Tuesday - September 8, 2020 - Church of the Redeemer

Tuesday - September 8, 2020

Maurice Harron, Hands Across the Divide. Derry, Northern Ireland. Matthew 18:21-35
from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville,
TN. Original source: Wikimedia

A Joyous Regathering!

The Redeemer will continue to regather on Sunday, September 13th
for our second outdoor in-person worship service.

Over the last months, the Ministry Team has been working hard to
ensure we stay connected through on-line worship, fellowship, and
educational opportunities. At the same time, many have been at

work preparing the necessary protocols and procedures for
regathering as safely as possible.

As excited as I am, I need to warn you. In-person worship will be
quite different from our pre-COVID-19 days. Some of us are eager
to return to worship while others feel the need to be more cautious.
To satisfy those in either category, our 10:00am on-line service
will continue indefinitely. These on-line services have proven
beautiful, edifying, and spiritually nourishing for hundreds upon
hundreds of souls near and far. Our In-person outdoor worship will
be held at 11:15am in the back parking lot. Initial congregations
will need to be small in number as we negotiate new systems of
entry and access to worship. Below I am providing a list of
expectations and considerations that will help you make the best
decision possible for you and those in your household. I can’t wait to
see you all!

- If you are 65 years or older or suffer (at any age) from diabetes,
asthma, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system,
prolonged use of corticosteroids, damaged or scarred lung tissue, or
maintain a BMI of over 30, the CDC warns that you are at risk of
severe illness from COVID-19. Please consider thoughtfully and
carefully about worshipping on-line instead of in-person for the time
being.

- Some confusion made clear: I need to apologize for confusing this
behind the scenes! Going forward for Indoor Service Only, if
confirmed cases of COVID-19 reach 400 in the Commonwealth for
the 7 day rolling average for the week before a scheduled service,
we will cancel indoor worship for that Sunday. Sorry for the
confusion! We will post those numbers on the Saturday night before
a scheduled indoor worship service. We hope to begin indoor
worship in October!

- Children and families are warmly invited to join us for in-person
worship. However, please note that any child over the age of two
will be required to wear a mask for the entire service. Please know
that parents or caregivers will need to ensure that children remain in
their chosen seating area for the entire service which will last up to
an hour. If either masks or delimited seating present significant
difficulties for you and your family, please consider worshipping
online instead of in-person for the time being. Please remember that
children are not immune to COVID-19 and some children have
contracted MIS-C (Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children)

from COVID-19. We support our parents in whatever decision is best
for their families.

- Outdoor seating will be held on the back parking lot accessed from
Suffolk Road.

- Reservations for attendance are required through Sign-Up Genius.
(See Sign Up below) Initial seating capacity is capped at twenty
households for the first service. Subsequent services will see
occupancy capacity raised.

- Those without reservations will be asked to wait in a queue until it
becomes clear that space for those with reservations is available.

- Parishioners should arrive at least fifteen minutes early, queuing in
the circular driveway at marked intervals.

- Parishioners should park along Suffolk Road, or on Reservoir
Avenue. The circular driveway will have limited parking for those in
need of handicapped parking. The rest of the driveway will be closed
from through traffic.

- Tables for confirming reservations, sanitizing hands, face masks
and contact tracing information will be located on the driveway
heading down to the parking lot and at the Suffolk Road parking
area.

- Services will be weather dependent. Notice will go out on Saturday
at 5pm if services for 11:15am Sunday are cancelled.

- Restrooms will be available before and after the service accessed
through the Kitchen and Parish Hall doors only.

- Collection plates will be provided at each registration table.

- Seats will be available in pods of 2, 3, or 4 chairs per pod. If you
need more chairs, please see the ushers.

- The congregation will be dismissed from the back pews to the front
pews by ushers. Please remain seated until you are dismissed.

- Please maintain social distance of at least 6’.

- Should you perceive any safety issue, please notify the Rector
immediately.

- Should a member of the congregation report a positive diagnosis

for COVID-19 to the church, services will be postponed for two
weeks.

