Solo Flight – Singles In Community
EVENTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2009
September 6, Sunday – "Solo Flight Coffee Corner” in the Parish Center: Join other singles and form new friendships as we gather each week from 10:00 to 11:15 a.m. Sit and visit for a while, enjoy breakfast or a cup of coffee or just stop by and say hello and continue on to your choice of Christian Formation activities. Look for the Solo Flight sign.
September 6, Sunday – First Sunday Worship & Dinner: Worship together at the 5:30 p.m. Eucharist, followed by dinner at The Stonewood Grill, 950 Marsh Landing Parkway, Jacksonville Beach. If any questions, contact Julie Baumer at jbaum112@aol.com or 273-1330.
September 12, Saturday - Jacksonville Arboretum Work Day: Come help save a treasure - our very own Arboretum! Help clean up the site at 1445 Millcoe Rd. from 9:00 a.m. until Noon. Bring: sturdy shoes, gloves and any hand tools marked with your name. Bring your lunch so all the volunteers and Arboretum staff can share some down time at the end. Questions? Contact Annie Flipse at annflipse@comcast.net . Also visit: www.jacksonvillearboretum.org
September 13 Sunday – "Solo Flight Coffee Corner”: See Sunday, September 6 for details
September 13, Sunday – Solo Flight Breakfast: VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS NEEDED! Join other singles & help prepare and/or serve breakfast in the Parish Center from 6:45-10:45 a.m. Come for part or all of the time. For questions or to volunteer, contact Alan Wade at 242-4057.
September 16, Wednesday – Divorce Recovery Course: Recovering from divorce is not an easy task. More often than not we need assistance to heal and put life back together again. If you or someone you know is dealing with divorce, help is just around the corner. Solo Flight's divorce recovery program, "Journey to Wholeness," is a ten-session course facilitated by licensed mental health professions and clergy. Deadline for registration is Wednesday, September 2nd. To register or for additional information contact Terry Totman at 285-6127 x 231 or terrytotman@christepiscopalchurch.org.
September 20, Sunday – "Solo Flight Coffee Corner”: See Sunday, September 6 for details.
September 21, Monday – Third Monday Solo Social: New Location! Join us at for fun, fellowship and hors d'oeuvres at The Homestead Restaurant, 1712 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville Beach from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Questions? Contact Alan Wade at 242-4057.
September 26, Saturday – Ghost Tour: Join us for a hauntingly good time on the Ghost Tour of St. Augustine on Saturday, Sept 26. (http://www.ghosttoursofstaugustine.com/) They are billed as the number one ghost tour of St. Augustine. We'll begin the evening at 4:30 by meeting at the church where we will board the church bus. The bus will leave at 5:00 p.m. Cost for the church bus is $5.00. At 6:00 p.m., we'll have dinner at Scarlett O'hara's, 70 Hypolita St. in St. Augustine where we will dine in the Ghost Bar. (http://www.scarlettoharas.net/index.htm). Then we'll walk to the ticket office [2 St. George St.] where we can select either the walking tour [$10.00] or the trolley tour [$20.00]. Both tours start at 8:00 p.m. and last about 1 hr, 15 minutes. We can tell our favorite ghost stories as we ride the bus back to church. If you are interested in attending, please call Ann Noles at 821-1108 or email ann.l.noles@bankofamerica.com. When you call or email, please indicate whether you plan to ride the bus and whether you would like to take the walking or trolley tour.
September 27, Sunday – "Solo Flight Coffee Corner”: See Sunday, September 6 for details.
8/9/09
Singles Fill Many Roles on Solo Flight Weekend
Singles fill many worship roles on Solo Flight Weekend
Every time you attend a weekend service at Christ Church, there are people who greet you, ushers to make the service flow smoothly, lectors, preachers and Eucharistic Ministers. It takes more than 60 people to fill all these roles at the eight weekend services held on our San Juan and San Pablo campuses.
On July 25 and 26, Christ Church’s fourth Solo Flight Weekend, all these roles were filled by single people, members of the church’s Solo Flight ministry, to honor and celebrate their presence in the church. They served in the church, the chapel and the contemporary worship service.
Some of them, such as lectors, ushers and Eucharistic Ministers, performed the same duties they do throughout the year. Holly Scholl, a Eucharistic Minister, says that it helps when church members see the range of people among them who are single. They may be young or old, widowed, divorced, or never married. They may have young children at home, or grown children.
Solo Flight weekend “raises awareness in the congregation as a whole,” she says, “and, for singles, it says that this is a church that welcomes them.” It’s a community where they won’t feel left out if they’re not part of a couple or family. Holly notes that nearly a quarter of Christ Church’s households are headed by single individuals. But, in the general population, 50 percent of people are single.
Other Solo Flight members, particularly the eight preachers, stepped into new roles on Solo Flight Weekend. For Alan Wade, it wasn’t an entirely new experience, since it was the fourth time he’s given a sermon. But, he says, “it’s always a tremendous honor. It’s great to go through the process of reading the assigned Scripture and marrying my experience with it.” He also enjoys using the speaking skills he acquired in his business career “to make a positive contribution.”
All those who are involved in any aspect of Solo Flight -- worship, Christian formation and education, service, outreach and fellowship -- are making a positive contribution to Christ Church. The ministry strengthens each one of them and, at the same time, enriches the entire church community.
