Volume 4, Number 51                               The Fourth Sunday of Advent                               December 23, 2007

PEACE

            At least twice each week for thirty years, I have announced the “Peace of God” at the blessing time. 
I would like to think it is like the Peace of Christ at Christmas, the peace of the world when there is no war, the peace of a family at a happy holiday gathering.  It’s that “which passes understanding” part which calls me back to reality.  God’s peace is apparently not just an absence of conflict.  And, it’s hard to understand… at least that’s what the Book of Common Prayer affirms.

            My life is peaceful but not without stress.  It is quiet a lot of the time, but not without conflict.  It is joyful most of the time, but not without sadness and pain.  God promises peace but what is delivered is oftentimes hard and troubling.

            The Christmas Peace was not just a quiet stable in a little town with an unexpected and wonderful birth.  It was also a challenge to the Mighty Rome, a call to action for those who would follow God rather than the political fads of the day, and a fearful run from those who would desire the death of the child Jesus.

            Family gatherings are oftentimes moments of conflict and disagreement.  God’s peace is promised but how often we long for the evening to be over and the out of town guests to go home.  Peaceful?  Hard to see it.

            We are assured God’s Peace but it often passes our understanding.

God’s Peace is an assurance of God’s presence, God’s concern, God’s love.  The Incarnation of God into our world in Jesus is the ultimate example of that peace and also the beginning of a new age where God is in the midst of us and on the face of our friends and neighbors.  God is also seen in the lives of those we avoid and our enemies.  It passes our understanding but is real none the less.

            May God’s Peace be with you now and always… especially this Christmas season.

                                                                             Faithfully,

                                           Thom Jensen

Thank you to the four writers of our lead articles this Advent, who have given us much to contemplate.  The four Advent themes of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace, which they have presented in their thoughtful articles, have also woven through our Sunday readings, our hymns, our prayers.  These four issues of the Highlands Voice will be in the Newsletter section of the Immanuel website www.immanuel-highlands.org for a while.

                                                                                    Kay Kennedy Wack, Highlands Voice Editor

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:

Sun     23     Fourth Sunday of Advent

                      9:15 am        Rehearsal for 10:30 service

                    10:30 am        Christmas Liturgy (Pageant)

                      c. 12:00       Greening of the Church

Mon    24    Christmas Eve

                                          Parish Office closed

                      7:30 pm        Christmas Music, followed by

                      8:00 pm        Festival Eucharist

Tue     25    Christmas Day

                                          Parish Office closed

                    10:30 am        Festival Eucharist

Wed   26       7:30 pm        Healing Service (Chapel)

Sat      29     12:00             AlAnon (Common Room)

COMING SOON:

Sun     30     First Sunday of Christmas

                                          No Sunday School

                      8:00 am        Holy Eucharist in Chapel

                    10:30 am        Sung Eucharist,

                                               followed by Coffee Hour downstairs

Mon    31    New Year’s Eve

                                          Parish Office closed

Tue      1    New Year’s Day

                                          Parish Office closed

Wed     2       7:30 pm        Healing Service (Chapel)

Sat        5       2:00 pm        Andrew’s Place Cooking (Kitchen, Dining Room; see Alex Lehr-Maunder)

Christmas Liturgy: Yes, the fourth Sunday in Advent is here!  Please come and bring a friend (or two!) to our Christmas liturgy presented by the Sunday School and a cast of tens.  This will be a fascinating worship experience that integrates music, the Word, action, and Eucharist with the theme: The People That Walked in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light.  I would particularly like to offer a personal invitation to those who worship at 8:00 a.m. to spend another 90 minutes both participating in and encountering Christ centered worship. 
I promise that it will be time beautifully spent!

                                                                                    Simon Jeynes, Christian Education

The Greening Of The Church will be Sunday, Advent 4, December 23, following the 10:30 service.  There will be wreaths to hang and poinsettias to bring up from the undercroft and place around the church.  Young people hang Chrismons on the tree and assemble the children’s nativity.  Stay a few minutes to help get the church ready for the Christmas season and the celebration of the birth of our Lord.

                                                                                    Flower Ministry

Last Minute Shopping: “An Endless Alleluia” is still available! This ever-popular CD features the elegant and inspirational singing of the Immanuel Choir of Girls (1993), along with several full-color photographs and the complete texts of the pieces recorded.  A great gift or stocking-stuffer, “An Endless Alleluia” is available from Jack Burnam or from the Parish Office at a special holiday price of $10 (make checks payable to “Immanuel Choir Fund”).

                                                                                    Jack Burnam, Parish Musician

Trick or Treat for UNICEF: The first Sunday School project this year raised over $320.00 to support 32 children in the coming year stay free of illness, go to school, drink safe water, and have some fun.  We projected on helping 22, so this is a real blessing that we have been part of.  Thank God for his generosity to us!

