Editor’s Note: Many thanks to the author for granting permission to post her beautiful and personal reworking of the beloved Advent hymn: O Come, O Come Emmanuel. O come Beloved Bridegroom stay In love’s embrace until the break of day. Breathe deep the almond blossom perfume And rest among the dew-kissed lily blooms. Rejoice! Rejoice!…
Christmas carols. Old familiar favorites. I remember singing them in grammar school — so well — I got kicked out of Glee Club for my rendition of Joy to the World!:) I used to plunk out the carol notes on the piano from my tattered Easy Carols Piano Book. Even when all grown up it made my heart glad…
Happy St. Nicholas Day, December 6! Have you heard this Advent carol? It is sung to an 18th century dance tune! Prepare the Way, O Zion, your Christ is drawing near!Let every hill and valley a level way appear.Greet one who comes in glory, foretold in sacred story,Oh, blest is Christ that came in God’s…
If you looked up the word “impatience” in the dictionary, you would see a picture of my dad.😊 When I was growing up, my dad did not like to wait. He would not take us anywhere he anticipated crowds or lines. He would never go to a restaurant without a reservation. When we went to…
Advent 2022 begins Sunday, November 27th. Angels. Every year, when they were little, my children donned cardboard wings in the Christmas pageant. And through the centuries gilded angel wings have graced a bazillion Christmas cards. Angels. Pretty, poetic symbols. Anachronistic theology of the Middle Ages. Superstition in the scientific age. Right? Yet every Sunday we confess that “We…
Like many of you, I enjoy several traditions which happen this time of year: I love receiving Christmas cards, particularly when they include pictures and updates on people I know and love and unfortunately don’t get to see as often as I’d like. This time of year I like to walk Max right around dusk…
This Christmas Eve post is from fifth grader McKenna Flaaen. She woke up early this morning inspired and took the time to chronicle her favorite memories and traditions. This December 24th, McKenna is also the narrator at Emmanuel’s Pageant in the Pews. Thank you, McKenna!! I would like to share three of my favorite memories…
Hi everyone. Thank you for either attending a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service in person, by zoom or by selecting Emmanuel at Home. 22 months into the pandemic I had certainly hoped we would find ourselves in a different place; but alas, here we are. Unfortunately, like millions of others around the globe and…
This Emmanuel Voices blog series, The Spirit of Christmas Present, features young artists and writers, reflecting on memories of Christmas past and hopes for this Christmas, and future ones to come. This post from fourth grader Rachael Cruz, is going up on her 10th birthday!! Rachael’s beautiful multi-media collage makes use of cutouts, markers, and aluminum foil to create…
“Blessed is she who believes.” Luke 1:45 Having spent the first 50 years of my life as a member of the Catholic Church, praying through Jesus, the Great Intercessor, to God, we were also taught to pray through Mary, the Mother of God, also as an intercessor – someone who intercedes on our behalf. Mary…
Emmanuel Voices 
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