-By Kathy Cramer
Every time you attend a weekend service at Christ Church, there are people who greet you, ushers to make the service flow smoothly, lectors, preachers and Eucharistic Ministers. It takes more than 60 people to fill all these roles at the eight weekend services held on our San Juan and San Pablo campuses.
On July 25 and 26, Christ Church’s fourth Solo Flight Weekend, all these roles were filled by single people, members of the church’s Solo Flight ministry, to honor and celebrate their presence in the church. They served in the church, the chapel and the contemporary worship service.
Some of them, such as lectors, ushers and Eucharistic Ministers, performed the same duties they do throughout the year. Holly Scholl, a Eucharistic Minister, says that it helps when church members see the range of people among them who are single. They may be young or old, widowed, divorced, or never married. They may have young children at home, or grown children.
Solo Flight weekend “raises awareness in the congregation as a whole,” she says, “and, for singles, it says that this is a church that welcomes them.” It’s a community where they won’t feel left out if they’re not part of a couple or family. Holly notes that nearly a quarter of Christ Church’s households are headed by single individuals. But, in the general population, 50 percent of people are single.
Other Solo Flight members, particularly the eight preachers, stepped into new roles on Solo Flight Weekend. For Alan Wade, it wasn’t an entirely new experience, since it was the fourth time he’s given a sermon. But, he says, “it’s always a tremendous honor. It’s great to go through the process of reading the assigned Scripture and marrying my experience with it.” He also enjoys using the speaking skills he acquired in his business career “to make a positive contribution.”
All those who are involved in any aspect of Solo Flight -- worship, Christian formation and education, service, outreach and fellowship -- are making a positive contribution to Christ Church. The ministry strengthens each one of them and, at the same time, enriches the entire church community.
-By Kathy Cramer
7/22/09
Singularity
“… Are you one of the fortunate kind, alone but not lonely?” asks country and western singer, Mary Chapin Carpenter.
While many embrace their independence and solitude, there are many others that feel being single is equated with loneliness and viewed with derision or pity. Living in a couple-oriented society often finds single adults struggling with exactly what their “season of singleness” is about, whether you are never married, divorced or widowed.
Regardless of your point of view, if you are single you will not be lonely with Christ Church’s Solo Flight Singles Ministry. Solo Flight is not a lonely hearts club; it is not a matchmaking group; it is not a life-long commitment to remaining single. On the contrary, it is a network of individuals that come together to socialize, to serve and to grow mentally and spiritually. We have our careers, our families and our hobbies. We share our struggles and celebrate our victories. Many of us are very active in the larger life of the church and our community. For some, Solo Flight was the very gateway to becoming more involved. Being single is a part of who we are, but it certainly does not define who we are.
'Singularity' can be defined as something that is unique, distinctive, or remarkable. I think this is also a pretty good description of Solo Flight Singles Ministry!
Join us for Solo Flight Sunday this weekend, as Christ Church singles lead worship and preach.
- Robin Ray
While many embrace their independence and solitude, there are many others that feel being single is equated with loneliness and viewed with derision or pity. Living in a couple-oriented society often finds single adults struggling with exactly what their “season of singleness” is about, whether you are never married, divorced or widowed.
Regardless of your point of view, if you are single you will not be lonely with Christ Church’s Solo Flight Singles Ministry. Solo Flight is not a lonely hearts club; it is not a matchmaking group; it is not a life-long commitment to remaining single. On the contrary, it is a network of individuals that come together to socialize, to serve and to grow mentally and spiritually. We have our careers, our families and our hobbies. We share our struggles and celebrate our victories. Many of us are very active in the larger life of the church and our community. For some, Solo Flight was the very gateway to becoming more involved. Being single is a part of who we are, but it certainly does not define who we are.
'Singularity' can be defined as something that is unique, distinctive, or remarkable. I think this is also a pretty good description of Solo Flight Singles Ministry!
Join us for Solo Flight Sunday this weekend, as Christ Church singles lead worship and preach.
- Robin Ray
7/21/09
Healing the Wounds of Divorce
Recovering from divorce is not an easy task. More often than not we need assistance to heal and put life back together again.If you know of someone facing divorce, let them know that help is available. Solo Flight's next divorce recovery program, "Journey to Wholeness," begins September 16.
Deadline for registration is Wednesday, September 2nd.
To register or for additional information contact Terry Totman at 285-6127 x 231 or terrytotman@christepiscopalchurch.org.
7/15/09
Solo Flight Soars with New Ministries
A few years ago, when I was going through Discovery Weekend, Colleen Seadale mentioned a new ministry that was being created, called Solo Flight, targeted at single adults. My first reaction was, "Oh no, not a dating or matchmaking group!" She assured me it was not, and what she shared with me about the ministry's purpose interested me. Over the next couple of years, I read about how the ministry was growing and saw the welcoming messages and invitations to various fellowship, spiritual growth and service activities, but I never participated. I often thought about it, but as a busy working mom with two young children, other priorities got in the way.
Late last year, I was in church, sitting with my daughter and her friend, when Bob Morris announced another new ministry that was forming - one for single parent families. My daughter and her friend both looked at me and mouthed, "That's you." I've become a part of the leadership team of Single Parent Families (SPF), which is supported by the larger Solo Flight Ministry leadership. In its first months, I've made new friends, as have my children, and have gained from the sound counsel of experts in parenting and financial planning. Through the SPF ministry, as well as the many other programs that Christ Episcopal Church offers, I know that even as a single parent I do not walk alone. The love and support of my church family surrounds me every day. My hope is that this new ministry will grow, as the larger Solo Flight ministry has, to serve more of the many single parent families at Christ Church, and help us find more ways to be of service as well.
