Weekly e-News from Epiphany Parish
April 26, 2023
From Rev Christen

Dear Epiphany Parish,

I hope that everyone is having a good week! Starting early next week I will be away for a few days to attend the Clergy Conference of the Diocese of Massachusetts. This year our speaker is the Rev. Isaiah Shaneequa Brokenleg, the Episcopal Church’s staff officer for racial reconciliation. She will be leading the clergy of our diocese in workshops on the healing power of storytelling in racial healing. I'm excited to spend some time with colleagues and hear about this topic. Thank you all so much for allowing me the ability to attend this continuing education opportunity. 

The work of becoming Beloved Community is a commitment that our diocese has made in many different ways over the past several years. Epiphany Parish has joined in this commitment by looking at the history of our church to see if there are any ties in our parish's history to the slave trade or other oppression. We have a group of folks from our church who have been doing this research over the past several months and they hope to have a presentation for the parish soon to share about the work that they’ve been doing. Stay tuned for more information.

One of the first steps towards racial justice is telling the truth and listening to each other’s stories and experiences.  Thank you all for your commitment to this important work!

 Peace in Christ,
Rev. Christen 
Epiphany Parish News
Mother's Day Plant Sale & Strawberry Shortcake Kits
Mark Your Calendar: Saturday, May 13th ~ 9am - 3pm at Epiphany Parish
Mother's Day Plants for Sale include a variety of flowers and herbs. 
Get your green thumb and garden ready!
Strawberry Shortcake Kits include: A biscuit with containers of strawberries & whipped cream, ready to assemble and enjoy now or to save for Mother's Day!
Youth Group -The Youth Group meets every other Sunday. The next meeting will be Sunday, April 30th from 5-6:30pm.

Finance Committee - The Finance Committee meets the first Wednesday every month. The next meeting is May 3rd. All are welcome to attend.

Graduation! - Is someone in your family graduating this Spring? 
If you, or a family member, are graduating please get the information (graduate's name, school, degree, etc.) to the church office by Monday, May 22nd so we can recognize them in the e -News and bulletin in the following weeks.

This Bread and This Cup - Recognition
On Sunday, April 30th at the 10am service we will be recognizing the 6 children who have been participating in the This Bread & This Cup at-home communion class. These families have been learning about Holy Communion this spring and we want to celebrate the hard work that they have done together!
Diocesan News
In celebration of Earth Day, April 28th - Ministry Tip of the Week - Introduce the children in your life to nature and ask them to help care for God’s creations.
  • Create recycling bins for home and church, labeling and decorating them for plastic, paper, and glass.
  • Celebrate Rogation Days by planting trees and flowers on your church property or in a park nearby. Commit to continue to provide care for such plantings by regularly watering and tending them.
  • Teach kids how to be stewards of the resources that we have, including taking care of pets and our relationships with one another.
Read the full article on ECF Vital Practices:  Tending to the Earth with Children by Sharon Ely Pearson.
BCH Hearts & Hands Weekend
Saturday, May 13th and Sunday, May 14th
Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center
108 Wally Stone Lane, Greenfield, NH 03047
Limited lodge rooms and adult-friendly cabins available

