Parish Notices for September 17, 2021 |
|
|
- Register for Kanuga by September 22
- Love is Love Farm
- Epiphany Stars
- Early Publication Deadlines for next week
|
|
-
Oktoberfest
- Preparing to Help Refugees
- Tutoring for Emmaus House
- Non-Pantry Food Drive
- HVAC to the Future!
- August Finance Report
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deadline for 9/24 Issue: Our Parish Administrator, Shea McNutt will be away from the office from Wednesday, September 22 through Friday, September 24. Submissions for the Friday email or Sunday announcement are due by 9 a.m. on Monday, September 20.
|
|
2021 Vestry Statement on Racial Justice |
|
Dear Fellow Epiphanites,
As we discern how we are called to live out our Baptismal Covenant to love our neighbors as ourselves, we affirm our call to faithfully speak out against racism and take action to dismantle systemic racism in our country. When racism is tolerated, our witness to the reconciling work of Christ is contradicted. As followers of Jesus, we must work to remedy the injustice around us, from which so many of us benefit.
We believe that the Church of the Epiphany community can be a powerful ally against racism as we work towards creating a Beloved Community. We re-commit ourselves to becoming a church in which all feel truly welcome and heard. We know that historically, the universal church as an institution has often failed to advocate for the oppressed and the most vulnerable, and that it is contrary to our faith to close our eyes and do nothing. We strive to live into the promise that the church is a universal body of belonging based on love. In that many of us have enjoyed the privileges afforded by racism, as an act of repentance toward reconciliation, it becomes our responsibility to fully participate in dismantling racism, act differently, and do the requisite personal work of choosing anti-racist action.
Through our repentance, we can turn toward a new direction. As we imagine a world more closely aligned with the tenets of our faith, we begin to fully embrace our Christian humanity and stand in solidarity with all Black Americans and People of Color. Until all lives are treated equally under the law and within our institutions, we will have failed to live up to our faith. If one member suffers, we all suffer together (1 Corinthians 12:26). We individually commit to lifelong learning of the origins of racism so as to illuminate truth and inspire transformation. We will continue to ask for God’s guidance to understand what we have done and what we have left undone. We commit to the hard work of change.
|
|
Recognizing that the work of racial equity and justice is a long-term commitment, we:
- Invite all lay leaders and parishioners to participate in Sacred Ground Dialogue Circles when the series starts in September. Sacred Ground is part of the Episcopal Church’s Beloved Community and provides an important opportunity to ground our work in our faith.
- Continue to support the work of our Epiphany Racial Justice group (ERJ) and welcome its feedback on ways we can continue a dialogue of education and action.
- Work toward dismantling systemic racism by exploring ways to support and participate in programs that ensure every person is able to exercise their right to vote and have a voice in our democracy.
- Address environmental racism and justice through our commitment to Creation Care.
- Build relationships and take guidance from the most marginalized, especially the poor and communities of color.
- Ensure that our Christian formation activities address racism.
We acknowledge that racism is a sin against God. Through our faith, we live in hope for a world without racism. We cannot ignore, deny or suppress our country’s racial history. We believe that the path forward is a constant renewal of our faith though action.
Please watch for more information from Epiphany’s Racial Justice Group in upcoming Epiphany Star newsletters, and contact the Rev. Amy Dills-Moore, the Rev. Nicole Lambelet, Senior Warden Shelle Bryant, or Vestry member Erin Braden with any questions or suggestions.
Faithfully,
Your 2021 Epiphany Vestry
|
|
The ecumenical celebration of the Season of Creation continues.
Join us this Sunday morning for worship as we celebrate Hildegard of Bingden's feast day. St. Hildegard is often called an "ecological prophet" and became widely known for her provocative theological and scientific writings, as well as her visions and musical compositions.
In Adult Formation, Dr. Kyle Lambelet will lead us in the second session of "Ecoapocalypse" taking a close look at the apocalyptic genre in the Bible and its relevance for today. On 9/26 Kyle will lead us in a discussion on "Practices for the end."
Also on 9/26, Children and Families will have a special opportunity to engage in the Season of Creation with our new seminarians at the Family Meet and Greet from 10-11 a.m., and the entire parish community is invited to join us for our River Clean-up Service Project with the Decatur Ismaili from 3-5 p.m.
