Bi-Weekly e-News from Epiphany Parish
July 14 - 28, 2020
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Please note that this is the first of our summer bi-weekly newsletters.
Summer publishing schedule will be July 14 & 28; August 11 & 25. Weekly
e-News will resume Sept 1.
We will continue to publish worship information every Saturday.
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From Rev. Christen's Desk
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Dear Epiphany Parish,
Summertime has always seen like a time of transition. For students, summer is the transition into a new school year. In the church, summer is a transition into a new program year. For everyone, summer is the warm transition between the cooler spring and fall. This summer is certainly one of transition at Epiphany Parish as we say goodbye to Liz Knox who will retire this week after serving faithfully as our Parish Administrator for 9 years. There is no doubt that Liz will be greatly missed in our parish office. There will be a farewell email from Liz going out later this week before her last day on Friday.
Transitions always come with goodbyes
and
greetings. And this week, we welcomed Cindy Falcone as our new parish administrator! Cindy is friendly, organized, and enthusiastic and will be an excellent administrator for Epiphany Parish. She will be using the same office email that Liz was using (
office.epiphany@verizon.net
) so please feel free to send her an email to say hello and welcome her to Epiphany!
Peace in Christ,
Rev. Christen
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New Beginnings
Dear New Epiphany Friends,
I am excited to join you at Epiphany Parish.
I live in Wrentham with my husband Dan and have two grown children and four grandchildren. I love to travel, read and spending time with my family. I am very excited to join the Epiphany team.
I look forward to meeting you all soon,
Cindy
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Sunday School Gift Pick-up
On July 26 from 11:30am-12:00pm
all 2019-2020 Sunday School students are invited to pick up a small gift and certificate to celebrate the end of the last Sunday School year! A couple of your teachers will be outside at Epiphany Parish on July 26th from 11:30am-12pm. Students are invited to come at any time from 11:30am-12pm, drive through the parking lot and pick up their gift bags. If you aren't able to make it, but your student would still like their gift bag, please let Rev. Christen know and we will make sure to get it to your student.
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common cathedral Request - July 29 ~ 4pm-6pm
Thank you so much to everyone who has been donating food for common cathedral this summer! The next date we are signed up for is Thursday, July 30th but we will need everything dropped off at Epiphany the day before (Wednesday, July 29). We are signed up to prepare 50 sandwiches (no fruit and granola bars) and are looking for 5 people to sign up to make 10 sandwiches each. Sandwiches should be made with utmost care about hygiene and food safety (we can get you gloves if you need them), they should be individually wrapped, and labeled with ingredients. I'll be at the church on
Wednesday July 29 from 4pm-6pm
to collect the sandwiches. Please email Rev. Christen (
christen.epiphany@gmail.com
) if you would like to sign up to make sandwiches.
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Daily Stand Out for Justice
We continue to Pray and Act for an end to racism in our country. There will be a daily vigil from 5:00pm-6:30pm on the Walpole town common to support Black Lives Matter. Click
HERE
for more information.
All are welcome.
All attendees are asked to please wear a mask and practice physical distancing.
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Worshiping with Us, Virtually
Many of you have come to enjoy worshiping with us on Sunday mornings via Facebook Live. Although you do not need a Facebook account to view our services, some have found the experience a bit of a challenge.
In response, we have created a YouTube channel and we will be posting a video of the 10:15am service each Sunday by 11:45am.
So now you have two ways to join us for worship.
Click here
to watch us on
Facebook Live
at 10:15am (the video is also available anytime on Facebook by following the same link). OR you can view the video on
YouTube
by
clicking here
.
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Outreach Opportunities - Walpole & Beyond
Diocesan COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund
The Diocese of Massachusetts has established a COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to help meet emerging, urgent needs in congregations and affiliated organizations, and in support of collaborations with ecumenical, multi-faith and community partners. The fund will address critical community needs and congregational sustainability during the time of the pandemic. The fund is now open to receive online gifts at
www.diomass.org/give-now
.
