Welcome to Christ Church Parish, Redding, CT

we are redding's episcopal parish

We are a welcoming community of loving Christians exploring our faith, serving others, and growing in God's love. We are active in our community, and take great joy in fulfilling Jesus’ command to love God and our neighbor, in prayer, word, and action. All are welcomed, included, and affirmed at Christ Church Parish. To find out more, click below!

We meet at 9am on Sundays for a service of either Morning Prayer or Holy Eucharist.

We gather in our Parish Hall after the service for Coffee Hour.

CLICK HERE for more information!

Located at 184 Cross Highway, Redding, CT (on the corner of Cross Highway and Route 58)

A Reflection from Pastor Emilie

Dear People of God,

Christmas is almost here, and while I think we are all ready for a little light to come back into the world, it feels like many of us are also tired, stressed out, worn down, and perhaps not quite ready for the holiday. After all, I can barely manage to get up in the morning, get the snow off my car, get to work on time, get the house cleaned up and the groceries in the door. Not to mention baking cookies, decorating a tree, wrapping presents, and sparing a bit of time for an extra kindness to a neighbor.

How am I also supposed to prepare for the coming of God into the world? My house is too messy, my relationships are too messy, my heart is too messy, the world is too messy. How can we welcome the baby Jesus into this?

But Christmas shows us that sometimes it is in the darkest, messiest places, in ourselves, in our lives, and in the world, that we find God. Not God, the all-powerful creator of the universe, but God who is love, incarnate in the face of a tiny baby born to a couple of poor squatters in a cave with the animals.

At Christmas, love takes human flesh. The creator of the world becomes a creature in the world. And we see God's face as clearly and humbly as we see the face of a neighbor's newborn baby. Right here among us, with us, and in us, in the middle of the mess.

In the words of Madeline L'Engle:

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.

He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. He did not wait

till hearts were pure. In joy he came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.

He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.

We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!

Your Sister in Christ,
Emilie+