During this Season of Creation, some of our parishioners are sharing reflections on environmental care.
|
|
A Creation Source
During our Season of Creation series, the Flower Guild will source the flowers used at the altar from local growers. This Sunday, the guild used the Love is Love Farm CSA. Some Epiphanites may remember that, for a season or two, our kitchen was one of its CSA pick-up locations.
Since 2008, Love is Love farmed leased land in locations in Atlanta. However, the farm is now in partnership with The Conservation Fund, and has 70+ acres of cleared agricultural land in Newton County. The Conservation Fund’s Working Farm Fund program buys large tracts of farmland and leases it to farmers with the goal that over time farmers purchase the land.
Love is Love has become a worker owned cooperative so that now there are five farmers who own the farm, earn a living wage and new farmers can become part of the cooperative as older farmers retire. Every year, Love is Love will add an additional five acres of production to scale quickly to serve a growing demand for local, organic food, flowers and transplants from both wholesale and retail customers.
|
|
Worship Service at 9 a.m.
Online via Zoom
|
Login at 8:50 a.m. to greet one another. Use the link to the right or the one on our home page. |
|
Dial: 646.558.8656
Meeting ID: 532 385 901
|
|
If you are worshipping on Zoom and would like to schedule a time to receive communion outside at the church, please contact one of the clergy and we would be happy to arrange that. |
|
|
|
Adult Formation
10 a.m. Sunday Mornings
|
During the Season of Creation, Dr. Kyle Lambelet will lecture and lead us in discussion during at the 10 a.m. hour in a series entitled "Ecoapocalypse." This series will draw upon theological traditions of apocalyptic reflection to analyze our current climate crisis. We will finish the series with our own discussion about what we've learned and how it might inform our common life at Epiphany on 10/3. We hope you will join us online or in person for this timely conversation!
Dr. Kyle Lambelet teaches and researches at the intersection of political theology, religious ethics and social change. His first book ¡Presente! Nonviolent Politics and the Resurrection of the Dead (Georgetown University Press, 2020) explores the moral and political dimensions of nonviolent struggle through an extended case study of the movement to close the School of the Americas. His current research examines the apocalyptic dimensions of talk about climate change, and how apocalyptic political theologies can offer resources for pastoral and political engagement in the midst of endings.
|
|
Worship in the Nave at 11:30 a.m.
Registration and Masks required.
To allow for social distancing, there will be a limit of 80 people in the congregation. Registration is required.
Masks should be worn by all during worship. Fully vaccinated clergy, lay worship leaders, choir, and lectors may go without a mask while actively leading worship. There will be singing by the choir and the congregation. Communion remains in one kind (bread only).
|
|
Registration: Click on links provided on our website, in this newsletter, or from your Realm account online or your smart phone app. For those who have created your Realm logins, the fields will auto-fill for you once you select your name. Guest registration is also an option.
A pop up confirmation notice appears when you complete your registration, and a confirmation email is immediately sent. If you don’t receive a confirmation notice or email, try again and be sure to click the last button marked REGISTER.
|
|
|
|
Altar Arrangements and the Sanctuary Light
The Altar Arrangements and the Sanctuary Light can be given in honor of an anniversary, birthday or in memory of a loved one.
|
|
The Arrangements at the Altar for this Sunday are given to the Glory of God.
The Sanctuary Light is given this week to the Glory of God and in honor of Dan Belcore’s birthday, by his sister Barbara Belcore; and in memory of Sarah Jane Wollison, by Kathleen Rinehart.
|
|
|
The color and selection of flowers is based on the appropriateness of the liturgical season. However, you may request a particular flower or color be used on the signup. Suggested donation is $75.
The light is a visible sign of the presence of the Blessed Sacrament held in reserve in the Tabernacle and burns for seven days. Suggested donation is $6.
Sign up by noon on Wednesdays to be listed in the weekly Friday email.
|
|
|
|
Morning Prayer at 9 a.m.
Weekdays via Zoom
|
Login around 8:45 a.m. for Virtual Coffee Hour. The Zoom Link is not public. Email the parish office to receive the login information.
|
|
Tuesday Men's Group at 7 a.m.
