Parish Notices for September 10, 2021
New and Highlighted
  • Season of Creation series begins
  • Bring a Picnic on Sunday!
  • TODAY is the deadline to sign up for the Sacred Ground Series
  • Register for Kanuga by September 22
  • Community of Hope Training
  • South Fork Creek Clean-up
  • St. Francis Animal Blessing
  • Pet Committal of Ashes
  • Microwave Needed
This year Epiphany will participate in the Season of Creation for four weeks: Sunday, September 12 - Sunday, October 3. The Season of Creation is the annual ecumenical Christian celebration of prayer and action for our common home. The season ends on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology beloved by many Christian denominations. The theme of this year’s celebration is: “A home for all? Renewing the Oikos of God.”
 
More than just the name of a familiar yogurt brand, Oikos is a Greek word meaning “house” or “household.” It can refer to a structure providing refuge, such as physical shelter or property. But, it can also refer to the shared relationships between members of a household or a community. In the second chapter of Ephesians, for example, Paul calls upon the church in Ephesus to live into the common heritage they have together as fellow members of God’s household. His invitation to the Ephesiansto join together in unity over their shared vocation to witness to God’s lovehas historically been interpreted in human centric ways. But, recently many theologians are working to broaden the Christian understanding of God’s household to include all of creation. “The earth is the Lords,” Psalm 24:1 says, “and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.” We are fellow members of God with all creation and together we witness to God’s love and agency in this world.
 
Luther Smith, who visited our Adult Formation classes earlier this year, writes that the Christian vocation to discern and support the interrelatedness and the interdependence of all life is “to discern God and what it means to be a creature of God.” Living a life of meaning and purpose is caught up in the task of establishing “caring relationships,” he says, with God, with neighbor, and with the earth. Humans and non-humans alike, share this vocation of care: to live into and support the relatedness of all life. This is what the Season of Creation is all about: to encourage us to keep living into and supporting the interrelatedness of all that lives!
To aid us in celebrating our interconnectedness and our role as creatures of God, we’ll be doing some new and exciting things over the next month. The Sunday morning music and liturgy will focus on creation themes, our Adult formation offerings will help guide us in the task of caring well for one another, ourselves, and our world during the climate crisis. Each week we will wonder together at the flowers supplied by local growers, partake in the sweet offering of the Eucharist bread our own Paul Hinson has baked with locally sourced flours and honey, and read the stories from our parishioners committed to environmental responsibility in the bulletin. We will also join with our Ismaili neighbors for a river clean-up on September 26, learning and practicing together what it might mean to establish deeper relationships of care with other residents of our earthly home.
 
We hope you will join us in these acts of prayer and contemplation and celebrationacts of hope that work to more deeply offer our common home to the mercy of God’s renewal.


Adult Formation
Season of Creation Series - 10 a.m. Sundays through 10/3
Dr. Kyle Lambelet teaches and researches at the intersection of political theology, religious ethics and social change. His first book ¡Presente! Nonviolent Politics and the Resurrection of the Dead (Georgetown University Press, 2020) explores the moral and political dimensions of nonviolent struggle through an extended case study of the movement to close the School of the Americas. His current research examines the apocalyptic dimensions of talk about climate change, and how apocalyptic political theologies can offer resources for pastoral and political engagement in the midst of endings.
 
During the Season of Creation, Kyle will lecture and lead us in discussion during the Adult Formation Hour at Epiphany on 9/12, 9/19, and 9/26 in a series entitled "Ecoapocalypse." About the series Kyle writes: "Apocalyptic language pervades current talk about the environment. Whether covering wildfires, extreme weather, or urban rat infestations, journalists, activists, and public intellectuals construct this discourse by calling on the apocalyptic to indicate the urgent, world altering impact of these phenomenon. In dialogue with this popular discourse, this series will draw upon theological traditions of apocalyptic reflection to analyze the attritional catastrophe of our current climate crisis." We will finish the series with our own discussion about what we've learned and how it might inform our common life at Epiphany on 10/3. We hope you will join us online or in person for this timely conversation!
Missed a class? Video recordings of our Adult Formation classes are uploaded to Epiphany's YouTube Channel.
Parish Picnic
Bring Your Own Lunch Kick-Off Sunday

Sunday September 12 at 12:30 p.m.

