Church Action eNewsletter Week of January 8, 2018

[RCCAtl]

Church Action eNewsletter
Week of January 8, 2018
God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.
Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta
website with Community Calendar

Some of these events may seem a bit far down the road. They are things for which you might want to plan in advance.
The calendar has other MLK Day events in addition to the ones listed below.

1. MIC Atlanta JAMMS Program, Jan. 13 – 15, The Nett Church, 675 Pleasant Hill Rd., Lilburn 30047. An inter-cultural/interfaith program that brings together youths from diverse backgrounds to work with industry professionals to write, record, and perform a song and create a video project and to present a program-free and open to all. Find out how to participate and more here.

2. The Rev. Henry Brinton, Fairfax Presbyterian Church, Fairfax, Va., is the featured preach on Day 1, Sunday, Jan. 14. Read or hear the sermon now and find many text, audio, and video resources at Day1.org. Hear Day 1 in the Atlanta area Sundays at 7:05 a.m. on 95.5 News and WSB 750 AM.

3. Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Theological Center of Atlanta invite the community to the 22nd Annual Bishop’s Commemoration Worship Service for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year’s service will be hosted by First Congregational Church of Atlanta, UCC. The service is at 3 p.m., Sunday, January 14. The Rev. Dr. Edward L. Wheeler, president of the Interdenominational Theological Center will be the preacher of the day. Lutheran Bishop H. Julian Gordy is Celebrant. A reception follows, 105 Courtland Street, Atlanta 30303.

4. Join the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta for its 2018 Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration: “Live in Peace, and the God of Love and Peace Will Be With You” (2 Corinthians 13:11). The events will honor the life and legacy of Dr. King and commemorate the 50th anniversary of his assassination.

• Sunday, January 14 at 2:30 p.m., “Service and Sips”, a young adult service opportunity at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 25 Boulevard NE, Atlanta 30312. Young adults, ages 18 – 40, will enjoy brunch and assemble travel hygiene kits for those in need. Donations are greatly appreciated.
• Saturday, January 20, The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Church, 48 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SW, Atlanta 30303, Archbishop Wilton Gregory will serve as celebrant and homilist at the Eucharistic Celebration.
• Sunday, January 21 at 3:00 p.m., Youth Celebration, St. Peter Claver Regional Catholic School, 2560 Tilson Road, Decatur 30032. Kindergarten – middle school students will share presentations about the impact of Dr. King’s message and work in their lives.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Georgia and Office of Intercultural and Ethnic Diversity ask guests to bring canned goods or gently used clothing to each of these special times. The prayer is that the items collected will serve, in some way, as a beacon of light for those shrouded in the darkness of homelessness and helplessness.

5. Fifth Annual Interfaith Tree Planting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 15, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. Trees Atlanta and GIPL volunteers will plant trees and nurture green spaces this year at Dunwoody’s Brook Run Park. More information here.

6. Free admission at the Atlanta History Center all day on MLK Day, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. There will be special programming. Check out atlantahistorycenter.com.

7. Sandy Springs will observe MLK Day with the 12th annual event spotlighting the Sandy Springs Mission which is dedicated to helping needy students from the community. Bring a children’s book as your admission ticket for donation to the mission. This event on Monday, Jan. 15, 10 a.m., at 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs, is free.

8. The city of Brookhaven will observe MLK Day with a dinner and program at Lynwood Community Center. DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurman will be the speaker for this annual event with honors the legacy of Dr. King and the Lynwood Integrators. All ages are invited. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the center, 3360 Osborne Road, Brookhaven, Ga. For information call [phone].

9. NAMI Forsyth, Dawson, Lumpkin Education Speaker Meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m., welcomes Joni Smith, executive director of The Place of Forsyth County, a nonprofit organization that has been assisting resident families with basic needs since 1975. “I feel so gratified when I see a person who has come to us for help, make the choice to help themselves,” she said. United Way of Forsyth County, Community Room, 240 Elm Street, Cumming 30040.

10. Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta Annual Meeting and lunch at 12 noon, Wednesday Jan. 17. Come hear about the past year’s activities and elect new officers and board members and gain a deeper understanding of what’s ahead as FAMA engages in merger talks with Interfaith Community Initiatives and Neshama Interfaith Center. There will be a panel discussion with those intimately involved in the process, the Rev. Ernest A. Brooks III, president Academy of Preachers, Interfaith Community Initiatives board; Gareth J. Young, author, speaker, and practicing Buddhist, FAMA board; Valerie Morvan, speaker, instructor and teacher, Shambhala Meditation Center, FAMA board. R.s.v.p. here.

