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SUNDAY READINGS

Micah 5:2-5a
Psalm 80:1-7
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-55

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December 18, 2009

Reflections on our Journey Together

Emily Cool Greener, Children's Pastor

Hello Redeemer Family,

I wanted to give you an update on the happenings in our children's ministry!

This season of Advent has been blessed, and the Lord is doing exciting things among our little ones. In our classes, we've been following the weekly Advent themes, and we've even had our own special advent wreath liturgy each week. Last week in the 5-year-olds and up class, we talked about "Expecting Jesus." We learned about the prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah, and talked about how Jesus fulfilled each one, though not always in the manner people were expecting. We realized what an incredible gift the Christ Child was to those who had been waiting for hundreds and hundreds of years, and what a wonderful gift He is to us. While we were reflecting on this, several children asked, "If we're celebrating Jesus' birth, why are we the ones getting presents?" "Yeah," offered one child, "It's like how you get favors at someone's birthday party—it doesn't make sense!" After thinking a while, another child suggested, "Well, I think we give presents to each other to remind us that Jesus is the perfect gift." I smiled, and wondered at the wisdom our little ones offer. While I was worrying, "How can we help the children understand the mystery of Advent, and the magnitude of what Christmas is really about, when our culture is sending such an antithetical message?"—God was already at work, whispering His truth into these children's lives. They are asking the right questions, and looking in the right places for answers.

When we talked about expecting Jesus and the Story of salvation history, we discussed how God's word is like an echo that, instead of diminishing over time, grows and grows until it fills the whole earth. God's promises to us are growing all the time. Please pray for our children, that the Word of God would echo and grow in each of their hearts, filling the time we spend together, filling our spaces. Please pray for all those who serve in the children's ministry, that, as we hear God's Word echoing in our hearts, we would speak and move as the Spirit wills. As we move forward in the children's ministry, we will be developing core values that guide our work with children at Redeemer. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would guide us as we discern what God has for this ministry. Thank you for your support and prayers!

In closing, I'd like to share a poem that I've enjoyed this Advent, because I think it a powerful image of the incarnation.

Mary's Song
Luci Shaw

Blue homespun and the bend of my breast
keep warm this small hot naked star
fallen to my arms. (Rest...
you who have had so far to come.)
Now nearness satisfies
the body of God sweetly. Quiet he lies
whose vigour hurled a universe. He sleeps
whose eyelids have not closed before.
His breath (so light it seems
no breath at all) once ruffled the dark deeps
to sprout a world. Charmed by doves' voices,
the whisper of straw, he dreams,
hearing no music from his other spheres.
Breath, mouth, ears, eyes
he is curtailed who overflowed all skies,
all years. Older than eternity, now he
is new. Now native to earth as I am, nailed
to my poor planet, caught
that I might be free, blind in my womb
to know my darkness ended,
brought to this birth for me to be new-born,
and for him to see me mended
I must see him torn.




Christmas Worship

Next Thursday night we will celebrate the Incarnation as we welcome the Lord Jesus in Carols, prayers, Scripture and Holy Communion. Our Christmas Eve family service begins at 6:30pm, and will be preceded by about 30 minutes of carol singing, so come early! There will be nursery care, and the service will be 'friendly' to families with children, both in terms of time and content.

Let's begin the Christmas season together in celebration at Redeemer Lutheran, 1731 Deerfield Rd, at 6:30pm Christmas Eve.


Waiting with Love and Generosity

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.

So far, we have received donations of 40 scarves, 7 hats, 23 pairs of gloves and 12 coats.

This Sunday will be the last day for 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.


Carols of Joy

Father Jay blessed us all last week with his sermon on Joy. How might we express these rivers of Joy that run deep in the souls of God's children? We sing! This past Sunday, a group from the Glenview small group and the youth ministry expressed this great joy by caroling to a number of long standing members of our congregation. We brought with us Christ's love, songs of Christmas and the accompaniment of a ukulele. Those we visited greeted us with the warmest of smiles, hugs and even a few treats! What a gift it is to gather together and delight in songs about our Savior, as we eagerly await Christmas and the return of Christ Jesus.

— Dan and Kari Hanlon, Youth Ministry


Stewardship Update

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: $9,687
Amount Needed by December 31st: $58, 063


COR@9—The Story of Jesus in Matthew

This Sunday will be the last COR@9 session for 2009, as our teachers will be taking a break for the holidays, with no classes scheduled for December 27th or January 3rd. So don't miss this week's engagement with the conclusion of Matthew 13, taught by Dr. Dana Harris. 9am in the Fellowship Hall.


For Your Calendar

— Epiphany — Wednesday, January 6th at 7pm at the EC Church in Highland Park. Our usual first Wednesday Prayer gathering will also include scriptures and worship for Epiphany, the revealing of Messiah to the nations.

— 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.)

— January 24 will be our Annual Celebration, following Sunday morning worship. This will be a potluck meal, with opportunity to give thanks to God for our journey together in the last year, and to look forward to our life together in the next 12 months.

— Be praying for the Anglican Church in Rwanda, especially the Shyira Diocese, as they elect a successor to Bishop John Rucyahana on January 7th. Bishop John will continue to lead until his retirement late in 2010, and the new Bishop will work alongside him following the election. The Shyira Diocese is where Sonrise School and St. Michaels, our sister church, are located. So it is an important place of connection for us at Redeemer.


Please pray for . . .

  • Our mission to call people to Jesus
  • Those who face poverty, hunger and oppression
  • Those who need healing, employment, and other provision
  • Redeemer's financial need at year's end
  • Sonrise School and St. Michael's in Rwanda, and our Missioner, Matthew Andris