He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. Matt 13:33-34

Tara and I just watched the film, The Sheep Detectives, which is out now in theaters. The premise of the movie is that the shepherd reads the sheep murder mystery stories at bedtime. The sheep listen, and over the years learn how to solve mysteries. For those of you who know anything about sheep, this is clearly not a documentary. In the film, their crime solving skill comes in handy when they have a mystery of their own to crack.

Jesus liked to tell stories to His sheep as well. They were not murder mysteries, but short tales called parables, which helped to reveal the mysterious ways in which God was working in the world. The parables used camels, wheat, yeast, diamonds, seeds, workers, birds, vines, and many other things to show His audience how to deal with the struggles of life. The parable also helped people to see God’s plan and to give them a lens through which to see the world so that they could find a way to solve the mystery. From the parable at the top of the page, they could see that God’s work was happening behind the scenes, hidden in the dough, and at an imperceptible rate things were changing until finally that work would be complete, all would be transformed.

The messages of the parables were helpful for understanding, but were often incomprehensible to the people. This allowed Jesus to speak of profound truths which could be understood by those with ears to hear, but would be discounted as quaint stories by those who could not. In The Sheep Detectives, the hearing of the mysteries gives the sheep the ability to make sense of seemingly unrelated facts and bring about justice. In our world, hearing and pondering over the words of Jesus give us the ability, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to make sense of, and find our place in, a world which seems so chaotic. Let us gather as a flock to listen to our shepherd.

In Christ,
Father Seth

​#FaithInAction,#ParablesOfJesus,#KingdomOfGod,#ChristianLiving,#BibleReflection
​

​At Emmanuel, we offer a variety of opportunities for children to connect and get involved that enrich their learning and understanding of the Bible, from Sunday School classes, to Youth Sunday Service Helpers, Hosting Sunday Coffee Fellowship Hour, the annual Easter Egg Hunt, Christmas Eve Pageant, and other special events (Fellowship Hours, Waffle Sale, and Victorian Christmas Faire).

Emmanuel Church Sunday School is available every Sunday from 10 am to around 10:40 am with a Bible story/lesson and program for ages 3 years to 10 yrs. We invite children, visiting grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and others to participate in the Sunday School time, which is held in Buck Hall (downstairs). The children return to the Sunday Church service at the "Passing of the Peace" to join their parents, grandparents, etc.  Sunday School operates all year round. In addition, Sunday School Teachers and Helpers are always welcome; you can contact Tara Kellermann, Gloryanne Bryant, or the Church Office if you’d like to learn more.

During the Easter Sunday service, the children help celebrate by placing a flower on a wooden cross during the 10 am Service. Following that service, there is an annual Easter Egg Hunt on the lawn area in front of the Church for children. Members of the congregation have filled plastic eggs with treats, goodies, and trinkets for the children to enjoy.

The Christmas Eve Pageant is held on December 24th, and Children partake in the story of Christ’s birth through a mini-play or pageant. Children of all ages are welcome to be a part of this special event. Then on Christmas morning, December 25th, the service invites Children to come in their pajamas and bring one of the Christmas gifts they received, and it will be part of the service Sermon that is preached.

Sunday Worship Helpers: On the 5th Sunday of the month (depending on the calendar), children are asked to be helpers with the 10:00 Sunday Service; being greeters, ushers, and readers. This is truly an enriching time for our children to learn more about the structure of the Worship Service as well as being engaged with the Congregation itself.

In addition, we ask that our Children and their Families help with the 10 am service, Coffee Fellowship Hour, preparing and serving food, snacks, and beverages. This is held in Buck Hall following the completion of the worship service. The schedule of dates is provided to the families in advance. The annual Waffle Sale and Victorian Christmas Faire are also opportunities for young people to volunteer to help with kitchen and serving duties.

At Emmanuel, ALL CHILDREN are very welcome to attend the Sunday Church Services (8am and 10am), and there are small books, activity sheets, and crayons available for their use if needed, just ask one of the Ushers.

by Gloryanne Bryant
​#EmmanuelChurch,#EmmanuelEpiscopal,#ChildrensMinistry,#SundaySchool,#FamilyFaith,#ChristianEducation

In the last 61 years, Leslie and Bob Stutz lived in Tennessee, Missouri, Oregon, and California.  In 1995, when visiting friends in Grass Valley, they fell in love with the foothills. 