Please join us in supporting and celebrating our singles ministry at Christ Episcopal Church on Solo Flight Weekend on Saturday, July 25 and 26, as Christ Church singles lead worship and preach at all the weekend services.
-by Anne White
Late last year, I was in church, sitting with my daughter and her friend, when Bob Morris announced another new ministry that was forming - one for single parent families. My daughter and her friend both looked at me and mouthed, "That's you." I've become a part of the leadership team of Single Parent Families (SPF), which is supported by the larger Solo Flight Ministry leadership. In its first months, I've made new friends, as have my children, and have gained from the sound counsel of experts in parenting and financial planning. Through the SPF ministry, as well as the many other programs that Christ Episcopal Church offers, I know that even as a single parent I do not walk alone. The love and support of my church family surrounds me every day. My hope is that this new ministry will grow, as the larger Solo Flight ministry has, to serve more of the many single parent families at Christ Church, and help us find more ways to be of service as well.
Please join us in supporting and celebrating our singles ministry at Christ Episcopal Church on Solo Flight Weekend on Saturday, July 25 and 26, as Christ Church singles lead worship and preach at all the weekend services.
-by Anne White
7/14/09
Solo Flight Weekend
Come celebrate with us as we honor and recognize the Solo Flight Singles Ministry at Christ Episcopal Church on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26. Join us for worship where singles will serve as greeters, ushers, lectors, preachers and Eucharistic Ministers at all of the church's weekend services.
6/30/09
HAIR - Make Reservations NOW!
Dig out your bell bottoms and come join us for the “HAIR - The American Tribal Love Rock Musical” at Players By The Sea, Saturday August 7, 2009 at 8:00 pm.
A block of tickets has been reserved for us until July 17th. Call the office now (249-0289), identify yourself as part of Christ Church Solo Flight, and then give them your credit card information to reserve your ticket. This will sell out so call early. Any other questions contact Holly Scholl, beachscholl@comcast.net or 242-7129.
Solo Flight Caribbean Cruise Getaway
Join us for a 3 night
Bahamas cruise
with Royal Caribbean
November 6-9, 2009
Depart Friday evening, spend Saturday in Nassau, Sunday at Cococay and return to Port Canaveral Monday. Staterooms starting at $254 per person, double occupancy plus government taxes and fees. Initial deposit is due by July 8 for Junior Suites and by August 1 for other staterooms.
Ship Name: Royal Caribbean’s Monarch Of The Seas
Destination: Bahamas
Departure Port: Port Canaveral, FL
Ports of Call: Nassau, Bahamas & Cococay, Bahamas
For more information or to make a reservation contact:
Lyn McCall Phone: 904-285-2222
e-mail: lynm@vwti.com
5/20/09
Spread Your Wings
The days are longer, the sun is brighter and everyday is a wonder-filled reminder of how lucky we are to live in paradise. Solo Flight Singles Ministry has something for almost everybody and there is no time like now to explore the possibilities.
Every month, we have regularly scheduled events including our First Sunday Worship and Dinner, our First Wednesday Single Parent Families' Speaker Series and our Happy Hour Social at TraVini's. And each Sunday morning singles gather in the Parish Center at the Solo Flight Coffee corner...folks stay for awhile, or just stop by for a quick hello before moving on to a Christian formation class.
There are also activities for fun and fellowship each month. On Memorial Day, Single Parent Families will pack up their picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs and pay tribute 
to our armed forces at the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra's Concert at the TPC. Then on Saturday May 30, join Solo Flight as we paddle Julington Creek under a canopy of Cypress trees.
On Wednesday June 3, the Single Parent Families' Speaker Series will feature our own Malinda Harris who will be leading a session on “Faith in the Home”. In June, Solo Flight is planning an outing to the IMAX theater at the World Golf Village and in July to the Jazz Festival in Jacksonville Beach.
There is always a balance of spiritual, social, recreational and educational offerings. But don't sit back and just read about it – come join us! Spread your wings: explore, soar and enjoy your Solo Flight.
For more information, visit the Solo Flight page on the Christ Church web site. To be added to email distribution, contact Robin Ray at 904.716.4800 or robin@1stcoastprinting.
4/26/09
3/29/09
3/28/09
Solo Flight Members Soar
As singles in the church, Solo Flight members soar
By Kathryn Cramer, March 25, 2009
[Episcopal News Service] When about 40 people gathered at a rustic conference center in north-central Florida in mid-March for a retreat called Solo Flight, they were seeking a different church "family."
Sponsored by Christ Church in Ponte Vedra, Florida, the retreat, held March 13-15, welcomed singles who sometimes feel left out in the normal church context, according to the Rev. Robert Morris, associate rector of Christ Church. "Singles often feel outside what is perceived as the family of the church," he said in an interview. "Solo Flight says there are people here like you, so they feel they belong." The retreat included several inspirational talks, discussions of aspects of Christianity, explorations of personal spirituality, nature walks and socializing.
