Church of the Redeemer Update

From the Rector's Desk

...more on Persecution

Discover Redeemer

Hanging of the Greens

Stewardship Update

Redeemer Kids Corner

Redeemer Youth Ministries

Prayer Notes

MINISTRY NEEDS

Set-up Team: 2-3 people to help with set-ups on Sundays and for special events. Contact Julia at the church office, (847) 681-2872.

SUNDAY READINGS

Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 46
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 19:29-38

November 21, 2007

From the Rector's Desk:

This week we observe the one day set aside in our culture to give out some thanks. It’s become primarily a doorway into the end-of-year holidays—a day for family but also heavy-lifting in the food department. Gratitude gets short shrift as we work to survive from day to day, and most people are not sure who they are supposed to thank, anyway. At least that’s a picture that might seem familiar to many.

Real thanksgiving is a mark of those who know Whom to thank, and it is not something we do from time to time, but a way of life—a posture. The Psalmist reminds us that we enter God’s presence with thanksgiving (Psalm 100) which is one reason that when I lack gratitude in my life I wonder where God went. A thankful heart is a natural response when we rehearse the things God has done for us, is doing now, and promises to do in the future. We are sustained by God in Christ, just as the universe itself finds its continuation and it’s ultimate remaking in him. All that we are and have and will become are gifts from God’s hand.

When we are beaten down or discouraged and are struggling in life, thankfulness is often the first casualty. It’s not purposeful but simply that we are looking inward, overwhelmed with our own situation, bent in our posture towards our own need. I understand this—I think we all do. But it is the mercy of God and the kindness of others that helps to lift our heads so that we might gaze into the face of God and know open-ness of heart and life again. Following Israel’s exile and deprivation this was to be one of the characteristics of restoration: The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing (Isaiah 51:3).

I pray that we all know thankfulness in our lives to God and to each other. And if it is hard to come by in ourselves or others that we know, that we will consider all that God has offered and press into gratitude as fully as we can, that it might overflow to those around us.

I am very thankful to God for life, my family, for you and for all the blessings we enjoy. The past year alone is full of wonderful gifts, too numerous to count, for which I give thanks to God. And the greatest thankfulness is expressed in what we pray during the Eucharist (‘thanksgiving’ meal) at Easter:

But chiefly are we bound to praise you for the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; for he is the true Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us, and has taken away the sin of the world. By his death he has destroyed death, and by his rising to life again he has won for us everlasting life.

Thanks be to God!

May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday.

Blessings!
Jay+

The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org

...more on Persecution

I have been asked a number of follow-up questions to Sunday’s sermon, and I’m always glad to dig a little deeper or engage in further conversation. After all, a monologue is not that appealing, neither for the speaker nor the listener.

Someone reminded me that we too often think of the church’s martyrs as those specially set aside for a task or gifted in some way that separates them from the rest of us. I’m sure that there must be some grace or gift that comes in the moment in order to endure trial, but the point is well taken that most of these are people just like us—trying to live out their lives in peace, raising their families, doing their jobs, enjoying friendships, and they are not seeking to make a statement or challenge the legal system. They have been arrested, for the most part, in the ordinary, ‘normal’ exchanges of the Christian faith that we engage in every day: Bible reading, worshiping, praying, and sharing with others.

I have also been asked for the stats that I quoted, which come from the Voice of the Martyrs ministry. Here’s the paragraph from Sunday’s sermon:

"More than 70 million Christians have been martyred for their faith since 33 AD. This year an estimated 160,000 believers will die at the hands of their oppressors and over 200 million will be persecuted, arrested, tortured, beaten or jailed. In many nations it is illegal to own a Bible, share your faith, change your faith or allow children under 18 to attend a religious service."

For more information check out www.persecution.com and www.persecution.org.

Discover Redeemer

We are pleased to once again offer our 'Discover Redeemer' course for those who want to know more about our church. This was last taught in the Spring, and if you missed all or a part of it, or have joined us since then, plan on attending. In this class we'll cover issues surrounding our own history as a congregation, our relationship with Rwanda, our worship and sacraments, our identity and mission as a church and ways you can serve at Redeemer, among other interesting topics. It was well received in the Spring, so come and discover.

This coming Sunday is week 2 and we’ll move from historical background to issues of belief and practice, so join us this Sunday at 9 a.m.

In just a few weeks we will enter the Advent season, a time of the year in the church where we await God’s arrival, and make a place for the Lord to enter anew our families and our lives.

To mark that time, we will join together as a community to decorate the church for Advent, enjoy music of the season, make advent wreaths to take home with us, and share in a light supper. This event is for all of us, regardless of age, with our Redeemer family and special guests. The 'Hanging of the Greens' will be Saturday, December 1 from 4-6 pm at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Deerfield Rd. Set aside the date on your calendar, and invite friends and family to this warm event that can serve as an antidote to the commercialization and high-pressure of the season.

Please let Allyson Entner (allyson@redeemernorthshore.org) know by November 26 if you are planning on joining us.

Stewardship Update

If you’ve been reading this email each week that you’re very aware of our appeal for prayer and support as we draw near to the end of the year. It’s an important need we face, but not an unusual one, as a large part of financial support of Redeemer’s ministry comes in the final quarter. I’m convinced that this is an area where God blesses in unexpected ways, and also that it is an area of discipline where most of us can grow.

Here are a couple of practical things:

--pray for the release of resources. God does not call us to work that he has not already underwritten. Sometimes we don’t realize our own role in God’s great plan, and the ways that God can bless availability and obedience. We may be waiting on someone else to do the thing God has asked of us.

--check on your own giving. Sometimes we miss contributions that we intended to make because of vacation or other things in the last 11 months. To determine your current year-to-date stewardship send an email to our treasurer, Harlan Kerson, at kerson@sbcglobal.net

--If you have already responded as you believe God has asked, then pray for others. Giving, at its heart, is a spiritual discipline, and the Kingdom is released through our willingness to let go control of our lives to the Lord. In our culture finance is one of the key areas in which people control, measure and value themselves and others. Sacrificial giving helps to break that tendency in ourselves and establish Kingdom principles of trust and reliance.

Thank you for your generous partnership in the Kingdom through your giving at Church of the Redeemer.

Redeemer Kids Corner

This Sunday, November 25, children 3 years old- 5th grade will be given the opportunity to worship with their families in the corporate service. No Children's Liturgy will be offered. The Children's Liturgy will resume on December 2, which is the first Sunday of Advent!

You're Invited!
Redeemer Kids is hosting a Hanging of the Greens for the entire church. We hope all of you will mark your calendars and join us on Saturday, December 1 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Please respond to Allyson Entner at allyson@redeemernorthshore.org by November 26 if you are planning on joining us.

Redeemer Youth Ministries

Our Laser tag event this past weekend went very well! It was great to have a number of students and parents out there having a good time together. We had a large number of people show and look forward to doing it again in the spring!

For the holiday we are taking a break with our Wednesday Night Bible Study and Sunday Night gathering. Have a great Thanksgiving!!!

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 our finances and stewardship
for the Anglican Church of Rwanda, its leaders and people
for all who serve within the context of our faith community
for teachers, students and staff as school, in all its various forms, resumes
that we would faithfully reach out to the spiritually disconnected and hurting, and bring them into fellowship
for other congregations in relationship to us
to enrich and expand our life of prayer