A Parish at the Heart of Downtown Pensacola
Christ Church Episcopal has stood on the corner of Wright Street in downtown Pensacola for 190 years. The building, the liturgy, and the surrounding community have changed many times over, but the parish's reason for gathering has stayed simple. As its members like to put it, Christ Church exists to show everyone God loves them unconditionally.
The parish lives out that calling through three movements the congregation calls Experience, Embrace, and Extend. The outstretched arms of God's love are experienced through worship and music. That love is embraced in the formation offerings that knit believers into a community. And that love is extended, in truth and action, to neighbors both inside and outside the church walls.
Sundays in the Episcopal Tradition
Two Sunday services anchor parish life, both celebrated from the Book of Common Prayer using Rite II. The 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist is the quieter of the two, and the 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist is the principal liturgy of the week, supported by the Parish Choir and livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube for those who cannot be present. A Wednesday noon Healing Eucharist at 12:00 p.m. offers a midweek touchstone for those who want to keep the week bracketed by prayer.
Christian Education for all ages meets between the two Sunday services at 9:30 a.m. Children gather for Sunday School in the Education Building, youth meet in the Upper Room for Sunday Formation, and adults head to classrooms and lounges around campus for classes that change with the season.
The 10:30 a.m. service follows the structure Episcopalians will recognize anywhere in the world. The Liturgy of the Word gathers the assembly around the readings appointed by the three-year lectionary, a Gospel procession in which the crucifer carries the Gospel book into the center of the congregation, the sermon, the Nicene Creed, prayers of the people, the confession, and the sharing of the Peace. The Liturgy of the Table then moves into the Offertory, the Eucharistic Prayer, the Great Thanksgiving, the Lord's Prayer, the breaking of the bread, and Holy Communion. Ushers hand out bulletins and welcome first-time guests, the pews contain a red Book of Common Prayer and a blue Hymnal 1982, and the only requirement for receiving communion is a desire to meet Christ in the sacrament. Anyone who would prefer a blessing instead is welcome to come forward and cross their arms over their chest. A gluten-free wafer is available by crossing one arm.
Music at Christ Church
Music is integral to worship here, and the parish takes seriously both the congregational tradition and the choral heritage of The Episcopal Church. The Christ Church Parish Choir sings for the 10:30 a.m. Eucharist every week, and adds its voice to Advent or Christmas Lessons and Carols, Christmas Eve, Holy Week, and Choral Evensong services throughout the year. Rehearsals take place on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Choir Room.
Children and youth who love to sing have a real home to the Christ Church Choristers program, an affiliate of the Royal School of Church Music. Apprentice Choristers begin in third grade and earn their cottas, the traditional white liturgical vestment, the following year. Junior Choristers rehearse on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., and Senior Girls, grades six through twelve, rehearse on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Both groups join the Parish Choir to lead worship roughly two Sundays a month. Choristers work through the Voice for Life curriculum, study music theory and sight singing, and have opportunities to attend week-long RSCM summer courses across the country.
The instrument that anchors all of this is a mechanical action, or tracker, pipe organ built in 1975 by Gabriel Kney and Company of London, Ontario. The Germanic neo-Baroque instrument comprises 60 ranks across 43 stops and three manual divisions, and was the gift of a single donor in 1973.
Children, Youth, and Family Life
Children are wholeheartedly welcome in worship at Christ Church, and the parish surrounds that welcome with year-round formation. The Nursery opens every Sunday at 7:45 a.m. and stays open until noon for infants through three-year-olds. Sunday School for four-year-olds through fifth graders takes place between the services, with Godly Play for Pre-K through third grade and a two-year Journey Through the Bible curriculum for fourth and fifth graders. During the 10:30 a.m. service, Children’s Chapel invites preschoolers through fifth graders to follow the cross down the aisle for their own lesson, returning at the Peace so they can receive communion with their families.
Children in first through fifth grade also have the chance to serve as acolytes, taking turns as crucifer, flag bearer, and candle lighter during the liturgy.
Middle and high school students belong to the Episcopal Youth Community, or EYC. Middle School EYC meets on Monday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Upper Room with dinner, a short lesson on one of the Fruits of the Spirit, and plenty of time for games, crafts, and conversation. High School EYC meets on Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. with the same rhythm. Sunday Formation for both groups begins at 9:30 a.m., currently working through the Story Makers NYC curriculum, where each youth receives a personal zine for creative exploration of the Gospels.
Rachel Hunt directs the Children and Family Ministry, and Meghan Johnson serves as Youth Minister.
Adults: Bible Studies, Small Groups, and the Prime Timers
Adult formation at Christ Church covers a wide range of formats. On Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m., the Adult Christian Formation class meets in Room 31 of the Education Building. A fall small group study of the Parable of the Sower meets once a week for five weeks beginning in early September.
During the week, the Wednesday Bible Study gathers at 7:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall, open to both men and women. Dad's Bible Study meets Thursday mornings at 8:00 a.m. at Polanza Bistro, and Mom's Bible Study convenes on a more flexible weekly schedule during the school year. YAAC, the Young Adults of Christ Church, meets on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. at Odd Colony Brewing Company for fellowship and Bible study. Prime Timers, the parish's ministry of seniors and retirees, gathers quarterly for socials.
