4TH OF JULY
Our office is closed tomorrow (Friday July 3) for the national holiday in observance of Independence Day. Whether you're celebrating on Friday or Saturday, or both, you can find the prayer for this day on page 242 of your Book of Common Prayer.
MASS RESERVATIONS
Emmanuel currently celebrates 4 identical Masses each week; all of them function as "Sunday" liturgies. Signups for any Mass open 6 days before that Mass; to serve our whole parish fairly, it is not possible to carry over attendees to future weeks.
The RSVP site is always the same and features real-time information on availability; the link appears in every Mini-Messenger. If you cannot attend a Mass you RSVPd for or if the number in your party has changed, please let the office know so we can free space for other worshipers.
CONTACTLESS HOME COMMUNION
While clergy and volunteers are not able to visit safely inside others' homes at this time, we are making contactless home communion calls to those who are shut-in or in higher risk groups. Deacon Chris is organizing this ministry, so if you are confined to your home and would like to be added to the contactless home communion list,
please be in touch with her.
SUMMER BOOK READ
Emmanuel's summer book for 2020 is
The Cross and The Lynching Tree by the revered African-American theologian James Cone. Learn more about this
award-winning book on our website, where you can also download our
parish reading guide. As usual, we'll provide discussion opportunities later in the summer.
I was deeply saddened to learn this morning from Rob Dalhaus at C-U at Home of the loss of our homeless friend Todd, whom many of you will have seen at church now and again (or perhaps, in his less lucid moments, causing a commotion on State Street.) Marisa and I spent some time this morning in the park with several of our grieving friends without an address, and they feel confident that the young men who robbed and assaulted Todd will be brought to justice. Todd and I had a talk just yesterday after the 12:15 Mass, while a few of the regulars on our benches were picking up garbage for us along State Street, and as always I found him a troubled soul whose sweet heart and devoted faith were sometimes hard to see through his chronic addiction. There are many costs when we choose Jesus' path of getting involved with outcasts, and I am offering up to God today one of them -- the sad reminder that those who have almost no power run the risk of being treated brutally by those who have even a little more. May Todd's soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace.
