This Sunday, March 4th, we will gather at 10am for a Super Service to recognize the perennial ministry of the Thrift Shop. That means no 9:30 or 11:00 am services.  The super service will be followed by a potluck dinner, so bring your favorite covered dish meal. Finally, there will be a fashion show highlighting some of the items you might find in the thrift shop’s inventory.

Originally started as an outreach of the ECW (Episcopal Church Women), it has been part of our parish community for over fifty years.  The boutique-style shop, however, has become more than just a place to pick up lightly used items. They also provide more than $20,000 in grants to the wider community and collect items for many other ministries in the area. Moreover, people know the thrift shop as a place where they are cared for, prayed for, and loved unconditionally.  This is just part of the way that the volunteers who work there live out the Great Commission. 

Let’s take this Sunday to celebrate all that the thrift shop and the volunteers do!

Our annual Leadership Retreat is designed to encourage and empower members of our congregation to be Christian leaders in the world. We can not do this on our own, but as a body of believers, we can make a difference. This one day event will motivate and inspire you to be a leader in our church and to live a life that is pleasing to our Lord.

A continental breakfast will be served at 8:45am at the William Temple Foundation in Galveston on March 3rd. If you leave the League City area around 8:00am, you should get there in plenty of time. The program starts around 9:00am with a focus on how to gain momentum in your life and in your church. Each session will be followed by some small group discussion. A sack lunch will be provided along with a fun group mission in the Galveston area. The day will end around 3:30 or 4:00pm. There is no cost for this retreat.

Remember you are a leader! You have certain responsibilities as a Christian! This Saturday event will help empower you to carry out your mission and live the life God intended for you. Sign up at the church or call the church or email Ally at lmc@stchrischurch.org.

Bishop Doyle set the tone of the gathering, calling us into unity and recognizing the good work of Diocese throughout Texas history.  Bishop Doyle also established that our present work is an extension of this unity and we are called to the ongoing formation of Christians uniquely shaped and styled as Episcopalians.

Noting the upcoming 2012 General Convention in June and the controversy it would likely stir, Bishop Doyle issued a call to lead rather than react and promised that the diocese would provide a strategy to do so.

We approved a resolution that calls for the election of a Suffragan Bishop.  This important assisting bishop helps Bishop Doyle better serve what is a wide and varied diocese. There will be an opportunity to meet candidates on May 12^th at Camp Allen and the election will be held on June 2^nd at Christ Church Cathedral.

Overall, it was a weekend that ended in hope and unity.  Your delegates and their alternates – Marian Scott, Randy Cromwell, Daniel Crawford, and Kim Day – took part in the weekend’s activities and represented St. Christopher admirably. Take an opportunity to thank them and ask them about their experience.

St. Thomas the Apostle invites you to its second annual Bistro Tomaso Italian Dinner Night on Saturday, February 4 from 5 – 7:30 p.m.  There will be a choice of 3 entrees or combination plate, tossed salad, garlic bread and beverages.  Adult tickets are $12 and children’s (10 and under) are $6.  Desserts sold by St. Thomas School are available separately.  St. Thomas is located at 18300 Upper Bay Road in Nassau Bay.

Fr. Dean gives checks to Michael Jackson of St Vincent’s, Natalie Ainsworth of Habitat for Humanity, and Suzy Domingo of ICM (in order from left to right).

Throughout the month of December the members of St. Chris took many opportunities to give back to the community in a variety of ways.  First, we gave back nearly $13,000 of our barbecue proceeds to benefit Habitat for Humanity, Interfaith Caring Ministries, and St Vincent’s House. We also provided nearly 50 bags of groceries to local Hispanic families.  Finally, we gave nearly 100 wrapped gifts for the children of St. Vincent’s House.  In many ways during this Christmas season, St Chris lived into its purpose statement of Serving others and changing lives.