Church Action eNewsletter Week of March 17, 2014

[RCCAtl]

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

   Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta 

 

1. The Rev. Lillian Daniel, author of “When ‘Spiritual But Not Religious’ Is Not Enough” will be a guest speaker at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta tonight, Wednesday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. Her newest book is a provocative case for why religious community matters. This is a great opportunity to hear Pastor Daniel's case for church. This is a public event and all are welcome. Parking is available in the 3rd St. garage and the 4th St. lot.  

2. A reminder that Dr. Carolyn Ann Knight will be at New Life Presbyterian Church March Gladness Revival, Wednesday, March 19, 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30.  6600 Old National Highway, College Park

3. Margaret Edson, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and author of "Wit," will present "Word Streams," an evening of narrative, dialogue, and scenes from the play, at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, March 20, at the Emory Conference Center Hotel, 1615 Clifton Rd., Atlanta. The event is free and open to the public. Edson's appearance is part of the 20^th annual conference of the Emory University Center for Ethics and the Healthcare Ethics Consortium.

4. On AIB, “RX for Life,” tune in for a look back at some memorable moments from Fulton County's interfaith health initiatives that empower the community with helpful information on diabetes, asthma, and much more. Also, hear about the latest medical research news and find out important information on the Affordable Care Act., Thursday, March 20, at 5:30 p.m., encore presentations Saturday at 4 p.m., Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. and Wednesday at 9 a.m.

5. Small Business Administration “Women Leading In Business Forum” on Thursday, March 20, 6 - 8 p.m., Beulah Heights University, 892 Berne Street in Atlanta. Register online at www.SBA.gov/ga to reserve your space. Scroll down to "Find Events and Workshops in Your Area." Then click on calendar to locate and register for the March 20.

6. Don’t forget Fr. Matt Linn, S.J., will speak on “Healing the 8 Stages of Life” at the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, downtown, on Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m. For more information call 404-521-1866 or see catholicshrineatlanta.org.

7. Kingdomwood Christian Film Festival will host Interfaith Networking on Thursday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. Kingdom-minded directors, producers, writers, actors, editors, set designers and more are invited to participate in faith-based panels, build production teams, watch new film trailers, and meet with Atlanta film professionals of all faiths. Bring your children to enjoy activities, coloring, and take-home prizes. Interfaith Networking, 2520 Park Central Boulevard, Suite D-1, Decatur  30035. For more information, contact Audrey Thomas at mailto:[e-mail] view the event page here.

8. It is not too late to purchase your ticket to the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Atlanta fund raiser. This event will be held at the Junior Achievement Chick-fil-A Foundation Discovery Center in Atlanta. Deadline to purchase your ticket or sponsor a table is tomorrow, Thursday, March 21. Contact Leisa Smith for information. [e-mail]

9. The Voice of Hope Gospel Choir, Reaps of Joy Outreach Ministries Praise Team, Fresh Anointing Dance Ministries, and violinist and composer Sedrick Benton will all be at Christ Our Hope Lutheran Church, 2165 Highway 138, Riverdale, Saturday, March 22, 6 p.m., for An Evening of Song II.

10. The Jung Society of Atlanta presents a lecture by John Martin, D. Min. on Saturday evening, March 22, 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church.  Dr. Martin is a retired Presbyterian minister whose lecture topic is: “Complexes: the Royal Road to the Unconscious.” Visitors - $20; Students - $10; Jung Society Members - free. 3003 Howell Mill Rd., NW, Atlanta 30327.  More information is at www.jungatlanta.com .

11. First AME Church, 2046 Richard Allen Lane SE, Atlanta will celebrate Men and Women's Day, Sunday March 23, during the 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. worship experiences.  The Reverend Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Georgia State House Representative District 91, will speak during the morning service and Mr. William "Bill" J. Taggart, President/CEO, Atlanta Life Financial Group,  will speak at the afternoon service of worship and praise. The community is invited to come and be blessed!

12. Sung Compline is offered at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Atlanta, at 8 p.m. on the second and fourth Sundays of the month from September through May. On March 23 the Compline Schola will sing works of Tallis, des Prez, and Byrd in the context of sung Compline.

