ccalex rejoice june 2014

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RejoiceJune 2014

118 N. Washington St. ✠ Alexandria, VA 22314 www.HistoricChristChurch.org ✠ 703-549-1450

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By Barry Stauffer

As we enter into June, progress on the heating, ventilation and

air conditioning (HVAC) system re-placement remains on schedule. The church has operated for a month with scaffolding around the bell tower and in the balcony. The scaffolding will be taken down after the contractor completes the installation of the air handling unit in the bell tower and relocates the return air vent in the ceiling of the church.

We will then begin start-up and testing of the new cooling system in the church, with a completion planned there by the middle of June.

Attention will then move to the Memorial Parish House, which unfor-tunately will involve serious disrup-tion to the staff offices located there, a significant challenge to their impor-tant work.

The contractor will demolish the existing boiler as well as the exist-ing steam and condensate lines in the Memorial Parish House ceiling and set the new hot water boiler. The contractor will then prepare the interior walls for new ductwork and piping, and install that ductwork, pip-ing, and controls for the new system in the parish house basement. The

New Vestry Members & Leadership by Tara Knox

At their May 27 meeting, the Ves-try elected Janet Osborn to serve

as Senior Warden, Brian Shannon as Junior Warden, and Janet Zavrel as Clerk. Tykie Tobin and Andrew Baird will continue as Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, respectively. Congratulations and thanks to each of these dedicated Vestry members in their leadership roles!

Four new members of the Vestry were elected on May 11 by the parish and were commissioned on May 18 at the 11:15 a.m. service. Each has an interesting history of service with the church and a variety of skills to offer. More in-depth bios are available on the website at www.ccalex.org. Click on About Us, Vestry, Nominees. Here are some interesting tidbits that may send you to the website looking for more.

June Brings HVAC Work to Memorial Parish House

prime contractor for the work is RM Thornton. The program management contractor is Faithful and Gould.

The relocation committee contin-ues to work with staff and clergy to minimize the impact of this reloca-tion while this extensive work to the interior of the Memorial Parish House proceeds through October.

Please check the Christ Church website: www.ccalex.org. Choose About Us, hvac, and weekly-summary. for regular updates on the construc-tion project and the current tempo-rary locations of church offices and activities.

Cailin Ramsey, youth Sunday preacher, and The Rev. Ann Gillespie.

Abigail ArmsAbbie Arms has participated in the Covenant Class and Stewards of the Dirt (otherwise known as SOD whose members are caretakers of the gardens), as well as the Finance Com-mittee, the Stewardship Committee and ushering. Abbie states that she felt rewarded through her support of our mission and outreach ministries including Our Little Roses, Sudan, and the Christ Child Project. Abbie believes, “Christ Church will turn its challenges into opportunities and will become a stronger institu-tion, community and resource for those seeking greater spiritual or physical sustenance. As a church community, we are blessed with an internal strength that evidences our vibrant, caring, giving and welcoming

✠ Rejoice ✠ June 2014

Rejoice is the official monthly publication of Christ Church, Alexandria, Virginia, an Episcopal church in the Diocese of Virginia.

The Rt. Rev. Shannon Johnston Thirteenth Bishop of VirginiaThe Rt. Rev. Susan Ellyn Goff

Suffragan BishopThe Rt. Rev. Edwin F. (Ted) Gulick, Jr.

Assistant Bishop of VirginiaVestry

Janet Osborn, Senior WardenBrian Shannon, Junior Warden

Abigail Arms, Susan Davis,Elizabeth Dakin, Geoffrey Giovanetti

Susan Hahn, John Kennedy, Betsy Powell

Tykie Tobin, TreasurerAndrew Baird, Assistant Treasurer

ClergyThe Rev. Pierce Klemmt, Rector

The Rev. Ann Gillespie, Senior Associate Rector

The Rev. Heather VanDeventer, Associate Rector for

Faith Formation and EvangelismThe Rev. Dr. Diane Murphy,

Priest AssociateThe Rev. Dr. Amelia J. Dyer

Director of Ministry Resident Program

Director of MusicM. Jason Abel

Christ Church embodies God’s unbounded love by embracing, liberating,

and empowering people, whoever you are and wherever you find yourself

on your journey of faith.

