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SUNDAY READINGS
Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 89:20-29
Acts 10:34-38
Mark 1:7-11
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January 9, 2009
From the Rector's Desk
Tuesday was Epiphany—the day in the church year when we remember those Wise Men who followed the star and sought out the Child. Observed on January 6th from very early in the church, the day was once a composite holy day to commemorate the incarnation—Jesus birth, baptism, his miracles, etc—as the manifestation ('epiphany') of God's plan of salvation among us. Later on (6th century), Christmas was separated on the calendar and moved to December 25th, but it is still helpful to understand how these events are all bound together, calling us to celebrate the truth of "God with us". It is a truth for us to know and to share.
Epiphany as a day in our worship life is important as it reveals God's plan of salvation not just to the Jews but to the whole world. The mystery that was once veiled in the words of the prophets is now being proclaimed to all, as the Wise Men are invited to behold the King of Kings and to worship him; an invitation that is ours, as well. For those of us without Jewish ancestry, we celebrate our inclusion in God's plan on this day of Epiphany. "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you... Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn" (Isaiah 60).
Since the 'secret' was not kept from us, we can't keep it from others. On Sunday we considered the journey from exile to home, especially as we find it in Jeremiah 31. One of the marks of our movement towards hope is the hearing and proclaiming of God's word. "Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands afar off" (Jeremiah 31:10). Our reception of the Lord's Gospel carries in it the obligation and privilege to pass it along, so that our own lives mirror the movement of the incarnation itself.
There is much for us to celebrate in the life of our congregation. The Lord is blessing us in many ways, and we are grateful that we know his presence and his grace. In 2008, even as we were coming together more closely as a community, we started to take some new important steps in an outward direction. These were not large programmatic initiatives, but simply doors that were opened as a way of inviting others into God's life here at Redeemer. These included our Rwandan coffee event in Bannockburn, our family day in Highwood last summer, and the film night in Wilmette. We offered an Alpha course in the fall that was well received and will likely serve as the first in a number of courses in various settings and situations, and we entered in to food and clothing drives to meet specific needs around us. These are part of the work of 'Epiphany', of manifesting the life of Christ in our world, so that those separated from God may be able to say, 'we saw his light, and have come to worship him'.
Please pray with me about our growth in 2009 of sharing Christ with others. Reaching out is one of our core values at Redeemer, one of the things that is important and vital to us. Following Jesus involves calling others to follow, as well. Does this resonate with you? Do you sense a desire to reach family members, neighbors and co-workers with God's love and mercy and compassion? Would you want to step forward in some specific ways? Please email me with your thoughts as we consider how to gather leadership and wisdom for revealing Christ to our communities. If you would be willing to be a part of a team to help our whole church in this area, please let me know that, as well. And may God pour out his Spirit on our hearts, even as we await our hope, the "appearing (epiphany) of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).
Epiphany blessings! I look forward to worshiping with you this coming Sunday, and journeying with you in this new year.
Under his mercy,
Jay
The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org
Annual Parish Gathering
Please plan on attending our annual meeting, following the Sunday worship on January 25th. This will be a potluck meal for the church followed by a time of celebrating God's goodness and faithfulness in 2008, even as we look forward to our shared ministry and mission in the coming year. The annual budget will be presented to the congregation, as well.
This celebration is for anyone who says "I belong to Church of the Redeemer... this is my church". More details to follow....
Winter Conference
Church of the Redeemer is affiliated with the Anglican Mission in the Americas (AMiA), a church planting movement in North America sponsored by the Anglican Church of Rwanda. The AMiA will hold its annual Winter Conference January 28-31—a time not of business and polity, but of encouragement, challenge and inspiration. This year's conference will be in Greensboro, NC, and everyone is welcome. For more information visit www.theamia.org
Special Guests
On Sunday, February 1, Church of the Redeemer will have another unusual opportunity to welcome a global Christian leader. The retired Primate of the Anglican Church of South East Asia, the Most Rev. Datuk Yong Ping Chung, will be our guest preacher, and will be visiting Redeemer with his wife, Julia. Bishop Yong provided crucial leadership to his home Province and the Anglican Mission for a number of years. He has been one of the key leaders of the Christian Church in Asia, having served in numerous leadership roles, including as Chairman of the Council of Churches in East Asia, and Chairman of the Anglican Consultative Council in the mid 80's.
Bishop Yong and Julia are greatly used of God to encourage churches and offer challenge, particularly in the area of evangelism. Begin inviting friends now to hear this champion of the Gospel. The story of the tremendous growth of the South East Asian Anglican Church is told in Michael Green's book, Asian Tigers for Christ: The Dynamic Growth of the Church in South-East Asia .
Epiphany Blessings
It is traditional to offer the blessing of homes during the season following Epiphany, which ends on Ash Wednesday, February 25. This involves a brief visit, prayer and home blessing for the coming year. It's not meant to be lengthy, but a moment of prayer, anointing and connection in the parish. If you would like to schedule a home blessing with Fr. Jay and others from the church, please contact our office.
Stewardship Update
We are giving thanks to God for his faithfulness, through your giving in 2008. We ended the year about $20,000 shy of our goal, but through careful spending and holding off on several planned expenses, we likely finished the year with all of the bills paid. Our bookkeeper and Treasurer are finalizing details, as we are still getting some late gifts.
Please pray that as people weather this global financial crisis giving to the Lord's work will remain strong as we walk by faith and trust in God's provision. Thank you for your part in supporting the common work and ministry that we are called to.
Last week's offering: $2,927
Baby Shower
To the Ladies of the Church of the Redeemer: Please join us on Sunday, January 11 at 2:30 pm as we celebrate the coming birth of Baby Marchand. We will be gathering at The Battaglia Residence (2417 Saranac Lane, Glenview). Chris and Elisa are registered at Babies R Us and Target. If you are interested in giving to the group gift please contact Danielle Miller by email or phone (847-612-5555). We do not know if the baby will be a boy or a girl, it's a surprise!
If you intend to attend, please RSVP to Danielle Miller.
Ministry with Youth
Please plan on a few minutes for a parents meeting following worship on January 18th. We will be discussing two things:
1.) In our last parents meeting, we talked about ALPHA for the youth. We will be establishing the dates for when that will start as well as scheduling households that will be part of the rotation.
2.) We will be discussing options for our summer trip.
More ALPHA - There is a training course by Alpha national offered Jan. 17th (the Saturday before our parents meeting). I would love if some of you could make it! Let me know if you are interested.
Notes...
— Pastor Ryan Hofacre is in need of a dependable car. He has only a small budget for this, so help us be creative in assisting him to meet this need as he works with our congregation around the area.
— Alpha Training in Chicago, January 17th. We are exploring additional Alpha courses, and will need more leaders to facilitate this outstanding evangelism opportunity.
— Bill and Michelle Van Loon are looking for someone to house sit in Round Lake (near Grayslake) from February 1-10. They have one cat. Contact Michelle via e-mail at mishvl@yahoo.com or by phone (847.274.5183) if you're interested.
Please pray for . . .
- The mission and vision of Church of the Redeemer
- God's provision and will in these days
- Our Redeemer staff and other leaders
- Those in need in body, mind and spirit
- Our upcoming annual gathering January 25th
- St. Michael's parish in Rwanda, Rev. Agnes Kamashara and Sonrise School
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