Alongside the lie that we human beings live a life separate from that of the divine life at our core, is the lie that Rest is of little use except as a necessity when we lay our heads on our pillows at night. Hogwash I say! Just like quantum scientists admit a great mystery at the core of the cosmos as they know it, I believe Rest is the mystery of living more fully on planet earth. Why else should we “Remember the Sabbath Day…?” (Shabbat)

Join us for adult education in the south transept after the 10 a.m. service as we continue to learn lessons from our diocesan work towards racial justice. We will view a short documentary about the Trail of Souls project and be in conversation with two members of Memorial Episcopal Church. The Rev. Natalie Conway and Memorial vestry member Steve Howard will share their experiences in learning more about both their church’s and their own personal history with regard to slavery.

Join the Redeemer Compline Schola for Compline (Sung Prayer at the end of the Day) this Sunday, March 19 at 8:00 p.m. in the beautiful setting of the chapel. The service is almost entirely sung and provides a wonderful way to prepare for the business and busyness of the week. The doors of the chapel will open at 7:45 p.m.  

The Flower Committee will be adorning the chapel and church for Easter (April 9). If you would like to remember or give thanks for a loved one, please complete this form and attach a check made payable to The Church of the Redeemer and marked "Easter Memorials." (Donation of $50) In order to be published in the Easter orders of service your Easter memorials and thanksgivings must be received in the parish office by Monday, March 27.

Dr. Joanne Martin is a historian, educator, and researcher, who founded with her husband Baltimore’s The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum. Through the Museum, which began as a travelling exhibit and is now housed on North Avenue, Martin has committed her life to impacting future generations. Children are her special focus, igniting a spark in them by helping them to understand the history of African Americans.

Click here to learn more about The Great Blacks in Wax Museum.

Jason Green is an attorney, former associate counsel in the Obama White House and co-founder and senior vice-president of Skillsmart, a technology firm based in Germantown, Maryland. With his sister Kisha Davis, MD (White House fellow 2012), Green produced the film Finding Fellowship, which tells the story of how three racially-segregated Methodist churches— two white and one black—merged into one in the wake of Dr. King's assassination. After screening the film with us, Green will answer our questions about this important story, set in Quince Orchard.

Click here to watch the Voices presentation of March 15 by Shane Claiborne, author of Rethinking Life: Embracing the Sacredness of Every Person

Click here to watch the VOICES presentation of March 8 by Dr. Richard Bell, author of Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home

The vestry has 4 vacancies to fill for a three year term ending in spring 2026. The vestry Nominating Committee seeks candidates with leadership skills, particularly people who are strategic and visionary thinkers. We also look for people who work well in groups with a consensus model of decision making. Please note: In accordance with our by-laws a vestry member must be a giver of record and a member of The Church of the Redeemer by baptism or letter of transfer. If you have questions about these requirements, please contact Ellen Chatard.  

Vestry nominations are due in the church office by March 31, 2023. The Annual Meeting will take place on Sunday, April 23, 2023.

  

Click here for more a nominating form. Click here for "Vestry 101" to learn more about vestry service.

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW classes meet Saturday, April 15 through May 13 at 10:00 a.m. in the Youth Council Room. These classes are designed for anyone new to the Episcopal Church as well as those who would like to have a “refresher” about our church, its polity, and structure. We will also talk about becoming a member of The Church of the Redeemer through the various entryways into the church. There will be confirmation and reception of new members by the Bishop in June. If this is of interest to you, please join us in the Youth Council Room on Saturday, April 15^th. Contact Freda Marie+ for details or to register for classes.

email: Freda Marie Brown

and Nancy Bowen, Cert. Bereavement, Gilchrist Hospice.

Thank you to the Church of Redeemer for the snacks and personal hygiene items! We were able to fill our cabinets. You all are greatly appreciated!

~ Sierra Stenhouse, Community School Director

To learn more about our campaign and how you can become involved, contact a member of our Redeemer BUILD Core Team: Ted Winstead, Patty McLean, David Cole, Peter Bain, Christina Way, Anita Richardson, Cristina Paglinauan and David Ware. 

Prior to his death, Josh Siems was a member of Redeemer, and an active participant in the Youth Group. The Josh Siems Act (HB811 / SB914) is currently making its way through the House and the Senate in the Maryland General Assembly. HB811/SB914 would require hospitals to include fentanyl testing when conducting a urine drug screening, in addition to the drugs on the standard panel. Please reach out to your local Delegate and Senator to let them know that you support this bill and would like them to vote 'yes'. Votes will be happening within the next week, so please send an email or call their office to show support as soon as possible. Residents of Baltimore City can find their Delegate and Senator here and residents of Baltimore County can find them here. A sample text for an email can be found here. A fact sheet on HB811 can be found here. You can learn more about The Josh Siems Act and the importance of fentanyl testing through coverage from WYPR, Baltimore Banner, Fox45, and WUSA.

The Knitting Ministry has been busy all year, creating prayer shawls and baby hats. They have been distributed to Stella Maris Hospice and other special care facilities. Several dozen baby hats have been given to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Despite all that we have given away, there are both prayer shawls and baby hats available for use by our parishioners. Please contact Barbara Hart or Joanne Calvert should you have need of one.