The Rejoice deadline is the third of the month preceding publication. Please email

proposed articles to [email protected]. Those accepted are subject

to editing for length and content. Susan Hahn edits Rejoice while Craig

Keith provides design and layout. Carol Donlan gives her time and talent

as an advisor.

@historiccc

Christ Church Hosts Anglican Musicians on June 18

Finance Committee 101Who decides how we spend our Christ Church money?

A goal of the Christ Church stra-tegic plan is to better inform the

parish about the handling of money and general financial matters at the church. To that end, members of the finance committee have prepared in-formation about the workings of the committee.

This is the fourteenth in a series about the work of the committee to appear in Rejoice.

Submitted by The Finance CommitteeMoney donated to the church is the responsibility of the vestry and it is the vestry that decides how that money will be spent. A budget is presented to the vestry by the finance committee each year after a careful process of requests, evaluation, and discussion. The final budget is passed by vestry vote each spring. Even des-ignated donations are controlled to a certain extent by the vestry in that it is the vestry who decides if a desig-nated donation can be accepted.

Christ Church is honored to be hosting attendees at this year’s

Association of Anglican Musicians conference on Wednesday, June 18. Choral Evensong at 5:00 p.m. that

day will be sung in the church. The combined members of the confer-ence, some 250-plus members, will be the choir for the service. Julian Wachner, director of the Grammy Award-winning Washington Chorus and also Director of Arts and Music at Trinity Church Wall Street, will be the conductor. The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston, Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia, will preach, and our own Rev. Ann Gillespie will serve as the Officiant. Nicholas Bideler, the As-sistant Organist and Choirmaster at The Church of St. Michael and St. George in Saint Louis, Missouri, will be the organist for the service. While seating may be limited, you’re invited to join and hear what promises to be a memorable and exhilarating sound and message!

The Canterbury Choir celebrates their last rehearsal with a trip to the yogurt shop.

Rejoice ✠ June 2014 ✠

By The Rev. Pierce W. Klemmt

On July 1, we welcome Chris Hamby to our second cohort of

the Ministry Residency Program. Our first cohort resident, Emily Lukanich, was called home by Bishop Mark Bourlakas to accept the position of Curate at Christ Church, Blacksburg. Together Chris and Emily com-prised our full compliment at Christ Church. Joined by five other uniquely gifted congregations in the Washing-ton Metro area, and supervised by Dr. Amy Dyer, faculty member at Vir-ginia Theological Seminary, they will begin their congregational rotations as a learning cohort visiting each par-ish to explore and study best practices in pastoral leadership. This program is built on our recent resident program known as Foundations for Spiritual

Leadership (FSL) when all of the stu-dents were under our roof. What will be different is that while each resident is tethered to a ‘home’ church, they will be able to see what is best in six churches.

What we learned from 12 years of FSL and the research that Lilly Endow-ment documented was that shifting the identity as a parish to a teaching congregation provides a laboratory, like none oth-er, for students to apply the theories of the academy to real life situations and learn at an accelerated rate. Lilly Endowment discovered that two years in a residency is equal to 10 years of experience for a priest in several

congregations. We also learned the power of cohort learning. Immersed

in the fountains of con-gregational energy and witness, they share surprises, insights and “Oh my God” moments.

The best learning happens where there is an ingenious blend of challenge and support in each of their rotations. The promise we make to them is that we will im-merse them in resources,

coaching, and mentoring and create benchmarks for their leadership pro-files against which they can monitor progress and maturity. Each of us has a role to teach, so let us put our best foot forward!

Greetings from Chris Hamby

Congratulations, Emily!

Emily Lukanich, our Ministry Resi-dent for the past year, has been

called home by Bishop Mark Bour-lakas to accept the position of Curate at Christ Church, Blacksburg in the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia. Although we are sorry to lose Emily early, we are delighted for her and her new parish!

