Join Us In Welcoming Our New Interim Rector

The Christ Church community is excited

to announce that the Rev. Jeffrey (Jeff) Fishwick

has answered the call to serve as Interim Rector

at Christ Church Episcopal.

A native of Lexington, the Rev. Jeff

Fishwick has served the Episcopal Church as a

priest for over 36 years. Since retiring as Rector

of Christ Church in Charlottesville in 2008, he has

served as an Interim Rector in four parishes, each

in a different Diocese. He brings with him

considerable experience from leading these

churches through times of transition, and also by

completing the Fundamentals of Transitional

Ministry training through the Interim Ministry

Network. Feeling called in particular to interim

work, Jeff sees great promise in what parishes

can accomplish during this time. “I enjoy

working on specific, short-term goals that the

parish has agreed upon together,” he says, “so

that the parish can be as healthy as it can be and

ready to welcome a new Rector.”

Jeff considers his ministry interests and

gifts to include preaching, teaching, building

relationships, congregational development and

renewal. He also has the gift of humor,

something that will certainly serve him well at

CCE! A self-professed baseball fanatic, he also

loves reading, watching movies and highly values

his daily exercise – in particular, swimming. So if

you want to get him talking, ask him about

espionage novels or the latest flick he has

watched with his wife.

Jeff is married to Carol, who is the Dean of

Students at a private school in Charlottesville,

and has two grown children and a grandson, the

mention of whom brings a certain twinkle to his

eyes.

The Rev. Jeff Fishwick will begin his time with Christ Church on January 25.

He can be reached at j.fishwick@christchurchrichmond.com and

(804) 364-0394, extension 11.

January 2014

He is ready to dive in and get to work at

CCE. “In church work, you must be flexible,” he

explains when describing the general plan to

divide his time between here and Charlottesville.

Most weeks, after Sunday’s work is done, Jeff will

head home to Charlottesville for Sunday evenings

and his Sabbath-day on Mondays, returning to

CCE for office hours Tuesday through Friday and

for weekend worship.

Jeff is excited to get to know the Christ

Church community, so please make time to

introduce yourself and your family. He is looking

forward to sharing more about himself and his

mission to serve to God and Christ Church. So

stay tuned and please give a heartfelt welcome to

our new leader.

CHRIST CHURCH EPISCOPAL

Sharing Our Faith Christ Church Episcopal

Celebrating Advent

There were plenty of oohs and aahs at the annual Christmas Program of the Christ Church Episcopal Preschool. The children were dressed in their finest and dazzled the audience with songs and recitations of holiday

cheer. Pictured above: Cheri Erk, CCEP Director, gives welcoming remarks. The Christ Church Children’s Choirs presented their annual Christmas Pageant, which brought together over a hundred participants and

helpers. Pictured above: Kaitlin Bucci.

Participants of the Advent Celebration (pictured above and at left) enjoyed fellowship, treats, and decorating ornaments for their Jesse Tree Devotionals. These take-home supplies helped countdown the days until Christmas while providing

guided devotionals and prayers for the Advent season.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela

Amidst the civil unrest in South Sudan, we are thankful that the students and teachers of Hope & Resurrection School are safe and well at the moment. The school is closed for the long break and there are no problems in the area around the school.

They are hopeful that they can open the school as planned on April 2. All funds from the school’s generous donors are safe and secure in a U.S. bank. Please continue to pray for all of South Sudan

Hope and Resurrection Secondary School’s students are helping shape the future of a new nation. Despite periods of challenge and sadness, the process continues and education, especially of girls, is a critical part of that process. Because of the support of Christ Church, these students are equipped to lead. Please continue to pray that this new nation's struggles and difficulties will be resolved soon.

Sharing Our Faith Christ Church Episcopal

Ice skating, hot chocolate, and fellowship

was a great way to end 2013 with our Club

45ers. The fourth and fifth grade students of

Kids’ Quest make up our Club 45 Team. As they

are in their last years as Kids’ Quest participants

and will shortly begin transitioning into youth

group, we want to ensure that they have the op-

portunity to build strong relationships within their

faith community. The support and love they find

through friendships during this time of transition

in their lives is so very important and something

we want to facilitate for our children. Relationship

building is an essential part of our Children’s Min-

istry and it was wonderful to watch these amazing

children teach each other to skate and introduce

their friends from school to their friends at church

while sipping hot chocolate and rapidly consuming

some yummy Christmas Cookies.

As I got back on the ice after a decade and

awkwardly skated towards a group of our Club

45ers, they decided that we would all hold hands

and skate in a row. As I was in the middle of this

very unstable row of skaters (including myself) I

reflected on how we were able to let go of the wall

around the rink and venture towards the middle of

the rink. They found confidence in each other’s

support and essentially acted as the rink wall for

each other. We were slow and the falls were few,

(but undoubtedly there) and I was so impressed

by the courage and adventure these kids displayed

as many of them were skating for the first

time. The more experienced ones were taking

hands and giving tips on how to glide gracefully

and how to avoid falling. Isn’t that what it’s all

about? The community of encouragers, the com-

munity of adventurers, and the community of pull-

ing each other up and forward.

As we drank our cocoa and ate cookies,

which was greatly needed after all our concentra-

tion on the ice, we sat around a table surrounded

by parents who had volunteered to help with the

event; we were all sore from what we’d endured,

but filled with joy. Christmas was in the air and

the Hope of a New Year!

Club 45: Pulling Each Other Up & Forward by Ida Bunyan

Club 45 is comprised of our 4th and 5th grade Kids’ Quest Participants. Last month they gathered for a special day of ice skating, refreshments, fun and fellowship.

Sharing Our Faith Christ Church Episcopal

Christ Church Episcopal * 5000 Pouncey Tract Rd * Glen Allen, VA 23059 * (804) 364-0394 www.christchurchrichmond.com

Sharing Our Faith A Publication Dedicated to

The Celebrations, Successes and Gratitude of Christ Church Episcopal View past issues of Sharing Our Faith at www.christchurchrichmond.com/stories

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Youth Choir Retreat

Some members of the Christ Church Youth Choir recently traveled to Luray, VA for a weekend of

fellowship, service, song and worship. The youth and chaperones helped serve meals to shut-ins and those in

need as part of the “Main Street Meals” ministry provided by Luray’s Main Street Baptist Church. This ministry

provides free meals every weekend to anyone who is hungry. The youth choir sang during morning worship

services and also made a trip to the famous Luray Caverns — the most popular cave in Eastern America and an

internationally acclaimed destination. Now, talk about some good acoustics!

Youth Choir member Adam Compton said the trip had a great impact on the choir. “It brought us closer

together as a unit because we haven’t spent that much time

together before. Different age groups, different schools – the

only time we’re together is during rehearsal. I feel like we got to

know each other a lot better.”

“For I was a stranger and you sheltered me…”

A few weeks before Christmas, a manager from CARITAS (Churches Around

Richmond Involved to Assure Shelter) called our coordinators asking for help. A

client of theirs — a veteran whose daughter is paraplegic — needed assistance.

His wife had recently passed away and at Christmas, of all times, he was strug-

gling and needed some help getting back on his feet. His daughter’s disability

made it difficult to find safe and accessible shelter. CARITAS asked if Christ

Church could help pay hotel expenses for this family for a few nights until a more

permanent placement could be made that could accommodate the daughter’s

special needs. The Christ Church Missions and Outreach Ministry approved the

money within hours of the request and the family had a warm, safe place to stay.