Church Action eNewsletter Week of February 13, 2017

[RCCAtl]

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

Church Action eNewsletter Week of  February 13, 2017

 

1. Our country is home to people of every race, color, creed, and faith tradition, and all are inextricably woven into the fabric of our great nation. Our faith calls us to stand up for our immigrant brothers and sisters.  Join Faith in Public Life Saturday, Feb. 18, in a vigil for immigrants at the Latin American Association, 2 p.m., 2750 Buford Hwy., Atlanta 30324. R.s.v.p. here.

2. Movie & Dinner at Alif Institute, 3288 Marjan Drive, Atlanta 30340. Hassan and Marcus, Friday, Feb. 17, 7 for dinner, movie starts at 7:45. The movie is free, dinner is $18. To reserve a meal (veg. available) R.s.v.p. by Feb. 16, Call [phone] or Email [e-mail]. A 2008 comedy drama starring Adel Imam, Omar Sharif, and Lebleba. When the lives of a Muslim Sheikh and a Christian Priest are threatened by extremists, the Egyptian government inducts them into a witness protection program requiring them to disguise themselves as a Christian and a Muslim, respectively. A story of friendship, romance, prejudice, and persecution.

3. Day 1 features the Rev. Russell Levenson Jr, rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, Feb. 19, 7:05 a.m. on WSB AM 750 and News 95.5 in the Atlanta area.  A great story teller, Levenson entitles his sermon “How Do You Love Thee?”  For more information visit Day1.org. 

4. The 2017 Bread for the World Offering of Letters: Doing Our Part to End Hunger will help you and your church urge Congress to make funding decisions that put us on track to end hunger by 2030. Kits will be available in March and can be ordered from the Bread store. All will be available for download, too. Start learning about the issues and planning your letter-writing event with resources now available on the website here. Hear from the staff at Bread on a nation-wide call Tuesday, Feb. 21, 4 p.m., about this year’s campaign. Register for the call here.

5. A reminder of the Tuesday, 1-3 p.m., Feb. 21, State of Georgia Dept. of Community Supervision Clayton County Prison Reentry Initiative.  This meeting will feature service providers, state agencies, elected officials, community members and keynote speaker Judge Steve Teske.  Essential for congregations doing reentry ministry.  Emmanuel Baptist Church, 230 Highway 138, Riverdale 30274. For more information, contact Toni Watkins (404) 985 -8758 or [e-mail]. 

6. Women Leadership in the Catholic Church: A Conversation with Dr. Carolyn Woo, from the Aquinas Center, former dean of the Notre Dame Mendoza Business School and president of Catholic Relief Services, USA, named one of the 500 most powerful people on the planet by Foreign Policy Magazine, Thursday, Feb. 23, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m., Rollins School of Public Health, Claudia Nance Rollins Building, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta 30322. Look for the blue banner for Visitor Parking, 4 Rollins Way. Take inspiration from the story of Woo’s faith journey and her role as a worldwide humanitarian leader. Explore what it means for you to make an impact and serve in today’s church. 

7. Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church and The Mustard Seed Project host Love They Neighbor: Islam and Christianity, Living Alongside and Learning From One Another, Saturday, Feb. 25, Everett’s Music Barn, 4055 Stonecypher Road, $10, lunch provided. Register at mustardseedsuwanee.org or email [e-mail]

8. Mardi Gras celebrations all around… what’s up at your congregation?

St. Anne’s will have live music and a Low Country Boil, Feb. 25, Adults only. Pre dinner festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. R.s.v.p. and pay by Feb. 18 to the church office at 3098 St. Anne's Lane, Atlanta 30327, or to Scott Miller at [e-mail]. Make $30 checks payable to St. Anne’s and write “Mardi Gras” in the memo line.

