Church Action eNewsletter Week of August 3, 2015

[RCCAtl]

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

Weekly Church Action eNewsletter Week of August 3,  2015

Some clues to an upcoming special treat for a few readers at the end of the eNewsletter.

1. Join ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and William B. Horne II, an ELCA member from Clearwater, Fla., for a live webcast conversation on the complexity and implications of racism Aug. 6 at 8 p.m. (CDT).  If you cannot tune in, see a recording at www.ELCA.org/webcast. Visit the ELCA website for a guide for leading conversations on race, ethnicity and culture. Read more about the 45-minute webcast here, where a link to the live webcast will be embedded. A live stream also will be available at www.Facebook.com/Lutherans.

2. The Rev. Sarah Fisher is the featured preacher Aug. 9 on "Day 1" with host the Rev. Peter Wallace, the nationally broadcast ecumenical radio program also accessible online at Day1.org. Fisher is associate rector at St. Patrick's, Dunwoody. Her sermon is "A Grand Dinner Party: God's Movable Feast."  Visit Day1 to hear or read the sermon or to find your local station.

3. Remember that the planning meetings for the 2016 Global Humanitarian Summit are every Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Unity North Atlanta Church, 4255 Sandy Plains Rd., Marietta 30066. The Global Humanitarian Summit, founded by Dr. Neil Shulman, is a gathering of humanitarians from all over the world and will take place March 18-20, 2016, at Unity North Atlanta Church in Marietta, GA. For more information see www.GlobalHumanitarianSummit.org or contact [e-mail], 770-843-0940.

4. The 100-voice Summer Singers of Atlanta presents Haydn’s The Creation this Sunday, August 8, 3 -.m. at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 731 Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30308. Tickets available at the door or online here. A reception will follow the performance.

5. Living Faith:  A Seeker's ABC's, Wellsprings Worship 2015, second and fourth Tuesdays, 7-8:30 p.m., Quaker Meeting House, 701 W. Howard St, Decatur, these evening worship gatherings draw from ancient and contemporary wisdom sources, offering a time for quiet stillness, singing and chanting, reflection with Scripture and other sacred texts, intimate prayer and conversation, and silent meditation in a contemplative space.  Come and find rest and nourishment for your weary soul.  Come when you can.  If you have questions email Kimberly at Deep Waters.

6. Grace Episcopal Church in Gainesville will host an ecumenical panel discussion titled Christianity beyond the Catchphrases at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 12. Clergy from five denominations will come together to model compassionate dialogue while sharing their perspectives of faith, spiritual leadership, community and theology. The panel discussion will be moderated and is open to the community.

7. In celebration of Episcopal Relief & Development's 75th Anniversary, the Cathedral of St. Philip will host the organization's traveling photo exhibition Aug. 13-31, all day. Featuring 33 iconic photos of Episcopal Relief & Development's work around the globe, the exhibition leads viewers through a vivid, intimate exploration of the organization's history and programs.

8. God’s Word & Christ Ministries invite you to the official church launch, 1st Church Anniversary, and 10^th Pastoral Anniversary Celebration, honoring Dr. Will D. Hayes, III, August 14-16.  On Friday, August 14^, at 7:30 p.m. at 661 Dill Avenue in Atlanta, celebrations start with a dynamic musical with guest artists and Pastor Yves McKenzie as Master of Ceremonies. On Saturday, at 7:00 p.m., the saints will celebrate with a formal banquet at the This Is It Corporate Event Center in Fayetteville. Dr. Marvin L. Crawford will be the speaker.  Sunday, August 16^, at 9:00 am at 661 Dill Avenue, the morning speaker will be Pastor Juandolyn Stokes and closing out the celebration at 2:30 p.m. on will be Bishop Quincy Carswell. Bishop J.D. Means, Sr. will be the Master of Ceremonies. For more information, please call 404-294-4775.

