THE SPIREA Newsletter by and for the people of Christ Church

“God will be there.”These are the words Bishop Sisk, retired Bishop of New York and former curate of this parish, cheerfully and wisely gave me this past week.I was an hour and twenty minutes late for an important meeting at General Seminary. Sweating profusely from my mad dash across Chelsea, I burst into the conference room with apologies blazing. Words - stairs, scaffolding, lighting, ceilings, roofs, parking, developers - came pouring out as I tried to explain my late arrival.He just smiled at me as I described the state of our worship space (which, by the way is much better now) and said, “And no matter what, we know that God will be there.”God is indeed here at Christ Church. God is here in Word and Sacrament. God is here in welcome and greeting, care and concern. God is here in music and silence. God is here in hammer and drill, scaffold and ladder, mop and bucket. God is here because we are promised that when two or three are gathered together in God’s name, God will be in the midst of them.There are so many exciting things going on at Christ Church right now, so many ways to experience and share the love of Christ Jesus. It is a time of great renewal and possibility. It is a time when we are joyfully rising to the challenges of getting our house in order and chosoing to embrace purpose, peace, tranquillity and resilience as we look forward to the effects of the construction project

Fall 2014Volume LXVI, Number 8

Christ Church Bronxville

914-337-3544

www.ccbny.org

page 3 page 12page 10 page 13page 4

across the street. It is a time when are deliberately fortifying ourselves through this community of faith so that we might go out into the world and serve. This edition of the Spire chronicles the great things that happened this summer and provides you with the information you need to plug in to the many programs here at Christ Church. But above all I hope that it inspires you to imagine even more that we can achieve together.I hope you recognize this and are ready to dive in. In the meantime, remember that peace and inspiration, reconciliation and renewal and food for the journey are here every Sunday. God is here, and I would love you to be here as well!Can’t wait to see you.

- Michael+

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Homecoming Sunday at Christ

ChurchSunday, Sept. 7th at 9:55 am

Church School (Preschool- 6th Grade) Crispell Lounge

Nursery Care (below age 3) Kensington Building

Visit www.ccbny.org/church-school to register your child or contact

Mother Jennifer Brown at jbrown@ccbny.org

All Church School Aged Children enter through the wooden doors in the courtyard!!

weekly scheduleCCBNY

SUNDAYSRite I Eucharist 8 amChoral Family Eucharist 10 amContemplative Eucharist 5 pm

MONDAYSYAA Boys & Girls Choirs 4-6:30 pmSenior EYC 6:30-8 pmConfirmation Class 6:30-7:30 pmHandbell Choir 7-8 pm

TUESDAYSYAA Prepatorary Choir 4-5 pm

WEDNESDAYSRite I Eucharist 7 amPrimary Choir 3:15-4 pmChildren’s Choir 4-5 pmYAA Stars Choir 4-6 pmChrist Church Choir 7-9 pm

THURSDAYSWomen’s Spirituality Group 9:30-11:30 amCentering Prayer 7:30-8:30 pm

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Children’s Christian Formation InformationGODLY PLAY (AGES 3 THROUGH 1ST GRADE)Godly Play is a Montessori inspired way of sharing Bible stories and Christian tradition. Stories are told using simple wooden props in a way that allows the children to experience the stories deeply and prayerfully. Godly Play also helps the children learn the liturgical language of our faith. They will hear the stories of the Bible and our Christian traditions. Through wondering questions, openness, discovery and art, children will have the opportunity to connect the stories with their personal experience, and become more fully aware of the mystery of God’s presence in their lives. Goldy Play children enter the church during the Fraction Anthem for Communion.

COMMUNION PREPARATION CLASS (2ND GRADE)Second Graders spend the entire year studying Holy Eucharist. They learn about all the parts of the service and what they mean, with a particular focus on the real presence of Christ that we encounter in the consecrated elements of bread and wine. After meeting in the Crispell Lounge, the 2nd Graders move to the Chapel of the Guardian Angels, their special classroom for the year. The second graders enter the church during the Presentation Hymn and will often be seated in the choir stalls.

