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THIS WEEK AT CHRIST CHURCH, GEORGETOWN
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
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Advent Angel Tree: This Advent, parishioners of all ages are invited to participate in a beloved Christ Church tradition of choosing an angel from the tree in Keith Hall and purchasing the item(s) listed on it. This year’s Advent angels will benefit the following parish mission partners: Georgetown Ministry Center; Seabury Resources for Aging; and Saint Martha’s House in the West Africa Province of the Society of Jesus. All contributions must be delivered to Keith Hall by/on Sunday, December 14. NOTE: Please make checks payable to the mission partner in question, not to Christ Church. For more information, contact parishioners Cristina Foran or Frances Augenblick.
Contributions for Christmas Flowers and Greenery: If you would like to make a contribution to help offset the cost of the flowers and greenery that will adorn the Church this Christmastide, use one of the designated envelopes in the pews or click here. Contributions may be made in memory of, or in thanksgiving for, loved ones. In order for your memorial/thanksgiving to appear in Christmas service leaflets, it must reach the Parish Office by Monday, December 15, at 12:00 noon.
Centering Prayer in Advent: Are you seeking calm and stillness in a season marked by busyness and distraction? If so, join members of the Spiritual Life Ministry on Fridays, December 5, 12, and 19, from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m., via Zoom, for prayerful meditation and intentional silence. For more information or to obtain a link to the video call, contact parishioners Molly Peacock or Lesley Lilly.
Kenya Mission Trip Information Session: On Sunday, December 7, at 10:15 a.m., in Keith Hall, Mother Tiffany Clark will lead an information session about the upcoming Christ Church mission trip to Kenya (June 2026). All who are interested in joining the mission trip should attend. This is the first session of Engaging our Partners in Mission, a Sunday morning mini-course exploring mission and outreach at Christ Church. For more information, contact Father Andrew Stump.
A Service of Lessons and Carols for Advent: The annual Service of Lessons and Carols for Advent will take place on Sunday, December 7, at 5:00 p.m. It will feature choral works by Edward C. Bairstow, Jonathan Dove, George Frideric Handel, Paul O. Manz, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and André J. Thomas, as well as classic congregational hymns such as O come, O come, Emmanuel, Creator of the stars of night, and Lo! he comes with clouds descending. Nursery care will be provided. A festive reception will follow.
Upcoming Funeral Liturgy: A funeral liturgy for the late Richard (Dick) Shepard will take place on Monday, December 8, at 11:00 a.m. Your prayers and presence are requested.
Faith and Foreign Policy Forum: On Monday, December 8, at 6:30 p.m., all parishioners and members of the wider community are invited to Gray Auditorium for a timely presentation by parishioner and former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Robert Hunter: Transatlantic Relations: In deep trouble? Refreshments will be served. The suggested donation is $10. To register, click here.
A Festive Women’s Happy Hour: All women of the parish are invited to a seasonal celebration at the home of Mother Tiffany Clark on Wednesday, December 10, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. To register, click here. The address will be sent upon registration.
Christmas Pageant: Join us on Sunday, December 14, at 3:30 p.m., in the Church. Experience the story of Our Savior’s birth, retold with heartfelt joy by the children and youth of the parish. If your child/ren would like to participate, contact Father Andrew Stump. All children of parishioners, as well as their guests, three years of age and older, are welcome.
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Thursday Morning Bible Study: Parishioners of all ages and stages of life are invited to a discursive, interactive study of the Book of Acts, the second in a two-volume history of Jesus and the early Jesus movement. The next gathering will take place on Thursday, December 4, at 8:00 a.m., in Keith Hall. A Zoom option is available. For more information, contact parishioners Ernest Clark or Virginia Mentz.
Men’s Ministry Holiday Happy Hour: On Thursday, December 4, at 6:00 p.m., all men of the parish and their guests are invited to a holiday happy hour at Bar Sovereign, Georgetown. Join us as we kick off the season with conversation and camaraderie before December sweeps us all away.
Parish Forum: On Sunday, December 7, at 10:15 a.m, the Living Liturgy series will continue in C. Boyden Gray Auditorium with a presentation by parishioner and noted liturgical scholar Dr. Derek Olsen: Liturgy and Time: What is up with all those colors?: Liturgical calendars and worship as the transformation of time.
