This Week at Emmanuel Church
     November 21 - November 28


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Christmas services, page down 
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Our week ahead...

St. John The Divine in Iowa, A Staged Reading , by Lyralen Kaye - An Episcopal priest passionate about alleviating suffering...her daughter, who just wants to come first... and a welcoming congregation, who finally has someone to welcome. The reading is from a new version of the screenplay, developed with the help of Caroline Kaplan (Boys Don't Cry, Boyhood) and Mary Jane Skalski (The Station Agent), as well as interviews with the Rev. Pamela Werntz and her family.  Directed by Caitlin Stewart-Swift, this reading is free and open to the public. St. John's, 1 Roanoke Street, Jamaica Plain - 7:30pm on November 20, please email [email protected] to reserve a seat. 

Our interim organist , Kevin Neel, is an accompanist for Symphonic Chorus at BU. Each year, they put on two concerts at Symphony Hall, and the fall concert will be on Monday, November 23 at 8pm. The repertoire is Stravinsky's Perséphone and Fauré's Requiem. Kevin will be accompanying the Fauré on Symphony Hall's organ. Tickets are available at  https://www.bso.org/Performance/Detail/76711/. 

Join a group of Emmanuelites for "Flickmix."  This group will be attending a movie on the evening of the last Tuesday in the month. Afterwards the group will go to a local bistro to discuss the film and enjoy food and drink. Email Nancy Peabody at [email protected]  if you wish to join us November 24th. The film this month will be Spotlight.

SUNDAY PARKING  - the Back Bay Garage on Clarendon Street. The address for the garage is 500 Boylston St., 02116. Pink tickets are available during coffee hour. Your ticket is good for a 3 hour period on Sunday between 8:00am to 8:00pm. The price for 3 hours is $5. Beyond that the regular rate applies. 
       Upcoming Events & Important Information:   
    
The 2015 Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence will be held at 7:30pm on 12/9, at  First Church in Boston. Please pass along this information - email it, add it to newsletters, distribute posters, hand out flyers, and make announcements to your organizations about this service.  Ellie Miller, Campaign Against Gun Violence, First Church in Boston,  MA Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence.




Fruit of the Vine at Communion - Our trial use of adding grape
juice at communion has been declared a success!  Both grape juice and wine will be served at the communion station in front of the baptismal font.  The grape juice will be in the ceramic chalice.  Only wine is available at the rail. Our offering of non-alcoholic fruit of the vine is in response to recent calls within the Episcopal Church for Episcopalians to re-examine our relationship with alcohol, and because of our heritage of the Emmanuel Movement (forebear of AA).  As a matter of theology, the Episcopal Church teaches that receiving only bread or only wine constitutes full communion.  However, just as we began to offer gluten-free bread, we add non-fermented grape juice to our sacramental offering to extend the hospitality of the sacrament.  

Flu Season Approaching - Did you know that drinking from the chalice is far more safe and sanitary than dipping bread (intinction)? If you do choose to dip bread in the chalice, please be careful to keep your hands from touching the chalice!

2016 Pledge Season has begun -  Over the course of the next several weeks, please prayerfully consider making a pledge of financial support to Emmanuel Church for 2016 so that we can make commitments for our staff and programs inside and outside of Emmanuel for the coming year.  Pledge cards and other materials will be in the mail in the next few weeks.  We encourage you to deepen your engagement with this vital parish in a way that will enlarge our capacity for welcome.

Many thanks to Meg Abbey for, once again, donating her time to design beautiful materials to encourage you to deepen your engagement with this vital parish in a way that will enlarge our capacity for welcome.

This year, as a part of our pledge drive , we have asked several parishioners to write a personal testimonial on what it means to pledge their support of welcome to Emmanuel Church. 

