Christ Episcopal Church Jefferson TX

Christ Episcopal Church Jefferson TX We invite you to worship with us Sundays @ 11:00am & Wednesdays @ 6:00pm. Bible study is @ 9:45am each Sunday except for the last Sunday of the month. The Rev.

We are disciples seeking to live into the fullness of the grace we have been given through Jesus Christ. We invite you to worship with us! Please see our service times below:

Sunday Bible Study 9:45am
Sunday Service with Holy Eucharist 11:00am

Last Sunday of the month - Morning Prayer (no bible study), 11:00am

1st Wednesday of the month - Holy Eucharist, 6:00pm
All other Wednesday's - Compline

, 6:00pm

Brief History of Christ Church:

Christ Episcopal Church was organized as a parish on May 11, 1851. Henry Sansom of Marshall, was called upon to offer services one Sunday a month. From that early beginning to the present, the communicates of this Episcopal witness in Marion County have faithfully kept the flame of ministry alive. Through both difficult and more comfortable times, Christ Church has continued as the northern most church of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.

09/06/2026

Good morning, everyone! Welcome to Christ Church in Jefferson, Texas on this sunny Sunday! We welcome September with the Holy Eucharist led by Father John Himes. Sit, be at rest and join us in His presence!

09/06/2026

y Devotions
Scripture, Meditation, and Prayer for Every Day
Richard Kew
Sunday, September 6, 2026


1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.


Thought for the Day
To this point, Paul has been very upbeat about the Thessalonians, and with good reason. They have weathered the storm of Paul’s being ripped from them before he had finished teaching the basics of being a follower of Jesus Christ. He was proud of them for this, especially the way in which they show affection and support for one another. But now he is moving toward addressing the shortcomings to which Timothy has drawn his attention as a result of his visit. One of the things he is particularly concerned about is that they may do a decent day’s work as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. As we move forward we will see how their confusion about Christ’s return has resulted in perplexity when it comes to how they live their day to day lives. There’s lots more of this in what follows in the rest of 1 Thessalonians as well as the shorter second letter.

Thanksgiving for the Day
We praise God for pastoral wisdom.


Intercession for the Day
Let us pray that we may consistently learn and study the Scriptures and our faith so that we do not fall into misunderstanding based on inadequate knowledged.


Collect for the Day
Glorious and redeeming God, give us hearts to praise you all our days and wills to reject the world’s deceits, that we may bind the evils of our age and proclaim the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

(Psalm 149 is behind this Collect)


Readings for the Day
Job 25:1-6, Psalm 149, 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, Matthew 18:15-20

09/05/2026

Daily Devotions
Scripture, Meditation, and Prayer for Every Day
Richard Kew
Saturday, September 5, 2026



1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Finally, then, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.


Thought for the Day
With his anxieties about the Thessalonians having been quelled, Paul having fully debriefed Timothy, now spells out some of the concerns that he has for them. Remembering that this is a predominantly Gentile church there are some basic behavioral principles that he feels he needs to spell out. We are called in our lives to reflect the Lord Jesus Christ. That faith which is now implanted in us requires shaping and directing when it comes to such issue as sexuality and various kinds of impurity – many of which would have been part of the normal lifestyle of Gentile and pagan peoples in those days (and our own). We are called away from the values that are lived out by those non-believers around us, and reflect in our lives his purity and holiness. The Holy Spirit is sanctifying us, that is, making us holy and whole like Christ.


Thanksgiving for the Day
We thank God for those who guide us into truthful believing and truthful living.


Intercession for the Day
Let us pray that we might be guided away from dishonesty and untruthfulness.


Collect for the Day
King of the universe, you show the bright glory of your reign in acts of mercy and enduring love; raise the spirits of the downcast and restore those who have fallen away, that we may sing for ever of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

(This collect draws on Psalm 145)


Readings for the Day
Job 22:1-21, Psalm 145, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, Luke 6:1-5

09/04/2026

Daily Devotions
Scripture, Meditation, and Prayer for Every Day
Richard Kew
Friday, September 4, 2026


1 Thessalonians 3:6-13
But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.



Thought for the Day
It is about 350 miles between Corinth, where Paul likely was, and Thessalonica, a round-trip journey on foot that would have taken several weeks, maybe a little less if Timothy had gone by sea. Then there was the time he needed to spend there with the Christians about whom Paul was concerned. It is likely that Paul was on tenterhooks with concern for his Thessalonian friends for as much as three months. So, when Timothy returns with good news of your faith and love, the relief would have been palpable. He had been praying that they were walking in the way of the Lord and now knows that despite the persecutions and hardships these new believers had endured that they are standing fast in the Lord. Anxiety turns to thanksgiving, which then spawns the deepest prayer.

Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, Paul prays, because having been wrenched away from them by the mob in Thessalonica there is so much more to say, pray, and learn together. Here is a pastor praying for his flock that the Lord may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.


Thanksgiving for the Day
We thank God for those times when for some reason or another the cause of stress is taken away.


Intercession for the Day
Let us pray for all we know who are traveling.


