From the Rev. Judy Webb Davis

Several years ago, I was able to travel to Bethlehem to the birthplace of our Lord. The bus made its way to Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity – the birthplace of Jesus. When you enter the church, it takes a minute or two for your eyes to adjust before you are ushered into the nave where you wait to enter the grotto – the cave where they believe that Christ was born.

There is one way in and it is called the Door of Humility – as you can see from this picture it is impossible nearly any adult to enter without crouching down. At barely 5’2” even I had to pause and bend down to make my way through the doorway – through the Door of Humility. It is a profoundly moving memory in my own spiritual journey and metaphor for a life of faith.

Jesus Christ walked this earth with the strength and love of divine humility that inspires us to love and serve our neighbors – not ourselves. As CS Lewis said – “humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.” That is the great living miracle of the church as we continue to live

generously and empower and inspire one another in loving and serving the Lord together.

And we do so joyfully! I am so grateful for our shared ministry at Emmanuel – God is indeed with us. We have so much to look forward to in this new year. May our Lord and Savior continue to keep you all in God’s loving embrace.

In Christs Love, Judy

The Newsletter of Emmanuel Episcopal Church January 2020

Dove Tales

White Gift Christmas Celebration on January 5th

The White Gift Service is one of Emmanuel’s most treasured traditions. January 5th is the second Sunday of Christmas and we recall the journey of the Magi to the Christ Child. Emmanuel’s young adults will be our own Wise People and will assist in delivering our gifts. Following the service, our Outreach Commission hosts a joyful time of fellowship with white gift themed treats.

This year’s recipient is St. Andrew’s School in Oregon Hill, a tuition-free, private school affiliated with the Episcopal Church. The dedicated

educators of St. Andrew’s were invited to create their own Christmas lists and your generously contributed gifts and donations have been wrapped. Members of the St. Andrews family will be present to receive the gifts in our 10am service.

Vestry Highlights – from December 9, 2019

• Approved the preliminary budget • Learned that the nominating committee is still in search of a few more nominees • Approved changes in the Cemetery Rules and Regulations • Learned that new lift chairs have been installed on both sets of steps in the front of the

parish house and preliminary plans for accessibility are in the process of being drawn by the architects

• Learned the sidewalks in front of the parish house and cemetery have been repaired

Nominations for Vestry 2020 are now being accepted. If you feel called to be a part of our Vestry, please consider running. Contact one of our Nominating committee members: Ellen Coates, Ed Dalton, Marilyn Malone, Hank Milligan, or Paul Nelson.

EMC Final update

Every Member Celebration is a time where we focus on supporting the work of our church financially. We received 96 pledges totaling $283,136. Thank you for your participation

Pastoral Care Dove Tales Minutes from December 2, 2019

The Pastoral Care Commission held their quarterly meeting Monday, December 2, 2019. The wellbeing and needs of Emmanuel’s parishioners were our main focus, especially with the Christmas season upon us. The next Wine and Cheese Social at Westminster-Canterbury will have a Valentine’s theme and plans to secure the venue and date are going forward.

A special meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 13, 2020 for members of Emmanuel’s Strategic Planning Committee to facilitate the gathering of information from individual Pastoral Care Commission members.

Emmanuel’s Annual Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, February 2nd immediately following the abbreviated 10:00 A.M. service of Holy Eucharist. This meeting will review the church’s Annual Reports and elect new members to the Vestry. The deadline for submissions for the annual report will be Friday, January 17th. Before the meeting, everyone is invited to attend a congregational breakfast in the Parish Hall at 9:00 A.M.

January 5 No Forum (White Gifts)

January 12 End of Life/Funeral Planning - Part 1

January 19 End of Life/Funeral Planning - Part 2

January 26 Shrine Mont Camp – Guest Speaker: Kirk Gibson, Director of Development

Offering envelopes for 2020 will be in the back of the church. Any envelopes not picked up will be mailed later in January. The cost to mail envelopes is over $2 per box, so please pick yours up from the church if at all possible.

