Church Action eNewsletter Week of March 20, 2017

[RCCAtl]

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

website with Community Calendar

Church Action eNewsletter Week of  March 20, 2017

We will be happy to include your announcements in an upcoming eNewsletter. Send them to [e-mail].

 

1. Walk for Life is this Saturday, March 25, to raise funds for the Pregnancy Care Center. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Pregnancy Care Center, 158 South Main Street, Jonesboro 30236. Call [phone] or email [e-mail] if you have questions. 

2. Emory University’s Year of Shakespeare invites you to join actor Harry Lennix and Emory Professor Dwight Andrews, pastor of First Congregational Church, for a conversation on the intersection of artistic creativity with spirituality and social justice, Saturday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. in Ackerman Hall at the Michael C. Carlos Museum.

3. Reminder New Life Covenant Church, 575 Travis St., NW, Atlanta, 30318, will host its 3^rd Annual Back to the Garden ... Into the City  Justice Conference, Saturday and Sunday, March 25-26.  For more details, or to register, click here, or call [phone].  

4. The Rev. Scott Seeke, pastor of Amazing Grace Lutheran Church in Lawrenceville, is the featured preacher on Day 1, Sunday, March 26. He will preach from I Samuel 16 on the story of the anointing of David. Hear The Chosen One at 7:05 a.m. on News 95.5 or AM 750 WSB or visit Day1.org.

5. Church of Mary Magdalene is the new semi-programmed Quaker worship on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. in the meeting room at Atlanta Friends Meeting, 701 Howard Ave., Decatur 30030. It is a place where women preach and the worship includes singing as well as 20-30 minutes of open waiting worship, and prayer. Come experience a different kind of worship that Quakers all around the world practice. Find them on facebook, and contact Ashley Wilcox, ashleymwilcox@gmailcom or [phone] for info.

6. Georgia State University’s Global Studies Institute will hold the first annual Emerging Global Issues Forum to examine issues related to forced migration, immigration and security on Thursday, March 30. The event will be 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Centennial Hall auditorium, 100 Auburn Ave. N.E. Check-in for the event will begin at 8 a.m. For more about the forum, including registration, event schedule, and speaker biographies, visit sites.gsu.edu/forum

7. The Musica Sacra Guild is thrilled to present the acclaimed Georgia State University Singers directed by Dr. Deanna Joseph at First Presbyterian Church on Thursday, March 30, at 7 p.m. Free admission. The GSU Singers are the School of Music's premier vocal ensemble whose tours have taken them throughout much of the United States, including Carnegie Hall on two occasions, and six international tours. Program highlights include D. Argento, V. Miskinis, J.G. Rheinberger, folksongs,  and other popular tunes. 1328 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta 30309. Complimentary parking is available in the LAZ lot (1337 Peachtree St. NE) across from FPC.

8. It is more imperative now than ever before to teach our kids about tolerance and friendship. Sucheta Rawal (www.suchetarawal.com), author of “Beato Goes To” (www.beatogoesto.com) series of children’s books on travel and culture, is here to share her tips on how to educate your kids about the world in fun and educational ways. Thursday, March 30, reception at 6:30 p.m., presentation at 7:00 p.m. with Q & A, followed by book signing. South Terraces, 115 Perimeter Center Place NE, Auditorium, Atlanta 30346. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!  

9. Live Life Well will be of interest to health ministries in congregations, Friday, March 31, 1:00 p.m., with a diverse of panel from Truly Living Well, UGA Extension, Wholesome Wave Georgia and Northside Hospital providing valuable tools for your Wellness Tool-Kit. To register contact Ethel Gibbs at [phone] or [e-mail].

10. United Way of Greater Atlanta is hosting three Achievement Clubs at Decatur Cooperative Ministry starting in April. At the meetings, people set goals, and as they take steps to accomplish them United Way provides financial compensation. Food and drink are also provided at meetings. Three clubs are available for seniors, families, and the general public. Contact Cameron Burleson, Frontline Families Representative, at [phone] or [e-mail]

11. An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story, Wednesday, April 5, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Carter Presidential Library, 441 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta 30307. Join Candler School of Theology's James T. and Berta R. Laney Legacy in Moral Leadership at the Carter Presidential Library for a screening and discussion of this new documentary and a conversation about Niebuhr's life, legacy, and meaning for our day. Panelists will include filmmaker Martin Doblmeier; Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock,; Dr. Elizabeth M. Bounds, associate professor of Christian Ethics at Candler School; Dr. Shaun Casey, Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. Moderator is Dr. Mark Douglas, Columbia Theological Seminary. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged to secure a seat.  A reception will follow after the event. For more information about this event contact Letitia Campbell at [e-mail].

