Church Action eNewsletter Week of April 3, 2017

[RCCAtl]

Church Action eNewsletter Week of  April 3, 2017

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

website with Community Calendar

 

 

 

We will be happy to include your announcements in an upcoming eNewsletter. Send them to [e-mail].

 

Why is the Atlanta Interfaith Manifesto Important? Hear from the Rev. Joanna Adams, pastor emeritus at Morningside Presbyterian Church.  You can read the post and endorse the Manifesto by clicking www.atlantainterfaithmanifesto.org

 

1. Celebrate spring at the Seedtime and Harvest plant sale on Saturday, April 8, 10 to 2 at the Friendship Center at Holy Comforter Church, Ormewood Park. Shop for heirloom tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash and melons, herbs including six varieties of basil, annuals, and perennials for sun and shade. Visit with the gardeners, get gardening advice, and enjoy home-baked goods while you shop. All plants are organically grown.  737 Woodland Ave.SE, Atlanta 30316; [phone] holycomforter-atlanta.org 

 

2. The Rev. Delmer Chilton, interim pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Athens, Ga., is the featured preacher this week on Day 1. Hear “Living at Cross Purposes” in the Atlanta area on News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB at 7:05 a.m. 

 

3. Upcoming Simple Abundance Cooking Classes benefit the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Click on the chef’s name for all the info. Chef Spencer Gomez of Holeman & Finch will teach the April 10 class featuring delectable dishes with local ingredients.  April 17, Chef Chris Edwards of Restaurant Eugene will focus on seasonal ingredients. You won’t want to miss these!

 

4. The Center for Children & Young Adults announces the opening and tour of the High Tunnel Garden, Thursday, April 13, 10 a.m., 2221 Austell Road, Marietta 30008. CCYA is a group home for youth ages 12-21 who are homeless due to abuse, neglect, and abandonment. The garden program feeds over 100 youth each year. There will be 24 egg laying chickens soon. The garden was built by Cobb County Master Gardener volunteers. 

 

5. Leadership and Multifaith Program (LAMP) lecture April 18, 5-6 p.m., by Dr. Barbara A. McGraw on “Interfaith Leadership as Transformational Leadership.” She is director of the Center for Engaged Religious Pluralism and Professor of Social Ethics, Law, and Public Life at St. Mary's College of California. Free and open to the public, Poole Board Room, Wardlaw Building, Georgia Tech, 177 North Avenue NW, Atlanta 30313. Register on site or in advance by email at [e-mail]. More information is here.  

 

6. Face to Faith Lunch-Break, join FAMA for a lunchbreak conversation with people of various faith traditions and cultures, hearing stories, and meeting neighbors. Wednesday, April 19, 12 - 1:30 p.m., Al-Farooq Masjid of Atlanta, 442 14th St NW, Atlanta 30318. A dairy-vegetarian lunch will be served.  $10 donation. For more information, click here. 

 

7. Breaking Bread Together for New American Pathways, April 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Tapa Tapa, featuring award-winning Bright Futures afterschool and summer programs, which offer English literacy and academic support, character education, and enrichment to approximately 160 refugee students in grades K-8 at four DeKalb County schools. General admission $35; free for current volunteers and Freedom Circle members. For more information or reservations, see this event page. 

 

8. Join Legal Aid's Health Law Partnership April 20 at Shake It Up for HeLP, Health Law Partnership. Tickets and more information available here. 

 

9. Faith & Philanthropy: The Emerging Frontier is Friday, April 21, 2 – 4 p.m. at the Westin Buckhead Atlanta.  The panel will highlight leaders who are actively engaged in the faith-based community and familiar with the challenges of fundraising. They will provide valuable insight into the historical and progressive thought regarding the intersections of faith and philanthropy. Participants will get practical tips to effectively engage with the faith community; gain an appreciation for the ways in which faith fuels philanthropy; and be exposed to nonprofit faith-based fundraising models and knowledge of how partnerships can strengthen outreach. Registration is $45 and includes heavy refreshments. Register click here. 

 

10. Celebrate Earth Day on the water in Southwest Georgia by joining the Creation Care Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia for "Down to the River to Pray" on the Little River on April 22. Register with GIPL.  

 

11. March for Science, people of faith will stand with the science community on April 22. Meet Georgia Interfaith Power & Light at Candler Park in Atlanta and march along with GIPL's banner for the integrity of scientists that support our work of exploring, understanding, and protecting this wondrous Universe! Details here.

 

12. Be sure your congregants engaged in prison ministry know about If You Knew My Story: Changing the Game for the Justice-Involved – an all-day workshop in Atlanta on April 22, focused on helping the formerly incarcerated share stories with elected officials about the barriers they experience.  St. Philip AME Church. More information and registration is available at www.2017changethegame.com. 