GODLY DIALOGUE (3RD THROUGH 6TH GRADE)2 CLASSES - 3RD & 4TH GRADES 5TH & 6TH GRADES Building on the philosophy of Godly Play, Godly Dialogue encourages our older children to engage the stories of our Faith in a different way through conversation and interaction with their dedicated group of teachers. It is in that forum that our children will learn the tradition of our faith and become steeped in the liturgical language and rituals of the Episcopal Church. Following their lesson from the new Episcopal curriculum “Weaving God’s Promises”, children will join their parents in the church during the Presentation Hymn.

CONFIRMATION (7TH & 8TH GRADES)MONDAY EVENINGS 6:30-7:30 PM

On Monday, September 15 at 6:30PM, in the Crispell Lounge, the Seventh and Eighth Grade Confirmation Classes, and their parents, will gather for a required kick off meeting. Parents will meet with Fr. Bird to discuss the program and the kids will head off to be trained for their service as taperers or teaching assistants. We will conclude our time together by 7:30PM.

Class time – Regular Confirmation class begins on Monday evening, September 22, 6:30-7:30PM. This a change from last year’s Wednesday night meeting schedule.

Please visit www.ccbny.org/youth for a full Confirmation calendar and to register your student!

Please prayerfully consider volunteering an hour of your time every month to teach Sunday school. Please contact Mother Brown at jbrown@ccbny.org

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The Men’s Group had their first annual fishing trip on Saturday July 26th. In attendance were a merry band of eight fishermen from Christ Church including Denzil Francis, Mike Conaton, Kevin Cook, Robert Rabsey, Bill Turino, Martin Witt, Ken Arndt and Joseph Philips. The porgies, flukes, sea robins and sea bass of Long Island Sound proved to be no match for Episcopalian fisherfolk, with approximately 30-40 of these fish gracing the dinner tables of church members that evening.

Several prizes were awarded on the trip including a prize for the first catch (Robert), most fish (Mike & Denzil), most interesting fish (Martin), largest fish (Robert again), smallest fish (not sure who got that). The prize for “fish that looked most like the fisherman” went unclaimed.

As you will notice from the photographs, this was a typical Saturday, nap time and all.

For those of you who missed it, please get involved with the Men’s Group. We have many events planned for this year. To be added to the Men’s Group email list, please contact Joseph Philips (jkphilips@verizon.net).

Join the Men’s Group for their first meeting on Monday, September 8th at 7:30 pm at

Tap House in Tuckahoe

Tall Tales from the Men’s Group Fishing Trip

We are looking forward to another year of fun, food, and fellowship. We will resume our monthly Sunday evening potluck dinners in September.

The first gathering will be hosted by Evelyn and Melanie Wadkins (100 Gramatan Drive in Yonkers) on September 21 at 6:00pm. Please bring a dish to share with new and old friends. Please email lgbtfriends@ccbny.org to RSVP ro to be added to the fellowship email list. We hope to see you there!Evelyn & Melanie WadkinsCo-Chairs of LGBT & Friends Fellowship

Join us for the first LGBT & Friends Fellowship Potuck

on September 21st at 6 pm at the home of Evelyn and Melanie Wadkins!

(new co-chairs of LGBT & Friends)Please email lgbtfriends@ccbny.org

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The people Jesus taught were from the countryside, uneducated and illiterate. For them he used Parables – examples, riddles, metaphors that challenged them to consider God’s message as it pertained to them. With allusions to fig trees, leaven, sowing seeds, hosting a wedding feast, a body robbed, beaten and forsaken, lost sheep, and the return of a prodigal son, among others, he taught them and teaches us to understand God’s gifts. He used Parables as ways not only to understand but also to challenge how his listeners would lead their lives. How convincing are these Parables today?

The Fall Short Series will explore Parables by reading and discussing sixteen lessons. Just as those Jesus taught, no contemporary analytic text will get in the way of our understanding for ourselves what the Parables mean to us in 2014.

