Emmanuel Mini Envoy June 2017

Transcription

1 Emmanuel Mini Envoy June 2017 This summer and fall, I get to do something in worship that I have always wanted to do, but have never gotten to do before. Drum roll please! This summer and into the fall, we will be using the semicontinuous Old Testament readings during worship! Perhaps that s not as exciting for you as it is for me. My guess would be that most of you don t know what the semi-continuous Old Testament readings are. I certainly didn t for most of my life and even part of my career. You probably do know that we follow a pattern of readings in our worship that is called a lectionary. The lectionary that we use is called the Revised Common Lectionary and it was put together in 1992 by an ecumenical committee of scholars and pastors. It reflects a pattern of scripture reading in the church that goes back to the Middle Ages, and even before, when the writings of the early church fathers indicate that there was the expectation that churches would be reading the same scripture readings during their worship services on Sundays. Many churches besides Lutheran churches use the Revised Common Lectionary, including the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church, the Reformed Church in America, the Presbyterian Church, USA, the American Baptist Churches, USA. The lectionary used by the Roman Catholic Church is very similar to the Revised Common Lectionary as well. The Revised Common Lectionary is a tool of Christian unity. Perhaps, by coming to worship, you have noticed, that there is often a relationship between the Old Testament reading and the gospel reading. That is very much by design. The Old Testament readings and the gospel readings are intended to reflect each other in order to emphasize the consistency of God s work in the world. God s work of grace shown in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not to be understood as a change in God s dealings with humanity, but as a part of the nature of God as God s nature is shown forth throughout all of holy scripture. Having the Old Testament readings that reinforce the message of the gospel reading in the lectionary is called the Complementary lectionary. However, as important as that connection between the Old Testament and the Gospel readings is, using the Complementary lectionary does have a downside. The downside is the fact that when the Complementary lectionary is used, we do a lot of skipping around in the Bible with our Old Testament readings, which means that sometimes we miss the continuity and scope of the Old Testament itself. There is an alternative and that is what we are going to use this summer and fall. It is called the Semi- Continuous lectionary. In the Semi-Continuous version of the Revised Common Lectionary, each year we read through a different narrative of the Old Testament, focusing on the continuity of the Old Testament story itself. Reading the Old Testament this way, will help us to see how the whole story fits together. The year, (Lectionary Year A), our focus will be on the major Genesis narratives, the covenant with Moses, and the establishment of Israel in the Promised Land. It will help us to see how God has been at work throughout history, to set aside a covenant people for God s work in the world and for the sake of the world. I m excited to hear and to share this story with you! In Christ, Pastor Amanda ~ 1 ~

2 Prayer Concerns List Daniel Carow Brian Cegelis Jack Gradijan Hans & Ursula Dimpel Rhoda Moyo Helen Hultman Kyle Shonak Jan Rhoda Moyo Pastor Rick Schlak Remembering Our Homebound members Ingrid Bamber, Joan Fogarty, Richard Spencer Those in the Armed Forces Christopher Rando June 25th after worship in Kask Hall The meeting will start at approximately 10:30. Grab a coffee and a seat and see what s going on here at Emmanuel. Confirmation Sunday The Rite of Confirmation was celebrated on Pentecost Sunday, June 4th. The following members of our confirmation class affirmed their baptism and take on their adult role in Church: Erich Alberg Sophie Donovan Katerina Gebhardt Thank You Notes Dear Emmanuel, Mattheu Avelar Caroline Gebhardt Jack Silletti I wanted to thank you for my welcome back card and the gift cards. It was a long semester, and it's good to be back for the summer. See you all soon! Thanks Again, Bethany Nikolassy Dear Church Family, A lovely Easter basket from Emmanuel was recently delivered to my home. It was such a nice surprise filled with gifts, goodies and cards. Thank you to the Weidenaars for dropping off the basket, to Matty and Cyrus for the handmade Easter cards, and to Joy Peter for putting together the basket. It is so nice to be remembered. With thanks and blessings, Ingrid Bamber ~ 2 ~