My name is Chris Hamby and I will

be starting at Christ Church in July as a new Ministry Resident, which is a two-year program for Virginia Theological Seminary students pre-paring for the priesthood. My wife Mandy and I are very excited to be join-ing the Christ Church family.

I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, in the Diocese of Lexington. My parents and younger brother along with my extended family still reside in Lexington. I received my under-graduate degree from Transylvania University, a small liberal arts school in Lexington.

After graduation I joined the Young Adult Service Corps, which sends young adults throughout the world as missionaries to engage the wider church. Through the service corps I served for a year as a missionary in

Welcome Our New Ministry Resident

Nagoya, Japan.As a missionary in Ja-

pan, I worked with the Diocese of Chubu, which ran a Filipino school for displaced children who were not allowed into Japanese schools. I also worked with Nagoya University, leading a group in the Philip-pines that was interested in non-governmental

organization work, and helped run Japanese summer camps for children. During my time there, I was called to represent the Presiding Bishop at var-ious events throughout Japan, from Tokyo to Okinawa, for the Episcopal Church.

When I returned to the States I started the discernment process for the priesthood and came to Virginia Theological Seminary in the Fall of 2012.

Christ Church is well-known in Episcopal circles as a place for learn-

ing. I am fortunate to be coming to a place where I will have the oppor-tunity to learn in an environment that cultivates an enriching experi-ence. My service as a missionary has increased my interest and curiosity about the success of Christ Church in its various mission activities in Alex-andria and within the wider church.

I look forward to meeting all of you and to continue my educational and formational experience.

PeaceChris Hamby


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Successful Youth Ministry Curriculum Workshop

Episcopal Social Me-dia Sunday is June 29. Watch Parish Life and Facebook throughout the month for more

information on how we will participate.

By the Youth Ministry Renovation Team

As part of the process to develop a sustainable Youth Ministry for

Christ Church, the Youth Ministry Renovation Team hosted a Cur-riculum Workshop on May 10. This was one step in meeting the “Fram-ing” goal to create and implement a comprehensive seven-year framework of education, involvement, and service addressing spiritual, emotional, physical, social, and inter-faith issues aligned with our youth ministry values.

The workshop—attended by Sun-day School teachers, High School

Forum facilitators, Confirmation Class teachers, Youth Group leaders, Clergy, the Renovation Team, and Mary Beth Abplanalp—spent several hours discussing learning objectives for 6th–12th graders during their seven years of participation in all aspects of the Christ Church Youth Ministry. These objectives were then grouped in four categories: church faith (beliefs, prayer, liturgy, history), knowledge and understanding of the Bible, service (mission and outreach), and personal faith (incorporating our faith and practices in our daily lives), and then associated with activities/

age groups. The synthesized version of this session will be used to help guide the selection of appropriate curricu-lum for our youth. Age groupings are still being reviewed by the teachers and staff.

We want to thank all the workshop and workshop preparation partici-pants, who helped to make the work-shop successful, and hope that some of you reading this will be inspired to volunteer in some way to work with our youth. Please contact Lisa Tenore at [email protected] or Kristi Thom-as at [email protected] for more information.

Congratulations to our graduating high school seniors, pictured here with

Congratulations to our graduating high school seniors, pictured here with their youth group leaders.

Youth Sunday Youth Verger.


Each year on the feast of Pente-cost, we celebrate the birth of the

Church and the gift of the Holy Spir-it that enabled all to hear God’s word in their own languages. The liturgical color of the Holy Spirit is red, which is why wearing red on Pentecost, June 8, is encouraged. We warmly invite you to come, bring your neighbor to our services, and enjoy the brass mu-sic at the 10:00 a.m. service.

We will offer a special blessing for those who have made Christ Church their spiritual home during the past year and invite them to sign the membership book. We hope you come and meet some new folks and reconnect with friends. Following the

The Rev. Ann Gillespie will be offering her well-received weekend retreat course, Finding God in Your Body, June 20–22, at Adelynrood Retreat

and Conference Center, an Episcopal women’s retreat center in Byfield, Massachusetts. Sessions during the weekend retreat will include basic yoga postures, guided meditation and intellectual inquiry.

