Parish Notices for October 16, 2020 |
|
October 15th is the day the church commemorates the life and witness of St. Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582). St. Teresa was a Carmelite nun, a mystic, and a prolific author. She is especially known for the many contributions she made to the theology of prayer. This week her witness invites us to consider the God who "remains" and provides for us even in times of disruption and despondency. In one of her most famous poems she writes:
|
|
|
|
Let nothing disturb you, let nothing dismay you;
All else changes; God alone remains.
Patient endurance attains to all things.
The one who has God finds she lacks nothing,
and God alone suffices.
|
|
Depending on where this finds you today, the poem may come as a consolation, or something else entirely. It's important to see that in this poem, St. Teresa is not advocating that Christians be unaffected by the disturbing and dismaying forces producing evil and death in this world. Nor, is she indicating that one should assume a withdrawn demeanor in order to persevere through trial. Rather, vis-à-vis the power and love of God, St. Teresa invites Christians to put the powers that disturb or dismay us in their place. She calls Christians to exercise agency: to pursue the continual work of finding ourselves in the hope and sustenance that is God alone. When all else is changing; "God alone remains," she reminds us. When all else is lacking, "God alone suffices."
Pray for us, St. Teresa. These days are not easy.
|
|
While these days remain difficult, over the last several months, I've experienced much joy in becoming a part of the community at Epiphany. For me, community is both a discipline and a gift. Alongside prayer and other practices, community sustains me in the love of God and challenges me to become more and more free to love. As we draw nearer and nearer to All Saints Day, my prayer for our Epiphany community is that we might continue to find new ways to draw strength from the great company of witnesses who can surround us and support us to throw off all that hinders and entangles us from knowing and embodying the love of God in Christ (Hebrews 12).
The Rev. Nicole Lambelet
|
|
An image of St Teresa by Patricia Hostetter-Lopez, a contemporary artist in New Mexico |
|
Outdoor Worship Services for October
Registration Required. More information and COVID protocols are listed on the sign-up.
Remaining Dates
- Noonday Prayer Tues. 10/20 at 12 p.m.
- Morning Prayer Wed. 10/21 at 9 a.m.
- Youth Evening Prayer Sun. 10/25 at 5:30 p.m.
- Family Compline Wed. 10/28 at 5:30 p.m.
|
|
|
|
|
Personal Prayer Time in the Nave
You are 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.
Remaining Dates
- October 19 from 10-12 a.m.
- October 29 from 2-4 p.m.
|
|
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. |
|
|
 |
— 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.
|
— OR DIAL IN —
Dial 646.558.8656
Meeting ID is 532 385 901
|
|
|
|
— WEEKDAYS —
Login around 8:45 a.m.for Virtual Coffee Hour. The service begins at 9 a.m.
|
— NOONDAY —
Wednesday Noonday Prayer at 12:30 p.m. has a private login. Email the parish office to receive the link and meeting ID.
|
|
|
|
ADULT FORMATION - Two Offerings |
|
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
|
|
Modern Families - Two times offered
- Sunday Mornings at 11:15 a.m.
- 2nd & 4th Thursdays at 8 p.m.
We are spending 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.
- Sunday 10/18, we will cover Holy Orders: The church tells us we are called, pp. 97-116.
- Thursday group on 10/22, we will cover Confession: The church tells us we are broken, pp. 43-94.
Meeting Number: 851 6230 2412
|
|
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.
|
|
Children's Chapel
We will continue Children’s focused formation on Sunday, October 18 at 9 a.m. This week Rev. Nicole Lambelet will facilitate the third session 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.
Meeting ID: 890 5875 0509
|
|
On the 1st & 3rd 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.
Meeting ID: 532 38 5901
On 2nd & 4th Sundays from at 5:30 p.m., we gather for outside for Evening Prayer. Registration is required, click here to register.
|
|
|
|
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.
November: Born of a Crime by Trevor Noah
|
|
SMA is BACK
On Wednesday 10/21, 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 also be offered 11/4 and 11/18 from 6-7 p.m.
The Zoom link for virtual SMA is provided below and will also be available on the Epiphany Parents Facebook page prior to the Wednesday 6-7 p.m.
meeting times.
Meeting ID: 890 5875 0509
|
|
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.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
Virtual Passing of the Plate |
While we are not able to worship in the same space at this time, please remember that Epiphany is a living church, and still needs your financial support.
In "Such a Time as This" it is important that we continue passing the plate. This is our virtual version of that very important and meaningful activity. Sometimes we are all moved in spontaneous and emotional ways to express our joy, gratitude, or appreciation to this wonderful parish. Those moments of giving are an important part of our spiritual and financial life. This is another way to offer you the chance.
|
|
Use your phone's camera to scan the QR code below |
|
|
|
Give Arrangements in Honor of Someone |
The Flower Guild is continuing to provide Amy and Nicole with arrangements during the streamed services on a very limited budget. We are using flowers and greenery we can glean from our gardens and the church. Our funds come directly from donations and during Easter and Christmas the donations are generous and we manage well. Now, though, in the current situation, our funds have diminished. If you do sign up to give an arrangement in memory or thanksgiving of a loved one, the donation will be acknowledged during the service. We are so grateful to the parish for all the support to glorify our church and are anxious for us to worship together again soon. The sign up link can be found on the homepage, the RSVP page or click on the lotus flower icon.
|
|
Epiphany Art Ministry Welcomes... |
Acrylic work by our Art Ministry curator
Liefje (Liefy) Smith
October - November 19
|
View the Exhibit online 24/7 - For the first time ever, we are posting the entire exhibit online with pop-up images including titles and prices. Thanks to Liefy for being willing to be the first artist to try-out a new plan for hosting artists in our gallery during the pandemic.
