This Week at the Church of the Redeemer

Find links to considerable amounts of Advent resources

for Advent celebrations in the home 

(such as wreaths, greens and Advent calendars)

at www.redeemerchestnuthill.org

 thanks to Diocesan Resource Coordinator Amy Cook

In an effort to prevent the spread of germs this flu season, we are in the processing of installing hand sanitizer dispensers in key locations throughout the church.

Please use the Purell to keep us all healthy.

Thank you.

Stewardship Update:

 $579,425 and growing participation

190 pledges with 33 new

74 increases

Seeking 90 more pledges

"Knowing God:

An Exploration of Faith

Next Session:

The Love of the Father: A Short History of Grace

Wednesday, December 2nd

In Conjunction with Advent Series I

Light Supper at 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall

Program at 7:00 pm in the Old Parish House

Please note time and place changes for Advent.

All are welcome to attend one session or come for the year. Please contact the office to sign up for each session so that we may plan for food and space.

In Scripture and Tradition

Advent Series Week 2

6:30 Supper in Parish Hall

7:00 pm Program in the Old Parish House

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is the most fascinating woman in scripture.  She is a model of faith and inspires millions of Christians to deeper devotion to Christ. 

Come join a discussion about Mary as she has been presented in Scripture and Tradition.  We will discuss what the Anglican Church teaches about Mary and how it compares and contrasts with other Christian points of view.  We will have readings from Scripture, Christian traditional sources, Gnostic texts, and images of the virgin through prayer and art. 

Please join us for a light dinner followed by an interesting discussion of such an important woman of the faith.

Above: Our Lady of Vladimir traditional Byzantine icon, 12^th century    

Bible Study with the Rector

Song of the Soul: The Psalms in Ordinary Life

Join us for 75 minutes of study, conversation and prayer as we look at the Psalms of the Old Testament, their significance in the work and teaching of Jesus, and their power in daily life.  There is always great coffee and warm fellowship.

Men’s Bible Study, Wednesdays, 7:00 am

Women’s Bible Study, Thursdays, 9:15 am

Both Bible Studies meet at the Rectory, 381 Hammond Street

Church School Goes Caroling

Correction to the date:

December 6th

Bus leaves the church at 10:00 am

to carol at a local Eldercare facility

All juvenile participants must bring the attached form filled out and signed by their parents/guardians in order to board the bus.

The permission slip can also be found on the main page of the website.

Please RSVP to Marc Eames to let him know you are coming.

meames@redeemerchestnuthill.org, 617-566-7679 ext. 13.

Caroling and Fellowship Dinner

December 13th

4:00 pm

Youth Bible Study

Back Classroom 9:40 am

             In December, the Youth Bible Study will be looking at the troubled kingdoms of Israel and Judah in the years after Solomon’s death.  Jeroboam does not end up being the king that many hoped he would be.  Meanwhile, Rehoboam turns away the advice of wise elders and treats his subjects cruelly.  God does not approve, and both men’s reigns are fraught with troubles. 

The Bible study will only meet twice during the busy month of December.  We will begin again January 3^rd with a special study of the visit of the Magi from Matthew 2 in honor of the feast of the Epiphany.

December /Early January  Youth Bible Study Dates

December 6^th    Jeroboam and the Man of God

December 13^th The Decline of Jeroboam and Rehoboam

January 3^rd        The Visit of the Magi

Confirmation Class

                        In December, the Confirmation Class will only have one regular class, which will take place on December 6th.  We will begin our discussion of Christian Ethics and the role of reason within our faith.  This will conclude our discussion of the “three legged stool” of Anglicanism. 

                        The class will join the rest of the parish and Church School on the 13th and carol around the neighborhood.  This was a fun and well-attended event last year and should be equally great this year.  Warm drink and caroling is an ancient tradition and one we have successfully revived at the Redeemer.  Please remember that parents are more than welcome to participate.  We will conclude our marking of the season by having a Confirmation Movie Night dedicated to Christmas Classics paying special attention to some of the time honored messages that they hold for us.

December Confirmation Class Dates

12/6      5:00 Church Authority (Leg three) – Reason - Is Christianity Reasonable?

12/13    4:00 Christmas Caroling and Fellowship Dinner (All-Parish Activity)

12/20    5:00 Confirmation Christmas Movie Night – TBD

 Foyers Reminder

Foyers  is for newcomers, long-time parishioners and everyone in between.  In the relaxed environs of someone’s home, while eating good food and perhaps even having a few drinks, take this opportunity to get to know or perhaps get-to-know-better your fellow parishioners.  This is a wonderful program sponsored by the Fellowship Committee and we hope many of you will consider signing up in the office (office@redeemerchestnuthill.org) this fall for this wonderful program.  If you have any questions or concerns please contact Fellowship Committee co-chairs, Liza Jones (lizajones1@verizon.net) or Mary Crown (mecrown@lotsoc.com).

Renowned Poet Reading With All Proceeds

To Benefit St. Stephen’s B-SAFE

Mary Oliver

December  3rd, 6 pm, Tickets $5

at the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline

        Poet Mary Oliver, a longtime generous supporter of  the B-SAFE  summer program, will be reading from her newest collection on December  3rd, 6pm, at the Coolidge Corner  Theater in Brookline. 

        Tickets are $5 and all proceeds are to benefit B-SAFE.  Many of us have been touched and inspired by Ms. Oliver's poetry and now have an opportunity to hear her in person and support B-SAFE at the same time.

For more information, check the website www.brooklinebooksmith.com.    

Christmas Market 2009

 Mark your calendars for fun and fellowship!