Lake Oconee Community Church will celebrate Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. with chicken pies, $5 per person collected at the door. Reservations close Friday, Feb. 24.  Upon registering if you do not receive a confirmation email, your R.s.v.p. was NOT successful. Get more information

9. 2^nd Annual Heart 2 Heart brunch and panel raising awareness about cardiovascular health in black women in light of health disparities presented by HEALing Community Center in partnership with Spelman College.  A panel of experts will be featured in a question and answer session regarding the state of heart health in Black women and what women need to know about cardiovascular diseases. Presentations, screenings, giveaways. Saturday, Feb. 25, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Spelman College Auditorium of the Johnnetta B. Cole Living and Learning Center II, 350 Spelman Ln, Atlanta 30314. No charge for students, others $20.  Tickets at the door or through eventbrite.com where you will also find information.  Speakers and panelists here.

10. A reminder of the Feb. 28 Gwinnett County Reentry Meeting, 10-12:00, and Reentry “Path 2 Success” Resource Fair, 12-2:00 p.m. Essential for congregations doing reentry ministry, new resources, statistics, and plan. Information on how to set up Stations of Hope (Healing Communities). To register please click here.    For resource fair registration click here.

11. Folks from Pleasant Hill Presbyterian gather at 10 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month to knit prayer shawls and cancer caps for members and non-members who are recovering from an illness or dealing with illness. Knowing how to knit or crochet is not required. They have yarn, patterns, needles, and lots of prayer and fellowship to share! If you want to get involved contact Margot Ashley at [e-mail].

12.  Peacebuilders Camp at Koinonia is recruiting teen leaders, application deadline is March 1. Find out more>>  

13. Atlantic Lecture Series presents Ethical Principles of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: The King Philosophy and U.S. & Immigrant Communities, a lecture by Dr. Lawrence E. Carter, Professor of Religion and Dean of the MLK Chapel at Morehouse College, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 1, at Atlantic Institute, 591 North Main Street, Milton 30009. Evening includes reception, presentation, and Q&A. Reserve your spot. No admission charge.  

14. Love at the Door: Songs of Samuel Barber, Capitol City Opera in concert, March 3, 7:30 p.m., Church of the Atonement, 4945 Highpoint Rd NE, Atlanta, Georgia 3034. The concert is free and open to the public; a $10 donation is suggested.

15. Join Atlanta-based Christian author Carl McColman for a Lenten Quiet Day at the Cathedral of St. Philip, Saturday, March 4, on the works of Julian of Norwich. This day will be a time for reflecting on Julian’s wise teachings about prayer and contemplation as we seek to more fully respond to the God who is infinite Love. read more » 

16. St. Anne’s Episcopal Church invites you to retreat from the whirlwind of present life—just for a day—and enter a world of past church conflict as you explore the Lutheran and English Reformation and theological history at Emory’s Candler School of  Theology, March 4. Enjoy a special presentation of Candler’s resources, including some rare works related to Martin Luther's 95 theses.  $25 for the day, which includes lunch.  For the schedule and to register, go to https://tinyurl.com/gmh9pff.  Deadline to register is Sunday, Feb. 26.

17. “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world,” wrote Martin Luther. Sacred Music of Lent, is a four-week eRetreat at Monasteries of the Heart. You will receive three emails a week that include selections of classical music to carry you to your sacred center, a weekly Lenten scripture verse for further reflection,  brief reflections to accompany the musical selections,  questions or exercises for personal reflection and shared conversation. Plus you will have full access to an online forum where all content is available at any time. Begins Sunday, March 5, and continues through Thursday, March 30. Register Now

18. New Americans Celebration, March 7, this annual day of education and outreach is for refugees and immigrants, and for all Georgians who support them. Each year, volunteers come to the Georgia Capitol to engage legislators and tell them why refugees should continue to be welcomed in Georgia. Many of the volunteers are visiting for the first time. A training and rally will show everyone how easy it is to share their support for refugees and immigrants with their legislators. Guests are asked to register before arrival. For information and to register visit refugeef.ejoinme.org/NAC2017 

