Church Action eNewsletter Week of January 12, 2026

[RCCAtl]

Church Action eNewsletter Week of January 12, 2026
God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.
 

1. Tonight! Don’t miss this opportunity to explore new imaginings for your children’s formation program. The Sacred Arts Collection, an initiative of Candler School of Theology at Emory University funded by Lilly Endowment, focuses on engaging Atlanta-area congregations in imagining how to nurture and grow the faith of children through the integration of the arts in worship. They are now recruiting congregational teams for the 2026-2027 cohort, to engage with and hear from children, facilitate intergenerational participation in creative arts, develop networks for ministry leaders to engage in collaborative dialogue, and enrich congregational ministries. There is also an opportunity to apply for grant funding to continue this work in your congregation.  Join an information session on Jan. 12, 2026, at 7 p.m., via Zoom. Click here to register: https://bit.ly/tsac2026-info. Also, here is the Zoom link for the info session: https://emory.zoom.us/j/94776546724 (Meeting ID: 947 7654 6724).

2. Pitts Theological Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, offers a new item from the Special Collections in the 2nd-floor display case. This month, a Sammelband (a single volume that binds together multiple publications) of works by the famed Dutch humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam (d. 1536) is on display. These works are all defenses of his new Latin translation of the New Testament. Click on the link below to see items that the library has digitized from its extensive Erasmus holdings. Erasmus in Pitts' Digital Collections 3. Join Day1 for episode #4217 featuring the Rev. Tyler Tankersley, senior pastor of Ardmore Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, N.C. In his sermon, "Servants of the Secret Fire," based on Isaiah 49:1–7, Tankersley explores identity, calling, and the quiet fire God places within God’s people. This message reflects on light, exhaustion, vocation, and hope in a weary and divided world. Hear Day1 in Atlanta on WSB 95.5 and 750 AM Sundays at 7:05 a.m. And, the program is also accessible now online at Day1.org, on the “Day1” YouTube channel and on Apple and Spotify podcasts.  So you can listen any time. 4. Organist Alvin Blount will perform at the Cathedral of St. Philip Sunday, Jan. 18, at 3:15 p.m.  A graduate of Tuskegee University, Mercer University, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Blount has served as music director and organist in Episcopal and Roman Catholic churches in Georgia and Tennessee for over thirty years. The concert is in person and livestreamed on cathedralATL.org. Following the recital, the Cathedral offers its weekly service of Choral Evensong at 4 o’clock, sung by the Cathedral Schola. 5. The city of Sandy Springs will host its 21st annual MLK Jr. Day celebration Jan. 19, offering free educational programming and activities to honor the beloved civil rights icon. The community event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. City officials said the celebration is designed to “inspire learning, reflection, and connection for audiences of all ages.” At 1:15 and 2:30 p.m., the city will screen “Our Friend, Martin,” an Emmy-nominated animated educational film that follows two middle school friends as they travel through time and meet Dr. King at pivotal moments throughout his life. 6. Third Monday Atlanta Singing is Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in The Barn behind St. John the Wonderworker, 543 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312 (near Grant Park and the Atlanta Zoo). The Barn- off of Orleans Avenue, walk up drive way behind the church. No musical experience needed. Contact info: Anna Hinton [e-mail]. 7. Chamber Music at Old Zion: Celebrating Black Voices, Friday, Jan. 23, 7-8 p.m. GSO Assistant Concertmaster Robert Givens has selected an intimate program for string quartet especially suited to the exquisite acoustics of the Old Zion Heritage Museum in the heart of Marietta. Built in 1888, the Museum once served as Zion Baptist Church’s sanctuary-a congregation established by formerly enslaved men and women in 1866. The quartet of GSO players will present music from significant yet often overlooked Black composers across the African diaspora. The program features compositions from the Classical-era idiom of Joseph Bologne to the distinctively American voices of Florence Price and William Grant Still, with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor contributing European Romanticism and early modern expression. Before the concert, Gov. Roy Barnes will reflect on the rich history of Zion Heritage Museum. Following the performance, guests are invited to a reception at the Marietta Fire Museum to meet the artists. Zion Heritage Museum, 148 Lemon St NE, Marietta 30060. Tickets 8. Seasons of Love 2026 on Broadway, Friday, Jan. 23 – Sunday, Jan. 25, Drew Charter School, 300 Eva Davis Way, Atlanta 30317, benefiting St. Mark United Methodist Church Feeding the Homeless amd the Drew Cares Foundation. Find tickets at EPIC Georgia Productions Presents: Seasons of Love On Broadway.   9. Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, Imagine: What We Carry, a Concert for Reflection and Renewal, Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m. In a world full of noise, this concert offers stillness. Through music shaped by memory, silence, and transformation, we gather not to fix, but to feel together. From the quiet lament of Bach's Sarabande to the haunting reflection of Shostakovich, from the spaciousness of Part's Frates to the warmth of Ralph Vaughan Williams, this program invites the listener to move through stillness, grief, and into gentle renewal. This concert takes place at Mt. Pisgah Church, 2850 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek. Find tickets here.     10. Celebrate Tu B'Shvat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees, with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, Adamah ATL, and Trees Atlanta and plant trees in Southwest Atlanta on Feb. 1, 2026, from 1-4 p.m. By helping grow the city’s urban forest, we are providing cleaner air, cool shade, and improved habitat for intown humans and wildlife alike. Planting tasks include digging holes with shovels/mattocks, untangling roots by hand, mulching, watering, and cleaning up the surrounding area. Be ready to break a sweat and get dirty! LEARN MORE & REGISTER   11. Georgia Interfaith Power & Light invites Green Teams, faith leaders, and environmental activists to dig deep and "Let Justice Grow." When we nurture a movement grounded in equity, resilience, and healing, we create space for transformation. Through a variety of workshops, attendees will gain tools to build and strengthen Green Teams, advance climate justice, and engage in advocacy from the ground up. Together, we will find practical ways to live out our shared call to care for our congregations, our communities, and our Common Home. Feb. 7, at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY 12. Braver Angles Workshop: Skills for Disagreeing Better, Saturday, Feb. 7, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., Cathedral of St. Philip, Lanier House, 2744 Peachtree Road, NW, Atlanta 30305. In this polarized time, we lack basic understanding of why people on the other political side hold their beliefs. We don’t see them as they see themselves, but instead as we choose to see them. We are tempted to regard our own side as principled and the other side as self-interested. When we try to communicate across this gap, we often lack the skills for listening carefully, looking for common ground, and sharing our perspectives in ways that connect rather than create more misunderstanding. We can learn to disagree better in polarized times, which means accurately seeing where we differ and where we share common ground. Lunch is not included in this workshop, but those interested in practicing their new skills will find lunch across the street at Fellini’s Pizza a convenient option! Questions?  Contact Jeannie Mahood ([e-mail] or 404-365-1031). REGISTER HERE 13. The Center for Lifelong Learning helps people in spiritual transition - people who may be tired, curious, or quietly questioning what’s next. They offer non-degree classes, retreats, and programs that let people slow down and reconnect with what matters most. Mourning Pages: Writing as Spiritual Practice for Grief and Healing, is one such opportunity. Online, Feb. 25- March 18. Learn to address grief and move toward healing through the spiritual practice of writing. The course is designed exclusively for group settings and offers a variety of creative prompts that invite the Holy Spirit to provide wisdom and new life after loss. The CLL is a place for people who feel like something’s missing and want to explore that with honesty and hope. REGISTER HERE 14. God in This Justice Work: Micah 6:8. Registration for the Emmanuel McCall Racial Justice Lenten Devotional is open! This year’s devotional explores God’s presence in justice through stories like Esther, Moses, Paul, the Persistent Widow, Philemon & Onesimus, and Holy Week. Each week includes Scripture reflections, an Ally Spotlight and an Organization Profile. Available in English and Spanish for individuals, congregations and groups. God in This Justice Work. 15. Visit our website to read last weeks’ eNewsletter. Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta - Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta. There are many events listed there. Peace, Ethel Ware Carter