Church Action eNewsletter Week of December 18, 2017

[RCCAtl]

Church Action eNewsletter
Week of December 18, 2017
God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.
Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

Prepare ye the way of the Lord.

The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta eNewsletter will take a break the week between Christmas Day and the end of the year. Remember the community calendar on www.rccatl.org has listings of many events.

1. FAMA invites folks 8 years and older to join the interfaith community for an evening of service at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, 732 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. NW, Atlanta 30318. Wednesday, December 20, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. If you would like to register sign up here.

2. There are years when we hurt at Christmas, and we struggle to join in the festivities. And, we need to know that we are not alone. This is a reminder of the Cathedral of St. Philip Blue Christmas Service on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 6:30 p.m. in St. Mary’s Chapel. For questions contact Dr. Bill Harkins at [e-mail] or [e-mail] or Canon Wallace Marsh [e-mail]

3. St. James United Methodist Church, 4400 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta 30342, will offer a Longest Night service at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21. Designed especially for those who have experienced loss, or for whom the holiday season is a difficult one, this service of reflection includes readings, music, and time for silent prayer. The service will last until 7:00 p.m. and worshippers are encouraged to come and go as they feel led. All are invited to join in a moment of peace and hope as we look forward to Christmas.

4. The Atlanta Jazz Chorus and First Church present an annual favorite The Holiday Jazz Vespers, Dec. 22 and 23, at 7:30 p.m., featuring vocalists Kathleen Bertrand and Alex Lattimore with special guest artist TC Carson, pianist Gary Motley, the Atlanta Jazz Chorus, and the 3rd Sunday Band, Dwight Andrews, artistic director. First Congregational Church, 105 Courtland Street, Atlanta 30303.
5. The Rev. Ernest Brooks III, president of the Academy of Preachers based in Atlanta and Lexington, Ken., is the featured preacher Dec. 31 on “Day 1” with host Peter Wallace, the nationally broadcast ecumenical radio program also accessible online at Day1.org. Visit the website to hear or read the sermon and find many other resources. Broadcast locally at 7:05 a.m. on News 95.5 and 750 AM WSB.
6. On December 31, 1862, Americans of African descent gathered together on Freedom’s Eve to await the news that the Emancipation Proclamation had become law. At midnight, according to Lincoln’s promise, all slaves in the Confederate States were legally free. Atlanta Friends participate in this tradition each year with a worship service at the Meetinghouse at 11:15 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, following a light potluck of finger food snacks starting at 10:30. All are invited. For more details, contact Bert Skellie at [e-mail] or 404-378-5883.

7. Traditional Watch Night services will be held in many churches including Mt. Carmel Baptist, 2755 Campbellton Road and 768 Martin Street; Cascade UMC, 3144 Cascade Road; Ebenezer Baptist, 101 Jackson Street; combined service Providence Missionary Baptist and Ben Hill UMC at Ben Hill, 2099 Fairburn Road SW.

7. Jubilee Day: The Annual Atlanta NAACP Observance of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. Come together "to remember, reflect, and refocus” as a people of faith who seek justice for all. January 1, 2018 at 11:00A.M.Cascade United Methodist Church, 3144 Cascade Road S.W., Atlanta, Georgia.
8. The Rev. Dr. Patrick Keen, pastor of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wis., is the featured preacher Jan. 7 on “Day 1.” “Taking Baptism Seriously,” Keen’s sermon is based on the account of the baptism of Jesus found in Mark. “Day 1” has been broadcast every week for more than 72 years with outstanding preachers from the mainline denominations. Check the program’s website, http://day1.org for more and hear this sermon on News 95.5 and 750 AM WSB at 7:05 a.m. on Sunday.
9. Pathways Theological Education, Southeast Conference UCC, is now taking registrations for Lifelong Christian Faith Formation which will begin Jan. 10. Read more>>

10. Advocacy Workshop - 2 Sessions, Wednesdays, January 10 and 17, 7 to 8:30 p.m., St. Bede's Episcopal Church, 2601 Henderson Mill Road, Atlanta 30341. Please let them know if you plan to be there call [phone]. If you are concerned about mental health, criminal justice, mass incarceration, the death penalty, domestic violence, equal rights, racism, and immigration now is the time to get involved. The Legislative Session begins January 8. Be prepared to contact your policy maker. Learn to tell them the issues and facts important to you so they will listen and act. Speak up for those who struggle to speak for themselves. Join your voices with organizations and others who have similar concerns.

