A New Look & Two New Friendship House Outreach Opportunities!
Immanuel Highlands Voice
October 27, 2020 | Volume 17, Number 36
The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
Hello and welcome to the new and improved Immanuel Highlands Voice Newsletter!
What's new you may ask? First and foremost we have changed to a greatly improved software package that is light years ahead of our old providers software. This means we have greater design and content options, greater efficiency in creating and publishing the newsletter each week, improved deliverability, print and mailing options and much more!
Please bear with us as we continue to refine our designs, layouts and content over the next couple issues. In fact shoot me an email or call me at the Parish Office and let me know what you think and any ideas you may have! I would welcome your feedback as we move forward with this important communications channel.
Faithfully,
Jon Barrett
Editor
When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.
Matthew 21:23-32
FROM THE RECTOR
Dear Immanuel Highlands Family,
Our parish begins public worship on Sunday, October 4, at 9:30 am. These details will be made clear in a message. Please know that we come together through a careful process of discussion and discernment, with caution and concern for those who are most vulnerable. We return upon consideration of the best scientific knowledge, in a spirit of prayer, and trusting the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.
Along the way, there may be awkward moments adjusting to new protocols. There will be times of frustration, joy, grief and celebration. We will have countless opportunities to exercise the spiritual gifts of patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. There will be blessings. There will be wonderful surprises and moments of deep satisfaction. We will see a new thing God is doing, even now. We will have opportunities to savor the spiritual gifts of love, joy, peace, generosity, and faithfulness.
Let us be faithful, then—to God and to one another—as we receive the gifts and work through the challenges of this time in the life of our congregation and world. Remember that nothing separates us from God’s love in Christ Jesus.
Faithfully,
Curt+
CHURCH WORK DAY THIS SATURDAY
SEPTEMBER 26, 2020
Women and Men, Girls and Boys!
The Altar Guild invites you to a "Workday"! Join us as we prepare the church for in-person worship, which begins on October 4th 2020.
Saturday, September 26 @ 8:30 a.m.- Noon
8:30 a.m. Prayers with Fr. Curtis in the Sanctuary
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Work groups for cleaning
11:00 a.m. to Noon *Lunch and fellowship hour
*Lunch will be provided by the church
R.S.V.P. Suzanne Moon (302) 757-6677
SUNDAY SCHOOL THIS WEEK
This week at 11:00 a.m., our Sunday School program classes will be split y age (K-3rd grade and 4th - 8th grade). The Zoom kink for Sunday School until further notice is below:
For questions or more information, contact Anne Alexis Harra, Minister for Children & Youth (aharra@immanuel-highlands.org).
MONTHLY WALKS FOR JUSTICE & PEACE
Following the meaningful event on June 19, we will begin monthly Walks for Justice and Peace. These marches will be hosted collaboratively by First and Central Presbyterian Church and Saints Andrew and Matthew Episcopal Church.
The next march will be on Friday, October 2, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. and continue on the first Friday of each month. After gathering on the steps of First & Central for a brief time of reflection and prayer, we will walk silently to Saints Andrew and Matthew for concluding remarks and prayer.
The City of Wilmington will provide police officers to assure safe crossings at intersections. Social distancing will be observed and all participants will be required to wear masks. We invite other Wilmington communities of faith to join with us in this public statement for justice.
If you have any questions about this monthly event, please contact Bill Getman at wfgetman55@gmail.com.
WORSHIP RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU!
In an effort to assist those following our Sunday morning virtual worship without the printed bulletin sent weekly via email, I will do his best to announce page numbers from the Book of Common Prayer and The Hymnal 1982. If you do not have either or both of these books, please let the Parish Office know, and we will make sure you receive one.
In addition, and with my recommendation, they are available for purchase from Amazon. Thank you for your continued patience as we navigate this new normal.
Fr. Curt+
SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE BIBLE & TODAY
Adult Education at Immanuel Highlands this fall continues our focus on social justice in the Bible and how this relates to living in today’s world. Our text is The Social Justice Bible Challenge edited by Marek P. Zabriskie. This Sunday we will have discussed thirty of the forty lessons in this book. What is truly noteworthy is how many different aspects of social justice have been focused on that were concerns both 2000 years ago and today.
