From the Rector's Desk
Wednesday Lenten Prayer
Update from Rwanda
Confirmation
CaLLiNG Seminar
Redeemer Kids Corner
Redeemer Youth Ministries
Prayer Notes
BIRTHDAYS
2/14 Mark Battaglia
SUNDAY READINGS
Genesis 2:4b-9,15-17,25-3:7
Psalm 51:1-13
Romans 5:12-21
Matthew 6:1-6,16-21
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February 8, 2008
From the Rector's Desk:
I spent most of the day yesterday trying to dig out from the big snow, which accumulated on top of the growing snow blanket we already had. It’s definitely winter. It’s also Lent, and the two came together in such a way as to require us to cancel our Ash Wednesday evening service. I hated to do that, but the parking lot was not plowed out at the church, and the snow was falling heavy and blowing at late afternoon. Part of that comes from the very early date for Ash Wednesday---the earliest since Woodrow Wilson was President nearly 100 years ago, based on an early Easter this year.
Since ashes are a way to enter Lent, we’ve decided that we will offer the imposition of ashes during the service this Sunday morning. It will not be an Ash Wednesday service simply moved to another day, but I think it important for us to have that experience as a congregation, even as we receive the call to a Holy Lenten season. So we’ll gather at 10 a.m. as usual, sing, celebrate and hear the Lord’s Word, as well as enter together into this season of repentance. Then we will give thanks at the Lord’s Table for his mighty acts of salvation and new life.
Lent: a Bright Sadness
Alexander Schmemann was a theologian in the Orthodox Church that has shaped my thinking about Lent. He his book “Great Lent: Journey to Pascha”, he offered that this season is not about the prescriptions for what we can and can’t do, or what we are giving up, but rather an atmosphere that we enter that helps our hearts respond to the work of the Holy Spirit. “Let us stress once more that the purpose of Lent is not to force on us a few formal obligations, but to ‘soften’ our heart so that it may be open to the realities of the spirit, to experience the hidden ‘thirst and hunger’ for communion with God”. For Schmemann, this comes primarily through worship, and through the changes we experience in our liturgy at this season. While we are sorry for our sins, we are grateful for the forgiveness and new beginning that God’s mercy offers, what Schmemann calls a ‘bright sadness’. That phrase has a lot of resonance to me, and I want us to be aware of it as we worship together between now and Holy Week.
I look forward to our Lenten journey together, and to our worship this week.
Blessings and peace,
Jay+
The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org
Wednesday Lenten Prayer
Lent is marked by several disciples that we can take on for the forty day journey. They are prayer, penitence, self-denial (such as fasting) and almsgiving, or giving to the poor. Our Wednesday evening prayer gatherings will continue during lent with new urgency. Join us for worship and prayer that will conclude, during Lent, with the liturgy for Compline, a brief service offered at the end of the day. We meet at 7 p.m. at the Evangelical Church in Highland Park.
Update from Rwanda
Last Sunday morning there was a 6-point-0 earthquake in Rwanda, near the Congo border. While we still don't have direct information from our church leaders there, I have received a report from a pastor with Global Teams in Africa, that I'm passing on to you. Please continue to pray.
Thanks,
- Fr. Jay
“38 died in Cyangugu and 280 people were injured. Some are still in critical condition. Many buildings were affected by the earthquake including churches, governments, schools, one hospital and houses of the people.
One radio station in the DRC reported that 200 people died yet I don’t know if it true. Many houses were affected.
Pray for all these people.
The last earthquake happened in 2003. Maybe it is related to the volcano region which is between Rwanda, DRC and Uganda.
Please ask your members for more prayers.”
-
The Rev Amos Mukiza
Confirmation
 The Church of the Redeemer is entering into a period of preparing those that desire to be confirmed in the faith by Bishop John Rucyahana during his visit with us in late April. These classes will begin Sunday, February 24th at 9am, and will continue most Sundays until April 20th, with confirmation on April 27th. Confirmation is open to all baptized Christians that have not been previously confirmed, and who are at least 15 years of age (individual exceptions on age may be made).
This includes those coming from other traditions that wish to align more closely with Church of the Redeemer and the Anglican Church of Rwanda, as well as those baptized as infants who will now stand and publicly own their faith as maturing disciples of Jesus Christ. As theologian JI Packer affirms, ‘confirmation becomes a profound occasion of commitment or recommitment, and of witness to the saving work of Christ embraced by faith’. Bishop Rucyahana will lay hands on the confirmands and pray for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit and a release of their gifts and baptismal calling into the body of Christ.
For preparation we will be using JI Packer’s book “Growing in Christ”, especially the sections on the Apostles Creed and the Ten Commandments, as well as several other important discussions (ie. What is ‘Anglican’ and the role of the Sciptures in our life of faith). Commitment to reading the assigned passages and class attendance is required.
If you would like to enter this process of confirmation, please contact our church office, redeemer@redeemernorthshore.org or at (847) 681-2872.
CaLLiNG Seminar - February 16
The next CaLLiNG Seminar takes place on February 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Faith Christian Reformed Church (1070 S. Prospect Av., Elmhurst IL 60126). Boaz Johnson who brings a rich perspective and insight to the whole of the scriptures will be teaching on "What is the vision of God to our Post Modern World in the Hebrew Scriptures?"
You can register for this event via the web.
The cost is $35 at the door if you register in advance and $40 at the door if you have not registered in advance (Lunch will be provided). Please feel free to invite anyone whom you know who wants to grow as Lay Leaders in the church.
Redeemer Kids Corner
February Schedule for Redeemer Kids (3 year olds- 5th graders)
10th- Symbols of Lent- Catherine Kerson and Melissa Ross
17th- Children's Liturgy- Bill Gorman and Libby Pruitt
24th- Worship through Artistic Expression- Joshua Beckett and Caitlin Greener
Redeemer Youth Ministries
Our second Jr. High Date Day takes place in a few weeks. We are reserving a couple hours where our Jr. High students are going to watch the infants in the congregation on Saturday, February 23. If you as a parent would like to be involved in this, come to a five minute meeting after coffee hour this week to discuss details. Thank you again!
Prayer Notes. . .
- for the Mission and Vision and Outreach of Church of the Redeemer
- for our Rector, Fr. Jay, and his family
- for Bishop Sandy and Gigi Greene
- for our staff and their families
- for our leadership (Vestry, ministry leaders)
- for all who suffer illness, hardship and discouragement
- for this season of waiting and anticipating God's action and vision at Redeemer
- for the Anglican Church of Rwanda, its leaders and people
- for all who serve within the context of our faith community
- that we would faithfully reach out to the spiritually disconnected and hurting, and bring them into fellowship
- for other congregations in relationship to us
- for our need to live Epiphany, even as we approach Lent
- for those who need jobs and provision
- to enrich and expand our life of prayer
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