11. The Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, senior pastor of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, will give a lecture in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Emory University School of Law on Thursday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. in the law school’s Tull Auditorium, Gambrell Hall, 1301 Clifton Rd. Warnock’s lecture will be followed by a reception. Free parking will be available after 4 p.m. in the Lowergate South Parking Deck, 1705 Lowergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322. Admission is free, but attendees should RSVP at bit.ly/2018mlkday.

12. Gregory Ellison II, Fearless Dialogues: A New Movement for Justice, will be at the History Center Jan. 11 for a reception and talk. Fearless Dialogues creates unique spaces for unlikely partners to engage in hard heartfelt conversations on taboo subjects. Reception at 7 p.m.; talk at 8 p.m. Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta 30305. Click here for more Information and to RSVP

13. A new exhibit at Pitts Theology Library at Candler School of Theology, Emory, focuses on John Wesley’s founding of the Methodist tradition and its history in America. “Religion of the Heart: John Wesley and the Legacy of Methodism in America” runs through March 9, open during library hours. Guided tours will be Fridays at 1 p.m. on Jan.12, Jan. 26, Feb. 9, Feb. 23, and March 9. Sign up for a tour. The exhibit includes materials connected to John and Charles Wesley’s childhood home, their time at Oxford University, their sojourns to the colony of Georgia, and their religious experiences of 1738. The exhibit also explores how preaching, hymns, and organizational structures of Methodism played a role in the movement’s success. Many of the materials are being shown for the first time. Full story >>

14. St. Catherine's Concert Series is free of charge (a freewill offering will be taken) and open to the public, to enable all to enjoy excellent musicians, experience an increased love of music, and in the hope that young people will consider music for their career and enjoyment. The concerts offer "living footnotes", where the musicians share their thoughts about the music with the audience, and the post-concert reception, where the audience has a chance to meet and speak with the artists. The Summit Trio, made up of three musicians on the faculty at Kennesaw State University, will be in concert at St. Catherine’s, 571 Holt Road, Marietta 30068, Sunday, January 14, 4-5:30 p.m.

15. Neshama Interfaith Center presents “Morning of Reflection: All the Great Religions of the World, " Monday, January 15, 9 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., Ignatius House, 6700 Riverside Drive NW, Atlanta 30328, In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, women and men of all faiths and backgrounds are invited to Ignatius House to unplug for the day and reflect on what Dr. King called "A New Definition of Greatness." Guest speakers Fr. Jeffery Ott, Rabbi Ellen Nemhauser and Mr. Kemal Korucu will offer some thoughts on the legacy of Dr. King from the perspective of their own faith traditions.

16. The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development, St. Mary’s, Sewanee, will offer Introduction to Centering Prayer Jan. 27. The introductory workshop is an opportunity to learn about the contemplative life and centering prayer as a discipline of prayer. The format is an all-day session with opportunities to experience Centering Prayer. For more information click here
An eight-day centering prayer retreat will be held Jan. 28 – Feb. 4. This retreat is an opportunity for practitioners of Centering Prayer to deepen their contemplative journey in the contemporary world. For more information click here

17. Georgia Interfaith Power & Light plans its first Green Team Summit in 2018 because we all need sustenance for the journey. And the GIPL team is here to provide Creation care champions sustenance for the earth-honoring journey. Join new and old green friends for the Jan. 28 Green Team Summit. Click HERE for details & registration.

18. Antioch Baptist Bible College Spring 2018 schedule is announced. The schedule includes a new Biblical Greek class. Read more here.

Visit our website for a complete community calendar, links to the Toolbox for Mental Health Ministry, websites for daily devotionals, and many other resources. And, send us your announcements to [e-mail].

Peace,
Ethel Ware Carter
The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Inc.
[e-mail]