Church Action eNewsletter Week of April 1, 2019

[RCCAtl]

Week of April 1, 2019
The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Inc.

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

There are so many opportunities for service, worship, education, enrichment, connection in the next few weeks. Take a look at the Community Event Calendar on our website and celebrate all the good things that people of faith are doing. www.RCCAtl.org.

1. “Wrongfully Convicted: A Death Row Testimonial,” Tuesday, April 2, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Parish Hall, 2855 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta 30329. Juan Melendez was wrongfully convicted and spent 17 years on death row. He was exonerated and released in 2002. He is a nationally acclaimed speaker whose remarkable personal story inspires many to activism and public service. Free, please register here.

2. Several churches in Gainesville have a Lenten tradition of holding weekly ecumenical gatherings of worship and fellowship over lunch. The weekly sessions this year focus on issues related to poverty in Hall County, Wednesday, April 3, the gathering is at First Presbyterian Church, 800 S Enota Dr NE, Gainesville 30501. Full story.

3. Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, Three Choirs Festival, Thursday, April 4, 7:00 p.m., Georgia State University Singers, University of Georgia Hodgson Singers, and Emory University Concert Choir present a collaborative, diverse, and inspiring musical exchange. 3180 Peachtree Road, Atlanta 30305. $15 suggested concert donation / $5 students.

4. The 2019 Faith Climate Action Week starts April 5! If you did not order a kit in the mail you still have a chance to get it. Download the kit for free on the Faith Climate Action Week website and print everything you need. The website also provides sample sermons, talking points, and other printable materials. Click here to download your kit for Faith Climate Action Week.

5. Time change for this event: Church Women United presents The Health of African American Women, April 5, at 10 a.m., Peachtree Christian Church, 1580 Peachtree Road, NW Atlanta, 30309. Join this very important event and bring others who can contribute to this critical conversation. For further information call (404) 696- 1890.

6. Tickets are still available for”Experiencing Poverty: An Interactive Simulation,” Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m., St. Andrew's in the Pines Episcopal Church, Peachtree City. Information.

7. Coro Vocati, Saturday, April 6, 7:00 pm, Moore Chapel at Peachtree Road UMC, 3180 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta 30305. Heavenly Home: “Our Pilgrimage Journey” John Dickson, conductor. Whether born within the traditions of Southern Gospel songs, the seedbeds of the African-American spirituals, th
e Shaw-Parker arrangements of American folksong, or the rich hymnody of the Christian Church, we all find some music for the journey. $15 suggested concert donation / $5 students. For more information, visit corovocati.com.

8. The Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis, Luther Seminary, is the preacher on Day1, Sunday, April 7. Hear her sermon “Grace Upon Grace Love” based on John 12:1-8, at 7:05 a.m. on News 95.5 and 750 AM WSB. Day1 is broadcast over 200 radio stations in the U.S., Africa, and the Caribbean. Visit Day1.org for audio, text, and video resources.

9. “Passion of the Christ: The Musical Stations of the Cross,” Sunday, April 7, 7:00 pm, Peachtree Road UMC with Scott H. Atchison, organ; John Lemley, narration; Schola, antiphons. Peachtree Road has created a beautiful tradition with inspired organ improvisations, reflective settings, and live readings of scripture. $15 suggested concert donation / $5 students.

10. The HHS Partnership Center is hosting a timely series of webinars aimed at educating, equipping, and engaging faith communities on mental health issues. Part I: Mental Illness 101: What Are Co-Occurring Disorders? 12 p.m., Wed., April 10, Register here. The inaugural webinar will pay special attention to the current opioid crisis and how opioid use disorder could be masking mental health concerns.

11. Songs for all Seasons: Singing the Psalms through the Christian Year. Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. in Cannon Chapel, Emory University, a free musical event accompanying Pitts Theological Library’s new exhibition – Word for Word, Sense for Sense: The English bible in History & Worship. This program features performances by Candler School of Theology and Columbia Theological Seminary community members. Reception will follow in the Candler School of Theology atrium.

12. youthSpark 2019 Movers, Shakers, & Changemakers Friday, April 12, at 7 p.m., Atlanta’s City Hall Atrium, an evening of celebration, including live performances, a silent and live auction. 2019 sponsorship and host committee opportunities are available, please send an email to [e-mail] or call [phone].

13. “Chagall and the Sacred,” Opening Reception and Lecture, Sunday, April 14, 3 – 5:30 p.m., Still Point, 3755 Mansell Road, Alpharetta 30004. Free, please R.s.v.p. here.

14. Annual Palm Sunday Concert at Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 220 Auburn Ave., Atlanta 30303, features the Wendell Whalum Community Chorus. April 14, 4:00 p.m.

15. 2019 Spring Safety Symposium, Tuesday, April 16, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, 1000 Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30039. Alon Stivi, an international authority on unconventional security, violence prevention and survival, will join Safe America to discuss how all Americans can become active participants in their own security, and how to leverage technology solutions to help make our communities safer. Tickets.