John O’Neil, Jody Maier, Hondi Brasco, and Warren Ilchman will take responsibility for the discussions in the Crispell Lounge after the 10 am service. The Parables for each session are available on CCBNY’s website (http://www.ccbny.org/sunday-short-series) and copies will be available at the sessions.

Gospel texts are from the Common English Bible (CEB) and the Revised Standard Version (RSV). One Gospel version for the Parable of the Persistent Friend/Widow comes from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). If a version of the Parable appears in another Gospel than the one cited, its citation occurs after the RSV version. If you use the King James Version (KJV), the discussant will be prepared to relate that version to the other two.

Participants are requested to select a Parable not on the list that they particularly like and agree to “teach” it to the group.

Sunday Short Series - Parables

• Sun. October 5th: Parables of the Kingdom

• Sun. October 12th: Parables of Judgment

• Sun. October 19th: Parables of the Christian Life

• Sun. October 26th: Parables of Salvation

• Sun. November 2nd: A Contemporary Parable

ScheduleFALL SHORT SERIES

Meetings are held in Crispell Lounge after the 10:00 am servicePlease check www.cccbny.org/sunday-short-series for more information!

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THE PRIMARY CHOIR (KINDER. & 1ST GRADE)WEDNESDAYS 3:15-4:00 PMOur younger children experience the great joy of making music. Rehearsals include learning basic concepts of singing through fun activities.

THE CHILDREN’S CHOIR (2ND - 6TH GRADE)WEDNESDAYS 4:00-5:00 PMThrough this program children expand music literacy, learn leadership during worship and build a sense of Christian community. Rehearsals use voice and handbells to teach pitch, rhythm and music notation.

THE CHRIST CHURCH CHOIR (ADULTS)WEDNESDAYS 7:00-9:00 PMThis warm and dedicated group offers their time and talent to the Christ Church community as leaders in worship. They sing a wide variety of music from and offer several special performances during the year.

THE PARISH CHOIRPeriodically through the year volunteers gather to enjoy the choir experience without making a weekly commitment. This choir joins the Christ Church Choir for the Wednesday rehearsal prior to singing on Sunday.

HANDBELL CHOIRMONDAYS 7:00-8:00 PMThis ensemble is directed by Deborah Cook. They play several times each year and add a new dimension of sound to worship. As with all of our musical groups, the Handbell Ringers welcome anyone to participate, although prior experience with reading music is helpful. Christ Church has 3 octaves of Malmark Handbells and 3 octaves of Malmark Chimes in our collection of musical instruments.

First Rehearsals:

Christ Church Choir - Wed, Sept 3rd, 7:00-9:00pm

Handbell Ensemble Mon, Sept 8th, 7:00-8:00pm

Primary Choir Wed, Sept 10th, 3:15-4:00pm

Children’s Choir Wed, Sept 10th, 4:00-5:00pm

Parish Choir Wed, Oct 1st, 7:00-9:00pm

Visit ccbny.org/choirs to register!

Evensong will be offered on the last Sunday of most monthsSUNDAY, SEPT 28TH – Our first Solemn Evensong, music by Peter Aston, Josep Rheinberger, and Jason Thoms.SUNDAY, OCT 26TH SUNDAY, NOV 30TH – A simple service with plainsong hymns and canticles. SUNDAY, 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

BirthdaysSEPTEMBER

1: Caroline Yerkes 2: Claire Elkerton, Caroline Kirby, Victoria Mordaunt 3: John Barrett, Ron Cappello, Nicola Phillips 4: Dylan Richardson 5: David Morse 6: Warren Ilchman, Nancy Whitney, Steven Srebnik, Julien duChateau 7: Jane Kratovil 9: Olivia Cappello, William Rabsey 11: Arthur Nagle, Jennifer Thomas 12: Priscilla Newman, Jeffrey Minich, Logan Calvert 13: Natalie Beit, Jamie Murphy 14: Parker Callaway, Maria Hayes, Denise Stephens 15: Emma Donahue, Amanda Torres, Sarah Reynolds 16: Sam Wagner, Holland Sullivan 17: William Campbell, Matthew Gojkovich, Katharine George 18: Cynthia Ahmuty, Robert Bonet 20: Ben Murphy 22: Caroline Beit 23: Nicole Sears, William Turino, Rita Ferrone 25: Mona McAlarney 26: Jason Cushman, Robert Devlin 27: Hershell George, Piper Gilliam 29: Patricia Mutolo, Jack Redpath