 

13. We remind you of A Call to Action: Becoming an Upstander, an interactive workshop examining issues of implicit and explicit bias, offering skills to respond to insensitive or hateful comments in order to promote a more civil, respectful, and safe community. Sunday, April 23, 2 – 4 p.m., Northside Drive Baptist Church, 3100 Northside Dr NW, Atlanta 30305.  Presented by ADL, Islamic Speakers Bureau and Northside Drive Baptist Church There is no cost to attend however registration is required.  Register online here. 

 

14. “. . . And Still We Sing 2017” An evening with internationally renowned guest conductor and composer, Stacey V. Gibbs, and the Clark Atlanta University Choir and Philharmonic Society will be held on Tuesday, April 25, 7:06 p.m.  This free performance will be at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road, Buckhead.  The concert will also feature the Cascade United Methodist Church Chancel Choir and the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church of Atlanta J.R. Roberts, Jr. Men’s Chorus. For additional information call [phone] or [phone]. 

 

15. Georgia interfaith Power & Light supports the People's Climate March on Saturday, April 29 in Washington DC. You can join buses departing from Atlanta and Athens for only $75. Details can be found here. People of faith will march with the Greater Washington IPL. 

 

16. Fresh and Seasoned: an evening of food, music, art, and more, April 29, 4-7 p.m. A fundraising and volunteer appreciation event supporting the Friendship Center at Holy Comforter with performances by legendary blues singer Beverly “Guitar” Watkins, gumbo, “Make Us An Offer” art by Friendship Center participants and instructors, and much more.  St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 6780 James B Rivers Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain 30083. Call [phone] or Email  if you have questions. Buy your tickets online here.

 

17. Historic Friendship Baptist Church observes its 155^th anniversary this month with the theme “Continuing a Rich Tradition of Faith and Service to God and His People.” Friendship was founded in 1862 and is the oldest independent congregation of black Baptists in the city of Atlanta.  Throughout its 155-year history, the church has stood as a symbol of God’s power to elevate and give hope to a formerly dispossessed race.  Visit the website for details of the many opportunities to celebrate with Friendship Baptist including special services, volunteer activities, magnificent music, and nationally renowned preachers. For more information, contact the church office at [phone] or [e-mail].  

 

18. St. Mary’s Sewanee will offer a one-day introduction to Centering Prayer June 3.  The effect on those who practice this form of Christian silent meditation is an ever-increasing awareness of God’s action and presence in the course of ordinary life.  For more information click here.

19. Spend a summer at Koinonia Farm, May 1 is the deadline for applications for the summer internship. The term starts June 3 and ends August 12. Adults of all ages are invited to apply — college students, college graduates, soon to be college students, single people, married people, couples with children, single parents with children, etc. Spend a summer with learning, working, serving, and living in community. . ==> Learn more about the internship.  ==> Apply online for our internship program.

20. Save the date, May 6, for Sunflower Wisdom for Mothers and Daughters: Improving This Sacred Relationship. Event to be held at First Congregational UCC, 105 Courtland Street, Atlanta 30303. More details to follow.

 

21. Living and Learning Justice Project, May 8-12, the Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta is offering this one-week program to equip community leaders, faith leaders, and educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the complexity of racism with the ultimate goal of dismantling systemic racism. Click here to find out more and to register. 

 

22. Cooperative Baptist Fellowship offers discussion guides for exploring faith through good films—an ideal resource for small groups within the church, including Sunday school classes, senior adult outings, young adult gatherings, youth group trips, etc. Simply plan a theater visit, enjoy the movie and start the discussion.  Fences.

 

23. Rising to today’s challenge to protect and support immigrants will require strategic approaches and new skills. Faith in Public Life is offering a 60-minute rapid-response training and strategy webinar on Thursday, April 6, at 2:00 p.m EDT. You can register here.

 

24. Congratulations to Rev. Bonner. The National Black Book Festival saluted author Ronald Bonner, pastor of Lutheran Church of the Atonement in Atlanta, and his book, "No Bigotry Allowed: Losing the Spirit of Fear: Towards the Conversation About Race." This spirited volume is designed for those serious about discussing race in an intelligent and meaningful way, and is especially relevant in these turbulent political times.   Read about it on the ELCA Southeast Synod page.  

Visit our website for a complete community calendar, links to the Toolbox  for Mental Health Ministry, websites for daily devotionals, and many other resources.

 

Peace,

Ethel Ware Carter

The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Inc.

[e-mail]