Vine and Branches

SHARE A CUP OF TEA WITH US

kwrs — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:55:10 +0000

The Choir is finally going to go to Ireland this July! But before they do, they are providing yet another satisfying treat for us. On Sunday, May 31, the choir invites you to join the gang for expertly brewed tea, homemade scones and other goodies, and (of course) musical entertainment. This will be its final fundraiser before traveling to Ireland and will be held in the Preston Cutler Room (or in case of sunshine, in the courtyard). Donations will help to underwrite the cost for the choir to spend a week in residence at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland. Let’s hope for sunshine!!

Speaking of the choir, their May 3rd Evensong was a wonderful occasion, and as I listened, I thought of the time commitment that it took to be a choir member. My husband heard this poem on NPR the other day, and it captures what Christ Church choir seeks to do week after week and for special occasions such as May 3rd’s Evensong—and with great success. Let’s all make an to support the Christ Church Choir’s fund raising efforts; their gift to us has been great. To read poem,

Music

by Anne Porter

When I was a child
I once sat sobbing on the floor
Beside my mother’s piano
As she played and sang
For there was in her singing
A shy yet solemn glory
My smallness could not hold

And when I was asked
Why I was crying
I had no words for it
I only shook my head
And went on crying

Why is it that music
At its most beautiful
Opens a wound in us
An ache a desolation
Deep as a homesickness
For some far-off
And half-forgotten country

I’ve never understood
Why this is so
But there’s an ancient legend
From the other side of the world
That gives away the secret
Of this mysterious sorrow

For centuries on centuries
We have been wandering
But we were made for Paradise
As deer for the forest

And when music comes to us
With its heavenly beauty
It brings us desolation
For when we hear it
We half remember
That lost native country

We dimly remember the fields
Their fragrant windswept clover
The birdsongs in the orchards
The wild white violets in the moss
By the transparent streams

And shining at the heart of it
Is the longed-for beauty
Of the One who waits for us
Who will always wait for us
In those radiant meadows

Yet also came to live with us
And wanders where we wander.

“Music” by Anne Porter from Living Things: Collected Poems. (c)

Steerforth Press, 2006. Reprinted with permission.

Christ Church Choir as pictured earlier this year

Continuing Church & its Sister Church

kwrs — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:34:53 +0000

Christ Church is establishing a new sister parish affiliated with the Anglican Communion in the fall.

The continuing church’s information can be found at the following Web site address:

ttp://www.cchw-episcopal.org

The Anglican sister parish can be found at the following Web site:

www.nsanglicans.org

You can also sign up for automatic emails sent to you that contain any new information.

Both sites are frequently updated.

May’s Artist of the Month: George Wingate

kwrs — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:26:07 +0000

George’s recent whimsical and witty drawings and paintings, Adam and Eve at Life, are on exhibit in the Preston Cutler Room. George is a multi-dimensioned artist. Although he is best known for his paintings, he excels in numerous other disciplines: bronze sculpting, photography, installations, book illustrations and poetry. He has received numerous awards for his art that has been exhibited internationally and throughout the US. George was the first artist to show his works in a solo exhibit in the Parla Torio, Orvieto, Italy. His art has been featured in a number of publications including The Language of Objects. George received his BA from the University of Rochester, his MFA from Vermont College, and also studied at The New School and the Art Student’s League in New York City. He is a former Artist in Residence at Gordon College and frequent exhibitor in the Barrington Gallery. George also sings in the choir and is known far and wide for his beautiful garden.

George Wingate

Bounty from October’s Bulb Sale

kwrs — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:15:10 +0000

Last fall, the Peace and Justice Fellowship hosted a bulb sale, with all proceeds going to support their mission. Yours truly bought some bulbs and here is the bounty from the bulbs! Pretty thrilling for this old gal known as the “Black Thumb of Death.” It encouraged me and reminded me of the Psalms reading in to this week’s Daily Office: “Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! the LORD will deliver them in the time of trouble.” (Psalm 41)Last fall’s bulb sale, with David Cottingham and Peggy Wingate pictured above.

Lenten Series: March 22 at 6:30 PM

kwrs — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:29:07 +0000

Dr. Timothy Tennent, Professor of World Missions and Director of Missions Programs at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, will speak this Sunday evening, March 22, at 6:30, on the topic of “Buddhism ‘Over There’ and In Your Own Backyard.’” His talk will be preceded by Choral Evensong, a brief worship service with hymns, choral music, and Scripture, led by the choir of Christ Church under the direction of Dan McKinley. You are welcome to come for either or both. The talk will take place in the main church. Refreshments will follow.

Dr. Tennent is eminently qualified to speak on the subject of Buddhism. In his talk, Dr. Tennent plans to address the following questions:

What is Buddhism?
Is Buddhism growing in America?
Why do people become Buddhists?
How does the Christian gospel respond to the claims of Buddhism?

As a speaker, Dr. Tennent is warm, clear, and engaging.

Dr. Tennent is the author of several books, including Christianity at the Religious Roundtable and his newest book, Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church is Influencing the Way We Think About and Discuss Theology. He also is the co-author of a forthcoming book about challenges to theological education in North America, to be published by E.J. Brill in 2008.

Questions? Please call Jack or Robin Davis, 978-468-2060.

March’s Artist of the Month

kwrs — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:49:11 +0000

Maureen Pelletier’s art show, “Be Still and Know” is a real delight for those who love the beautiful buildings of Christ Church. Her art work can be a source of contemplation and meditation all month long in the Preston Cutler Room.