I know that’s a lot of changes; however, I feel confident that we
have created the safest space possible to regather as a parish
community. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Excitedly,

Mike+

Morning Prayer Service Sign Up Procedures
September 13th at 11:15am
On the Redeemer Parking Lot

  Sign-Up for outdoor Sunday Service >>

Dear Friends of the Redeemer,

We will continue our in-person worship gathering on September
13th! Here are a couple of things to consider when you are signing
up:

1. For our first service we are limiting sign-ups to 20 households.
This is to help us "stress test" our systems of welcome, seating,
contact tracing and the like. Please be patient with us!

2. Sign-ups are one week at a time and first come first served. The
deadline for signing up is Friday at 5pm. If you find all of the
slots filled for a given week, know that your household will be at the
front of the line for the next week. As much as some would like to
come every week, we want to give everyone a chance to worship
together. Please be patient as we scale up!

3. A household can be as few as 1 person and as many as live in
your house!

4. Wear a mask! Even though we are outside, masks are required
for outdoor services.

5. Services will be weather dependent. Notice will go out on
Saturday at 5pm if services for 11:15am Sunday are cancelled.

6 We can't wait to see you!

6. We can t wait to see you!

7. Click below to sign up. (The deadline for signing up is Friday
at 5pm.)

  Sign-Up for outdoor Sunday Service >>

For Those in Need of Prayer

                                               Photo: Barbara S. MacDonald

Juliette Cobian, Susan Crown, B. Finley, Victor Hood, Sara Katz,
Marie Mills, Alice, B. Arthur, Brenda, Brett, Christopher, Cora,
Gareth, Helen, Jack, Jane, John, Joyce, Karen, Kirun, Nicholas,
Rakesh, Redeemer Mission Partners, Tom, all the medical
professionals, essential service providers, and leaders working
through this pandemic.

Search Committee for Director of Music

The committee is continuing to collect resumes for the Director of
Music position and welcomes names of potential candidates. If you
have any suggestions, please email those to Suzy Westcott as soon
as possible. The committee hopes to begin reviewing resumes by
September 1st.

Click here for more information on the Director of Music Search
found on the Redeemer website.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Director of Music Search Committee Prayer

Almighty and ever-living God, source of all that is holy and beautiful,
we thank you for the bountiful richness of music with which you
have graced your church and this parish. Guide our discernment for
a new Director of Music. Be present with those who are charged
with overseeing the process so that their journey is at one with each
other and with you. We pray especially for the person whom you
are already preparing to be called to us. May we receive a faithful
minister who will care for your people and whose gifts may only
serve to glorify you. In your precious Son’s name we pray. Amen.

Race & Becoming Beloved Community

Under the leadership of Debby Mills, James Perry, and Rev. Emily,
and with Rev. Mike's participation, we are having conversations
around race (and racism) The type of learning we are doing in this

around race (and racism). The type of learning we are doing in this
group is both intellectual (new concepts, frameworks, and history)
as well as reflective (how does this impact my own experience? what
does this suggest for my own behavior?).

We have begun reading Waking Up White (currently in stock at
Brookline Booksmith, or online at Bookshop or Amazon).

In prior weeks we got a taste of Robin DiAngelo with the brief
article, "White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard to Talk to White People
About Racism," and foretaste of Debby Irving with her TEDtalk,
"Finding Myself in the Story of Race."

We meet on Thursday nights, from 7:30-8:45pm. Each week Debby
sends out the email with the Zoom link. Please reach out to her if
you would like to be on the email list, or to Rev. Emily if you have
questions or concerns.

A Leadership Statement on Race
Click here for the Redeemer Leadership Statement on Race
approved by the Vestry on August 18, 2020.

 Children and Teens

Creating an account on the website (this is for everyone!)

Registration for children and teens programs will be online this year!
Make sure you've signed up on the website so that you'll be able to
register easily.

Here are the directions:

1. Go to www.redeemerchestnuthill.org

2. On your computer, click the Log In sign (see photo below) even if
you do not have a log in. On your mobile device, there is a small
arrow in the upper right corner; click the arrow, which gives you the
Log in screen. Continue to 3.

3. Fill in your email address and click 'Forgot password' (even if you

never had a password to begin with). You will be sent a temporary
password and after logging in with that password, you can create
your own password.

Sunday School

Sunday School programs will resume this week. Please refer to the
Redeemer calendar for classes and schedules. Many blessings to all!

