Pastoral Care Corner

• Christina Ernst is recovering at home from surgery.

What is Epiphany?

Epiphany, or the 12th day of Christmas, falls on January 6 and marks the official end to the festive Christmas season.

The ancient Christian feast day is significant as a celebration of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, as well as a more general celebration of His birth.  The six Sundays which follow Epiphany are known as the time of manifestation.

The Twelfth Night (Epiphany) also marks a visit to the baby Jesus by the Magi (the 3 Kings, or Wise Men).  The word "Epiphany" comes from Greek and means "manifestation."  It celebrates the revelation of God in His Son as human in Jesus Christ.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, the 3 Kings - named Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar - followed a star across the desert to Bethlehem to meet the baby Jesus.  According to Matthew 2:11, they offered symbolic gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  The gifts were symbolic of the importance of Jesus' birth - the gold representing His royal standing, frankincense representing His divine birth, and myrrh His mortality.

Ten facts about the Feast of the Epiphany

1. The 3 Kings - Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar - represented Europe, Arabia and Africa, respectively.
2. Hundreds of years ago, roast lamb was traditionally served at Epiphany in honor of Christ and the 3 Kings' visit.
3. In Spain, whoever finds the small statue of a baby Jesus hidden inside their slice of the Rosca de reyes (King cake) throws a party on Candlemas in February.
4. In some European countries, children leave their shoes out the night before to be filled with gifts, while others leave straw for the 3 Kings' horses.
5. According to Greek Orthodox Church's traditions, a priest will bless the waters by throwing a cross into it as worshipers try to retrieve it.
6. In Bulgaria too, Eastern Orthodox priests throw a cross in the sea and the men dive in - competing to get to it first.
7. In Venice, a traditional regatta that started as a joke in the late 1970s has been incorporated in the celebrations of Epiphany Day.
8. In Prague, there is a traditional Three Kings swim to commemorate Epiphany Day at the Vltava River.
9. In New York, El Museo del Barrio has celebrated and promoted the Three Kings' Day tradition with an annual parade for more than 3 decades.  Thousands take part in the procession featuring camels, colorful puppets and floats.
10. In Latin American countries, the day's activities involve singing holiday carols called aguinaldos.

 

Original Facebook post:  "Stray black dog at my cabin up on Tray Mt. Rd. He is very friendly and very healthy looking. No collar. Frolicking like a puppy, but a little gray on the muzzle. I will try to attach a photo. Post if you want him and I will get back to you."

John McClatchey found this dog 2 months ago and no one has claimed him.  He has given him his shots and had him chipped, but cannot keep him because he already has two other dogs. He has contacted Smithgall Woods Humane Society and they won't accept him because they have too many lab mixes right now.

If you can take him, know of someone who would like to have him or know of a rescue who will take him, please contact John @ 404-502-1206 or PM him on Facebook.

"I Wonder As I Wander" is a Christian folk hymn, typically performed as a Christmas carol, written by American folklorist and singer, John Jacob Niles.  The hymn has its origins in a song fragment collected by Niles on July 16, 1933.

While in the town of Murphy in Appalachian North Carolina, Niles attended a fund-raising meeting held by evangelicals who had been ordered out of town by the police.  In his unpublished autobiography, he wrote of hearing the song:

"A girl had stepped out to the edge of the little platform attached to the automobile.  She began to sing.  Her clothes were unbelievably dirty and ragged, and she, too, was unwashed.  Her ash-blond hair hung down in long skeins. ... But, best of all, she was beautiful, and in her untutored way, she could sing.  She smiled as she sang, smiled rather sadly, and sang only a single line of a song."

The girl, named Annie Morgan, repeated the fragment 7 times in exchange for a quarter per performance, and Niles left with "three lines of verse, a garbled fragment of melodic material - and a magnificent idea."  (In various accounts of this story, Niles hears between one and three lines of the song.)  Based on this fragment, Niles composed the version of "I Wonder As I Wander" that is known today, extending the melody to 4 lines and the lyrics to 3 stanzas.  His composition was completed on October 4, 1933.  Niles first performed the song on December 19, 1933, at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina.   

Christian Formation

This Sunday

The theme this week is "Real or Fake."  If you would like to review the material prior to Sunday's discussion, please follow this link:   Real or Fake.

Family Promise Hosting

Resurrection will be hosting Family Promise January 15-21 at Faith Lutheran Church.  The three families we hosted last October have all successfully graduated from the program.  We will be hosting three new families, five adults and nine children, one of whom is a newborn.

If you would like to volunteer to bring a meal or spend the night, a sign-up sheet will be in the narthex this week.  

Thank you for supporting the Family Promise ministry.  If you have any questions, please call Cathy or Don Parrish @ 706-348-2240.

Parish Hall Building Update

The parish hall renovation construction revealed prayers that were written by Resurrection founders on the wood studs from the original construction. On the door frame into the parish hall, this message was written by our "Mama" Barbara Brown Taylor+. On Sunday, January 8th, we will have markers available for you to write your prayers and wishes on the studs in the new parish hall for future generations of Resurrection faithful.

Congratulations to Helen Wilkins - New Mayor of Helen, GA

Preschool News

Having fun with a science experiment - What happens to a gummy bear when you put it in water, salt water, or vinegar?  The children had fun watching the gummy bear transform.

Women's Bible Study

First & Third Thursdays, beginning January 5, 2017

Pledge Today for 2017!