The Tuesday Men's Group meets each Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. for Morning Prayer (Holy Eucharist 1st Tuesdays) followed by a time of fellowship before heading on their way for the day. Contact: John Yntema.
|
|
|
Wednesday Noonday Prayer & Eucharist
In the nave
Noonday Prayer takes place at 12 p.m. in the side chapel. Healing with Eucharist follows at 12:15 p.m.
|
|
Youth Formation
Sundays at 10 a.m. Room 201
This semester we are exploring the work of discernment as it relates to ourselves, our community, and our nation. Parents are invited to attend. Following the presentation, youth and their parents will break into separate age-based small groups for deeper conversation. There will be a middle school group, a high school group, and a parent group.
|
|
Youth Ministries In-Person Evening Prayer
Except for the first Sundays of the month*, Evening Prayer is held on Sundays from 5-6 p.m. The first half is dedicated to games and social time, while the second is set aside for prayer and formation.
*First Sundays are Pizza Night with the youth at Holy Trinity Parish.
|
|
Youth Monthly Pizza Nights
First Sundays at 5 p.m. at Fellini's
The Epiphany Youth meet with Holy Trinity Parish's youth group at the Decatur Fellini's (333 Commerce Dr.) on the first Sunday of every month from 5-6 p.m. We're asking each youth to bring $5 to help offset the cost of food.
|
|
Children's Weekly Bulletin |
Click the link below for this Sunday's Children's bulletin. Hard copies and crayons are available from the ushers for those attending in person.
The bulletins include word searches, white space for imaginative drawing based on prompts, word scrambles, connect-the-dots, and lots of creative coloring opportunities.
|
|
Monthly Family Meet & Greet |
Knowing that not all of our families are feeling comfortable with a return to indoor worship or formation, we will be starting a monthly gathering for children and families outside on the Epiphany playground! We’ll have coffee and snacks, songs and a short story or devotion appropriate for the whole family. |
|
Join us for 10:15 a.m. on September 26, and October 24. Register in Realm or at epiphany.org/rsvp.
|
|
Thanks so much to Doug Runnion, Sherry Wallace, David Draper and Marjorie Timmer for helping to stuff, stamp and seal the HVAC to the Future campaign mailing. And thank you Marjorie for taking it to the post office!
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!
|
|
Kanuga Registration Deadline is September 22 |
Register Now for the Annual Parish Retreat at Kanuga the weekend of October 22-24 and help us re-imagine what a parish retreat can be in 2021! Kanuga offers some wonderful ways to feed the spirit whether it is in nature, in liturgy, or simply in communion with each other. |
|
Joint Service Project with the Ismaili Community
Sunday, September 26 from 3 - 5 p.m.
Registration for the Service Project with the Ismaili Center on September 26 from 3-5 p.m. is now open. We will be partnering with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, and Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve in a cleanup of the South Fork Peachtree Creek. Emory biologist Chris Beck will give a small introduction to the Atlanta Watershed prior to the clean-up. Due to space restrictions, registration is limited to 20 people. More details about location and what to bring can be found on the registration page.
|
|
October Ismaili Events
In addition to teaming up with the Ismaili for the South Fork Peachtree Creek clean-up, the Ismaili have invited Epiphany members to tour the Ismaili Jamakhana from 3-5 p.m. on October 3, and members of the community will visit and tour Epiphany on October 30 from 10-12 p.m.
|
|
|
|
Community of Hope Training Begins in October
Sign up by Sunday, September 26
|
|
Starting October 4, Epiphany will host a 14-week Community of Hope (COH) training for lay pastoral caregivers on Mondays from 6-8:30 p.m. Graduates of the program will be trained to make pastoral visits to Epiphany members who are experiencing various forms of loss, grief, illness, life changes, loneliness, or isolation. COH caregivers may also serve outside the church in nursing homes, hospitals, or prisons, at Hagar’s House, DCM, or Emmaus House, or to be with people who are in crisis no matter where they are.