Find the complete course description here: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/events/finding-god-your-body.

Pre-registration is required, available here: http://www.adelynrood.org/conferences_and_retreats.php

For additional information or questions, contact Ann at [email protected] or 703-778-4943.

10:00 a.m. Pentecost service, we will have an All-Parish Potluck Picnic in the churchyard. Everyone is encour-aged to bring a dish to share. So that we have a variety of dishes, we are dividing up picnic food by last name: Last name A–G: cold fried chicken and other main dishes; H–K: picnic side dishes such as coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, etc.; L–O: green salads and fruit salads; P–S: desserts; T–Z: chips & dips, and veggie trays. Bring dishes to the Meade Room kitchen. If in doubt about what to bring, make it fried chicken—it goes fast.

Want to volunteer? Contact Tom and Donna Sheridan, [email protected].

Finding God in Your Body: Weekend Retreat June 20–22

Wear Red on Pentecost

Shrine Mont Weekend Preacher

Many of us will have headed off to the countryside, but for those

who will be staying in town, on Sun-day, June 15, we will have a delightful guest preacher, Melissa Capers, while our staff clergy are on retreat with the parish at Shrine Mont. Melissa is a member of this parish, a postulant for the priesthood in the Diocese of Virginia, and has just completed her first year of seminary at the Virginia Theological Seminary.

Melissa Capers

Everyone who is new to Christ Church during the past year is invited to sign the Membership Book after Pentecost service.


Two More Listening Sessions about the Sunday Morning ScheduleSunday, June 15 at the Shrine Mont Parish WeekendSunday, June 22 at 11:00 a.m. in the Meade Room

Since 2010, when Christ Church began holding a combined 10:00 a.m.

service in the summer, many have noted what a joy it is to worship with friends from across the parish. As such a large and busy congregation, often those who primarily attend one service—be it at 8:00, 9:00, 11:15 a.m. or 5:00 p.m.—do not know those who attend another service, even if they have worshipped at Christ Church for decades. People have also noted how the church feels much fuller, more vi-brant and that we sing and pray with

By Jim Cannon, Environmental Stewardship Committee Chairman

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”

Genesis 1:31a

God has made us stewards of his good creation on

our planet home. For each of us person-ally, that means a responsibility to see how our actions help or harm the world he has made. A large part of the electricity in our homes comes from the burning of fossil fuels, a major driver of the climate change that threatens both people and God’s other living beings.

How can we lower our usage of electricity to protect what the Lord has made?

Learn more about the importance of this question and ways to answer it

greater depth at the combined 10:00 a.m. service.

With these thoughts in mind, last Fall the Liturgy Guild began to dis-cuss moving to two morning services. The Liturgy Guild includes worship leaders representing chalice bearers, Chancel Chapter, choirs, lay readers, ushers and vergers, who attend any of our four current worship services. The clergy and senior staff also have discussed the possibility of combining services.

These conversations have included discussions of the pressure on existing and future volunteers, being respon-sive to a leaner program budget, the kind of music that a united choir can create, nursery care availability, more robust opportunities for fellowship,

and the community feel of the com-bined 10:00 a.m. service.

During the month of June, there are two additional opportunities to join in listening and discussion about making the program year Sunday morning schedule mirror what is done in the summer. The proposed new Sunday schedule is worship at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Formation time—Sunday School, youth Sunday School and adult fo-rum—would be at 9:00 a.m. and cof-fee hour fellowship would follow the 10:00 a.m. service.

We hope that you will come to one of the remaining listening sessions. Please also be in contact with one of the clergy or wardens to share your thoughts on making this change.

during the 11:15 a.m. forum on Sun-day, June 29 in the Meade Room of the Parish Hall. This will be a home

energy workshop conducted by the Local Energy Alliance Pro-

gram (LEAP), a non-profit organization which helps homeowners save energy), and Interfaith Power &

Light, a national religious organization responding to

global warming by promoting energy conservation and effi-

ciency, as well as renewable energy.We will learn how electricity is

produced and practical steps to con-serve energy at home. Find out how we can reduce our carbon footprint, help create green jobs, and quite probably conserve our own financial resources in the process. Most im-portantly, we will be honoring God’s handiwork and helping to preserve it.

