Church Action eNewsletter Week of October 12, 2020

[RCCAtl]

Church Action eNewsletter Week of October 12, 2020
The Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta, Inc. 

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone. 

1. St. Luke's Episcopal Church is one of 25 houses of worship across the country which will host Mourning into Unity vigils for faith leaders on Monday, October 12 and Monday, October 19. The hope is to bring Americans together to grieve the deaths of the ongoing pandemic and all our collective losses: unemployment, unsafe school and workplaces, distance from family and friends. For more details to Click here.

2. Cathedral Bookstore virtual book talk on October 13, at 7 p.m. Local author, Kristine Anderson, will be featured with new book, “Crooked Truth” in a discussion moderated by Barbara Pendergrast. More details about this upcoming event are here  
3. “Still Small Voice” is a simple weekly reading and prayer, just a few minutes each Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., offered by Mercer University McAfee School of Theology mercer.zoom.us 

4. Engage, Learn, & Network Leadership Forum, Wednesday, October 14, 10:30 -11:30 a.m. Central Time, from Pathways to Promise: Connecting mental health, faith, and culture. Explore be nice. a mental health education program.  For some, faith is the number one protective factor in mental health. Make sure you are prepared to empower members with resources, hope, and understanding. Information and registration.

5. As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, Bread for the World invites us to join the writers of “Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border: A Bilingual Latino Devotional” for a live webinar conversation on Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. (ET).  Rev. Jeanette Salguero (National Latino Evangelical Coalition), Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo (GreenFaith), and Rev. Carlos L. Malavé (Christian Churches Together in the USA) will reflect biblically on advocacy, domestic hunger, and climate change.  Please register for the webinar even if you are unable to attend at the scheduled time. This ensures you will receive the recording and follow-up information.

6. 2020 has been an unusual year for everyone including veterans. If you work with veterans you will be interested in Vetlanta Wednesday, Oct. 14, starting at 5:30 p.m. - an informative session on surviving the challenges of 2020. Register at http://www.vetlanta.org under events or click on this link.  

7. Join Unity Atlanta and licensed Unity teacher, Larry Bergmann, on Zoom for “How to Talk to Your Body.” Learn techniques for connecting your mind and body together for healing, empowerment, and more. Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. This is a love offering event. To donate: click here. For more information and Zoom link, click here.

8. Join Episcopal Presiding Bishop Curry and Dr. Catherine Meeks in a conversation regarding the work of the Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing, Thursday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m., as it celebrates its third year of service to the church. The conversation will explore the challenges of navigating the two pandemics, COVID-19 and racial unrest, to find the best paths forward as we seek to demonstrate our love for one another through striving for peace and justice and respecting the dignity in everyone. Registration details are here.

9. East Point First Mallalieu United Methodist Church offers free Covid testing, 2651 N. Church Street, East Point 30344. To preregister text COVID to [phone]. Friday, Oct. 16; Friday, Oct. 23; Friday, Oct. 30. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until 500 test daily max is reached.

10. The Rev. Taylor Fuerst, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Austin, Tex., is the featured preacher Oct. 18 on “Day 1.” Her sermon is based on Matthew 22:15-22, the story of Jesus’s encounter with Pharisees who plot to entrap him.  Hear Day1 in the Atlanta area on WSB News 95.5 and 750 AM, Sundays at 7:05 a.m.  For more information and many audio, text, and video resources see Day1.org. 

11. Mental Health America Georgia offers QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention, a 75-minute program designed to teach lay and professional "gatekeepers" the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. Tuesday, Oct. 20: 11  - 12:15 p.m. Register Here ; Monday, Oct. 26: 2  - 3:15 p.m. Register Here ; Monday, Nov. 9: 1 - 2:15 p.m. Register Here ; Wednesday, Nov. 18: 12 - 1:15 p.m. Register Here;  Monday, Dec. 7: 2 - 3:15 p.m. Register Here ; Friday, Dec. 11: 10 - 11:15 a.m. Register Here.

12. In honor of the 30th anniversary of Candler's Black Church Studies program, on Oct. 21 at 11 a.m., a panel on "The Black Church Tradition in the Americas: International Perspectives" will bring together leading scholars to recognize Black churches in the Americas primarily comprised of immigrant populations. The panel will offer an opportunity to begin to think through the ways in which these churches and their memberships have contributed to the complex organizations, histories, and contemporary church experiences of a North American institutional Black church. Register here.

