IN THIS ISSUE

85th Anniversary

Building Project

Newcomers

CHRIST CHURCH

Messenger

A few scattered seeds...

We seek and serve Christ

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Winter 2016

This fall many of us have been fascinated by the idea of making our building fully accessible. On All Saints Sun-day, I preached about how buildings are like a sacrament, an “outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.” The shape of our building determines the shape of our community because it determines who is present in worship, fellowship, programs…etc. I have excerpted from that sermon below. “On All Saints Sunday, I think about the saints who built this space. As many of you know, Christ Church be-gan as a little white church across the street in 1931. By 1936 there were 136 families. By that time, all the il-lusions of a quick economic recovery had faded. The church women had a little box to collect money for things needed in the kitchen and over and over they would have to give up what they had collected to buy coal for heat. By early 1940, the recovery had begun, banks were beginning to lend again, and the leaders began to make plans for a church, negotiating for these lots. They hired an architect. On May 14, 1940, the architect and wardens and as many people who could, crammed into the little white church to glimpse a clay model of a possible building, and to discuss whether they wanted to move forward. May 14, 1940, was

a volatile, uncertain time. Three days earlier, newspapers had slapped the sidewalk, declaring that after invading Po-land, Denmark and Finland, Germany had finally attacked France, moving unexpectedly through the Ardennes Forest and pushing deeper than anyone had thought they would get. Here at home, the country was in the midst of a bitter

election season. Many thought it was un-American that FDR should run for a third term. His opponent was a charis-matic businessman named Wendell Willkie, who hammered FDR as some-one who had not brought about a recov-ery quick enough and who was rushing America to war. Incredibly, the parish sees the model and they decide to move forward. An incredible act of faith. I imagine that this was certainly about them and their own needs for space. But I wonder how much of their decision was not just about them. How much of their decision was about offering the world an outward and visible sign, through wood and glass and stone that, come what may,

God has not deserted the world, God is present here, now. Most of us gathered here know little of the kind of stress faced by the saints who set out to build this place 75 years ago. There has been economic turmoil but nothing close to ten years of Great Depression; there is political division, but this election does not sit in the shadow of a world war. Al-so, we are not in a crisis with our space, trying to cram hun-

Youth

Green Team

Choir

Events

Outreach

Recent Parish News

An Outward and Visible Sign

December 4, 2016

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Seeds cont. dreds of bodies into a little building. Our central challenges in a post-modern 21st century are different, but they are just as real. Over the last 40 years, our church and the Episcopal Church as a whole have been wres-tling less with the sheer volume of people we will accommodate, and more with the range and breadth of peo-ple we will not only accommodate but celebrate. This is still our central challenge, answering the question: Who is truly welcome here? A few weeks ago, at a conference in Minneapolis, I got to meet the professor I had preached about this sum-mer, Dr. Rolf Jacobson. Dr. Jacobson lost both of his legs from the knees down when he was in high school. He says there is one demographic group that has consistently been shown to be the least likely to come to church: people with disabilities. And Dr. Jacobson says one of the primary reasons is that even though the peo-ple are friendly, the structure of the place radiates, “You are mostly welcome.” Maybe there is one designated place in worship to sit. Maybe you can go to coffee hour, but you have to wheel into an open lift and everyone watches as you back up and wheel in. Maybe you can sing in the choir, but as soon as you start to develop some issues with mobility, you have to drop out and everyone squirms and mumbles but that is just the way it is. Rolf Jacobsen says, “The church cannot cure those of us with disabilities. The church can not fix us. What the community can do is bring dignity where there is so often shame, embrace where there is so often isolation. When I think about a fully accessible building, I think of this giant sacrament of wood and glass and stone, this enormous outward and visible sign of God’s fierce, everlasting love for the whole world. When you stand in front of the buttons of an elevator you can run your hand over inclusion; with the sound of a soft chime and doors sliding open, you can actually hear and see God’s kingdom opening right before you. These are conduits that allow all of God’s people to fully be together. How will the Spirit move among us? In the great chain of saints that stretch from here into the ages to come, who will gather the courage and faith to offer this outward and visible sign for the whole world to see?” While there are few things that can literally trample or devour us, many of us are acquainted with the inner un-tamed beasts that threaten our peace of mind, that chase and eat away at us and those we love. This communi-ty gives a sense of protection and healing to so many. Strengthened by one another, we learn to turn outward

into the big, wide, snow-capped world that God loves. Nourished by Word and sacrament, we come to understand that we are deeply connected, through the Living Christ, to all there is and we are sent out to struggle amidst the wild, terrible beauty of our lives here and now. Seth D.+

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www.christchurchwfb.org

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Faith Mother Teresa, Angel of Mercy

How did a simple girl from an ordinary Albanian family living in Macedonia become the famed “Mother Teresa of Calcutta”? It all started when, as a girl of 12, Aneize (meaning “Little Flower in Albanian, Agnes in English) became fascinated by the stories of missionaries. Soon, Agnes became convinced that she would commit herself to a religious life. At age 18, she left home to join the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland where she learned English, the language which the Loreto sisters used to teach school in India where they worked as missionaries. Agnes arrived in India in 1929 where she learned Bengali and taught at a school close to her convent. She took her first religious vows in May of 1931 and chose to be named Teresa, the patron saint of missionaries. Sister Teresa taught at a school in Calcutta, where she soon became disturbed by the extreme poverty she saw there. The famine of 1943 and the outbreak of Hindu/Muslim violence had caused the city to fall into despair. While traveling on a train to her annual retreat, Sister Teresa came to the decision that she would leave the convent and devote her life to helping the poor while living among them. She began her mission in 1948, exchanging her traditional habit for a simple white cotton sari bordered in blue. Sister Teresa became an Indian citizen and received medical training at a local hospital. Then this remarkable woman ventured out into the slums of Calcutta where she began to tend to the needs of the destitute and starving, the blind and disabled, lepers, and, eventually, victims of AIDS---the very “poorest among the poor.” Her first year was difficult for she had no income and had to resort to begging for food and supplies. But soon she began receiving financial help from various church organizations and the city of Calcutta. Sister Teresa had followed the command of Jesus who asked, “When I was hungry, did you feed me, when I was thirsty did you give me drink, and when I was cold did you clothe me?” However, there were so very many who needed her help. Soon, Sister Teresa realized that she could not do this alone, so she founded the Missionaries of Charity which now includes about 4,000 sisters who minister to the needy all over the world. Sister Teresa then became Mother Teresa because she was a mother to them all. After she left home she never saw her real family again; and all of those sisters became her family.

