April 2011 Newsletter

---

The Emmanuel Way A monthly publication of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Greenwood, Virginia April 2011

Holy Week April 17 – The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday. The first day of Holy Week and the Sunday before Easter, commemorates Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is associated with the blessing and procession of Palms (leaves of the date palm or twigs from locally available trees). These special ceremonies were taking place toward the end of the 4th Century in Jerusalem. During the European Middle Ages the ceremony for the blessing of the palms was elaborate: the procession began in one church, went to another church in which the palms were blessed, and returned to the church in which the process had originated for the singing of the liturgy. The day is now called Passion Sunday; the liturgy begins with a blessing and a procession of palms. The primary attention, however, is given to the reading of the passion, with parts taken by those present. Holy Eucharist 9 and 11 a.m. Children’s Worship at 9 a.m. April 21 – Maundy Thursday. This is an important day in the Christian year. Maundy comes from “maundere” meaning command. It is the day we recall two important gifts: the Institution of the Holy Eucharist, and Jesus’ washing His disciples’ feet. In the early Christian church the day was celebrated with a general communion of all clergy and lay people. At a special service on this day the bishop consecrated holy oil in preparation for the anointing of neophytes at their baptism on Easter Eve. This year we will again hold a Seder meal which recalls the Passover which Jesus observed with His disciples the night

before His crucifixion. The Seder; which was part of the Old Covenant with God ends with the Eucharist; which is the new Covenant with Jesus, the Christ. Earlier in the day our bishops will wash the feet of clergy throughout the Diocese and holy oil will also be consecrated and distributed for priests to use during baptism and healing. The Seder Dinner and Holy Eucharist at 6 p.m. followed by the solemn stripping of the altar. (Babysitting provided) April 21-22 – Prayer Vigil. Just as Jesus requested His disciples to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, we are asked to pray with Christians around the world from Maundy Thursday through the night to Good Friday. Please make this commitment and sign up on the prayer vigil poster as you enter the church. Times are listed on the signup poster. April 22 – Good Friday. The Friday before Easter we commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. As early as the 2nd century there are references to fasting and penance on this day by Christians throughout Christendom. Good Friday Liturgy: Noon and 7 p.m. Tenebrae will serve as the 7 p.m. service. (Babysitting provided at 7 p.m). The Tenebrae is “A Service of Shadows” that incorporates both readings and music as we remember our Lord and Savior’s sacrifice for us. April 24 – The Sunday of the Resurrection: Easter Day. After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb, and suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him, the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He has been raised, as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead and indeed He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him. This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples. (From the Gospel of Matthew)

Rector’s Reflections

The Rev. Charles F. Mullaly, Jr.

The Diaconate I have an exciting announcement to make, but before I do, I want to give you a little background on the Diaconate. According to the Catechism in the Book of Common Prayer, “The ministry of a deacon is to represent Christ and His church, particularly as a servant of those in need; and to assist bishops and priests in the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments.” Deacons proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. They also bring the needs of the world to the church. They are servant leaders who support lay persons in living out their ministries in the world. Deacons are based in the world, and serve in a congregation under the direct authority of the Bishop. While in the congregation they provide a “bridge ministry” between the population in the world that they serve and the members of their congregation. The Diaconate is a powerful, deeply spiritual ministry that connects the church to the world in a very real way. Formation for Diaconal Ministry typically takes two and a half years from the time one begins formal preparation until ordination. Two of the key components of the education program are:

The Emmanuel Way

2 1. The Diaconal Formation Institute. This two-year education and training program includes worship, group experiences and classes for a small group of 5 to 8 people. It meets one Saturday, all day, each month. Before beginning the Institute, students must demonstrate competency in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and church history. Most students meet this pre-requisite by completing the EFM program, taking courses at a college or seminary, or by taking an on-line course. 2. Six Months Practicum in a Parish. Following successful completion of the Diaconal Formation Institute, students do a directed practicum in a parish. This practicum enables students to experience a wider breadth as they work, learn, and grow in their parish field site. With that said, I am delighted to announce that on May 1, 2011 Mr. Donald H. Cady will begin a sixmonth Deacon Practicum at Emmanuel. Before entering the process to become a Deacon, Don retired from a highly successful career in advertising. He has also served in some of the highest levels of leadership within the Diocese of Virginia. Don will participate in worship with us, and is interested in serving with the Sunshine Committee and the Visitation Ministry. He has a true calling to serve our nation’s veterans and currently devotes two days a week to that specific ministry. Peter will join me in mentoring Don, and we have formed a “Deacon Practicum Committee” to further help him as he finishes his preparation for ordination. The Rev. Chick Carmen will serve chair with Doug Connell, Sally Dunn and Sally Wallace serving as members. Please join me in welcoming Don and his wife Deede into our Emmanuel family. May God bless you each most tenderly, Chuck

Peter’s Message

The Rev. Peter M. Carey

As we make our way through the season of Lent, we walk the way with Jesus in the desert, considering not only his journey there, but also the journey of his whole life on earth. As we approach Palm Sunday on April 17th and Holy Week, which follows, the drama of the season reaches its height. Jesus enters Jerusalem as the messiah and king. However, as the week proceeds, his disciples and followers learn that he is a messiah like no other, and a king like nothing that they had ever seen. The messiah who entered Jerusalem to the waving of palm branches and hails and shouts of joy ends the week on a cross. Our own Lenten journey would be enhanced if we each enter into the story in whatever way that we can as we approach Holy Week. It has become my practice to read each of the four canonical gospel accounts of the Holy Week. Have you read these accounts recently? Have you used your imagination to consider how you might have seen these events? What about a bystander? What about a follower of Jesus just outside the close companionship of the disciples? What about the experience of someone who had earlier been healed by Jesus? What about the experience of Lazarus of Bethany, who had been raised by Christ? What about the perspective of the Temple priests? What about the 2

April 2011 perspective of Pilate’s wife (who may have been a sometime follower of Jesus)? What about the experience of those whose feet were washed by Jesus on Maundy Thursday? How well do you know the gospel accounts? Where might you find yourself in the story? Though we read these stories every year, and though we walk the way of Jesus each year as Holy Week approaches, we can find new sights, new sounds, new smells, new tastes and new perspectives on this old old story. Do you have (new) eyes to see? Do you have (new) ears to hear? I encourage us all to continue to keep a holy Lent, and to consider entering into Holy Week with new eyes and ears. The more we can enter into Holy Week, the more we can rejoice in the Easter Feast on April 24th! Peace and Blessings, Peter+

The Greenwood Grapevine reports Eleanor Hawkes received 2nd place for grades 3-5 in the UVa Art museum's writing contest called “Writer's Eye."

Communications Committee Report By the Rev. Peter M. Carey Communications Committee Chair The Communications Committee has received your fine responses to the survey, both online and on paper. We received over 80 responses through these two means. Thank your for your input! Overall, we found that we are doing well in communications at Emmanuel, but there are some key areas that could use improvement, especially as we grow as a church. Having an accurate and updated website, and bulletin board with notices and announcements were recommendations that came through

3 on many responses. Also, there were good suggestions and much discussion of how a weekly or biweekly email update might help our communications efforts. Considering how we can leverage our weekly Sunday Bulletin and our Monthly “Emmanuel Way Newsletter” are other topics that we have considered as a committee. We have met three times to examine these responses and to begin to form recommendations for the Rector and Vestry of Emmanuel to consider. We are preparing a preliminary recommendations report which we will examine at our final meeting in April. Following that meeting we hope to pass on a final Communications Recommendations Report to Chuck. Thank you for your communications with us! Also, do check out our website at www.emmanuelgreenwood.org as well as the “movable” bulletin board in the Parish Hall for upcoming program events.