What sets Community of Hope apart from other pastoral care programs is its emphasis on the spiritual growth and community formation of the caregivers. Epiphany clergy and other facilitators will teach modules from the Community of Hope curriculum, which is rooted in Benedictine spirituality and based on the classic clinical pastoral education model used in many hospitals to train caregivers. Participants are encouraged to make this experience a journey into wholeness and to explore a “rule of life." They will practice sacred silence, Christian meditation, compassionate listening, and Lectio Divina, all within the context of Benedictine spirituality. This experience builds community and develops spiritually centered pastoral caregivers.
If you are interested in joining the Community of Hope, please contact Ann Fowler, 404.808.1864, by September 26. On that Sunday a blessing of COH participants will occur during Epiphany services, followed by an informational luncheon at Ann’s home.
|
|
Now Showing for the Month of September |
|
Epiphany Art Ministry presents acrylic and water paintings by Patty Young
“My work is intentionally imprecise and inexact because I see the world as broadly sketched and in many cases, undefined.”
View the Exhibit online 24/7. Click any image to open the Gallery View.
View the Exhibit in-person on Sunday mornings in between services and on weekdays at limited hours. Please call ahead to make sure the building is open. Masks and social distancing are required at all times.
- 25% of all sales benefit Epiphany.
- Make checks out directly to the artist. No cash please.
|
|
|
Oktoberfest
Saturday, October 2 at 5 p.m.
Oompah Oompah Oompah!! Parish Life invites Epiphanites of all ages to Oktoberfest on October 2 from 5-7 p.m. Rain date will be October 3. We will gather in the Courtyard observing COVID-19 protocols. We will share food, drink and celebrate Epiphany's loving spirit of community. The Rev. Barbara Ryder will be joining us to bless this family friendly event. Our Chef-in-Residence, Joel Fowler and his trusty crew, will be in charge of grilling the sausages and a veggie option will be available. German beers will be served, so bring your stein, along with German wines and kid friendly apple juice and cider. Donations will be accepted for the sausages and the spirits. We ask you to bring your favorite German styled side dish or dessert. And for a religious connection, we may have pretzels. After all, pretzels were first made by Italian monks and the twisted knot is meant to symbolize the arms folded in prayer. The link to sign up will be available SOON. We look forward to seeing you at this event. Polka anyone?
|
|
St. Francis Animal Blessing
Sunday, October 3 at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Pets of all sizes and stripes are invited to worship on Zoom at 9 a.m. or sit (leashed or crated) alongside their people in the pews at the 11:30 a.m. Eucharist as we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with a Blessing of the Animals. St. Francis of Assisi–the patron saint of nature and the environment–was a lover of God’s creation and on his feast day we will bless our animals and offer our gratitude for the joy that pets and other animals bring to our lives.
If your pet does not travel well or get along with others, or if you prefer to worship safely from home, we invite you to send a photograph to Julie Ryder by September 29 at noon. (If you prefer not to worship with pets in the pews, you are invited to join us for our worship on Zoom at 9 a.m. that day.)
|
|
|
|
Following the 11:30 a.m. service on October 3, there will be a Pet Committal of Ashes Service in the Pet Memorial Garden in the Byrdland meadow next to the church. If you would like to inter your pet's ashes, please RSVP. |
|
|
|
We use Realm, an online ministry platform for online giving, directory, and event registration.
If you haven’t already, please sign up for an account to manage your personal information, control your giving, register for events, and keep in touch with the people and groups that matter to you.
|
|
|
|
Tutoring help needed for Emmaus House children |
|
Emmaus House needs volunteers to tutor first and second grade students in reading at the Barack and Michelle Obama Academy (BAMO), an Atlanta public school in the Peoplestown neighborhood.
While many students encountered learning loss during the pandemic, our most vulnerable students experienced the steepest setbacks. We would like to help bridge the learning gap in our community with the Support for Students tutoring program. Tutors will work with students once or twice a week for approximately an hour, using lessons prepared by BAMO’s reading specialist. The schedule for first grade students is from 9-10 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m., and for second grade students from 9-10 a.m. or 10:15-11:15 a.m.
An orientation, training, and tour of the school will occur in the last week of September. The Support for Students program will begin the week of October 4. If you would like to help Emmaus House children learn to read, please contact Ann Fowler at annfowler@emmaushouse.org or 404.808.1864. Volunteers must complete a child abuse mandatory reporter course and pass a background check.
