Volume 4, Number 49                                The Second Sunday of Advent                                December 9, 2007

How Far Is It to Bethlehem?

During Advent we are all on the road to Bethlehem… but who will show us the way?

Prophets show us the way ― people who are so close to God that they know which way to tell the people to go.  The prophet Isaiah, hundreds of years before Christ was born, told the people to be watching, that God was going to send them a savior who would bring light to those who walk in darkness.

Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical year!  Advent is the time for beginning again by setting our spiritual compass for Bethlehem.  Something exciting and wondrous is going to take place.  A different type of king is coming into the world, not a person dressed in gold robes and jewels, but one who will bring light to those who walk in darkness.

I wonder every year how our preparations look for the holidays.  Is the king we anticipate not about wealth and worldly power?  What type of king are people preparing to receive?  In our culture today, it often seems that we’re looking for the gold robes and jewels.

During this holy season of Advent, perhaps others will show us the way ― an elderly person with a kind smile and cheerful greeting ― or young married couples with children.  Shepherds, angels, and then, later, three kings from distant land will help lead us to Bethlehem, drawn to God’s mysterious light ― the Star of Wonder, Star of Light.

As we meditate in this special season, let us so orient our lives as to receive the gift that lasts, God’s Love Incarnate.  Finding ourselves the recipients of that light, let us move out into places of darkness in this world and in our own community, pointing others to God’s precious Light.

                                                               Joe Stoeckle

Highlands Voice is featuring a series of four articles this Advent season, each one pondering one of the four traditional themes of Advent.  Joe has given us the second theme – Love. – and especially God’s love for us, shown in the Light of Christ.  Last week, Simon provided us some thoughts on the first theme – Hope.  (If you missed it, look in last week’s Voice on the Immanuel website www.immanuel-highlands.org.)  Next week’s front page article will discuss the theme of the third Sunday.

                                                                                    Kay Kennedy Wack, Highlands Voice Editor

Bill Perkins, the Executive Director of Friendship House, will be our guest preacher at both Sunday services this Sunday, December 9.  He will also be available between services to talk about the work of Friendship House and some of their new programs in Newark and in Wilmington.

Friendship House runs men’s and women’s day centers, transitional housing, Andrew’s Place Emergency Shelter for homeless men, Sunday Breakfast at Sts. Andrew and Matthew Church, the Clothing Bank of Delaware, and other services to make a difference in the lives of homeless and impoverished people in our area.  Their website is www.friendship-house.org.

                                                                                    Sue Welles, Outreach Ministry

Fr. Thom may be reached at his church phone, 302-658-7326 Ext. 14, during his normal office hours Tuesday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. He works from home on Fridays. Please feel free to call him on his cell phone 302-229-8449 or write to thomjensen@gmail.com at any time other than church office hours, if a need arises.

THIS WEEK AT IMMANUEL:                                           COMING SOON:

Sun       9      Second Sunday of Advent                                   Sun        16     UTO Sunday

               both services, Bill Perkins preaching                       Wed      19    5:30 pm     Katrina Cookie Exchange

                      8:00 am        Holy Eucharist in Chapel                 Thurs    20    8:30 am     Emmanuel Dining Room

                      9:30 am        Sunday School classes                                                           Cooking (see Nancy Loux)

                    10:30 am        Sung Eucharist,

                                          followed by Coffee Hour

Mon   10       7:00 pm        Stewardship/Finance Meeting (Library)

Tue     11       6:30 pm        Search Committee (Parlor)

                      6:30 pm        Choristers (Choir Room)

                      7:00 pm        AlAnon (Common Room)

Wed   12       6:30 pm        Quiet Prayer (Common Room)

                      7:30 pm        Healing Service (Chapel)

Thu     13       7:30 pm        Mixed Choir (Choir Room)

Sat      15     10:00 am        Christmas Liturgy Rehearsal (Gymnasium) note the change of place, this week only

                    11:00 am        Boy Scout Troop 398 Eagle Scout Court of Honor (Nave)

                                          (also Kitchen and Dining Room, 10 am – 2 pm)

                    12:00             AlAnon (Common Room)

Vestry Update:  Carolyn Gibson has been elected by the Vestry to the post of Junior Warden.  Also, in accordance with our By-Laws, Laurie Hay has joined the vestry to fulfill Ron Bauman’s vacant position.