Mark your calendars for another BYOL gathering on Kick-Off Sunday, September 12 after the 11:30 a.m. service. Please join us and bring your picnic lunch along with chairs or blankets. Desserts will be provided by Parish Life. Gathering will be held in the paved parking lot beside the memorial garden. See you there! Contact Polly Nodine
Second Sundays
September 12 at 6 p.m.

Young Adults! Join us on the Second Sunday of the month at 6 p.m. in the courtyard. We'll eat, pray, and ping-pong together with Mary and all the saints.

Sunday Morning Worship
Sunday Morning at 9 a.m.
Online via Zoom
Login at 8:50 a.m. to greet one another. Use the link to the right or the one on our home page.
Sermon recordings are posted Monday afternoons to epiphany.org/sermons and archived for a year.
Dial: 646.558.8656
Meeting ID: 532 385 901
If you are worshipping on Zoom and would like to schedule a time to receive communion outside at the church, please contact one of the clergy and we would be happy to arrange that.
Sunday Morning at 11:30 a.m.
Indoor Eucharist - Registration Required

To allow for social distancing, there will be a limit of 80 people in the congregation. Registration is required.

Masks should be worn by all during worship. Fully vaccinated clergy, lay worship leaders, choir, and lectors may go without a mask while actively leading worship. There will be singing by the choir and the congregation. Communion remains in one kind (bread only).
Registration: Click on links provided on our website, in this newsletter, or from your Realm account online or your smart phone app. For those who have created your Realm logins, the fields will auto-fill for you once you select your name. Guest registration is also an option.

A pop up confirmation notice appears when you complete your registration, and a confirmation email is immediately sent. If you don’t receive a confirmation notice or email, try again and be sure to click the last button marked REGISTER.

Realm: If you have not created your Realm login yet or need help with registration, email or call the parish office.
Altar Arrangements and the Sanctuary Light
The Altar Arrangements and the Sanctuary Light can be given in honor of an anniversary, birthday or in memory of a loved one.
The Arrangements at the Altar for this Sunday are given to the Glory of God and in memory of Russell George Runnion, by Doug Runnion.

The Sanctuary Light is given this week to the Glory of God and in memory of Ian Thompson, by Linda Ryder-Wolf.
The color and selection of flowers is based on the appropriateness of the liturgical season. However, you may request a particular flower or color be used on the signup. Suggested donation is $75.

The light is a visible sign of the presence of the Blessed Sacrament held in reserve in the Tabernacle and burns for seven days. Suggested donation is $6.
 
 
Sign up by noon on Wednesdays to be listed in the weekly Friday email.
Weekday Worship
Morning Prayer at 9 a.m.
Weekdays via Zoom
Login around 8:45 a.m. for Virtual Coffee Hour. The Zoom Link is not public. Email the parish office to receive the login information.
Tuesday Men's Group at 7 a.m.

The Tuesday Men's Group meets each Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. for Morning Prayer (Holy Eucharist 1st Tuesdays) followed by a time of fellowship before heading on their way for the day. Contact: John Yntema.
Wednesday Noonday Prayer & Eucharist
In the nave

Noonday Prayer takes place at 12 p.m. in the side chapel. Healing with Eucharist follows at 12:15 p.m.
Youth Ministries
Youth Formation
Begins Sunday, September 12 at 10 a.m.

Youth Formation this fall will take place Sunday mornings from 10 - 11 a.m. Our semester long theme is "discernment," and we're excited to explore the work of discernment as it relates to ourselves, our community, and our nation. We will think and learn together about topics like: mental wellness, healthy relationships, gender based and peer violence, gun violence, racism, and climate change.

Parents are invited to register and attend with their youth. The first 15 minutes of every session will be dedicated to a presentation on the weekly topic. Following the presentation, youth and their parents will break into separate age-based small groups for deeper conversation.