For 54 years, Emmaus House has focused on respecting the dignity of every human being we serve through economic and educational development. Support for Students is an integral part of our two-generation strategy to help families transition out of poverty.
|
|
Opportunities to Help Refugee Families
We have all seen the immense need to support incoming refugee families, especially from Afghanistan, and are eager to help. Epiphany works with New American Pathways to co-sponsor refugee families, and we plan to collaborate with St. Catherine’s to support an incoming family this fall.
|
|
There is a longer than usual delay to be matched with families right now, due to COVID-19 restrictions and quarantine requirements, but we hope to have more information and a specific timeline soon. There will be many opportunities to help support these new arrivals, from gathering supplies to donating furniture to helping when they arrive.
Please let Erin Braden or the Rev. Nicole Lambelet know if you would like to help with the planning team. We will send out more details as soon as we can. In the meantime, please save any household items or furniture that may be useful. NAP and other refugee resettlement organizations will be taking furniture and we will have a spot to bring items to church, so please stay tuned!
|
|
The SNAP Food Stamp program does not cover non-food items such as personal care, hygiene or cleaning products. Therefore, the ECW sponsors a pantry drive for Emmaus House twice a year in March and October.
This time for the month of October, we are collecting feminine hygiene products. Bins will be by the front door. If you would like to contribute, but are not frequenting stores during the pandemic, you can donate $10 to the church and we will shop for you. Please mark Emmaus House in the memo field.
|
|
A formation community at Candler School of Theology sponsored by the Black Student Caucus and Black Church Studies Program is seeking a countertop convection oven or microwave. If you have one you would like to donate, please email Rev. Nicole Lambelet.
|
|
|
|
Second Sundays
September 12 at 6 p.m.
Young Adults! Join us on the Second Sunday of the month at 6 p.m. in the courtyard. We'll eat, pray, and ping-pong together with Mary and all the saints.
|
|
Daughters of the King meet 4th Sundays
The Daughters of the King (DOK) meet on Zoom on 4th Sundays at 2 p.m. The DOK is open to all women in the parish interested in fellowship and study. Email Barbara Ryder if you would like to receive the Zoom link each month.
|
|
Epiphany Book Group meets 1st Mondays
The Epiphany Book Group meets 1st Mondays at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom. All are welcome. Email Linda Ryder-Wolf if you have questions.
-
October 4: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
-
November 1: Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
|
|
Episcopal Church Women meet 2nd Tuesdays
The Episcopal Women (ECW) meet on 2nd Tuesdays at 11 a.m. in Jones Hall. This month, after the meeting we will adjourn to Melton's App and Tap for lunch on their patio. Contact Laura Keys.
|
|
Racial Justice Group Pausing Meetings to Participate in Sacred Ground Series
Called by our baptismal covenant to strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect the dignity of every human being, the Racial Justice Group (RJG) is focused on lifelong learning and action steps we can take as individuals and as a church community to help achieve racial equity and justice. All are welcome. Beginning in September, the RJG will pause its 2nd Tuesday of the month meetings, so its members can participate in the Sacred Grounds series. Email Erin Braden or Kay Lee with any questions or suggestions. We welcome your thoughts.
|
|
Racial Justice Book Study Group meets 4th Wednesdays
You are invited to join Epiphany’s Racial Justice Book Study group on the fourth Wednesday in August and September from 6:45 - 8 p.m.
Walking With The Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis.
August - Parts One through Four
September - Parts Five through Seven
The purposes of our Book Study are to:
- educate and inform ourselves on the history of racial injustice
- better understand the challenges of changing racial inequities and seeking racial justice, and
- work toward pragmatic and effective ways to be better anti-racist advocates
Please consider ordering your books from Black owned, local bookstores, which you can find by searching for “black owned bookstores Atlanta.” Email Lisa Daily for the Zoom link. Contact Lisa Daily or Kay Lee, if you have any questions.