Each lesson has a Bible reading, a reflection, questions, and a prayer that provide the foundation for our discussions. The reflections are written by experts from around the world whose work relates to that week’s reading. These reflections truly help us better understand both the need and how we can help in 2020.
Zoom has enabled more of us to participate in Adult Education at Immanuel Highlands despite the pandemic. Whether you are at home or traveling or homebound you can attend. We meet at 11:00am each Sunday. Would you like to join us? Contact Lyn Newsom at lynnewsom@gmail.com. You will receive the book and will be added to the Zoom email list.
Thank you, Eve English, for leading our September 20 discussion so well. Maria duPont, thank you for being our Zoom host each week.
Sunday September 27 Alex Lehr-Maunder will lead our 11:00am Zoom discussion of:
Lesson 29 Luke 5:9-11 (pages 110 -111) and
Lesson 30 Luke 7:36-50 (pages 112-114).
Our service project focuses on providing 8oz bottles of water for To Go Bags for clients who come in for services at the Friendship House Empowerment Centers in New Castle County. Donations of 8oz bottles of water are being collected in the church foyer. You can also donate via check to Immanuel Highlands noting Adult Ed Water on the bottom left corner of your check. Please contact Connie Shultz at connieshultz@hotmail.com for more information.
FRIENDSHIP HOUSE ANNUAL PARTY IS
GOING VIRTUAL!
Friendship House is holding their annual party as a virtual event on Thursday October 1, 2020 with the opportunity for people to sponsor or purchase a ticket and name their own price. Uniting people facing homelessness with loving, supportive communities they can call home.
Here is the link for anyone who wants to sponsor and do it online:
We will send the Zoom link and meetings details to all confirmed sponsors and ticket holders Monday, September 28 (with a follow up on the day of the event - Oct 1.) The program will include a silent auction on a special commissioned work of art just for this event, a video highlighting our clients, and a video telling the story of COVID at FH by our staff. It will be a special evening not to be missed!
FRIENDSHIP HOUSE COFFEE SUPPLIES DRIVE BEGINS OCTOBER 4, 2020
Immanuel Church Highlands will sponsor a "Coffee Supplies Drive" for Friendship House beginning on Sunday October 4, 2020. Donations of the following supplies are greatly appreciated; coffee, powdered creamer, sugar, tea bags and packets of instant cocoa. Donations may be left in the church office lobby. Thank you for your support of this important ministry.
MORNING PRAYER VIA FACEBOOK LIVE ON FRIDAY MORNINGS!
You are invited yo join Anne Alexis Harra in the Daily Office of Morning Prayer on Facebook Live, Friday mornings at 8:00 a.m. The Daily Office of Morning Prayer, Rite II, can be found on page 75 or by going to www.bcponline.org
All are welcome and encouraged to attend this quiet, meditative and prayerful service.
Immanuel Church, Highlands LIVESTREAMS Sunday Services each week at 9:30 a.m. E\All are welcome to join with us in worship by going to the Immanuel Church Highlands Facebook Page around 9:20 a.m. and the service will come to you without anything else needed!
When you get to our page there is a link to the weeks worship bulletin with which you can follow the service.
Just use the following link and you are ready to join in our virtual worship service.
Meals for Friendship House Phase 1 Women's Epiphany House Shelter will now be on the 4th Sunday of the month. Currently we are preparing home cooked meals for approximately 2-8 residents., including staff, and dropping off curbside to their location on Union Street. Call (302) 428-0151 when dropping off for curbside assistance. Currently, the COVID-19 restrictions are still in place, which will not allow us to share meals with the residents.
The residents and staff are grateful for the ongoing meals. Our new dates are: Sept. 27, Oct. 25, Nov. 22 and Dec.27.
Please contact Connie Shultz at connieshultz@hotmail.com or (302) 737-1032 / (302) 373-1281 for opportunities to serve. You may also contact Kristen Reisor, Friendship House Meals Coordinator at kristenreisor@friendship house.org
EMMANUEL DINING ROOM
The next dinner at Emmanuel Dining Room will be on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. We will prepare the meal that day at 8:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall Kitchen.
ANDREW'S PLACE
The next dinner for Andrew's Place will be on Saturday, October 3, 2020.
