Church Action eNewsletter Week of September 8, 2014

[RCCAtl]

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

   Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta 

 

 

This is World Suicide Prevention Day.  A list of the suicide prevention coalitions in the state have been placed in the Creating Compassionate Congregation Clergy Tool Box for Mental Health Ministry on the Prepare page. www.ChipGeorgia.com

1. Join us in welcoming Dr. Denise Bell, the new regional minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Georgia. Find out more about her and the Georgia Disciples at GaDisciples.org

3. The Seedtime and Harvest Greenhouse and Gardens of Holy Comforter Church, 737 Woodland Ave. SE, Atlanta 30316, 404-627-6510,  is holding its first plant sale of the season on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fall is the time for planting perennial flowers and shrubs. There will be beautiful daylilies, irises, cannas, and hostas; acuba, crape myrtle, and forsythia; groundcovers, herbs, and fall vegetables. As always, everything is organic - and baked goods will be available too. Come and shop the bounty.

4. Dr. Alex Evans, senior pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Va., is the featured preacher on Day1 September 14. His sermon, based on Matthew 18:21-35, is entitled "Forgiving from Your Heart." Hear his sermon and an interview with host the Rev. Peter Wallace. Listen to the Day1 Weekly Broadcast every week on an affiliate near you. View Station List

5. The Baptist Branch of the Family Tree: Exploring Faiths with Dr. Loyd Allen at Atlantic Institute, Tuesday, September 16, 7 p.m., Holiday Inn, 909 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell 30076. Suggested donation of $10 at the door. Light refreshments will be provided. This event is open to everyone, but space is limited! Please register now! Register

6. First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta Lunchtime Concert Series, 1328 Peachtree Street, Peachtree and Sixteenth Streets, Atlanta 30309. 12:15-12:45.  

September 17, Stuart Stephenson, Mike Tiscione, trumpets

September 24, Indra Thomas, soprano, Rolando Salazar, piano

October 1, Jens Korndörfer, organ

Concerts are free and all are welcome!

7. Walk of Heroes 5k presented by the DeKalb Community Service Board and Brighter DeKalb Foundation is in its eighth year. This year's event ambassador is Mental Health Advocate and WNBA standout Chamique Holdsclaw. Saturday, Sept. 20, race starts at 8:30 a.m., Oakhurst Community Center, 630 East Lake Drive Decatur 30030. This annual event raises funds to help those challenged with mental illness, substance addictions, and developmental disabilities.  For more see www.walkofheroes5k.com Learn more about DeKalb Community Service Board services and programs at dekcsb.org and Brighter DeKalb Foundation at  brighter-dekalb-foundation

8. Apostle Benny Momoh and Overcomers Christian Fellowship, 7373 Covington Highway, Lithonia, Georgia, will host an Entrepreneur Recognition & Community Impact Day on Sunday, September 21, at 10 a.m. , to recognize individuals who have successfully started and sustained their own businesses operating locally, nationally, or internationally.  More than twenty-five other business leaders present will provide attendees with information regarding starting their own business ventures as well as employment opportunities.  If you would like more information, contact the church at [phone] or send an email to Sharon Hill at [e-mail]. 

9. Attention, bowlers! Simple Needs GA  is offering an easy and fun way to help children and families in need. Just come to the annual bowling event on Sept. 28 at AMF Marietta Lanes.The goal of this special event is to raise money and collect donated items for three programs geared toward uplifting the lives of disadvantaged people in Cobb County. My Birthday Matters brings new birthday presents to disadvantaged schoolchildren as well as homeless kids living in shelters. Shoe Them Love helps families buy new shoes for children who might otherwise have to wear hand-me-downs. Simple Household Needs provides cleaning supplies and other household necessities to needy families. AMF Marietta Lanes is located at 565 Cobb Parkway, Marietta 30060. Bowling starts sharply at 2 p.m. For more information, email [e-mail] and visit   here  to find out all about it.

10. With Loving Concern –Medicine Knows No Religious Boundaries: An Atlanta InterFaith Leaders Fellowship Joint Meeting with the Interfaith Community of Clarkston, Sunday, Sept.  28, 3 – 5 p.m., celebrating the development of the Clarkston Community Health Center and the AILF’s ongoing relationship with the Clarkston community.  Christ Community AME Church, 4145 East Ponce de Leon Ave., Clarkston 30021. The Rev. Calvin O. Adams is welcoming us to this church. Following the formal program share a meal and further conversation. No registration is required and there will be no charge for dinner. Clarkston community members are invited to be guests of the AILF. Other AILF members will be invited to make contributions towards the cost of the dinner with surplus funds, if any, to be contributed to the Clarkston Community Health Center.

11. The AMIS and Kiwanis Club Welcome Concert and Reception 2014 for International Students will be on Sunday, September 28, 4:30 p.m., at Spelman College Sisters Chapel with a performance by the Atlanta Opera.  Governor Deal has proclaimed September 28 as International Student Day and Mayor’ Reed’s office will welcome them personally. You are invited! Click here for the flyer with directions 

12. Zen Jesus: A Buddhist-Christian Conversation on the Parables & Teachings of Christ: A Wine & Wisdom Class Series at Emory Presbyterian Church, Fellowship Hall, 1886 North Decatur Road, N.E., Atlanta 30307; 3 Tuesday Nights – September 30; October 7 & 14; 7:00 – 8:30 P.M. each night. Convened by the Rev. J. Thomas Buchanan, Associate Pastor of Emory Presbyterian Church, with special guest Geshe Dadul Namgyal, Senior Resident Teacher at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta, a staff translator/interpreter at the Emory-Tibet Partnership, and the auxiliary English language translator for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Many Christians have found deep wisdom in the teachings of Buddhism, and leading Buddhists have long been inspired by the teachings of Jesus. In this series, examine Jesus’ message, and particularly his parables, as a remarkable meeting ground for these two great traditions toward the end of mutual understanding and enrichment. Whatever your background is, you will see Jesus in a whole new – and enriching – light! The series is free and open to the public. Voluntary donations accepted to help defray the costs of wine and refreshments.