9. Meridian Herald Campground Service, Saturday, August 15, 6 -8 p.m., Epworth Church, 585 Madola Rd, Epworth 30541. With prophetic preaching, prayer, singing, and music, this camp meeting service will be held outdoors on Epworth's historic meeting grounds. Steven Darsey and the Meridian Chorale will provide music. Epworth is located nine miles northwest of Blue Ridge and 101 miles from Atlanta via I-75 and I-575. The service will move into the Epworth School in case of rain. Click here to let them know you are coming.  More about www.meridianherald.org

10. L’Arche Summer Celebration, Christ the King Cathedral, 2699 Peachtree Road, Atlanta 30305, Aug. 15. There will be BBQ, a corn hole tournament, and movie music trivia. All are welcome. Find out about L’Arche and its special mission at www.friendsoflarchatlanta.org

11. Atlanta Regional Commission Mixing the Old & New: Senior Centers for All, August 18,  9:00 a.m. – Noon,  at  St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 435 Peachtree ST NE,  Atlanta 30308.  This is a free event.  Please register here. Senior centers are important community assets.  As people live longer and more active lives, centers are faced with both challenges and opportunities. Learn how to create programs with meaningful and measurable results for all generations of older adults through the implementation of innovative practices and evidenced based programs in senior centers.   

12. The Care & Counseling Ministry at Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church will host a very beneficial 8-hour Mental Health First Aid Training on Saturdays, August 22 & August 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The registration cost is only $20 per person and it covers the cost of the resourceful mental health manual, a 2-year certificate, and several beneficial handouts.  Seating is limited and you can register on-line at www.pineygrovebapt.org or contact Pastor Herman Haynes,  [phone] or [e-mail]. 

13.  It's a Low Country Boil for Lutheran Campus Ministry Atlanta. They need your support. LCM serves GA Tech, Georgia State, Emory, and Agnes Scott. Come to this fun event on Saturday, August 22, at Living Grace Lutheran Church in Tucker, 1812 Cooledge Road, at 4 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person; anyone under 21 is admitted free! Tickets are available online at the LCM Atlanta webpage. Can you donate an auction item for the silent auction? Any questions, please contact Evelyn Cannon at [e-mail].

14. Christ Our Hope Lutheran Church, 2165 Highway 138 SE, Riverdale 302396, invites you to join them for a concert.  There will be a free-will offering to help support their music ministry.  Everyone is welcome! Saturday, August 22 at 5:00 p.m., concert will feature Voices of Hope from Christ Our Hope, joined by members of the St. John's Episcopal Church Choir, Mr. Bob Lawrence and the Praise Team from Reaps of Joy Outreach Ministries.

15. Jazz with Tia Rix and Friends August 28 at Episcopal Church of the Atonement, 4945 High Point Road, Atlanta 30342. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the concert will begin at 7:30. The concert is free. Invite your family and friends to Atonement for a wonderful evening of jazz and dessert. For more information or directions please call [phone].

16. The Lilburn Woman's Club seminar to help increase awareness, decrease misinformation, and provide resources for support of the survivors of suicide is coming up on Saturday, August 29, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Harmony Grove United Methodist Church, Pollard Hall, 50 Harmony Grove Rd, Lilburn, Georgia. Read all about it here.

17. Essentials in Benedictine Spirituality as dynamic tools of transformation, using recorded talks of the Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault at her Wisdom School, will be offered Thursday evenings this fall at Amerson House Spirituality Center at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Atlanta. Lisa Persons of Decatur, who holds an M.Div. from Candler School of Theology and has been involved in spiritual formation and retreat work for 20 years, will facilitate. Cost is $130, and scholarships are available. For more information, call Lisa Persons at 404-218-5527 or write to [e-mail]

18. September is Suicide Prevention Month; Sept. 7-13 is National Suicide Prevention Week. The American Association of Suicidology gives us a wonderful guide for creating action around suicide prevention, intervention, and follow-up. Take a look and see what small (or large) action you can take to make a difference.  Download the Suicide Prevention Week Information & Media Kit containing fact sheets, warning signs, public service announcements, publicity ideas, a press release script, a proclamation script, and references. Visit the AAS website (www.suicidology.org)  AAS Prevention Week Kit Find more resources in the CHIP website Creating Compassionate Congregations Tool Box for Mental Health Ministry.