In 1979 Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and she received many other awards for her work with the needy. She died in 1997 and was recently canonized in Rome in September of this year, 2016, when this amazing woman became Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

Jeanne Birch

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85th Anniversary Musings of a Parishioner

As this Christ Church Messenger is published, many things in our world have changed. A new president has been elect-ed, Daylight Saving Time has ended for another season, an Incredible Edible Event & Auction will have been held, and Christ Church Whitefish Bay has started celebrating the 85th year of its existence.

I had to re-listen to Father Seth’s sermon from Sunday morning, October 16th. Online recordings of sermons are in-credibly amazing. It allows the ability to review the brilliance of the ministry at work. One such sermon focused on the opening of the season of Stewardship. It was a most compelling message. It spoke to the reasons for the existence of Christ Church Whitefish Bay.

Bringing a flood of memories of my own history in this building and with these parishioners, upholding many of the examples given in his sermon, he defined reasons for the existence of the physical plant we all rely upon called Christ Church Whitefish Bay.

In my middle school years, let’s call it 1977... our Sunday School class, led by current parishioners and career attor-neys, John Dawson and Bill McCown, held a mock trial. We put Jesus on trial that year. I spoke to John Dawson to recall the results, and neither of us had the memory to bring us back 39 years to the halfway house where the drama played out. Bill McCown was still smoking a pipe, and it was completely socially acceptable to be doing that while teaching Sunday School. Since a couple of my classmates still attend Christ Church—Libby Vogel, Gigi Mestier Short, and occasionally Kim Carpenter Christenson, plus John Prince and Christine Mattson, (Phyllis Babb’s daughter)—I would have to test them to see if they remember. Middle school isn’t the most attentive time of life in a Sunday school setting, so I won’t challenge their memories too much.

As my adult years blossomed at Christ Church, I joined the cooking crew at The Gathering when then Priest Associ-ate, Barbara Williamson, arrived in the mid-1990’s, and I was taught very valuable skills in quantity food preparation. Sandy Mueller, a current long-time parishioner, who was quite an amazing mentor, gave me great techniques to feed many with basic staples. When St. Andrew’s Church was re-built in the inner city, Christ Church was very supportive, both financially and spiritually, in helping to see it finish. One of the good things was a new kitchen, which that church let The Gathering meal program use as a new serving site. I opted to shift my allegiance from their downtown site to that location where current long time parishioners, Mike Pratscher and Barbara Larkin joined me in making each 3rd Saturday mighty tasty for more than 15 years. There is something about 4 cases of canned Salmon that only Barba-ra Larkin can convert into a delicious meal. Truly a rare and precious talent, indeed.

A mission trip to South Dakota in 1978, and then chaperon-ing a mission trip to North Dakota in 1998 gave me many views of outreach through Christ Church. My own confir-mation retreat, in 1979, then chaperoning a confirmation retreat 20 years later, gave me another insight to Christian formation. All four events were memorable, sleepless, and worked many miracles of survival. Selling real estate in Milwaukee makes mission trips difficult in summertime, or I would still be a chaperone. I highly encourage it for any-one. Very few events can change a life so significantly as those trips tend to do for participants as well as recipients.

Music making has been an amazing journey at Christ Church in my 55 years. I lived it while growing up with my mother being the organist and choir director. I was the little

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85th Anniversary kid following Trudy Stillman around fixing hymn boards, talking to the secretary, Florence Marquart, and, boy oh boy, was I a cute little kid. I see both Seth’s children and think about how well they will know the nooks and crannies of the building. I still hear stories of me calling the choir room during rehearsals to tattle on my older brother, and how I screamed bloody murder through my own baptism. I now sing in the choir, played in the handbell choir, participated in both productions of Noah’s Flood, was the judge in Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Trial by Jury” musical, and even served on the Vestry, spreading participation far and wide here at Christ Church through my 55 years.

Fr. Seth told us why we need to invest in this building where we worship each Sunday, and I’m writing to tell you that the reasons are many. The formation of a Christian takes a lifetime, and the life of a Christ Church parishioner creates memories and experiences which are invaluable. I covet and relish my precious times associated with this fine institu-tion. As my mother used to say, “a church should be more than a place for just tears and cheers.” Weddings and funer-als are rites of passage, and while we pass through this place, it’s nice to know that friends and family can call it a home for all the best reasons. For a lifetime, and for those to come after we leave our own footprints, the investment is surely one with endless rewards well worth every penny.

Andy Stillman

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Christ Church Creation Stories

At the time of the 85th anniversary of Christ Church, Whitefish Bay, when we are also undertaking a new building pro-ject, it seems like a time to tell some of the remarkable stories of the early days; the creation of the parish and the first building projects.

I. In the Beginning

In the spring of 1931 a few men met to consider starting an Episcopal Sunday School in Whitefish Bay. At the time, children usually went to a Sunday school with its own church service at a different time from adult services. There was no church on Milwaukee's North Shore north of St. Mark's, and several of these families were members of All Saints Cathedral downtown. The idea was to construct a building where Sunday school could be held for people living any-where in Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Fox Point, or River Hills. An occasional church service might be held with visit-ing clergy.