16. Holy Week Tenebrae Service, April 17, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center, 6700 Riverside Dr. NW, Atlanta. Join a very special Wednesday Evening of Holy Week Tenebrae Service of Shadows. Through reflecting on scripture and song while gradually extinguishing candles until the chapel is in darkness, we delve deeply into the mystery of Christ’s passion and death, preparing our hearts for his triumph over darkness as the Light of the World on Easter Sunday. For more information go to IgnatiusHouse.org/lent-2019 or phone [phone]

17. The 39th annual Ecumenical Good Friday Pilgrimage, Urban Way of the Cross, is Friday, April 19, 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon. This walking prayer includes scripture readings, reflections, prayer, and music as we remember the passion of Christ and the social injustices in our world today. The 2 mile route is wheel chair accessible, but not all of the sidewalks are smooth or wide. The pilgrimage will begin at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 48 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SW, Atlanta 30303. Gather at 8:45 a.m. and begin the journey with an opening prayer and reflection by Auxiliary Bishop Joel Konzen. Contact Kat Doyle, Director of Justice & Peace Ministries, at [e-mail] for more information or to volunteer to read a reflection or carry the cross. ALL are welcome! More>>

18. Good Friday Living Stations of the Cross sponsored by the ministry of Christ Messengers from St. John Paul II Catholic Mission, Friday, April 19, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Thousands of people and more than 80 performers gather every year at Laurel Park on Good Friday to continue a tradition started 29 years ago. This journey is accompanied by a description of each station, meditation, and prayers in English and Spanish. Laurel Park, 3100 Old Cleveland Hwy., Gainesville 30506. The Messengers of Christ Ministry has about 90 members, ages 1 month to 60 years old, who love art and express their faith through their performances. This is a free event.

19. Many congregations are involved in prison ministry and have worked for criminal justice reform. Liberty County Re-Entry Coalition will hold a Faith & Prayer Breakfast in Hinesville, April 23, 8 a.m. Rev. Sinclair L. Thorne of First Calvary Baptist in Hinesville will speak. Information.

20. Ahavath Achim and Atlanta Jewish Community Relations Council invite you to the 9th Annual Atlanta Community Hunger Seder. This year’s theme is “Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.” During the meal you will hear stories about hunger in the Atlanta community and learn more about becoming an advocate for change. The $36 registration cost covers a fully catered, Kosher (Jewish dietary laws) meal. Everyone can participate, and kids are encouraged to join! April 24, 6 – 9:30 p.m. Register online at here. A delicious feast and empowered conversation will inspire us to take the words of our tradition and turn them into action.

21. Conflict Resolution Workshop- Develop interpersonal communication tools to prevent, resolve, and heal conflict through increased self-awareness, empathy, and personal responsibility. Basic/First Level Workshop, Saturday and Sunday April 27 and 28, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Emory Faculty Office Building, adjacent to Grady Hospital, Atlanta 30303. Register here.

22. Registration is open now for the 2019 Dorothy C. Fuqua Lecture hosted by Skyland Trail in partnership with Grady Healthcare on Wednesday, May 1, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Journalist Brenda Wood will lead a conversation with Sally Yates, former U.S. Deputy Attorney General, on the impact of the death of her father by suicide on her life followed by a panel discussion on how we change the conversation about mental health in order to connect people to treatment and prevent suicide. Register Now

23. Mark your calendar for Joy Night at First Baptist Church of Decatur. The second annual community gospel music celebration will be May 5 at 5 p.m. and will feature a variety of exciting musical groups. This free concert will be followed by a potluck meal.

24. U. S. Rep. John R. Lewis will be the speaker for the 174th Commencement exercises of Emory University’s Oxford College, Saturday, May 11, at 10 a.m. on the Oxford College Quad. Doug Hicks, Oxford’s dean and William R. Kenan Professor of Religion said, “We look forward to the inspiring words that this American hero and exemplar of justice and public service will share with the Oxford College community.” Full story.

25. We are month away from Hunger Walk Run 2019. Register soon.

26. aijcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Marthame Sanders. Featuring artists from a variety of media, it explores the connections between the artist and their art, their sources of and hopes for inspiration, and how it all tries to make the world a better place. Listen to part one of a program with Dr. Jeffery Tribble, Sr., musician, pastor, and professor at Columbia Theological Seminary by clicking on this link.

27. Childspring International provides life-changing surgeries for children from developing countries and, as a result, transforms communities. To date, Childspring International has provided medical care for more than 3,925 children who are living in developing countries. Would you like to help?

Remember that all events previously announced go into the Community Calendar on our website. Visit www.rccatl.org for the calendar, the Clergy Tool Box for Mental Health Ministry, and more.
Peace,
Ethel Ware Carter
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