Solo Flight was founded in 1992 by Kay Collier McLaughlin, communications director for the Episcopal diocese of Lexington (Kentucky) as a national, inter-denominational ministry focused on "a theology of humanity that includes seasons of singleness as a normal part of the life span." The ministry has spread around the country, McLaughlin said, primarily in large, multi-clergy Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian and some Roman Catholic churches. Her efforts are now focused on training diocesan-level Solo Flight leaders who can work with smaller churches to encourage the ministry.
Being single in a ‘coupled' church
At Christ Church, Solo Flight started in 2006, shortly after a parish survey revealed that more than 20 percent of its 6,000 members were single. Some were divorced or widowed, others had never married. Yet, as at many churches, activities were often geared to two-parent families with children or to couples. Morris and a group of eleven parishioners met with McLaughlin to form a "biblically-based ministry" that recognized each person's "singular relationship with God," said Holly Scholl, one of the founders.
From 20 to 300 participants From that small start, with about 20 active members, she said, "it took about 18 months to have people recognize that Solo Flight is a ministry, not a dating group. People can walk in, develop friendships, find people they feel comfortable with." Today, more than 300 people participate in one or more of the programs in Solo Flight's five "gateways:" worship, education, outreach, divorce recovery and social or recreational activities.
Over time, some demographic trends have emerged. Most participants are women, divorced or widowed, in the 40- to 70-year-old age range. Some enjoy the more active programs -- kayaking, serving breakfast on the second Sunday of each month -- while others attend the monthly luncheon series with speakers or the weekly "Singles, Singles" Christian Formation classes. Although an energetic leadership team was planning programs for all interests, they discovered there was one group that was not participating -- single parents coping with busy schedules and lack of child care.
A new group: Single Parent Families"We were overlooking the needs of that group," said Walt O'Shea, a single parent with three children. In response, in January 2009 the group, called Single Parent Families, started meeting twice a month. One meeting, usually with a speaker, takes place on a Wednesday evening, when Christ Church serves family-style dinners and provides activities for all children, toddlers to teenagers. The second monthly meeting is a social or recreational activity that may include children or have child care provided. "The best thing is that they all have a shared experience, one that a lot of other people can't relate to," said the Rev. Luke Jernigan, another associate rector at Christ Church, who helps lead the group. Children are also benefiting from the new group. Often, they "feel unique," O'Shea said, but getting to know others "provides comfort and fellowship." And, he added, because "the church is a community of people who worship together, when you strengthen any subset, you strengthen the church."
Because strengthening both its own parish and others is part of Solo Flight's mission at Christ Church, several participants attended the diocesan convention in January 2009 to offer support in spreading the ministry.
"You all are a wonderful model of what a cardinal parish can do in reaching out to others," McLaughlin said. For the March retreat held amid the oaks, dogwoods and azaleas of the Cerveny Conference Center in Live Oak, the third annual event, the group invited people from other churches in the Diocese of Florida.
Finding grace through spiritual disciplinesThe Rev. Chris Webb, president of Renovare, a spiritual renewal organization based in Englewood, Colorado, said that before he was asked to lead the 2009 retreat, "I didn't know there was an effort to draw together people who were single for different reasons." But, he noted midway through the event, "it seems to work very well." Presenting the retreat's theme, "Becoming Like Jesus: A Weekend of Experiencing God's Grace," Webb captivated the audience with humorous tales about his family, his beloved Wales and lively retellings of Gospel stories. He encouraged spiritual disciplines -- in prayer, Scripture study, social justice and small-group explorations of spirituality -- that are "intentional ways to express our longing for grace," to "experience the presence of God here" and to "order our lives as one great expression of longing for God."
Webb, who is married with four children, has carried his message to Christian groups throughout the country -- including an audience of singles. "I speak in general terms about following Christ," he said. People may then "work it out in their own specific circumstances. Being unmarried is not the only defining thing about a person."
Solo Flight "Gateways"
Churches that participate in the Solo Flight program offer one or more of five so-called gateways. At Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, they include:
By Kathryn Cramer, March 25, 2009
[Episcopal News Service] When about 40 people gathered at a rustic conference center in north-central Florida in mid-March for a retreat called Solo Flight, they were seeking a different church "family."
Sponsored by Christ Church in Ponte Vedra, Florida, the retreat, held March 13-15, welcomed singles who sometimes feel left out in the normal church context, according to the Rev. Robert Morris, associate rector of Christ Church. "Singles often feel outside what is perceived as the family of the church," he said in an interview. "Solo Flight says there are people here like you, so they feel they belong." The retreat included several inspirational talks, discussions of aspects of Christianity, explorations of personal spirituality, nature walks and socializing.
Solo Flight was founded in 1992 by Kay Collier McLaughlin, communications director for the Episcopal diocese of Lexington (Kentucky) as a national, inter-denominational ministry focused on "a theology of humanity that includes seasons of singleness as a normal part of the life span." The ministry has spread around the country, McLaughlin said, primarily in large, multi-clergy Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian and some Roman Catholic churches. Her efforts are now focused on training diocesan-level Solo Flight leaders who can work with smaller churches to encourage the ministry.
Being single in a ‘coupled' church
At Christ Church, Solo Flight started in 2006, shortly after a parish survey revealed that more than 20 percent of its 6,000 members were single. Some were divorced or widowed, others had never married. Yet, as at many churches, activities were often geared to two-parent families with children or to couples. Morris and a group of eleven parishioners met with McLaughlin to form a "biblically-based ministry" that recognized each person's "singular relationship with God," said Holly Scholl, one of the founders.