Adult Forum Schedule for April 2011 April 3rd – 2nd Part of our Lenten Book Study Discussion April 10th – Praying Our Lives – Part 4 – Dr. Steve Bragaw on Praying with C.S. Lewis April 17th – Praying Our Lives – Part 5 – Kathleen Haden & Laura Farrell – Prayer and the Body April 24th – No Adult Forum – Easter

Men’s Bible Study We'll be taking our Men's Bible Study on the road and having it at OpenSpace for lunch on April 12 Tuesday of Holy Week. We'll do it over lunch and Kirby Farrell is hosting it. I am really looking forward to it! The website for OpenSpace is http://getopenspace.com/

The Emmanuel Way We also have Men's Bible Study this coming Tuesday at Emmanuel 8:30 am, April 5. On the 5th, we're looking at the second half of Mark's Gospel, on the 12th, we're going to look at the Trial Scenes and the Crucifixion accounts - wholly appropriate for Holy Week! Check here for other updates...http://emmanuelgreenwood.o rg/education/adult-formation/mensbible-study/ or here is a shorter url...http://bit.ly/mensbible

Sunday School Schedule for Spring Sunday School continues to thrive at Emmanuel and we are moving toward the end of our program year, but we have some exciting days ahead. Also, for all you folks looking for more joy, more fun, and more ways to share your gifts; consider signing on to be a Sunday School teacher for 2011-2012. We need you! (and you will love it!) We will have Sunday School on April 3, 10, and 17. There will be no Sunday School on Easter Sunday. We will have an Egg Hunt provided by the Hadens and the Youth Group. In May, we will have Sunday School on May 1, 8, and 15. There will be no Sunday School on May 22 and 29 and thereafter.

Program and Space Committee Report By Pati Cunningham Over the past few months, the Program and Space Committee has been busy collecting information on Parish demographics, observing and documenting current space usage, and even making site visits to other 3

April 2011 churches, resulting in the first draft of our Parish Survey. After the final tweaks are made to the survey, it will be distributed to the Emmanuel Family. We will make the survey available on-line, mail hard copies, and offer copies at church that could easily be completed before or after Sunday services. Your prayerful consideration of the survey questions will be essential to successfully discerning what the program and space needs for our church will be in coming years. Thank you in advance for your participation and stay tuned for the upcoming Emmanuel Space and Program Survey!

Heritage Committee News By “Jack” Scruby Heritage Committee Chair The Heritage Committee is pleased to announce that, effective immediately, Doris Savage will be in charge of interviewing members of Emmanuel for our Oral History Project. Doris will be furthering the efforts of Putnam Ivey and Laurie Johnson who have preceded her in this capacity. Their work represents an appreciable number of oral histories already in our files. We are grateful to Doris for her willingness to assume this responsibility.

Tenebrae: An Ancient Service of “Shadows” – April 22, 7 p.m. By the Rev. Charles F. Mullaly If you want to end your Good Friday in a moving, reverent, and holy way bring yourself and your family to Tenebrae. Tenebrae is Latin for “shadows” and is a service rooted in antiquity. The purpose of the service is to recreate the betrayal, abandonment and pain of the day’s events. The shadows remind us of

4 Jesus’ suffering and death on our behalf. The service involves a series of short readings and music with the extinguishing of candles and the dimming of lights. With a darkened church and a dramatic noise representing Jesus’ last breath, the service ends. A foretaste of Easter is represented as the Christ Candle is returned to the altar. Everyone leaves in silence. I have been attending Tenebrae services since I was a child and it is one of my favorite services of the entire church year. It truly prepares us for a glorious Easter. Think about it: can we honestly experience the utter joy of the resurrection if we have not walked with Jesus through the crucifixion? Do not miss this most profound experience.

The Emmanuel Way

April 2011

Church Clean-UP Day set for April 9 All available church members of all ages are asked to devote Saturday morning April 9 toward cleaning, polishing and sprucing up our church and grounds to make everything sparkle and shine for Easter and beyond. Bring rakes, buckets, gloves and lots of energy to the task starting at 8 a.m. In the pictures below, David Whitcomb demonstrates the proper technique for cleaning church windows. Grounds work is always needed as well.

Seder Dinner: All Ages are Invited. Will you help? At 6 p.m. on April 21, Maundy Thursday, we will re-enact the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples on the night before he died. This is a meal filled with symbolism which really helps adults and children better understand a little of the Christian church’s Jewish heritage. This wonderful evening of delicious food and fellowship leads us to our Celebration of the Commemorative Institution of the Holy Eucharist. Woody Oakey and Michelle Burke have agreed to cochair this wonderful evening event. Will you help them? We will need help with the following: shopping for food, food preparation, cooking at home and at church, setting tables, serving, clean up. Please give Woody, Michelle, or the church office a call to volunteer. The sign-up sheet to attend is on the bench in the foyer of the church.

