WHAT WE DO
Discover our ministry and mission at Christ Episcopal Church
Ministry & Mission
Christ Episcopal Church, nestled on the banks of the beautiful Ohio River Valley in southeastern Indiana, is just one block from the historic main street and three blocks from the river and the hills of Kentucky. Madison is the largest contiguous National Historic Landmark District in the U.S. The church steeple is seen above the traditional red doors that ‘welcome everyone!’
The rectory is separated from the church by the garden/patio area and also the outside church wall where the columbarium is located. The ‘great hall‘ with the offices/kitchen/reception areas is behind the church. Outreach events meet here. Two 12-step groups meet meets weekly. Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner is attended by community members as well as parishioners. The annual Saint Cecilia festival is in the church with many local citizens attending.
The annual ‘Blessing of the Animals’ brings dogs, cats, rabbits, and even horses to the church garden to be blessed – such fun to hear the clip-clop of horseshoes walking on the sidewalk by the rectory and stopping to be blessed by the priest. The quilt ministry is a wonderful outreach program for anyone in the community. We love to memorialize those who have died by ringing the bells one time for each year of the deceased’s age after each funeral service.
Down below the bells, you will find our garden. The first thing God built when he was building all the “things” was a garden. A garden is the “locus of creation” – people are drawn to them and they are an ideal meeting place to come together in Christ’s love or for any reason. Our garden is “the heart” of our grounds. Our garden has not only been a spiritual place for our congregation, but also for the community. It has been featured in past Community Garden Tours, and utilized for weddings and prom pictures. We also utilize our “Great Hall” for celebrations and parties by parish members.
Some years ago, a local lady would often stop by the Parish Hall at Christ Episcopal Church. She was known to people in the community as one of the “bag ladies” who spent a lot of time walking the streets and stopping at the Salvation Army, along with her regular visits to Christ Episcopal Church. This lady would use the church bathroom to clean up and rest before continuing on her daily walks. Parishioners were aware of this, and glad to know she had a place she felt comfortable and could rest. This continued for several years and occasionally she would sit in the back of the church during Sunday Service. Years later, Christ Episcopal Church became the beneficiary of a very large amount of money. This amazing woman, who lived a very humble life and asked for nothing, always remembered the kindness she felt from our church community. She asked for nothing…but gave so much.
Outreach
The Christ Church family is community oriented! Our members volunteer and hold responsible positions in a plethora of community non-profits. There are too many to mention but we’ll try: Jefferson County House of Hope, Salvation Army, Women’s Giving Circle, Girls Inc, Kiwanis, Madison Area Arts Alliance, Madison Music Movement, American Red Cross Disaster Relief, Madison Garden Club, Jefferson County Historical Society are but a few.
Our commitment to others is foundational to our church. We monetarily support House of Hope and help supply scarves and other warming items to Ohio River Barge through the National Seamen’s Church. In the past, we have hosted and participated in mid-week, noon Lenten services organized by the Greater Madison Ministerial Association. In addition, several of our parishioners are vocalists in the local production of The Messiah.
Finally, we enthusiastically offer meeting space to Narcotics Anonymous and PFLAG at no charge. We are proud of our beautiful church and grounds and are constantly looking at ways to share it.
