Parish Notices for October 2, 2020 |
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Surveys are due back by midnight tonight |
A Pastoral Survey was sent out to parishioners last week. If you want to make sure your voice is heard, please take the survey by end of day today. |
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In the book of Esther, a young woman’s life takes a turn she didn’t expect and at the urging of her cousin Mordecai, presents herself to King Ahasuerus as a contestant to become the queen. She is an unlikely candidate but nonetheless, she is chosen. In another improbable turn of events, Esther finds herself in a position that requires courageous action in order to save her people, whose lives are threatened by a royal edict. When fear for her own life overwhelms her, Mordecai reminds her, “Perhaps you have come to the royal court for just such a time as this.” Those words give Esther the courage she needs to petition the king and ultimately, she and her people are saved.
Two things struck me about this story as I thought about stewardship: Esther was willing to take risks in order to be faithful, and she was aware that the position she held in that moment was not just for herself but on behalf of all the people of her community—for such a time as this. Esther could have turned her cousin away when he asked her to risk everything to address the imminent threat against the Jewish people with the king. She had everything she needed and far more than she ever aspired to. She could have lived a safe and comfortable life, even while her people suffered. Mordecai reminded her, though, that she was not there by chance. She was given a position of influence and had a responsibility to use it for good. And she knows that she can’t do what is hers to do without the support of her community. She implores them all to pray as she takes the courageous step.
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Perhaps you and I are here for just such a time as this in the life of Epiphany. The more uncertain things feel in our world, the more likely we are to live from a place of scarcity rather than celebrating the abundance of God’s provision and love. Faith invites us to live from a place of abundance, to give generously to support outreach in our community, to support vibrant ministries to our children and youth, to support meaningful worship opportunities and faith formation that invites us to live more deeply out of our communion with the God who created us and loves us deeply. The church is here for such a time as this. You are here for such a time as this. In the coming weeks you will be asked to pledge—to make a commitment about how much you will give in 2021 so that the ministry of Epiphany can continue in just such a time as this.
Grace and peace,
Amy+
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In-Person Worship Opportunities |
The Safely Together Task Force is excited to be able to offer some in person worship opportunities in the coming weeks. |
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Outdoor Worship Services
We will offer Weekday Worship in our parking lot as well as other opportunities for our families with children and youth.
- Noonday Prayer Tuesday, October 6 at 12 p.m.
- Noonday Prayer Tuesday, October 20 at 12 p.m.
- Morning Prayer Wednesday, October 21 at 9 a.m.
Personal Prayer Time in the Nave
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You are also invited to sign up for a 20 minute time slot to come to the nave during designated hours to spend some quiet time in personal prayer in the space that we all miss so much. Julie Ryder will be staffing this time and will be playing the organ.
- October 5 from 10-12 a.m.
- October 19 from 10-12 a.m.
- October 15 from 2-4 p.m.
- October 29 from 2-4 p.m.
This is a cautious beginning and we look forward to being able to offer more gatherings in the future as we work out how to do this safely. Our Sunday 10 a.m. worship service will remain online only for now.
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Reservation Links will be posted by noon on Sunday. |
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The following guidelines from the Diocese of Atlanta will be in place at every gathering:
- Worship services will be outdoors in the parking lot. Personal Prayer Time in the Nave will be inside the Church.
- Reservations will be required for any in-person gathering and attendance will be limited. You will not be allowed to attend without a reservation. We are limited in the number of people who can attend and we know that we will likely have more people who want to attend than we have space for at any given event.
- In the event of inclement weather, we will reschedule the outdoor services. Check your email on the day of the service if the weather is uncertain.
- Masks and social distancing are required at all times.
- You must bring your own prayer book or use an app on your phone to participate in the worship service. (venite.app is a good one)
- Bring your own chair if you would like to sit.
- Bathrooms will be closed so plan accordingly.
- Sit only in designated seating areas.
