This Week at 
Emmanuel Church 
May 11 - 18

Read below about some of the things that are important to us...

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Join us on Sunday 
Holy Eucharist at 10:00 am
This Sunday will be the final cantata of the season. 
"Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten" II, BWV 74   
J.S. Bach
 
SUNDAY PARKING  - the Back Bay Garage on Clarendon Street - address: 500 Boylston St., Boston 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:
 
  A farewell message from The Rev. Susanne George

Dear Emmanuelites,

After four years of service as your deacon, today is my last in that capacity.  I have been very blessed to be at Emmanuel Church.  Pam has been a wonderful mentor, co worker and friend, uplifting me with her care, high standards of leadership, and support for my work.  I have enjoyed meeting and becoming close with so many of you and I have learned a great deal in the process.

This departure is planned. Typically deacons move between parishes, as the representatives of the diocese and specifically, of the bishops, working with rectors to address parish needs, and to, hopefully, empower the laity.

Initially, I made an agreement with the vestry to serve for 3 years, but it was extended a year when help was needed due to several departures in 2015.  I will be taking on an assignment in another parish in the fall, after a period of rest and refreshment.

I will carry with me so many memories and learning experiences when I leave Emmanuel.  It will be a little sad for me but it will also mark the beginning of another adventure in our marvelous, mysterious and amazing church.   Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers!

The Rev. Susanne George 
 
 
 Upcoming Ordination of Deacons 
 Prayers and presence are requested for the ordination of deacons on Saturday,  June 4, 10:30 a.m., at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street)  in Boston. Bishop Alan M. Gates will preside. Those being ordained to the  diaconate are: Thomas A. Bartlett (sponsored by Emmanuel Church in  Boston); Philip J. Flaherty (St. Stephen's Church in Cohasset); Robert Charles  Greiner (Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston); Kristine Marie Holmes  (Christ Church in Plymouth); and Elizabeth Joy Jordan (St. John's Church in  Charlestown).

 Those being ordained as transitional deacons are: Zachary David Brooks  (Church of the Redeemer in Chestnut Hill); Marisa Egerstrom (Cathedral  Church of St. Paul in Boston); Isaac Everett (The Crossing/Cathedral Church  of St. Paul in Boston); Christopher William Whiteman (St. Mary's Church in  Dorchester); and Charles Allen Wynder Jr. (Church of the Holy Spirit in  Mattapan).

 A reception follows the service. All are welcome! 

 Of special note: In addition to sponsoring Tom Bartlett for ordination,  Robert "Bob" Greiner will be coming to Emmanuel to serve as our deacon.  Also,  Isaac Everett is the husband of Emmanuel staff member, Katie Everett.

 
B-SAFE News 

To benefit our B-SAFE program, Gail Abbey, Margaret Johnson, and Shannon Larkin will present us with a concert on Sunday June 19 after our worship. This is a special honor and a wonderful musical treat. Please join us and show your appreciation for the fabulous talent among us and support our mission. Your donation will provide for the lunches and snacks we serve at St. Mary's Church in Dorchester in early July and the wonderful support given to summer reading, learning, and shared joy through B-SAFE, the  B ishop's  S ummer  A cademic,  F un &  E nrichment Program. Don't forget the raffle for this year's stunning B-SAFE afghan, and please look into our plan to take the kids to the Stoneham Zoo. Would you be able to help us with entry fees and supplying a tent for the day? Or, would you care to come along and read to the kids? Ask Peggy your questions at coffee hour or by email - [email protected] .
Tuesday morning Bible Study has resumed 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.
Come join the Chapel Choir!
The Chapel Choir is a non-auditioned group that sings for Emmanuel's Chapel services during the summer months. Singers should have some experience with choral music and be able to read music and match pitch. Rehearsals are before the 10am service. Please let Chapel Choir Director Kevin Neel ([email protected]) know if you plan to sing!
BOSTON WARM is hiring
Part-time Operations Manager is being hired for the day center for people who are experiencing homelessness, BostonWarm at Emmanuel on Mondays and Fridays. This position reports to the Executive Director of ecclesia ministries, inc (common cathedral)., Amanda Grant-Rose. Time commitment: 7 hours/day, one or two days/week, plus another 2-3 hours (weekly or biweekly) for outreach or staff gatherings. For more information, contact Amanda Grant-Rose at [email protected].
A Night of Witness, Worship and Celebration 
Tuesday, June 14, 6 - 9 pm. The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont St.,Boston. On this night we will celebrate justice-based movement leadership across generations and welcome our new Executive Director, the Reverend Arrington Chambliss (see picture below). Come meet our current parish and organizational grantees. Be with us for this worship service as we look to our future together: deepening our social, economic, racial and eco-justice witness in our community and the world. For more information and to RSVP visit www.EpiscopalCityMission.org.  

Boston-Cambridge Mission Hub Project

The Boston-Cambridge Mission Hub project funded by TogetherNow - The Boston/ Cambridge Mission Hub will launch a network of long-term intentional communities committed to engaging a congregation and a neighborhood. These communities will serve as resources to the church and witnesses to their neighborhoods through their commitments to social change, sustainable living, and spiritual practice. 
Partners: Emmanuel Church, Boston; St. Bartholomew's Church, Cambridge; The Crossing, Boston; Boston University Episcopal Chaplaincy; MIT Episcopal Chaplaincy; Trinity Church, Boston. 

