Volume 5, Number 14                                     Third Sunday of Easter                                      April 6, 2008

Feedback from the Katrina Team

Dear Friends,

I’m back.  The memories and thoughts of the mission trip to New Orleans will always be with me.  Situations pleasant and heartbreaking will never be forgotten.  Our tasks, large or small, served someone in some way.  There was Joy in the work and there were tears in some sights, but I found faith in the people and hope in the future.  Not one person I met, even some of those driving by, neglected to say "Thank you, Volunteers."

This has been a very rewarding effort for me.  The people are in my thoughts and prayers.  I fully understand the importance of our presence in the recovery program in New Orleans.  Thank you all for giving me this opportunity.

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    Mert Davies

(Editor’s Note:  Mert is a parishioner at St. Thomas’ Newark.  Look for more feedback notes from New Orleans in next week’s Highlands Voice.)

THIS WEEK AT IMMANUEL: 

Sun       6      Third Sunday of Easter

                      8:00 am        Holy Eucharist in Chapel

                      9:30 am        Sunday School Classes

                    10:15 am        Special Music (see first item after Coming Soon dates, below)

                    10:30 am        Sung Eucharist with Presentation of Sunday School Quilts,
                                              followed by Coffee Hour downstairs

                      4:00 pm        Evensong for Eastertide, featuring the Women of the Choir

Mon - Fri      7:30 am        Morning Prayer

Mon     7       7:00 pm        Liturgy Ministry (Parlor)

Tue       8       6:30 pm        Search Team (Parlor)

                      6:30 pm        Choristers (Music Room)

                      7:00 pm        Al Anon (Common Room)

                      7:45 pm        Coro Allegro (Music Room)

Wed     9       6:30 pm        Quiet Prayer (Common Room)

                      7:30 pm        Healing Service (Chapel)

Thu     10       7:30 pm        Mixed Choir (Music Room)

Fri    4/11 and Sat 4/12      Diocesan Convention (St. Philip’s Church, Laurel, DE)

Sat      12     12:00             Al Anon (Common Room)

COMING SOON (save these dates):

Sun     13       c. noon         Annual Parish Meeting

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

Come early for a special musical treat!  This Sunday Simon Jeynes (recorder) and Carolyn Hendrix (cello) will join Jack Burnam to play G. F. Handel’s elegant and tuneful Sonata in G minor for recorder and basso continuo as the Prelude to the 10:30 service. This special musical offering will begin around 10:15.

                                                                                    Jack Burnam

Evensong this Sunday at 4 pm will be sung by Women of the Choir, offering music in celebration of Easter and the renewal of spring. Bring a friend along to experience this joyful, meditative worship through music and Scripture. The service is brief (about 45 minutes), and an elegant and vernal reception follows.

                                                                                    Jack Burnam

3 !       Annual Meeting       3 !

The Immanuel Church, Highlands, Annual Meeting will be held in the Dining Room on Sunday, April 13, after the 10:30 service.  Lunch will be provided.  We will vote on revisions to our bylaws and elect vestry members.

Copies of the bylaws and proposed changes are in the foyer and have been emailed to the parish list.

The slate of candidates is:                  Carl Burnam

                                                            Ryan Day, as youth candidate

                                                            Andy Fairchild

                                                            Tom Greer

                                                            Phyllis Harvey

                                                            Byron Hobson

                                                            Simon Jeynes

                                                            Barbara Volko

Copies of statements by all of these candidates are available in the foyer and have been emailed to the parish.

Absentee Ballots will be available from the Parish Office this Sunday, April 6.  Qualified voters who will be absent April 13 and are also unable to pick up a ballot on April 6: please contact Interim Parish Secretary Kay Wack at the Parish Office by phone or email as soon as possible to make other arrangements for obtaining an absentee ballot.

From our Bylaws:

Article III,

Section 2.  Qualified voters at the annual congregational meeting are those who have been baptized, are sixteen years of age or older, are regular attendants upon the services of Immanuel Church and whose names have been entered for at least six months upon the records of Immanuel Church as contributors to the support thereof.

                                                                                    Carolyn Gibson, Junior Warden

Sunday School Notes:  

April 6              Presentation of quilts at 10:30 service

May 10            Pentecost rehearsal 10 a.m. – 12 noon

May 10            The "Sistine Chapel" painting – 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

May 11            Pentecost service rehearsal 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. and

                        Pentecost service at 10:30 a.m.

Upcoming: do you know your New Testament books?  Coming to a service near you is soon the great New Testament quiz, brought by the Grade 4/5 class.  Bone up while you can!

                                                                                    Simon Jeynes, Christian Education

Diocesan Convention will be April 11 and 12 in Laurel, Delaware.  Complete information can be found on the Diocesan website at http://dioceseofdelaware.net/news.html.  Immanuel's delegates are: Marcia Lynch and Alan Dages; alternates are: Marian Wilson and Don Hobson.  Don is running for Lay Deputy to General Convention.

Everyone in the Diocese is invited to the Convention Banquet where the guest speaker will be The Rt. Rev. Bud Shand, Bishop of our neighboring Diocese of Easton.  These are always good times and it is great being able to hob-nob with other Episcopalians in Delaware.  If you wish to go to the banquet in Laurel on April 11th, go to the website referenced above and click on the "registration" link.  You can register on-line and pay by check or credit card.  I'm sure car-pooling can be arranged.  Laurel is about 1 1/2 hours south on Rt. 13.  Deadline for registration is March 28th (so they say!)