After this first meeting, other meetings were held in members' homes with wives included, since their importance to the success of the project was recognized. The location of the building was decided by the fact that three lots on the south side of Beaumont Street had been bought by the Diocesan Young People's Association. Diocesan records from 1930 say that the Young People's Societies were involved in a project to erect a church on the north side of Milwaukee. One of the groups, at St. Luke's, Racine, had contributed a generous sum by holding a dancing party, which was added to that contributed by the societies in Milwaukee. Their diocesan president was then Fergus With, who later became an active member at Christ Church. They had bought the lots before the stockmarket crash, with a mortgage. They also contributed more than half the cost of the building. I assume these young people were not teenagers.

Soon, the group's hopes expanded to founding an actual mission church with a vicar with the name Christ Church. In 1931, the Depression was well under way and money was tight, but people still felt that the crisis was temporary. If they had realized that the Depression would last another eight years, they might have had second thoughts.

The Rev. Marshall Day was invited to one of the group's meetings. He was then teaching Old Testament and Hebrew at Nashotah House, but had parish experience. The proposal he got from the committee seems incredible. They were offering at first a temporary trial of six months, during which they would pay the Days' car expenses and rent, with no

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85th Anniversary actual salary listed. They would then hope to extend the call indefinitely, with a salary of up to $2500 to $3,000 a year. Fr. Day and his wife Peggy had two sons and were each 47 in 1931, so it seems remarkable that they accepted such a tentative offer. He agreed that the salary would be whatever the congregation could afford from time to time. Mean-while, Peggy gave piano lessons to help make ends meet.

Ground was broken for the building in June, and by September it was in use. Presumably builders were also looking for work, and they completed a frame building with a basement very quickly for $5,928.28. The only question mentioned about building codes was that if they had more than 100 folding chairs, they had to be joined together. This would not have worked, since the Sunday school at nine o'clock was set up with tables and chairs, which had to be quick-ly re-configured for a church service by eleven. So, they only had 100 chairs. If more than 100 people showed up at Christmas, the extras had to stand.

The building faced Beaumont and stretched over parts of the three lots, so it would be con-sidered non-profit and not be taxed. It was on the east end of the property, since the origi-nal idea was to build a future church to the west, and use this building as a parish hall. Be-hind the space used for services were a small sacristy, the rector's office, and a kitchen. The basement held a coal-fired furnace and a couple more class rooms, including Peggy Day's kindergarten with its own small altar. This building was often referred to as a parish hall, since the members always expected to be able to build a "real" church, but it served for all purposes for the first ten years of Christ Church. Some members in later years looked back on those times as "the good old days," when there was a great spirit of shared commitment and spiritual energy.

Martha Prince

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Building

Building Plans Begin To Take Shape

The Building Project plans are beginning to take shape, and work continues to refine the design and the cost. This update is effective as of November 15. The plan calls for an addition to be built in the courtyard garden, using the space just outside the garden vestibule, as well as about 8 feet of grassy area. The sidewalks would be reconfigured, creating ample room for summer wor-ship. The addition would include an elevator to reach all levels and open space for gathering and welcoming. Meetings could be held in this space, as well as coffee hour, Outreach collections, ticket sales, and limitless other possibilities. The addition would connect at ground level to the current red, handicapped accessible garden door. The plan also calls for greatly improved, ADA compliant, single use bathrooms off the Beaumont hall, and off the downstairs hall. The music program and music office would be moved upstairs. The flower room would move down the hall to a cooler, larger space. The clergy offices would be soundproofed and made more private. The stage in the Great Hall would be removed, and the space would be used for storage and/or meeting space. A plan for access to the columbarium is still on the drawing board. With the plan, we have our first numbers, which have been developed by the Groth Design architects and the construction management team from Findorff Construction. We are confident the numbers are “real,” and they contain a significant contingency fee. They do not, however, contain certain inevitable costs such as asbestos removal, furniture, and a few other items. The total cost of all the identified projects is almost $3 million, which is a very big number. We believe we can reduce that number in a few ways. Just as we would in our own homes, we can refine our wish list. We can econo-mize on certain features such as lighting, sound and finishing materials. We are confident we can work with the architects and construction team to reduce the $3 million estimate. At this point, we are beginning to explore fundraising potential and design a comprehensive capital campaign, payment of which would span 2 or 3 years. Clearly, no matter the final cost of the project, it will take great gener-osity for our church family to undertake this project. Click here to look at the preliminary drawings. Do not worry about the garden entrance door, which will undoubtedly have a more traditional look in the next drawing. Look instead at the overall ideas and concepts. Think about the ways our mission and ministry would be enhanced by the ability of all people to move freely throughout our building and to participate fully in our ministries. Think about our space as a bricks and mortar representation of our church family, welcoming and appreciating all people in the name of Jesus. It’s a thought that will make you smile. Your opinions and ideas count. Please share them with any member of the Building Committee, listed below. Chair Tom Scrivner, Steve Schley, Cathy Martin Braun, Chris Binder, Steve Bruemmer, Meredie Scrivner, Carol Crowley, Seth Dietrich, Seth Raymond, Scott Reidel, Mary Jones, Greg Bell, Rick Donner, Susan Lovern, Robert Mueller, Judy Moburg, and Bill Murphy.