Our next Contemplative Service is Sunday, January 19th at 5:30pm. This tranquil and sacred service of Holy Eucharist will offer quiet reflection by candlelight and quiet piano music. Dinner will follow in the parish hall.

The next Theology on Tap will be held on Wednesday, January 15th at 6:00 pm, with discussion to follow. We will talk about Bishop Michael Curry’s “Way of Love.” We will meet at River City Diner North, 803 E. Parham Road, near the intersection of Brook & Parham.

In the case of inclement weather that would affect our Sunday morning services, we will list cancellations on:

• WTVR Channel 6 • WRIC Channel 8 • WWBT Channel 12

In the case of bad weather during the week, the Church office will close at the discretion of the Priest in charge.

The White Gift Service celebrating your support for the child-centered St. Andrew’s School is so blessed with your generous donations and gifts. Thank you for helping them through your outreach and love.

Don’t forget:

• Bring in your old Glasses (eyeglasses, sunglasses, and readers) to donate using the collection box on top of the parish hall mailboxes and

• Clip your Boxtops for Education to support Lakeside E.S., each boxtop is worth a dime and the collection “house” box is on the table in the back of church.

Dear Emmanuel Church Family,

Thanks so much for the prayers, phone calls, cards, altar flowers and all the other ways you have supported me during the last six months.

They’ve made me stronger and buoyed my spirits to keep me fighting the fight.

Blessings on you all, Pat Row

Dates for 2020 Book/Author Discussion Leader (4th Thurs)

1/23/2019 A Man Called Ove/Fredrik Backman Cheryl Cadaret 3/26/2019 The Dutch House/Ann Patchett Cynthia Oliver 5/28/2019 The Cottingley Secret/Hazel Gaynor Emily Wigglesworth 7/23/2019 Educated: a Memoir/Tara Westover June Chandler 9/24/2019 Is Fred in the Refrigerator?/Shala Nicely Cynthia Stockdon

11/19/2019 The Library Book/Susan Orlean Betsy Edwards SPECIAL

4/2/2020 Sourdough/Robin Sloan Henrico Reads

• The church office will be closed Wednesday, January 1st and Monday, January 20th • Submissions for the Annual Report are due Friday, January 17th

Portals Deaths We extend our sympathy to the family of the recently departed:

Clay Utley Lodor November 29, 2019

Emmanuel Episcopal Church 1214 Wilmer Avenue Richmond, VA 23227

804.266.2431 | www.EmmanuelRichmond.org | church@emmanuelrva.org

1/1 Vee Davis 1/15 Jennifer Spangler 1/2 Mary Jo Giles 1/18 Bea Dalton 1/4 Barbara Duncan 1/19 Erv Spevak 1/8 Grant Revell 1/21 Cheryl Sheets Leslie Roberson 1/24 Faye Barron 1/11 Lin Tyler Cynthia Stockdon 1/12 Ellen Coates 1/28 Ann Fitzgerald Cynthia Miller 1/29 Tom Sears 1/13 Billy Doswell 1/31 Ellen Giles

2020 2020SundaySunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4

Church office closed6:30pm Choir practice

9:00 am Altar Guild - Sanctuary6:30-8:15pm Girl Scouts, BEC

5 6 7 8 9 10 1110:00am Precious Angels Chapel 8:15am His Handmaids - PH

8:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I10:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II 11:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II 9:00 am Altar Guild - Sanctuary White Gift service 11:00am Bible Study - LR with Healing 11:00am Reception noon Canasta - PH

5:30pm Outreach - LR Dove Tales deadline6:00pm Finance Commission - PH 6:30pm Choir practice

12 13 14 15 16 17 1811:00am Bible Study - LR 10:00am Precious Angels Chapel

8:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I 11:00am Pastoral Care - LR9:00am Sunday Forum 11:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II10:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II with Healing 6:30-8:15pm Girl Scouts, BEC 9:00 am Altar Guild - Sanctuary11:00am Coffee hour noon Canasta - PH