Silent Auction preview

November 22^nd and November 29^th

 Christmas Market

Friday, December 4^th, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Saturday, December 5^th, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

 Cocktails, Dinner, Live and Silent Auction

Friday, December 4^th at 6:00 pm

Volunteer sign-up sheets are now posted outside the office

Please consider devoting a bit of your time to staffing the greens or admissions tables, helping with decorations, selling Christmas trees, serving lunches, helping with the Auction dinner. 

You can also make beautiful wreaths to sell, prepare an appetizer for the cocktail party, or tend bar. 

We have a job for everyone. 

Anything you can do will be greatly appreciated!

If you are unable to sign up in person, please contact Lisa Farber at (617) 738-1477 or farmince@aol.com , Martha Gangemi at (617) 331-8000 or magangemi@rcn.com, or the office at (617) 566-7679 or office@redeemerchestnuthill.org.

GREENS FOR WREATHS

Please save your evergreen pruning until November and

bring the clippings to the old parish hall Monday, November 30^th or Tuesday, December 1^st.  We especially appreciate boxwood, holly, leucothoe, juniper, and white pine!!

Open Greens Workshop to make wreaths

Starting Tuesday, December 1^st and running through Thursday, December 3^rd

9:00 am-4:00 pm

Drop by and help make wreaths to be sold at the Market!

Questions? Call Tish 617-566-5147 or Louisa 617-739-6884.

Thanksgiving

November 26, 2009

This year the Church of the Redeemer will host the Thanksgiving service we hold jointly with the First Church of Chestnut Hill.  Please plan to join your neighbors for this 10:00 am service at the Redeemer.

Carols by Candlelight

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

in the tradition of

King’s College

Cambridge, England

Thursday December 17^th

at 7:30 in the Evening

The Choir of the Church of the Redeemer

will sing works by:

Carter, Green, Britten, LLoyd, and more

with traditional carols

arranged by Sir David Willcocks

The Choir of the Church of the Redeemer

Michael S. Murray, organist & Choirmaster

Christmas Pageant: Seeking Participants

Save these dates. 

We hope your children will join us for the Christmas Pageant. 

To participate, your child must be:

• At least 5 years old AND

• able to attend the rehearsal Sat, Dec 19th

On Sundays at 9:30 the Children’s Choir practices all songs.

Children who are not in the Children’s Choir and who would like some extra practice learning the Christmas Pageant songs are welcome and encouraged to attend rehearsals on Sunday mornings in the Old Parish House from 9:30 am – 10:15 am

If you can help on the 19^th and/or the 20^th, we will need 1-2 parents for each of these tasks: 1) checking costumes (early December) 2) angel leader 2) shepherd leader 3) animal leader  (Each “leader” is in charge of corralling the group at rehearsal and before the pageant.)

Please contact: Maisie Pollard mpollard@bidmc.harvard.edu, (617) 731-8171 or Amy Luster, atluster@rcn.com, 617-734-6818

Celebrate this Christmas with a Gift of Poinsettias

Did you know that this year the beautiful poinsettias, which adorn the Church of the Redeemer at Christmas, will be made possible by many financial donations from our Parishioners?

Our Christmas flower donations are made as a lovely way to remember those who are special to us, but gifts may be made “in celebration of” an event or important milestone as well as “in honor of,” “in memory of,” or “in thanksgiving for” loved ones.

Names that are received by Sunday, December 20^th will be printed in the Christmas worship service leaflets.

We suggest $50 for the first listing, $10 for each additional one, but, of course will welcome ANY AMOUNT.

We hope that you will contribute to the glorious celebration of Christmas at the Redeemer with a memorial gift.  The results of your generosity will be enjoyed by all who visit us at Christmas time. 

Thank you.

Designation: ___________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Donor Name(s): ______________________________________________

Daytime Telephone (____) ________________

Amount enclosed $ _____________

Advent & Christmas Schedule

Wednesday, December 2^nd

7:00 pm Advent Series I

The Love of the Father: A Short History of Grace

(featuring the Reverend Dorsey W.M. McConnell)

preceded by a light supper at 6:30 pm

Wednesday, December 9^th

7:00 pm Advent Series II

Mary the Mother of Our Lord: In Scripture and Tradition

(featuring the Reverend Marc G. Eames)

preceded by a light supper at 6:30 pm

Thursday, December 17^th

      7:30 pm Carols by Candlelight: A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols

            preceded by a light supper at 6:30 pm

Sunday, December 20^th

10:30 am Morning Prayer and Christmas Pageant

No Church School or Childcare will be provided.

Thursday, December 24^th

4:00 pm Family Eucharist

10:00 pm Choral Prelude

10:30 pm Festal Eucharist

The Church School area will be available for children who need a break from

these services.

Friday, December 25^th

10:30 am Holy Eucharist

No Church School or Childcare will be provided.

(Please note that on December 27^th and January 3^rd

there will be no 8:00 am Holy Eucharist.)

The office will be closed

 Friday, December 25th and will reopen on Monday,

January 4th.

Please contact the office if you've:

• moved

• changed email addresses

• changed phone numbers

PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE IN YOUR PRAYERS:

for those who have died: Judy Caner

for those in need of prayer:  Sarah Arguin, Robert Armstrong (Debby Hunter Mills’ uncle), Elizabeth Bachelder, Charlie Baker, Doris Bartlett (Rick Weed’s grandmother), Peter Bosch, Ruth Ann Cederholm, Doris Chambers, Gavin Gunnigle (Graham Gunnigle's brother), Elizabeth Hitchcock, Laura Koury, Peter Lavelle, Inell McGee, Patrick Paolella, Reginald Price, III,  Bill, Katrina, James and Alexander Reinhart, Aidyn Stephany, Arlene Vaughn, the Villon family, Shinichi Wakao (Keisuke Wakao's father), Ceanne Zimopoulos, Ann, Bill, Charlotte, Margaret, James, Gayle, Hilary, Jim, Pamela, Russ, Tom