11. Georgia Legislative Update with Senator Elena Parent and Representative Mary Margaret Oliver, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 6:30 p.m., Glenn Memorial UMC, Ward Hall with dinner from Saba at 5:30 p.m. Call the church office at [phone] to find out more about this annual update from local representatives. Learn what legislation is currently being discussed and discover ways to help make positive changes in our community.

12. Unite. Wear White Breakfast by Freedom Coalition, Friday, January 19, 7:30-9:00 a.m. Guest speaker will be Ambassador Susan Coppedge, former Ambassador-at-Large, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at the U. S. Department of State. Her career demonstrates a longstanding commitment to public service and the fight against human trafficking and she will share with us from her wealth of knowledge on the topic of human trafficking from a global perspective. Seats are limited so please get your ticket right away. Hosted by City of Refuge. The cost is $10 per person and includes breakfast. Link Ticket and location information here.

13. “Magic Flute,” Saturday, Jan. 20, 11 a.m., First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, 1328 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta 30309. The Atlanta Opera Studio Tour re-imagines The Magic Flute in a new production for kids of all ages. This one hour abridged opera – sung in English – combines enchanting puppets with the talented artists of The Atlanta Opera Studio to take you on a magical mission, navigated by Mozart’s timeless and energetic score.

14. Jung Society of Atlanta presents “Jung's Theory of Complexes” lecture by Bill Walker PhD. Dr. Walker will talk about the “unconscious charged moments” that can disturb us in our daily lives and how they work for and against us in our journeys toward consciousness. Saturday January 20, 7:30 p.m., Sandy Springs Christian Church, 301 Johnson Ferry Rd Sandy Springs 30328. For more information see www.jungatlatna.com

15. Glenn Memorial UMC offers Grief and Loss: A six-week support group for those who are grieving the death of a loved one, Sundays, Jan. 21 – Feb, 25, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m., led by Debonee Morgan of the Care & Counseling Center of Georgia. For more information about this support group and to R.s.v.p., contact Rev. Susan Pinson.

16. Children's Concert Series at Glenn Memorial UMC presents “Organ Music for All Ages” with Timothy Albrecht, Sunday, January 21, 4:00 p.m., sanctuary. Wiggles are welcome at each 30 minute concert. Admission is $10/person or $30/family. All proceeds will support Glenn School for Young Children. Save-the-date for a concert on Sunday, March 18, 4:00 p.m., with Cynthia Shepherd and Jim Gibson performing favorite Disney songs. Glenn Memorial UMC, 1660 North Decatur Road NE, Atlanta 30307.

17. The Atlanta Continuum-of-Care will conduct the One Night Point-In-Time Homeless Count on January 22. The volunteers will be surveying the unsheltered homeless who are sleeping in outdoor locations. The surveys will provide demographic information on each homeless individual, give insight to their homeless history, and assess individual needs that will enable the continuum to effectively plan housing and service interventions to prevent and end homelessness in Atlanta. 8:00 p.m. - 3:30 a.m., First Presbyterian Church, 1328 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta 30309. Info and sign up.

18. The Inaugural Green Team Summit will be Sunday, January 28, 1:30 - 7:30 p.m., at The Temple on Peachtree Street. This summit is an event to inspire and equip people of faith for environmental action. The entry fee for this event includes a sustainable dinner! Everything you need to know is here.

19. Stop the Violence Against Women Day Lobby, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 8:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m., Register Here. Central Presbyterian Church, 201 Washington St. SW Atlanta. Sponsored by Mary Kay and hosted by GCADV, GNESA, and GCFV.

20. Join Georgia Interfaith Power & Light and Lutherans Restoring Creation for an ecumenical retreat in West Georgia, Friday, Feb. 2- Sunday, Feb. 4. Retreat-Restore-Renew. Questions? Email [e-mail]. Info and registration here.

