eNews for December 19, 2025 | | | |
- Advent | Christmas | Epiphany Schedule
- Birthday Reception on Sunday
- Service of Light - 12/21
- Youth Advent Party - 12/21
- Pictures from Recent Events
- Year End Gifts Reminder
- Christmas Eve Service Times
- Epiphany Pageant - 1/6/26
| | The weekly parish notices are published Friday mornings at 7:00 a.m.
The submission deadline is Wednesdays at NOON. | | |
Birthday Reception
This Sunday, December 21 at 11:30 a.m. • parish hall
You’re invited! Long-time Epiphany Choir member (and Epiphanite!) Bill Graves will celebrate his 90th birthday on Monday, and the choir is hosting a party in his honor following the 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. Happy Birthday, Bill!
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Formation
Adult Formation will not take on Sunday. Please join us in the parish hall for the birthday reception.
Children & Youth—Sundays at 11:30 a.m. • locations vary
Visit epiphany.org/rsvp to register your children and youth for formation.
- The Godly Play classes will combine (children 3 years - 5th Grade) and meet in Room 206.
- Youth Formation is on hiatus until January 4.
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Youth Advent Party
Sunday, December 21 at 5:00 p.m.
| 12/21—On Sunday, December 21, our last youth group of the year will be the annual Youth "Advent" Party (previously, the Youth Christmas Party)! Youth are invited to wear their favorite ugly sweater or cozy pajamas and to join us in the donut den for a night of crafts, movies, candy, and hot chocolate! | | |
Service of Light
Sunday, December 21 at 5:00 p.m. • in-person & live-streamed
| | | | 12/21—The Christmas season is a time of joy and expectation but it can also deepen the pain and isolation experienced by those who are grieving. The Service of Light is a worship service with Holy Eucharist meant to speak to the needs of those experiencing grief and loss. It offers a time of prayer and meditation and a reminder that we are not alone. This service is hosted by the Grief Group, the Pastoral Care Committee and Community of Hope, all of whom provide care to Epiphany parishioners who would like pastoral support. The service will also be live-streamed. | | |
The Nativities Display
now on view through January 6
In our narthex, 23 nativities are arranged to illustrate the birth story in Luke and in our gallery, 35 nativities are arranged to illustrate the birth story in Matthew accompanied by scripture and hymn texts. This is just a part of a larger collection that was bequeathed to Epiphany in 1995 by Dr. William Lemonds in loving memory of James Lattimer Anderson Belcher.
A curated selection of additional nativities from the larger collection are on display in the parish hall, including a collection of nativities that children are invited to handle.
If you can help pack them back up on Wednesday, January 7 or Thursday, January 8, please sign up.
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Altar Arrangements & Sanctuary Light Sign Up
NOTICE: Dates through December 2026 are now LIVE.
- The Arrangements at the Altar are given to the Glory of God.
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The Sanctuary Light is given to the Glory of God and in remembrance with love of Joan Hambalak, by Barbara Belcore.
Altar Arrangements & the Sanctuary Light can be given in honor of an anniversary, birthday, or in memory of a loved one. Click the button link to reserve dates that have meaning for you.
Click here to choose a date >>
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Men’s Breakfast Group—Tuesdays following the 7:00 a.m. service
12/23—The Men’s Breakfast Group gathers for breakfast and discussion following the 7:00 a.m. Tuesday service and are typically on their way by 8:00 a.m. Contact John Yntema with any questions.
Trivia Group—Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. • Wild Heaven Avondale
12/23—All are invited to join the Epiphany Trivia Group. Trivia begins at 7:00 p.m. and ends by 9:00 p.m. Questions? Contact Edie Brush or Jacob Geiger.
| | Office & Building Closure | 12/24-1/5/26—The Parish Office will close at noon on Christmas Eve and open again on Monday, January 5. Outside of worship services, no other services or programs will take place during that time. | | Advent Wreath Making Workshop - click the photo to see more images | Advent Activities - click the photo to see more images from Advent Lessons & Carols, Cooking Baking, Lessons & Carols reception, and a visit from St. Nick | | Thank you to all who donated shoes to the Walk in Love Shoe Drive and toys for the Emmaus House Toy Drive. | | Congratulations Emily Elder and Brandon Dasinger on their ordinations to the transitional diaconate. | | | |
Epiphany Star
Congratulations to Brady Davis for earning the rank of Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank attainable in the BSA.
Have you or another parishioner you know given a gift of their time and talent to Epiphany? Do you know someone who has received recognition for a personal achievement? If so, please let us know!
| | Christmas Services at Epiphany | | |
Christmas Eve Services—Wednesday, December 24
both liturgies will be live-streamed
12/24—Childcare will be provided in the nursery for children ages 4 and under for the 4:00 p.m. service.
4:00 p.m.—The Celebration of the Nativity of Jesus with a moment for children, music of the season by the Epiphany Children’s & Youth Choirs, the Hildegard Ensemble, and the Epiphany Ringers, and Holy Eucharist.
7:30 p.m.—An extended prelude begins at 7:30 p.m. and will feature the Epiphany Choir, organ, and strings.
8:00 p.m.—The Celebration of the Nativity of Jesus with music of the season and Holy Eucharist.