19. Bishop Andy Doyle of the Diocese of Texas will speak at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Thursday evening Sept. 17, and will lead a morning session for clergy Friday morning. He is the author of Unabashedly Episcopalian and Church: A Generous Community Amplified for the Future, and he will speak also from his next book due in October. Read more>>

20. The Spirituality Program at the Center for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary is celebrating its 20^th Anniversary with the program Common Ground, Holy Ground, the weekend of September 18-19. Workshop details and weekend schedule can be found at ctsnet.edu/common-ground-holy-ground . For 20 years, the Spirituality Program at CTS has helped guide those seeking holy mystery and deep connection. Those who have completed the Certificate in Spiritual Formation, those who have taken select classes, and even those who have no experience of the program invited to explore its rich history and to take a look at its future. The celebration is open to all. Register for Common Ground, Holy Ground here

21. An evening of Gospel, Jazz, and R& B featuring Keni Myles, Saturday, September 19, at  7 p.m. at Cedar Grove United Methodist Church.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. - 3430 Bouldercrest Road, Conley 30288. Donation is $25 per person. Proceeds benefit 11 Historically Black Universities of the United Methodist Church. For tickets contact Jacque Johnson Smith [phone].

22. The Concert Series at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 634 West Peachtree Street, opens Sept. 21 with mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton; this concert will sell out. Read more about the series and get your ticket.

23. Support Camp Mikell at the annual Pig Roast Fundraiser, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at St. Aidan's Episcopal Church, Alpharetta. This third annual fundraiser will feature live music, including special guest Kristina Murray, children's activities, a silent auction, and more. Purchase tickets now here.

24. The American Baptist Historical Society will present the premiere showing of digitized films about American Baptist work among the Crow Indians in Lodge Grass, Mont., Friday, October 2, 7 p.m. Song of the Shining Mountains and Crow Indians on the Jesus Trail. ABHS, 2930 Flowers Road South, Suite 150, Atlanta 30341, Mercer University Administration and Conference Center. For information call [phone].

25. There is currently a great need for foster homes in Georgia. Someone you know may be interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent; please pass the word along. For more information about foster parenting in Georgia, visit this website or call 1-877-210-KIDS. Consider connecting your church to Promise686 to help spread the word about foster parenting.

26. Brady Radford is a counselor, community leader, and Associate Pastor at Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur.  As lead organizer for Create Community 4 Decatur: #BlackLivesMatter, Brady’s work involves helping clergy and lay leaders dismantle the walls of institutional supremacy and structural privilege in the City of Decatur and throughout Atlanta. Brady has been selected for a Beatitudes Fellowship. What is the Beatitudes Fellowship? Read more.

 

27. You’ve heard about it and we have a great surprise for a few lucky readers coming up in a week!!  Little Boy is the inspirational story of a 7-year old boy who is willing to do whatever it takes to end World War II so he can bring his father home. Starring Michael Rapaport and Emily Watson, the film was released in theaters a few weeks ago by Open Road. When auto mechanic James Busbee (Michael Rapaport) is sent to fight the Japanese during World War II, he leaves behind his wife (Emily Watson) and two sons, London (David Henrie) and Pepper (Jakob Salvati). Pepper feels his father's absence most keenly, and can't wait for him to return home. An encounter with a magician and advice from a priest convince Pepper that the power to bring his dad back safely may be within himself and his actions. Available on DVD/Blu-ray ™ on Tuesday, August 18 and Digital HD on Tuesday, August 4.

Peace,

Ethel Ware Carter

The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Inc.

[e-mail]

404-201-6448