3 Dear Emmanuel and Mrs. Lynch, Thank you so much for the gift cards and thinking of me. I just got back from college and can t wait to see you soon. Thanks, Brandon (Sweeney) Dear Emmanuel community, Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement and congratulations. I look forward to moving on to this new chapter of my life, and I am incredibly thankful for my blessings. Sincerely, Olivia Balduf Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, I am so grateful for the fact that you recognized the 15 th anniversary of my ordination and so overwhelmed by the way that you recognized it! I had no idea that anything of this nature was in the works, so I was taken completely by surprise by your generous outpouring for that special event. I am so grateful to be your pastor and to be able to continue the ministry that God has called me to in your midst. It is truly a blessing to me and to my family to live and work among you. Thank you again! In Christ, Pastor Amanda A Very Special Thank You Pastor Amanda, I wanted to thank you, and all the church members who helped my sister, me and the baby. I could not believe all the help that was given. I will never forget all the love! Baby Jaden was born on 5/21. He s a big, beautiful baby boy. He s home now resting in a beautiful crib with blankets, clothing and diapers provided from the kindness of others. I can t wait to tell him about the church family who helped out in our time of need. Thanks again Graduates 2017 All of Emmanuel extends their congratulations to the young men and women who have recently graduated from various colleges, universities, and area high schools. We wish you nothing but the best in all of your future endeavors. May God watch over you and guide you in the choices you make throughout the rest of your lives. Graduating from College Eric Balduf graduated on May 13th from UMASS Amherst with degrees in Math, Statistics, and Economics. He made the Dean's List and has a job working at State Street Bank. Meredith Bragg received her Associates Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI and plans to continue her studies at JWU for her Associates Degree in Culinary Arts and BS in Food Service Management. ~ 3 ~

4 Anna Donovan graduated on May 21st from Colby College in Waterville, Maine with a BA in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry. Tsitsi Moyo graduated May 21st from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland with a BS in Community Health with a minor in Public Leadership. She is continuing an internship with the Wellness Department of the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington while searching for a full time job. Allie Peter graduated from UMASS Amherst's Isenberg School of Management with a BA in Business Administration. She majored in Sustainable Business Management. Graduating from High School Sara Adamson graduated June 4th from Medfield High School and in mid-august is headed down to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to study Human Nutrition and Dietetics. For the first part of summer, she'll be moving up to Maine to be with her Aunt and Uncle and big brother. Sean finished his sophomore year at Saint Michael's College in Vermont and moved up to Maine to start his summer. He recently started working as a bank teller for Gorham Savings Bank and loves it. Olivia Balduf graduates June 11th from King Philip High School in Wrentham with Highest Honors. She has been accepted into the nursing program at UMASS Amherst. Kelly Blake graduated from Norwood High School on June 4th. Future plans unknown as of this writing. Kelsey Sweeney graduated from Newton Country Day School on June 8th. She is heading to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Kelsey got a scholarship in the Meadows School of the Arts within SMU. She plans on studying Art and Advertising. Hunter Worner graduated from Franklin High School on June 2nd. His plans after graduation are indefinite at this time. Members of the Class of 2017, all of Emmanuel is proud of you. May God bless you all. Digital Ministry Corner Digital Ministry is about embracing technology and using it to augment our community of faith and our witness in the world. At Emmanuel we use Digital Ministry through our Facebook feed, our website, Twitter, and Sign Up Genius and it continues to evolve and grow in new ways. As with anything, this ministry can only be effective if people know what is there and know how to use it, so this Digital Ministry Corner has been created to tell you more about how Emmanuel is using technology. In each Envoy we will be highlighting a different aspect of our Digital Ministry activity and encourage you to check it out as ~ 4 ~