Join us for Evensong at 5:00 pm

CCBNY Music Program 2014-2015

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH 5 PMADVENT LESSONS & CAROLS

This service has been a perennial favorite for at least twenty years at Christ Church. For the last few years, it has taken place at 10:00am, in place of the Eucharist. By request for those who enjoy the beauty of the evening hours, it will be held at 5:00pm. As the tradition continues, so will the complement of Brass and Timpani.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24TH 10:30 PMTHE CHRISTMAS PRELUDE AND MIDNIGHT MASS

With a full orchestra (strings, flutes, oboes, bassoon, trumpets, organ, timpani) the Christ Church Choir will sing selections from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio for the 10:30 Prelude to Midnight Mass. At 11PM, the brass fanfare to Adeste fidelis will sound the beginning of our celebration of The Incarnation. From the gentle sounds of Silent Night,

Holy Night, to the triumphant exuberance of Hark! The Herald Angel’s Sing, and the masterpiece by J.S. Bach, this will surely be a Christmas to be remembered at Christ Church!SUNDAY, APRIL 5THEASTER SUNDAY

Hallelujah from George Frideric Handel’s Messiah! The last time this well-known chorus was performed at Christ Church was Easter 2003. Excuses from the Director of Music declaring “choosing that chorus would be predictable, trite, cliché,” have kept the score on the shelf for a decade. But, it’s time again to bring it out! It IS, after all, a masterpiece that has retained its place in the choral repertoire for nearly 300 years. As someone in the Christ Church Choir said, “There’s a reason the king stood.” [King George II, so moved by the London premiere, stood at the word Hallelujah*] *There is no evidence to back up this event. But it’s fun to think about.

Special Season Liturgies

FRIDAY, MARCH 6THSPRING CONCERT WITH CHOIR, ORCHESTRA & ORGAN

Save the Date! Mark your calendars! On Friday evening, March 6th, 2015 the largest orchestra Christ Church has seen in recent memory will bring sonic splendor to our hallowed stone walls. The concert will feature musicians from The Christ Church Choir and our beloved collection of musical instruments (including the Alice Ilchman Steinway Grand Piano, our new acquired set of Timpani, and hopefully our pipe organ). Music will include: G.F. Handel Sinfonia from Solomon G.F. Handel Zadok the Priest Gerald Finzi Magnificat Gerald Finzi Eclogue Benjamin Britten Rejoice in the Lamb A “Tallis” set The Third Tune Thomas Tallis Master Tallis’ Testament Herbert Howells Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis Ralph Vaughan Williams ~ and ~Plan A (if the pipe organ becomes available): Francis Poulenc Concerto for Organ, Orchestra, and Timpani

Plan B (if the pipe organ is still covered and protected)G.F. Handel [small] Organ Concerto in F Major

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RISING STARSPREPARATORY CHOIR TUESDAYS 4:00-5:00 PM

RISING STARSBOYS & GIRLS CHOIRS MONDAYS 4:00-6:30 PM

The Rising Stars division is a rigorous choral music and drama program where students learn foundations of musicianship and good vocal technique. Rising Stars admits students by audition as early as the fourth grade, with exceptions made for advanced third graders.

Once admitted, students are placed into one of three choirs: the Preparatory Choir, the Girls Choir, or the Boys Choir. Almost all choristers begin singing in the Preparatory Choir. Choristers in the Preparatory Choir are encouraged to audition for promotion to the Boys and Girls Choirs throughout the year, and are eligible based on their vocal and sight-reading abilities.