From 20 to 300 participants From that small start, with about 20 active members, she said, "it took about 18 months to have people recognize that Solo Flight is a ministry, not a dating group. People can walk in, develop friendships, find people they feel comfortable with." Today, more than 300 people participate in one or more of the programs in Solo Flight's five "gateways:" worship, education, outreach, divorce recovery and social or recreational activities.
Over time, some demographic trends have emerged. Most participants are women, divorced or widowed, in the 40- to 70-year-old age range. Some enjoy the more active programs -- kayaking, serving breakfast on the second Sunday of each month -- while others attend the monthly luncheon series with speakers or the weekly "Singles, Singles" Christian Formation classes. Although an energetic leadership team was planning programs for all interests, they discovered there was one group that was not participating -- single parents coping with busy schedules and lack of child care.
A new group: Single Parent Families"We were overlooking the needs of that group," said Walt O'Shea, a single parent with three children. In response, in January 2009 the group, called Single Parent Families, started meeting twice a month. One meeting, usually with a speaker, takes place on a Wednesday evening, when Christ Church serves family-style dinners and provides activities for all children, toddlers to teenagers. The second monthly meeting is a social or recreational activity that may include children or have child care provided. "The best thing is that they all have a shared experience, one that a lot of other people can't relate to," said the Rev. Luke Jernigan, another associate rector at Christ Church, who helps lead the group. Children are also benefiting from the new group. Often, they "feel unique," O'Shea said, but getting to know others "provides comfort and fellowship." And, he added, because "the church is a community of people who worship together, when you strengthen any subset, you strengthen the church."
Because strengthening both its own parish and others is part of Solo Flight's mission at Christ Church, several participants attended the diocesan convention in January 2009 to offer support in spreading the ministry.
"You all are a wonderful model of what a cardinal parish can do in reaching out to others," McLaughlin said. For the March retreat held amid the oaks, dogwoods and azaleas of the Cerveny Conference Center in Live Oak, the third annual event, the group invited people from other churches in the Diocese of Florida.
Finding grace through spiritual disciplinesThe Rev. Chris Webb, president of Renovare, a spiritual renewal organization based in Englewood, Colorado, said that before he was asked to lead the 2009 retreat, "I didn't know there was an effort to draw together people who were single for different reasons." But, he noted midway through the event, "it seems to work very well." Presenting the retreat's theme, "Becoming Like Jesus: A Weekend of Experiencing God's Grace," Webb captivated the audience with humorous tales about his family, his beloved Wales and lively retellings of Gospel stories. He encouraged spiritual disciplines -- in prayer, Scripture study, social justice and small-group explorations of spirituality -- that are "intentional ways to express our longing for grace," to "experience the presence of God here" and to "order our lives as one great expression of longing for God."
Webb, who is married with four children, has carried his message to Christian groups throughout the country -- including an audience of singles. "I speak in general terms about following Christ," he said. People may then "work it out in their own specific circumstances. Being unmarried is not the only defining thing about a person."
Solo Flight "Gateways"
Churches that participate in the Solo Flight program offer one or more of five so-called gateways. At Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, they include:
- The worship gateway invites singles to attend the church's 5:30 p.m. service on the first Sunday of each month, then gather for dinner at a local restaurant. Once a year, singles fill all lay roles -- as greeters, ushers, readers, presenters and Eucharistic ministers -- at the church's seven weekend services. The event "honors them" before the entire congregation, says the Rev. Robert Morris.
- In the educational gateway, singles hold a weekly Christian Formation class, led by a member of the Solo Flight leadership team. A monthly Sunday luncheon series offers speakers on subjects including nutrition, finances and fitness, geared to singles' interests.
- Solo Flight members use the outreach gateway to help build Habitat for Humanity homes, construct buildings at an orphanage in Bolivia and rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. After one such trip, several women spoke with pride of their newly learned tile-setting skills.
- For those who are divorced, periodic divorce recovery workshops staffed by professional counselors help members navigate the pain and confusion they may be experiencing.
- The social and recreational gateway covers a broad spectrum of activities -- kayaking, community theater performances or a Super Bowl party. Members also meet for a monthly "happy hour" at a local watering hole, and they cook and serve breakfast in the church's parish center on the second Sunday of each month.
-- Kathryn Cramer is a member of Christ Episcopal Church and participates in Solo Flight programs.
Source: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81799_106445_ENG_HTM.htm
3/16/09
Camp Weed in the Spring
Our Third Annual Singles Retreat was very well attended last weekend at Camp Weed, in Live Oak, FL. “Becoming Like Jesus: A Weekend of Experiencing God’s Grace,” was led by Chris Webb, president of the church renewal organization, Renovare.While at the retreat, Barbara Church captured these beautiful images of Mandi's Chapel and other Camp Weed facilities.
2/23/09
Solo Flight at Christ Church - Helping Singles Soar Together
When you hear the words “solo flight,” do you think of being alone, or do you think of soaring? At Christ Church Solo Flight means a vibrant ministry for those who, by reason of never marrying, death of a spouse, or divorce are making life’s journey without a partner. From corporate worship, social gatherings, active pursuits like kayaking, hiking, to educational events, retreats, and opportunities to help others, Solo Flight makes sure that being alone doesn’t have to mean being lonely.