12. 5^th Sunday Forsyth, April 5, 2017, Ecumenical worship among church communities in Forsyth County held at Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit, 724 Pilgrim Mill Road, Cumming 30040, from 7-8:30 p.m.

13. First Congregational Church, 105 Courtland Street, Atlanta 30303, announces First Friday at First on Friday, April 7, 6:00 p.m. at The Commons. The featured artist is the soulful trumpeter Joe Gransden. $25 for another evening of great food, fun, and fellowship. Advance tickets are available, call [phone]. Paid parking at the Main Parking Lot adjacent to First Congregational Church on John Wesley Dobbs Avenue. Free parking at CARE Parking  Deck,  – 151 Ellis Street, NE, right-hand side of Ellis.

14. The popular Family History Workshop for 2017 has been announced. Saturday, April 8, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3355 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville. Classes include DNA-Poison Leaves, Beginning Genealogy, Exploring Your Ancestors: Your Genealogy Journey, Research Springboards from your Oral History Interview, and more.  Beginning and intermediate computer class for which you must register at [e-mail].  Visit the web site genealogyworkshop and register for this opportunity. 

15. If a dad you know is facing barriers the Just Dads Project can provide noncustodial dads with empowering tools and resources. Group topics include co-parenting, conflict resolution, psychological well-being and more. Click HERE to register. Course begins Saturday, April 8, South Fulton Public Library, 4055 Flat Shoals Road, Union City. 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.  Email [e-mail] if you want more information.

16. Quaker Healing Sampler, April 8, Embodying Spirit: allowing your body to lead you into worship will be the topic of an April 8 healing sampler at Atlanta Friends Meeting, 2-5 p.m. Featuring the talents and spiritual gifts of several AFM members and attenders, the sampler will be a series of short experiential sessions interspersed with time for discussion and worship sharing. Included will be yoga, chakra dance, and shamanic practice among other modalities. This is a family-friendly event, but no child care will be provided. 701 West Howard Avenue, Decatur 30030.

17. Meridian Herald’s Folk Passion Wondrous Love will be Sunday, April 9, 4:00 p.m.at Druid Hills Baptist Church, 1085 Ponce De Leon Ave., NE, Atlanta.  Brenda Bynum and the Meridian Chorale will lead us through the story of Christ’s Passion. This unique Passion service is built around folk hymns from the famous 19th century The Sacred Harp tunebook, compiled in Georgia in 1844.

18. Mark Making and the Stations of the Cross, Tuesday, April 11, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.,  Pop-Up Studio for Practicing the Pastoral Arts, 4945 High Point Rd., Atlanta 30342. Make marks on paper, both simple and extraordinary, to walk the Stations of the Cross as personal pilgrimage. $60 to include art materials and lunch. To register, email [e-mail] by March 31.

19. A new training initiative from Clarkston Bible Institute providing training for those seeking excellent but less extensive theological education than full seminary training. Here is the link to web site and information: ClarkstonBibleInstitute

20. The Jewish Community Relations Council offers an exciting Hunger Seder this year.  A number of programs providing food for those who are hungry and food-insecure will be highlighting their programs.  The aim is to create advocates for food and nutrition programs at the local and national levels.  The Seder will be on the fourth night of Passover, Thursday, April 13, at the Ahavath Achim synagogue at Peachtree Battle Ave. and Northside Drive.  Please join JCRC and co-sponsors Atlanta Community Food Bank, Second Helpings, The Temple, Temple Sinai, AA, Concrete Jungle, Food Security for American, Gideon's Promise, Virginia-Highlands Church, Global Growers, and others for this event. You can go to the Ahavath Achim website and look for the Hunger Seder event to register.  $36 per person.  If you have a question or an issue registering, please call Harold Kirtz at 770-7890-9378.