View the Exhibit in-person on Mondays from 2-5 p.m. - If you would like to come and see Liefy's work in-person, stop by the church Monday afternoons and follow the protocols posted on the above link.
Remember, Epiphany receives 25% of sales.
|
|
|
|
|
NON-FOOD Pantry Drive for October |
|
The Food Stamp program does not cover non-food items such as personal care, hygiene or cleaning products, so the ECW sponsors a pantry drive for Emmaus House twice a year. For October, we are asking you to give toothpaste and/or bar soap. Bins are by the front door. |
|
This past week parishioners donated:
- 39 tubes of toothpaste
- 114 bars of soap
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Weekly Prayer for Racial Justice |
|
Epiphany Faith and Racial Equity groups are using 40 Days of Prayer, for the Liberation of American Descendants of Slavery to guide us in prayer and reflection on the 400 year history of slavery and its evolution. We invite you to share some of our journey through this history and join us in prayer. This excerpt is from Day 22 and 23.
|
|
|
United States v. Reese and Its Results
This was the Supreme Court’s first voting rights case under the Fifteenth Amendment and the Enforcement Act of 1870. A Kentucky electoral official had refused to register an African American voter in a municipal election and was indicted under two sections of the Act. The Court held that the Fifteenth Amendment did not confer the right of suffrage, but it prohibited exclusion from voting on racial grounds.
Due to this ruling, states began to develop means to exclude blacks from voting while keeping within the constraints of the 14th Amendment. They adopted such devices as poll taxes, subjectively administered literacy tests, grandfather clauses (which admitted only voters whose grandfathers had voted previously by a certain date), and more restrictive residency requirements. As these measures were challenged in court, the Supreme Court upheld their use, as they were required of all voters. By 1910, all of the former Confederate states passed new constitutions or amendments to achieve disenfranchisement.
|
|
Please pray with us:
Make straight in (city) a highway for our God. The crooked place in (city) shall be made straight; And the rough places shall be made smooth; And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed in (city and state); And all of (city) and all nations shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it!
Lord, make us mindful of our vocation that we make no excuses in the face of injustice and oppression, that we see the suffering of those who are crucified today, so that you don’t condemn us.
For if we have not done for the least, we have not done for you.
Amen.
(Excerpted from 40 Years of Prayer and JustFaith Ministries)
|
|
|
|
-
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. Note: Amy is out of town until Sunday, October 18.
-
Staff: The staff continues to work mostly from home. They check their email and voicemail messages regularly.
-
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.
-
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.
|
|
DIOCESAN NEWS & TRAININGS |
|
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.
|
|
Click here to find the latest postings from our bishop including:
-
For Faith, Bishop Wright's weekly email devotional
-
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.
|
|
Required Trainings for Staff & Lay Leadership
If you are not sure of your training status, contact the parish office.
|
|
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.
|
|
- Names of our friends and family remain on the list for four weeks.
-
The Anniversary & Birthday List for the month can be found here.
-
Send prayer requests to the parish office.
|
|
|
For members who are bidding our prayers: Sally Brockington, Sam Burnett, Rob Godsall, Henry Laird, Sandy Land, Claire & Logan Shults, Stephanie Thompson, Tom & Robin Hairston, Tom Mundy, Terri Lawrence, Sara Kathryn Wierweille, Jeanne Hatcher, Kyle D'Mellow
For friends and family: Bill & Carolyn Allen, parents of Jewel Allen; Isabel, granddaughter of Mike & Beth Towers; Bill Deneke; Jackie & Thomas Fraijo; Will Lloyd, nephew of Brenda Lloyd; Fran Block, mother of Erin Braden; Betty Porter, relative of Christen Erskine; Leslie, cousin of Barbara Ryder; Karen, friend of Ellen Mintzmyer
For those who have died: Maribelle Cole, aunt of David Draper; Elizabeth Embser, mother-in-law of Larry Wilcox
For those celebrating anniversaries for the week of 10/18-24: Molly & Mike McAuliffe, Catherine & David Stern, Bridget & Bryan Bassett, Tom & Cecilia Democko
For those celebrating birthdays for the week of 10/18-24: Pam Hall, Mike Kotzan, Laura Keys, Ben Sadler, Jane Stutz, Lila Becker, John Howarth, Lola Oyesiku, Max Finnegan, Tom Democko, Jim McKinney, Kimberly Bonde, Katharine Carr, Laura Brogan, Katherine Dickey, Cathy McKinney
For members who desire our continuing prayers: Jackie Boles, Arlen Gray, Ron Hutcheson, Rod MacLeod, Chris Miller, Tom Mundy, June Sparks
|
|
|
|
The weekly parish notices are published Friday mornings at 7 a.m.
The submission deadline is Wednesdays at 5 p.m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
