Church of the Redeemer Update

I don't know how this year's Advent season is affecting you, but I feel that I am learning to step into the stream of waiting and desire, and I'm grateful for that. In the aftermath of Thanksgiving, with Christmas songs blaring on the radio, I really wasn't ready to even think about what lay ahead in the holidays and all that would have to be done. I really needed Advent to wake me up and help me to prepare—and I needed the Lord's light. I have to say that I think its working. The light is indeed growing and the heaviness is starting to lift. I was aware of this in a very poignant way during our Lessons and Carols worship service. The wonderful music, the inspired readings and the prayers took us to a place we could never have arrived on our own—to affirm the truth of the Promises, and to know that they will come to pass. I rejoiced that I am part of a much larger Story that has been unfolding for ages. Many others reflected that they also experienced the joy of waiting and the hope of fulfilled promise, in a way that was tangible. Thanks to everyone who offered their gifts to make this happen.

I'm often asked about Advent, especially by Christians of other traditions, and I was reminded recently of an article I read some time ago from the late theologian Stan Grenz. I never knew him personally, but I had met his wife, a long-time music minister. Stan did much to aid our understanding of the ancient faith in a post-modern world. I offer this to all of us as we continue to draw near, and the light grows.

"On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me." Tony Bennett's voice wove its subtle magic throughout the shopping mall. How appropriate, I thought, as I watched the shoppers scurry from store to store. The advertisements promised "just the right gifts at just the right price," allowing us to "give like Santa and save like Scrooge."

As I listened, I was struck with how we have turned Christmas around—not so much by commercializing the season, but through something deeper. Our McWorld of drive-through expectations has replaced patient waiting, followed by heartfelt joyous celebration, with the idolatry of instant gratification. This is poignantly evident in the fusillade of renditions of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" to which we are subjected this time of year.

The ancient Western church devised a rhythmic cycle for the celebration of Christ's incarnation. At the center was Advent, the 20-plus days beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. By fasting and abstaining from public festivities, Christians were to prepare for the holy day by being drawn into the sense of longing for Messiah's coming felt by generations of God's faithful people.

This heightened sense of anticipation would, in turn, give way to overwhelming joy and festive celebration when Christmas Day finally came. Only then followed the 12 days of Christmas, climaxing on January 6 with Epiphany, the commemoration of the visit of the Magi.

As members of the fast-food generation, we have become so eager to get to Christmas that we bypass Advent. Whereas our forebears enjoined fasting and reflection, we try to enjoy days filled with more Christmas festivities than we can endure. Christmas has displaced Advent on our calendars.

But our bypassing of Advent runs deeper—altering our attitude to the story of Christ's birth. We know how the story ends. Knowing the end of the story so well, we want to rush through the long and tortuous details of how God prepared a people—of how "God sent his Son...when the time had fully come" (Galatians 4:4). Rather than entering into the sense of expectation lying at the foundation of the narrative of Christ's entrance into the human plotline, we read only the story's glorious climax. Rather than savoring the plaintive mood of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," we immediately want to hear a robust version of "Joy to the World, the Lord Is Come." In short, we have our Christmas early and create a drive-through Christmas.

The irony of our situation is that in our rush toward Christmas, we end up truncating the celebration. Once December 25 is past, so is the holiday. Stretching the 12 days of Christmas until January 6 seems entirely out of place. In fact, we have eliminated the need to do so by moving the adoration of the Magi to our early Christmas: we efficiently (and a historically) place the wise men at the manger next to the shepherds. We cannot even stretch Christmas to December 26, for Boxing Day entices us to take our unwanted, reboxed gifts back to the stores or to buy boxes of the sale goods that draw us out in droves for one of the biggest shopping days of the year.

So we have our 12-plus days of Christmas, just like the song says. But in our impatience born from the lure of instant gratification, we have transposed them. Christmas now precedes December 25. This may allow us to avoid the stressful waiting, the longing expectation and the forlorn cry of our forebears. But it also precludes us from sharing the exuberant joy of that first Christmas, for we cannot truly sing "Joy to the World" unless we have thoroughly rehearsed "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."