Maureen with her friend Joy Bergner

The Continuing Church & Building the Church Events in March

kwrs — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:34:04 +0000

CONTINUING PARISH MEETING: Bishop Tom Shaw would like to meet with those people planning to stay with the Episcopal Church in the Chapel on Sunday, March 22, from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

BUILDING THE VISION, Saturday, March 28, hosted by North Shore Anglicans: On Saturday, March 28, all who have joined or are curious about the new Anglican parish being birthed out of Christ Church, are invited to engage in a day-long workshop to shape the mission, purpose and profile of our new worship community. Facilitating and guiding us in this important task will be the Reverend Tom Herrick, Executive Director of the Titus Institute for Church Planting. Tom has served the Anglican Communion Network as its Director of Church Planting since January 2005 and is currently a member of the Mission Committee of the newly forming Anglican Church in North America. Come and let your voice and vision be heard as we seek God’s divine will and purpose.

Films Worth Talking About, March 21

kwrs — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:18:51 +0000

FILMS WORTH TALKING ABOUT presents its final feature on Saturday, March 21. The film is Marty, from 1955, and it won Ernest Borgnine an Oscar for Best Actor, playing a shy, overweight butcher who yearns desperately to fall in love. The script by Paddy Chayevsky is exquisitely tender and sweet, never corny, and downright funny at times; it hasn’t aged a bit. You’ll leave my screening room with a good feeling in your heart—this is a lovable, joyous movie.

Saturday, March 21 at 6:30 PM

Join Mike at his home theater screening room for pizza and a movie,

with good fellowship and discussion of films worth talking about!

39 Glidden Street, Beverly MA

RSVP to Michael Chiusano at 978-927-3095

Thoughts from host Michael Chiusano

Films Worth Talking About finished out its most successful season ever in April 2008. We routinely had at least ten church people in attendance, and we maxed out at eighteen on several occasions. The best thing about this ministry is that it brings together people of all ages, linked by their love of cinema. I get a great deal of satisfaction from seeing Gordon College students mingling with retired Gordon College professors.

People who attend often ask me, “How do you decide what films to show?” It’s actually a difficult question to answer, because it gets to the elusive art of showmanship. Commercial theater owners employ high-priced experts who do nothing but figure out a movie schedule, and the stakes for successes–or failure–are enormous. I am no expert, but after doing this for a few years, I have a general plan that seems to work; at least, we are having no trouble filling the seats.

First comes the scheduling. Saturday evenings seems to be the best time. It allows me to set a 6:30 PM time for food and fellowship, without having to worry about when people get home from work. By starting early, we get everyone home by 10:00 or so. Also, Saturday evening is a time that rarely conflicts with other Christ Church events.

As for the films themselves, I always have in mind our ministry title: Films Worth Talking About. There are lots of fun movies to look at, but far fewer that are worthy of Christian discussion. Genres such as comedy and musicals can be great films, but they do not, and should not, lead to moral discussions. So they get crossed off my lists from day one. The same holds true for action movies, gangster films, and cartoons or animated features. What is left is a body of work that can lead to discussion, or that leaves you with questions to think about after you have seen the film. One last criterion: I do not show films that are explicitly “Christian”, in the same sense that we might refer to “Christian music”. My wish instead is to engage the viewer with the vast body of commercial cinema, to be mined for its moral and even religious undercurrents at the same time educating the viewers about the history, art, and theory of cinema.

Within these elastic limits, there are still lots of room for fun in programming. I like to start off the season in the fall with a certified great movie like this year’s movie, Master and Commander. I like to finish out with what I call my “feel good” finale movie, with no insult intended, but just a desire to get back to the pure joy of leaving a movie with a good feeling in your heart. This has been a tough job for mainstream filmmaking these days, with much of the product falling into the “downer” category. When a conscious attempt has been made to inspire the audience, the result has often been sentimental claptrap. By way of the opposite, consider our last two finishes, Chariots of Fire, and Breaking Away, the Power of One, each perfect in their own way, and this year’s Marty.

You are all welcome to come! I expect another great year and and a full home theater screening room! Here’s the schedule:

Master and Commander: Saturday, October 4, 2008
All the King’s Men: Saturday, November 8, 2008
Grand Canyon: Saturday, December 6, 2008
Rear Window: Saturday, January 10, 2009
The Lives of Others: Saturday, February 14, 2009
Marty: Saturday, March 21, 2009

The Many Hats of Jürgen

kwrs — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:54:19 +0000

Monty Python had its Ministry of Silly Walks and Jürgen has his Ministry of Silly Hats. If you would like your own silly calendar but did not order one, the choir will be happy to sell you one. But beware! There are only a few left, both large and small. Order yours by calling Judy (978-526-4671). Support the choir’s trip to Ireland in this fun way!

January’s Artist of the Month

kwrs — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:51:22 +0000

January’s artist is Jean Sbarra Jones. Jean is an award-winning artist who has shown locally and nationally. She teaches painting at Gordon College, The Art Institute or Boston, The New England School of Art and Design, and The Montserrat School of Art in Beverly. Her gallery, Visions and Revisions Gallery, is located in Salem (10 Derby Square) where she lives with her husband actor-director and Gordon professor, Norm Jones. Included in this exhibit are recognizable scenes of the North Shore as well as landscape and cityscape paintings of England and Scotland. Her exhibit will be up all during the month of January in the Preston Cutler Room; do not miss it! She is selling her terrific notecards, three versions, for 10/$10; take advantage of this great value.