The Voice Immanuel Highlands Episcopal Church December 12, 2024
A weekly newsletter from Immanuel Highlands Episcopal Church
The Voice
Immanuel Highlands Episcopal Church
December 12, 2024
In this edition of The Voice:This Week in the Parish, Sunday’s Scripture Readings, Dates to Remember, Holiday Social, Advent Lessons and Carols, Christmas Altar Flowers, Diocesan Advent Lessons and Carols, Christmas at Immanuel Highlands, Advent Giving Opportunity, Annual Meeting, Birthdays and Anniversaries, Prayer List, Links to our church community.
The parish office will be closed from December 24, through January 2, 2025, for vacations.
It will reopen, Tuesday, January 7, with regular hours.
Some dates to remember!
December 13 Holiday Social, 5:30 p.m., Parlor
December 15 Advent Lessons & Carols, 4:00 p.m.
December 22 Greening of the church after 10:30 a.m. service
December 24 Family Service & Pageant, 4:00 p.m.
Festival Eucharist, 7:00 p.m.
December 25 Quiet Service, 10:00 a.m., Chapel
January 12 Baptism of the Lord
January 26 Annual Meeting
And even further ahead — Ash Wednesday is March 5, 2025
Holiday Social in the Parlor
Friday, December 13, at 5:30 p.m.
Join fellow parishioners for a Holiday Social in the Parlor on Friday, December 13th at 5:30 pm. This a great time to relax with others in front of the fireplace and enjoy a variety of beverages and hors d'oeuvres. Please bring a treat to share. Friends and family are all welcome!
Advent Lessons and Carols
Sunday, December 15, 4:00 p.m.
Come and enjoy this treasured
Immanuel Highlands tradition!
Christmas Altar Flowers
If you would like to offer altar flowers in memory or thanksgiving, please complete a Christmas Flowers form (in the lobby) and place in the Parish Administrator's mailbox, with a check, no later than December 18. Many thanks!
Advent Sharing! An Advent Opportunity!
During this beautiful season of Advent, our Immanuel Highlands family has the opportunity to once again share with St. Stephen's Lutheran Food Pantry on Broom Street. Kanchelee Reeves, our contact at St. Stephen's Food Pantry, has asked for:
baby food
toilet paper
body wash
shampoo
dish washing liquid
laundry detergent.
She said, "Due to budget constraints, we prefer people donate non-food items, with baby food the exception. Thank you so much!"
The green tub in the lobby is awaiting our donations. If possible, please put smaller items such as baby food in a sturdy bag or tote bag.
We will collect items through the first Sunday in January. Thank you!
Annual Meeting
It’s time to prepare for our Annual Meeting, scheduled for Sunday, January 26. Three Vestry members will be retiring at that time—Bonnie Swan, our Senior Warden, Suzanne Moon, our Junior Warden, and Gretchen Broadwater. At our last Annual Meeting we adopted a change in our by-laws that will reduce the number of Vestry members from nine to seven. However, due to our having two open positions in the class that will retire in 2026, we will need to elect three persons to Vestry. Anyone interested in serving on Vestry or needing more information is invited to speak with one of the retiring members or Fr. Wayne. A brochure describing what Vestry does is also available in the literature rack in the lobby. Our by-laws state that a Vestry member must be a communicant in good standing as defined by the Canons of The Episcopal Church.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
December 15 – December 21
Ben Fernandez
Eve and Kevin English
If you would like your birthday or anniversary recognized in The Voice, please let the parish administrator know at [email protected]
Pray for those in need of our prayers for strength, guidance, or healing: Leslee Moore, The Santana Family, Sophie Day, Cathy Callahan, Claire and Johnny Ward, Dean, Brenda McCourt, Edwina Michael, Dee Dee, Thomas, Bob Penneys, Joseph Howie, Nathaniel, Emily Gibson, Molly, Laurence Hazell, Jennifer Grillo, Nancy Godfrey, Leroy, Candice, Jill, Paula, Ian, Jim, Margie Taggart, Bob Taggart, Donna White, Don C., Joanna C., Joseph Eyler, Kathy Osten, Rainer Sahmel, Eleanor Austin, Karen Watchorn, The Rev. Charles Hay, Dot Hay
If you have an item to be included in The Voice, please email it to the parish administrator, [email protected] by the Tuesday before the Thursday release of the newsletter. If you don't have access to email, please call the office or leave your written request in the parish administrator's mail slot in the mailboxes across from the parish administrator's office no later than the Tuesday before The Voice goes out. Thank you!