Our next Christian Education project is A Present for China: This has no money attached to it but some effort.  Which is easier?  Take it as a challenge to put together some kind of "scrapbook" from your family to introduce yourselves to the children in the school that Julian Taplin is working with.  These will be presented to Julian and a Chinese student at the service on Epiphany (January 6th, 2008).

                                                                                    Simon Jeynes, Christian Education

Choral Evensong for the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, will be led by the Men of our Choir.  In this brief 45-minute service, amid the beauty of the still-decorated church, the gently soaring sound of plainsong invites us to hail the coming of the Savior for all nations and peoples.  Start the New Year right: Invite a friend to join you for this lovely and unique service, followed by an elegant candlelight reception.  Child care is provided.

                                                                                    Jack Burnam, Parish Musician

Food Drive for the Hungry:  We are continuing to collect donations of canned groceries for Wilmington's needy, to be donated to St. Stephen's food pantry on Broom and 13th Streets.  A box for donations is in the foyer and will remain throughout December.  This is not only an outreach activity for grown-ups!  Children can purchase and donate individual cans or boxes of food, too!  Thank you!

                                                                                    Sue Welles, Outreach Ministry

Katrina Cookie Exchange: Thank you!  Thank you to all who baked, came with, and took home cookies.  Thank you to all the workers who did the background jobs that put this event together.  We made $237, while having a lot of fun.

                                                                                    Vicki Anthos, Katrina Ministry

Three important items, in case you missed them last week:

The Search Committee is now assessing candidates.  If you have names of potential candidates to submit for consideration, either contact a member of the committee or the diocesan office.

                                                                                    Michael Lynch, Search Committee

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

Stewardship Update: As of December 11, 60 pledge cards have been returned with pledges or one-time gifts totaling $139,038.  We are deeply grateful to those who have responded so promptly and generously to support Immanuel Church in 2008.  We strongly encourage those who have not yet indicated their intentions to do so promptly.  Pledge cards are available on the credenza in the foyer or by calling George Parshall (658-2066).

                                                                                    Your Stewardship Ministry

                                                                                    (Elizabeth Curtis Swain and George Parshall)

Notice from our diocesan website www.dioceseofdelaware.org :

Choral Evensong Commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr., Sunday, Jan. 20, 4:00 p.m. Cathedral Church of Saint John, Wilmington. Cathedral Choir School of Delaware; Darryl Roland, Artistic Director. Details: 654-6279.

Articles from The Net - A Weekly Newsletter For Delaware's Episcopal Clergy:

Bundles of Hope

Bishop Charles Jenkins, of the diocese of New Orleans, announces “Bundles of Hope” is back again this year. This Christmas, please give the gift of hope to residents still in great need in New Orleans. Bundles of Hope is an alternative gift-giving program that is great for family, friends, co-workers and clients. Visit:

WWW.EDOLA.ORG to choose your Bundles, make your donations, and print your honor cards.

 Wintercamp is coming!

Forms will be mailed soon for Senior High Wintercamp, open to youth and their friends in 9th-12th grade. This very popular youth event will take place on January 11-13.  Everything you need to know will be included in the upcoming mailing, but if you have burning questions, contact the Rev. Sarah Brockmann at 443-553-0349 or imabiah@yahoo.com

   Forget the winter weather—it’s VBS Workshop time again!

It’s a tradition! In the midst of January weather, we gather to hear about the best in Vacation Bible School curriculum. VBS 2008 Workshops will be held at St. Albans Church, home of the Interfaith Resource Center, on Saturday January 19 from 9:30 a.m. to noon; at Wesley UMC on Wednesday evening, January 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and on Thursday, January 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Madeline Beall will be there ready to accept orders at discount for Cokesbury Value Days. The fee for the workshop is $5 per person or $10 for three persons. Consult our website at www.interfaithresourcecenter.com for more details.  To register, contact the Interfaith Resource Center.

National Episcopal Health Ministries Conference – Thursday, March 27^th

National Episcopal Health Ministries (NEHM) announces its first annual conference, 'Seasons of Health Ministry' to be held at Kanuga Episcopal Retreat Center March 27-29, 2008. The conference will feature keynote speaker Rev. Jean Denton, founder of NEHM and author of “Good is the Flesh: Body, Soul and Christian Faith.” There will be a variety of workshops offered throughout the conference to help you start, grow and refresh health ministry/parish nursing. To learn more, visit www.episcopalhealthministries.org or call 317-253-1277 ext. 34. NEHM is a network of nurses, health ministers, chaplains, and laypeople who promote health and wellness in Episcopal congregations.

Help Wanted

St. David’s Episcopal Church is looking for someone (college age or older) who is willing to open/close our facility for rentals.  The pay would be $25 per event.  Please contact Kim Stanley our Parish Administrator for more details.

Phone 302-475-4688 or email stdavidschurchoffice@verizon.net