Please indicate on the registration form found at the link below whether you are interested in attending formation with your youth.

Youth Ministries In-Person Evening Prayer

Except for the first Sundays of the month*, Evening Prayer is held on Sundays from 5-6 p.m. The first half is dedicated to games and social time, while the second is set aside for prayer and formation.

*First Sundays are Pizza Night with the youth at Holy Trinity Parish.
Youth Monthly Pizza Nights
First Sundays at 5 p.m. at Fellini's
 
The Epiphany Youth meet with Holy Trinity Parish's youth group at the Decatur Fellini's (333 Commerce Dr.) on the first Sunday of every month from 5-6 p.m. We're asking each youth to bring $5 to help offset the cost of food.
Children's Ministries
Children's Weekly Bulletin
Click the link below for this Sunday's Children's bulletin. Hard copies and crayons are available from the ushers for those attending in person.

The bulletins include word searches, white space for imaginative drawing based on prompts, word scrambles, connect-the-dots, and lots of creative coloring opportunities.

Monthly Family Meet & Greet
Knowing that not all of our families are feeling comfortable with a return to indoor worship or formation, we will be starting a monthly gathering for children and families outside on the Epiphany playground! We’ll have coffee and snacks, songs and a short story or devotion appropriate for the whole family.
Join us for 10:15 a.m. on September 26, and October 24. Register in Realm or at epiphany.org/rsvp.

Parish Announcements
Sacred Ground Series
Sign up by September 10

TODAY, September 10 is the registration deadline for the Sacred Ground dialogue series on faith, justice, and racial healing. The series will begin on Saturday, September 25, with an in person group retreat from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. After the retreat, we will split into smaller study groups for the remaining nine sessions of the curriculum during the fall of 2021 and spring of 2022. Both virtual and in person sessions will be offered. For more information on the program or to register, click the link below or the one on our homepage at epiphany.org, or contact the Rev. Nicole Lambelet or Erin Braden.

Feeding Ministry
Friday, September 10

The Feeding Ministry serves the Gateway Shelter will serve dinner on Friday, September 10. Help is needed with the following activities: Wednesday, Sept. 8 - food shopping; Thursday, Sept 9. - chop veggies; Friday, Sept. 10 - cook from 2–5 p.m., serve from 5–7 p.m. or help clean up after the volunteer dinner at 7 p.m. Go to epiphany.org/rsvp to volunteer. 

Annual Parish Retreat at Kanuga
Deadline to Register is September 22
Register Now for the Annual Parish Retreat at Kanuga the weekend of October 22-24 and help us re-imagine what a parish retreat can be in 2021! Kanuga offers some wonderful ways to feed the spirit whether it is in nature, in liturgy, or simply in communion with each other.
Donation Sought
A formation community at Candler School of Theology sponsored by the Black Student Caucus and Black Church Studies Program is seeking a countertop convection oven or microwave. If you have one you would like to donate, please email Rev. Nicole Lambelet.
River Cleanup Service Project
Sunday, September 26 from 3 - 5 p.m.

Registration for the Service Project with the Ismaili Center on September 26 from 3-5 p.m. is now open. We will be partnering with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, and Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve in a cleanup of the South Fork Peachtree Creek. Emory biologist Chris Beck will give a small introduction to the Atlanta Watershed prior to the clean-up. Due to space restrictions, registration is limited to 20 people. More details about location and what to bring can be found on the registration page. 
October Ismaili Events

In addition to the clean-up, Epiphany has also been invited for a tour of the Ismaili Jamatkhana from 3-5 p.m. on October 3, and members of the community will visit and tour Epiphany on October 30 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Please mark your calendar if you would like to attend either of these events. Registration will be available next week.
Community of Hope Training Begins in October
Sign up by Sunday, September 26
Starting October 4, Epiphany will host a 14-week Community of Hope (COH) training for lay pastoral caregivers on Mondays from 6-8:30 p.m. Graduates of the program will be trained to make pastoral visits to Epiphany members who are experiencing various forms of loss, grief, illness, life changes, loneliness, or isolation. COH caregivers may also serve outside the church in nursing homes, hospitals, or prisons, at Hagar’s House, DCM, or Emmaus House, or to be with people who are in crisis no matter where they are.