The Gathering, a parish favorite, takes place every third Wednesday from August through May. Eucharist is celebrated in the church at 5:00 p.m., followed by dinner in the Parish Hall at 5:30 p.m. and a short presentation from one of the parish's outreach partners. Food for the Body, Food for the Soul meets on the second Tuesday of each month in the Parish Hall, pairing a meal with an overview of a book of the Bible to study throughout the rest of the month.
Pastoral Care and the Circle of Care
Christ Church takes seriously the call to care for its own. The Circle of Care is the volunteer arm of the Pastoral Care Ministry, working alongside the clergy to make sure no parishioner is overlooked during illness, rehabilitation, childbirth, or bereavement. The team brings the Eucharist to those who cannot attend services, prepares meals for families recovering from surgery or grieving a loss, knits and crochets prayer shawls and blankets, visits new parents, calls homebound members, and sends prayer cards.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets every third Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in the Parlor, and newcomers are always welcome; instructions are provided for those who wish to learn. The Pastoral Care Flower Ministry arranges altar flowers from Sunday services for parishioners in need or marking a milestone, with the Brotherhood of St. Andrew delivering the arrangements. The Bereavement Hospitality Ministry assists families in organizing a reception following a funeral or memorial service, and the Telephone Ministry keeps homebound members informed and connected to parish news.
Outreach into Escambia County and Beyond
Service to others is the backbone of the parish's faith. Christ Church supports a portfolio of ministries that reach well beyond its own walls, with Rev. Katie Gillett connecting volunteers to the ministry liaison or committee chair for each effort.
The parish has been a community partner with Montclair Elementary since 2018. The school sits in one of the most impoverished communities of Pensacola, and Christ Church listens to the administration to learn how to bless the ongoing work of teachers and staff. Members serve as mentors, help stock the school store, assist with school experience trips, and find ways to appreciate the staff. Gary McGraw serves as the parish's volunteer liaison.
Each summer the parish helps support the Central Gulf Coast CDF Freedom School, a literacy and cultural enrichment program of the Children's Defense Fund rooted in the Mississippi Freedom Summer of 1964. The school serves youth from Montclair Elementary, Dixon School of the Arts, and Global Learning Academy. Christ Church also supports Children in Crisis, which since 2008 has provided a safe, secure, loving home to more than 800 children at the CIC Children's Neighborhood in Fort Walton Beach, with an emergency shelter, family-style homes, and studio apartments for transitional housing.
For women in need, Christ Church supports FavorHouse of Northwest Florida, a domestic violence center serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with round-the-clock shelters and crisis lines, and Pathways for Change, a faith-based nonprofit offering education, workforce development, counseling, reintegration, family support, and veteran services. Sarah Ballew coordinates the parish's partnership with Pathways for Change.
Christ Church Little Learners Day School
The parish's weekday ministry for the youngest children is Christ Church Little Learners Day School, a warm, nurturing environment that welcomes children from six weeks of age through age four. The program offers flexible part-time scheduling and is licensed through ACSI, the Association of Christian Schools International, with a curriculum designed for age-appropriate socialization and discovery. Enrollment is on a month-to-month agreement. Lisa Turner serves as the director.
Clergy, Staff, and Leadership
The Rev. Dr. Michael Hoffman is the parish's eighteenth rector, beginning his ministry in December 2016 after serving as rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in McKinney, Texas. The Rev. Kathryn Gillett serves as Vice Rector, and the Rev. David Knight, who served as Interim Rector at Christ Church in 2016, returned as Associate Rector after ten years as Rector of St. Simon's on the Sound in Fort Walton Beach. Dr. Jason Hobratschk directs the Music Ministry. Rachel Hunt leads Children and Family Ministries, and Meghan Johnson serves as Youth Minister. Tim Heindl is the Parish Administrator, Traci Hart is the Director of Communications, and Paul Miller serves as Assistant Organist. Treece Efrid, a former United Methodist diaconal minister of music, is the Technology Coordinator.
The Vestry governs the parish under the rector's supervision, with fifteen elected members serving three-year terms. Five members rotate off each January at the Annual Parish Meeting and are replaced by five newly elected members.
Weddings, Funerals, and Membership
Christ Church hosts weddings and funerals as part of its pastoral ministry. Couples considering a wedding at Christ Church are asked to read the Wedding Policy and reflect on what Christian marriage means before submitting a request form. Funerals can be arranged through the parish office, and the Bereavement Hospitality Ministry helps families organize a reception in the Parlor or Parish Hall following a memorial service.
Giving and Practical Details
Members and friends of Christ Church can give in several ways. The offering plate is collected during the Offertory at each Sunday service, and the business office accepts mailed gifts. Online giving is available, and gifts can also be texted to (850) 403-6673. The parish accepts automatic bank drafts, stock donations, charitable gift fund designations, and life insurance gifts. For credit toward a given year, contributions must be received by the end of the working day on December 31, or postmarked by that date.
The parish offices are located at 18 West Wright Street in downtown Pensacola, and the phone number is (850) 432-5115. Services are held in English.