— Stanley Grenz

We have opportunity, in this season and throughout the year, to partner with many other churches in the region to alleviate need, hunger and injustice through Love INC, a Christian ministry whose mission is to mobilize the Church to transform the lives of communities and individuals in the name of Christ. We are now receiving coats and other winter gear as part of a 'coat drive' that will continue through December 27. Prayerfully consider donating "gently used" items. The greatest need is for children's clothing, from ages 2 to 15. This can include winter coats, gloves/mittens, hats, and scarves. Items can be placed in two marked boxes located in the foyer. If you have any questions, please contact Otto Zimmermann at 847 767 1555.

We are also collecting food items as a love gift for a Rwandan family that has been a part of our community since 2000. Claire Bukele, who came to Chicago with her sister Clemantine as refugees from the Rwandan genocide, is continuing her assimilation to society here, in friendship with several of our Redeemer families. She supports three children, her parents, and three younger siblings. They would very much appreciate any items for their pantry, but particularly: rice, dried beans, canned goods, peanut butter, laundry detergent, paper goods, or any small donation you would like to make. Checks may be made out to Church of the Redeemer.

Thank you for your generous care, as we celebrate God's great gift to us.

We are blessed at Redeemer with gifted leaders that serve in various areas of ministry. The Vestry is an important group of leaders, selected and affirmed by the congregation, as a vital resourcing team for Redeemer. Vestry members are leaders in prayer and fasting, in finances and facilities, and they serve as encouragers, support and counsel for our Rector. Several new members are needed to fill vacancies as terms expire for five current Vestry members.

Those nominated and chosen will have a strong commitment to serving the Lord, will have been a part of the church for at least a year, and be devoted to leading by example in our community (Acts 2:42, 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1...). To nominate someone to serve please speak with Father Jay or one of our current Vestry members, whose names are published in the bulletin. A slate of candidates will be presented to the congregation at our Annual Celebration on January 24th.

We give thanks to God for all of his blessings and benefits over the year, and we're grateful for the generosity that is expressed in our congregation. Stewardship in God's Kingdom is a response to gratitude for all God has given and offered. Thank you for praying for the meeting of ministry needs and for responding to help us reach our goals. We are making progress as we each sacrifice for the Lord's work. Thank you.

Offering last week: $8,243
Amount Needed by December 31st: $67,750

— Hymn Sing Join us Saturday evening January 16th at at 7 p.m. at the Evangelical Church in Highland Park for a Hymn Sing. Chris Marchand, who is working on a final music project in order to complete his seminary education, will be presenting his own arrangements of hymns both familiar and ones that have fallen out of use over the years. On top of that, Chris, Amanda, and the worship team will be taking requests of our favorite hymns to sing. It will be an evening of worship before God as well as a celebration of the legacy of the hymns of our faith. (For more information or to make hymn requests ahead of time contact Chris at cmarch34@gmail.com or 309-648-7703.)

— Can't wait until then? Join us Sunday afternoon for a time of Caroling, sponsored by our Youth Ministry and the Glenview Small Group. For more information contact Kari Hanlon (knhanlon at gmail.com, or 847-778-8026

— Christmas Eve service at 6:30pm, with Christmas carols preceding the service. This will be a Eucharist service with candle-lit worship. Please join us at Redeemer Lutheran.

Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed, and helped organize the shower for Baby Blair. We received several essential items for the baby; your gifts will be appreciated even more over the next couple years! We were so blessed by your generosity to us, both in the gifts we received and in your support as we prepare to move home and leave Church of the Redeemer. Thank you also for your prayers and friendship as we begin this transition - not only in our move to Oregon, but into becoming parents. Your love is invaluable to us and we ask for your continued prayer in the coming months.

With love,
Thom and Emily Blair