STARS CHOIR WEDNESDAYS 4:00-6:30 PMThe Stars is an upper level group for high school girls and male changed voices (who may be in middle school or high school). The Stars are students who are ready to take on greater artistic independence. Students will sing as a choir, in smaller ensembles of duos and trios, and study musical styles in a greater depth. They will have the opportunity to try out solo material in a weekly studio class setting, receive the benefit of coaching from a variety of visiting professional guest artists, along with our faculty and will keep a weekly arts journal.

The Lisa Harrington Scholarship was established in 2013 to recognize a student for their outstanding leadership, talent, focus, discipline and dedication to music and to Young at Arts. Named for Lisa Harrington, this scholarship honors Lisa’s dedication to the arts through out her life, her support for Young at Arts, as well as her passionate belief that the arts greatly improves the lives of all and that the arts should be available to all.

Mrs. Harrington was a founding member of the Young at Arts Board of Directors, believing strongly in the organization’s mission to bring children from different backgrounds together through the power of theater and music. As a member of Christ Church Bronxville’s Vestry, she introduced the Young at Arts program to the Rector, Michael Bird in 2009. In the early years, Mrs. Harrington’s inspiring spirit and energy was crucial to YAA’s forward momentum, and it is a major reason why it is alive and well today. Now going into its tenth year, YAA is an integral part of the outreach efforts of CCBNY, receiving support from Episcopal Charities and the City of Mount Vernon. It serves as a model for similar programs across the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Mrs. Harrington’s daughters Betsy and Lauren are graduates of the program and both she and her husband feel that the program greatly influenced each of their decisions to pursue music as an academic major during their respective college careers.

2013 Scholarship Recipient - Cory Garcia with Lisa Harrington at the YAA BBQ in June, 2014

facebook.com/youngatartsnewyork2014 Scholarship Recipient - Patricia Scott

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YAA Choirs Spend a Week at Incarnation CampAs this dreamy summer comes to a close, YAA feels pretty certain that we added a right of passage to the list of “must do’s” in the summer if you are a young person who loves to open your heart and mind. Our new Music Director, Charles duChateau, Fr. Bird (fresh off of his Cuba adventure), parishioner Ken Richardson, YAA parents Maureen Moser and Catherine McGibney and I took 30 young voices up to Incarnation Center in Ivoryton, CT for a week in August. CCBNY Director of Music, Christopher Wells stopped in for an added bonus!

YAA continues to create an ethos where art, inspiration, and mutual support for one another come together. Of course, the addition of nature to the equation created lasting memories. Campers experienced the great outdoors interspersed with music, poetry, native American lore, dance, yoga and cooking. Some students formed rock bands. Some studied German while learning a Brahms duet while others learned an Aaron Copland rendition of a Shaker tune. We all learned poems about nature from E.E. Cummings, Shel Silverstein and Chief Dan George. One evening, we shared our voices with the Boys Choir of the Church of the Transfiguration.

They shared Bach and original piano compositions. Another student played a song on a Chinese instrument recently acquired from a trip to his native Beijing. We sang an acapella “Alleluia” setting, the beautiful tune “Colors of the Wind” by Alan Menkin and a native American inspired tune, “Canoe Song”. Our students relished the idea that there were others in the world just like them who shared their passion for singing and music.

Best of all, students came from all 3 YAA campuses. Friendships were made, and we tested the YAA motto that art speaks a universal language and knows no boundaries. We were sad to say goodbye to Bushy Hill Lake, the canoes, Eagle Rock bonfire site and the sound of the crickets. But don’t worry, we will be back next year!-Sharyn Pirtle, Founding Director of YAA

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EYC Mission Trip to Cuba

The first EYC event is a gigantic Scavenger Hunt on September 7th after the 10am service. We will gather in the Undercroft right after the service and then catch the train to NYC. We will return before dinnertime.