We are the body of Christ wherever and however we worship. How good it will be to see you and worship with you in person!
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You don't have to sign up for Zoom to participate. Just click the login button below to join the service. All the links below are also on our homepage. The bulletin PDF link is below if you prefer to call in or are unable to view the service Power Point presentation. |
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— SUNDAYS —
Login around 9:50 a.m. to greet one another. The service begins at 10 a.m. Remain online after to participate in Small Groups Virtual Coffee Hour.
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— OR DIAL IN —
Dial 646.558.8656
Meeting ID is 532 385 901
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— WEEKDAYS —
Login around 8:45 a.m.for Virtual Coffee Hour. The service begins at 9 a.m.
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— NOONDAY —
Wednesday Noonday Prayer at 12:30 p.m. has a private login. Email the parish office to receive the link and meeting ID.
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Feast of St. Francis Assisi
Sunday October 4
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St. Francis was a lover of God’s creation and on his feast day, we traditionally bless our animals and offer our gratitude for the joy that pets and other animals bring to our lives.
This year, of course looks a little bit different.
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Morning Service: Thanks to everyone who submitted photos for our online pet parade montage. If you forgot to submit a photo, now worries, because we also invite everyone to let your pets join you on camera - although many often make an appearance anyway—this time they are encouraged to be front and center!
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Drive-Through Blessing: That afternoon from 4 - 5 p.m. we will give you the opportunity to come to the church for a drive-through pet blessing by one of our priests. To sign up, click here.
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ADULT FORMATION - Two Offerings |
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The Prophets: From Jerusalem to Selma
Sundays at 11:15 a.m.
The class begins with an introduction to the Old Testament prophets and the visions of justice encountered there. It will then shift to a consideration of major prophetic figures from the contemporary struggle for racial justice in America. Led by Evan Basset, Theologian in Residence.
Meeting ID: 532 38 5901
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Modern Families - Two times offered
- Sunday Mornings at 11:15 a.m.
- 2nd & 4th Thursdays at 8 p.m.
We will spend the fall thinking about the core practices of church life as expressed by the sacraments. Gathering around the structure put forth in Searching for Sunday by Rachel Held Evans, the group will explore what church is for, what it means for us to gather, and how church life and family life work together to form human identity.
This Sunday (10/4) at 11:15 a.m. the group will discuss Held-Evan’s first three chapters on Confession: The church tells us we are broken, (pp. 43-70). The Thursday group will discuss baptism on (10/8) covering pp. 3-22, 32-40.
Meeting Number: 851 6230 2412
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Age specific formation groups for youth are offered on Sundays. To register your youth for a link, please email our Youth Director, Matt Schramm. In addition to enjoying meaningful connection with their peers, youth and their teachers will be working their way through the Journey to Adulthood (J2A) curriculum which is focused on developing and integrating faith to all areas of life.
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Children's Chapel
We will continue Children’s focused formation on Sunday, October 4 at 9 a.m. This week the Rev. Nicole Lambelet and our Seminarian J.D. Houchin will facilitate the second week of our intergenerational curriculum focused on the Beatitudes. We look forward to seeing your smiling faces soon to sing songs, share stories, and practice the important work of wondering together. The link below is the same one used for SMA.
Meeting ID: 890 5875 0509
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Sunday nights from 5 - 6 p.m. a combined Middle & High School age youth group gathers via Zoom for conversation and community building. First we discuss the past week's events and devotional material. Then we play community games like Jackbox, Code Names, and Bible Jeopardy. All youth are welcome!
Meeting ID: 532 38 5901
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The Epiphany Book Group meets 1st Mondays at 7:30 p.m. Listed below are the selections for this Fall. Email John Yntema for the login.
