Warm... because it’s beginning to feel a lot like summer. The weather has turned from rainy days to sunshine; we just celebrated our graduates; the Emmanuel choir will be moving into summer choir mode; and we’ll be shifting to a single Sunday service at 9am beginning 6/18. Does that mean that it’s time to kick back by the pool with a margarita? NO! It’s time to plan and prepare for Emmanuel’s new “program year,” beginning in September!
[FINAL REMINDER: If you have thoughts about our campus, the tenants who share it with us, and future facility investments, PLEASE fill out the Space Use questionnaire! Link here We need your input!]
To that end… the Vestry spent some time on 5/23 discussing the pros and cons of gatherings in the Parish Hall. While we love the Parish Hall’s large gathering space and the proximity of a commercial kitchen for easy food preparation and clean up, we agreed that the Parish Hall’s current theater configuration can make it feel a bit dingy for daytime gatherings. Additionally, whenever we choose to use this space, a full day of YTN preparation is required to empty out their belongings and get it ready for us. As a Christian community, we need to be thoughtful, ensure that it’s the right venue for an event, and provide plenty of advance notice to YTN for its use.
I will be reaching out to a few of you to join me in some high-level social planning for the ‘23/’24 program year so that we can sort out rough gathering proposals, dates, and determine when/if the Parish Hall will be needed. If you love event planning or you’re a social butterfly and want to ensure we have robust gatherings or you hate getting roped into helping with poorly planned events at the last minutes... you can join us in this effort! Please contact me: seniorwarden@emmanuelmi.org or 206-234-2499.
If event planning isn’t really your thing... I have ANOTHER upcoming opportunity for parishioner involvement! Our Vestry subcommittee on Pastoral Care has been collaborating to improve parishioner outreach and support activities, particularly for those members of Emmanuel in fragile health or experiencing other difficulties. Their next meeting will be on June 10. If you’re interested in helping, they’d love to include you! Reach out to Jon Fedele, Pat Angell, or Christine Kenyon and let them know that you’d like to join the team.
And FINALLY. . . we’re going to be jumping back into Fall Stewardship season before you know it! So maybe you’ve passed on the opportunity to help with Event Planning and Pastoral Care improvements, but you’d LOVE to join us for shaping next Fall’s Stewardship plans?? Just send me a note (seniorwarden@emmanuelmi.org) and we’ll add you to that team, which will probably get started in August/September.
I know that this all sounds like a lot of work, when you’d rather be focusing on summer vacations and sunshine, but we NEED you and so appreciate your energy and ideas. As for my own vacation plans this summer, Alan and I are excited to be attending “It’s All About Love: A Festival for the Jesus Movement” in Baltimore, July 9 – 12, put on by the national Episcopal church. We’re big fans of Presiding Bishop Curry and it’s his final year as our spiritual leader. We’re also looking forward to an action-packed festival of worship and workshops. I’m sure I’ll be writing about this in my July blog update – and I’ll be all fired up with new ideas for Emmanuel! If you’re interested in joining us at the festival, it’s not too late to sign up.
Polly Ogden
Senior Warden
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