Collect for the Day
Lord Jesus Christ, when scorn and shame besiege us and hope is veiled in grief, hold us in your wounded hands and make your face shine on us again, for you are our Lord and God. Amen

(Collect inspired by Psalm 31)


Readings for the Day
Job 19:1-27, Psalm 31, 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 5:33-39

09/03/2026

Daily Devotions
Scripture, Meditation, and Prayer for Every Day
Richard Kew
Thursday, September 3, 2026

1 Thessalonians 2:19-3:5
For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.


Thought for the Day
Imagine Paul being expelled from Thessalonica by a mob stirred up by opponents determined to rid themselves and their city of these men who have turned the world upside down. Violence has been used against him, his missionary band, and many of the first believers, especially a man named Jason. The experience had been traumatic, and the aftertaste remains with him, fearful for the safety of those he was nurturing into faith in Jesus Christ. Anxiety was eating away at him. I suspect his companions refused to let him return, one of two of them under the leadership of Timothy to go back and check on them. These are the actions of an affectionate pastor with a loving heart. They had come under stress of every kind – he uses the word thlipsis which means affliction, physical, mental, spiritual.

Paul considered these Thessalonians their glory and joy. It is clear that before they were turfed out of the city, Paul and company had warned them that wonderful as faith in God’s Messiah is, it came with a caveat of hardships. Being forewarned is to be forearmed, but facing such conflict is much more difficult than they might imagine. The goal of the Evil One was to turn them away from the life of faith. We may not face mobs, but there are all sorts of pressures, even from those we might love, that are they to dissuade us from our call to be disciples of the Lord Jesus.


Thanksgiving for the Day
We praise the Lord for the love and affection of Christ and in his church.


Intercession for the Day
We pray for loving and praying pastors and lay leaders.


Collect for the Day
O Lord of hosts, purify our hearts that the King of glory may come in, your Son, Jesus our redeemer. Amen

(A Collect summarizing Psalm 24)


Readings for the Day
Job 16:16-17:16, Psalm 24, 1 Thessalonians 2:19-3:5, Luk 5:1-11

09/02/2026

Good evening, everyone! Welcome to Christ Church in Jefferson as we celebrate the first Wednesday of September. Join us in prayer and the Holy Eucharist, led by Father John Himes. He is with us! We're glad to have you pray with us!

09/02/2026

Daily Devotions
Scripture, Meditation, and Prayer for Every Day
Richard Kew
Wednesday, August 26, 2026


Acts 18:24-28
Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.


Thought for the Day
Priscilla and Aquila had now moved their base with Paul from Corinth to Ephesus, then Paul had gone off into the hinterland of Asia Minor when a distinguished gentleman by the name of Apollos arrived from Alexandria, Egypt. At that time Alexandria was one of the world’s most significant center of learning with a huge Jewish population. Some of the great minds of Judaism were contemporaries with Apollos when growing up. On hearing him teach, Priscilla and Aquila recognized the inadequacy of his understanding of the faith, had him over for a meal and set about filling in the gaps. Why there is such a blank in Apollos’s understanding of the faith we do not know but this faithful Christian couple completed the picture for him. He had a good mind, was an eloquent speaker, but the blanks needed to be filled in.

I suspect that having recognized his great gifts, Aquila and Priscilla then sent him off to Corinth in the Greek province of Achaia where he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul affirmed the ministry of Apollos (1 C0rinthians 1:10-17). In a way, Apollos’s ability as a learned but exciting preacher likely complemented Paul’s less exciting rigorousness.


Thanksgiving for the Day
We praise the living God for raising up men and women with great gifts of learning, loving, and communicating the gospel.


Intercession for the Day
Let us pray that we might know how to winsomely share the faith that is within us.


Collect for the Day
O Christ, our true vine, may we your branches be ever fruitful in your service and share your love and peace with all your children,
in the power of the Spirit and to the glory of the Father. Amen

(This Collect was inspired by Psalm 128)


Readings for the Day
Job 6:1-7:21, Psalm 128, Acts 18:24-28, Matthew 23:27-32

08/30/2026

Good morning and welcome to Christ Church for Morning Prayer.

08/30/2026

Daily Devotions
Scripture, Meditation, and Prayer for Every Day
Richard Kew
Sunday, August 30, 2026

Act 17:1-9
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. 10 The brothers and sisters immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.


Thought for the Day
After a successful ministry in Philippi that ended with a fraught few days, Paul and his missionary band move southward to Thessalonica. It is likely they did not stop at the first cities they came to because they learned there was a synagogue in Thessalonica, and Paul’s commitment was to go to the Jews first with the message of their Messiah and then to the Gentiles. This was why he started his ministry in the synagogue that had a penumbra of non-Jews attracted by the simple beauty and high ethic of Judaism, compared to amorality of the Greek gods and goddesses.

You can almost hear the reactions of the various groups. From the Gentile seekers after the truth, a desire to know more, which ultimately would have led to baptisms, to the Pharisee-influenced Jews who condemned it all as blasphemy. To them, these were the men who have turned the world upside down. Jason was a Gentile name and he is castigated for give safe harbor to Paul and his team. This seems to be where the Jesus v. Caesar as king accusations came to the fore. Any twisting of the truth will do to get rid of these troublemakers. Paul and company had become too hot to handle and so moved on to nearby Berea – until the extremists from Thessalonica came after them. The two letters to the Thessalonians were written relatively soon after all this had happened and to those we turn tomorrow.


Thanksgiving for the Day
We praise God when individuals outside the fold respond to the love of the Lord Jesus.


Intercession for the Day
We pray for those men and women around the world who day by day are making Christ known and facing personal danger for doing so.


Collect for the Day
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(The Collect for this Sunday)


Readings for the Day
Exodus 3:1-15, Psalm 26, Acts 17:1-10, Matthew 16:21-28.

Address

703 S Main Street
Jefferson, TX
75657

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9:30am - 3:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 3:30pm
5:30pm - 6:30pm
Sunday 9:45am - 12:30pm

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