13. Best known in the United States for the TV special “Simon Schama’s Power of Art” and his book on the French revolution, Schama is now giving us “The Story of the Jews.” Beginning March 25 on PBS, this five-part series will examine the history and cultural contributions of the Jewish people. As a historian and a Jew, Schama says this is his most personal film. Read more>>

14. Remember the Emory Law March 26 “Christianity and Human Rights” lecture series. The lectures begin at 12:15 p.m. in Emory Law School's Tull Auditorium and are free and open to the public, with a reception to follow. Read more>>

15. The Atlanta Regional Commission is hosting a public workshop to develop a community vision to guide the temporary transformation of two blocks of Auburn Avenue into a model Lifelong Community. Workshop attendees will share with their visions for a model Lifelong Community, i.e., outdoor cafés, benches, public spaces or better transportation choices.  Later in the spring, the vision will be translated into temporary reality and visitors to Sweet Auburn can see what a Lifelong Community looks like. March 26,, 4 – 8 p.m., Operation Hope, Ebenezer Community Resource Center, 2^nd Floor, 101 Jackson Street, NE, Atlanta.

16. The first international conference to examine the points of intersection and contention among the U.S. Civil Rights movement, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality movement, and black LGBT communities will take place at Emory University March 27-29. The “Whose Beloved Community? Black Civil and LGBT Rights” conference brings together scholars, activists, policy makers, and community leaders to advance a more comprehensive vision of justice.  The event is sponsored by Emory's James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference and the Emory Women's Center along with other university divisions and the Arcus and Ford Foundations. Full story at news.emory.edu »

17. The 20th-century choral masterworks concert, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 29, at the Cathedral of St. Philip explores pilgrimage and you may join in a walk of the labyrinth there from 5:30 until one hour after the concert.  For ticket information and more, click  here. You can also purchase tickets at the Cathedral Bookstore.  The outdoor Labyrinth is always open.

18. New time for the special Lenten musical presentation of John Rutter’s “Requiem” by the St. Andrews Concert Choir and a small instrumental ensemble,  March 30 at 4 p.m. at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church USA, 4882 LaVista Road, Tucker 30084. Call the office at [phone] if you need more information.

19. Public Theologians for Humanity and Interdenominational Theological Center’s Student Christian League will host a screening of the Sundance-selected film “God Loves Uganda” a powerful exploration of the fundamentalist evangelical campaign to change African culture with values imported from America’s Christian Right, Sunday, March 30, 4:00 p.m., in the ITC Chapel, 700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Atlanta. This screening is free and open to the public.  Donations will be accepted.  For more information on God Loves Uganda and to view a trailer visit www.godlovesuganda.com

20. The Georgia Festival Chorus will perform a program of  Brahms, Holst, Moses Hogan,  and more, Sunday, March 30, 6 p.m., at St. Catherine's Episcopal Church, Marietta. Performing "The Music of Memories," the 100-voice ensemble draws from a repertoire of classical, contemporary, spiritual, and traditional sacred choral works and is in its 70th year. The concert is free of charge.20

21. Archbishop Atallah Hanna from Jerusalem will speak on Sunday, March 30, 6:30 p.m., St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church, 2045 Ponce De Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta 303007. The event includes supper and lecture. Cost is $20. R.s.v.p. by March 25; please call, text or email your reservation to Rev. Fahed Abuakel, [e-mail] or 404-441-2702, or mail your check written to North Decatur Presbyterian Church to the NDPC Treasurer, Walton C. Bryde & Associates, PC, 2200 Century Parkway, Suite # 260, Atlanta, GA 30345 Archbishop Hanna is one of the authors of “Kairos Palestine;”  read his biography here.

22. “Cries for Mercy” Glenn Memorial March 30, 7 p.m., concert features the Glenn Chancel Choir and orchestra. The concert includes kyries of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven and the Beethoven “Mass in C,” along with commentary exploring the theological implications of this music by theologian-author Albert Blackwell.  For more information contact Nancy Buckhannan– [e-mail] [phone]. Steven Darsey will conduct. The two hour concert, with intermission, is free – an offering will be taken.  More info.Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, 1660 North Decatur Road, Atlanta – free parking. Directions.

