Welcome to Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Emmanuel calls the Rev. Beverly Hosea as Interim Associate Rector

Meet Beverly…

Greetings to everyone in the faith community at Emmanuel!

I am thrilled to be asked to be your new interim assistant priest.  I give thanks to our Lord for the working of the Holy Spirit throughout this discernment process, and that I can be with you ministering in the areas of pastoral care and adult Christian education.

Let me say a word or two in introduction.  I returned to the Diocese of Olympia in 2000 after 20 years of sojourning around the country, first being ordained in the Diocese of California, then working as a chaplain in a trauma hospital in Houston, followed by NINE WINTERS in Minnesota where the people really are like Garrison Keeler describes.  I headed west again and spent a few years in the Diocese of Spokane, before going on an extended sabbatical for meditation living with the Roman Catholic Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in Bellevue.  Since then I have been offering instruction in meditation through the Community of the Lamb, a non-profit corporation I founded in 2002, while also serving different congregations as interim priest.  Much of my parish ministry has been working with congregations in transition, with Total Common Ministry, supporting the ministry of all the baptized and providing extensive adult Christian education.

My time with you here at Emmanuel will be a half time position, and the other half of my time involves giving retreats, presenting meditation seminars, leading meditation groups and offering spiritual direction throughout the diocese.  Saturday, December 8, I will be leading an Advent retreat open to the diocese at St. Dunstan in Shoreline.  A new and exciting outreach ministry of the Community of the Lamb got started this fall; every first and third Thursday I lead a meditation group at the state prison in Monroe, where the spiritual practice of meditation provides a strong impact not just for those inmates participating, but for the whole prison environment.

Here at Emmanuel I am starting immediately because December is typically a heavy pastoral care month.  When I was a hospital chaplain and a director of a hospice program this was much in evidence.  While Christmas is thought of as a happy time of year for families, many experience an increase in grief, loneliness and anxiety.  I want to be present as a resource person for spiritual and pastoral support so that we can all look with hope to the deeply joyful coming of our Lord within the manger of our hearts.

One thing I know.  I can’t possibly take Marilyn Cornwell’s place.  You will find me a quite different person, possibly a bit wacky, but with a great love for Jesus.  I am endlessly fascinated with the individual unique stories that each person is, and I look forward to getting to know you.

Blessing in the Lamb,

The Rev. Beverly Hosea

Green Tip #4

Think about Green Giving possibilities this Christmas!

We can limit the number of gifts we buy for people. Each family member can draw a single name and give only to that person. Also, suggest a gift theme of earth-friendly gifts that won't harm the environment and wrap them in appropriate recycled or reusable materials (i.e. gift bags and bows). NPR.org gift shop has a list of suggestions for "green gifts." Or it may give you some other ideas. Green gifts include tickets, money, gift certificates and memberships. AND, a gift of time and talent would include baby-sitting, special favors, teaching a special skill or a date to enjoy a meal or an event together.

November/December Bell

Please click the following link for the latest PDF version of the November/December Bell

Download novdec_07_bell.pdf

Green Tip #3

DON'T WASH YOUR OWN CAR. 

Commercial car washes use up to 100 less gallons of water to wash a car. They often recycle and reuse rinse water. If everyone who washed his own car chose to go to a professional car wash just once, up to 8.7 billion gallons of water could be saved and some 12 billion gallons of soapy, polluted water could be diverted from rivers, lakes and streams.

Help Yourself to Beautiful Pinecones!!

Emmanuel's wonderful, large pinecones will be available in

the Narthex after this Sunday's 8 and 10 AM

services.  Bring your own bag or some bags will

be available and take as many as you need for

your holiday decorating.

Green Tip of the Week #2

This week's GREEN TIP:

STOP JUNK MAIL.  Go to www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist.  There you can register with the Mail Preference Service to reduce the amount of junk mail you get.  Each year, the average U.S. household receives about 1.5 trees' worth of junk mail! This costs a dollar, but it's worth it.

REDUCE CREDIT CARD OFFERS:  Contact 1-888-5OPT-OUT if you wish to reduce solicitations for credit offers and other financial-related offers you receive in the mail. This is the opt-out number operated by the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion); it is not related to DMA's Mail Preference Service.