Social Activities

Emmanuel is a family.  We play together as well as pray together.  Our social activities are vitally important to our understanding of community, and we take them very seriously. 

Advent Social  The first Friday in December, adults at Emmanuel get the Holiday Season started with a fancy dinner and song fest.  We even have our special rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas, complete with the Parish Partridge.

Mardi Gras/Carnevale is also kept by the adults with a traditional New Orleans style costume dinner on the Friday before Lent begins.

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes are dished up by St. Thomas’ Circle to the whole Parish family, along with country sausage, baked apples and Mother Murphy’s killer cream gravy.

Passover Seder  While by no means a frivolous event, Emmanuel’s version of the Seder is a very important part of the family life of the Parish.  Held on Wednesday in Holy Week, this meal recreates the Last Supper using the oldest existing form of the Jewish ritual (the closest we can come to the form Jesus used).  Lamb and the traditional accompaniments are served in reverent silence, and the evening ends with the most ancient form of the Holy Eucharist.

Pastamania  The finest of gourmet Italian sauces have been carefully researched by our chefs, and are served up to the whole family after Easter.  Diners bring antipasti, salads, desserts and beverages, and the “House” provides pasta, and a choice of cinghiale, Bolognese, Amatriciana, lamb, clam, veal or sausage and peppers to go on top.

Mothers and Fathers Days  A little tradition around Emmanuel goes like this:  On Mothers Day, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew prepares a gourmet breakfast for the women and children of the Parish; on Fathers Day, the women of the Vestry retaliate with a cook-out after Church.

Holy Smoke!!!  Emmanuel celebrates our Southern heritage every September to start the new program year off right.  A secret barbecue sauce, imported from the fringes of the Okefinokee swamp combines with choice of slow-roasted pork, lamb, beef, venison or road kill.  The family brings the fixin’s.

Family Game Night  B(ring) Y(our) O(wn) J(unk) F(ood) is the call several times a year as young and old gather on a Friday night for “comfort food” and an informal evening of board and card games.  The “House” cooks up sloppy joes, tacos, hot dogs, and the diners bring whatever suits them (hint: salads must include marshmallows, cheese is an appropriate topping for anything, potato chips are a vegetable, and after that, who needs dessert?).  It’s just good old family fun.