Church Action eNewsletter Week of March 26, 2018

[RCCAtl]

Church Action eNewsletter
Week of March 26, 2018
God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.
Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta
www.rccatl.org with Community Calendar

1. St. Jude’s Episcopal Church, Marietta, is advertising for a bookkeeper, an experienced person with the ACS program Realm, on a part time basis. Salary to be discussed for serious applicants. Resumes may be e-mailed to [e-mail] or mailed to St. Jude’s Episcopal Church, 220 Windy Hill Road, Marietta, GA 30060. The phone number is [phone]. Persons with church bookkeeping or other accounting skills please apply. This position will be filled by mid-April.

2. A Community Conversation About Mental Health in Cobb County, Wednesday, March 28, 9-11 a.m., Cobb Collaborative invites citizens of Cobb County interested in learning more about the current landscape of mental health services in the county. Register here. if you plan to come so they can be prepared. See this for more details.

3. Tenebrae Service, March 28, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m., Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center, 6700 Riverside Dr. NW, Atlanta. A very special Wednesday Evening of Holy Week Tenebrae Service of Shadows with scripture and song in Saint Ignatius Chapel. Through reflecting while gradually extinguishing candles until the chapel is in darkness, we are able to delve more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s passion and death, preparing our hearts ever more fully for his triumph over darkness as the Light of the World on Easter Sunday. This event is offered at no charge by the Pastoral Team.

4. The 38th annual Ecumenical Good Friday Pilgrimage (Urban Way of the Cross) sponsored by the Archdiocese of Atlanta is Good Friday, March 30, 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This multilingual walking prayer includes scripture readings, reflections, prayer, and music. The pilgrimage will begin at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 48 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SW, Atlanta, 30303.

5. The Seven Last Sayings Good Friday Service, March 30, noon, Cascade UMC, Emmanuel Lutheran, Community Church, West Hunter Street Baptist, Bethel UMC, From the Heart Ministries, Providence Missionary Baptist, and Zion Hill Baptist invite you to come to Zion Hill, 6175 Campbellton Road, Atlanta 30331, for this service where pastors from the congregations will speak.

6. Seven Last Words by Seven Lay and Clergy, Friday, March 30, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m., Church of the Incarnation, 2407 Cascade Road SW, Atlanta 30311, the homilists will be Dr. Catherine Meeks, the Rev. Dennis Patterson, the Rev. Charles Fischer, Rev. Karen Montagno, Dr. Carol Marsh-Lockett, the Rev. Ricardo Bailey, and the Rev. Canon John Thompson Quartey.

7. Buckhead Community Good Friday Worship, Christ the King Catholic Cathedral, Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, Wieuca Road Baptist, Peachtree Road UMC, and Peachtree Presbyterian invite the community to noon Good Friday services at Christ the King Cathedral, 2699 Peachtree Road, Atlanta 30305.

8. At the Stations of the Cross at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church with musical meditations taken from “Return to Me,” childcare will be provided. Noon, Good Friday, March 30. You are invited for this unusual experience and to bring your friends and family, 3098 St. Anne's Lane, Atlanta, 30327, [phone].

9. Evening Good Friday Service with Morningside Presbyterian and Central Presbyterian at Central, 7:30 p.m., 201 Washington Street SW, Atlanta 30303.

10. Community Egg Hunt at Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, 2715 Peachtree Road, Atlanta 30305, March 31, 11 a.m., Bring your basket and your buddies. The hunt will be staggered by age groups. Free food and drinks and photos with the East Bunny. Email Chelsea at [e-mail] if you have questions.

11. Urban Sunrise Easter service, 7 a.m., greet Easter morning with jazz and choir with First Congregational Church and North Avenue Presbyterian on the top of the North Ave. parking deck, 607 Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30308.

12. Join pastors, chaplains, and congregations on Easter Sunday morning at 7a.m. for the Fifth Annual Easter Sunrise Service on the Greens at the Historic College Park Golf Course at 3711 Fairway Drive; College Park 30337. Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton of the 5th Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church will be the Proclaimer. Breakfast will be served after the worship service.

