From the Rector's Desk
Preaching This Week
Sunday, December 16
Christmas Eve
Advent Outreach
Our Weekly Bread
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
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-8
Romans 15:4-13
Matthew 3:1-12
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December 6, 2007
From the Rector's Desk:
 As we’re walking together through Advent, I want to look behind one of our popular cultural images to see the heart of a true, devoted and committed Bishop and pastor, whose life is celebrated around the world on this date, December 6th. It’s hard to get away from the gaze of the ‘jolly old elf’ himself at this time of the year, looking down on us from billboards, staring out from the TV set and impersonated at every turn. Our modern Santa Claus, a Madison Avenue invention for the most part, does owe the heart of his identity to a Christian Bishop that lived in the fourth century--a far cry from the commercial version that has been branded into our subconscious minds. The name ‘Santa Claus’ is from the Dutch ‘Sinterklaas’, or Saint Nicholas.
Nicholas was born in the late 3rd century in a region now located in Turkey. While we have little historical information about him, it is known that he was a devout and faithful Christian, even from his childhood. He was persecuted under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, as were thousands of others, and he was tortured as he refused to deny his faith. Imprisoned during this time he was eventually freed by a new Emperor, Constantine. Nicholas was Bishop of Myra, a city not far from where he grew up. It is reported that he attended the Council of Nicea in 325, from which we have our Nicene Creed.
His reputation is that he cared especially for the poor and often made gifts from his own personal resources to those who were in need, or were being treated harshly or unjustly. The most famous story is of three daughters with no dowry who, with no prospects of marriage, faced a life of prostitution. Nicholas supposedly crept in at night and left three shoes full of gold coins to save them from their plight. While this is likely legend, it appears to be rooted at least in truth about the life and ministry of this Bishop. Certainly it is this reputation that the church has carried down through the centuries. His image is the most depicted in Byzantine icons, and artists throughout the church’s centuries have represented him more than any other figure, save the Virgin Mary. In the middle ages over 400 churches were dedicated to his memory in England, alone. So whatever the facts behind his life, the Church over fifteen hundred years has maintained his humility, servanthood and faithfulness, in the face of persecution and hardship.
So the next time the subject of Santa Claus comes up at the office party or holiday dinner, just nonchalantly offer, “Oh yes, Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, persecuted and imprisoned for his faith under the emperor Diocletian, probably participated in giving us the Nicene Creed…great guy”. You’ll be the life of the party.
Advent blessings!
Jay+
The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org
Preaching This Week
This Sunday we welcome back to our pulpit Dr. Ben Mitchell, Director of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity in Bannockburn and professor at Trinity. Ben and Nancy are a part of our Redeemer congregation, and we look forward to his proclamation from the Word.
Sunday, December 16 @ 9 a.m.
Next Sunday morning Dana Harris will return to wrap up her excellent teaching series in the book of Revelation. We’ll find out just how important the message of Revelation is to our Advent expectations. Even if you have missed the other lessons, please join us for this outstanding opportunity to learn, grow and be encouraged.
Christmas Eve
Let’s join together with all of our special guests for a family Christmas Eve worship service on Monday, December 24 at 6 p.m. We’ll sing plenty of Christmas carols, remember the miracle of the incarnation and share together at the Lord’s Table. All are welcome, and nursery care will be provided.
Advent Outreach
During the next few weeks we will be collecting items for area food banks and those organizations that support social needs for those in northern Cook and Lake counties. Local food banks are facing significant shortages, and the Northern Illinois Food Depository in Highland Park said they are facing a desperate need for toiletries (soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc).
You can begin to bring items starting this Sunday morning.
Our Weekly Bread
You may have noticed a change in the communion bread in the last few weeks. We are now baking our own, or at least we have begun to enter in to this thanks to Rick Bayley. And its been a great transition. However, he would like others to lend their talents and get involved with providing this important part of our worship each week. If you would like to bake some of this from time to time, please contact Rick on email at rikbay@aol.com.
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. Thanks be to God for the positive responses that we have received in these final days of 2007.
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.
Totals:
Amount Needed by Year-end: $145,000
Income since October 7: $71,727.50
Redeemer Kids Corner: Hanging of the Greens
This past Saturday evening, at the Hanging of the Greens, many from the Redeemer family gathered to prepare themselves, and our worship space, for the season of Advent, in spite of the ice and snow. Thanks to all those who worked beforehand and those who were able to join us to make it so special. It was a time of blessing, as we worshiped together through liturgy, decorating the church worship space, and creating personal Advent wreaths to bring this season of preparation into all our homes. This was also a meaningful time of community, as people from many generations took the opportunity to interact and share together. We concluded our time with a delicious meal catered by Michael's in Highland Park.
Redeemer Youth Ministries
Our excitement for the week is our Jr. High PROGRESSIVE dinner this Saturday. Our plan is to progressively move to three different houses progressively eating courses of meals. The students are going to be dressed up for the occasion and we look forward to our time together! Have a great week!
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 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
- to enrich and expand our life of prayer
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