A job description for the Mission Hub's Community Development Manager has now been approved and is ready to be posted. This person will be responsible for oversight of the creation of 3-4 intentional communities across Boston. The responsibilities include administration of the Hub, providing support and accountability for each community's leadership team (the House Steering Wheel), and relationship building.
The Community Development Manager position is full-time with an annual salary of $60,000 plus benefits (health and dental insurance, retirement plan, four weeks vacation, paid holidays, short and long term disability and life insurance). Diocesan funding for the Boston/Cambridge Mission Hub, including this position, is subject to annual approval. The overall grant is scheduled to end December 31, 2019. The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

To apply, please submit resumes and letters of application to the Executive Committee of the Boston/Cambridge Mission Hub at:

[email protected]. Visit the following link for complete job description information:
http://www.diomass.org/jobs/boston-cambridge-mission-hub-boston-cambridge/community-development-manager
Planning for Chapel Camp  
Its time to plan our summer offerings for education and fun after Sunday worship services. There will be a meeting on May 15 at 1:00 pm in the Rector's office to finalize the schedule. If you have ideas or offerings, email Pam at [email protected]
Save the Date!  
Sunday, May 22, from 12:00 - 2:30

Friends - Emmanuel Center is planning a potluck lunch followed by a tour of some of the unique architectural elements of the building. It will be capped off by the dedication of a stone from the old St. Botolph's Church in Boston, England that Rabbi Berman acquired on last year's Great Jewish Britain Temple trip. Mark your calendars and plan for a lovely spring afternoon with our Emmanuel and CRT families. 
2016 Pledges - Please make a pledge!
- To date we have received 109 pledges, including 22 pledges from new members of the Emmanuel community.  We are most grateful for the generosity and timeliness of so many individuals and families.  Last year we received a total of 111 pledges (the last of which was made in November, so it's never too late).  We are thankful that the large majority of pledges were received by mid-January so that the vestry could approve the budget for 2016 with as much information about income as possible.  That budget anticipates that more pledges of support will be made. Your pledge may be made via email to Amanda March at [email protected]. 

Exploring Faith Matters
Education for Ministry (EfM) provides the opportunity for scriptural and theological exploration in small groups with a trained mentor. EfM also teaches a model of reflection that can help us discern where and how God is at work in everyday life, enabling us to further our understanding of the ways God is working in and through us. The program was developed and is sponsored by the Sewanee School of Theology with thousands of participants across the globe.

Wednesdays, 6:15 to 8:45 pm, September through May
At Trinity Church in Copley Square
Cost: $350 (Some scholarship available)
Interested? [email protected]
or call Susan Butler, 617-232-4135
Open Session: April 27. Please RSVP for specifics and to attend.
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. 
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...


             As I come into the end of my internship with Emmanuel Church, I am reflecting on what I can take away from this experience.  What am I taking with me from this internship beyond the indelible impact of resilient, artistic, and caring individuals?  Undoubtedly, the ways I have been impacted by others and the wonderful memories I have made with people in this internship will be something I carry with me for the rest of my life. In addition, I have been reflecting on what growth and new skills this internship has given me.  I believe that one of the most important skills I have gained from this internship - something that I can take with me into future career opportunities and life in general - is the ability to sit with my own discomfort.  This is not to suggest that I should sit idle if I feel like my personal safety or the safety of others is at risk, but I am suggesting that it is okay and maybe even essential to therapeutic presence to be able to sit with and process the emotional discomfort that can arise in difficult situations.    
              It is not easy to hear individuals talk about being assaulted on the streets, being abused by their foster care families, being rejected by their families when they come out as LGBorT, and all of the powerful and difficult feelings that are evoked by injustice.  It is not easy to feel helpless in the face of suffering and to feel the awkwardness of not knowing what to say or how to help.  These things have been uncomfortable for me.  The idea of sitting with discomfort was first suggested to me by my supervisor at the beginning of my internship, and it was the first time this idea was ever suggested to me.  Historically, my personal discomfort is something that I try to skew and bury; when there is an awkward silence, when someone shares something that is difficult to hear, and when a person 's presence and distinctiveness aggravate me, I try to fill, smooth, and deflect my own discomfort. However, I have found that it has been essential in my internship to allow people the space to express difficult experiences and feelings and to also allow the often uncomfortable space for silence. 
              Especially at the beginning of my internship, my natural response to the discomfort of listening to and experiencing difficult situations was to try to support by buffing out the roughness of another's situation through hopeful support, but I have learned that tendency comes from a need to alleviate my own discomfort.  I have found that supporting others is about taking actions to validate their discomforts, and this can come in the form of simply listening.  It feels comfortable to instantly offer advice or words of solace, but sometimes these gestures are empty attempts to turn from the discomfort of facing the reality of pain, injustice, and other difficulties.   
              Sitting with discomfort includes exploring within myself why it made me uncomfortable to listen to a man who sleeps on the streets complain about the rain as I sat warm in my raincoat.  Within the parameters of safeguarding personal safety and safety of others, it is okay to feel discomfort sometimes in what people say and what their words bring up for me, and there are times when personal discomfort should be chewed and digested instead of instantly spit out.  Once I was able to explore and manage my own discomfort, I was able to more fully listen to, support, and not judge the people I served in my internships, and this is an amazing point of growth that I can take with me when I leave.  I thank Emmanuel for providing this internship, for its challenges and its support, and although I am sad to leave I am excited to take an abundance of memories and knowledge with me. 


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