GOALS FOR THIS YEAR:

1. To reestablish a dynamic and welcoming meeting and eating time on Monday evenings.2. To keep our weekly participation between 25-30 teens.3. To help you get your teens to church.4. To work through important issues that our teens are facing now or will face in the future. Item number one: a Christian response to racism and violence.5. To give them the skills and opportunities to put their hands, hearts and minds to work.6. To open their eyes to the beautiful complexity of the world around them.

These goals correspond directly to the Rules of EYC:1. Know your surroundings2. It’s not about you3. Participate

MEETING TIMES & START DATEEYC meets each non-holiday Monday from 6:30 – 8:00pm. The teens will begin with a shared meal and then move on to their activity – a detailed calendar is being constructed now. On occasion, there will be special events on Sundays after the 10am service.

PARENT MEETINGThere will be a mandatory meeting for all parents with teens who want to participate in EYC - Monday, Sept 8th 8pm in Crispell Lounge

On August 13 members of Christ Church Bronxville and I arrived in our first stop in Cuba, Santa Clara. We went to Santa Clara to visit Camp Blankinship which is a large piece of land owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Cuba. After a very short stay in Santa Clara we made our way over to Itabo. The second we got off of the bus at the Episcopal Church of Itabo, Kathleen Conaton and I went to explore the campus and farm. We both attended last year’s mission trip to Itabo and were very excited to see them, hoping that they remembered us as well.

We were also thrilled to see many productive changes around the church. The field where we had worked last year was unrecognizable to us. The fruit trees that were just a foot tall last year were suddenly towering over us carrying an abundance of plantains and papayas and guavas. A wall that we started building last year was completed by the men of the church and now separated two plots of land. The biggest change we saw was in the neighboring town of Favorito, which you took a horse and carriage to get to. Last year half of the group worked at Favorito to renovate an old house into a new church.

Only a year later the church was absolutely beautiful and nearly complete. Although all of this progress had been made, there was still plenty of work for us to do. We worked in Itabo for three days pulling weeds, planting new crops and moving large rocks.

Fr. Bird and Michael Pollack also updated the water filtration system we installed last year. It was amazing to see how the filtration system changed the whole town. We would hang out outside with a few of the local kids in the afternoon and we watched every family from the town gather clean water for the day.

I will forever remember the times I spent with all of the kids in Itabo and the relationships we formed. Despite the language barrier, we all still put in the effort to play games together. It wasn’t perfect, but we realized that we would still have fun just by being in each other’s company.

-Nicolette Romley

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EYC Mission Trip to Cuba

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Notre Dame Student & EYC Alum Travels to Israel

“Know your surroundings!” barked Father Bird. Ask someone who has traveled with Fr. Bird and they will confirm that he navigates the streets of foreign cities with the same intensity that a general would storm a beach. Understanding our place and responsibility in unfamiliar territory was a rule that we took to heart while traveling with EYC. From the streets of Paris to the sketchy airport security in Cuba, journeying with Christ Church was an adventure that required a great deal of travel consciousness.

While living in the west bank of Jerusalem for six weeks this summer, I kept Father Bird’s rules close to mind. Nearly every day, I

would cross the security wall from the West Bank into Palestine. As I walked the streets of the cities of Bethlehem, Jericho, Ramallah, and Hebron it was difficult not to feel a degree of hostility between the native Palestinians to my western persona. Because of the horrible ways Israel has treated Palestinians in recent years, I could not blame these people for questioning my intentions in their land. Twice, our group from Notre Dame found ourselves in the middle of a spontaneous riot between the Israeli border security and the Palestinians. Four days after we traveled to Hebron, an Israeli officer shot into the crowd of the weekly Friday protest, killing two teenage boys. It was these realities

of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict that shaped my first-hand learning experience. Similar to how my view of Cuban-American policy has changed after my time in Cuba with EYC, I was surprised as to how radically different my opinion was of the conflict before and after my travel experience. Reflecting on my time in the most contested piece of land in the world, I am fully confident that traveling with Christ Church was just as much of a learning experience as it was purely fun. The standard of travel consciousness that was expected on these trips made my time in Jerusalem far less overwhelming in moments when I was far from my comfort zone. - Warren Kraemer

