June 26th, 2026

Semi-monthly July–August

Beloved in Christ,

As summer is fully upon us, I want to take a moment to say that I hope these next couple of months afford each of you a bit of time for rest and relaxation whether your plans include travel or simply staying at home and enjoying the company of loved ones. I also want to remind you that the work of the church goes on even during this time when so many people traditionally take vacation.

If you are away, I encourage you to find the nearest Episcopal church and attend the Sunday liturgy wherever you are. If you are here, please remember to attend your own dear church here in New Castle. While our summer liturgies are a bit shorter, the Lord's name is still praised and it is important that you are here to add your voice!

Many blessings to you all,

Fr. Keene

Brotherhood of St. Andrew

This Sunday, Immanuel will welcome Jeff Butcher as a guest at our 10:00 am mass. Jeff comes from Atlanta, Georgia and will be with us in his capacity as representative of The Brotherhood of St. Andrew. He will be admitting members to the newly reconstituted chapter of The Brotherhood at Immanuel on the Green. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is the Men's Ministry of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. New members of our chapter are Jon Barrett, David Behringer, Jim Evitts, Hal Garber, Kyle Gilley, Bob Irwin, Matt Kinservik, Brian Myers, and Michael Westman.

If you are interested in joining the Brotherhood or knowing more about their work, please speak to any member of the chapter or to the rector. You can also view their website by clicking here.

Seersucker Sunday

Many thanks to everyone who participated in Immanuel's end of choir season celebration on the Feast of Corpus Christi (also affectionately known as Seersucker Sunday!) Attendance was great as was the food and conversation at the reception after mass. Members of the Stewardship/Beyond the Churchyard Ministry artfully pulled the decorations, food and drink together with the help of the many parishioners and friends of Immanuel who provided their own delicious culinary specialties for the occasion.

The day was a great example of how Immanuelians always come together successfully for faith, fun and fellowship! 

Above: Parishioners at the 8:00 am service
Below: Parishioners at the 10:00 am service

Let Freedom Ring

Join us as we celebrate the 4th of July and the 18th century Delawareans who gathered in New Castle to support the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Children and families of all ages, regardless of age, faith, race or ethnicity, are cordially invited on the 4th of July to attend historic New Castle’s bell-ringing ceremony, which is held annually at Immanuel Church on the Green from 1:30-2:30 pm. This free annual event is part of an ongoing national ceremony.

When the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped, bells in Philadelphia and across the nation will ring simultaneously at 2:00 pm, officially commemorating the birth of American Independence. Children, representing the original thirteen colonies, will then ring a smaller bell donated to the day’s event by the Old Courthouse Museum.

This year’s Keynote Speaker is Wade Catts, Historic Site/President and Principal, South River Heritage Consulting. His talk will be “Give Them As Much Trouble as You Possibly Can”: The Battle of Cooch’s Bridge (3 September 1777) - The Opening Engagement of The Philadelphia Campaign and the Invasion of the Upper Delmarva Peninsula.

The Battle of Cooch’s Bridge was a short but spirited fight between the vanguard of the British army and the American Light Infantry Corps. Catt’s presentation integrates historical, topographical, and archaeological studies into a discussion of the battle and its context, using contemporary British, Hessian, and American accounts to reconstruct the course of the engagement, the landscape the battle was fought over, the battle’s outcome, and historical legacy.

Wade Catts Bio:

Catts is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) with more than 40 years of experience as an historical archaeologist specializing in history, archaeology, and historic preservation. He is a nationally and internationally recognized historian.

He is a Consulting Historian to the Friends of Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site and authored a chapter about the battle of Cooch's Bridge in “Partisans, Guerillas, and Irregulars: Historical Archaeology of Asymmetric Warfare,” published in 2019 (The University of Alabama Press).

