CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Mike Waller, Senior Warden

Judith Peele, Junior Warden

Sybil Atkinson, Parish Administrator

Office Hours: 9 AM to Noon, Monday through Friday

Phone: 540-980-2413

christpulaski.org christ24301@gmail.com

September  2025

For most of us, being grateful and responding with thanks to the people who made those good things possible is easy. Who doesn't want to create a spreading circle of gratitude and kindness, uplifting our friends and family and community? Seeing someone's smile when you say thank you brightens your day as well.

But there are also many good things that happen in our lives that we can't say thank you for, such as a beautiful sunrise, watching the butterflies dance in the milkweed, or recovery from illness. It's at these times we are encouraged to say a prayer of thanks to God, or to "boast in the Lord" for our blessings of financial stability, physical wellness and healthy relationships.

That is something I struggled with for, well, as long as I've been on this beautiful gift called Earth.

How can I say thanl<s for health when a friend is dying of kidney disease? How can I say thanks for my grandchild when so many have lost theirs through war, drug addiction, or never even had one? How can I say to a friend "how good has God been to me, I was able to afford this home" when there are those who were just evicted from theirs?

When I discovered UTO and what it's all about, it was like a burden had been lifted. I no longer had to feel shame or embarrassment in my blessings. It opened up a whole new relationship with God. One of true acceptance of His gifts, and one which showed me a path to express that gratitude in a constructive, meaningful way.

Not having been raised an Episcopalian, I thought the Blue Boxes were just another way of donating to the Church. Yes, I knew they were supposed to be tied to gratitude, but they seemed geared more towards children than adults.

But UTO showed me how to turn those moments of silent prayers of gratitude into powerful action that can share and grow those blessings.

This ingathering, the little Blue Boxes will be replaced with ones that are decorated and waiting for you to color them in. Use them to hold slips of paper that note what you are grateful for, little tokens, or yes, even coins. There will also be other resources set out to use to help in your thanks journey. Use this time to rediscover your strengths, your blessings, and your relationship with God and the world around you. At the end of this period, look over your notes and little markers to remind you how many rich and wonderful moments came in this time, even as it was also filled with grief and struggle. Then express that gratitude by visiting with someone in the hospital, taking a meal to a homebound friend, volunteering with a creek cleanup, taking a shelter dog for a walk. Gratitude doesn't always have to be expressed financially! If you choose to, however, you can donate directly to UTO on line, or through our lngathering collection at church in October. When you make a thank offering either online or in a Blue Box as a way of sharing your blessings, the money doesn't simply go into the deep coffers of the Church hierarchy, never to be seen again. Instead, 100% of your offering goes to grants that focus on urgent human needs - meaning your individual gratitude gift helps with racial reconciliation efforts, ending poverty, caring for the unhoused, and supplying clean water to communities through helping with collection, storage and purification. These grants are given worldwide, as well as here in Southwest Virginia!

With joy and gratitude for a newfound expression of God's gifts,

Judith Peele

Junior Warden

UTO Parish Coordinator

SERVICE SCHEDULE

SERVICE SCHEDULE

(for September)

September 7 - Morning Prayer

September 14 - Holy Communion

The Rev. Terrie Sternberg 

September 21- Morning Prayer 

September 28 - Holy Communion

The Rev. Terrie Sternberg

15T SUNDAY GATHERING

This Sunday, September 7, we will have our 1st Sunday Gathering.

Monnie McMillan and Charlotte Audas are the hosts for our brunch following the 10:00 service.

Plan to stay following the service and enjoy the delicious food and warm fellowship.

PRAYER FOR SCHOOLS

0   Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities, especially Pulaski County Public Schools and Radford City Schools, that they may be lively centers for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.                    (BCP, page 824)