Solo Flight at Christ Church began in 2006 when Fr. Bob Morris and several staff members, in an “ah ha!” moment one Sunday, all recognized a need for an organization that made singles in the parish feel welcome. In a first step, Fr. Bob called together a group of singles to begin the conversation and invited Dr. Kay Collier McLaughlin, author of Single in the Church: New Ways to Minister to 52% of God's People, to consult about how to get started.
Solo Flight is organized around five “gateways:” the “Worship Gateway” presents singles with various opportunities to worship together. The “Social/Recreational Gateway” sponsors a variety of monthly social events; the “Educational Gateway” provides opportunities to meet the spiritual, psychological, and practical needs of singles; the “Outreach Gateway” facilitates ways for the single parishioner to reach out in service; and the “Divorce Recovery Gateway” offers workshops facilitated by professionals to support those going through the painful process of divorce. Also, Solo Flight has recently added a subgroup to its ministry, called “Single Parent Families.”
Earlier this month Solo Flight sponsored its third annual singles retreat at Camp Weed. Becoming Like Jesus: A Weekend of Experiencing God’s Grace, March 13-15, attracted forty singles who enjoyed three days of discovery and fellowship.
One of the Solo Flight founders, Holly Scholl, said, “This [Christ Church] is a church that takes singles seriously and singles can become as seriously involved as they wish in any or all Solo Flight events.” Another of the original organizers, Alan Wade believes that Solo Flight is succeeding in its mission, “There are a number of people attending Christ Church today who made their first contact through Solo Flight, and many people are more closely tied to Christ Church because they have found a welcoming and nurturing community in Solo Flight.” Indeed from a modest early beginning with 20 members, Solo Flight has now grown to over 300 participating in 2009.
Fr. Bob Morris says, “It’s been a very powerful experience to see this come alive and now begin to reach out to help put together ministry to and with singles in other churches in the Diocese. Christ Church is a corporate-size church with resources entrusted to us not just for our own use, but for the larger church. We are exploring how we might fulfill that responsibility, conversing with other parishes about what we have done and are considering a regional conference in the fall. There are countless singles out there and it is a great Evangelistic ministry.”
Remember, as a single member of the church, through a myriad of Solo Flight activities you don’t need to be alone! For more information, log onto http://www.christepiscopalchurch.org/> ministries> Solo Flight.
- Barbara Church
Solo Flight at Christ Church began in 2006 when Fr. Bob Morris and several staff members, in an “ah ha!” moment one Sunday, all recognized a need for an organization that made singles in the parish feel welcome. In a first step, Fr. Bob called together a group of singles to begin the conversation and invited Dr. Kay Collier McLaughlin, author of Single in the Church: New Ways to Minister to 52% of God's People, to consult about how to get started.
Solo Flight is organized around five “gateways:” the “Worship Gateway” presents singles with various opportunities to worship together. The “Social/Recreational Gateway” sponsors a variety of monthly social events; the “Educational Gateway” provides opportunities to meet the spiritual, psychological, and practical needs of singles; the “Outreach Gateway” facilitates ways for the single parishioner to reach out in service; and the “Divorce Recovery Gateway” offers workshops facilitated by professionals to support those going through the painful process of divorce. Also, Solo Flight has recently added a subgroup to its ministry, called “Single Parent Families.”
Earlier this month Solo Flight sponsored its third annual singles retreat at Camp Weed. Becoming Like Jesus: A Weekend of Experiencing God’s Grace, March 13-15, attracted forty singles who enjoyed three days of discovery and fellowship.
One of the Solo Flight founders, Holly Scholl, said, “This [Christ Church] is a church that takes singles seriously and singles can become as seriously involved as they wish in any or all Solo Flight events.” Another of the original organizers, Alan Wade believes that Solo Flight is succeeding in its mission, “There are a number of people attending Christ Church today who made their first contact through Solo Flight, and many people are more closely tied to Christ Church because they have found a welcoming and nurturing community in Solo Flight.” Indeed from a modest early beginning with 20 members, Solo Flight has now grown to over 300 participating in 2009.
Fr. Bob Morris says, “It’s been a very powerful experience to see this come alive and now begin to reach out to help put together ministry to and with singles in other churches in the Diocese. Christ Church is a corporate-size church with resources entrusted to us not just for our own use, but for the larger church. We are exploring how we might fulfill that responsibility, conversing with other parishes about what we have done and are considering a regional conference in the fall. There are countless singles out there and it is a great Evangelistic ministry.”
Remember, as a single member of the church, through a myriad of Solo Flight activities you don’t need to be alone! For more information, log onto http://www.christepiscopalchurch.org/> ministries> Solo Flight.
- Barbara Church
2/22/09
"Ax Handle Saturday"
What you knew about Ax Handle Saturday in 1960 depended on where you lived
by Kathy Cramer
If you lived in Jacksonville in 1960, you might have read in the Florida Times-Union about “a little neighborhood skirmish” that took place downtown on Aug. 20.But if you lived almost anywhere else in the country, you read a very different story about what came to be known as Ax Handle Saturday, when 200 whites attacked 35 young men and women holding a peaceful sit-in at a lunch counter
.
Jacksonville’s role in the Civil Rights movement came vividly to life this past Sunday when one of those 35 demonstrators, Rodney L. Hurst, Sr., spoke at a luncheon sponsored by the Solo Flight ministry of Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach.Hurst’s award-winning book, It Was Never About a Hot Dog and a Coke, chronicles the events of that day and its aftermath.
