Church Action eNewsletter Week of January 2, 20217

[RCCAtl]

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

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Church Action eNewsletter Week of  January 2, 2017

 

Emergency shelters and warming stations are on our website now.

1. A community leader speaks on why the Atlanta Interfaith Manifesto is important. Read Bill Clarkson’s remarks here.

 

2. Featured preacher on Day 1 this week is the Rev. Dr. Debra Von Fischer Samuelson, senior pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Minneapolis, who served 15 years as associate pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta. Her sermon for Jan. 7 is based on Matthew 3:13-17 and entitled "Tattooed for Life."  Read it now, hear it and find many other resources at Day1.org. 

 

3. St. Anne's Episcopal Church will offer a special Adult Formation series in January, February, and March using readings from "Seven Revolutions - How Christianity Changed the World and Can Change It Again," by Mike Aquilina and James L. Papandrea,  a history lesson and a course-correcting challenge all. See a little here.  All are invited for a lively discussion on the following Sundays, 9:15-10:15 a.m.:
January 8 - A Revolution of the Person: The Invention of Human Dignity
January 29 - A Revolution of Community - Love your Neighbor
February 5 - A Revolution of Work: How Labor Became Holy
February 12 - A Revolution of Religion: God Is Love
February 19 -  A Revolution in the Home: The New Idea of Family
February 26 - A Revolution in Death: The Conquest of the Last Enemy 
March 5 - A Revolution of the State: Religious Freedom
You need not attend every session to benefit from the discussion; come to any that you are interested in. St. Anne's, 3098 St. Anne's Lane, Atlanta 30327.  Questions? Contact Scott Miller at [phone] or [e-mail].

 

4. The five-time Grammy-winning Westminster College Choir, now in its 97th year, regularly records and tours throughout the United States and Europe. Each student singer studies with Westminster’s voice faculty, the largest voice faculty in the world. It has been the chorus-in-residence for the Spoleto Festival U.S.A. in Charleston since the festival’s founding in 1977. Hear the choir as part of the All Saints’ Concert Series, Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 7:320 p.m., 634 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30308. All tickets are $30, general admission. Click here to purchase tickets.

 

5. National VA Chaplain Center webinar is announced for Jan 11, “Preventing Intimate Partner Violence in Veterans,” 2:00-3:00 p.m. If you minister to veterans and military families you will find this of interest. This webinar will focus on the problem of intimate partner violence (IPV) in military populations. This discussion will focus on the influence of trauma, common risk factors for IPV, and intervention and will include an example of an effective program.  Register for this webinar here.  You will receive the link to the webinar with your registration confirmation. 

 

6. The Evangelical Lutheran Church 2017 Southeastern Synod Service of Commemoration for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be held on Sunday, January 15, at 3:00 p.m. The service will be hosted by St. John's Lutheran Church, 1410 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE, Atlanta. The Rev. H. Julian Gordy, bishop, Southeastern Synod will serve as the preacher of the day.  

 

7. Annual Ben Hill Community Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Program, Monday, January 16, at 10 a.m., “Praying the Lord's Prayer in a Nation Divided" with guest speaker Dr. John W. Kinney, nationally known prolific scholar and prophetic voice.  Ben Hill United Methodist Church, 2099 Fairburn Road, SW, Atlanta 30331, where the Rev. Dr. Byron E. Thomas is pastor.

 

8. On the 500th year anniversary of Martin Luther’s historic reform work, the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is inviting the world to commemorate the life, legacy, and relevant teachings of Luther by taking a free, 45-minute, pre-recorded online class. “What Would Luther Do Today? with Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton” is rich in resources and inspiration and will be offered for free to all January 16-30. In this course, students will learn more about Luther and make relevant connections that can lead to transformation. No special software is required. It will take an average learner about 45 minutes to complete. Registration is free and open to all here.

 

9. The Interfaith Children’s Movement general meeting is Jan 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Church of the Epiphany, 2089 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta 30307.

 

10. The agenda for Georgia Budget and Policy Institute’s 11th annual policy conference is complete. It includes analysis of the proposed budget, discussion of college access and affordability, education reform, economic opportunity for women, and health care. The event is 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Jan. 25, at The Loudermilk Center. Ticket price of $100 includes lunch.  Reserve your seat here. 

 

11. Great news from the Caregivers' Ministry at Due West United Methodist Church. Teepa Snow will be at Due West UMC, 3956 Due West Road, Marietta 30064, for two dementia education workshops. The first is Friday, Jan. 27. The second will be in March.  Dementia Spotlight Foundation, a non-profit whose goal is dementia education, will bring Teepa Snow to Due West for a training workshop designed to educate first responders, hospital personnel, professional caregivers, etc. This full day event, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., is open to family caregivers, as well. To read much more about this event and to register, click HERE, scroll down to the end of the flyer, lower right hand column, for registration link. 

 

12. Social Security and Going to Work: What You Need to Know. NAMI DeKalb will offer this program hosted by First Baptist Decatur, Jan. 30, 6:15 p.m., 308 Clairemont Road, Decatur 300030. The workshop will give an overview of two program for people with disabilities that are administered by Social Security. Common myths and misconceptions about returning or starting work and how that affects these benefits will be discussed. The worship will provide tools to make informed choices.

 

13. Georgia Justice Project and eleven other organizations join directly impacted people and concerned citizens to promote criminal justice reform in Georgia on February 2.  Justice Day attendees will learn about current reform efforts, have the opportunity to speak to their legislators about these critical issues, and will hear from leaders in the reform movement.  Organizations involved are Southern Center for Human Rights, Interfaith Children’s Movement,  ACLU, Georgia Appleseed, Central Outreach & Advocacy Center, NAACP, Georgia Public Policy Foundation,  JUSTGeorgia, Faith in Public Life, Barton Child Law and Policy Center, and the National Incarceration Association. Register here.

 

14. The Georgia Volunteer Health Care Program, launched in 2006, was designed to increase and promote access to free quality health care for the uninsured and underinsured by promoting volunteerism of licensed health care professionals who donate health care to eligible patients. To protect the volunteer, the State of Georgia becomes solely liable for any injury or damages suffered by a patient receiving the donated health care, as long as the provider works within the scope of their professional license. Learn more about volunteer programs and to register to help at georgiaresponds.org. 

 

15. Atlanta Collects is on display now at the Breman Museum. From the delicate works on paper of the 1800's to innovative 'art of the now,' Atlanta Collects presents both the "breadth and depth of Jewish Collectors in our home city," says the museum's Executive Director Aaron Berger. The first installment features historical art - open until Feb. 26. The second installment, March 12 until June 11, will feature more contemporary art. The two-part exhibition will feature seldom-seen works by Wassily Kandinsky, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, Edouard Manet, Marsden Hartley, Mary Cassatt, Andrew Wyeth and many others. 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. 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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