3: Barbara O’Donoghue, Robert Singleton, Samuel Gilliam, Rebecca Ingles 4: Velma Dougherty 5: Claire Kraemer 6: Frederick Romley, Nicolette Romley 7: James Murphy 9: Charles Campbell, Jackson Formoso 10: Amelie Kaufman 11: Fr. Bird, Linda Blakely, Helen Noone 12: Thomas Brasco 14: Jamie Carroll, Diana Horne 15: Peter Johnson, Nancy Brady 18: Richard Bower, Evelyn Margaret Goddard 19: Barbara Deller, Michael Pollack 20: Coco-Noel Williams 21: William Murphy, Izaak Thoms 23: Timothy Cushman, Richard Crawford 25: Betsy Goodell 26: Jeffrey Barrett 27: Carol Bartold, Katherine Bryce 29: Jason Hornick, Jack Henry 30: Matthew Ingles 31: Thomas O’Donoghue, Centes Williams

BirthdaysOCTOBER

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Eliza Corwin Frost Announces New Director

The Steering Committee, staff, parents and friends of the Eliza Corwin Frost Child Center are pleased to welcome and introduce Kara Polinsky as the new Director of the school.

Through an exhaustive and extensive six month

search, we were able to find Kara. The Search Committee, led by CCBNY vestry member Tim Donahue, reviewed over 50 applications received after posting the position, along with the search criteria and supporting materials, through a variety of resources from high profile early education institutions to national websites for educational leaders.

Kara comes to us with tremendous experience. She holds a BA and MS in Literacy, which has led to General Education professional licensure in Birth through 6th Grade and K-12 Special Education. In addition, she has certification in School Administration and Supervision – SAS. Kara’s broad educational background has allowed her opportunities in leadership roles within several schools and early childhood providers.

She also has experience working with the NYC public school system as a staff developer and earned a place on the executive leadership team, helping to

drive instruction for children in Kindergarten through grade 6. She then moved on to become the Director of a large preschool and afterschool program in Westchester. While in this role, she grew a seedling program into a flourishing organization and expanded its care and services to meet the varying needs of the community.

Kara’s passion is working with teachers, families and students. In her most recent role, she led a school in Midtown Manhattan. That program served a combination of children with mild to moderate special needs, allowing Kara the chance to work with a very diverse group of children and strengthening her resolve to create an educational environment that meets the needs of all learners.

Kara is thrilled to join our school and is excited about the opportunity to work with the incredible families and children of our community. She hit the ground running in August and has been a whirlwind of energy, ideas and enthusiasm as she and the staff prepare to welcome the children back for another wonderful year of learning and growing.

As the school enters its fifth decade, we are extremely excited to open this new chapter in the school’s history.

Andrea H. BatesECF Steering Committee Chair

BirthdaysNOVEMBER

2: Mason Snyder 4: Donald Sharp 5: William Elder, Myles Gould 6: John Barrett, Kristofer DePalermo, John Leferovich, Holt Goddard 8: Karen Day, Sinclair Welch 9: Lila Al-Omoush 10: Catherine Sullivan 11: Elena Licursi, Paul Licursi, Bashir Al-Omoush 13: Gillian Goddard 14: Mary Behrens 5: Ella Crystal, Philip Swoboda 16: Suzanne Srebnik, John Allen 18: Corky Frost, Julia O’Connor, Paul Philips 20: John Warman 21: Olivia Bruton 22: Cornelia Bower 23: Taylor Reynolds, Dorothy Yohannan, Zoe Hamerling 25: Georgeann Delli Venneri 26: Lee Johnson 27: Leighton Welch 28: Jamie Elkerton, William Goodell 30: Deborah Ross, Rosemary Palmer

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ECF Lending Library

Construction Update

Eliza Corwin Frost has another new addition this fall. We are please to announced Eliza Frost will open its new lending library! The room is furnished with light wood shelving and a teacher’s chair for storytelling. The library will carry fiction and non-fiction books of many different genres. Children will visit the library with their teacher each week for a special story time. They will then check out books to take home and share with their families.