What sets Community of Hope apart from other pastoral care programs is its emphasis on the spiritual growth and community formation of the caregivers. Epiphany clergy and other facilitators will teach modules from the Community of Hope curriculum, which is rooted in Benedictine spirituality and based on the classic clinical pastoral education model used in many hospitals to train caregivers. Participants are encouraged to make this experience a journey into wholeness and to explore a “rule of life." They will practice sacred silence, Christian meditation, compassionate listening, and Lectio Divina, all within the context of Benedictine spirituality. This experience builds community and develops spiritually centered pastoral caregivers.

If you are interested in joining the Community of Hope, please contact Ann Fowler, 404.808.1864, by September 26. On that Sunday a blessing of COH participants will occur during Epiphany services, followed by an informational luncheon at Ann’s home.
St. Francis Animal Blessing
Sunday, October 3 at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Pets of all sizes and stripes are invited to worship on Zoom at 9 a.m. or sit (leashed or crated) alongside their people in the pews at the 11:30 a.m. Eucharist as we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with a Blessing of the Animals. St. Francis of Assisi–the patron saint of nature and the environment–was a lover of God’s creation and on his feast day we will bless our animals and offer our gratitude for the joy that pets and other animals bring to our lives.

If your pet does not travel well or get along with others, or if you prefer to worship safely from home, we invite you to send a photograph to Julie Ryder by September 29 at noon. (If you prefer not to worship with pets in the pews, you are invited to join us for our worship on Zoom at 9 a.m. that day.)
Pet Committal of Ashes
Following the 11:30 a.m. service on October 3, there will be a Pet Committal of Ashes Service in the Pet Memorial Garden in the Byrdland meadow next to the church. If you would like to inter your pet's ashes, please RSVP.
Now Showing for the Month of September
Epiphany Art Ministry presents acrylic and water paintings by Patty Young
“My work is intentionally imprecise and inexact because I see the world as broadly sketched and in many cases, undefined.”

View the Exhibit online 24/7. Click any image to open the Gallery View.
 
View the Exhibit in-person on Sunday mornings in between services and on weekdays at limited hours. Please call ahead to make sure the building is open. Masks and social distancing are required at all times.

  • 25% of all sales benefit Epiphany.
  • Make checks out directly to the artist. No cash please.
Get Connected with Realm
We use Realm, an online ministry platform for online giving, directory, and event registration.

If you haven’t already, please sign up for an account to manage your personal information, control your giving, register for events, and keep in touch with the people and groups that matter to you. 

Ongoing Groups
Daughters of the King meet 4th Sundays
The Daughters of the King (DOK) meet on Zoom on 4th Sundays at 2 p.m. The DOK is open to all women in the parish interested in fellowship and study. Email Barbara Ryder if you would like to receive the Zoom link each month.
 
Epiphany Book Group meets 1st Mondays
The Epiphany Book Group meets 1st Mondays at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom. All are welcome. Email Linda Ryder-Wolf if you have questions.

  • October 4: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
  • November 1: Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
Racial Justice Group Pausing Meetings to Participate in Sacred Ground Series
Called by our baptismal covenant to strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect the dignity of every human being, the Racial Justice Group (RJG) is focused on lifelong learning and action steps we can take as individuals and as a church community to help achieve racial equity and justice. All are welcome. Beginning in September, the RJG will pause its 2nd Tuesday of the month meetings, so its members can participate in the Sacred Grounds series. Email Erin Braden or Kay Lee with any questions or suggestions. We welcome your thoughts.
Racial Justice Book Study Group meets 4th Wednesdays
You are invited to join Epiphany’s Racial Justice Book Study group on the fourth Wednesday in August and September from 6:45 - 8 p.m.
 