13. Lutheran Services of Georgia and El Refugio will host a community education session called Bearing Witness: Visiting Immigrants in Detention. Learn more about the U.S. Immigration Detention System and how to be a compassionate presence for immigrants in detention through visitation and letters. Wednesday, April 4, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 731 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta 30308, Mission House Fireside Room which is accessible from the lower level parking lot next to the playground. Tickets are free, but please register to attend here. El Refugio, a hospitality house right outside the gates of Stewart Detention Center, serves family and friends of immigrants detained. Lutheran Services of Georgia guides individuals and families on a path from surviving to thriving. LSG partners with El Refugio for community education and immigration detention visitation. Facebook.com

14. A.C.T. to End Racism Rally on National Mall, April 4. The National Council of Churches and more than 50 partners expect buses bringing thousands from across the country at this launch of a multi-year effort. The schedule includes April 3 - 6:00 p.m., Orthodox Christian Bridegroom Service of Holy Tuesday; 8:00 p.m., Then and Now: An Ecumenical Gathering to End Racism; April 4- Silent March (starting near the MLK Jr. Memorial), Interfaith Service, and A.C.T. to End Racism Rally on the National Mall, 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.; April 5- National Day of Advocacy & Action. The rally is open to all people of faith and moral conscience. To learn more about the rally, visit www.rally2endracism.org.

15. “Use me God” is a prayer that changed the world. During April Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church will give attention to the faith that animated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Wednesday, April 4, 6 p.m., Dr. David Hull will lead a Bible study on the theological underpinnings of the civil rights movement; Sunday, April 8, Pulitzer Prize winning historian, author of the King Trilogy, Taylor Branch will be a guest at worship.; Wednesday, April 11, 6 p.m., Ambassador Andrew Young will participate in a dialogue with the Rev. Dock Hollingsworth about the how the Christian faith was formative for the movement and what role the church can play in the future; Wednesday, April 18, 6 p.m., the Rev. Natosha Reid Rice, associate pastor at Ebenezer Baptist, will speak.

16. Program for Health Month for Church Women United Atlanta Chapter, April 6, includes the Rev. Anne Sayre, a retired Atlanta Presbyterian minister, and Barbara Gifford, board members of Casa Materna, a birthing center in the remote mountains of Guatemala, who will discuss their work at 10.15 am on Friday, April 6, at Peachtree Christian Church, 1580 Peachtree St. Atlanta 30309. Later that morning, Dr Kofi Kondwani will discuss the "Benefits of Meditation" and go through a few exercises with members.

17. Sharing Christ’s Joy: An Easter Retreat, April 6-8, Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center, 6700 Riverside Dr NW, Atlanta. In his Last Supper Discourse, Jesus states, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). With this statement, Jesus expresses his desire for us to know and experience his joy. Come, explore, and share in the joy of Christ; the joy of Easter. Through scripture, reflection, and prayer, deepen your experience and understanding of Jesus’ hope for you and for all humanity: the grace and reality of Joy! Join Jesuit Fr. Joe Lingan, SJ from Georgetown University directing this retreat. More information www.ignatiushouse.org or phone [phone].

18. Emmanuel Lutheran Church celebrates 70 years of ministry in Southwest Atlanta this spring. The first event is a pancake breakfast, Saturday, April 7, 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. at Applebee's. Come and fellowship with them. Tickets are $7.00 and must be purchased before the event. Contact the church office for more information [phone].

19. Hillside International Truth Center, 2450 Cascade Road SW, Atlanta 30322 presents a workshop “Is Your Networking Working?” on Sunday, April 8, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m., with Tonya Cook. $5 registration at the door. Refreshments served. Learn the importance of and how to network to enhance your life professionally and personally. Contact Brenda Shirley [e-mail] for more information.

20. Stay Connected Stay Strong, supporting families impacted by incarceration, April 13 at Morehouse School of Medicine has a new link for information and registration.www.2018stayconnectedstaystrong.com

21. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Out of the Darkness Kennesaw State U Campus Walk, April 15, Swift Cantrell Park, 3140 Old 41 Hwy.Register here. For information contact Lydia Evans at [e-mail]. Online registration closes at noon Friday before the walk. However, anyone who would like to participate can register at the walk. Registration is at 1 p.m. The AFSP is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. Out of the Darkness Walks
• Community Walks here.
• Campus Walks here.
• The Overnight Walk https://www.theovernight.org/

22. “Angst” —parents and teens will be interested in this film about anxiety, truth, and hope and the discussion which will follow. Presented for Fulton County schools by Summit Counseling, and other community partners. Wednesday, April 18, 9-11 a.m. or 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Register here.