5 you are able. Please also let us know any ideas you may have for how this ministry be more useful and reach more people. Did You Know? There is an archive of sermons available on the website? These include the text version of the sermon, a printable PDF copy of the sermon and, in many instances, an audio version of the Sermon. You can go directly to the Sermon Archives through the following link: or navigate there by going to the website ( clicking on Worship and selecting Sermon Archive. Souper Bowl of Caring - and the money raised goes to At a recent class the Confirmation chose to send the money collected in the Souper Bowl of Caring, to Women s Lunch Place in Boston. With a focus on the dignity of the women who are served, Women s Lunch Place offers many services to Boston s homeless and impoverished women, including: o A breakfast buffet served from 8:00-10:00 a.m. o A sit down lunch served on china plates, at tables with tablecloths and fresh flowers served at noon. o A counter service lunch served 12:30-2:00. o Coffee, tea, and toast offered throughout the day. o Access to showers and laundry facilities. o A place to rest or nap during the day o A place to receive medical care offered by Healthcare without Walls o Advocates to assist guests with issues related to domestic violence, housing, finances, legal matters, education, employment, substance use, and access to benefits. o A resource center and library with access to computers, phones, the internet, and office supplies. The students chose Women s Lunch Place to donate the money that they collected through the Souper Bowl of Caring (almost $600), because of its focus on dignity, its four star charity navigator rating, the fact that it is a local organization, and because it assists people with their immediate needs while also helping them to access resources that will help them to find more long-term stability in their lives. If you would like to learn more about Women s Lunch Place, you can check out their website at: womenslunchplace.org. Thank you for your generous donations to the Souper Bowl of Caring! ~ 5 ~

6 Money from the Mission Fund! Would you like Emmanuel Lutheran to make a donation to a cause you really believe in that is missionrelated? Maybe sponsor you in the Walk for Hunger? Or help defray the cost of a missionary or medical assistance trip you, a family member, or friend take? You can apply for a grant from the Mission Fund. It s easy. Go the Emmanuel s website and complete the short online application, The application will be automatically ed from the website to the members of the Mission Team for evaluation. There is a good amount of money currently available in the Mission Fund and a percentage of that money can be spent each year. For examples of causes the Mission Fund has recently paid for see below. If you like what you see, why not also make a donation to the Mission Fund so we can do even more good works. What the Mission Fund does. The Mission Fund was started by the Congregation of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in 2002 to fund mission work at home and around the world, above and beyond the programs supported through regular offerings. By 2015 the Mission Endowment Fund had accumulated a substantial amount of money through the generosity of givers. In order to allow the funds to be used more effectively the Fund rules were changed in 2015 to allow up more of its balance to be spent on mission work in any year. In the past two years the Fund has made grants to support: Sponsoring a congregation member to deliver medical care in Guatemala as part of an on-site team. Operation Adopt A Solider, a local non-profit organization that strives to care for and support military soldiers and their families of Massachusetts in times of life crisis. New England Synod of the ELCA mission development, including mission starts in Massachusetts (East Boston, North Quincy, Dorchester, Pittsfield, Northampton, Lynn and Waltham), Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island. Ascentria Care Alliance (formerly Lutheran Social Services of New England) which serves older adults, disabled individuals, teens, new mothers and families, and recent refugees in New England. ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) Good Gifts program which provides gifts of livestock, clean water, help to women and children, food, growth of churches, and emergency assistance to refugees, across the globe including Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The new home of the Norwood Church of God, a French-speaking congregation with Haitian roots, who have borrowed space from Emmanuel and our neighbor, Trinity Community Church and now have their own worship space at 190 Vanderbilt Ave., Norwood. How Can You Help? Donate to the Mission Fund. Write a check to Emmanuel Lutheran Church and indicate on the check it is for the Mission Fund. (More ways to donate are coming). Apply for a Mission Fund Grant. Contact the Church Office if you need help with an application or apply online at the website. Current Mission Team members are: Carl Balduf, Joan Bengston, Beth Donovan, Janice McHugh, Kirk Schroeder. ~ 6 ~