Walking With The Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis.
August - Parts One through Four
September - Parts Five through Seven

The purposes of our Book Study are to:
  • educate and inform ourselves on the history of racial injustice
  • better understand the challenges of changing racial inequities and seeking racial justice, and
  • work toward pragmatic and effective ways to be better anti-racist advocates
 
Please consider ordering your books from Black owned, local bookstores, which you can find by searching for “black owned bookstores Atlanta.” Email Lisa Daily for the Zoom link. Contact Lisa Daily or Kay Lee, if you have any questions.
 
Please take note that after our September meeting, the RJBG will pause its meeting so as to allow time for members to participate in the upcoming Sacred Ground series. 
Grief Pastoral Care Group meets 1st Thursdays
The Grief Pastoral Care Group meets on Zoom 1st Thursdays at noon for a healing and faith based conversation around grief and loss. Led by parishioners Megan Fraijo-Paul and Nancy Thompson, both trained psychotherapists. Email Megan or Nancy for more information.
Finances
Ways to Give

The easiest way for you to give to Epiphany is through Realm, our secure online community. You can make one-time donations or manage your giving as a recurring transaction in a secure, easy-to-use environment. Contribution statements are always available via your profile.
 
Realm Login
If you have not yet created a login to our online church ministry tool, Email the parish office and you will be sent an invitation email
 
Visit epiphany.org/ways-to-give to learn about the different was to give to Epiphany. You'll also find links to more information about Realm. Finally, if you have not already made a financial pledge to support Church of the Epiphany this year, there's also a link about how to make a pledge on the Ways to Give page.
Prayers of the People
  • Send prayer requests to the parish office.
  • Names of our friends and family remain on the list for four weeks.
  • The Anniversary & Birthday List for the month can be found here.
For members who are bidding our prayers: Jewel Allen • Vicki Bolton • Joy Boydon • Sally Brockington • Alma Fuller • Barbara Holmes • Judy Jarady • Henry Laird • Rod MacLeod • Ellen Mintzmyer • Sally McClintock • Dan Mundy • Diane Mundy • Tom Mundy • Neela Ram • Ann Rowles • Rachelle Udell • Evan Vega

For friends and family: Isabel, granddaughter of Mike & Beth Towers • Betty Porter, relative of Christen Erskine • Dave Tipton, brother of Pam Tipton • Rosalind, sister of Katharine Hilliard-Yntema • Nicky Cullen, friend of Linda Ryder-Wolf • Brad Akers, nephew of Pat Graves • Sakina Khawari and her family in Afghanistan, goddaughter of Mary McCall Cash • Bill MacAnn, friend of Jewel Allen • Chris Belcore, brother of Barbara Belcore • Kathy Black Brannon, friend of Barbara Belcore • Susan Culpepper, friend of Larry Wilcox • Kathy Ziegler, friend of Larry Wilcox • Tammy Thomas, friend of David Thompson • Rosalie Shipp, step-mother of Amy Shipp • Eileen & Larry, mother of Lisa Carlson and her mother's partner

For members who desire our continuing prayers: Ron Hutcheson • Chris Miller • Tom Mundy • June Sparks • Pat Spivey • Kathy Walmsley

For those of who have died: Terry-Lee Ross • James Thomas, friend of David Thompson

For those celebrating anniversaries for the week of 9/12-18: Katy & Evan Bassett • Kristina & Ed Thomas • Amy & Jason Rooks • Jan Robinson & Edward Baltrusaitis

For those celebrating birthdays for the week of 9/12-18: Kristin Mann • Jarrod Moody • Sabra Hanson • Chris Braden • Paris Ott • Billy Braswell • Jake Braswell • Gage Snow • Henry Van Ness • Judith Phelps • Riley Yeager • Jessie Roberson • Elise Watt

Did we miss your anniversary or birthday? Send your full date of your anniversary and/or your date of birth to the parish office so that we can update our records.
The weekly parish notices are published Friday mornings at 7 a.m.
The submission deadline is Wednesdays at NOON.