Many thanks to the Eliza Corwin Frost Parents’ Committee and all parents, and staff for making the new library possible! It will be a wonderful addition to the program.

Happy reading!-Jenifer Read

It has been a busy summer at Christ Church for the Facilities Committee, for the sextons, and for Christopher Wells and the Rector. Projects completed: 1. The choirs stalls have been cleaned and treated with a mix of linseed oil and turpentine to restore them.2. The Rood Beam (the beam that spans the width of the Choir and has a large crucifix on it, and also has the

figures of St. John and Mary the mother of Jesus) has been cleaned and the figure of Jesus has been re-stored.

3. The preparation of the Vesting Room for ceiling repairs4. The installation of the wiring and speakers for a digital organ needed during the period of the Kensington

Project Construction5. The design and installation of a lighting truss behind the Rood Beam - to hold new lighting for the Choir

and AltarProjects in Process:1. The restoration of the Vesting Room after water damage from the spring2. The replacement of 3 radiators (2 in the vesting room and 1 in the Choir)3. The restoration of the floor in the Choir 4. Improvements to several classrooms in the ECFCC5. Installation of the electronics to control the digital organBeginning Soon:1. The Front Steps!!! It is a complicated site and getting it right has taken a very long time2. Three new flat roofs on the church (over the balcony stairs, vesting room, and organ chamber)3. Installation of new lighting for the balcony and for the Choir and Altar areas

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Centering PrayerTHURSDAY EVENINGS: 7:30-8:30 PMOCTOBER 7, 14, 21 - CHAPEL OF THE GUARDIAN ANGELSOCTOBER 28 - LADY CHAPELCentering Prayer is a spiritual practice offering silence in the midst of the noise and busyness of life. In silence we learn to quiet our thoughts and release the distractions that keep us from drawing closer to God. In silence we listen. In silence we become more available to God’s presence and transforming love.

Join us as we discover the richness of this type of prayer, especially within a small group setting. The one-hour sessions will be led by Hondi Brasco and Debbie Cook, members of the Guild of St. Raphael, and will be offered again this Winter and Spring.

Please contact Hondi (hondi.brasco@gmail.com) or Debbie (debbiecook@optonline.net) with any questions.

The Lord said [to Elijah], “Go out and stand at the mountain before the Lord. The Lord is passing by.” A very strong wind tore through the mountains and broke apart the stones before the Lord. But the Lord wasn’t in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake. But the Lord wasn’t in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire. But the Lord wasn’t in the fire. After the fire, there was a sound. Thin. Quiet.

When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his coat. He went out and stood at the cave’s entrance. A voice came to him and said, “Why are you here, Elijah?” -1 Kings 19:11-13

2014LOOKING AHEAD AT

Sunday, Sept 7thHomecoming SundayEYC Scavenger Hunt

Sunday, Sept 14th Welcome Back BBQ

Tuesday, Sept 9th Vestry Meeting

Monday, Sept 15thYAA Begins

Wednesday, Sept 17thAltar Guild MeetingChoir Rehearsal Begins

Thursday, Sept 18thWomen’s Spirituality Group

Sunday, Sept 28thEvensong

Friday, Oct 3rdEYC Midnight Run

Saturday, Oct 4th ECF Fall Fun Fest

Tuesday, Oct 7thCentering Prayer

Tuesday, Oct 14thCentering Prayer

Tuesday, Oct 21stCentering Prayer

Sunday, Oct 26thEvensong

Tuesday, Oct 28thCentering Prayer

Sunday, Nov 2ndAll Saint’s DayMonday, Nov 3rdYAA Salon

Friday, Nov 14thMen’s Group Midnight Run

Sunday, Nov 23rdBreakfast RunOutreach Sunday

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

Blessing of the Animals: Sunday, October 5th 5:00 PM