Meredith Scrivner

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Newcomers Newcomers Committee Welcomes Bardunias Family

Our Newcomer’s Class and Brunch was well attended by five couples on October 30th. Delicious food and excellent con-versation was enjoyed by all! The following is a little background information about the Bardunias family. Please look for them in the pews and introduce yourself! Kathleen, Robert, and Alexandra Bardunias Q. Where did you both grow up? A. Robert grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Kathleen grew up in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Kathleen moved out to New York in 2004 after spending a year in Los Angeles as a member of the Episcopal Urban Intern Program. Q. How did you end up in Milwaukee? A. Kathleen and Alex flew, and Robert drove a truck with all of their stuff…just kidding. Kathleen was offered a Special Counsel position in the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation group at Foley & Lardner LLP, so we packed up our stuff, sold our house and made the move! Q. How did your spiritual journey take you to Christ Church? A. Kathleen grew up in the Episcopal Church and Rob in the Roman Catholic Church. In New York, we had a great parish community at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Cold Spring Harbor. We were very active and found a great family-oriented community that challenged us spiritually and provided a caring community and wonderful friendships. We were part of the Newcomers Committee and sang with the St John's Singers (a small group at the church that sang for specific holidays and events at the church). We were hoping to find a similar community in an Episcopal Church here in Milwau-kee and luck would have it we moved into an apartment right around the corner from Christ Church, which happened to be our ideal new community. The people at Christ Church have been so welcoming! Q. Tell us a little about your work and family. A. Living as 2 full-time professionals with a child takes a lot of balance, division of labor, an exorbitant amount of text messages and Google Calendar invites, and, of course, communication. Our family unit is built upon all of the above. It is

hard to maintain traditionalism in a modern environment, but we pride ourselves on say-ing grace, having family dinners, and talking about our days. Kathleen is an attorney and currently is a Special Counsel in the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation group at Foley & Lardner LLP. Robert started a technology company, IRIS, that focuses on personalization for Fortune 500 media companies and he commutes back and forth between Los Angeles and New York throughout the month. Though, for full disclosure, it takes about as much time to fly to NYC in the morning from Milwaukee than it was to commute into NYC each morning from our home in Long Island. Last but not least, our daughter Alexandra will be 4 in January. Q. What do you like to do for fun? A. We love to spend time with family, play games (Go Fish is the 4-year old’s favorite at the moment!), watch movies, and go to the park. Rob has also fully embraced the great Wisconsin traditions of beer gardens and Friday night fish fry!

Sarah Murphy

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Youth Children’s Ministry Update

It has been a busy and wonderful fall for our children at Christ Church. The Godly Play classroom has enjoyed the buzz of many new students, and the gifts of several new teachers and parent helpers. The 4 and 5 year olds have been learning foundational Old Testament stories, such as creation, the call of Abram, Moses and the burning bush, and the Ten Command-ments. They have lots of wondering questions and connections to their own lives! Chapel students have heard challenging gospel passages in which Jesus

speaks about nation rising up against nation, the rich man and Lazarus, and the lost sheep. The 1st-3rd graders have shared ideas about what the words of Jesus might mean. They have also been practicing crossing themselves, and reciting some familiar liturgy. Some Sunday school highlights include: Ronan Heffernan’s insight into the story of Cain and Abel, “Don’t make up your own rules!” and our exploration of interesting saints like Moses the Black and George the Dragon-slayer. During the month of November, the children searched high and low for loose change. On December 4th we will donate the money collected to the Sojourner Family Peace Center. On November 27th we also came together for an Advent workshop! We created ornaments for our own Jesse Trees. Dur-ing Advent, we’ll add an ornament to the tree each day to symbolize the lineage of Jesus. Upcoming Events:

Christmas is coming! Please check in with Anna Harmon at anna@christchurchwfb.org if your child would like to partic-ipate in the Christmas pageant! We will hold a rehearsal on Saturday, December 17 as well as the Christmas Eve day.. Family Ministries:

Parents with young children have enjoyed monthly “Family Night” this fall. It is such a treat to connect with other parents and to see the kids growing in their friendships. Thank you to our generous hosts: Jean, Joan, Jessica and Jane. Our next Family Night will be at the Biezsk home on December 9th from 5-7 p.m. For more information, email Anna. Young mothers have gathered monthly on the Third Thursday for a small group in the J.T. Room. We have been reading For the Love, by author, pastor’s wife, and mother of 5, Jen Hatmaker. We reflect on many aspects of our lives and faith as we encourage one an-other in the journey. Anna Harmon

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Youth

Youth Mission 2017: Appalachia Service Project

We have reached the fourth year of our mission rotation, which means it’s time to return to Appalachia! From July 15-23, 2017, youth and adults from our church will travel to Tennessee to work with the people of Appalachia to make their homes warm-er, safer, and drier. Our team is currently forming and we’re on the lookout for all members of Christ Church who are interested in helping with supplies, fundraising, or even going on the trip with us!

A cheesy line from a worship song by Rich Mullins from the 1990s sticks with me every time I think of the work we will do on mission: “Faith without works is like a song you can’t sing, it’s about as useless as a screen door on a submarine.”

Rev. Seth Raymond

Youth Group Revival!

This fall has been a year of revival for the Christ Church youth group. We have six brand new leaders on board, we have middle school students turn-ing out in numbers not seen for a few years, and we have re-committed ourselves to service, learning, fun, and fellowship in new and exciting ways. Mystery nights have been a hit: every kid brings three items without know-ing how they will be used. We went bowling as a middle school group to

bond over food and gutterballs (and some strikes…) From the kick-off event in the fall to the new partnership food drive and visiting Harbor-Chase with the United Methodist Church of Whitefish Bay, our youth group is thriving and learning how to love one another and God in new ways. The Rev. Seth Raymond

View more fun photos on our Instagram: @christchurchwfb

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New Kigali Deal On Climate Reached

