In an earlier post we mentioned how energized the Outreach program is at Redeemer, and how a flurry of new projects have been launched in recent weeks. Recently Emily Austin shared some details about this year’s upcoming foot-washing event to help the homeless.

United Way of King County’s Community Resource Exchange is a part of its annual Day of Caring on September 24. The event connects homeless individuals and families with the services they need all in one place, in one day—with everything from backpacks, free health care and haircuts to voicemail accounts, legal assistance and help finding housing.

To support this year’s event, Redeemer will be providing financial support through the Earley Fund, and volunteers to staff the foot-washing station. They will wash the feet of homeless individuals, check them for injury or disease, and provide them with fresh socks. (We’ll be announcing the sock drive soon!)

I’ve participated in the foot washing twice and it really resonated with me as a worthwhile project; but at the event when several press-people came up to me and asked, “Why are you doing this?”  I drew a total blank regarding what to say.  It’s not easy to put into words the brief spiritual connection that occurs when you wash someone’s feet and provide clean socks to those who need them.

This may be only a small gesture; but small gestures can make a big difference.

Learn more about the Community Resource Exchange.

These short sessions are times to sing for fun and brush up on music reading skills. Darcy Morrissey will lead the sessions on July 21 & 28, and she and Sheila will lead the final night, August 4. Darcy is an experienced music educator who has taught ages K-adult, and is currently on the staff of the Northwest Girlchoir. She is also a wonderful singer who has cantored at Redeemer, most recently on Maundy Thursday.

Today, John Earley tells us about the Early English Learners Summer Outreach Project:

“This summer, Redeemer is sponsoring 20 students for the 2010 YMCA English Language Learners Summer Program. The program serves children from newcomer/immigrant families in the Greater Seattle community who have been identified by the school district as needing expanded English language assistance. By improving their language skills, the children have a better chance at academic success and are better able to help their families adjust to living in a new community.

“The program starts on July 26 and completes on August 6. Volunteers from Redeemer will assist in the student activities, which include reading, writing projects, hands-on exploration, guest speakers, and traditional summer program activities.

“The YMCA English Language Learners Summer Program is getting ready to celebrate its sixth year of service to the Northshore Community and currently serves 60 students from six elementary schools. Enrollment has doubled in size since the program’s inception in 2004. The Northshore YMCA has won a national award from the Annie E. Casey Foundation for this program.”

If you’re interested in participating in this program, please see John during service!

This Wednesday’s “Bring Your Own Supper” and Holy Eucharist have been canceled.

HAVE SEWING MACHINE WILL TRAVEL: There will be a sewing party to make book bags for the Page Ahead summer reading program in the Undercroft on Thursday, July 1 at 9 a.m.

Those with portable sewing machines, extension cords, rotary fabric cutters, cutting mats, good scissors, and ability to use sewing machines are encouraged to join us for a morning of straight line cutting and straight seam sewing. Bring snacks and any supplies you have. Please RSVP to Ginny Fergueson, 425-823-4324.

On July 10th, the Emerald City Gamefest will hold a Gamers Garage Sale at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore. Role playing games, board games, card games, all will be on sale from 10AM to 5PM! Proceeds from the sale will go to pay for this year’s Emerald City Gamefest in November.

Open Gaming
Try before you buy! Or bring a game and your friends and play a game or two! ECG will have table space set aside so that you and your friends can stop by and play.

Participate in the Sale
There are three ways that you can participate in the yard sale:

1. Stop by and browse
2. Bring your games by and ECG will sell them for you — just bring whatever you want to sell by or email kedamono@yahoo.com to pick it up. List the price you are willing to accept for the item and ECG will sell it for you and split the profits, 50/50. Any unsold items will be returned to you.
3. Donate your unwanted gaming items to the Gamefest

When: July 10th, 2009
Where: Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
6211 NE 182nd Street
Kenmore, WA, 98028
Phone: (425) 486-3777
Time: 10am – 5pm
Email: kedamono@yahoo.com

There will be one service on Sunday, July 4th at 9:00 a.m. We will use the Rite II Eucharist.

There will be no Morning Prayer service at Redeemer on Tuesday, June 8th. As always, you’re encouraged to do Morning Prayer at home — the Pray-As-You-G0 podcast can be a great resource for this!

Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Kenmore celebrates the Corpus Christi feast day with a procession and special music.

Music will include David Hurd’s setting of Taste and See, and Vaughan Williams’ Love bade me welcome, from “Five Mystical Songs”, with soloist Glenn Guhr.

Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Kenmore celebrates the Eve of Corpus Christi with a Choral Evensong sung by the Redeemer Choir and the Chamber Ensemble of Pacifica Choirs, directed by Susan Senft.

Following the liturgy, the Chamber Ensemble will present a short concert featuring Britten’s Missa Brevis and selections from Robinovitch’s Canciones por las Americas.

Volunteers from Redeemer are working with Page Ahead and Feed Your Brain in a summer reading program, and several Redeemerites will be sewing book bags for participants using your donations of fabric.

Two types of fabric are being collected – clean blue jeans (various colors are good) and colorful cottons in a minimum size of 12″ x 24.”  Two boxes – one in the narthex and one in the undercroft – are ready for your donations.

If you would like to get involved with this sewing project, contact Ginny. Many thanks!

Photo: Reading is fun by John-Morgan

Saturday, June 12, 5:00 liturgy and concert
Choral Evensong sung by the Redeemer Choir and the Chamber Ensemble of Pacifica Choirs, directed by Susan Senft. Following the liturgy, the Chamber Ensemble will present a short concert featuring Britten’s Missa Brevis and selections from Robinovitch’s Canciones por las Americas.

Sunday, June 13, one liturgy at 10:30
Special music for the Feast of Corpus Christi includes David Hurd’s setting of Taste and See, and Vaughan Williams’ Love bade me welcome, from “Five Mystical Songs”, with soloist Glenn Guhr.

For Corpus Christi we need lots of flower petals for the path of the procession. So while you are dead-heading the rhodys, put the blooms in your refrigerator and remember to bring them on June 13.

Debi would also like to remind everyone that this Sunday is Pentecost — the color of the day is red, so feel free to dress in scarlet, crimson, vermilion, Tuscan, brick, flame, or any other shade of red that might be hanging in the closet!