a publication of the episcopal diocese of rochester, ny

of Picture Exchange Communication System cards(or PECS), which help children with delayed speechdevelopment communicate and stay engaged withthe service. Tracey Taylor set up a sensory room forchildren who needed a break from the service, andprovided insight and feedback on how best to communicatewith the children.The first special-needs service was held on the afternoonof the Sunday before Christmas 2009, and wasattended by about twenty-five families, most with noprevious connection with Christ Church. Everyoneinvolved, staff, volunteers, and participants alike,agreed it was a high point of their Christmas season.The service lasted about half an hour, and at momentswas loud and boisterous, and at others quietand peaceful. After the service, a reception featuredsnacks appropriate for a variety of dietary needs, anda visit from Santa Claus. Many families told us howgrateful they were for the service, which for some ofthem was the first time they had been able to attendchurch together as a family.Since the first service, we have held four more throughthe year, each built around a theme and a story. PaulFrolick developed the scripts, using simple and engaginglanguage, and involving captivating visuals.At Easter, we had a service about new life, with astory about a giant caterpillar’s transformation intoa beautiful butterfly. In the summer, we broughtthe creation story to life with star machines, a large,sparkling sun, a wavy sea with fish and other creatures,and all sorts of animals and birds. This fall,we learned about generosity and friendship throughthe story of Zacchaeus, and at Christmas we repeatedthe Christmas pageant. All of the stories are flexible,can be done with six to ten or many more people (ouryouth choir members have really enjoyed being ableto help out with them), and we built the props fromreadily available materials. We’d be happy to sharethe scripts and materials with other churches. In fact,we found that they worked great for our congregationon Sunday mornings as Sunday School presentationsas well.The services have been a gift not only to the familieswho attend, but to the many folks who work on them.Jane Moore, Nina Ornt, and Tracey Taylor have providedtheir expertise and input, as well as workingto get the word out in the special-needs community,and helping out at the services. Many of our parishionershave helped with ushering and the receptions.Everyone at Christ Church is pleased to be able tooffer these services to special-needs families in ourcommunity, and we’d be happy to meet with otherchurches who are interested in our experiences andfinding out what we’ve learned.DistrictS OUTHEASTThe Church Tower atSaint James, Watkins GlenSaint James’ Churchin Watkins Glen wasconstructed in 1853.Shortly thereafter atower and bell wereadded to the front of thebuilding. Much of thelake-adjacent propertyin the Village of WatkinsGlen is fill, and forms abuffer with the QueenCatharine Marsh onthe south end of SenecaLake. And therein liesthe problem.Over the decades thetower has settled, causingconsiderable crackingin its brick constructed walls. Constructed usingbuilding techniques of the era the tower is interconnectedwith wood beams to support the bell’s weight. Acentury and a half of New York weather has weakenedthose beams’ connection with the brick walls and moisturehas eroded much of the brick’s strength. Manyloose and crumbling bricks from the top courses of thetower have been removed recently by parish volunteersand a screen netting installed. Many other areas ofthe building suffer from the same weather conditions:eaves, roof flashings, brick mortar, gutters, buttresssupports, stone window sills, and corner spires and arein need of repair as well.During the summer Bearsch Compeau KnudsonArchitects and Engineers of Binghamton performed6