From the Rector's Desk
Sunday, December 16
Vestry Nominations
Christmas Eve
Advent Outreach
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.
BIRTHDAYS
12/16 Roslyn O'Connor
12/20 Jay Greener
SUNDAY READINGS
Isaiah 35:1-10
Psalm 146
James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11
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December 13, 2007
From the Rector's Desk:
Advent is a season for welcoming, and preparing to welcome. That’s one of the things we’re learning as we journey together through these weeks before Christmas. It’s important to be ready to receive Christ when he arrives, and in whatever way he arrives.
Leo Tolstoy popularized a classic Russian folktale about Martin, a widowed shoemaker living in a small snow-bound village. A man of deep faith, Martin has a dream in which the Lord tells him that he would come for a visit the next day, and to be ready. Early the next morning Martin responds with enthusiasm, cleaning his small basement apartment and workshop, readying a simple meal and watching out the window where he can only see the boots of those who pass by. His waiting and preparation are interrupted several times, however, by those who come to his shop to seek help, food and warmth. These are annoyances that keep him from his task, but he goes to help, then returns to his shop to wait. At the end of the day he is discouraged that in spite of all his diligence, the Lord had not visited. As he falls into sleep he has another dream in which the Lord speaks with him. “Where were you Lord?” Martin asked. “I waited all day for your visit---although I had to leave the shop on several occasions to help others. Did I miss you during that time?”
“Martin, my faithful Son,” the Lord responded. “I did visit you. I was in each person that you helped. It was me that you served in each one. I did come to you, and you served me although it was others you saw.”
As we wait and prepare to welcome Christ, I want to encourage us to be ready to welcome those who come into our lives in unexpected and unlooked-for ways. This may be in our work situations, neighborhoods or even with family. But it is especially true, I think, for us at Church of the Redeemer on Sunday mornings. We are in a season as a congregation where we are privileged to have the opportunity to welcome new faces---those that God is sending. It’s really a matter that God is trusting us with the spiritual care of certain people, and it’s important that we respond with hospitality, authentic embrace and true welcome.
How aware are we of the people we worship with? Do we seek out those that seem to be new among us and make connections? Do we visit with the same people each week, or are we working to know other brothers and sisters across our family?
I have a few practical suggestions that might help us in this season of welcome:
- follow the '2 pew rule'. In other words, be very aware of those worshiping around you for 2 pews in front and 2 pews behind. Do you know them? If not, be intentional. It’s not just about being ‘friendly’, but about allowing the Lord to use you to minister in someone else’s life, or perhaps to receive something from another.
- see the Coffee Hour as a continuation of our worship. Again, this is not just for visiting with our ‘friends’, but for welcoming and serving those that God has called. In this way we serve the Lord himself. Do you find yourself talking with the same people each week at Coffee Hour? If so, shake it up a little.
Be very aware of those who may be standing by themselves. This continues to happen, so although we have grown much in our ministry of welcome we can always improve. Be on the lookout for the person who is not making connection, especially if it’s someone you don’t know.
If you don’t usually stay for the Coffee Hour try attending as a time for others, even if you don’t think you need it for yourself. It is a time of ministry that is often overlooked or misunderstood.
- join our Welcome Team (contact Jeff Calhoun at zjcalhou@tiu.edu). This is a growing part of our ministry, and is vital to the health and faithfulness of our church. Studies show that most newcomers decide in the first two minutes if they will return the following Sunday. Not after the service, but before they have ever entered! That’s how important the initial welcome really is.
May the Lord help us to continue to grow in welcoming and embracing those he sends, even as we grow in invitation and mission. May we faithfully await his arrival in this season, then serve him in whatever guise he comes.
Advent peace and blessings,
Jay+
The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org
Christmas Week
The church office will be closed from Christmas to New Years. Sunday services will continue as usual, but there will be no Wednesday services on December 26th. Emergency pastoral contact may be made by calling 847-715-6934.
Vestry Nominations
The vestry is a group of people whose primary responsibility is the oversight of the Redeemer budget. Additionally the vestry lends support to our rector, Jay, through prayer and service. Each member of the vestry is on a three year cycle. Each cycle begins at the annual meeting in January at which time the congregation gives their blessing to the new vestry for 2008. This ensures continuity. As several members are rotating off this year we will again be asking for your nominations. Please consider your nominations prayerfully and submit them to Jay or any current member of the vestry. Please also be sure to thank the vestry for their dedication and commitment.
Christmas Eve
Celebrate the birth of Jesus at our Christmas Eve service, the first worship of Christmastide--sundown December 24th through January 5th. The 6 p.m. service will feature lots of carol singing (beginning around 5:45), the reading of the Christmas story, giving thanks in the Eucharist and singing by candlelight. Bring friends and family with you. Nursery care will be provided.
Helping Hand
We will collect canned food for local food banks through the end of the year. Bring your donations with you on Sunday mornings and leave at the welcome table. All donations will be distributed in early January to Highland Park-area food pantries that are really struggling at this time.
Stewardship Update
Thank you for praying and for your response to our end of year financial need. We have made much progress and are closing in on the goal, although we’re not there yet. Following last Sunday’s offering and other gifts that have come in, we have received $105,000 of the $145,000 needed in the last three months of this year to meet budget. Thank you for praying that God would release the remaining $40,000 through our response, as the Lord leads.
Thanks be to God.
Redeemer Kids Corner:
Scheduling Change
Sunday, December 30 will be an opportunity for our children to worship with their families in the service. Nursery care will be available as usual.
The children's liturgy will resume the first Sunday in January.
From the mouths of Redeemer Kids
During this season of Advent, our children have been preparing for the birth of Christ during our children's liturgy time. Last Sunday they wrote an Advent prayer...
Here are the words of our children as they began the sentence with-
Come, Lord Jesus, and ...
"help the poor- give them food and shelter"
"help the people who are persecuted for righteousness, not be persecuted"
"cleanse those who have any type of sickness"
"make people more humble to others"
"heal my grandpa"
"bring peace and joy"
"let those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, be filled"
"make my dad's back not hurt so much"
"help our environment"
"forgive sins"
"help the meek"
Redeemer Youth Ministries
I would like to update everyone on the PROGRESSIVE DINNER. The evening started at the Beasleys with delicious hors d'oeuvres and a game. Then we made our way over to the Campbell’s house for the wonderful main course (Robyn did a great job!) of ham, potatoes, and a variety extras. And then we concluded our evening at the Battaglias for a wonderful desert, while Rick Baley read the Tolstoy story that Jay referenced above.
When the students first arrived at the Beasleys, we took pictures of the students in their formal attire. And by the end of the evening, with the help of Mark Battaglia, we had the pictures printed and in frames for the students to take home to their parents. We had a great time!!! Below is a picture of our dessert at the Battaglias. Thank you again for your support!!!! Special thanks to the Beasleys, Robyn Campbell and the Battaglias for all their hard work.
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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