Leslie spotted Emmanuel during an early visit.  She loved its Carpenter Gothic edifice. She told herself that someday she would worship at this church.  In 1997, they purchased a home in Lake Wildwood and completely remodeled it.  In 1999, they moved in and started attending Emmanuel. 

Leslie was raised Episcopalian, and Bob was a Lutheran.  For the first 35 years of marriage, they worshipped at Lutheran churches. Their three children were baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran tradition. Now it was time for Leslie to return to her Episcopalian faith. Bob agreed. They were both willing to volunteer time to Emmanuel.

Leslie's background running a nursery for newborns to two-year-olds at a high school for pregnant and parenting teenagers did nothing to prepare her to serve on Emmanuel's Vestry four times.  She served from 2007 to 2009, 2012 to 2014, 2017 to 2019, and 2022 to 2024.  

She served three times as junior warden. She had no idea how to effectively serve, but with the Lord's help, things fell into place.  The first time, her major responsibility was worship, the time when Emmanuel ordered and used name tags. Her favorite project was overseeing the remodeling of Emmanuel's building at 240 Mill Street, currently rented to the Helping Hands Nurturing Center. The most demanding responsibilities were the emergencies, such as ceiling leaks, falling ceiling tiles in the sanctuary, and broken water main pipes.

Currently, she is taking a hiatus from St. Catherine's Guild.  In the past, she served as president, vice president, and treasurer.  She now serves at the Victorian Faire, taking lunch orders for two days. Bob contributes both days, cutting pies, running the dishwasher, and microwaving.  

Leslie pointed out that many women play vital roles at Emmanuel, including as Vestry board members, Eucharistic ministers, and members of St. Catherine's Guild and the Altar Guild, to name a few.

In the past, Leslie's hobbies were crewel embroidery and crafts. Today, she is a voracious reader.  Bob enjoys projects around the house and plays golf three days a week, weather permitting. He has contributed to many projects over the years at Emmanuel. He attends the monthly Men's Group breakfast meetings and the men's quarterly Zoom meetings. They both attend Bible study. 

Since their children and eight grandchildren live in northern San Diego County, Redondo Beach, and Vermont, they occasionally share major holidays and frequent fellowship with their Emmanuel family. Leslie describes church members as very kind, caring, friendly, loving, and available.

Moreover, she says that Father Seth is one-of-a-kind, relating to people of all ages.  He is kind, caring, friendly, loving, and available. He loves the Lord, serves the Lord, and helps to show the way to love and serve. 

Leslie's vision for Emmanuel is that once again, after Covid, many younger families join Emmanuel, and lots of children attend Sunday school. There is no doubt that Leslie and Bob's dedication to Emmanuel has helped to sustain and grow it.  The pews are beginning to fill with younger families.

Leslie and Bob are among the dedicated members of Team Emmanuel. 

Contributed by Sandra Spargo

#EmmanuelEpiscopal, #GrassValley, #FaithInAction, #ChurchCommunity, #EpiscopalChurch, #ChristianCommunity

A story of Longevity

Since the 1850’s Emmanuel Episcopal Church has been located in Grass Valley, California. There have been several different “guilds” over the years. The patron Saint of Emmanuel’s Women’s Guild is Saint Catherine of Siena, Italy (25 March 1347 – 29 April 1380).  Similar to Saint Catherine’s own outreach, the Emmanuel Women’s Guild gives to those in need throughout the community.

For more than a century, Emmanuel Church has invited everyone from across the community to its Shrove Tuesday Waffle Sale (proceeding the season of Lent) that is held at the Church Buck Hall. “Shrove” is the past tense of shrive, whose definition is to hear confessions, assign penance and absolve sin, leading up to Easter Sunday. The first “all-you-can-eat” waffle sale was held in 1916. Rector Dr. Bert Foster told the women of St. Catherine’s Guild about the pancake sales held in England on Shrove Tuesday. He proposed that the Guild organize something similar. Back then, the parish hall had no functioning kitchen. However, there was an old wood stove. One of the members said that she had a waffle iron, which could be used over the wood stove. Its two handles were attached to the waffle iron, allowing it to be turned over to cook both sides. In place of the traditional pancakes, eight ladies gathered together on Shrove Tuesday to enjoy a waffle dinner, followed by a game of cards. The community Waffle Sale was launched. Today’s menu includes ham and eggs in addition to the famous “All-you-can-eat” waffles.