October: The Soul of America by Jon Meacham
November: Born of a Crime by Trevor Noah
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SMA is BACK
Starting this Wednesday, October 7, 3rd-6th graders are invited to hop online for a "Shadrach Meshak and Abednego" (SMA) group Zoom session. Cristin Davis and Christine Sterne will facilitate a time of community building and fun, while reflecting with children about Jesus' life and witness. Virtual SMA will be offered 10/7, 10/21, 11/4, and 11/18 from 6-7 p.m. The link below is the same one used for Children's Chapel.
Meeting ID: 890 5875 0509
In the off weeks, families can sign up for outside prayer opportunities starting at 5:30 p.m. on 10/14, 10/28, 11/11 and 11/25. A link to reserve a space will be sent in the Epiphany's Parents email. You can sign up to receive that newsletter by clicking here.
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Grief Pastoral Care Group |
The Grief Pastoral Care Group meets 1st Thursdays at noon via Zoom for a healing and faith based conversation around grief and loss. Led by parishioners Megan Fraijo-Paul and Nancy Thompson, both trained psychotherapists. Email either Megan or Nancy to join the group.
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Living Contemplatively Spirituality Group
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The Group meet for the last time this season on Thursday October 8 at 3 p.m. over Zoom, reflecting together on the book Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor. In that book she reflects on the ways other people and traditions experience the Transcendent and what we might learn from other religious traditions that can enrich our own faith.
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Flex & Stretch and Chair Yoga |
The Flex & Stretch class—which is the basic SilverSneakers class—meets on Zoom on Fridays and the Chair Yoga program meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All at 11 a.m. Email Ellen Mintzmeyer for the login.
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A member of our community is looking for an adult and a child sized bed. lf you have either a full/queen or twin sized bed that you are willing to donate, please email the Rev. Nicole Lambelet. Thank you!
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NON-FOOD Pantry Drive for October |
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The Food Stamp program does not cover non-food items such as personal care, hygiene or cleaning products, so the ECW started a new mission this year—to sponsor a pantry drive for Emmaus House twice a year in March and October. In March, you donated toilet paper and soap. |
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This time we are asking you to give toothpaste and/or bar soap. Bins are by the front door. If you would like to contribute, but are not getting out during the pandemic, you can donate $10 to the church and we will shop for you. Please mark Emmaus House in the memo.
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Prayers for Racial Justice - Day 2 |
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Epiphany’s Faith and Racial Equity group is praying and meditating on selections from 40 Days of Prayer, for the Liberation of American Descendants of Slavery, presented by The Angela Project. This book commemorates the 400 years that Black people in the United States have experienced enslavement, black codes, sharecropping, Jim Crow, lynchings, convict leasing, redlining, restrictive covenants, police brutality subprime lending, and mass incarceration resulting in the impoverishment of Black communities across America.
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Each of the 40 days of prayer includes excerpts and information from this 400-year history and repeats the prayer declaration, “We are the Voice of One.” We would like to share some of these selections with you in the upcoming weeks.
In the Day 2 prayer, the reading examines the twelve U.S. Presidents (Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Johnson, Grant) who owned slaves. We invite you to pray with us:
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“We Are the Voice of One” Prayer Declaration
Excerpted from 40 Days of Prayer
(pray aloud)
We are the Voice of One that crieth in Atlanta, Georgia: “Prepare Ye the way of the Lord!
Make straight in Atlanta a highway for our God; every valley in Atlanta shall be exalted; And every mountain and hill in Atlanta shall be brought low. The crooked places in Atlanta shall be made straight; And the rough places shall be made smooth; And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed in Atlanta, Georgia; And all of Atlanta and all nations shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it!”
Heavenly Father, we both claim and proclaim your prophecy that is written in Genesis 15: “Your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land; they will be slaves there and will be treated cruelly for four hundred years. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and when they leave the foreign land, they will take great wealth with them.” Heavenly Father, make us one, just as You and the Lord Jesus are One. Heavenly Father, increase our numbers and gather Your people to pray. Let the Holy Spirit move freely, and the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall accomplish it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Offer a closing prayer, and as you pray:
- Consider the prayers of the enslaved as they lay on the slave ship, stored chained together and stored like cargo for months on an unknown journey that was thousands of miles long. The bodies of the enslaved who died in the Middle Passage were thrown in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Imagine the prayers of the enslaved as they fled for freedom, following the North Star despite threats of lynching, beating, mutation, and death.