7 Why Emmanuel Lutheran is Important to Me In the last few years as I ve become more active at Emmanuel it has become even more important to me as a place where I can grow spiritually, a place where I have formed new friendships, a place of comfort and strength and refuge, a place I call home, and a place with a community of people who give strength and encouragement and love. This is one of the responses received to a recent questionnaire from the Stewardship team which asked the question, Why is Emmanuel Lutheran Church very important to you? Other responses include: I will never forget the feeling of being loved and cared for we are truly a family at Emmanuel. It is a source of spiritual sustenance and a community that provides tremendous support. It is my church family. When I was confirmed I felt the Holy Spirit in me as I pledged myself to this faith and this church. I felt I was truly a child of God. This wonderful feeling has sustained me when adversity has entered my life and I thank God every day for the gifts he has given me. A family place of worship for 4 generations feel many connections to the ELC family. Deep friendships, trusting and caring community. Emmanuel Lutheran provided roots for me and a caring community that welcomes all people and reaches beyond our doors to support mission work across the globe. I like Emmanuel because of the liturgy. As a former Roman Catholic, Emmanuel s liturgy is close to their worship, without the dogma I also like the various fellowship opportunities There s a place for everyone. I have always felt a strong connection to ELC, as my grandparents and parents were active. I feel you are accepted unconditionally and that has been a great source of strength and comfort for myself and my family. I have been a Lutheran from birth and a member of three Lutheran denominations I believe that Emmanuel Lutheran Church and the ELCA practices Christianity faithfully as led by God the Father, Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, but, appropriately, are more outward looking and engaged in serving the needs of its community and larger society than other Lutheran denominations. When the marriage fell apart I felt the need to return to the Lutheran church. Emmanuel greeted me with open arms. I felt like I had come back home. want to have a church family for spiritual support and hopefully personal support. When my wife passed away they [my friends] asked me if I would join Emmanuel. I did and it feels like finding a new family. Emmanuel is my family. I love to hear God s word. It reminds me each week what is important. ~ 7 ~

8 Whether a lifelong Lutheran or new to Lutheranism, a common thread that runs through people s reasons for choosing Emmanuel Lutheran as their church home is faith and family. Most people emphasize the importance of the Emmanuel community as their family. The quest for community and faith is what most people desire to provide themselves with a secure foundation in an uncertain world. With that foundation in place they realize how blessed they are and want to give back. The Stewardship team asked people who responded to the questionnaire what non-profit organizations they support in addition to their church. The people of Emmanuel are generous givers. Over 60 nonprofit organizations were mentioned: 25% of donations go to local community groups associated with police, fire, library, public school and food pantry. 16% of donations go to medical charities such as American Cancer Society, Heart Association, and hospitals. 16% of donations support local families, homelessness and similar causes. 16% of donations are for animal welfare and environmental concerns. 10% are contributed to Lutheran organizations such as Lutheran World Relief, Ascentria and Camp Calumet. 6% of donations go to WGBH. 5% to veterans, and the remaining donations go to a variety of causes. We hope this information gives you food for thought. Please think deeply about why Emmanuel is important to you and how you can be generous. Wishing you the continued blessings of faith and church family, The Stewardship Team Summer Reading The Book group will NOT meet in July or August, but will enjoy two books over the summer "Brooklyn" by Colm Toibin and "One Amazing Thing" by Chitra Divakaruni. Discussion on these books will kick off a new season on September 15 th, at 7:30 in the Founders Room. If you enjoy reading and would like to join the group, please do. Helen Rezendes is the new group leader, and is accepting book suggestions for the group to decide on in the fall. You can contact her at: Hlrwwd@aol.com. Worship in the Park SUNDAY, JULY 9:30am Then, fun and games and a barbecue lunch. Bring your own lawn chairs and your favorite salad to feed 8 to 10. Hope you can join us! ~ 8 ~