Another major event that is sponsored and coordinated by the St. Catherine’s Guild is the annual Victorian Christmas Faire which has been held for over 120 years. The Faire is held in Buck Hall (next to Emmanuel Church) on the first full weekend in November, on Friday and Saturday during the day (10am to 4pm).  The Victorian Faire is open to families and the public and features many selling tables of new and used local merchandise. These include several homemade items for purchase, such as jams/jellies, quilts, hats/scarves, old and new jewelry, and lovely holiday decorations … this is a real shopping experience. In addition, there is wonderful edibles to purchase like breads, pies, cakes, fudge and cookies. The Faire also hosts a luncheon (Café) which includes soup, chili, salad, corn bread and pie (plus refreshments) all are available for purchase. Proceeds from the Faire support more than 10 community non-profit organizations.

Over the years both the Waffle Sale and the Victorian Faire have raised thousands of dollars for charitable organizations in Nevada County, this includes: Hospitality House, Interfaith Food Ministry, National Alliance for Mental Illness, Salvation Army/Booth Family House, Bright Futures for Youth, Habitat for Humanity, Helping Hands Nurturing Center, Foothills Compassionate Care, Community Beyond Violence, and Welcome Home Vets.
In addition to holding regular Guild meetings and luncheons for the ladies of the Church, the Guild also gives a high school graduation gift to those from the congregation who are graduating.

For those women of the Church who are not mobile, the Guild delivers a Christmas Poinsettias to their home/residence in early December as a thoughtful and cheerful gesture.

The ladies of St Catherine’s are also honored to provide Memorial Receptions for family and friends of those who have passed on. Volunteers from the guild organize, prepare, serve, and clean up for these receptions, which are requested throughout the year.

Back in 1914, the women’s Guild sponsored the “Peace” circular stained-glass window, often referred to as the “Rose” window which is located at the top of the Church entrance, paying for its creation and installation. Currently, the window is in need of some repairs, and this is something the Guild continues to provide input and interest on.

All ladies are welcome to be a part of St. Catherine’s and their long dedicated history and longevity of giving to others that unites the women of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in a program of worship, service, and philanthropy. Information about meetings, luncheons, and events is posted in the monthly Messenger (newsletter), the weekly email bulletin, and the Sunday service bulletin. Visit the Emmanuel Episcopal website at https://www.emmanuelgv.org/

There are lots of volunteer opportunities (including Coffee & Fellowship Hour several times a year) and a lot of warm, friendly fellowship within the St Catherine’s Guild!

​By Gloryanne Bryant

​#EmmanuelChurch, #StCatherinesGuild, #ChurchHistory, #FaithInAction
#CommunityService, #GrassValleyCA

     I just finished watching another depressing video about the dangers of AI chatbots (artificial intelligence modules that engage in conversations with you). This video touches on another video I watched, which spoke of the rising number of people, especially men, who have no friends. This, of course, is not new news. We have known of the growing problem of loneliness for decades, but it has recently become more acute as some of those AI chatbots are leading people into destructive behaviors. What does Christianity have to say in this moment?

     We can begin in Genesis, in the Garden of Eden, when Adam is alone. Genesis 2:18 tells us, “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.’” Now, this section of Scripture is foundational to the rite of marriage, but we can read it in a less specific way, that we need other people in our lives. We need friends to walk with us on the journey and help us flourish. God then provides that need for Adam in the form of Eve, who is taken from his side, which reveals that companionship costs something. It asks something of us. Then we move to Jesus, where He prays for His disciples in John 17:20-21 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” The will of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is that we may be one. That we may be in relationship with one another as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are. This theme is expressed in another way by Paul, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Cor 12:27). There is this expectation that we are all working together as a body. This implies that we are in relationship with one another, not amputated from the body like Thing, the hand in the Addams Family. We are called to connection and love. This united body is the vision of the Church in the New Testament. Our culture seems set on a path of disconnection and isolation, the Bible challenges us to seek out relationship with others. This demands that the lonely look for how to connect with others and that everyone pay attention to who might be in need of a relationship so that we can be unified. Friendship asks a great deal of us. We ought to know this more than others because we have seen what it cost Jesus to make us friends with God. Let us love one another faithfully and thus reveal our love for God.

In Christ, Father Seth Kellermann

#NotMeantToBeAlone, #ChristianCommunity, #FaithAndConnection, #EndLoneliness
#BodyOfChrist

​April 9 is Local News Day, a national day of action to celebrate and strengthen trusted local news and information.  We cannot take our local newspaper for granted.