23. Explore theological education at Emory/Candler School of Theology. Prospective students are invited to Table Talk at Candler on April 1; 6:30-8:00 p.m. for a casual dinner with Dean Jan Love, members of the admissions team, and current students. Dr. Elizabeth Corrie, Assistant Professor in the Practice of Youth Education and Peacebuilding, and Director of the Youth Theological Initiative, will give a talk entitled "Teaching Peace in Congregations." Register here.

24. The Black-Jewish Seder unites members of Atlanta’s Black and Jewish communities for a Passover meal to share in passionate conversation about their shared experiences. All are welcome.  Thursday, April 3, 6:30 p.m., The Temple, 1589 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta 30309.  The Seder will feature Father Jeffery Ott, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, and Rabbi David Spinrad, The Temple. R.s.v.p. today.  Click here  for price, more information, and registration.

25. Wellness through Healthy Living Fair at Hillside International Chapel and Truth Center, Saturday, April 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., free screenings, samples, and workshops. Hillside is at 24560 Cascade Road, Atlanta 30311.

26. Has science disproved God? Or do new scientific discoveries actually provide compelling support for faith? Find out at “Science and Faith: Are They Really in Conflict?”  with Oxford University professor John Lennox and bestselling author Stephen Meyer, two of today’s leading speakers and writers on the intersection between science and faith. Emcee will be noted author Eric Metaxas. Sunday, April 6, 2014, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Murray Arts Center, Mount Paran Christian School, Kennesaw. Tickets and more info https://actionpage.causeview.com/actionpage/51418201412010608

27. Looking for a meaningful Lenten service project for your group of Life-changers? Action Ministries Feed the Hungry is hosting a community food drive — Hunt for Food — on Saturday, April 12, from 12 to 4 p.m. at its warehouse located at 2160 Hills Ave. Ste. F, Atlanta  30318. Action Ministries is accepting donations of peanut butter, jelly, canned fruit ,and meat-based soups to provide hunger relief for north Georgia families. A special prize will be offered for the person/group who donates the most items. For more visit actionministries.net/ or contact Shakura Conoly at [e-mail].

28. “Everything That Rises Must Converge”, a play based on the short stories of Flannery O’Connor.  The play will be presented by Colombari, a theater group centered in New York and Orvieto, Italy on April 12, 7:00 p.m., Cannon Chapel, Emory University. A discussion with the actors and director will follow the play. Ticketing and other information soon.

29. Save the date for the Hunger Seder 2014, Tuesday, April 15, Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle, NW, Atlanta. The Jewish Community Relations Council Atlanta is co-sponsoring the Hunger Seder on the Second Night of Pesach. “All those who are hungry, come and eat.”  More next week on special volunteer opportunities.

30. The 34th annual Ecumenical Good Friday Pilgrimage sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta’s Office of Justice & Peace Ministries is scheduled for Friday, April 18. The pilgrimage will begin at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 48 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SW, Atlanta 30303.  Gathering begins at 8:45 a.m.; opening prayer by Archbishop Wilton Gregory is at 9 a.m. This event will be on our website shortly.

31. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly will be in Atlanta, June 23 – 27. Preregistration is open.  Civil rights champion and former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young will deliver the keynote address about the church’s mission in the world. You can register now here; check out other events at this year's Assembly, including activities for children, youth, and college students.

32. Wednesday Lenten Preaching Series at Holy Innocents’ features great local preachers, 805 Mt. Vernon Highway, NW, Atlanta 30327. Read more>>

33. Do remember to let your congregation know that VITA offers free tax preparation to low and moderate-income families to help them avoid costly income tax preparation fees. Earn less than $52,000 in 2013; live in the Greater Atlanta area? If you answered yes, you may be eligible to have your taxes prepared and filed free by a trained volunteer. Click here to find a VITA site near you.

34. Congratulations to Trey Clegg and the Choir of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on their selection by the Walt Disney Corp. to record a special rendition of the theme song “It’s a Small World”  on its 50th anniversary. See photos and scroll down to the bottom of the page to see and hear the taping here.

35. Did you read about Atlanta’s Interfaith Airport Chapel in the New York Times? The Chaplaincy program was begun by the Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta (former name of the Regional Council of Churches) in 1980. Here’s the story.

Peace,

Ethel Ware Carter

The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Inc.

[e-mail]

404-201-6448