The Bishop will give his annual Convention address at the Eucharist on Saturday morning in St. Philip's Church, Laurel at 8:30 a.m.

                                                                              Fr. Thom

Desserts with Bach:  Immanuel musicians are proud to present an evening of Bach and his contemporaries.  Saturday, June 14, from 7:00 to 9:00, we invite you to join us to hear piano, violin, cello, recorder, and voice playing/singing Bach and his friends.  Entry fee is a plate of desserts (finger food).  There will be a thank offering in favor of St. Luke's parish, New Orleans.  This is a great opportunity to bring musical non-church-going friends and introduce them to our wonderful community.

                                                                                    Simon Jeynes and Jack Burnam

Boerger Update:  As of March 26, we are still at $1500 of our goal of about $3000.  We are trying to help purchase one airfare and lodging in order for the Boerger family to be present at the celebration of the New Testament for the Solomon Islands, now published.  The local culture makes it essential for them to be there.  Immanuel supported the Boergers for 15 years in this translation.  Let’s help them to finish the last step.

                                                                                    Sue Welles, Outreach

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.

Items from the website of the Diocese of Delaware:

Evensong, Sunday, April 13, 4:00 p.m., Immanuel on the Green, New Castle. Choir of Sts. Andrew and Matthew, Wilmington; David Christopher, director. Details: 328-2413.

Delaware Compline Choir, Sunday, April 13, 7:30 p.m., at St. Helena Church, Wilmington, 602 Philadelphia Pike. Details: 654-6279.

Friday Rocks II, April 18, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m., Church of the Ascension, Claymont. Five local high school bands; loud music; well chaperoned 'show' where teens can safely dance and enjoy each others' company. Earplugs provided. Snacks & beverages for sale. $5.00 admission. Proceeds benefit COTA YOUth Music Ministry and Zoe, our 5-year-old 'Rock Angel' who is undergoing treatment for leukemia.

Safe Church Training, Saturday, April 19, 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Immanuel on the Green, New Castle. Click here to see the Diocese's 22-page Safe Church Personnel Manual. It provides guidance for hiring employees, guidelines for employees and volunteers, a sample misconduct prevention policy, a sample anti-harassment policy, a sample form for those transporting children and youth, best practices for those working with children and youth, and incident reporting guidelines. Sign up for the April 19 training, please call the Bishop's Office 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!

Choral Evensong, Sunday, April 27, 5:00 p.m., at St. Paul’s Church, Chestnut Hill, 22 E. Chestnut Hill Avenue, Philadelphia. Cathedral Choir School of Delaware. Details: 654-6279.

Wilmington Garden Day, May 3. The 61st Annual Wilmington Garden Day is a self-guided tour of 22 distinctive private homes and gardens. Garden Day supports St. Michael’s School and Nursery’s Tuition Assistance Program and is sponsored by four Episcopal churches.

Air Guitar Contest, Friday, May 9, 7:00 p.m., Church of the Ascension, Claymont. Individual and air band categories. Air guitar is all the rage! Here's a chance to 'perform' and help others! Teens are invited to bring a CD with their favorite air guitar song and perform for the judges, or just come see this event and have fun!  $5 donation suggested. Proceeds benefit COTA YOUth Ministry and Zoe, our 5-year-old 'Rock Angel'.

Day in Old New Castle, May 17. Join the parishioners of Immanuel Episcopal Church on this, the oldest house and garden tour in the U.S. This year’s beneficiary will be the Food Bank of Delaware’s “Backpack Program.”

Presiding Bishop urges action on global warming.  Click here to read the Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori's letter to the U.S. Senate.

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

Episcopal Diocese of Delaware seeks Part-Time Financial Consultant to assist the Diocese. From May 1 to August 31, 2008, the Business Manager of 14 years will take a four-month sabbatical leave. We seek a Consultant to 1) assume some of the responsibilities, tasks and functions (other tasks will be shared by staff and volunteers), 2) make observations, comments and recommendations with a report to the Canon to the Ordinary and the Bishop in early September 2008. For additional information or to express your interest, contact the Rev. Canon Gary Rowe, garyrowe@dioceseofdelaware.net (302.656.5441 ext. 107)

Dining Out for Life – Thursday, May 1^st

Restaurants in Wilmington (city and suburbs), Newark, Middletown, Bear, and New Castle will donate 33% of their food profits that evening to AIDS Delaware.  All you have to do is go out and eat at one of our excellent restaurants.  You don’t have to sign up, identify yourself, or wear a silly hat (unless you want to wear a silly hat!)  JUST EAT – desserts count! Please visit www.aidsdelaware.org for a complete list of participating restaurants; their websites are also there so you can take a tour of their menus as well.

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.

Grace Church Flea Market – Saturday, May 10^th

Grace Church is sponsoring a Flea Market with Antique Car Show; there will be crafts and food.  Rent a space for $15.  For more information call 302-658-3251

Strengthening Stepfamilies – Wednesday, May 14^th

The Delaware/Delmarva Healthy Marriage Coalition and Catholic Charities Diocese of Wilmington are sponsoring a program on Strengthening Stepfamilies:  A Developmental Approach.  Surveys of clergy and religious counselors indicate that support for blended families, that is, couples on second marriages and bringing children from first marriages, is a difficult task.  We are presenting a program featuring one of the country's true experts on the subject.  The conference is May 14 in Bear, DE.  For more information contact DECCF at 302-225-1040 or DECCF@aol.com