Sunday School Schedule, Summer Sunday School, & VBS

Emmanuel's Sunday School will conclude for the year on 11 June 2023. Thanks to Heather Costantino for preparing materials and to Bonnie Montalvo and Carol Baumbach who took on the lion's share of the teaching.

Now that we are past the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic (and Please God may it stay that way!), we are renewing programs that have served the congregation over the years. One of them is the Summer Sunday School — something most churches do not offer. It is focused on the needs of our younger students, through elementary school. Older students are invited to help as aids to the teachers, who sign up a volunteers to take one or two Sundays. It meets at 10:00 AM, and runs from 25 June through 27 August. Watch the bulletin board for the sign-up sheet.

It's not too early to put Emmanuel's Vacation Bible School on your calendars for your children, grandchildren, or even yourself if you'd like to help. An all new curriculum will be offered with links to videos and activities that kids can share at home. The dates are 17 July — 21 July 2023. Watch this space for more details.

Senior Warden to Attend the College for Congregational Development

Sandy Cormack will spend the last week in June at the Bishop Claggett conference center with 59 other attendees being trained in the work of the College for Congregational Development. The CCD teaches a variety of skills aimed at helping laity and clergy work together to build healthy, thriving church communities. The goal is not to train experts, but collaborators who will share resources developed in the program as well as local material. The program is open to any lay person or clergy person in the diocese, as well as other dioceses. There is often funding available to assist with the tuition cost.

Welcoming the Bishop Coadjutor-Elect

On Saturday, 25 March 2023, the Diocese of Maryland elected The Rev'd Carrie Schofield-Broadbent as Bishop Coadjutor. She will work side by side with Bishop Sutton until he retires in the Spring of 2024, and then become the 15th Bishop of Maryland.

The Consecration of the Bishop-Elect is scheduled for 16 September 2023 at Washington Cathedral. The whole diocese is invited to attend in person or to watch the live-stream from home. Each congregation will be asked to provide a banner and a banner-bearer to participate in the procession, and there will be chances for others to volunteer to be chalice-bearers, ushers, and other duties. Canon Gatza serves as co-chair of the Bishop Transition committee, so please be in touch with him if you'd like to help. Since parking is difficult in the Cathedral neighborhood, attendees are encouraged to consider whether hiring a bus for several congregations or a region makes sense.

An important part of the Consecration service is the presentation of the "Symbols of Office" to the new bishop. These include a ring, a pectoral cross, a crozier, a mitre, and a set of vestments to match the mitre. The tradition in Maryland is for the clergy of the diocese to purchase the ring for the bishop, with lay persons contributing to the cost of the other gifts. There are several other items that Bishop-Elect Schofield-Broadbent will need for her new ministry in the course of her first year, traditionally given by her old friends from Central New York as well as new friends from Maryland.

Emmanuel Church encourages you to click THIS LINK to go to the contribution page and make a donation towards these gifts. For those of you who keep track of such things, as donations to the Diocese of Maryland, they are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Emmanuel’s Vestry

The Vestry of an Episcopal Church serves as a sort of board of directors, supervising financial matters, but more importantly establishing ministry priorities and setting an example for congregation members to follow. Five new members were selected at the Annual Meeting, so the Vestry currently looks like this.

• Term concludes 2024: Marti Sakell, David Parker, Chris Gautier
• Term concludes 2025: Carol Baumbach, Peter Schlehr, Katy Dallam
• Term concludes 2026: Dixon Barthel, Scott Gromacki, Chris Croucher

Please feel free to ask them questions about church life or to share your concerns.