And at least one audience member could verify the differences in news coverage that Ax Handle Saturday received. “I grew up in the Arlington area in the 1960
s,” she said, “and until I read this book, I knew nothing of this.”Today, those days may seem to belong to a very distant past … or do they? How far has Jacksonville come since 1960, Hurst was asked. “Not as far as we think we have,” he replied. Citing the “natural boundaries” between communities that the St. Johns River creates, and an “abysmal” educational system, he stated that “Jacksonville has a long way to go.”
Reprinted from the Faith Matters blog, http://www.pontevedrarecorder.com/.
by Kathy Cramer
If you lived in Jacksonville in 1960, you might have read in the Florida Times-Union about “a little neighborhood skirmish” that took place downtown on Aug. 20.But if you lived almost anywhere else in the country, you read a very different story about what came to be known as Ax Handle Saturday, when 200 whites attacked 35 young men and women holding a peaceful sit-in at a lunch counter
.Jacksonville’s role in the Civil Rights movement came vividly to life this past Sunday when one of those 35 demonstrators, Rodney L. Hurst, Sr., spoke at a luncheon sponsored by the Solo Flight ministry of Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach.Hurst’s award-winning book, It Was Never About a Hot Dog and a Coke, chronicles the events of that day and its aftermath.
And at least one audience member could verify the differences in news coverage that Ax Handle Saturday received. “I grew up in the Arlington area in the 1960
s,” she said, “and until I read this book, I knew nothing of this.”Today, those days may seem to belong to a very distant past … or do they? How far has Jacksonville come since 1960, Hurst was asked. “Not as far as we think we have,” he replied. Citing the “natural boundaries” between communities that the St. Johns River creates, and an “abysmal” educational system, he stated that “Jacksonville has a long way to go.”Reprinted from the Faith Matters blog, http://www.pontevedrarecorder.com/.
Single Parent Families Support Each Other
Turn the phrase “busier than a one-armed paper hanger”into “busier than a one-parent family” and it becomes an apt description of what a number of Christ Church members face every day.
Both Anne White, with two children, and Walt O’Shea, with three, mentioned logistics when asked to describe their daily challenges. “Trying to get children where they need to be,” Anne said, is more difficult when there’s only one parent. There are “career adjustments,” Walt said while driving to a business meeting in Orlando. For example, “you don’t have the flexibility to go to work early.” In the midst of that busy lifestyle, “being a single parent can be lonely at times,” says Jeni Chattaway, who has four children aged two to eight and is also the guardian of her 16-year old cousin. In addition, there can be financial challenges and emotional issues – Anne cited “how to make good parenting choices, not overcompensating because of guilt, creating a positive environment with the other parent, working out co-parenting responsibilities.”
Dealing with all those matters leaves little time for fellowship, as the Solo Flight ministry came to realize. While someone with no children at home can choose to go kayaking, build a Habitat home, attend a luncheon or go on a retreat, single parents may have childcare and financial issues to consider before they can do those activities. “We were overlooking the needs of that group,” Walt said. But no longer. The new Single Parent Families ministry is addressing their needs.
With clergy support from Associate Rectors Bob Morris and Luke Jernagan and initial assistance from the Solo Flight leadership, the Single Parent Families ministry has started a speaker series on the first Wednesday of each month. In addition, monthly fellowship activities, some with children and some for parents with childcare provided, are being planned.
“The best thing is that they all have a shared experience, one that a lot of other people can’t relate to.” said Luke, who himself grew up in a single parent family. While many church activities are geared to two-parent families, he realizes, it’s important to include single parent families, with an understanding of their specific needs. In addition, he says, “the church will hopefully get a broader view of what it means to be a family.”
Jeni agrees. She values getting together with others “who can appreciate the non-stop stress” of single parenthood. She also feels that the new ministry can draw “more faithful parishioners.” With a hectic lifestyle, “going to church can fall off the priority list,” she admits, “but if you’re meeting friends there, it’s back on the list.” Making friends with others in similar situations is also valuable for children in single parent families. They may “feel unique,” Walt says, but getting to know others “provides comfort and fellowship.” And, he adds, because “the church is a community of people who worship together, when you strengthen any subset, you strengthen the church.” The goal of the Single Parent Families ministry, Anne concludes, is “not to create a stand-alone group, but to integrate it into the church, to find creative ways to work within the church.”
- by Kathy Cramer
Both Anne White, with two children, and Walt O’Shea, with three, mentioned logistics when asked to describe their daily challenges. “Trying to get children where they need to be,” Anne said, is more difficult when there’s only one parent. There are “career adjustments,” Walt said while driving to a business meeting in Orlando. For example, “you don’t have the flexibility to go to work early.” In the midst of that busy lifestyle, “being a single parent can be lonely at times,” says Jeni Chattaway, who has four children aged two to eight and is also the guardian of her 16-year old cousin. In addition, there can be financial challenges and emotional issues – Anne cited “how to make good parenting choices, not overcompensating because of guilt, creating a positive environment with the other parent, working out co-parenting responsibilities.”
Dealing with all those matters leaves little time for fellowship, as the Solo Flight ministry came to realize. While someone with no children at home can choose to go kayaking, build a Habitat home, attend a luncheon or go on a retreat, single parents may have childcare and financial issues to consider before they can do those activities. “We were overlooking the needs of that group,” Walt said. But no longer. The new Single Parent Families ministry is addressing their needs.