21. Three choruses taking registrations for this summer:

• Baroque Summer Institute at Marietta First United Methodist Church (formerly Cobb Summer Singers), Click here to register.  
• Summer Singers of Atlanta at St. Mark United Methodist Church, Midtown Atlanta.   Click here to register
• Northwest Georgia Summer Singers Click here to register

No auditions. Mature youth and adults. Tuition is modest and there is an early bird discount until May 1 and full-time students may register for $50. Find out more at www.ChoralFoundation.org 

22. Transform Your Worship Experience! A Worship Workshop with Dr. Marcia McFee. Bring your team (program staff, worship associates, artists, musicians and other interested people) to discover ways to enliven and deepen your congregation’s worship services. This conference will help you layer visual, auditory, and experiential elements into a transformative worship experience. Breakfast and lunch included. Dr. McFee has been teaching, preaching, performing, and leading worship in a professional capacity for over twenty years. She is a nationally-renowned teacher in worship arts for many different faith traditions and leads workshops for professionals, including ministers, music directors, and religious educators. Kirkwood United Church of Christ is thrilled to be able offer this opportunity to other congregations. More at marciamcfee.com. Saturday, May 6, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., in the new sanctuary at 100 Rogers Street NE, Atlanta. Registration: Early (before 4/15/2017) $50/person; Regular: $65/person. Email [e-mail] for more information and to ask about group rates. REGISTER NOW Learn more on the Kirkwood UCC website.

23. Covenant House Georgia invites you to Sleep Out: Mothers Edition, May 11, 2017. Join hundreds of women across the country who will sleep outside to show homeless youth that they are not alone. The Sleep Out: Women Unite is a specific call to action for women to stand together in the fight against youth homelessness. Join Covenant House in the movement to help kids off the street by raising awareness and fundraising for Covenant House Georgia. For more information contact Tara Self at [e-mail] or at [phone] or visit atlanta.sleepoutwomenunite.org. Covenant House Georgia is a shelter for homeless, runaway, & trafficked youth ages 18-21 located in West Midtown. We are letting you know early to that you can have time to organize your women’s group

 

24. The 14^th Annual GALEO Power Breakfast will be Friday, May 19, and features Anna Maria Chávez, first woman of color appointed to be the CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, 8:30 – 1:00 a.m., Hyatt Regency Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina, 4000 Summit Boulevard, Atlanta, Georgia, 30319. Contact Jerry Gonzalez, GALEO Executive Director, at [e-mail] for information on sponsorship opportunities. Reservations are now being taken and will be made on a first come, first served basis. Register.

 

25. Applications are now available for the summer Freedom School at Emmaus House. The camp is a Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools® program, open to completed kindergarten through fifth grade scholars and is free for all eligible campers. The camp offers six weeks of reading enrichment, art, field trips, recreation, breakfast, lunch and snacks. Freedom School takes place June 12-July 21, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Emmaus House, 1017 Hank Aaron Drive, SW, Atlanta 30315. Parents or guardians are required to attend mandatory parent meetings each week. Applications are available at D.H. Stanton Elementary School and Emmaus House. The application deadline is April 21.

 

26. Lutheran Suicide Prevention Ministry  reminds us that May is Mental Health Month. If you are interested in church bulletins inserts, displays, and handouts to celebrate awareness visit mentalhealthamerica.net

 

27. Volunteer Disaster Chaplaincy Training will be offered June 6-8, at the School of Theology at the University of the South, in partnership with the National Disaster Interfaiths Network (NDIN). Clergy, laypersons, professionals, and spiritual caregivers of all faiths are invited to take this three-day training. Participants who complete this certification can volunteer as a chaplain in their own diocese or faith community, or with NDIN and its national partners. NDIN can also assist volunteers in finding disaster spiritual care volunteer opportunities in local communities across the United States.  Emergency managers and disaster mental health professionals may also take this course to develop their knowledge of spiritual care best-practices during disasters.  For more information visit this website.

28. The Danielsville UMC sponsors a radio program ," Spirit And Truth" each Sunday, 730 p.m. on WLHR 92.1. Lake Hartwell Radio.

 

29. Did you know that, on an average day in Fulton County, there are about 600 children in foster care due to abuse or neglect? In one year's time, about 1300 children enter Fulton County's foster care system.  Fulton CASA, a volunteer- driven non-profit, provides best-interest advocacy for about 300 of these children each year. The vision of Fulton CASA is to assign a volunteer advocate to every child in foster care.  They need some help to do it! Visit www.fultoncountycasa.org to learn more and to apply for volunteer opportunities.  

 

Visit our website for a complete community calendar, links to the Toolbox  for Mental Health Ministry, websites for daily devotionals, and many other resources.

 

Peace,

Ethel Ware Carter

The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Inc.

[e-mail]