The Union newspaper has consistently and generously worked with Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Grass Valley to report its spiritual and social events.  They include Easter and Christmas celebrations, the annual Waffle Sale, Crab Feed, Victorian Christmas Faire and community musical presentations, hosted by Thom Greathouse.  He is Emmanuel’s organ and pianist extraordinaire.  In addition,The Union’s talented journalists help to spread the word of Emmanuel’s 170th Anniversary.

This community is lucky to have professional and dedicated journalists living and working in our area.  Their reporting of good works, the arts and many gatherings/events spread goodwill and trust.  Also, journalists point out where we need to improve—many times via the course of local government.  For example, The Union recently summarized the Nevada Joint Union High School District’s challenge to reduce student bullying and harassment.  We all want our children to get their education in a safe environment, laws enforced

I am always surprised when someone tells me that he does not take the local newspaper.  It helps to build community.  It informs us of our various interests and concerns. It informs us of community strengths and weaknesses, where we may want to enact community change.  Moreover, the newspaper tells us who needs help in times of need, how healthy is our citizenship.  Advocating for food banks is an example of reaching out to those in personal crises in these uncertain times.

As does the dangerous world of social media, newspapers do not hack and bully and rob people of their identity and savings.  Our newspapers follow a code of conduct within well established written laws.

Without a local newspaper, a community is blind. Emmanuel greatly appreciates The Union’s staff. 

By Sandra Spargo

Every five years, Emmanuel Episcopal of Grass Valley and Holy Trinity Episcopal of Nevada City have taken pilgrimages to the Holy Land for over 30 years.  

2025 required a change of venue, due to the ongoing unrest in Israel.  We were able to secure a tour with the same touring company that had hosted us previously, but, this time, our destination was to follow the footsteps of Apostle Paul in Greece and Turkey.  We partnered with two Evangelical Lutheran Churches from Southern California.  It was a whirlwind pilgrimage that took us to Corinth, Ephesus, Patmos, Crete, Meteora, Thessaloniki, Philippi and Kavala.  We spent four days on a cruise to Turkey and to the smaller islands of Greece.  

When you begin a pilgrimage, you always anticipate how the Holy Spirit will show up, how your faith will deepen, be challenged, be shared and what opportunities will arise to worship in a way that you have never experienced.  

Our first stop was in Corinth, a bustling city of trade and culture, notorious for its idolatry in ancient times. We pulled our bus over to a small beach, where Paul was to have arrived by boat. At the beach, we shared communion with our Lutheran brothers and sisters. It was the beginning of our bond as fellow Jesus followers in a foreign land.  

From there, we visited the prison in Patmos that held Paul. During his 35-year ministry, he spent at least 5-1/4 years in prisons. In each, he established a jail-based ministry. In Ephesus, as we walked, we felt part of an ancient world. We imagined the stories that we had read and studied about Paul's journeys, holding them close to our hearts.  Now our footsteps were walking in history.

In Philippi, as Episcopalians and Lutherans, we observed the beautiful and reverent Greek Orthodox tradition, witnessing a Greek service.  As a new deacon myself, I was taken by a deacon's beautiful chanting of the gospel. To hear the gospel in the original Greek language did not require understanding to receive the message.  

On trips like these, we are tourists much of the time . . . , and then there are those moments when we become the Church. We were blessed to have such a moment in Philippi. We renewed our baptismal vows and prayed. Afterwards, we walked uphill to a beautiful church. We were the only visitors.  We coaxed a gentleman from our group to sing. The entire chapel was filled with song and worship. The Holy Spirit showed up.  The pilgrimage was a gift to all of us.  A sacred gift.

By The Reverend Karen E. Hoida

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.  2 Corinthians 4:7-12
 
The end of the ski racing season is at hand.  Although it might not appear to be, it is a grind.  Getting up to the mountains three times a week, whether it is sunny and warm or freezing and windy.  Yet, there is so much fun.  Developing relationships with the kids and their parents.  Watching them grow as ski racers and humans.  Celebrating their successes and being with them in their struggles.  Then it is all over.  The final race of the regular season was on Monday and the state championships are next week.  Then we will have an awards night and that is it.  All that time and effort shared, and we all move on to different things.  The underclassmen, we will hopefully see them next year, and new skiers will hopefully join the team.  But the seniors are on to other things in the world.  The end of the season is both hopeful and sad.  In that way, it is a microcosm of life.  We are all passing through, and so the story of our faith is one of death and resurrection.
           