13. For your next Happy Hour. . . The Care and Counseling Center of Georgia has a new therapist, Stephanie Foxman, offering a FREE yoga class the first Thursday of every month at 5:00pm.   A Certified Iyengar Yoga instructor, Stephanie offers the class to clients, friends, family, folks from the neighborhood, anyone with an interest in yoga. For a list of this and other classes see cccgeorgia.org The Center is at 1814 Clairmont Road Decatur, GA  30033 and for more information call Stephanie Foxman 404-636-1457, extension 421. [e-mail]

14.  “Left Behind”, the bestselling saga by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, returns to the big screen October 3. Starring Nicolas Cage, the apocalyptic action-thriller “Left Behind: The End Begins” follows the "Tribulation Force" in the few hours following the Rapture. To request study material for you group or information on group ticket sales, please contact Jesse Brooks at [e-mail]. More information can be found leftbehindmovie.com.

 

15. Mental Health First Aid Training at Holy Comforter Church, October 3, “You are more likely to encounter a person in an emotional or mental crisis than someone having a heart attack. Mental disorders are more common than heart disease and cancer combined.” The Friendship Center at Holy Comforter Church in East Atlanta in connection with GA Mental Health Consumer Network will host MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING on Friday, October 3 from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Those who take the course to certify as “Mental Health First Aiders“ learn a 5 step action plan encompassing the skills, resources, and knowledge to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate care.   See www.MentalHealthFirstAid.org for more information. There is no fee for the class but registration is required and is first-come first-serve. Attendees are asked to bring a lunch. Drinks will be provided.  Please register by Friday, September 26. To register, email Liz Mitchell at [e-mail] or call 404-627-

16. Exploring Appreciative Inquiry and Non-violent Communication — opportunities to learn, pray, reflect and share guided by Ms. Lea Robinson and The Rev. Lynnsay Buehler, Saturday, October 4, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. The Julian of Norwich Center, St. Bede’s Episcopal Church, 2601 Henderson Mill Rd. Atlanta, GA 30345. Call 770-938-9797 x27 to register. Fee $40; Lunch provided.

17. The Keenan’s Kids Foundation, located in Atlanta, has a mission to improve the daily lives of children with safety as it’s number one priority.   The Foundation has taken on a special project and is requesting the support of local churches.  The Murphy House Project, is named after a family with 17 adopted special needs children.  The Foundation is raising money to help provide a safety net for the children to secure their future and remain together as siblings in the home that the community helped to build.  You can help by participating in an Applebee’s Flapjack breakfast at specified locations where proceeds will benefit the Murphy House Project.  For more information on tickets and locations, please call Connie Sloane at 404-223-5437. Ticket price $7.00 - For tickets and info email [e-mail] locations and dates:

6727 Tara Blvd, Jonesboro, GA 30236 – Oct. 4, 2014 8:00-10:00 am

3676 Hwy. 138 SE, Stockbridge, GA   30281 - Oct. 11, 2014 8:00-10:00 am

815 Industrial Blvd, McDonough, GA 30253 – Oct. 18, 2014 8:00-10:00 am

3690 Cascade Rd., Atlanta, GA  30331- Nov. 8, 2014 – 8:00 -10:00 am

189. The Ugly Pants Open returns Monday, Oct. 6, at Dogwood Golf Club, Austell. To register for this tournament, which benefits Path To Shine, an afterschool enrichment program for low-income children, click here. See photos from last year's event, too. Ongoing supporters include Carolina Lumber Co., Jonquil Sporting Goods, and Nuestros Niños. Path To Shine is a self-sustaining ministry of St. Benedict's Episcopal Church with affiliates across the state of Georgia.

19. The Flannery O’Connor Lecture 2014 brought to us by the Aquinas Center is "Flannery O'Connor with Her Irish Up" by Dr. Bryan Giemza, Director of the Southern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina, October 7, 7:30 p.m., Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Claudia Nance Rollins Building, P-Level Auditorium (Ground floor) 1518 Clifton Road., Atlanta 30322 Tickets: Reserve online

20. Music group, "Life Sentence", will perform at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2461 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, on Thursday, October 9, at 7 p.m. This production chronicles the story of Clarence Harrison, the first wrongfully convicted person to be freed from prison thanks to the efforts of the Georgia Innocence Project.   Musicians Melanie Hammet and Ben Holst wrote the music for their album, "Life:20/20" to raise funds and awareness for Georgia Innocence Project.  This performance will feature music from their album and Clarence Harrison will share his inspirational journey.   Suggested donation is $15.00.   Reception to follow performance.   For more information, contact Karen Turney, [e-mail].

21. First Step Staffing invites the community to INSPIRE a reception honoring founder Greg Block and local homeless community leaders, Tuesday , October 21, 5:30 p.m., the Carter Center. Ticket information.

22. Clergy members are not immune to depression or suicide. If anything, clergy members are an under-represented population in terms of traditional mental health outreach. Can we support our clergy in a manner that is truly helpful? Essay from Marty Duran on pastors who commit suicide here.

 

Peace,

Ethel Ware Carter

The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Inc.

[e-mail]

404-201-6448

 

Our mailing services are graciously provided by CombineWork.com