19. Celebrating outreach in the Episcopal Diocese of New York, and honoring the accomplishments of Henry P. Johnson and Evan A. Davis, the event has raised more than $980,000 to date. All proceeds from the Dinner will benefit Episcopal Charities’ 94 parish-based outreach programs in the diverse communities of our diocese – including Young at Arts and Fessenden Supportive Housing, two important ministries of Christ Church. Among the record 780 people gathered were Fr. Michael Bird and his wife Catherine, Senior Warden Stephen Palfrey & Teresa McRoberts, Phil Sherman (member of the Board of Directors of Episcopal Charities) & Birgitta Sherman, Warren Ilchman, Stephen & Michele Pagnotta, P.G. & Carol Costa, and Lisa Harrington, along with Charles duChateau, Music Director for Young at Arts, and R. Joshua Reynolds, music teacher for Young at Arts at the satellite campus, Amani Public Charter School in Mount Vernon.

An address by Thomas Edwards inspired those gathered. Mr. Edwards is a graduate of the “Raising My Voice” leadership and public speaking program, part of the Re-entry Family and Faith Circles of Support program supported by Episcopal Charities at the Harlem Community Justice Center. He shared his story of personal transformation and spoke of the impact of volunteers from the Episcopal parishes of Harlem who provide hospitality and support to men and women returning home from prison. Mr. Edward’s remarks continue Episcopal Charities’ tradition of featuring inspirational speakers from parish-based outreach programs at the Tribute Dinner. Two years ago, Ms. Cailen Jimenez, a Young at Arts student, was the evening’s featured speaker. Episcopal Charities is deeply grateful to Christ Church and all who attended and supported the event. To learn more about Episcopal Charities visit episcopalcharities-newyork.org. -submitted by Meredith Kadet, Episcopal Charities

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LGBT & Friends Fellowship

Center Lane has been serving LGBTQ youth and

their allies since 1995. Their programs include:

• Individual, group, & family counseling

• Educational opportunities, including

workshops on making healthy choices,

maintaining respectful relationships, &

taking steps to achieve long-term goals

• Social events - Halloween, Valentine’s Day

dances & Gay Prom

• Social justice and advocacy opportunities -

marching in the annual Pride March in NYC &

meeting with legislators in Albany to discuss

LGBTQ rights

• Leadership training and experience in

organization and follow-through

PartnershipCENTER LANE

The LGBT & Friends Fellowship group is proud to report that our drive to collect items for Center Lane, Westchester’s only center for LGBTQ youth, was very successful. Thank you to everyone who generously donated goods and money to support this important program in our community. We plan to continue our relationship with Center Lane in the upcoming year by attending events at Center Lane. As a group of gay Christians and allies we are excited to offer our support through a ministry of presence.

Our fellowship group will also be hosting a screening of the documentary film Codebreaker at Christ Church in 2015. The film’s Executive Producer, Patrick Sammon, will be present and offer a talk-back session

after the film. Codebreaker features the story of Alan Turing, who set in motion the computer age and his World War II codebreaking helped save two milllion lives. Few people know the story of this heroic genuis whose life ended too soon after being outed and punished as a gay man in England. The recently released motion picture, The Imitation Game, also tells a Hollywood version of his story. If you see and enjoy The Imitation Game in the theaters this holiday season, come and attend this event for the chance to see another perspective and talk to a real expert about Alan Turing. We anticipate announcing the date and time of this exciting event soon. Stay tuned! - submitted by Melanie Wadkins