23. Crossroads Annual Empowerment Gala will be April 19 at the Foundry at Puritan Mills, 916 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. NW, Atlanta 30318. Join community leaders, supporters, and volunteers in the fight to end homelessness. To purchase tickets or find out more visit www.crossroadsatlanta.org/gala.

24. Brian McLaren will be leading a workshop on his book The Great Spiritual Migration: How the World’s Largest Religion is Seeking a Better Way to Be Christian, Saturday, April 21, from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Shallowford Presbyterian Church, 2375 Shallowford Road, Atlanta, GA 30345. Registration is $10 and includes brunch. Advanced registration by April 18 is required. Click here for more information and to register.

25. Annual Atlanta All-Day Sacred Harp Singing, Saturday, April 21, 9:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m., with dinner on the grounds. Four-part a cappella shape-note harmony singing from “The Sacred Harp.” Loaner books available. Instruction on site. No experience necessary. Rock Spring Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 1824 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Atlanta 30324. Ample free parking.

26. Do you sing? Play an instrument? Tell jokes? Enjoy watching people that do? Join L'Arche Atlanta for dinner and a talent show and come share your talent. There will be a special presentation by the Tucker Community Choir. Saturday, April 21, 5:30-8:00 p.m., First Christian Church of Decatur, 601 W Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur 30030. Please bring the following for a potluck dinner, according to the first letter of your last name: A-D: Dessert; E-L: Side dish or salad; M-Z: Main dish.

27. The Bible is full of beautiful language and theology for celebrating God's creation. Yet sometimes, in the rhythm of the liturgical year, it can be challenging to find a specific time to focus as a church community on the theme of Creation. Earth Day Sunday provides just such an opportunity. Get ready for Sunday, April 22! Find resources from @Creation Justice Ministries at www.earthdaysunday.org

28. United Way State of the Children. Last year a goal was unveiled to improve the well-being of 250,000 children by 2027. Come explore this and how you can be a part of the vision. Friday, April 27, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m., Georgia Aquarium. Click here to learn more about the Child Well-Being Agenda. United Way

29. A Catholic Look at War and Global Conflict, Saturday, April 28, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., this all-day program, carried out in a respectful and thought provoking environment, will explore where the Catholic Church stands on Just War and Armed Conflict. Sessions include a status report on the landscape of global conflict, an overview of Catholic theology on just war, prayerful consideration of the collateral damage of war, a discussion on alternative solutions to war, and a look at how the Church is working to heal the wounds of war. Speakers include Archdiocese of Atlanta Auxiliary Bishop Bernard E. Shlesinger, III, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Pax Christi International. Hosted by Transfiguration Catholic Church, Family Life Center, 1815 Blackwell Road, Marietta 30066. $10 registration includes catered lunch. Scholarships available, contact Kat Doyle at [e-mail]. Register here.

30. Camp SOS is a family camp for those family and friends who have lost a loved one to suicide. It is for ages 6 – 96. There are survivors of every age in attendance at camp on any given year and the program is designed to meet the needs of all ages. Camp SOS is held at Camp Twin Lakes at their Winder (next to Ft. Yargo). May 4, 5, 6, 2018. Registration is between 5 - 6 on Friday night, and camp wraps up early Sunday around 10 a.m. The camp asks that you are there for the entire weekend to get the most out of Camp SOS. Space is limited, so get your family registered soon here.

31. To learn more about the upcoming environment planning summit in Atlanta on June 5 World Environment Day, send inquiries to [e-mail] 

32. By providing summer reading enrichment for children who otherwise might not have access to books, Freedom School plays an essential role in helping to curb summer learning loss. This summer, Emmaus House Freedom Schools® will take place at the Barack and Michelle Obama Academy, enabling expansion to 100 scholars. Certified teachers from the school will assist in the classes as well. For more information about Freedom Schools® program or to volunteer, email [e-mail] .

33. Family Process and Pastoral Practice: Toward a New Spirituality of Leadership, May 17-18, in Sewanee, TN. This workshop designed for clergy and lay leaders of all faiths will explore Rabbi Edwin Friedman’s approach to family process and how its wise employment as a pastoral and spiritual tool can enhance leadership and effectiveness in a congregational setting. Lodging is not included with tuition. CEUs are available. Contact [e-mail] for more information. Tuition of $275 includes lunch on both days. Register and find info.