In the spirit of Lent’s simplicity, how can we reduce our energy use during this season? A challenge is that energy undergirds our modern world. It’s almost as ubiquitous as air and water. We flick on outlets and lights and appliances turn on. Our homes and buildings spaces are heated and natural gas powers most of these modern conveniences. We must drive in our cars to really get anywhere, get the basics and see people, even get to church. Oil fuels most cars. Natural gas and oil emit carbon pollution when burned to fuel our lives.

Ideas to reduce one energy action this season:

1. While changing cars is a huge deal, just for fun, test drive an electric vehicle, called EVs. Try the new Mustang, Tesla or KIA. Experience the feel of electric cars that have no gears, or oil, or many moving parts. The world is moving to EVs, have some fun and see what it’s about. Take the kids. Vroom, vroom.

2. Wouldn’t it be great to simply put up solar panels and get free sun energy? Many of us can’t so try Maryland's unique Community Solar program through BGE. Offsite solar farms make loads of local energy and it goes right into our grid. Redeemer signed up for Community Solar, and you can, too! Any week now, our church's BGE account will be subscribed to a Neighborhood Sun solar farm. The change happens on your BGE bill only, no solar panels on your home. Prices are always discounted to BGE’s regulated rates. Visit this link to learn how to enroll. (Community Solar isn't a third-party energy supplier, please don’t enroll with these suppliers, read Laurel’s Baltimore Sun op-ed.)

3. Tally your home’s energy usage. It’s easier to take action if you know your starting point. Grab your BGE and look at the electricity and gas usage charts on Page 2. Did you know the average home uses 11,000 kilowatt hours a year? Your home’s annual usage is buried in really small font on Page 2, about half way down. Does your home use a lot more than the average? Say 20,000, 30,000 kilowatt hours? Is your old gas boiler using over about 1,200 -1,500 in therms of gas, or more? It may be time to start researching heat pumps, BGE home energy audits and ways to cut your home’s energy use and save money with rebates?

Caring for Creation - Laurel Peltier 

This week, on the 4^th Sunday in Lent, younger classes will hear and respond to the story of Jesus healing the man who had been blind since birth, with activities to help them think about different ways to see. Drama and Donuts will continue work on the Easter story of the empty tomb, to be presented on April 16—Youth Sunday-- during the 10:00 service.

Watch for announcements about the Good Friday “Walk Through Holy Week,” designed to help children (and the adults who accompany them) understand the events of the last week of Jesus’ life. 

WE CARE

The Church of the Redeemer’s Caregivers Support Group, will meet on Monday, March 20, at 2:30 p.m. on ZOOM. We are a group who have come together to share our experiences, concerns, and expertise in a mutually supportive and safe space. Those whom we love and care for share various afflictions and require varying degrees of care. Anyone is welcome to join us. 

Scheduled to Serve:

READERS Millicent Bain

INTERCESSOR Choir member

LEM Peter Bain

Sunday, March 19 @ 8:00 a.m. in the chapel

Preacher & Celebrant: The Rev. Rebecca E. Ogus

 Scheduled to Serve:

LAY EUCHARISTIC MINISTER Alice Gary READER Thomasina Wharton

ALTAR GUILD Barbara Lynch 

LENTEN ARRANGEMENT Ally Abernathy, Margaret Thompson

Click here to join the service via livestream

Scheduled to Serve:

PREACHER The Rev. Rebecca E. Ogus OFFICIANT The Rev.  Freda Marie S. Brown

CELEBRANT The Rev. M. Cristina Paglinauan DEACON  The Rev. Natalie Conway 

VERGER Peter Shafer LEMS Terry Beauchamp, Margaret Daley, Kate Lears, Ann Warfield  ACOLYTES Hadley Gertz, Katherine Phelan, Cate Tortolani, William Swoboda 

READERS Sophie Restelli, Nora Pereira INTERCESSOR Catherine Harrison-Restelli

ALTAR GUILD Margaret Daley, Brenda Ehlers, Alex McMahon, Ann Warfield, Betsy Willett 

USHER SUPERVISOR Terry Titman 

USHERS Kathy Dickinson, Michael Dickinson, Al Waller

LENTEN ARRANGEMENT Ally Abernathy, Margaret Thompson  

Download a 2023 pledge form or make your pledge online here.

FAQs about stewardship at Redeemer.  

Questions? Email Ellen Chatard

10:00 a.m. Rector's Bible Study hybrid- on Zoom and in person in the Women's Council Room.

12 noon Rector's Bible Study on Zoom (only)

Thursday evenings from 6-7 p.m. in the Women’s Council Room. (In person only)

Mondays: Noon on Facebook- Breathing with Cristina

Tuesdays: 8:00 a.m. Eucharist - church

Wednesdays: 8:00 a.m. Embodied Eucharist- chapel*

Thursdays: 8:00 a.m. Facebook Morning Prayer

Fridays: 8:00 a.m. Facebook Morning prayer

*Embodied Eucharist: This offering will invite gentle stretching, mindful breathing, guided meditation/centering prayer, and/or a simple, embodied response to the reading for the day, followed by a simple Eucharist. Yoga mats are welcome but not needed. 

Click here for the January 2023 Vestry Minutes

Click here for minutes from the 2022 Annual Meeting.

Vestry Minutes from the last 12 months are available here.

Click here for audio recordings of sermons