Engaging our Partners in Mission: Led by Father Andrew Stump and members of the Mission Committee, the next in our series of Sunday morning mini-courses will explore mission and outreach at Christ Church: How does our mission work extend beyond the walls of our church? How do we choose organizations to partner with? What are our mission partners up to? How can parishioners get involved? Sessions will take place on Sundays, December 7, 14, and 21, at 10:15 a.m., in Keith Hall. Each will feature a speaker from one of our mission partners. For more information, contact Father Andrew Stump.
Bite-sized Bible Study: Join fellow parents of nursery and Sunday School–aged children for a team-led, 30-minute exploration of the Book of Acts. The group gathers on Sundays, at 10:15 a.m., in the Memorial Room. Nursery care for infants and toddlers, as well as music formation classes for older children, is provided during this time. For more information, contact parishioners Julia Ainsley, Megan Murton, or Matthew Fredericks.
Lux Choir in Concert: Join members of Lux, an award-winning chamber ensemble founded and directed by Robby Napoli, a former Christ Church chorister, for a seasonal concert entitled Radiant Light. The program will feature works by William Byrd, Cecilia McDowall, Bob Chilcott, and many others.
Friday, December 12, 7:00 p.m. | St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, College Park, MD
Sunday, December 14, 4:30 p.m. | Church of the Ascension and Saint Agnes, Washington, DC
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here
Women’s Bible Study: What is the backstory on the “suffering servant” portrayed in Handel’s Messiah? How do we hold together God’s compassionate call to justice with God’s judgement of those who oppress others? Part lovers’ quarrel and part socio-political commentary, the book of the prophet Isaiah invites us into the complex, yet magnificent story of God and his people – past, present, and future. This fall, join Mother Tiffany Clark and a diverse group of women for interactive discussion, in-depth examination, and personal application of sacred scripture. The final session of the current series will take place on Monday, December 15, at 6:00 p.m., in the Memorial Room. A Zoom option is available. For more information or to register, click here.
A Service of Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmas: The annual Service of Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmas, a highlight of parish life, will take place on Sunday, December 21, at 5:00 p.m. Patterned after the famed service held each year at King’s College, Cambridge, this festive, candlelit liturgy, sung by the Choir of Christ Church, will include works by Benjamin Britten, Philip Ledger, Cecilia McDowall, Martin Neary, Stanford Scriven, John Tavener, and David Willcocks. Arrive early to ensure seating. Nursery care will be provided. A reception will follow.
Camino Pilgrimage: Come, walk with God and fellow Christ Church pilgrims on an ancient path of prayer. Lined with stone crosses and chapels, and passing through verdant vineyards and medieval villages, the Camino de Santiago leads to a stunning destination and to a deeper life with God. This seven-day, 75-mile pilgrimage begins in Sarria, Spain, and includes morning and evening prayer with daily reflections. The pilgrimage, led by Father Tim Cole and Mother Tiffany Clark, will take place May 21 to 28, 2026. The deadline for registration is December 20. For more information or to register, click here.
Mission Trip to Kenya: Sponsored by the Centre for Urban Mission, an educational outreach of the Anglican Church in Africa, this immersion experience is designed to open participants’ eyes to human experience in a context radically different than their own and to develop their capacity to respond strategically. A contingent from Christ Church will serve in a variety of local ministries currently operating in Nairobi's Kibera Slum. Participants will worship, serve, and eat alongside Kenyan Christian partners, sharing in the joyful communion of saints and learning from each other along the way. An informational meeting will be held on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 10:00 a.m. in Keith Hall. The mission trip will take place June 18–28, 2026. For more information, contact Mother Tiffany Clark. To register, click here.
Choral Evensong: The next service of Choral Evensong will take place on Sunday, 4 Janua, at 5:00 p.m. Evensong will continue on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of the month through May. A reception follows each service. Christ Church is one of a handful of parishes in the U.S. to offer this beautiful, quintessentially Anglican liturgy with such frequency. Do plan to join us… and bring a friend.