The following is from Charlie Felsenthal:
"Unlike most people at Emmanuel, I grew up Episcopalian.  In the early days, in what then was a small town in Southern California, we had a ragtag, loosely organized mission,  with Sunday school at the VFW hall and services in the local mortuary chapel.  It was fun, and there was a palpable feeling of solidarity and enthusiasm.  We were building something from the ground up.  The congregation's first real church was constructed in large part by members of the congregation.  The day for the inaugural service arrived  before the pews did, so, resourceful and high-spirited, we sat on orange crates.  My parents and I did the whole thing - vestry, altar guild, teaching Sunday school, six years  as an acolyte.  And then I went away to college.  Conventional religion fell by the wayside.  (I used to say I hadn't left the Church.  The Church had left me.)  I got to know people - truly good people - who belonged to a  variety of religious traditions or to none, and I decided other people's magic was entitled to just as much respect as the version I had grown up with.  I went to church only for  weddings and funerals, with an occasional appearance at my home parish, St. C------'s, when I was visiting my parents.  It seemed to me that St. C-------'s had grown fat, complacent, and dull.  There was no vitality left. The hiatus (somehow "sabbatical" seems like precisely the wrong word) lasted about 30 years.  I was done with church.  But early in 1997 the son of close friends from my college years fell ill with leukemia, and one Friday when I was visiting him at a local  hospital his father invited me to come to Emmanuel on Sunday for the music.  I said "Umm . . . let me think about it."  The next day I said yes, and Sunday morning we met at  Emmanuel.  Midway through the service - after the sermon, I think, but before the cantata -- I found myself thinking "If I'm ever coming back, now is the time and this is the place."  It felt like home.  By the end of the year I had agreed to serve as Treasurer.
The all-hands-on-deck style seemed totally right.  Emmanuel is old and well established, with a distinguished history, a magnificent building, and splendid music.  It bears no resemblance to St. C------'s circa 1955 - with makeshift facilities, Captain Ray Lewis of the Church Army as vicar, and Jessie Pirsch happily banging out hymns on an old piano - no resemblance at all except in one crucial respect.  That energy and joy and commitment to one another that made St. C------'s special sixty years ago is also present here at Emmanuel.  And miraculously it continues from decade to decade, growing stronger instead of dissolving into middle-aged bourgeois dullness.  This place is not merely special.  It is, as far as I can tell, unique, and to keep it going - from strength to strength, as the psalm says - is to me a matter of the highest importance.  I hope (and believe) I'm surrounded by people who feel the same way about this community.  Please join me in doing what we can to keep it thriving.  The  money's important, but so is the commitment.  Please join me in pledging support for the coming year."

Boston-Cambridge Mission Hub funded by TogetherNow   At their September meeting, Diocesan Council voted to approve the Mission Hub proposal submitted by Emmanuel, St. Bartholomew's Cambridge, The Cathedral Crossing congregation, and Trinity Copley, along with MIT and BU chaplaincies, to establish 3-4 intentional community houses connected to our parishes over the next 5 years.  It was a very unusual proposal for expanding the mission of the Diocese, supporting and developing lay vocations, and making deeper connections in our communities. 
The overall program grant is expected to be nearly $600K (from DioMass TogetherNow funds) and will be spent on a full time Community Development Manager, training and community-building resources for the houses, and about $36K for each house to cover things like first/last month rent & security deposits for folks who need that assistance.  The next step will be to have the first year budget approved by Council (next month).  Sharon Ballard was Emmanuel's representative to the grant writing team.  Tamra Tucker also provided support.  Stay tuned for ways to get involved!

Tuesday morning Bible Study  meets this month on Tuesday  mornings from 7:30-8:30 a.m. in the Emmanuel Room (through the kitchen of the Parish House). Come whenever you are able to join us for this lively conversation with the Rector. This Bible Study meets in odd-numbered months.

Boston Warm News - There have been many guests coming to Boston Warm@Emmanuel on Mondays and Fridays. They continue to be in need of financial support to cover paid staff and program supplies. Volunteering for a few hours a month on a Monday or Friday helps the center run smoothly and enriches community life for all. Donations of winter clothing in good condition are welcome. Together we are making God's love real for many!

THE BACH INSTITUTE 2016   Again, Emmanuel Music is partnering with Winsor Music and Oberlin College and Conservatory for Bach Institute 2016, and we are again seeking host families for the students, in areas within easy walking distance to our main site at Emmanuel Church, such as Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End, or with MBTA accessibility in close-in suburbs.  This year students arrive on Thursday, January 7, and leave on Tuesday, January 26.   Host families need only to provide a private room (unless there is an available room with two beds for 2 same-sex students) and bathroom facilities.  The program provides lunches and some dinners, so the only meal that students need to provide on their own is breakfast.  A shelf in a refrigerator for storage of perishables would be appreciated.
If you are able to assist us, or know of someone who would like to host a student, please let me know.  Also, please feel free to contact me directly with any questions either by email or phone at  617-536-3356 .

Part-Time Position: Event Sexton - help us get this word out -Emmanuel Episcopal Church has been serving the urban community of greater Boston as a dynamic center for spiritual discovery and renewal since 1860. As an outgrowth of its mission, Emmanuel Church supports the work of numerous religious, social service, and artistic organizations which are vital to the health and spiritual wellness of the City of Boston. We provide space for meetings, concerts, events and functions, as well as for weddings and memorial services, both for those from within the parish and beyond.   Responsibilities:  Our sextons are ministers of hospitality, creating a welcome, secure, and pleasant environment for event coordinators and participants. Sexton work includes preparing spaces for events and break-down afterwards, maintaining the security of the building, and having the opportunity to help us carry out our mission and outreach by providing radical hospitality to a wonderfully wide variety of people. This position requires the physical ability to lift furniture weighing up to 30 lbs unassisted.
Compensation is $15 - $25 per hour, depending on the event.
This is an ideal position for those seeking supplemental income with schedule flexibility to work on evenings and weekends. To apply for this position, please send a letter of introduction and resume to Amanda March, Parish Administrator, at [email protected] . Or call to speak with Amanda at 617-536-3355, ext. 10 or the Rev. Christen Mills at 617-536-3355, ext. 21.

