Volume 5, Number 12                                             Easter Day                                              March 23, 2008

Press Release:

Where are you going to spend the next couple of days?

Come to Immanuel church for worship and lots of fun.  This Thursday, we will celebrate Jesus' last dinner with his disciples.  The day after that, Friday, we take off the cloth from the big wooden table.  On Sunday, everything comes together.  How exciting!  This is called Easter.  It's when Jesus' friends come to visit his tomb.  But he was not there.  He was risen!

                                                                        Carly Volko, Grade 4/5 Sunday School Class

News Flash!

What happened!  On Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday, Jesus celebrates the Last Supper.  Guess what?  Judas betrays Jesus and tells the High Priest where he is.  On Good Friday, Jesus is condemned to death!  He is spit on, whipped, slapped, taunted, and undressed.  On Holy Saturday, Judas hangs himself because of what he did to Jesus.  On Sunday, Jesus rises from the dead!  A human miracle!

                                                                        Alexis Jeynes, Grade 4/5 Sunday School Class

Holy Week and Easter Day — Schedule of Services

March 20         Maundy Thurs.    7:30 am     Morning Prayer

                                                    6:15 pm     Holy Eucharist, Washing of Feet, Agapé Supper, Stripping the Altar

March 21         Good Friday       7:30 am     Morning Prayer

                                                    1:30 pm     Stations of the Cross, presented by the youth of the parish.

                                                    7:30 pm     Good Friday Liturgy: St. John Passion sung by Immanuel Choir,
                                                                     Devotions at Cross and Tomb,
                                                                     Communion from Reserved Sacrament

March 22         Holy Saturday   10:30 am     Holy Saturday Liturgy, at the Tomb

March 23         Easter Day          5:15 am     The Great Vigil of Easter
                                                                     Lighting of the New Fire, Vigil with Lessons,

                                                                     Renewal of Baptismal Vows

                                                    7:30 am     Festival Eucharist of the Resurrection, followed by Parish Breakfast
                              Please note that the entire parish will be celebrating the Festival Eucharist together.

Last minute reminders:

·        Food collection on Maundy Thursday.  Bring bags of non-perishable groceries to Immanuel March 20 and store in the undercroft – we’ll deliver to a food pantry.  Alex Lehr-Maunder and Sue Welles, Outreach

·        Maundy Thursday Foot Washing during the Eucharist:  All are invited to participate by having their feet washed.  Please contact Fr. Thom, if you have questions.

·        To be a reader at the Easter Vigil:  Call or see Jack Burnam.

THIS WEEK AT IMMANUEL: 

Sun     23      Easter Day:  see service schedule above;
                     after services and breakfast with the rest of us, the Katrina Team leaves for New Orleans.

Mon - Fri      7:30 am        Morning Prayer

Mon   24                           Parish office closed for Monday in Easter Week holiday

Tue     25       7:00 pm        Al Anon (Common Room)

                      7:45 pm        Coro Allegro (Music Room)

Wed   26       6:30 pm        Quiet Prayer (Common Room)

                      7:30 pm        Healing Service (Chapel)

Sat      29     12:00             Al Anon (Common Room)

COMING SOON (save these dates):

Sun    4/6       4:00 pm        Evensong for Eastertide by the Women of the Choir

Sun  4/13       c. noon         Annual Parish Meeting

Sat   4/26                           Parish Clean-Up/Fix-Up Morning with Lunch

Our Search Team is now prayerfully considering the candidates for rector who were recommended to them.  Members of the team will soon be calling the candidates to set up appointments for interviews and visits to their current parishes.  Please keep the team and the candidates in your prayers.

                                                                                    Eve English, Search Team Co-chair

Dan and Brenda Boerger Update:  As of March 17, we have reached $1500 of our goal of about $3000.  Immanuel is asking parishioners for donations to help purchase one airfare and lodging in order for the Boerger family to be present at the celebration of the Natqgu (the native language of the Solomon Islands) New Testament, now published.  Because of the customs of the Solomon Islands’ culture, use of the Bible hinges on the Boergers’ being there for the celebration.  For the past 15 years Immanuel has supported the Boergers in their translation work on this New Testament; they have made this last request for help.  Let’s help them to finish the last step of all their work.

                                                                                    Sue Welles, Outreach

Eucharistic Visits – How to request:  Any sick or infirm member of the congregation may request a visit; this is the procedure:

1.      Call the Parish Secretary, Kay Wack, at 658-7326, Ext. 10, and with your request leave your name, phone number, address, and, if needed, directions to your location.  If you know that you will want weekly visits for an extended period of time, include that, as well.

2.      Kay will list the request on the Eucharistic Visitor sheet that she provides for each week’s visitors; they will visit the shut-ins who are listed.

3.      Eucharistic Visitors will call you Sunday after the 10:30 service to confirm the request.

If you have any questions, call Ginny Hopkins at 478-0831.

                                                                                    Ginny Hopkins, Eucharistic Visitor Coordinator

The Fabric Drive for the Sunday School’s Lenten Mission Project is still in need of two-yard pieces of 100% cotton fabrics.  The children and youth of Immanuel, Highlands, have teamed up with Quilts for Comfort to make quilts for at-risk infants and children, as well as adult cancer and dialysis patients, in Delaware.  If you have fabric donations or questions about the Quilt Project, please see me, or call 302-737-0144.

                                                                                    Eve English

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.