Thrift Shop Update: Thanks to a series of recent posts on Instagram, the Christ Church Thrift Shop has, once again, become a social media sensation. Sales have more than tripled in recent weeks! As a result, the shop is in desperate need of additional inventory, so please search your closets, bureaus, attics, and basements for treasures you would like to donate.
Located on the lower level of the Parish Hall, the Thrift Shop is open on Wednesdays, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and on the fourth Sunday of each month, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Contributions are accepted on Wednesdays during the shop’s normal hours of operation or by appointment through the Parish Office.
Altar Flowers: If you would like to make a contribution to help offset the cost of the flowers that will adorn the altar on a particular Sunday or feast day, contact the Parish Office. The Flower Guild accepts contributions in memory of the departed, in celebration of births, and in thanksgiving for the reception of Christian sacraments. Contributions marking private secular celebrations are welcome, but they will not be acknowledged in service leaflets or the Prayers of the People. In such cases, donors are encouraged to let loved ones know of their contribution with a greeting card. The suggested donation is $150.
Christmas Worship Schedule: We invite you, your family, friends, and neighbors to worship with us this Christmas. The schedule of services is as follows:
Wednesday, December 24
+ The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Christmas Eve +
Family Eucharist with Blessing of Christingles, at 1:00 p.m.
This year, the 1:00 p.m. Eucharist will once again include a Blessing of Christingles. What is Christingle? A Moravian tradition that developed in mid-18th century Germany, Christingle (a word of German origin meaning Christ Child) was originally a special service, held just before Christmas, at which children were given a lighted candle with a red ribbon tied around it. This represented Christ, the Light of the World. The liturgy’s final prayer read: Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these children’s hearts, that theirs like thine become. The custom took hold in various parts of Europe and, as it did, evolved over the years. The current iteration of the Christingle, which became increasingly popular in the United Kingdom during the 20th century, is composed of an orange that is decorated with red tape, sweets, and a candle. We think the children and youth of Christ Church (and maybe some adults too!) will find this addition to our Christmas Eve worship both interesting and meaningful.
Festal Holy Eucharist, at 4:00 p.m.
The 4:00 p.m. Eucharist will include choral works by Adolphe Adam, John Rutter, and David Willcocks, as well as congregational carols accompanied by organ and brass. Historically, this has been the most well-attended Christmas Eve liturgy at Christ Church. Arrive early to ensure seating.
Choral Prelude with Congregational Carols, at 10:00 p.m.
Join us for an extended prelude to the 10:30 p.m. Eucharist. Music will include seasonal organ repertoire, choral works by Bob Chilcott, Reginald Jacques, and Robert Pearsall, and beloved congregational carols accompanied by organ and brass.
Festal Choral Eucharist, at 10:30 p.m.
The 10:30 p.m. Eucharist, the most formal liturgy of Christmas Eve, will include choral works by Adolphe Adam, John Rutter, Tomás Luis de Victoria, and David Willcocks, as well as congregational carols accompanied by organ and brass. The ordinary of the Eucharist will be the Missa ad præsepe, or Mass at the Crib, by British organist, choir trainer, and composer George Malcolm.
Thursday, December 25
+ The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Christmas Day +
Festal Choral Eucharist, at 10:00 a.m.
The only liturgy of Christmas Day, the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist will include choral works by Johann Sebastian Bach, John Goss, and Tomás Luis de Victoria, as well as congregational carols accompanied by organ and brass. The ordinary of the Eucharist will be Malcolm’s Missa ad præsepe.
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SUNDAY SERVICES
Holy Eucharist: Rite One
at 8:00 a.m.
in the Church
Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
at 9:00 a.m.
in the Church
Holy Eucharist: Rite One
(1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays)
at 11:15 a.m.
in the Church
Morning Prayer: Rite One
(2nd and 4th Sundays)
at 11:15 a.m.
in the Church
Choral Evensong and
Holy Communion
(1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays October through May)
at 5:00 p.m.
in the Church
Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
(2nd and 4th Sundays)
at 5:00 p.m.
in the Chapel
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WEEKDAY SERVICES
Morning Prayer
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, at 8:00 a.m.
in the Church
Morning Prayer and
Holy Communion
Wednesday, at 8:00 a.m.
in the Church
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