6:00pm - Vestry - LR 6:30pm Choir practice6:00 pm Theology on Tap - River City Diner Annual report deadline

19 20 21 22 23 24 258:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I 8:15am His Handmaids - PH9:00am Sunday Forum 10:00am Precious Angels Chapel10:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II Church office closed 9:00 am Altar Guild - Sanctuary11:00am Coffee hour 11:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II

with Healing 6:30pm Choir practice11:00am Bible Study - LR noon Canasta - PH 7:00pm Book Group

5:30pm Contemplative Service26 27 28 29 30 31

8:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I9:00am Sunday Forum10:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10:00am Precious Angels Chapel11:00am Coffee hour 11:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II

with Healing 6:30pm Choir practice11:00am Bible Study - LR noon Canasta - PH 6:30-8:15pm Girl Scouts, BEC

***All meetings at Emmanuel are open to everyone***PH - Parish HallLR - Lawrence roomBEC - Bryan Education Center

Parish Opportunities for January

Worship Assistants JanuaryWeek January 5 January 12 January 19 January 26

Lessons Jeremiah 31:7-14 Isaiah 42:1-9 Isaiah 49:1-7 Isaiah 9:1-4

Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a Acts 10:34-43 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Matthew 2:13-15,19-23 Matthew 3:13-17 John 1:29-42 Matthew 4:12-23

or Luke 2:41-52 Psalm 29 Psalm 40:1-12 Psalm 27:1, 5-13

or Matthew 2:1-12Psalm 84 or 84:1-8

ACOLYTES Acolyte: Acolyte: Gabe Sheffield Acolyte: Mikayla Blackman Crucifer: Maddie SpanglerAT 10:00 AM Mikayla Blackman Gospel Book Bearer: Charlie Hornbaker

ALTAR GUILD Patti Warren, Dardi McLeod Brenda West, Mary Jane Harris, Nancy Mcintyre, Suzanne Messerschmidt, Mary Jo Giles, Marilyn Malone, Judy Erdman, Carol Spangler Carolyn Snyder, Betsy Gragnani Barbara Brewer, Liz Nichol Martha Diuguid, Brenda Shaw Becky Taylor, June Chandler

LAY EUCHARISTIC MINISTER 8:00AM -Martha Schwartz 8:00:AM - Barbara Bivens 8:00AM - Tom Giles 8:00 AM - Betty Milligan& INTERCESSOR 10:00 AM John Royster 10:00AM Ellen Giles 10:00AM Suzanne Messerschmidt 10:00 Ellen Coates

Cynthia Stockdon Bea Dalton Tom Giles Jennifer SpanglerLECTOR I Betty Milligan Chuck Edwards Ginny Ferguson Sue DavisLECTOR II Clark Glave Emily Wigglesworth Susan Northrop Becky Taylor

VESTRY PERSON Hank Milligan Susan Northrop Paul Nelson John Weber OF THE DAY

8:00AM Pat Cully 8:00 AM Bryan Townes 8:00 AM Barbara Townsend 8:00AM Debbi SharpGREETERS 10:00AM John Royster 10:00AM Mary Jo Giles 10:00AM Hornbaker family 10:00AM Carolyn Snyder

NURSERY WORKERBea Dalton Dale Revell Dick Brewer Emily Wigglesworth

REFRESHMENT HOUR White Gift reception - Outreach Commission David and Barbara Bivens Tom & Ellen Giles Marilyn Malone

Andrew DuPuis, Head Usher; Joshua DuPuis, Jerry Loan, Head Usher, Grant Revell Chris Gragnani , Head Usher,John Royster, Derek Spangler, Head Usher, Ray Easter, USHERS FOR Chip Myers, Gary Davis Joe Chandler, Abraham Gale, Chuck Edwards Frank Northrop, Steve Jones Andy Hornbaker, John Weber

10:00 AM SERVICE