Christ Episcopal Church - Martinsville, VA
Prayer Soaked Walls
I went to this clergy conference this past week, and they brought in a great speaker. He had us do an exercise, I won’t bore you with the details, but it involved writing down all of our challenges on one side of a large piece of paper and our assets on the other side. This was a collective activity, so people were yelling out their thoughts as the speaker was writing everything down. One of the first challenges that someone offered was the historic building that was their church. I was kind of aghast, because I was going to put that down as one of our assets. I love our old buildings. They scream that we have been around for a very long time and that they will be around even after we are gone. Yes, they are expensive to maintain, but there is something sacred about the generations of prayers that were uttered in those walls. I also feel like embracing the old is very counter cultural in a society that embraces the new and temporary. This is what we have at Christ Episcopal Church; we have prayer soaked walls from generations and generations before us. When I walk into our sanctuary I can feel that I am walking into a sacred place. All of this is to say that our place matters, but it matters specifically because of the people. Without the those who prayed in those walls before us, those who are there now, and those that will follow us those walls are just walls. We are participating in something that is bigger than us, not only in our own Church, but in all of Christianity. When we utter the ancient words of the Nicene Creed or receive communion we are participating in the same stuff as the first Christians and all that came between and everyone that will come after us. Come and do this God stuff with us. See you Sunday.

Blessings,
Fr. Nick
For more from Father Nick, click here.
Fall Flavors is this Friday, Do You Have Your Dinner and Raffle Tickets?
Welcome Bishop Mark Bourlakas to Christ Episcopal Church on November 20, 2016
The Right Reverend Mark Bourlakas is the sixth and present Bishop of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia.  He was ordained in Roanoke on July 20, 2013.
On November 20 Bishop Mark will lead the 10:30AM service at Christ Episcopal Church.  The Bishop will confirm new members Natalie Coleman, Nancy Rhudy Sprinkle, LaRue A. Powers, Gregory S. Morrison, Kimberly Dawn Stone, and Sheila Renea Smart into the congregation.
A reception will be held in the Parish House following the service.  Please volunteer to be a part of the preparations or to be a host.
Dates to Remember!
November 13 Please attend the Annual Meeting at 9AM in the Undercroft.  The following individuals have been nominated to serve a three year term on the Vestry: Carol Deaton, Joanna Keyser, Trippi Penn, and Lewis Pitzer.  The nursery will open at 8:45 and a movie for children wil be shown in the Parish House with supervision by the youth.  All are encouraged to attend.
November 13 The Time Capsule will be planted after the 10:30AM service.  We will congregate on the brick patio between the church and Rectory.  The Family Sunday School group will do the planting.  In the evening they will meet in the Parish House to learn about Elijah visiting the widow and will care for others by making bags to be distributed to those in need.
November 20 Bishop Mark will visit and we will have one service at 10:30AM.  Family Sunday School will meet in the morning to learn about Samuel.
November 27 First Sunday in Advent! The Family Sunday School will meet in the evening to assign parts for the Christmas Pageant and craft Advent wreaths.
November 30 Loaves and Fishes community meal will be served from 5:30 to 6:15PM in the Undercroft.  Deserts for the meal and gently used coats for guests are needed as well as volunteers to cook, serve, and clean up.
Read all the news! For all November news, read the newsletter!  Stay up to date on birthdays, monthly club events, church history and more.  Be a part of the mission.
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311 E. Church Street
Martinsville, VA | 24112 US
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