Christ Community United Methodist Church
Update
September 10, 2025
Hi everyone:
COME HOME SUNDAY IS THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2025
Churches across the country and around the world saw a massive decrease in participation following the Covid19 pandemic in 2020/2021. Yes, we were mostly online only for a year and a half, but when it was time to return to in person worship, most did not. Some estimates suggest that most churches’ worship attendance continues to be at 60% of pre-pandemic levels. Why is the great question? Suggestions include we got comfortable “doing church” from our couches; people found other things to do with their time on Sunday morning; and we just got out of the habit.
While online worship has been great and helped us stay connected through a difficult time, our faith is as much about community as it is about public worship. There is profound value in being together with other Christians in song, in prayer, in hearing God’s word, and in working and serving.
All of us have family and friends who have yet to return. This week, if you haven’t already done so, invite them back to in person worship. This week we will have cake and some special elements of worship to welcome everyone home.
Here is what is happening at Christ Community:
1. Apologies to our online community. All the people who knew how to operate our camera and set up, were away this past Sunday.
We will be back online and running this week!
2. Worship this week is based on Luke 15:1-10 (with a nod to 11-32). The sermon is titled homecoming. God is searching for every one of us. But we are not sheep or coins to be carried home or discovered. We are people and the celebration of restoration is waiting for us, but we must choose, we have to choose to come home. All services can be accessed online through our website http://christcommunityumc.com.
3. BIBLE 101 – Begins Thursday at 5:00. Everyone is welcome.
Objective: getting to know each other and the Bible
1. Old/New
2. Big numbers and little numbers
3. Sections and sequence
How the Bible came together
Languages and Translations
4. Church Council is Thursday at 6:00 – Christ Community Church Council is open to all who are interested in the planning and operations of the church.
5. OFFICE HOURS – with my mission trip coming up these are going to be a little erratic, but I will publish here office hours for the next few weeks:
Thursday September 11: 9 to noon
Tuesday September 16: 9 to noon
Thursday September 18: 9 to noon
I can always be reached through my cell phone: 315-726-2815
6. In our prayers: Barb Walter and family on the recent death of Barb’s sister Lynn; Carol Harper (recovering from pin placement in her hip); Betty Jo Flask is back in the hospital; Hazel, Diane, Marie, and others in nursing homes or assisted living. Pray for those in harm’s way (especially Gaza and Ukraine);
Pray for “Get in the Game” Mission Day leaders and teams
Pray for Mission Uganda 2025 (October 14 through November 6).
7. Calendar
September 11 – Bible 101 first Class 5:00
September 11 – Church Council 6:00
September 16 – Community Fellowship 6:00
September 16 – Pastor BJ speaks at Baldwinsville Rotary 7:00
September 18 – Bible 101 part 2 at 5:00
September 18 – 6:00 Northeast Mission team
September 25 – Bible 101 part 3 at 5:00
September 27 – GET IN THE GAME 8:30 to 1:30
September 29 – Staff Parish Relations Committee at 6:00
October 14 through November 6 – Mission Kenya/Uganda
8. Get in the Game Mission Day is September 27
Schedule for the day
8:30 a.m. gather at Baldwinsville UMC for sending out.
9:00 to Noon – work on projects
12:30 – 1:30 – Lunch at Christ Community
9. Get in the Game 2
Sign-up sheets are now available at the Church. Projects range from working at the Mission Hub (on Henry Clay Blvd) to sandwich making, to mulch spreading to baking gluten free cookies. Sign up with your name, phone, and email address.
10. Get in the Game 3
One of our projects will be making health kits at the Upper New York Mission Hub on Henry Clay Blvd. Here is what we will be collecting for the health kits:
A. Hand towels (15x25 – 17x27 inches only)
No kitchen cleaning or microfiber towels
B. Washcloth (no kitchen, cleaning, or microfiber towels)
C. Hair comb.
- must be sturdy with 4-7 inches of teeth
- no pocket combs or picks
Rattail and combs without handles are acceptable but must have at least 4-7 inches of teeth.
D. Toenail or fingernail clipper
- no emery boards or metal nail files
E. Bath-size soap (3 oz. bar or larger)
- no ivory or Jergen’s soap
-- do not remove from packaging
F. One adult toothbrush
- do not remove from packaging
- personal advertising not acceptable
G. 10 adhesive bandages (3/4 by 3 inches)
- common household bandages acceptable
H. One one-gallon size re-sealable bag
Bring all items to church and put them in the bins provided.
11. Coming November 22 is the CCUMC Craft Fair: Are you a crafter? Contact Betty Kline (kline1953@gmail.com). Watch for more information and ways to help. Time to get in the “Holiday mood!”
Fliers and posters will be available soon.
12. Guest Preachers for when Pastor BJ is in Kenya and Uganda
October 19 – Jim Karins
October 26 – Hannah Mudge
November 2 – Janice Dudden
COME HOME SUNDAY IS THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2025
Parting Thought
I’ve spent most of my ministry (beginning in 1982) exploring ways to help revitalize the church. Over the years we have utilized Walk to Emmaus, Disciple Bible Study, prayer groups, small groups, adjustments to worship music and style, expanding our mission footprint, and others. What I have discovered is that all these help move us forward, but the most radical idea of all is to encourage the existing congregation to “get back to the basics.” When our hearts are changed and our focus has changed, and our attitudes have been properly adjusted we become attractive to a lost and hurting world.
What are the basics: Learn and practice prayer. Read, study, and inwardly digest the bible. Learn to live in accountable relationships. Radical hospitality. Missional engagement. A church, any church, that chooses to focus on individual spiritual growth that is lived out in a missionally focused community will see its ministry expand and flourish.
Bible 101 and the “Get in the Game” mission day are part of a wider strategy to get us back to the basics. We will be working on radical hospitality and prayer. Accountability is developed through deepening relationships. We can’t do everything at once, but we can begin and begin to move forward.
I am blessed to be your pastor and look forward who we can be!
Blessings,
BJ Norrix, dreamer, missionary, lead servant