- Remember the descendants of enslaved people, who still experience systemic racial oppression caused by social engineering.
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Pastoral Emergencies: Please call the church at 404.373.8338 and leave a message for Amy (ext. 14) or Nicole (16). They will receive a message alert and call you back.
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Staff: While the church building is closed, the parish staff is working from home and checking email and voicemail messages regularly.
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The Parish Directory is accessible online through the Member Login link at the top of epiphany.org and through the ChurchLife app for registered members. Click here to login or to register.
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Building Sign-In Required: The building is closed to in-person worship and meetings, however, if you need to enter the church building for any reason, please sign in and out using the logbook at the entrance.
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DIOCESAN NEWS & TRAININGS |
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Imagine Church is a monthly series offering a renewed approach to online worship through music, visual art, and spoken word. It takes place on the 4th Sunday of the month at 7 p.m. Watch on Facebook or the Imagine Church Watch page.
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Click here to find the latest postings from our bishop including:
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For Faith, Bishop Wright's weekly email devotional
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For People, Bishop Wright's podcast.
Click here to subscribe to Connecting, the Dioceses' monthly newsletter featuring diocesan-wide news, events, announcements, and inspiration.
Click here to see all the news and stories from around the Diocese.
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Required Trainings for Staff & Lay Leadership
If you are not sure of your training status, contact the parish office.
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Dismantling Racism is offered by the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing, and runs from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Click here for dates and to register.
Safeguarding Training: The New Inclusion Module OR the Healthy Boundaries and Preventing Abuse Module via Zoom is required for people who need re-certification for either Safeguarding God's Children or Safeguarding God's People as well as people who have never had either training. Click here for dates and to register.
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- Names of our friends and family remain on the list for four weeks.
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The Anniversary & Birthday List for the month can be found here.
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Send prayer requests to the parish office.
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For members who are bidding our prayers: Sally Brockington, Rob Godsall, Henry Laird, Sandy Land, Claire & Logan Shults, Stephanie Thompson, Tom & Robin Hairston, Tom Mundy, Terri Lawrence, Sara Kathryn Wierweille
For friends and family: Bill & Carolyn Allen, parents of Jewel Allen; Isabel, granddaughter of Mike & Beth Towers; Tim Rose, friend of Terri Lawrence; Sandy Montesinos, mother of Cristina Montesinos; May Kertscher, mother of Doug Kertscher; Bill Deneke; Jackie & Thomas Fraijo; Will Lloyd, nephew of Brenda Lloyd; Fran Block, mother of Erin Braden; Betty Porter, relative of Christen Erskine
For those who have died: Marge Hyland, mother-in-law of Paul Hinson
For those celebrating birthdays for the week of 10/4-10:
Amy Shipp & Eric Schulz, Kaylie & Evan Gibbs, Lisa Carlson & Johanna Hinman, Susan Scott & Rob Godsall
For those celebrating birthdays for the week of 10/4-10: Sally Walker, Gretchen D’Huyvetter Cobb, Jackie Breitenstein, Sally Brockington, Louise Leghorn, William Walker, Kellan Yeager, Lucy Bradshaw, Burke Hoesterey, Amanda Lewis, Anna Sherrill, Scarlett Anderson, Ann Fowler, Megan Swett, Pam Gore, Alex Williamson
For members who desire our continuing prayers: Jackie Boles, Arlen Gray, Ron Hutcheson, Rod MacLeod, Chris Miller, Tom Mundy, June Sparks
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The weekly parish notices are published Friday mornings at 7 a.m.
The submission deadline is Wednesdays at 5 p.m.
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