With clergy support from Associate Rectors Bob Morris and Luke Jernagan and initial assistance from the Solo Flight leadership, the Single Parent Families ministry has started a speaker series on the first Wednesday of each month. In addition, monthly fellowship activities, some with children and some for parents with childcare provided, are being planned.
“The best thing is that they all have a shared experience, one that a lot of other people can’t relate to.” said Luke, who himself grew up in a single parent family. While many church activities are geared to two-parent families, he realizes, it’s important to include single parent families, with an understanding of their specific needs. In addition, he says, “the church will hopefully get a broader view of what it means to be a family.”
Jeni agrees. She values getting together with others “who can appreciate the non-stop stress” of single parenthood. She also feels that the new ministry can draw “more faithful parishioners.” With a hectic lifestyle, “going to church can fall off the priority list,” she admits, “but if you’re meeting friends there, it’s back on the list.” Making friends with others in similar situations is also valuable for children in single parent families. They may “feel unique,” Walt says, but getting to know others “provides comfort and fellowship.” And, he adds, because “the church is a community of people who worship together, when you strengthen any subset, you strengthen the church.” The goal of the Single Parent Families ministry, Anne concludes, is “not to create a stand-alone group, but to integrate it into the church, to find creative ways to work within the church.”
- by Kathy Cramer
1/30/09
Ravine Gardens - February 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009Join Solo Flight Singles Ministry at Ravine Gardens in Palataka.
Come see 146 acres of natural gardens and vegetation. See the blooming azaleas, walk nature trails around a spring fed stream, cross suspension bridges, enjoy birding, fellowship, and soaking up serenity.
We will meet at Christ Episcopal Church, San Juan Campus at 9:00 a.m. and carpool. Bring a bag lunch.
Entrance fee $4 per car full. We will return to the church around 2 pm.
Questions? Contact Ann Noles at 821-
1108 or ann.l.noles@bankofamerica.com.by Ann Flipse
1/25/09
Award Winning Author to Speak at Solo Flight February Luncheon
“At what age do you know enough about racism to recognize it?” With this question, Rodney L. Hurst, Sr. begins his story of growing up in Jacksonville during the late ‘50’s and early 60’s, a time of racism in the south that seems unbelievable today. However, “on August 27, 1960, more than 200 whites with ax handles and baseball bats attacked members of the Jacksonville Youth Council NAACP in downtown Jacksonville who were sitting in at white lunch counters protesting racism and segregation” (from www.rodneyhurst.com). Hurst’s book, It Was Never about a Hot Dog and a Coke: A Personal Account of the 1960 Sit-in Demonstrations in Jacksonville, Florida and Ax Handle Saturday portrays the racial and political atmosphere in Jacksonville in the late fifties. The title “Ax Handle Saturday” was coined in the media coverage of 200 ax handle and baseball bat-wielding whites attacking young blacks as they staged sit-in demonstrations at white lunch counters in downtown Jacksonville, led by Hurst as Youth Council NAACP President. Although the event was downplayed in Jacksonville, it gained national attention, and thrust Hurst into the Civil Rights limelight.However, Hurst’s account of that era is more than a civil rights testimony. He also illustrates the backdrop of the times with descriptions of many of Jacksonville’s institutions little known outside the black culture then, but widely recognized now, such as his account of the La Villa area, “You had to visit Ashley Street in Jacksonville, much as you had to visit Beale Street in Memphis and Bourbon Street in New Orleans.”
The book has won several national awards including the 2008 Premier Book Reviews Best Book of 2008 award in the general non-fiction category and Honorable Mention in the autobiography/biography category at the 2008 New York Book Festival.
A former college administrator, Rodney L. Hurst, Sr. has devoted years of service to the Jacksonville community including two four-year terms on the City Council. He was one of the first 13 national recipients of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Fellowships, and the first Black to co-host a television talk show in Jacksonville. He has been widely recognized, won numerous awards, and served on the boards of several state and national organizations including the Arrangements Committee of the 1980 National Democratic Convention. . Hurst is a member of the Bethel Baptist Institutional Church in Jacksonville where he is active in the Fine Arts Ministry. He and his wife Ann, married for more than 41 years, have two sons, Todd, and Rodney, and two granddaughters Marquiette, and Jasmine.Rodney L. Hurst, Sr. will be the featured speaker at the February 15 Solo Flight luncheon. His book will be available at the Christ Church Bookstore as well as at the luncheon book signing, and 10% of the sales will be donated to the church. Solo Flight cordially invites all members of the parish to attend the event in the Parish Center following the 11:15 a.m. service. The cost is $5, childcare will be provided (with reservations only - no later than Monday, February 9), and reservations for the luncheon are required. Contact Mary Alice Wester at 273-2961 or mawester@bellsouth.net.
- By Barbara Church
1/12/09
Solo Flight Super Bowl Party
Super Bowl Party
Sunday February 1, 2009
Solo Flight Singles Ministry
Come cheer on your favorite team at the home of Julie Baumer. The party starts at 5:00PM, kickoff is at 6:00PM. Hot dogs will be provided, please bring snacks or appetizers to share and refreshments. For more information contact Julie Baumer or Emile Verges.
Sunday February 1, 2009
Solo Flight Singles Ministry
Come cheer on your favorite team at the home of Julie Baumer. The party starts at 5:00PM, kickoff is at 6:00PM. Hot dogs will be provided, please bring snacks or appetizers to share and refreshments. For more information contact Julie Baumer or Emile Verges.
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