We strive to welcome and incorporate everyone into our church family – young, old, new to New Bern, and “old timers” – encouraging everyone to get to know one another. We provide “comfort food,” unconditional appreciation, and blanket acceptance, along with friendship, support, and service.
This is a wonderful way to get involved in the life of the church and meet new people. Our talents are varied, so we each contribute in our own way for the greater good. We welcome anyone who is interested in any of our varied programs. New ideas and suggestions are always welcome; actually, they are what keep us alive, active, and growing.
To book a room for a Christ Church event, please email communications@christchurchnewbern.com.
The Art Guild
This group helps promote the use of religious artwork and works by parishioners. If you have a love of art, please consider being a part of this group.
Contact Ken Chance for more information.
Cookie Walk
In December the ECW sponsors a “cookie walk” open to the public, selling homemade Christmas cookies by the pound. All profits go to outreach.
Contact Janet Eldred for more information.
Daughters of the King
The Order of the Daughters of the King is a community of women bound together by love and a common vow to live a life of prayer and service. The group meets for worship, study and work in the church. Women of all ages are invited to be a part of the DOK.
Contact Jane Jones for more information.
Docents
During the hours that the church is open (12:30pm to 4:00pm Mon – Fri), Docents of Christ Church greet visitors who are interested in learning more about our church’s history, accompanying them on guided tours of our historic santuary and grounds. Training and a script give you the tools you need to provide information and answer questions.
Contact Helen Shine for more information
ECW – Episcopal Church Women
If you are an adult female member of the Episcopal Church, you are automatically a member of the ECW. Christ Church has two active chapters: St. Elizabeth and St. Francis. These two chapters meet at different times to accommodate the needs of the members. General Meetings, held twice a year, are open to all Episcopal Church Women. The ECW has several fund-raisers throughout the year. Their fund-raising has provided equipment for the kitchen at Christ Church as well as assisting in outreach in the community.
Contact Sheridan Holstein for more information.
Foyers
Foyers are small dinner groups made up of eight people who meet four times on a rotating basis at each other’s homes. Anyone interested in participating in foyers signs up twice a year and are assigned a new group each fall and winter/spring.
Contact Jane Broaddus for more information.
Funeral Receptions
This committee (six teams of three or four people) offers a reception in the Parish Hall before or after a funeral to provide and opportunity for family and friends to speak to one another. Light refreshments of homemade finger foods, coffee, tea and/or lemonade are provided by parishioners.
Contact Edward Opphile for more information.
Library
The library consists of nearly 1000 volumes on subjects including religion, theology, philosophy and history with additional small collections of fiction and children’s materials. Located in a beautiful room in the new core building, the library is open to parishioners any time the building is open—generally 9:00 to 3:00 Monday through Friday and Sunday mornings—unless the space is being used for a meeting. Any item with a spine label on it may be borrowed by signing and dating the card found in the back of the book and leaving the card on the desk in the library. There is no set loan period, but we do ask that materials be returned in 3 weeks, if possible. Returned materials may be left on the desk.
Contact Mark West for more information or visit ccnb-library.org to search the catalog.
LGBT
LGBT at Christ Church is helping to make sure that “All are welcome” in this place. The group was established to provide support for members of the congregation who are gay or lesbian or have children or other family members who are gay or lesbian. The group has a clear vision: LGBT at Christ Church is a fellowship of God’s children who work to live in a whole, welcoming church and community. The group is pastoral in nature and looks for educational opportunities. LGBT meets at 6:30 p.m. on fourth Mondays.
Contact Rosalie Wood for more information.
Parish Receptions and Picnics
This creative and tasty ministry hosts church picnics and receptions that are not covered by other committees at Christ Church. Some of these events are covered dish. Other special gatherings are prepared in our kitchen by exceptional cooks. This is a delightful way to use your gifts as well as meet other parishioners.
Each spring and fall the entire parish gathers in the churchyard for picnics. It is a time to spend an hour or so, amidst the dappled shade of our lovely old trees, eating through a smorgasbord of sumptuous food and surrounded by the chatter and laughter of friends new and old. Come and join us.
Contact Jane Ashford for more information.
The Pumpkin Patch
During the month of October, a popular destination in New Bern is the Christ Church yard, where thousands of pumpkins are displayed for sale. All profits go to outreach or to provide need-based scholarships to the Parish Retreat Weekend.
Contact Jane Ashford for more information.
Reception Desk Volunteers
Would you like to serve as the “greeting committee of the church” by volunteering to work the Reception Desk? Volunteers help out by manning the Reception Desk Monday — Friday afternoons. Duties include answering the phone, greeting visitors and answering any visitor questions. Shift include 12:00 — 2:00 pm and 2:00 — 4:00 pm, Mondays through Thursday and 12:00 — 2:00 pm on Fridays, and volunteers can commit to as many shifts as they would like. Contact Priscilla Miller for more information.
SOS – Stepping Out Singles
SOS is a group of adults who are single either by desire, design or chance. Our aim is to bring to each other that sense of comfort and camaraderie that is often missed when you find yourself living as a single unit instead of a family one. SOS is not a dating or matchmaking service. They meet one Saturday morning a month at a members’ home for a carry-in breakfast to keep in touch. Members often accompany one another to church services, dinners, and attend other social engagements and cultural offerings together.
Contact Jackie Barney for more information.