Home Energy Workshop Forum Set for June 29

Youth Sunday officiant


Summer Worship ScheduleSunday

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

with Sermon5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist for

Healing with Laying on of HandsWednesday

In the Chapel (Parish House)

12:05 p.m.

Special Gifts Available from the Christ Church Gift Shop

Summer brings tourists and

parishioners alike to Historic Christ Church and to its ministry- and mission-supporting Gift Shop which is run by special vol-unteers. A unique gift from Christ Church is a treat for the recipient and gives back to the community as well. After a tour of your historic par-ish home, direct your out-of-town guests this summer to your church gift shop for a wide variety of items perfect for weddings, birthdays, graduation, anniversaries, and holidays. There is also a great se-lection of Bibles, prayer books, crosses and other religious jewelry as well as Episcopal ties and even whimsical toys and special books for children.

An historic picture gallery of fa-mous visitors to the church leads to the shop.

Gift Shop History & Purpose

The Gift Shop is dedicated to sup-porting Outreach & Mission at

Christ Church. Volunteers work to keep the shop well stocked, clean, and inviting.

The first gift shop at Christ Church, created in 1915, was strictly for sou-venir sales. It took on a new life in November 1987, coinciding with the building of the new parish house.

Twice a year volunteers attend the Philadelphia Show to buy for the shop. For two days, after visiting more than 1,000 vendors, they decide on new merchandise. Books in the Gift Shop are specially selected by an

experienced Gift Shop volunteer.

The Gift Shop proceeds are re-turned to the com-munity through these local Out-reach & Christ Church Mission organizations and programs: ALIVE!; ARHA Senior Ser-vices—Podiatrist; The Campagna CenterYouth Ser-vices; Carpenter’s Shelter; our Christ Child Project;

Community Lodgings; Episcopal Re-lief Fund; Lazarus Ministry; Meals on Wheels; and Our Little Roses.Shop Location: The Gift Shop is lo-cated on the west side of the church campus, at 121 N. Columbus St.Phone number: 703-836-5258Hours: Sundays from 8:45 a.m.– noon; Tuesday–Saturday from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Rites of PassageBirths

• Everett James Montgomery Bentz, son of Shellie & Andrew Bentz

• Charles Duane Mills son of Angela & Ed Mills

• Aurora Evelyn Schertel daughter of Connie Heiss and Pete Schertel

• Peyton Graham Sandefur, son of Christine Wasilewski &Ryan Sandefur, grandson of Nick Wasilewski & Trish Fineran

Weddings

• Ellen Kathryn Fulco and Peter Martin Cosier

• Alexandra Lauren Carver Sukalo and Steven Duane Weber

Marriage Blessing

• Natalie Fajardo and Christopher Madrid

deaths

• John Morgan Jex• Georgianna Greely• Maxwell Mitchell• Rev. Kenneth Hulme • Douglas Collins • Peter Hallock• Scotty Bates• John Geary• Kimberly Minor• Jane Dillon• Charlie Price


spirit and our deeply rooted faith that are critical in addressing our current and future challenges.”Geoffrey GiovanettiGeoff Giovanetti is faithfully dedi-cated to the church’s goals of wel-coming everyone, providing all a trusted house of worship, and serving outreach ministries here and over-seas. Geoff has taught our Kindergar-ten Sunday School, ushers monthly and on Easter and Christmas Eve, participates in the Thursday morning Men’s Group, and served as one of Christ Church’s delegates to the Re-gion IV Council. Geoff states, “A principal focus of a vestry person is to synthesize the congregation’s various viewpoints into concrete actions that inspire the church’s direction. I believe my min-istries at Christ Church will aid me in this process.”Susan HahnSusan Hahn was a Children of Chernobyl host, has helped organize children’s activities at Shrine Mont parish retreats, found joy as a Sunday School teacher and shepherd, and is serving on the Sunday School Cur-riculum Team, which is developing a unit on What’s Special About My Church. She chairs the Communica-tions Committee and was selected recently as one of our representatives to the Region IV Council. Last Fall, Susan and other parents launched the Sunday morning High School Forum to offer students, adults and clergy interactive youth service projects, complementing existing programs. Susan believes, “…Youth programs are critical to our successful future as a parish.”Betsy PowellBetsy Powell believes her service in ministries here reflects her faith: Choir, Sunday School teacher,