This is a reason to celebrate! Here’s why: Although many aren’t aware of it, this is a landmark deal. Briefly, the new Kigali deal limits hydrofluorocar-bons (HFCs) used in air-conditioners and refrigerators. This will prevent our planet’s temperature from rising half a degree centigrade, which may not sound like much, but is huge. Why is it called the Kigali Deal? Because more than 170 countries met in Kigali, Rwanda, to make the deal, which was seven years in the making and a compromise between rich nations (U.S., Europe, China) and poorer, hotter ones, (Africa, Bangladesh, India) where people are just starting to buy air-conditioners. Deserts are growing larger around the world and storms are more frequent and severe. The deal just concerns HFCs. Why not all greenhouse gases? HFCs are just a small percentage of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but they are like a supercharged greenhouse gas, with 1,000 times the heat-trapping powers of carbon dioxide. How much heat are we talking about? As of October 2015, the Earth had warmed 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880, when we first began recording temperatures. This may not sound like much but it is causing the world’s land ice to melt (think disappearing glaciers) and oceans to rise. Is global warming really caused by humans? Scientists believe most and probably all of the warming since 1950 has been caused by the human release of greenhouse gases. For more information, check out the PEW Research Center, Skeptical Science, or The Guardian Environmental section. This is such a big problem. What can I do? Perhaps the biggest thing one individual can do is to take fewer plane trips. Just one or two fewer trips per year can save as many emissions as everything else combined. If this doesn’t seem possi-ble (it doesn’t for me—just to visit each of our kids once a year means we fly to Russia, Switzerland, California and DC) you can offset your emissions by buying certificates. Go to http://www.CarbonFund.org which has the slogan: “Reduce what you can and offset what you can’t.” Seriously? Isn’t there anything else? In the end, we need strong national and international energy policies. So speaking up and exercising your rights as a citizen matter as much as anything else. Find out what you can do as an individual or family and act upon it. Sarah Streed Sarah is a member of the CC Green Team and welcomes all inquiries about the group or sustainable living. Email: smstreed@sbcglobal.net .

Green Team

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Choir Update

Our choir is excited to resume singing in church on Sundays and to welcome back both Bonnie Thomson and Ross Treffert to the tenor section. Bonnie has been at Marquette University Law School since 1985 and is currently Associate Dean for Administration. “I spend a good deal of my time working with students, which is, and always has been, a joy.” She and husband Don share their home with Holly, a German shepherd mix and rescue dog from Mississippi while her son, Brian, is now engaged and living in Colum-bus, Ohio. When asked how she feels about returning to choir, Bonnie replied, ”For some time I’d felt like there was a piece missing from my spiritual life. When I came back to sing with the choir for Bob Staeck’s memorial service, it became abundantly clear what that piece was. I am also in the Bell Choir and they are being very patient with me. I’ve never played an instrument before, so it’s a real learning experience!”

Ross Treffert is now working as a software consultant for a company based out of Washington D.C. He and his fian-cée, Karly and were married at Christ Church in November, with the Rev. Seth Raymond officiating. Karly is a registered nurse working in the Intensive Care Unit at Aurora Sinai Hospital. They are currently renovating their first home together and plan on adopting a rescue dog as a Christmas gift to each other. “Being back in choir has brought a lot of joy back to my life,” remarked Ross. “I truly felt something was missing while I was away.” Well, we cer-tainly celebrate their return and continue to encourage anyone else who enjoys singing God’s blessings to join our choir!

On November 20th, which was Christ the King Sunday, we celebrated Christ Church’s 85th Anniversary with special music. The Prelude “All My Hope on God is Founded” and Postlude “Crown Him with Many Crowns” were special arrangements for french horn and organ by composer, Brian Packham, written by Brian in honor of Ted Durant who played the french horn for the service. These were premier performances! In addition, the choir anthems includ-ed the offertory anthem “Hallelujah” from G.F. Handel’s Messiah , the communion anthem was “O Lord, Our God” by John Ottley of the Royal School of Church Music, England which was commissioned for Christ Church at the 75th Anniversary. Finally, a new Anniversary Hymn for Christ Church, “The Pavement” written by choir member, The Rev. Ben Cheeseman, premiered during the service and was sung to the melody of Beethoven’s “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”. Ben reminded us that “the floor of Christ Church, painted when it was installed, has never been re-painted. Instead, the worn places are an ‘outward and visible’ testimony to the feet, knees, and mobility-accessories that have brought generations of Christ Church members before the Altar and have sent them out into the World. Thus, this work is humbly dedicated in loving memory of all who have gone before, and with faithful confidence in those who came after.

Choir

“The Pavement” by Benbow Cheesman

1 See the well-worn pavement’s witness; See the place where feet have trod; Here have faithful generations Come before the throne of God. Standing where our forebears stood, and Echoing their songs of praise; Thanks to God for this our parish And its ministry we raise.

2 From this floor recall the faithful Souls who have before us gone; Worshipped here, their hearts up-rais-ed Humble presence marked in stone. We of Christ Church do adore Thee; King who on the pavement bled; Let the witness of this pavement Guide us in the years ahead.

3 Lord, Thy presence in this world is Marked with kindness and with pain; Grant that we, thy cross enduring, May thy kingdom’s joy attain; Crosses do not rule an empire, Nor are thorns a golden crown, Only when the trumpet sound-eth, Then shall kings lay kingdoms down”.

4 “Not of this world is my kingdom Nor are riches Thy reward, Not for conquest are Thy battles; Grace thy weapon, not the sword. Thou, my present incarnation; I, the body, thou the parts. With the Holy Spirit’s guidance Be my hands, my voice, my heart.”