The Vestry Nominating Committee  had held a preliminary meeting to begin the search for candidates for a number of elected positions.  At this year's Annual Meeting, the parish will be asked to vote for Senior and Junior Wardens; four Vestry positions;  two representatives to the Boston Harbor Deanery; two representatives and an alternate to the Diocesan Convention; and a delegate to Episcopal Relief and Development.  If you are interested and willing to serve in one of these positions, or if you can think of people you would recommend for one, please let a member of the Nominating Committee know.  They are Penny Lane, Frank Bunn, Barbara Devries, Paul Guttry, Tom Barber, Jim Bartlett, Margaret Johnson and Sam Warren.

Name Tags for All -  Because it's always nice to be able to attach a name to a face, we encourage you to wear a name tag. You may find them along the wall in the Parish Hall, alphabetized by FIRST name. And in our efforts to make Emmanuel Church a more welcoming and inclusive community for all, we invite you to put your pronouns (he/him, she/her, etc.) on your name tag. By doing this, we help make Emmanuel Church a more welcoming place for transgender worshippers. If you don't see a name tag along the wall in the Parish Hall, and would like to have one, please find Penny Lane at coffee hour or email her at [email protected] with your name and pronouns.

Tours at Emmanuel
Have you ever wondered about the stories behind Emmanuel's beautiful building? Today, it is home to thriving communities from Emmanuel Church and Central Reform Temple, to Twelve-Step programs and ministries to the homeless, and to dozens of music and performing arts events from Emmanuel Music and others every year. We are excited to announce that Emmanuel Church is starting to offer free, guided tours of its historic Sanctuary and Leslie Lindsey Chapel. For a taste of Boston's 19th century history and an eyeful of Boston's best architecture in the oldest building on Newbury Street, call Christen Mills at (617) 536-3355 x21 or email at [email protected] to schedule a tour.  

"This Week at Emmanuel" E-News & Updates
"This Week at Emmanuel" is a weekly e-mail digest of announcements and upcoming events at Emmanuel. If you'd like to receive these, simply e-mail Amanda March at [email protected].

Musings from the Margins...

The significant aspect of Thanksgiving for me is not the abundance of food but the time to reflect on the things for which I am grateful. In my family, it is a Thanksgiving tradition that we each share with the others gathered at our table our most favored blessings.  

This year I will credit my internship with Emmanuel Church as being my greatest blessing. From the start, I have felt honored to be accepted into the three programs that are a part of this internship, and anticipated this would be a tremendous opportunity. My association with Emmanuel Church has been enlightening and is providing experiences rich in ways no textbook or classroom could begin to relate. Perhaps what I am most grateful for are the relationships developed with people that I would not have likely met otherwise. These relationships have contributed to a newfound sensitivity for the wellbeing of populations not previously known. In turn, this has led me to being more aware in my choices of words or actions around others as I learn more about their lives.

I am grateful for the goodness I've witnessed in many of the individuals I've met in Café Emmanuel, Art and Spirituality and the common art programs. In each of the populations served (LGBT Elders, incarcerated women, homeless and marginally housed people), I've seen acts of kindness to each other and in many cases have also been the recipient of such considerations. I have learned that charity is beneficial to both the giver and the receiver, and when it charity comes from the heart, it is the most valuable of resources.

As weeks go by I am becoming more comfortable in my role as a facilitator. This allows me to be more present and connect deeper with the members of each group. Last week one such developing relationship led to a portrait being given to me by one of the common art participants. It is a lovely portrait by a talented artist that I am sincerely honored to have received. However, the nicest aspect of this gift was the quality time spent for the portrait sitting during which I learned more about the artist's interests and personal history.  I am reminded that every individual has a compelling story to tell when we take the time to listen. 


-Brianna Babick
      

Christmas at
    Emmanuel Church

Sunday, December 20   after the 10 am worship service -- join the fun of decorating the sanctuary!
 
Monday, December 21, 7:30 pm   in the Lindsey Chapel:  Blue Christmas on the Longest Night -- a quiet and reflective service of Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayer
 
Thursday, December 24 , Christmas Eve in the Sanctuary
     7:00 pm Carol Sing
     7:30 pm Festival Holy Eucharist, 
with  BWV 91 Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ
 
Sunday, December 27, 10 am   in the Lindsey Chapel
 
Sunday, January 3, 10 am   in the Lindsey Chapel 
with BWV 32 Liebster Jesu, main Verlangen

Amanda March,
Parish Operations Manager
617-536-3355, x 10