4

The Emmanuel Way

5

April 2011

Clean-Up Saturday is set for April 9 beginning at 8 a.m. All available church members of all ages are asked to devote Saturday morning April 9 toward cleaning, polishing and sprucing up our church and grounds to make everything sparkle and shine for Easter and beyond.

Holy Week Notes April 17 – The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday Holy Eucharist 9 and 11 a.m. Children’s Worship at 9 a.m. April 21 – Maundy Thursday: The Seder Dinner and Holy Eucharist at 6 p.m. followed by the solemn stripping of the altar. April 21-22 – Prayer Vigil: Times are listed on the signup poster. April 22 – Good Friday: Good Friday Liturgy at Noon and 7 p.m. Tenebrae will serve as the 7 p.m. service April 24 – The Sunday of the Resurrection: Easter Day; Holy Eucharist 9 and 11 a.m.

First Class Postage

Emmanuel Way Post Office Box 38 Greenwood, Virginia 22943

5

Please check the Sunday bulletin for changes and additions. If you would like to schedule an event, please call the office at 540540-456456-6334.

The deadline for articles for the May Newsletter is April 15.

April 21, Maundy Thursday, Seder at 6 pm All Night Vigil April 22, Good Friday, Liturgy at noon, Tenebrae at 7 pm April 24, Easter Sunday, 10 am Easter Egg Hunt for children

Special Events April 9, Spring Clean Up Day

April 3—Lenten Book Study April 7—Lenten Series, Roy Thomas April 10—Prayer, C.S. Lewis April 14—Lenten Series, Larry Smith April 17—Body Prayers April 24—No Forum

Adult Forums

Key HE—Holy Eucharist MP—Morning Prayer MLR—Marston/LaRue House PH—Parish Hall LH—Ledford House HC—Holy Cross, Batesville AA—Alcoholics Anonymous PWP—Peeps with a Purpose

9:00 HE & Children’s Worship 10:00 Sunday School & Adult Forum 11:00 HE Prayers for healing after each service on the 4th Sunday

Sunday Schedule

April 2011

24 Easter Sunday See Sunday Schedule Easter Egg Hunt, 10 am

10 am Adult Forum—Body Prayers EFM, 3 pm, PH

17 Palm Sunday See Sunday Schedule

10 am Adult Forum— Praying with C.S. Lewis

10 See Sunday Schedule

3 See Sunday Schedule 10 am Adult Forum— Lenten Book Study

Sun

25 AA 8 pm, PH

AA 8 pm, PH

18

AA 8 pm, PH

11 Revised Coffee Lectionary, 10:30 am, Crozet Mudhouse

AA 8 pm, PH

4

Mon

26 Mountainside, 3 pm

Men’s Bible Study, 8:30 am, PH

19

Vestry, 7 PM PH

12 Mountainside, 3 pm

5 Men’s Bible Study, 8:30 am, PH

Tue

27 Choir, 7 pm

20 Choir, 7 pm

13 Choir, 7 pm

6 Bread Fund Packing, 10 am, HC Holy Week Worship Committee meeting, 6 pm Choir, 7 pm

Wed

Thu

28 Women’s Bible Study, 10:30 am, PH

All Night Vigil

21 Maundy Thursday Seder Dinner, 6 pm

Lenten Series, 5:30 pm, Larry Smith, speaker

14 Women’s Bible Study, 10:30 am, PH

Lenten Series, 5:30 pm, Roy Thomas, speaker

7 Finance Committee, 5 PM, PH

April 2011

29

22 Good Friday Good Friday Liturgy at noon Tenebrae, 7 pm AA 8 pm, PH

15 AA 8 pm, PH

8 AA 8 pm, PH

1 AA 8pm, PH

Fri

30

23

16

Spring Clean-Up Day 8 am

9

2 Bread Fund Distribution, 8 am, HC

Sat