                                                                                    John Lampinen, Senior Warden

Food Drive for the Hungry:  In December, we are collecting donations of canned groceries for Wilmington's needy, to be donated to St. Stephen's food pantry on Broom and 13th Streets.  There will be a box for donations in the foyer.  Children can donate individual cans or boxes of food, too!  Thank you!

                                                                                    Sue Welles, Outreach Ministry

The Search Team is continuing the work of updating the Parish Profile.  We feel good about where we are in the process.  Completing the final version is a key step in our work on behalf of Immanuel.  We’ll meet again next week and then return to our weekly meetings in January.  We hope to receive names of candidates early in the new year, and we will be working closely with our consultants to prepare ourselves for interviewing and discernment.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

                                                                                    Liz Curtis Swain, Search Team Co-Chairperson

Katrina Cookie Exchange: Do you need to get away from the stress of the holidays, even for just a few minutes?  Wouldn't a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie sound great right about now?  Come join us for the Katrina Cookie Exchange on Wednesday, December 19 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.  Please bring four dozen of your favorite holiday cookies (along with recipes) to share with everyone and take home three dozen cookies of your choice!  (The extras are for sampling at the exchange.)  Please bring your own carrier for transporting purposes.  Admission price is a $10.00 per person donation and a small donation of your choice if you bring the kids!  All of the money raised will go towards the upcoming 2008 Katrina Mission Trip.  There will be other items for sale, if you have any last minute shopping to take care of (think candles and New Orleans Remembered bracelets)!  We will also be selling raffle tickets for the beautiful quilt donated by St. Nicholas Church.  Mark the date on your calendar and join us for the fun and the munchies!

                                                                                    Vicki Anthos, Katrina Ministry

Christmas-at-Sea Ditty Boxes:  Thank you all for your generous donations of full ditty boxes, hand-knit caps, goodies, personal items, and other gifts for the Christmas-at-Sea Ditty boxes for the Seamen's Center!  The Center will distribute the gift boxes this month to all the seamen coming to the Port of Wilmington.

                                                                                    Sue Welles, Outreach Ministry

Positions Available for Torch Bearers and Crucifers!

What they do: Torch Bearers carry candles in procession at the 10:30 service – into the church, to accompany the Gospel Book, and out of the church.  Torch bearers also assist at the Eucharist, carrying items to the altar. Crucifers light altar candles before the service, carry the cross in procession into and out of the church, and assist at the Eucharist by refilling the bread and wine.

How often they do it: Ordinarily Torch bearers and Crucifers serve once a month; the schedule sometimes varies depending on who is available to serve.

Interested?  Please contact me to find out more. No previous experience is needed—training will be provided.

                                                                                    Eve English, Coordinator of Acolytes

Flower Ministry: Our dedicated members purchase and arrange the flowers for services each week.  This ministry can be supported through monetary donations at any time during the year.  Donations might be given to celebrate a special occasion, in remembrance of a loved one, or in thanksgiving; you may want to consider celebrating an event or relationship that has special meaning to you during the season of Advent.  The amount is up to you ($40 to $50 is typical).  Please be sure to let us know which Sunday you have chosen to give flowers and how you would like the memorial or thanksgiving attribution to read in the service leaflet.  Please let us know well in advance if you have a particular flower or color combination in mind.  Mark your check “Flowers” in the memo line, and send it to the Parish Office.  For more information call the parish office or Linda Lampinen, 655-1315.

                                                                                    Linda Lampinen, Flower Ministry

Come to Quiet Prayer. Wednesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. we enjoy a meditation presented by one of our members and silence to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.  Please come join us.  Our next time together is December 12.  We’ll meet again in January.

                                                                                    Maria duPont, Quiet Prayer Group

Stewardship Update: As of November 26, 55 families or individuals have submitted pledge cards indicating their intentions to support Immanuel Church, Highlands in 2008.  The total pledged is $132,370, which presents a good news, bad news situation.  The good news is that we have exceeded the conservative expectation of $128,000 used in drafting a balanced budget for 2008. The bad news is that we remain well short of the total amount pledged for 2007.  The total amount pledged for 2007 was $149,000.  Some thoughts as we seek further pledges:

As we said at the commencement of this Stewardship Program, our theme this year, continuity while building for the future, is demonstrated through our many vigorous programs at Immanuel – including our Sunday School, Outreach Ministry, Katrina Mission and all our efforts at Immanuel to maintain a vital place for worship and giving.