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The Roofs (flat roofs above the vesting room, organ chamber, and baclony stairs) - There was a considerable delay in receiving a permit from the Village. That is now in hand and work began December 2. If the weather permits, the roofs will be completed before Christmas and we may even have the Vesting Room back before that time.The Front StairsThe History: As you now know, Bertram Goodhue, the original architect of Christ Church, struggled with the design of the front stairs. In order to build a church of the size that the parish requested, the footprint of the building had to stretch the length of the plot. And, because the church was, at that time, on the corner of two significant hills (Sagamore Road and Church Street) the front steps were incredibly problematic. Of course, there were very few building codes to consider in 1925.In 1959 the church received permission to close Church Street, build the Taylor Hall/Crispell Lounge building and construct the front drive. This process made the front entrance configuration even more tenuous, resulting in a “solution” where no two steps were the same height and all were faced with a poorly executed concrete mixture.The church habitually patched those steps for decades, until last Christmas when they passed the point of no return.The Present: Although they are “just steps”, a phrase we have all heard mentioned or used ourselves time and time again, they are steps that must meet modern building and safety codes for public spaces, meet the aesthetics of a building on the National Historic Register, and meet the needs of the church for the next century and beyond. On top of that, in order to satisfy the above demands, the sidewalk (which is controlled by the Village) and the curb cuts must be altered.Given these circumstances, there were significant delays in the design process as the Facilities Committee, the Rector and the architects all shared their thoughts, opinions and hopes. Much of our discourse focused around the complexity of the physical demands of our location and the fact that cheek/side walls are necessary to hold back the hillside, but will impact the silhouette of the church considerably. We accept the full responsibility for these delays. In late September we had a design on which we all agreed, and one that the Village Planning Board and Architectural Review Board approved in mid-October. The plans were sent out to bid and shockingly only one bid was returned - at an astronomical cost. A rebidding process was immediately begun.Last week the architects and the Rector met with JMA Landscaping, Inc. to clarify their bid - which was received as part of the second process. It was a productive meeting and we are confident that this contractor understands both the significance of the project and the sensitive nature of working near the foundation of an historic stone building.The basic cost breakdown of the Stairs Project is as follows:• Stone, cement, sidewalk, electrical, removal of damaged arcade/portico - $58,900• New Lanterns for front of church - $3,000• New Railings - TBD - dependent on materials. We are waiting to see if we can get a deal on bronze railings

that will require no maintenance for their lifespan. If not bronze, we will use wrought iron.• Architect Fees - 18% of the project.The Facilities Committee has worked with great diligence and commitment to get us to this point, and we are very grateful to each and every member for their dedication. Tom Nichols, Joanne Jones and Catherine Bird have led the charge with alacrity and vision. - submitted by Arthur Taylor and Michael Bird

Building Project Updates

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Give Me Liberty: Speakers and Speeches That Have Shaped AmericaBy Christopher L. Webber (Pegasus Books, $29)

“Give me liberty or give me death.” “I have a dream.” “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Why do great speeches about freedom — those were delivered by Patrick Henry, Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, respectively — resonate with us? In his new book, Christopher Webber, the 7th Rector of Christ Church, groups 14 famous American discourses by subject, then provides historical context and measures their psychological impact to answer that question. For example, the chapter on King’s speech offers a close comparison of two versions, one delivered in Detroit and the now-famous March on Washington speech. A thought-provoking foreword and intelligent epilogue bookend this examination of the stirring power of the spoken word.

Fr. Webber Continues to Write

About GAIA: Global AIDS Interfaith AllianceGAIA was founded in June 2000 in response to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. As the film will demonstrate GAIA empowers women to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis by becoming leaders in their communities. The World Health Organization states that in order to deliver essential maternal and child health services there must be a minimum of 23 healthcare professionals per 10,000 people. In the US there are 98 and in Malawi there are only 3. To date, GAIA has supported the educations of 440 healthcare professionals in a country with approximately 4,000 trained healthcare professionals. Additionally, GAIA has expanded healthcare access to over 750,000 people living far off the healthcare grid and provides approximately 200,000 patient visits each year in remote rural villages.Learn more about GAIA at www.thegaia.org.

Christ Church Bronxville is proud to support GAIA and will be hosting a screening of the documentary, The Far End of the Road. The film showcases GAIA’s life-saving work at the frontlines of the fight against HIV/AIDS in rural Malawi, where 1 in 6 lives with HIV, far off the health care grid. The film, produced by an award-winning team at MediaStorm, will feature the lives of remarkable women who make up the face of GAIA. Look for more details soon.