Music for Sunday, June 28th, 2026 - The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Organ Voluntary: Prelude on “Southwell”, Alan Bullard (b. 1947); Flourish on “St. Michael”, June Nixon (b. 1942)

Hymn in Procession: 601, "O day of God, draw nigh”, St. Michael

Gloria in excelsis: John Merbecke (1505-1585)

Sequence Hymn: 641, "Lord Jesus, think on me", Southwell

Offertory Hymn: 609, "Where cross the crowded ways of life”, Gardiner

Sanctus and Benedictus qui venit: John Merbecke

Agnus Dei: John Merbecke

Hymn at the Dismissal: 518, "Christ is made the sure foundation", Westminster Abbey

Organ Voluntary: Voluntary on “Westminster Abbey”, Gerald Near (b. 1943)

Upcoming Events



• Sundays, following 10:00 am service - Fellowship Hour and Rector's Forum
• Saturday, June 27th, 6:00 pm - Diocesan Parish Picnic at the Blue Rocks
• Sunday, June 28th, The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
  8:00 am - Said Holy Eucharist
  10:00 am - Sung Holy Eucharist with Admission of Members into the Brotherhood of St. Andrew
• Saturday, July 4th, 1:30 pm - Let Freedom Ring
• Sunday, July 5th, The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
  8:00 am - Said Holy Eucharist
  10:00 am - Sung Holy Eucharist

Do you have any upcoming activities or events that you want to share with your fellow Immanuelians? Let us know!

Do you have Fellowship pictures from any Immanuel events, past or present? Send them to the office!

Flower Memorial for Sunday, June 21st

The Flowers at the Altar are given to the Glory of God

by Patricia Moy, in loving memory of

Thomas and Therese Marchell, and Ted Marchell.

The Sick

David Barczak, Lauren Barczak, Susan Bauersachs, Patty Buchanan, Tracy Burk, Legend Callahan, Alexia Cordrey, James Cwiakala, Hung Dan, John Dailyda, Debra Thaïs Evans, Sarah Howell, James Kee, Stacy Lauren, Ruth Linton, William Logan, Michael McCormick, Patti Quinn, Carolyn Robelen, Al Saulsbury, Joanne Temple, Carol True-Palmer, Glen True-Palmer, Mary Parsons, Emily Rodreiguez, Tom Truman, Andrew Vellrath, Barbara Vellrath, Flo Vendeville, Ed, Gunvor, John, Jon, Phillip, Tom, and Wayne.

The Deceased

Connie Roberts

June Birthdays

• Week 5 - Katya Linton

July Birthdays

• Week 1 - Barbara Vellrath
• Week 2 - Louise MacQuarrie, Alexa Maloney, Carol Nile
• Week 3 - Juan Heiss, Karen Kennedy, Valerie Long, Bob Irwin
• Week 4 - Sarahjayne Knoll
• Week 5 - Brian Waibel, Emily White

July Anniversaries

• Week 2 - David and Janice Henshaw
• Week 3 - Katie Meloro and Matthew Pisarcik
• Week 5 - Dawn and Gary Proctor

Flower Memorial Dates are Available

Memorials can be scheduled for a Sunday closest to a particular date (such as a birthday, anniversary, or passing), or a specific Sunday in the month (such as the 1st Sunday in October), and can be arranged on a recurring or one-time basis. Please contact the Parish Office on (302)328-2413, or Mark Bacher on (302)367-3825 or at mbac56@aol.com, if you would like to discuss an offering.

Immanuel services listed below are available on the website and Facebook, with links to a downloadable bulletin. We encourage you to "like," "follow," and turn on notifications from Immanuel on Facebook so you won't miss any news or posts (we promise we won't inundate you).

Public Eucharist:

Sunday

• Said Mass - 8:00 am
• Sung Mass - 10:00 am

Thursday

• Said Mass with Healing - 6:00 pm

Evensong will be held in person at 4:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of the Month between October and May. More information on Evensong will be sent in mailers leading up to the service.

Services are posted:

• Virtual Holy Eucharist - Sunday, 1:00 pm

Please join us, and share with family and friends!