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Christmas Day Service—Thursday, December 25
This service will take place only on Zoom
Join us at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas morning. Take a moment to pause this day and give thanks for the glorious arrival of the Word incarnate among us. The link to the service is on our homepage.
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Christmas Lessons & Carols—Sunday, December 28
Christmas Lessons & Carols will take place at 10:00 a.m. Come and continue our gratitude for the birth of Christ in word, music, and Eucharist.
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Christmas 2—Sunday, January 4
Please join us for Sunday morning Eucharist at 10:00 a.m. Formation for all will take place afterwards at 11:30 a.m.
| | Year End Gifts & Pledging | |
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Check your Auto Pay Schedule
For those of you who schedule your pledge payments through online giving via Realm, be sure to check your account to be sure that your online giving is set up to continue in the new year, or will restart with the amount of your annual pledge for the coming year.
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Year End Gifts for 2025
Deadline 12/31—Pledges and contributions need to be received at the church or postmarked by December 31, 2025 and stock contributions must be delivered to the church brokerage account by December 31, 2025 to be recorded for 2025.
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Make a Pledge for 2026
If you have not already done so, please make a pledge of support to our operating budget—without which we would not be able to worship, find respite, and serve one another and all those in our community we touch through our ministries. Pledge cards are available in the narthex and gallery, or you click the button below.
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Staff Christmas Gifts
Parishioners are invited to express their gratitude to clergy and staff for their work this year by making an offering online or by check. To give online click the button and select the Staff Christmas option from the pull-down menu. To give by check, please list “Staff Christmas” in the memo line.
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Track your Giving with Realm
Our online ministry platform called Realm, isn’t just a church directory or a way to register online for events. Members can also manage their giving and check pledge status at any time through the website or the smart phone app. If you need a long, contact the parish office.
| | The Feast of the Epiphany - January 6 | | | | |
The Feast of the Epiphany
Tuesday, January 6 at 6:00 p.m.
1/6—The Feast of the Epiphany will be celebrated on our Feast Day, Tuesday, January 6 at 6:00 p.m. Following the service, please join us in the parish hall for our Feast Day Feast.
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Participate in the Epiphany Pageant
open to both adults & children
Are you interested in playing a part in Epiphany's annual pageant on our Parish's feast day? All ages are invited to participate. Children, youth, and adults who are interested in participating are invited to sign up. The pageant rehearsal will take place at 4:30 p.m. on January 6.
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Epiphany Feast Day Feast
please RSVP for the dinner
1/6—Following the Epiphany Pageant service will be our Feast Day Feast: A Tex-Mex potluck dinner. Sign up to bring a table-ready entrée (chili con carne, tamales, enchiladas, etc.) side, salad, or cornbread. Drinks, desserts, toppings, and chips & salsa will be provided. Go to epiphany.org/rsvp to sign up if you plan to stay for dinner and let us know what you are bringing.
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For members who are bidding our prayers: Kim Boswell • Chris Braden • Larry Wilcox • Joy Boyden • Mike Curry • Wes, Kelly & Lillian Wright • Laraine Fraijo-Paul • Chris Miller • Ellen Mintzmyer • Philip Anderson • Bruce & Ann Fort • Louise Bedrossian (wife of Bob Thompson) • Barbara Belcore • Esther Harbert • Veta Smith (mother of Cecilia Democko) • Sally Brockington
For friends and family: Bret Gurley, mother of Stephen Gurley • Joseph Johnson Jr., nephew of Kathleen Rinehart • Hugh Smith, father of Lynda Smith • Greta Corcoran, mother of John Corcoran • Mark McCord, cousin of Pam Tipton • Sally Williams, daughter of Susan & Loren Williams •Kay Harris, mother of Rebecca Webb • Ray Piper, husband of Charlotte Piper • Danny Nodine, brother of Larry Nodine • Mark Thornhill, uncle of Kurt Erskine • Louise Peters, grandmother of Tristen Webb • Sherri Sharpe, cousin of Terri Lawrence & Julie Ryder • Dave Tipton, brother of Pam Tipton • Isabel, granddaughter of Mike & Beth Towers
For members who desire our continuing prayers: Jewel Allen • Mary McCall Cash • Wende Crowe • Pat & Bill Graves • Esther Harbert • Robin Hairston • Rod MacLeod • Sally McClintock • Chris Miller & Ron Hutcheson • Ann Rowles • Pat Spivey • Beth Towers • Michael Towers, Jr. • Wayne & Judy Urban • Larry Wilcox • Colleen
For those who have died: Polly Becton, friend of Page Love & Steve Smith • Anne Warner • Tom Mundy, Jr.
For those celebrating birthdays the week of 12/21-27: Jessica Burns • Bill Graves • Stephen Gurley • Chris Kissler • Katharine Hilliard-Yntema • Brent Henderson
For our Haitian siblings and the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.
| | | | Did we miss your anniversary or birthday? Send the full date of your anniversary and/or your date of birth to the parish office so that we can update our records. | | | |
The weekly deadline for submission of announcements for the Friday Morning eNews
and the Sunday bulletin is Wednesdays at Noon. Please send your submissions
ready to go to the parish office.
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