Worship

Choir

Altar Guild

Saint Catherine's Guild

Children's Chapel

Acolytes, Chalice Bearers, and Lectors

Alcuin Guild

Ushers

 

Choir

The choir at Emmanuel provides a wide variety of music in the Anglican tradition at the 10:15 Mass every Sunday from September through June. They also offer expanded music programs at special liturgical events like Christmas, Holy Week, and for various joyous occasions in the life of the parish.

Rehearsals for the parish choir are Wednesday evenings from 7:00-8:30 PM. Membership is open to anyone who loves to sing and is willing to commit to ongoing weekly rehearsals and Sunday mornings. Experience and ability to read music is not required, but would be helpful. For more information, please contact choirmaster Kevin Kelly.

Altar Guild

The Altar Guild continues its commitment to caring for the altar,
providing the bread, wine, candles and vestments, as well as making sure that the altar is prepared properly for each service. We have been paying for the upkeep of the altar by our annual making and selling of our decorated Easter eggs. We have had a number of new members who have volunteered to work on the altar this year and for that we are very grateful. However, we could use more helpers for the egg project. Having reached the status of senior citizens (for almost all of the current egg ladies), our fingers are not quite as nimble and our eyes are not quite as sharp as they once were.

Saint Catherine's Guild

The purpose of St. Catherine's Guild is to serve God through corporate
and individual worship and service to others. Members meet at the church for the Eucharist at 11:00 a.m. on the third Thursday of the month, September - May (excluding January) for the Eucharist, followed by an informal luncheon and a short business meeting. The activities of the Guild include visiting shut-ins, helping with the packing of lunches for the hungry, and sending cards to members who are sick, hospitalized or bereaved, as well as to those who are celebrating a birthday or anniversary. Again, this year, we decided to do less work and more praying, so we raise money by selling only Rada cutlery at our "mini-bazaars" which are held at the convenience of our members. Proceeds from these sales go to benefit others.

Children's Chapel

Overall, Children's Chapel has been quite stable this year with up to fifteen children in attendance on a few Sundays. We have continued to emphasize the church seasons of the year as well as age appropriate stories that parallel the Gospel. It is clear that repetition results in learning on the part of the children who attend regularly.

Although we all feel our church is a safe haven, in today's environment, we cannot always guarantee this. Therefore, for the safety of our "little Episcopalians", please take the time to discuss with your children the dangers of being away from adult supervision throughout the church and its grounds. As hard as we try to make our building safe, there may be some areas that are problematic to unattended children. Also, as our church is unlocked each Sunday during services, unsupervised children could be at risk.

We are always in need of volunteers (adults or older teens) during Children's Chapel. It is imperative that we have a second person there who can walk and wait for others at the bathroom, etc.

Please volunteer for a Sunday or two if you possibly can. We must have safe conditions at all times for our "little Episcopalians." Thank you to all those who have volunteered over the last year.

We believe that the lessons in Children's Chapel have been even more consistent than usual this year, and, as a result the children appear to be learning a great deal. This year's group of children is especially interesting. They are spirited in delightful ways, full of questions, and sometimes unique answers. And, because several members of this group are fluent readers, they often read portions of the service. We believe that this is also good training and preparation for expanding their role in the big church.

Acolytes, Chalice Bearers, and Lectors

This year there were a total of 33 young people who served as acolytes, 29 at 10:15 and 4 at 8:00. Also, 21 adults acted as acolytes and/or chalice bearers at 8:00, while 21 were chalice bearers or lectors at 10:15. In addition, Bill, Jeff and Bryan Dobrik and Nicole and Matt Gruber, all of whom were acolytes within the past 6 or 8 years, agreed to help out at the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Taken together then, some 80 members of Emmanuel played an active role in the various communion services throughout the year, either from the sanctuary or from the lectern. This is a substantial number of people who have committed themselves to the worship of God in a very particular way, and we are truly grateful for their help, which they have given us, in many cases, for many years. Needless to say, we could not worship as we do without their help.

Also, each year we do lose members to graduation from high school, to families moving out of town, etc., yet we always have others who step up to fill the gaps that occur as a result. This year, for example, 11 adults and 6 young people have joined us for the first time, and we want to thank them, too. It is wonderful to have a congregation that is so willing to serve God in these ministries.The annual banquet was held in October and was again well supported by parents who helped to set it up and then to put things back in order at the end. As in the past, Middy and Justin McCarthy took the lead and many others joined in -- and we thank them all! Also, last January, we held our annual bowling party at the Western Bowl followed by pizza at the church. Both of these events are annual occasions and we look forward to them again in 2008.

Alcuin Guild

We thank Thee that Thy Church, unsleeping
while earth rolls onward into light,
through all the world Her watch is keeping
and rests not now by day or night.

John Ellerton (1826-1893)
Hymnal 1982, Hymn 24

These words of a beautiful evening hymn describe well the work of the
Alcuin Guild. The Alcuin Guild is comprised of volunteers who lead the Daily Office and serve weekday Masses. Members of the Guild must attend training and continuing education classes and be licensed by the Bishop upon the recommendation of the Rector, Wardens and Vestry.

During 2007, members of the Alcuin Guild assisted with over 700
services of public worship. This is a remarkable accomplishment by this very dedicated and able group of persons. At the time of a personal or physical crisis, a national emergency or time of mourning and loss, or (thankfully) at a time of celebration and thanksgiving, the Alcuin Guild assures that "the Church is keeping" Her watch of prayer, intercession and thanksgiving. Once again this year, it has been comforting to so many to know that at Emmanuel Memorial Church, a "prayer service" is held twice each day three-hundred-and-sixty-five-days-a-year. They are called the Daily Office and the Holy Eucharist -- our unique Anglican heritage and "prayer service."

It would be impossible to count the number of those deeply comforted to know that those for whom we pray are named out loud each day before God's throne of mercy in our parish home. A frequently heard comment of parishioners who move away from Champaign-Urbana is how much they miss this comforting ministry not available in all places.

If you would be interested in learning more about the Guild or possibly
joining the Guild and assisting with this very important ministry, please
speak with the Rector.

Ushers

The Usher Chair offers his profound thanks for the service our ushers
and Rood Screen Ushers provide the parish. The ushers greet people as they enter the church and provide assistance or guidance when appropriate. They also distribute the church bulletin, track attendance, deliver the elements to the Rood Screen at the 10:15 service, collect the alms, usher communicants and straighten up the church after each service. In the event of an emergency ushers can provde assistance as needed.

Ushers are often the first contact many visitors have with a member of the parish and can assist them with specific questions. They can provide immediate information about the facility, the Nursery and can direct newcomers to the pew cards to help acclimate them to unfamiliar surroundings. They can also introduce visitors to other members of the parish to make them feel welcome. Over the next few months we will bring volunteer greeters into the process in an effort to assist the Ushers in this important function.

At the 10:15 service Rood Screen Ushers assist communicants with the step at the Rood Screen and secure the offering in a safe following the service. They also provide an additional point of contact for celebrants and we thank them for their service.

We offer a special thanks to those who have graciously ushered at
funerals and special events and for those who have stepped forward to help at the many services held during Holy Week, Easter and Christmas. We would also express our gratitude to those who have served in past but are no longer able.

I offer my personal thanks to William L. MacDonald, Usher Chair Emeritus, for providing me this opportunity to serve the parish and to Lori Dobrik for doing most of the work.

Anyone interested in serving as an Usher may contact Lori Dobrik at the Parish Office or Randy Kobel.