Screening of The Far End of the Road

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Ribbon Cutting of Carol Taylor Breast Cancer Wing

Almighty God, we thank you for placing into the hearts of Arthur Taylor, his family and friends to generously give for the care of your people. Faced with the loss of Carol - a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a companion and a guide, they found purpose and made a commitment to share the love they received from her in the form of this wonderful place we now establish for the health of so many.

We remember Carol this evening and always,and we pray that, having opened to her the gates of larger life, you will receive her more and more into your joyful service, that, with all who have faithfully served you in the past, she may share in the peace of the heavenly kingdom.

We thank you Almighty God, for you are the source of all life and light and hope and love.Through many signs and acts and voices you commanded your people to care for one another and to show compassion on all of your children.We ask you to dedicate this a place where physicians practice the art of healing wisely,where nurses, aides, technicians and administrators serve the sick and healthy with great care,where bodies are cherished and all are welcomed as sisters and brothers.By the grace of your loving presence make the Carol H. Taylor Breast Health Center a house of blessing, a center of love and a place of healing and wholeness.All this we ask in the name of the God who loves us all and knows us each by name. AMEN.

On Tuesday, November 4th the family and friends of Carol Hunter Taylor gathered at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Carol H. Taylor Breast Health Center at New York-Presbyterian/Lawrence Hospital. The vision for this center, now beautifully executed, is to provide a warm and inviting “spa-like” space where patients feel as loved and comfortable as possible. Below is the prayer used to bless the space for this important ministry.

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2015LOOKING AHEAD AT

Dec 8 - Dec 13th ECF Book Fair

Saturday, Dec 13thECF Holiday Party

Sunday, Dec 14thJoan Forsyth Recital LGBT & Friends Fellowship Christmas Party

Tuesday, Dec 16thVestry Meeting

Sunday, Dec 21stChristmas Party

Wednesday, Dec 24th Christmas Eve Crèche Service - 4 PMChristmas Eve Midnight Mass - 10:30 PM

Thursday, Dec 25th Christmas Day - 10 AM

Friday, Dec 26thOffice Closed

Friday, Jan 2ndOffice Closed

Monday, Jan 18th Office Closed

Monday, Feb 2ndYAA Salon

Feb 13 - 22EYC Pilgrimage to Taizé

Friday, March 6thChoir & Orchestra Concert

Saturday, March 7thECF Annual Fundraiser

Your pledge to Christ Church supports the many programs and ministries that are at the heart of our growing together as a parish community. It’s up to each of us to support our ministries at CCBNY. Over 75% of our income comes from annual pledges; without your financial commitment we cannot sustain what we do. While our budget over the past five years has remained flat, we’ve experienced terrific growth in people, programs, and participation, resulting in a strain on our resources. In order to support this growth, this year’s goal is to increase our pledge income by 15%. Our request is that you take some time to give thanks for all that God has given you, and then reflect on what Christ Church means in your life now and what it could mean to you in the future. We hope that you will make a commitment that is personally meaningful to you.

STEWARDSHIP2015

Pledge Update: As of December 8th, we have 80 pledges recorded totaling $486,734 Help us reach our goal of 200 pledges and $850,000!

You may pledge online at www.ccbny.org/make-a-pledge,

or find pledge cards in the Narthex or in the Church Office.Contact Katie Gojkovich (kgojkovich@ccbny.org) with questions.

CHRIST CHURCH BRONXVILLE17 Sagamore RoadBronxville, NY 10708914-337-3544www.ccbny.org

The Christ Church December Schedule Sunday, December 14, 2014

10 A.M. Holy Eucharist & Healing Sunday

Sunday, December 21, 2014 10 A.M. Holy Eucharist and 11:15 A.M. Christmas Party

Wednesday December 24, 20144:00 P.M. The Family Christmas Crèche Mass

Favorite Hymns and our Children’s Choirs10:30 P.M. The Christmas Prelude

Selections from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio11:00 P.M. Solemn Midnight Mass

O Come, All Ye FaithfulHark! The Herald Angels Sing

Messe de Minuit pour Noël by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Thursday December 25, 201410:00 A.M. Christmas Mass

The Hymns of Christmas