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Events 2016 Incredible Edible Event a Huge Success

The Incredible Edible Event had parishioners donating food and related edible items which were then purchased by other parishioners. Over the course of a month it was possible to preorder an item that was then available for pick up on Sunday, Nov. 13th or an arrangement was made with the donor for a future delivery. This year over 200 items were donated, ranging in price from $3 to $300 by approximately 65 parishioners. As near as can be figured, 70+ individuals purchased items. Most importantly, $5,457 was raised. The first $2000 will go direct-ly to Outreach Committee and the balance to the Christ Church budget. A big thank you to all who donated and those who purchased! Maureen McCabe

Christ Church Celebrates 85th Anniversary

On Saturday evening, November 19th, 144 parishioners enjoyed fellowship, viewed a historical display, partook of a delicious feast, watched a video and received a presenta-tion of memories of our shared history since the formation of the Christ Church parish 85 years ago and the construction of our current building 75 years ago. Many thanks to Chris Binder, Cathy Braun, Sonja Pavlik, Andrea Frankenberry, Denny Jones, and our two vestry wardens Greg Bell and Mary Jones for spearheading and planning this event and to the many, many other helping hands that created such a wonderful, memorable evening. Pam Eversfield

TGIF Groups Update

Our three new TGIF groups are up and running. Two groups meet on the second Friday of the month and a third meets on the third Friday. All three groups have decided to make Netflix movies the subject or their evening discussions in homes. The groups gather in the early evening for a pitch-in meal and then proceed to a spirited conversation. In case you are a movie fan here are the movies for our first six-month go-around:

1. Spotlight 2. The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries

3. The Fundamentals of Caring

4. The Looking Glass

5. The Railroad Man

6. The Nightingale

The first two movies deal with issues of media coverage in our wired culture. The third movie explores the nature of effective, life-giving care giving. The Looking Glass invites us into the struggle that a grandmother has in becoming a loving influence to an adolescent granddaughter. The Railroad Man deals with an ex-prisoner of war’s thirst for revenge and the consequent outcome of meeting his demons face-to-face. The Nightingale is a delightful journey into the world of a young Chinese girl whose curiosity and openness to adventure brings reconciliation to her fractured family. If you have any favorite films that deal reflectively with life and faith issues, let me know for possible inclusion in fu-ture movie groups.

Ed Leidel

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Schedule for Adult Forums from December 2016 to May 2017

December 4: “The Challenge of Policing in 2016 America.” A panel discussion with Metro Milwaukee Police Officers, facilitated by Kent Lovern, Chief Deputy District Attorney

December 11: Dean Steven Peay, Nashotah House, “The Benedictine Roots of Anglicanism”

January 8 Three lawyers from our congregation, Ben Cheesman, Carol Crowley, and John Hayden will talk about justice, its biblical foundation, and how we can think about and address justice issues today.

January 22: Al Ruppel, from All People’s Church, will speak about “Unity in Motion” of which he is the founder

February 12: Dr Connor Kelly, Marquette University, “Euthanasia”

February 19: Pastor Ron Ballew (ELCA) “Coming From Where I Am Coming From”

March 12: Philip Chard, Psychotherapist, “The Art and Science of Behavior Change”

April 2: Dcn. Nancy Hills and Drew Harmon, “The Road to the Diaconate and the Road to the Priesthood”

April 23: Dr Andrea Westlund, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, “Narrating Grief”

April 30: Fr. Seth Dietrich, Centering Prayer

May 5: Fr. Seth Dietrich, Centering Prayer

May 21: Dr Deirdre Dempsey, Marquette University. “The Biblical Vision of Marc Chagall: An Illustrated Pilgrimage”

May 28: Conversation with John Dargle, Director of Milwaukee County Parks

Helen Benton

Formation

Haiti

Good News from Haiti

Good news from Haiti? Is there such a thing? It is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, they had not recovered from the 2010, 7.0 earthquake and just this October were hit by a level 5 Hurricane Matthew, which was very destruc-tive to the western peninsula of Haiti. 500 people died throughout Haiti as well as many farm animals, and the season’s crops were destroyed. But love prevailed. The blessing for Jeannette is that they are up in the mountains and not on the shore where the destruction was the worst. After 30 years of education and companionship with Christians in Wisconsin, there are now leaders in Jeannette who are empowered to take on leadership roles in their communities’ reconstruction. The last several years have seen a concerted effort to create functional leadership committees in Jeannette to expand education, sustainable water access, agriculture,

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Haiti micro loans for women and more. A St. Marc’s Hurricane Relief Commit-tee, comprised of over 12 local leaders, was recently created to care for the most urgent needs on the ground, such as safety, clean water and food, as well as to move immediately on to a sustainable recovery. Cathy Parrill, who went with our two Christ Church teams to Jeanette last June, and her Creative Exchanges Initiative Foundation arrived shortly after the storm with funds to purchase some seeds to plant for the beginning of the new growing season. The St. Marc’s Relief Committee was strong in their insistence that there be no tarps or metal patchwork jobs in this recov-ery. They knew the lack of sound building practices were what made them so vulnerable to a hurricane. Their priest received prayerful phone calls from Fathers Seth Dietrich and Andy Jones just after the storm. Funds desig-nated from Christ Church’s Outreach Committee and others around the diocese were wired as soon as possible. A truck-load of food was delivered in a timely manner and school lunches are again served daily. Funding from the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund was obtained to repair a damaged roof in one of the school buildings. The village women’s micro loans, which have been being repaid with regularity, were forgiven due to storm damage, and new loans were authorized. The Diocese of Milwaukee has a steering committee, which works to facilitate our relationship with St Marc’s, Jeannette. The Diocese of Eau Claire has joined us, as has the parish in Barrington, Illinois, and others. The Steering Committee met Oct 27th , the day after several people returned from a fact-finding trip after the hurricane. We learned close up of the destruction that occurred. Cell phone photos and videos can convey much these days. The partnership had just celebrated thirty years of working together and we were proud of the headway we were making . . . and now this. The committee felt overwhelmed. In the midst of our feelings of helplessness for the endless effort, we went deeper to try and understand the confusion and despair of the people of Jeannette. The church and school gave stabil-ity and hope to their community. We knew we could not walk away from their great need. Over the years we saw the lo-cal leadership come forward to declare what was most needed for recovery. They knew they could not recover without help. Here are the most important options of how we can continue to walk side by side with the people of Jeannette:

Continue our financial support for St Marc’s School students and infrastructure

Donate to the restocking of the community animals

Financially support agriculture and reforestation of downed trees

Continue micro loans to women

Build 5 hurricane-proof houses You can support these efforts through your donations to Christ Church, The Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee or the Crea-tive Exchanges Initiative Foundation, being sure to note the designation of your generous gift in the memo or your check or on line donation. You can learn more from the Haiti web page www.haitiproject.org/ and subscribe to the Haiti Project FaceBook page to view their news. Contact Ira Leidel if you have any questions at 414-434-4753

Ira Pauline Leidel

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Cross Trainers Academy: Milwaukee Rescue Mission’s Christian Grade School

One of the most significant components of the Milwaukee Rescue Mission is its Christian-based grade school, Cross Trainers Academy. CTA is a private school that participates in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, located at the Mission’s North Campus, located at 15th and Center Streets. The Mission established this school in 2006, initially with grades K-5 - 2nd grade, adding a grade each year. This fall, 10th grade was added and it is anticipated that the high school will extend through 12th grade in the fall of 2018. The school originally was located in the Mission’s main building at 830 North 19th Street, in not ideal space, until the more spacious and suitable North Campus was pur-chased in 2015. The school opened there in the fall of that year. Cross Trainers Academy is unique in a number of ways. Its student body consists of students who come from economi-cally challenged families (98% qualify for government subsidized free lunch) and some of the students are essentially homeless. Most of the students come from the neighboring area, which is in ZIP Code 53206, considered one of the poorest areas of the city. As a Christian institution, the school is guided by Christian principles and includes a Christian curriculum. Although some of its students have college as a goal, CTA is not primarily a college preparation school. Without sacrificing the academic subjects, the high school grades will include appropriate vocational training for the skilled-trades and similar occupations. In addition to academics, CTA provides a number of enrichment subjects, including art, music, dance, physical education and drum line, as well as a fledgling sports program (primarily basketball at this time). The current total enrollment in CTA is 263 and the student-to-teacher ratio is 15 to 1. All grades are served by a dedicated teacher and a teacher’s assis-tant. Some of the teachers have been with the school for a number of years (average tenure is five years) and two teachers have been with the school since it opened. Regarding class size, the largest class is 23 students and the average number of students per class is 15. This year, the school has two sections of 20 stu-dents each for grades K5 through 4th grade, other than first grade which has only one section. The long-term goal is to have two sections of 20 students each, for all grades K4-12. The school staff consists of 20 teachers, 6 administrative personnel and 10 support staff (including part-time equivalents). In addition to CTA, the North Campus houses the Mission’s Child Enrichment Center, a unique daycare. This is be-ing developed to serve more than fifty infants to 3-year olds. This ties in seamlessly with grade K-4 at CTA. The North Campus consists of just under three acres and Cross Trainers Academy is housed in two buildings, former closed charter school buildings, which share a campus with adjacent La Varnway Boys & Girls Club. Future plans include a building program to house the expanding student body and related needs, to include a gymnasium (now shared with La Varnway in its building), additional classroom space, a chapel/auditorium, and space for community outreach efforts. There are a number of needs at Cross Trainers Academy, including funds for computers, musical instruments, art sup-plies and uniforms. In addition, there is a pressing need for volunteers, particularly for tutoring reading and math. After reviewing the largest needs, earlier this year the Outreach Committee authorized a grant of $1,000 for the purchase of HP Chrome Books (similar to iPads) for use in the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. This grant helped improve the ratio of students to computers (ideal is one for every two students; at CTA, it had been one for every five students, which reflected the gap). For more information, please contact Tom Herbstreith or John Haydon. If there is sufficient interest, a tour of CTA will be gladly arranged. John Haydon

Outreach

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Outreach Journey House

Another holiday season is upon us. The gratitude we feel and express, along with the wonder that the season brings, fills us with hope and a sense of rebirth as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. In doing so, we are reminded of the importance of true hospitality, giving, and the feeling we get when we give rather than receive. Last year, we were reminded of this by an 8 year old boy in a note he wrote us while we were delivering Christmas gifts to his family as a part of the Adopt a Family program through the Journey House of Milwaukee. While delivering gifts to his home, he asked us to wait a mi-nute after we chatted with his parents. Then he quietly got up and handed us the note you see below.

It was a moment I will not forget.

The Journey House of Milwaukee is an organization that empowers families on Milwaukee's near Southside to move out of poverty by offering adult education, youth development, workforce readiness, and family engagement. I have seen firsthand for the past several years how it is a place of love, collaboration, partnership, responsibility, teaching, and learning. Once again this year Christ Church will be adopting families to provide Christmas gifts for, and this year we have an especially unique situation in one of our families. It is an opportunity to live our values of connectedness, shar-ing, and doing God's work. More information will be coming soon, and we thank you in advance for your participation. Melissa Santa-Cruz

Dontations Needed for Isaiah 55 Ministry at All Peoples Church Every Wednesday members of All Peoples Church and neighbors gather as a community to be fed in body and spirit. The Isaiah 55 Ministry includes Midday Prayers for Peace, a Pastors Bible Study, community meal, and food pantry at the Harambee Campus. Individuals and families can shop at the pantry every 30 days. Aside from donating healthy food items you can donate canvas/cloth grocery bags, plastic food containers, toilet paper, and feminine products. The children at Christ Church will be presenting all collected items to the altar for a blessing before taking them to APC on the 2nd Sunday of every month. This will be an ongoing partnership, so please place items in the red wagons in the ves-tibule any time throughout the month. Isaiah 55 Ministry: The prophet Isaiah calls out to God’s people to “come, and eat!” Isaiah invites us to “Seek God where God is to be found.” This passage inspires the ministries offered every Wednesday: 11 a.m. Midday Prayers for Peace 11:30 a.m. Community Lunch 12:15 p.m. Community Bible Study 1:15 p.m. Food Pantry Lynne Schley