In Paul’s Second letter to the Corinthians, he tells them about the constant struggle that he was under as he endeavored to be faithful to Christ.  Paul faced many persecutions and hardships from a world that did not understand his faith and sought to force him to turn away from it.  In addition, Paul suffered the normal struggles of human life: the death of people he loved, broken relationships, aching joints, cold weather, and sleepless nights.  Life was hard for him and his friends.  Yet, he could say, “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”  Death, and the resurrected life of Jesus, were there on display in his life. 
           
Paul’s story is our story as well.  Perhaps not as spectacularly, but when we hold close to Jesus we are always in the process of death and resurrection.  This ski season is over, and that is a death, but we always have hope in the resurrection.  The same is true in the church, in our relationships with people we love, in our life of faith, death and resurrection is our story for the life of Jesus is on us and in us.

In Christ, Fr. Seth Kellermann

When he was 37, George Herbert’s career went bunk. He had begun brilliantly as a scholar, rising to the post of university orator at Cambridge. He had taken holy orders. He had hopes for a career as a courtier and diplomat. But in 17th century England, where advancement came through preference rather than performance, he knew the wrong people. His connections were out of favor. As a result, King James I had no place for him in the government. All the King had to offer so gifted a man was a modest living as rector of the parish of Fugglestone and Bemerton in rural Wiltshire, not far from Salisbury Cathedral, but out of the way and far from palaces or power.

A few years ago I was in Salisbury and remembered I had a connection. I made an impromptu call on Archdeacon Alan Jeans, MBE, whom I had met briefly in California. I hoped he might have time to greet me. After I mentioned Herbert, he insisted on driving me to Bemerton. There he showed me Herbert’s house, and his pasture which sloped down to a tree-lined river, and a tiny church. In this bucolic, out of the way place, amid a few small farms, a brilliant man made a small career.

Herbert wrote, “Nothing is small in God’s service.” He made an ideal parish priest by all accounts, who brought cheer to the local farming families. With time on his hands, he wrote poems. He expected his poetry might be burned after his death.

Herbert died in 1633, after only three years of his remote pastorate. And his poems weren’t burned. They were published and have been read ever since. They inspired other poets like S. T. Coleridge and T. S. Eliot. The 20th century French philosopher Simon Weil considered his poems a revelation. And they drew me halfway around the world to his tiny church.
Emmanuel Church will mark George Herbert’s day on the Anglican calendar a day early, on Thursday, February 26th at 10 am. Those who attend will remember: “Nothing is small in God’s service.”

By Gage McKinney

Tara and I just came back from New York City, where we had the chance to spend time with two other married couples who went to seminary with us.  From 2003-2006, we all lived and studied together in a small town outside of Pittsburgh, PA.  Our lives had been connected over twenty years ago by our faith, our pursuit of a common goal, and our enduring struggles, and we remain connected today.

In our reading from Ecclesiastes, the teacher is traditionally identified as Solomon, but in the book the author is identified only as the “Teacher.”  Ecclesiastes is an unflinching look at the world and gives advice, both practical and spiritual, for how to live.  Our passage is part of a larger section on the importance of friendship.  It identifies for us the significance of having people with you who you love and trust.  This advice is both practical and spiritual.  We need people with us as companions in this journey through life, and we need people to encourage us in our faith.  It is so easy to get lost on this journey or to lose our passion, and good friends can help us to hold fast when times are hard.  It is in particular this last line that speaks to me, “If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”  Our lives are filled with falls.  When we are knocked down or trip over our own feet, a good friend helps us get up.  This is especially true of our faith.  Jesus is there to lift us when we fall, and our friends are often that living embodiment of the grace of Christ in our lives. 

It was so wonderful to see our friends.  It had been decades since we had all been together at the same time, yet here we were, immediately close and filled with joy.  Seminary had been hard; there were theological disagreements, babies lost in miscarriage, and strained relationships, yet we stuck it out together in prayer and love by the grace of God.  The result of this was a beautiful closeness and love.  That is the hope of the church.  That we will become closer through our faith, through our unified hope and purpose, but also through our laboring through the struggles of life.  I am thankful for these last sixteen years.  For the way that they have caused us to become close and I am filled with confidence and hope as we journey into the future together, that God will continue to unite us as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
 
​In Christ, Fr. Seth Kellermann

#Ecclesiastes, #FaithJourney, #ChristianReflection, #WalkingInFaith, #BiblicalWisdom