21. Final chance to apply for these courses at Columbia Lifelong Learning
• Resetting the Table: Including People with Disabilities in Congregational Leadership an online course from Lifelong Learning at Columbia Seminary, Feb. 5- March 9. This course invites learners into dynamic conversations about why and how congregations and other organizations are including people with intellectual disabilities into leadership roles. We will talk about disability from social and theological perspectives, and explore the biblical foundations for the creation of a shared understanding of leadership. We will also offer learners tools to increase their capacity to extend the invitation to people with disabilities in their communities.
• On Desire and Flourishing: A Study of Ancient Israelite Wisdom Certificate in Spiritual Formation, Feb. 8-11. Come to Columbia and explore this ancient understanding of desire—its metaphors, objects, promises and perils—and consider how the sages’ insistence on the value and vitality of desire may inform our own searches for personal

22. The Georgia Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 3rd annual State Capitol Day, Monday, February 12, 8 a.m. to noon. AFSP State Capitol Days bring together passionate volunteers to advocate for state policy changes that will improve mental health and prevent suicide. The event will include a brief training session on the basics of an effective advocacy visit, current policy issues, and visits to state legislators. Online registration required and closes on 2/4. All info is available here.

23. Wellsprings Worship Circle meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Atlanta Friends Meeting House, 701 W. Howard Street, Decatur 30030. Longing for spiritual community and practice to ground you in the coming year? Bring your questions and doubt, your wisdom and gifts. Discover an alternative way to be in this world. Praying with Poets in 2018.

24. Seeds of Hope Counseling is hosting a monthly 90-minute ecumenical women's clergy group on the second Thursday of each month in Sandy Springs, beginning in February. This group is a place for women to join together to explore their feelings and experiences about being a woman while navigating pastoral calls and personal identities. If you are interested in joining this opportunity or learning more details, please contact Rev. Lindsay Geist, LCSW at [phone] or [e-mail]

25. UNCF Atlanta. UNCF is the oldest and largest higher education support organization for students of color. Last year, UNCF awarded more than $100 million in scholarships to more than 12,000 deserving college students. Alas, that only serves 10% of all the students who apply for help. UNCF Sunday is February 25. You can continue your investment in UNCF by dedicating any worship service to helping students in need. You can get resources to effectuate a dedicated service by calling [phone].

26. Speakers are announced for February TheoEd Talks at First Presbyterian Church, Dr. Paul Wallace, Dr. Lauren Winner, and Shane Claiborne. TheoEd Talks is an ecumenical speaker series that brings together leading thinkers in the church, the academy, and the non-profit world to give the talk of their lives in 20 minutes or less. By packaging powerful ideas in bite size talks, this series seeks to do for the Bible, religion, and spirituality what the popular TED series has done for technology, entertainment, and design. Whether you regularly attend religious services or are someone just curious about faith, the TheoEd Talks speaker series provides an accessible, compelling, and thoughtful way to deepen faith and explore important questions about God, theology, and the power of belief to shape lives and communities. For more information, visit www.TheoEd.com Sunday, Feb. 25, 5 – 7 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 1328 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta 30309.

27. Evelyn Gibson Lowery 2018 Civil Rights Heritage Tour to Alabama cities, March 3-4, is now open for registration, deadline is Jan. 26. Registration information is here.

28. The inaugural Demand an End Gala by Street Grace will be March 8 with Ernie Johnson as the keynote speaker. This will be a fun night of great food and entertainment, raising awareness of the issue of DMST/CSEC, and raising money for Street Grace. There are different ticket, table, and sponsorship options available. See all the information here.

29. “The Heart of Centering Prayer: Nondual Christianity in Theory and Practice” author Cynthia Bourgeault will be speaking March 17 at day-long program presented by the Cathedral of St. Philip and Contemplative Outreach Atlanta. Registration is open now. Learn more by clicking here.

30. We hear from Jack Sartain, interim director of music at Lawrenceville Road UMC, that "The Seven Last Words of Christ" is definitely scheduled for Good Friday, March 30, at 7:00 pm.at Lawrenceville Road UMC in Tucker, just outside 285. If you would like to join in as a choir or an individual email him right away at [e-mail].

31. Life Long Learning at Columbia Seminary will host two colloquy opportunities in 2018-19. One will be for Rural Church Clergy, and the other for Latino/a Clergy. Details and application links on the Colloquy for Clergy Series can be found here. Future opportunities will include: Young Black Church Pastors, and Colloquy for pastors leading a congregation to closure in 2019-20; Colloquy for Second Career Clergy, and Colloquy for Women of Color in 2020-2021; Colloquy for Mid-Career Clergy, and Colloquy for Clergy Transitioning into Retirement in 2021-2022; and Colloquy for Entrepreneur Clergy in 2022-2023.

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]