Dear Parishioners and friends,

     To hear this week's sermon, click on http://drop.io/March_16th_Sermon/interactive.  It will begin to play automatically. There is also a button to download the file in case you want to save it or put it on your iPod. It is a plain .mp3 file.

              Best, Thom

The Transition Team met March 11 and, thanks to Anna-Mae’s authorship, reviewed a list of Transition Tasks and Duties.  The topics were on a wide range of subjects that are our responsibility, such as preparing information for the candidates, assisting the interim rector with his transition to another location, helping the new priest with moving and with orientation to the Wilmington area, helping him/her and family become part of Immanuel, coordinating the Installation, and providing other on-going support of various kinds.  We have asked the Vestry and the Search Team to review our list and, hopefully, to indicate their agreement and support.  Also, with my departure from Vestry, I have asked Laurie Hay to act as liaison between Vestry and Transition, as she is a member of both.

                                                                                    Al LeSieur, Transition Team Liaison with Vestry

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Annual Meeting

The Parish Annual Meeting will be held in the Dining Room on Sunday, April 13, after the 10:30 service, and lunch will be provided.  During this meeting, we will elect vestry members, and vote on revisions to our bylaws.

Proposed changes to the bylaws involve the number of vestry members – we propose to reduce by one each year going from 12 to 9 plus a youth member, allowing parishioners more time for service in other ministries.

Other changes relate to vestry quorum size, simplifying the procedure for absentee ballots, timing for vestry nominations, and filling a vacancy on the vestry.  Copies of the proposed changes are in the foyer and have been emailed to the parish email list.

The slate of candidates includes:     Carl Burnam

                                                            Ryan Day, as youth candidate

                                                            Andy Fairchild

                                                            Tom Greer                 (added this week)

                                                            Phyllis Harvey           (added this week)

                                                            Byron Hobson

                                                            Barbara Volko

Several others are still considering.

Additional candidates may be nominated by petition signed by 2 eligible voters, given to the Vestry secretary Simon Jeynes, at least 14 days prior to the Annual Meeting (by March 30).

                                                                                    Carolyn Gibson, Junior Warden

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

Journey of the Beloved: Contemplative Practice and Youth Ministry - Sunday, March 30^th

This workshop has been cancelled.  For details, call 215- 233-3970 or visit: http://www.stthomaswhitemarsh.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/content.contentItem/contentid/23

St. David’s Day School Summer Camp

Great field trips, themed weeks, including arts and crafts, and new this year, Mad Science Week.  Full or half days are available.  Registration forms and more info is available in the Day School Office or at st_davids_day_school@verizon.net , or call 302-475-3747.

Safe Church Training - Saturday, April 19^th

Safe Church Training will be held on Saturday, April 19, 2008, Immanuel Church, New Castle, 8:30 – 3:15.  Registration forms & details have been e-mailed to all churches and rectors.  To register send completed registration form and $10 fee to Diocese of Delaware; ATTN:  Cynde Bimbi, 2020 N. Tatnall Street, Wilmington, DE 19808.  Registration deadline is April 1st.  If you need a registration form, please e-mail cyndebimbi@dioceseofdelaware.net.   Six additional Safe Church training sessions will be offered in Fall, 2008.

Church of the Ascension Yard Sale – Saturday, May 10^th

Proceeds of the sale will be used to help offset the medical expenses of one of our youngest church members.   Sale will be held Saturday May 10, 2008, 10AM-2PM, 3717 Philadelphia Pike (at the intersection of Darley Road) Donations welcomed!  Tables are available for $25.  For more information call (302) 762-6734 or (302) 798-6683.

George Bayley: Music Beyond the Parish

George Bayley imports music (and musicians) from the world to St. Peter's, Lewes. Even more, he exports music from Lewes to the world. See the Diocese of Delaware website to read a profile of this extraordinary musician: http://www.dioceseofdelaware.net/profiles/bayley.html

Library and Vestments Available

The Rev'd Frederic Guyott, III is retiring from active ministry and for a variety of reasons is selling his library of about 600 volumes at very low cost.  He would like to offer these volumes to ministers and laity of the Diocese before seeking to liquidate them through commercial avenues.  He would like this process to be completed by the end of March.  He also has clergy vestments that he would like to sell; also at very low cost.  He lives in downtown Wilmington and would welcome inquiries at 302-428-1897 or by e-mail:  urbansquash@myexcel.com

DELAWARE COMMUNION ON-LINE:

The news page of our website - http://www.dioceseofdelaware.net/news2.html - has announcements, news items and want ads. The Delaware Communion page - http://www.dioceseofdelaware.net/communion.html - has the latest printed issue in PDF format plus numerous stories found only on the Web about faith-inspired ministries throughout Delaware.

Items from the website of the Diocese of Delaware:

Musick to Delight the Ear: Musick from 18th Century London, Saturday, April 5, 7:30 p.m., at St.Peter's,Lewes. Brandywine Baroque, Delaware's award-winning early music ensemble, will perform music written by Handel, Dibdin, Arne, and Festing. There will be a pre-concert talk by musicologist John Burkhalter at 7:00 p.m.  Admission is $15 for adults and $6 for students.

223rd Convention of the Diocese of Delaware, Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12, at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Laurel. For details, call the diocese at 656-5441.

Camp Arrowhead Open House, Sunday, April 27, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Tour Camp Arrowhead and meet staff. Please bring a friend!