Weekday Morning and Evening Prayer Services

Morning Prayer, M-S 9:30 - 10:30am

Evening Prayer, M-S 4:30 - 5:30pm

          Morning & Evening Prayer on Facebook Live >>

Strategic Ministries

Please help make sandwiches for commoncathedral!
Now that summer vacation is upon us, there is an
increasing need for your help. This is also a great
opportunity for children to participate.

Grab and Go sandwich making: Families, singles and couples are
invited to make 20-40 individually wrapped sandwiches, pack juice
boxes and fresh fruit for commoncathedral. Redeemer parishioners
can make them in the safety of their home and reach out to
Deborah Tamulis or Amy Weed to coordinate safe delivery to
Common Cathedral. Here is the Sign Up Genius Link to choose your
day! Please email the office to set up a pick up time for your
delivery. Thank you!

In need of cotton socks and underwear
Commoncathedral is currently in need of multi-packs of cotton socks
and cotton underwear briefs for both Men and Women S, M, L & XL.

These items can be ordered online and shipped to the Redeemer,
379 Hammond St. Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.

We have also put a donation bin at the exterior office door for those
that wish to pick them up at a store and drop them off at the
church.

Please keep these requests, all our mission partners and the
communities they serve in your prayers. Thank you for your
generosity!

FUEL: You are Making a Difference
We Still Need your Help

FUEL is working hard to meet the increase in food insecurity during
the challenges of the pandemic and is now being asked for 125
bags each week. You would help in the following ways:

• SORTING – Donations and bulk purchases are received daily and
need to be sorted and shelved.

• PACKING – Non-perishable food is packed in three different ways
for recipients.

• DRIVING – Drivers are needed to pick up donations (in Wellesley
from St. Andrew’s, at Wegmans, Costco and BJ’s) and to deliver to
Epiphany and St. Stephen’s. Sign up HERE to help out.

All work is done wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

FUEL
We also need your help with food and gift card donations
Families and individuals are welcomed and encouraged to shop for
FUEL You could purchase one item, one of each item or a quantity of
one item. Lighter weight packaging (e.g. non-metal) when possible
is preferred to minimize total weight. Please consider the
possibilities during your regular grocery shopping or even an
Instacart, Amazon or Walmart delivery directly to the church.

Please note: There are bins outside the church doors near the office
for your drop off. If bins are full or not available, please drop off the
bags of food at the door. Donations are brought into the church
throughout the day.

Below is a list of the items FUEL puts in the bags for Newton,
Epiphany and St. Stephen’s.

Proteins:
Chicken (canned 12.5oz)
Tuna (canned)

Beans, preferably bagged
Peanut butter (18oz)*

Fruit:
Applesauce (individual cups or squeeze portions)
Applesauce (15 oz plastic jar)
Fruit (individual cups)
Fruit (15 oz cans of pineapple, fruit cocktail, pears, peaches or
oranges)

Carbohydrates:
Cereal (10-12 oz) or cereal bars*
Crackers (10-15 oz box)*
Macaroni and cheese
Pasta (1 lb of any type, box or bag)
Rice (1 or 2 lb bag or box)

Other:
Marinara sauce (24 oz, preferably in plastic)
Soup, hearty (10-15oz each)

St. Stephen's is also looking to provide fifty $50.00 VISA cards each
week, one per family. These cards will help with incidentals as 98%
of St. Stephen's families report having lost at least one job in their
household.

These cards may be purchased online or in person at Shaw's, CVS or
Walgreens throughout the area. Please send these cards to the
Redeemer Parish Office (379 Hammond St. Chestnut Hill, MA
02467) or drop them off in the mail slot at Redeemer.

FUEL Food Bags and gift cards will be delivered weekly to St.
Stephen's every Thursday, as well as FUEL Food Bags for Newton
and Epiphany families.

FUEL is a mission initiative founded, funded, and executed solely by
Church of the Redeemer. If you are interested in helping out or want
to learn more, please contact our fearless leader Velura Perry.

                     ALL HELP IS WELCOME!!

Redeemer Calendar

For the most up-to-date calendar listings at the Redeemer, click
here.

       379 Hammond Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 | 617-566-7679
                     www.redeemerchestnuthill.org

     Website >                      Worship >                      Calendar >

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