13,  Concerts @ First presents Atlanta Chamber Players, world premiere of David Garner’s “Crow and Melt,” Friday, Oct. 23, 8:00 p.m. View Livestream

14. Full-Day Centering Prayer Workshop, St. Mary’s Sewanee, 6:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24, led by the Rev. Tom Ward and Rebecca Paluzzi. Here is an opportunity to fast from listening to the news and using electronic devices so that you can make holy space to observe silence with the group and on your own. This event is designed for both new and experienced Centering Prayer practitioners. For more information or to register, go here.

15. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the Monastery of the Holy Spirit retreat house is closed.  The monastery is offering Zoom retreats. Call the retreat house if you are interested in joining in a conference.  The office is open Monday-Friday 8:00-1:30, the number is 770-760-0959.  Contemplative Prayer in a Time of Pandemic – Saturday, Oct. 24 – 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., with Fr. Gerard.   One way to receive the gift of God’s presence is through contemplative prayer. At this time, we need the strength of this relationship even more than ever. Virtual Retreat on Zoom. Two sessions on Saturday October 24, 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

16. DEA's next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 24, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Click here to  find a site near you. Check back frequently; new sites are added daily.

17. Justice Jam 2020 throws it back to the 50s, to the golden age of rock and roll and drive-in movies. Bring your steady or your family and gather — at a safe distance — for a night of fun and fundraising. Meet at The Springs Cinema & Taphouse for the feature film “Back to the Future.” Tickets are available starting at $70 per car, which includes two adults for the feature film, plus two gift cards for food and drink purchases at the event. The movie starts at 7:00 p.m. on October 28, doors open at 6:00. Find tickets for this benefit for Legal Aid Cobb at http://mariettajusticejam.org/
 
18. Pitts Theology Library hosted over 100 attendees at the Kessler Conversation with Professor Heinrichs last Wednesday. Plague in the Reformation Era is now available at this site. And, registration is open for the third and final Kessler Conversation of Fall 2020 with Professor Ronald Rittgers, the Erich Markel Chair in German Reformation Studies and Professor of History and Theology at Valparaiso University, “The Reformation of Suffering.” This will be livestreamed at noon Wednesday, November 4, and registration is free at pitts.emory.edu/ronaldrittgers.

19. Peachtree Christian Church In partnership with the Candler Foundry, on November 4 at 7 pm, will host Fall 2020 Visiting Scholar Dr. Karen Scheib for a special online opening lecture to be followed by a five-week online class entitle “Story Companions: Caring Through Story Listening.” Registration for both is open at www.peachtree.org/storycompanions.

20. The Cathedral of Christ the King's St. Vincent de Paul conference will host their annual clothing and food drive the weekend of November 7 - 8.  The Winter Woolies and Food Drive will help stock the St. Vincent de Paul pantry and thrift shop located in Chamblee.  Donations of food and/or new and used clothing can be left CONTACT-FREE near the truck parked on the Cathedral’s plaza, 2699 Peachtree Road, Atlanta 30305, starting Saturday at noon through Sunday at 7 p.m. Assistance from St. Vincent de Paul is available to all individuals no matter their religious affiliation.        

21. bee well serve well, a nonprofit faith-based wellness initiative, seeks participants for a pilot program specifically designed for faith leaders eager to gain health in a spiritually grounded way. Metanoia: bee) transformed includes online workshops, one + one consultations with wellness consultant and whole food, plant-based nutritionist, Deborah Garrard, as well as inspirational videos and email support throughout the program. Explore the sacred side of self-care. What better time than in the midst of a global health crisis? For more information or to register, email Deborah Garrard at [e-mail] or call [phone]. “The Glory of God is a human being fully ALIVE!”  St. Irenaeus 

22. Promise 686  is a ministry which builds a network of churches to support local foster & adoptive families, and biological families in crisis. They offer training to churches on how to create and lead successful Family Advocacy Ministries (FAMs), working toward seeing every child in a safe and loving family, forever. To learn more contact Olivia B. Alston, Director of Metropolitan Partnerships [e-mail] 

23. We have an update on food resources in East Point on our website here.

Visit our website for a tool box for mental health ministry, and more . . . 

Peace,
Ethel Ware Carter