Philosopher and author James K.A. Smith notes that “liturgies make us certain kinds of people, and what defines us is what we love.” (Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation). As Episcopalians, we love our liturgies and appreciate those who have crafted them and lead us through them. As we look back at the year of 2022 in our parish life, we have much to be thankful for in the ways we have practiced the varied liturgies of our faith.

We’re grateful for the return to fully live corporate worship in 2022, including the ability of our online stream to include our homebound and remote members into communal worship. Even while we long to return to the full communion liturgy through the common cup, the “Eucharist Macarena” has allowed us to return to remembering Christ through the symbols of both his body and his blood. We’ve seen steady, intergenerational growth of new worshippers for in person and online services, and at All Saints’ Day we saw 60 new members join Christ Church.

Our parish has continued to practice the liturgy of generous giving to Christ Church. In the past year our staff has weathered expense concerns through faithful stewardship while we’ve seen new families pledging, new online giving members, and the dependable commitment of parish pledges. We have continued our intention to give 10% of our plate and pledge to our outreach partners and serve those beyond our walls.

We have continued to integrate the new vision of Christ Church through parish practices. After Easter, small groups met and discussed spiritual practices to draw us closer to Jesus. During the summer our preaching series featured a “lecture and laboratory” style of learning by combining spiritual disciplines and journaling prompts with a series on who Jesus was and who we are as his people. Our weekend away featured teaching and group reflections on these three themes. And in early 2023, we will have teaching and practices series on both Sabbath and Prayer.

Our primary challenge of 2022 involved staffing needs and transitions. Brady TenBarge, DeeDee Atwood, Mindy Tipton and Heidi Farr filled important staff roles in the operations and communications of Christ Church and Treasureland. But we’ve been challenged in hiring a new youth ministry coordinator. At the end of the year, Fr. Joseph moved into a part-time remote role when his family moved to Seattle where his wife Liz assumed a new rector role. We will also miss Rev. Terri Colburn, who is pursuing new ministry opportunities as a Supply Priest within the Diocese. We’re grateful to have long-time Christ Church friends Rev. Cathy Hitch and Fr. John Wengrovius join us as part-time clergy to support our liturgical life and pastoral care needs. As we enter 2023, we’d like to ask the parish to be active in both prayer and relational networking to help us hire several key staff roles, including a full time associate priest and a youth ministry coordinator.

As we continue to “be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and live as Jesus lived,” we are together practicing Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.