Here are some parishioner thoughts. First from a vestry member Anthony Terndrup, then from the Junior Warden Stan Liebenberg, and from a parishioner, Nancy Reas.
My name is Anthony Terndrup and I serve on the Vestry for Emmanuel Episcopal Church. I am speaking here this morning to share with you why I am supporting our campaign to Restore, Preserve and Share our historic parish campus. I am supporting our campaign because I have found Emmanuel to be a sacred space where all are truly welcome. I will share three brief examples of Emmanuel’s inclusive hospitality.
On Good Friday 2018, I was sitting in my usual spot near the left rear window of the church when I looked out and saw the local Jewish community gathering for their Passover celebration in Parish Hall. I felt so much joy on an otherwise solemn and somber holy day because Emmanuel truly is a sacred space where all God’s children are welcome. In addition to the local Jewish community, Emmanuel also hosts the local Lutheran church, Quaker meeting, and Unitarian Universalist congregation.
For the past two and a half years, I have served as a mental health counselor at Compass Health here in Eastsound. As a local practitioner and parishioner, I feel both proud and grateful that Emmanuel is a sacred space of healing for a number of my clients who have either worshiped with us in the church, attended Quaker meeting in the Meditation Room, or participated in 12 step recovery groups in Benson Hall.
Finally, Emmanuel is a sacred space where God’s gift of unconditional love is affirmed, celebrated, and fostered. On August 1, 2008, Tom and I were legally married at the county courthouse in Sacramento, California. Last August 2, ten years later, Tom and I felt an ultimate and intimate welcome here at Emmanuel when Fathers Berto and Hugh blessed our civil marriage at Thursday Eucharist with my sisters, brothers, and their spouses sitting in the front rows. This year, additionally, two women were married on the Labyrinth and Emmanuel had a place among the tables for the first Pride celebration on Orcas Island.
I hope these brief examples have illustrated the inclusive hospitality with which Emmanuel Episcopal Church truly welcomes all people in search of faith, healing, and community. Please support our campaign to Restore, Preserve and Share our historic parish campus with your prayer, pledge, or both as you are able. Together we can renew our sacred space for the common good.
I am Stan Liebenberg, a member of the Vestry, and I would like to tell you why I believe it is important to support the Restore, Preserve and Share campaign that recently began.
The 79th Annual Market Day will take place at the end of this week. Please allow me to take you back to the first Market Day in 1940. The sister of my wife, Gretchen’s, great grandmother was Esther Gow, a member of this congregation for many years. She and a group of ladies became concerned that the roof of this church building had deteriorated so badly that the integrity of the entire structure was threatened. She and her friends decided to do something about it by organizing the first Market Day to raise funds to rebuild the roof, thereby saving the church structure. The first Market Day was a success which led to the second, third, and now the seventy-ninth.
One thing has not changed, however. Esther Gow and the other ladies had the foresight to raise funds to restore and preserve Emmanuel Church for future generations. Now it is our turn to be equally generous and foresighted to raise the funds needed to accomplish the many repairs to our historic structure so that future generations will be able to worship here and so that we will be able to share our wonderful church with the community for many years to come.
One of the joys of Emmanuel Church to me is the feeling of being one big family. We are a most caring and generous fellowship who gets together to accomplish whatever needs to be done. Let’s give to this Restore, Preserve and Share campaign enthusiastically to ensure the integrity of our church buildings for future generations.
Nancy Reas: When I heard Stewart ask for people to speak about Emmanuel for the Restore, Preserve, and Share campaign, I welcomed the opportunity to share how I feel.
I grew up in a church where tithing and giving extra to the building fund were expected and not even questioned. I loved my church but I gave out of duty. Whatever church I ever went to, I gave out of duty. Not resentfully, but because that’s just what we were supposed to do.
I love Emmanuel more than any other church I’ve ever been a part of. It’s not the building, although it’s historic nature and grounds are charming. It’s the people, you, who I love being part of. I can be myself here, and I’m challenged by the words I listen to. I’m challenged to not be complacent about my role in the world. I’m constantly reminded that I am part of God and part of you and part of every person on earth.
When I came to Emmanuel in May 2017, I knew this was the church I wanted to attend since I’d already discovered the Episcopal church in Pasadena, California. But it was during the membership classes that I absolutely knew this particular church was where I belonged. Seven of us sat around the table with Berto and shared our journeys with each other, each one different, although similar in our desires to know God and to be known. Having been brought up in a fundamentalist setting, the freedom and acceptance was healing for me.
And since that time, I’ve come to know you better. I see people who are here out of love for each other and the community. I see it on Sunday mornings, at Dinner Kitchen, in the Agape Team, at the bilingual and Spanish services, in the Spiritual Formation groups and in so many other ways. It is so easy to connect with people here.
When I give financially now, I don’t do it because it’s expected. Well, maybe a little. But mainly I do it because I love and am so grateful for this church and want it to continue to be the vibrant part of the community it is. I hope you feel the same.