19.  Partners for Homes, Thursday, March 9, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 435 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta 30308. The Faith Committee of the Atlanta Homeless Continuum of Care is pleased to present an inspirational and educational opportunity to learn more about how your community of faith can have an impact on homelessness in Atlanta.  A robust agenda is planned: Keynote speaker, Shawn Duncan, from the Lupton Center will share a vision for re-imagining faith based charity within homelessness; Cathryn Marchman, E.D. of Partners for Home, the Atlanta Homeless Continuum of Care, will present the new strategic plan to make homelessness in Atlanta rare and brief. Workshops will provide tangible examples of how your congregation can align with the goals of the strategic plan to have the deepest impact possible on homelessness in Atlanta.  A box lunch will be included.   Registration and more information>> 

20. March 9 is National Women and Girls AIDS Awareness Day, Empowerment Resource Center will host the sixth annual Hats Off to Woman at Mary Mac’s Tea Room, 6 – 9 p.m. More information and registration is here. Event proceeds help cover cost of treatment services to young girls at risk of HIV infection. 

21. Energy Assistance Workshop, Thursday, March 9, 3 – 5 p.m., Partnership for Community Action, Inc., 815 Park North Boulevard, Clarkston 30021.  Agency caseworkers, community outreach programs, churches, or any organization that facilitates energy assistance, this workshop is essential for you. Commissioner Tim Echols, Georgia Public Service Commission, is bringing together energy companies and nonprofits across the state to explain programs, discounts, and incentives to aid Georgia's vulnerable. For people that assist low-income, elderly, or disabled Georgians, this event will provide information and contacts for programs and more. No charge. Refreshments will be served. Register

22. Energy Assistance Workshop, Friday, March 10, 11:00 a.m. – 1 p.m., Clayton County Community Services, 1000 Main Street, Forrest Park 30297.  Agency caseworkers, community outreach programs, churches, or any organization that facilitates energy assistance, this workshop is essential for you. Commissioner Tim Echols, Georgia Public Service Commission, is bringing together energy companies and nonprofits across the state to explain programs, discounts, and incentives to aid Georgia's vulnerable. For people that assist low-income, elderly, or disabled Georgians, this event will provide information and contacts for programs and more. No charge. Lunch will be served. Information and registration>>

22. Communities In Schools of Marietta/Cobb County to host an Adult Spelling Bee Friday, March 10 at The Earl Smith Strand, Marietta Square, Tickets are $25, VIP Tickets are $50. The inaugural Adult Spelling Bee will be a night of laughs, some really unusual on-stage antics, and truly funny attempts at spelling difficult words – that’s the “Bee”, a once a year event, hosted by Communities In Schools of Marietta/Cobb County.  Corporate and team sponsorships, ticket sales, and donations raised fund Communities In Schools’ programs, including Reality U, the Georgia Literacy Connection events, and training and development of CISMCC’s Site Coordinators. For tickets and more information visit the Communities In Schools website, here.

23. Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary announces a new initiative Connecting Grace.  Launched in partnership with the Philadelphia Leadership Foundation, Connecting Grace: Healing Communities teaches faith communities to be agents of healing for families affected by crime and incarceration in five session, one full day or a two day retreat.  A congregation seeking to do more may consider becoming a Station of Hope- a house of worship with outreach ministries offering a new vision of health and vitality for the formerly incarcerated, their families, and communities. Find out about this opportunity here. A congregation/faith community seeking to do more in-depth work may consider becoming a Station of Hope. Stations of Hope are houses of worship with outreach ministries offering a renewed vision of health and vitality for the formerly incarcerated, their families and communities. A congregation does not need to become a Station of Hope to complete the Healing Communities training.

24. The Wildgoose Festival, an art, music, and story-driven transformational experience grounded in faith-inspired social justice, is looking for volunteers this summer. July 13-16, Hot Springs, NC. Find out more or register online at http://wildgoosefestival.org/get-involved/volunteer/

25. Looking for a labyrinth? Here is a locator for those in Georgia.

 

Visit our website for a complete community calendar, links to the Toolbox  for Mental Health Ministry, websites for daily devotionals, and many other resources. We will be happy to include your announcements in an upcoming eNewsletter. Send them to [e-mail].

 

Peace,

Ethel Ware Carter

The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Inc.

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