Errand Angels
Please sign up to be an Errand Angel! There are many folks in our parish that do not want to be in public right now. We have created an online sign-up sheet to collect a list of parishioners who are willing to run errands for people who are unable to run errands for any reason right now. If you are healthy and feel comfortable running errands for others over the next few weeks, please sign up
HERE
.
If you need an errand run for you for any reason, please call or email Rev. Christen and she will put you in touch with someone who can help.
common cathedral
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. In December, half of the money we raised at our celebration of New Ministry service went to common cathedral and more recently, we collected socks, underwear, and toiletries to be handed out at their City Reach overnight. common cathedral has been adapting their programs over the past few weeks in order to continue to safely support the members of their community. And now they are asking for help. They need partners to donate homemade sandwiches, fruit and granola bars. If you can help sign up
HERE
. Any food that is prepared in your home needs to follow strict ServSafe guidelines. All donations need to be dropped off at Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street by 9am on the day that you sign up for.
Give blood
The American Red Cross is experiencing a severe shortage of blood because many blood drives have been cancelled around the country in recent weeks. If you are eligible to give blood and wish to do so, you can make an appointment online here:
https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html
Donate Masks, Gloves, and Other Protective Gear
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is asking for anyone who has extra masks, respirators, and/or other protective gear to donate them to the city for medical staff at hospitals to use. If your business uses these items, please consider donating them. You can call the City Mayor’s hotline at 617-635-4500 to find out how to donate them.
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Note from the Treasurer
I hope this note finds you all well. It has been a trying time for all and for some more than others.
As you are aware, even though we are not meeting in person at Epiphany, we have expenses and obligations that need to be paid. We are monitoring all spending and trying to be prudent.
I want to thank everyone who has continued to financially support Epiphany by sending in their pledges and donations. We have members who have been sending their pledges in weekly and someone who has been sending a weekly anonymous cash donation. I especially want to thank those who find that during this difficult time that they are financially willing and able to provide additional support beyond their pledge. All of this has been essential in keeping us going.
God bless you all and keep you safe.
Susan Cosman
, Treasurer
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Weekly Announcements
Altar Flowers
~ It is unclear when we will be able to resume the use of altar flowers. We have talked to our florist and their wholesalers are closed, so they are unable to get the flowers to make the arrangements. As soon as we hear that there are flowers available we will resume getting arrangements. Liz in the office will be in touch with anyone who has requested flowers for the coming weeks and will set up new tentative dates for you.
+ + + + +
Cancellations (weather or otherwise)
~ Cancellations will be communicated via e-mail and a notice on our website. We make every effort to hold regular Sunday services, and we never want you to travel if you do not feel safe doing so. And although we encourage sharing, please do not share your germs with your church family & friends - if you are sick, please stay home. If there is any question as to whether church is cancelled please check your e-mail and the church website before venturing out.
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What you need to know this week:
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Weekly Calendar
All in-person parish gatherings have been suspended for the near future. Please see the COVID-19 Response tab of this website to learn how you can join us for virtual worship services.
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For Worship on July 19
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
lectionary readings
For Worship on July 26
The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
lectionary readings
(We are using the Track 2 readings)
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From the Office
E-Mail & Sunday Announcements Deadlines
Announcements and notices for the Weekly e-News e-mails must be received in the office by noon each Monday - call or e-mail the office.
To have your announcement included in the Sunday bulletin, please have it in the office by noon on Wednesday.
Hospital Visitation
At this time Rev. Christen is only visiting the hospital or other care facilities in times of extreme emergency or for end-of-life needs. If you or a loved one is in need of a hospital visit please contact Rev. Christen at
christen.epiphany@gmail.com
.
Feeling a call
(or a tug, or a pull)
to get involved in the life of our Parish, but don't know where to start? Please contact
Office Hours
The office is not maintaining regular office hours during the quarantine period. Staff will be picking up the mail and checking e-mail and phone messages.
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Welcome to Epiphany Parish
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We gather with joy in the power of Jesus’ name, to care for one another and to include all people through our fellowship, education & outreach.
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.
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Epiphany Email Policy:
As fraudulent emails are becoming 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 at 508-668-2353.
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EPIPHANY PARISH
62 Front Street
Walpole, MA 02081
508-668-2353
epiphany-walpole.org
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