Please take note that after our September meeting, the RJBG will pause its meeting so as to allow time for members to participate in the upcoming Sacred Ground series.
|
Grief Pastoral Care Group meets 1st Thursdays
The Grief Pastoral Care Group meets on Zoom 1st Thursdays at noon for a healing and faith based conversation around grief and loss. Led by parishioners Megan Fraijo-Paul and Nancy Thompson, both trained psychotherapists. Email Megan or Nancy for more information.
|
|
HVAC to the Future
Pledge to replace our broken HVAC system today
|
We’re going to need more than 1.21 Gigawatts of power to replace our broken, outdated and inefficient Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system ... we need your pledge!
These critical HVAC systems keep the nave, church offices, narthex and bathrooms cool during the summer and warm during the winter. A functioning HVAC system also protects our church building from long-term damage from mold and mildew, and extends the life of expensive and delicate equipment…like our organ!
We estimate these projects will cost $250,000 - $350,000, and generous parishioners have already donated the first $130,000. If 100 more Epiphanites each pledged $1000 … we’d be close to our goal!
Please prayerfully and thoughtfully consider what amount you may be able to contribute. Your pledge today can be paid over two years, and is an investment in Epiphany for years to come!
|
|
|
|
|
Budget
$46,317
$46,317
$0
|
|
Actual
$38,546
$46,491
-$7,946
|
|
|
|
Ways to Give
The easiest way for you to give to Epiphany is through Realm, our secure online community. You can make one-time donations or manage your giving as a recurring transaction in a secure, easy-to-use environment. Contribution statements are always available via your profile.
Realm Login
If you have not yet created a login to our online church ministry tool, Email the parish office and you will be sent an invitation email
Visit epiphany.org/ways-to-give to learn about the different was to give to Epiphany. You'll also find links to more information about Realm. Finally, if you have not already made a financial pledge to support Church of the Epiphany this year, there's also a link about how to make a pledge on the Ways to Give page.
|
|
-
Send prayer requests to the parish office.
- Names of our friends and family remain on the list for four weeks.
-
The Anniversary & Birthday List for the month can be found here.
|
|
|
For members who are bidding our prayers: Jewel Allen • Vicki Bolton • Joy Boydon • Sally Brockington • Alma Fuller • Barbara Holmes • Henry Laird • Rod MacLeod • Ellen Mintzmyer • Sally McClintock • Dan Mundy • Diane Mundy • Tom Mundy • Neela Ram • Ann Rowles • Evan Vega
For friends and family: Isabel, granddaughter of Mike & Beth Towers • Betty Porter, relative of Christen Erskine • Dave Tipton, brother of Pam Tipton • Rosalind, sister of Katharine Hilliard-Yntema • Nicky Cullen, friend of Linda Ryder-Wolf • Bill MacAnn, friend of Jewel Allen • Chris Belcore, brother of Barbara Belcore • Kathy Black Brannon, friend of Barbara Belcore • Susan Culpepper, friend of Larry Wilcox • Kathy Ziegler, friend of Larry Wilcox • Tammy Thomas, friend of David Thompson • Rosalie Shipp, step-mother of Amy Shipp • Eileen & Larry, mother of Lisa Carlson and her mother's partner • Roseanne English, neighbor of Barbara Ryder • Paul Hendricks, Epiphany's sexton
For members who desire our continuing prayers: Ron Hutcheson • Chris Miller • Tom Mundy • June Sparks • Pat Spivey • Kathy Walmsley
For those of who have died: Terry-Lee Ross • Sue V. Moore, friend of Judy Jarady • Stephanie Lairson, cousin of Doug Kertscher
For those celebrating anniversaries for the week of 9/19-25: John Yntema & Katharine Hilliard-Yntema • Laurel & Patrick Hanna • Jerry & Nancy Kinnane
For those celebrating birthdays for the week of 9/19-25: Eric Olson • Susan Scott • Oliver Dyer • Wyatt Smith • Kim Boswell • Stacey Stevens • Ruthie Dellaria • Shirley Sugden • Adam Woodlief • John Bayne • Rick Montgomery
Did we miss your anniversary or birthday? Send your full date of your anniversary and/or your date of birth to the parish office so that we can update our records.
|
|
|
|
The weekly parish notices are published Friday mornings at 7 a.m.
The submission deadline is Wednesdays at NOON.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