Christmas Shop, Acolyte Master, Chancel Chapter, Counting Team, delegate to Diocesen Council, Mid-dler Lay committee and Docent, as well as being a member of the Daughters of the King, a prayer-based ministry of women. She con-siders one way to serve is to promote, to the community as well as witness-ing to non-parishioners, the power of faith that exists at Christ Church. Betsy states, “Our church is a shining beacon of Christ’s love for us. Each member brings a fresh talent to fulfill and encourage the spreading of the Gospel ... There is an openness and inclusion at this church that at times leaves me breathless.”

New Vestrycontinued from page 1

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At their May 27 meeting, the Ves-try formally approved the mem-

bers of the Rector Transition Com-mittee, which will be chaired by Ann McMurray. That group will begin meeting in June. Regular updates on their work will be forthcoming. Tran-sition Committee members include: Ann McMurray as Chair, Ken Barry, Cindi Bartol, Janet Beckmann, Kevin Metz, Anne Ramsey, Bob Ramsey, Russ Randle, Anne Reed, Carla Ro-sati, Julie Wilmer Zahn, and Matt Zahn. Susan Davis and John Kennedy will also sit on the committee as ves-try liaisons.

In a letter to the parish this week, the new Senior and Junior Wardens, Janet Osborn and Brian Shannon, outlined the responsibilities of the Transition and Search Committees, as well as recent activity regarding the transition period:

“On Wednesday, May 21, the Rev. Canon Pat Wingo, the Canon to the Ordinary (which means special as-sistant to the Bishop) and Ms. Lind-say Ryland, the Transition Ministry Director for the Diocese of Virginia, briefed the Clergy, Vestry, and mem-

bers of the Transition Committee on church policy and best practices for Rector transitions.

Rev. Wingo and Ms. Ryland clari-fied the Transition Committee and Search Committees responsibilities and also discussed the process and timing to call an interim Rector. The Transition Committee will have primary responsibility in two areas: planning the good-bye activities for Pierce and his family, and identifying and evaluating the interim Rector candidates. The Transition Commit-tee will work closely with the Vestry, and the Vestry will officially hire the Interim. Rev. Wingo and Ms. Ryland were confident that a strong set of candidates for the interim role would emerge for Christ Church.

The Search Committee will be ap-pointed by the Vestry and will be fo-cused on calling the new settled (not interim) Rector. Rev. Wingo and Ms. Ryland indicated that many search committees engage consulting sup-port to assist in managing the process and identifying candidates. They also noted that they and the Bishop would

Rector Transition & Search Committee Update

(clockwise from upper left) Geoffrey Giovanetti, Betsy Powell, Abigail Arms, Susan Hahn


serve as our partners throughout the process. Although a great deal of work remains, the Clergy and Vestry were encouraged by the substance of this meeting and believe that we are laying the foundation for a seamless transition.

Rev. Wingo also informed us that policy regarding con-tinuing staff has changed in recent years. In the past, it was required that all staff submit their resignations upon the calling of a new settled Rector. That policy made it difficult for Rectors coming into large, complex parishes like ours to function without experienced staff and, also, created significant stress for the staff. There had been con-fusion on this point, so this was a helpful clarification.”

Transitioncontinued from page 8

Bishop Johnston’s June 1 Visit

The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston, Diocesan Bishop, attended the 10:00 a.m. service Sunday, June 1, 2014 for baptism, confirmation, reception, and reaffirmation. It was a glorious day at Christ Church with over 50 babies, children, youth and adults being baptized, confirmed, received or reaffirmed. Enjoy all the photos of the day.

Our special thanks go to Kate Ballard and Michael J. Brown for photos from the Bishop’s visit. See more on our Facebook page.

ccalex rejoice june 2014

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