Church Action eNewsletter Week of June 27, 2011

[RCCAtl]

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

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The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta is a partner in C.H.I.P. an interfaith and community-based group whose purpose is to build and nurture a coalition in which public, private, non-profit agencies, and faith communities work collaboratively to assure that every person, family, and community in Georgia have meaningful access to the full range of information and services related to mental and addictive illness including awareness, prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services. See a list of current partners and read more at RCCAtl.org Contact us if your congregation or agency would like to hear more [e-mail].



1. Independence Day holiday weekend at the Cathedral Farmers Market, July 2, will feature live music, a special healthy eating program for kids, and your favorite farmers, artists and food creators. It's the perfect place to bring out-of-town guests. The Market is open every Saturday in the Cathedral of St. Philip parking lot, 2744 Peachtree Road, Atlanta 30305, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, rain or shine.



2. The summer series on justice in Georgia at Central Presbyterian Church continues this week, July 3, with Standing Next to the Person No One Else Will Stand Next To (Capital Punishment in Georgia) with William Montross, Senior Attorney, Southern Center for Human Rights. Details here...



3. Safe America Foundation is working with area churches to provide driver education training and will give a discount of $50 off the full price of $459. For the next few weeks there is an additional offer of $75 off which brings the price to $384. Please contact the registrar at 770-973-7233 ext 239 or go to www.drivers.safeamerica.org.



4. The Southeastern Institute on Chemical Dependency is now offering new "day rates" for the Summer Institute on Addiction at Simpsonwood July 9-16, 2011. This will make it possible for you to register only for the day(s) that fit into your schedule. The fee for a full day is $65 and includes breakfast and lunch. The fee for Sunday July 10 classes, which begin at 2:00 p.m. and include dinner, is only $45. The registration deadline is July 5, so please go to www.thesicd.org review the information and register now. For more information, email [e-mail] or call Jewell Meringer at 678-525-2692. Direct link to schedule



5. Signs of Praise 10th Annual Mime Concert will be Sunday, July 10, 5 – 8 p.m., at Big Bethel AME Church, 220 Auburn Avenue, Atlanta 30303.



6. Focused Ministries Presents Mission Possible - The Assignment Is NOT Too Difficult! Women's Conference on July 23, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at Sardis Baptist Church, 2741 S. Main Street NW, Kennesaw 30144. For more information or registration go to www.focusedministries.org or contact Jackie Jenkins at 770-592-0735 or [e-mail]



7. Care and Counseling Center of Georgia has offered a monthly workshop for engaged couples at The Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road, Atlanta 30305, since 1985. Research has shown that couples who participate in premarital education have more realistic expectations, handle conflict better, and have improved communication skills. This investment will pay dividends in the future. Workshops are open to all denominations. The workshops are from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. each month and each couple receives a notarized certificate which entitles them to a reduction in the Georgia marriage license fee along with a free one-year check up. For registration, please contact the Care and Counseling Center of Georgia at [e-mail] or [phone], Extension 400.


8. Items are sought for a fund-raising yard sale to be conducted July 30 by the Emmaus House Senior Strollers. Any gently used items are welcomed, but especially small electronics, children's clothing and toys, large-size men's and women's clothing, shoes, jackets, small furniture, household items including dishes, towels, and sheets - and used computers. Limited pick up is available. To donate tax-deductible items by July 16, contact Riva Edmonds, 770-896-2980 or [e-mail]

Read about Emmaus House here...

9. Understanding Asset Building Programs and the Myriad of Rules Governing Federal SSI/SSDI, Medicaid, Medicare & Related Work Incentives for People with Disabilities. This 4-hour workshop will give participants a basic understanding of many benefit programs offered by the local, state and federal government. If you are working with someone with a disability, you won't want to miss the most up-to-date information. Wednesday, August 3, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Atlanta Community Food Bank, 732 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd., Atlanta 30318. Registration is required by July 29. Register here...

10. Cobb Collaborative training opportunities in August and September include August 30, Ten Building Blocks for Successful Nonprofit Operations and Red Flags to Heed from 11:30 am to 1:30 a.m.; and September 27, Building Your Board of Directors: Is the Foundation Solid? from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. Contact Ruth Radhuber for registration at [e-mail] or call 770-514-7212. Workshop location is The Mansour Center, 995 Roswell Street, Marietta GA

11. Save the Date for the Suicide Prevention Conference which will be held in Macon September 8-10. This is the 10th anniversary of the state suicide prevention plan. Full details will be announced in August.

12. 9/11/11 Interfaith Gathering, Sunday, September 11, 2011, at 5 p.m., the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. Open to all and free of charge, the event will be held in the ballroom of the Decatur Hotel and Conference Center, 130 Clairemont Road, Decatur. The planning committee includes Atlantans from a variety of faith expressions, including Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, and Muslims. The event will remember those who died on September 11, 2001, while seeking to shift our combined energies toward the building of relationships between faith communities and across lines that have divided us in the past. To become an endorsing/supporting organization, contact the 9/11/11 Interfaith Planning Committee through Jan Swanson, Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta, at [e-mail] or 404-622-3399. More on the event later.

13. You will want to save the dates for a conference at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, October 10-12, 2011, entitled The Art of Preaching in the 21st Century. Organized by Dr. Tom Long, the speakers include Dr. Long, Otis Moss III, Teresa Fry Brown, James C. Howell, Anna Carter Florence, Gary V. Simpson, Claudio Carvalhaes, and P. Alice Rogers. Information and registration here...

14. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is the only organization devoted solely to stopping the commercial exploitation of children. Read about it...

15. The Fund for Theological Education has named the Rev. Stephen Lewis as the organization’s next president. Lewis has eight years of program experience at the Fund, guiding teams that advance its mission to identify, support, and develop gifted and diverse young leaders for the church and society. Lewis has also played a pivotal role in creating and managing new initiatives to engage congregations, higher education partners, church-related organizations and civic leaders in practices that call and cultivate outstanding leaders. The Fund for Theological Education, Atlanta-based, national, and ecumenical, is dedicated to identifying a new generation of talented, diverse Christian leaders to renew the church and change the world through vocations in pastoral ministry, theological scholarship, and community service. Visit www.fteleaders.org for more information.

16. You might be interested in these online denominational publications.

The Lutheran is the magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Fellowship from the cooperative Baptist Fellowship

United Methodist Church offers a number of online publications including devotional and mission material.

By Faith from the Presbyterian Church in America

The Cumberland Presbyterian

Perspectives from the Presbyterian Church USA



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Peace,



Ethel Ware Carter