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November 30, 2016 Dear Friends in Christ, I write to inform you that Fr. Seth Allen Raymond has accepted a new position as Executive Director of the Hospi-tality Center of Racine (more information about the organization in Fr. Seth’s following message) and Associate Priest for Community Engagement at St. Luke’s Racine. Fr. Seth's departure brings a mixture of joy and a sense of loss. I rejoice that this new position is such a good fit for his gifts and passions and allows him to exercise the sen-ior leadership for which he is ready. As someone who challenged us to think about the church's mission as primar-ily about "being with" rather than just "doing for," this new role will allow him to truly be with those on the mar-gins, to daily uphold their God-given dignity, and to connect them to people throughout the diocese. However, we will miss him for the many ways that he manifested God's presence in our midst. He is a person of deep spiritual discipline and prayer; a thoughtful, challenging preacher; someone who is not afraid to go with the leading of the Spirit into new ways of doing ministry. Our parish is thriving in no small part because of his leader-ship. He leaves us in a particularly strong position with youth and children’s ministries, having equipped a variety of people to pass on the faith to our kids. Many have become equally attached to the rest of the Raymond family. Elizabeth has powered “Food for the Soul” for the last 4 years, organizing countless meals for new moms and dads as well as those recovering from ill-ness. With Miriam and Hannah bouncing alongside them, they have helped welcome and incorporate many young families into the parish. On a personal level, Seth has become a friend, and I will miss collaborating with him in ministry. His last service with us will be on Christmas Eve, but before that day we will have an opportunity to give thanks and to say goodbye. On Sunday, December 18, after the 9:30am service, we will have a festive coffee hour, cele-brating Fr. Seth's ministry. When a priest leaves a church it is customary to collect a monetary "purse" for the family. Checks can be written directly to "The Raymond Family," and will be collected in the church office. While he will need to refer pastoral requests (weddings, funerals, visits, etc.) to the current clergy and pastoral care team of Christ Church, I know that Fr. Seth looks forward to seeing what God is up to in your lives as he continues to work among us in southeastern Wisconsin. In Gratitude for those who have formed us more deeply into people of God, Seth D.+

Recent Parish News... We will miss Fr. Seth Allen Raymond! These two letters go into detail as to what this new opportunity will look like for Fr. Raymond and what this next chapter will look like for our parish.

On Sunday, December 18, after the 9:30 a.m. service, we will have a festive farewell for the Raymond family.

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...Read all about it!

Dear Christ Church Friends, It is with a peculiar mix of sadness and excitement in my heart that I write today. After a wonderful 4+ years as your Assistant to the Rector, I have accepted a new position as Executive Director of the Hospitality Center of Racine and Priest Associate for Community Engagement at St. Luke’s Racine where the Hospitality Center is located. The Hospitality Center is a unique ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. Based at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Racine, it is a day shelter for the homeless and those looking for shelter and companionship. Started by the Rev. Kevin Stewart in 2011, it has grown to be Racine’s largest meal and shelter program, serving between 100-200 people four times per week. As I prepare for this new adventure, I am grateful for the chance to give thanks for the blessing these past years have been at Christ Church. Any time a church hires a new priest it takes a gamble, especially when that priest is just out of seminary with a new baby and moving to a new environment. The welcome Elizabeth and I received by Christ Church was remarkable. It convinced us that Milwaukee is one of the hidden gems of the Midwest, a place of great beauty and life. My greatest joys at Christ Church revolve around the people I’ve had the opportunity to serve with – first and fore-most, the youth of the church, who inspire me to ask new questions, give myself fully to my passions, and who have taught me that a little humor and a game of sardines go a long way. We have been to Appalachia, Italy, Mil-waukee, and Haiti together. I’ve been in your homes, seen you in performances and sporting events. I’m awed by how abundant the life is that God has given you. Thank you. The young families of Christ Church hold a special place in my heart. The faithfulness they show in cajoling kids to be present in worship, to engage in service opportunities, to learn how God claims them as beloved children, is an inspiration to me as I strive to raise my own children to love God. Your perseverance through the sleep de-prived years is a testimony to your commitment. Thank you. The Wednesday morning Eucharist crew, the choir, the lay staff and volunteers, the many coffee hour conversa-tions, vestry meetings, the many faithful long-time parishioners, and more, have all shaped me into the priest I am today. I came to Christ Church with no idea how to “be” a priest and I am leaving with a greater conviction that “being” a priest is largely about being present and open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, wherever the Spirit goes. Thank you. Of course, none of this would be possible without the leadership, mentorship, and friendship of Fr. Seth. I know how rare a truly collaborative work environment is and I thank him for providing guidance, listening, and freedom to explore along the way. Thank you. The greatest joy and mystery of the Christian story is that God would choose to become one of us, to live with us, to love us until the end. I thank God that I was given the opportunity to live and work among you during this time, to share the love of God with you. Thank you and God Bless, Seth R+

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Messenger Editors: Anne Eversfield

Joan King

Larry Moburg

Seth Raymond

Christ Episcopal Church

5655 North Lake Drive Whitefish Bay, WI 53217

414-964-3368

www.christchurchwfb.org

Christmas Eve Saturday, December 24, 2015

4:00 p.m. Children’s Pageant and Holy Eucharist

- nursery provided for this service only -

9:00 p.m. Concert and Festive Choral Eucharist

Christmas Day Service Sunday, December 25, 2015

9:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Christmas Hymns

Weekly Services

The Holy Eucharist Sundays 8:00 a.m. – Chapel and 9:30 a.m. – Church with

Choir

The Holy Eucharist and Healing Prayer

Wednesdays 9 a.m. - Chapel

Evening Prayer Wednesdays and Thursdays

5:30 p.m. - Chapel

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*To sign up for the Weekly Broadcast email blast, email us! anne@christchurchwfb.org

*For additional events, check out our regularly updated Calendar on our website: www.christchurchwfb.org