Spring has officially sprung here at BCH and it's time to ready our campus for all that comes with it. We are grateful for your willingness to share your time and effort during our Hearts & Hands work weekend. This weekend is offered at no cost to participants, however, we invite you to make a donation to help cover the costs of meals and lodging. Stay for the night or join us for a Saturday of work (and play!), as we complete various projects around BCH. All ages, stages, and abilities are welcome -- from storage organization and cosmetic camp updates, to construction and outdoor beautification,
there is a project for everyone! To register - HERE
2023 Family Camp and Overnight Camp
Family Camp - June 30 - July 5, 2023 Enjoy an extra long weekend of delicious meals, arts & crafts, swimming, boating, outside games, music, worship, and time to be together in new and expanding relationships with folks from all over New England. Come and join us for a time of rest, renewal, silliness, and an experience of Episcopal-centered, family-oriented fellowship. Families
of all configurations are welcome.
Youth camps are for all campers completing 3rd to 12th grade. Whether climbing high on the ropes course or paddle boarding on Otter Lake, there's something for everyone at BCH. From swimming to games, campfires to dancing and classic skits, campers are sure to create new friendships and renew old ones year after year. More information - HERE
Community News
The Church of Advent Medfield is celebrating Environmental Action Climate Week with the following events and have invited us to join them.
May 3rd - Community Labyrinth Walk - Click for more information on the walk
May 6th - Kelp is on the Way - Click for this culinary event
The 6th New Life 5k Trail Run hits the trails on May 13th  -
New Life Furniture Bank is excited to host its 6th annual 5k Trail Run and Kids Fun Run, on Saturday, May 13th on the Medfield State Hospital grounds (at Hospital Rd. & Service Dr., Medfield, MA). The route winds through the beautiful Charles River Reservation, and the event is open to runners, walkers and everyone in between. Bellforge Arts Center will host a live DJ, food trucks, and fitness activities. 
 Trail Run registration is open at newlifefb.org/5ktrailrun. An “early bird” discount of $25 is available until April 29; after that registration will be $30 until May 11; and $35 on race day. On-site Kids Fun Run registration will be $5. There is a $5 group discount for teams of four or more when the registrations are made at the same time. On-site registration opens at 9:00 am on race day. Children ages 4-10 are invited to join us for the Kids Fun Run at 10:00 am, and the Trail Run starts at 10:30 am, with live music to follow. The first 250 people to register will receive a t-shirt on race day.  
The Trail Run benefits New Life Furniture Bank of MA and its mission to provide  gently used household furnishings to individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness. 
 The Medfield-based non-profit organization operates a Walpole Donation Center and serves the MetroWest and Greater Boston area. New Life provides a meaningful option for folks who are downsizing, renovating or disposing of a loved one’s property. 
 “Last year, New Life served over 700 households and the demand for our services is greater than ever,” noted Rich Purnell, Executive Director of New Life. “The Trail Run is a fun and effective way to make a difference for the individuals and families we serve as we empower them with the means to furnish their home.” Over the years, the Trail Run has become a community-building event and New Life is grateful to Bellforge for collaborating to enhance the race atmosphere.  
Those interested in being a sponsor, volunteering, donating home furnishings, or making a financial contribution are encouraged to visit www.newlifefb.org.  
Sunday, April 30th
Fourth Sunday of Easter

Rite I with Holy Communion - 8:00am
Rite II with Holy Communion - 10:00am - Live streamed

Altar Flowers
April 30th - In Loving Memory of Dean and George Najarian, and Louie Charshoodian by the Najarian Family
All May Flower requests available
Join us each Sunday after the 10:00am service for
Coffee Hour for an informal time of fellowship!
We are looking for folks to host Coffee Hour! It's easy and if you provide the treats we can help you make the coffee! Sign up in the undercroft or at the link below:
Notes from the Office
common cathedral - Monthly Drop off - TBA - We are signed up for: 50 granola bars, 50 pieces of fruit, 2 canisters of ground coffee, 2 pounds of sugar.
common cathedral has requested to bring only soft fruit (like bananas, oranges, grapes) no hard fruit (like apples). Please bring more bananas than oranges if able.
common cathedral provides food, community, worship, and so much more to folks in Boston who are experiencing homelessness.
Epiphany Parish has supported common cathedral in many ways throughout the years.
Weekly Calendar
Sunday Morning - Rite I - 8:00am in person
Sunday Morning - Rite II - 10:00am in person & live streamed on Facebook
Monday Bible Study - 7:00-8:00pm
Tuesday Open Vestry Meetings - every third Tuesday
Wednesday Morning Prayer - 7:15am by Phone
Wednesday - Sanctuary open for Prayer - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Fridays - AA Meeting - Undercroft 8:00pm

*Office Hours* - Office Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 10:00am - 2:00pm.
The office will be closed Wednesday, May 3rd.
Please call or email to arrange a time to meet in person for different days or times. As always, please contact Rev Christen directly if you have a pastoral emergency.‌
Safe Church Training - The staff and the vestry members of Epiphany Parish are required to take the Safe Church Training. If any other members of the parish would like to also take the training, please email the office and an invite will be sent to get you started on the online training.
‌Epiphany Parish Welcome Statement
Epiphany Episcopal Parish welcomes all those who seek a spiritual connection to God. We embrace the young and the old; the seasoned and the newcomer; the married, single, separated, divorced and widowed; those of all sexual orientations and gender identities; those from any economic, ethnic, cultural or religious background; and those of all abilities. We not only welcome diversity at Epiphany, we celebrate it.
Epiphany Email Policy
 Fraudulent emails are continuing to become more common and more sophisticated, please note that Rev. Christen, Epiphany Parish staff, and/or the members of our Vestry will never solicit money, gift cards, or personal information via email. If you have any questions or concerns about an email request you receive from a leader or staff person in our parish, please do not hesitate to contact the parish office.