Our Search Committee has embarked on the search process, working with the Diocese.  The description of our parish is:  Immanuel Church, Highlands is a community of believers with diverse theological perspectives committed to exploring our faith through liturgy, worship and music. We have a strong Church School program and wish to expand Christian Education opportunities. We are dedicated to reaching out to the community beyond our church building.

We have a good foundation that we pray to continue into 2008 and your support will help.  Our thanks go out to all our brothers and sisters in Christ who have submitted pledges.  We hope that those who have not yet pledged will do so promptly.  Completed pledge cards can be mailed directly to the church.  If you did not receive a pledge card or misplaced the one sent to you, a supply is available on the credenza in the foyer.

                                                                                    Elizabeth Curtis Swain and George Parshall, Stewardship

United Thank Offering (UTO) envelopes and boxes are in the foyer.  The UTO thanksgivings will be offered at the Eucharist on Sunday, December 16. The offering boxes are a special way for children, as well as adults, to give in response to daily blessings and all we have from God!  

                                                                                    Sue Welles, Outreach Ministry

Notices from our diocesan website www.dioceseofdelaware.org :

Reflections on Peace Retreat, Saturday, Dec. 8, 8:45 a.m. - Noon, St. Paul’s, Georgetown. Peace retreat, concluding with Noonday Prayer and a brownbag lunch. The Rev. Ron Gerber, retired Episcopal priest, will lead the reflection on world peace and Ms Patricia Kirby-Gibler, retired Shalem Institute retreat leader, will lead the reflection on inner peace. For details, please call the Rev. Earl Beshears at 856-2894.

Annual Green Show community benefit, Saturday, Dec. 8, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at Christ Church Christiana Hundred. Fresh holiday greens, handcrafted items, and homemade foods for sale for the Christmas season. Movies, crafts and storytelling along with visits with Santa will keep children entertained while adults shop among the many holiday offerings. A special children’s workshop will help create projects for a local senior center and children’s organization ($5 per child, preregistration required). All proceeds from the sale are distributed to more than 30 local social-service agencies.

Parents Day Out, Saturday, Dec. 8, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., at St. Thomas, Newark.  St. Thomas's youth, for a small fee, will mind your offspring AND provide crafts, snacks, games, and a program about the REAL Christmas. Please contact the Rev. Sarah Brockmann, (443) 553-0349.

Advent Lessons and Carols, Sunday, Dec. 9, 4:00 p.m., Immanuel on the Green, New Castle, with Immanuel’s Choir of Women and Men; Lee Dettra, organist and choirmaster. Information 328-2413.

Annual Nativity Display, Sundays, Dec. 9 & 16, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Church of the Ascension, Wilmington. Nativities from all over the world—and cookies, too! Details: 798-6683.

Messiah Concert, Sunday, Dec. 9, 3:00 p.m. Christ Church, Greenville. Details: 655-3379.

Candlelight Advent Lessons & Carols, Sunday, Dec. 16, 3:00 p.m. Old Christ Church, Laurel. Details: St. Phillip’s office, 875-3644.

Need A Great Gift? Try the Gifts for Life on-line catalog on the Episcopal Relief and Development's website. Through Gifts for Life you can help achieve the Millennium Development Goals * by purchasing malaria nets or livestock, providing clean water or micro-credit loans, or educating orphans of AIDS.  ERD is also a great option to consider when making your year-end giving plans, as their work continues to be invaluable not only in combating world poverty but also in responding to disasters like Katrina and the California wild fires.  Tax deductible gifts can be mailed to ERD, P.O. Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058.

*  The Millennium Development Goals:

1.      Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

2.      Achieve Universal Primary Education for Children

3.      Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

4.      Reduce Child Mortality

5.      Improve Maternal Health

6.      Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

7.      Ensure Environmental Sustainability

8.      Create a Global Partnership for Development