Church Action eNewsletter Week of October 24, 2011

[RCCAtl]

Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.

Could a Center for Congregations help your faith community? The goal of such a center would be to strengthen regional congregations by helping them address opportunities and challenges the congregations have themselves identified. Today those are complex. Please take a few minutes to be sure your voice is heard.

Click here to Voice Your Opinion on a Survey(Your input is needed now )http://www.wellsyscorp.com/congregationsurvey/

If you are still looking for a pumpkin you must not have even driven by your local church.

1. This is Pastoral Care Week. The Association of Professional Chaplains encourages special recognition of spiritual caregivers and the ministries they perform. During Pastoral Care Week, you might consider offering an expression of prayer in worship for chaplains and pastoral counselors in the church and around the world. Learn more at www.pastoralcareweek.org. Resources.

2. Holla if You Hear Me! Hip Hop and the State of the Black Church , a conversation with Ambassador Andrew Young , Interdenominational Theological Center Chapel, October 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ITC is at 700 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SW, Atlanta. For information call 404-614-6345.

3. Parents, teachers, Christian educators, you can still take advantage of the event addressing technology’s impact on our young people. Coming of Age in the Age of Technology is the topic for the Rev. John Thomas, head of St. Andrew's-Sewanee School, when he discusses the impact of technology on the spiritual formation of young people at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Atlanta. Tickets are $30 per person . Proceeds benefit the Training and Counseling Center at St. Luke's. All are welcome; space is limited. Purchase tickets at trainingandcounselingcenter.org or 404-876-6266, ext. 2007.

4. The Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Grantson, will be the preacher at a synod-wide Reformation Celebration worship service, hosted by Living Grace Lutheran Church in Tucker on Thursday, October 27. The Reformation Celebration is a joint effort of the Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta (LTCA) and the Southeastern Synod. Bishop H. Julian Gordy and Pastor David Hardy, Senior Pastor at Living Grace, will preside at the service. 7:00 p.m., Living Grace Lutheran Church, 12 Cooledge Road, Tucker 30084


5. Taking Your Creative Imagination to the Next Level, this innovative workshop will equip church leaders to think outside the box with excellent presentations and activities to stimulate creativity and unleash the SPIRIT! This Saturday, October 29, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at St Andrews Presbyterian Church, 4882 LaVista Rd, Tucker. All denominations are welcome. Don’t miss hearing keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Steve Hayner, President Columbia Theological Seminary, who in his “spare time” helps with planting new churches and serves on several national and international boards including World Vision and International Justice Mission. Workshop Coordinators are Rev. Dr. Tom Tewell, Director of Faith Based Programs, Cousins Family Foundation, and Rev. Penny Hill, Congregational Consultant, Presbytery of Greater Atlanta. For registration information email [e-mail]

6. On Saturday, October 29, the Vets Helping Vets Ministry of St. Ann Church, Marietta, East Cobb, is offering a Free Spiritual Healing Retreat for Veterans. A part of the day is a “ Spouses Round-Table” featuring Ms. Kimberly Walker, of the Atlanta Vet Center , and Mrs. Kimberly Reynolds, the wife of a wounded Iraq veteran. Ms. Walker describes PTSD its behaviors and how to deal with them within a marriage; Mrs. Reynolds, whose husband was severely wounded in Iraq is a “Wounded Warrior Family” member, and talks about veteran’s spouses becoming “battle buddies”. If you are a spouse of a vet consider registering yourself and your mate for this helpful retreat. Ms. Walker has elicited high praise for the usefulness of her presentations and the understanding she has of the issues. Registration You may email [e-mail] or call 770-642-0811 if you have questions. There are some places left but please do register or make the above contacts by Thursday.

7. Midway Missionary Baptist Church invites the entire community to help in the celebration of the 12th Anniversary of Pastor Edward S. Reynolds and Rev. Judge Penny Brown Reynolds on Sunday, October 30. The Rev. Carlton D. Hollins, Pastor, Armor of Christ Baptist Church, Longview, Texas will preach at the 10 a.m. service. For more information call the church office 404-768-5648. Midway is located at 280 Godby Road, College Park 30349.

8. On Sunday, October 30, as the culminating event of Big Bethel AME Church’s 164th Anniversary Celebration, the church will present Mr. Philip Skerrett in concert. The concert which will be held at 5:00 p.m. at Big Bethel, 220 Auburn Avenue, NE, will celebrate Mr. Skerrett’s 25th anniversary as senior organist. Mr. Skerrett received his B. S. in Music from Northwestern University and pursued graduate studies at Northwestern University while serving as Music Director at Holy Name Catholic Church, Chicago. In addition to serving as Senior Organist at Big Bethel, Mr. Skerrett is an instructor in the Department of Music at Clark Atlanta University. Big Bethel is located under the Jesus Saves sign at 204 Auburn Avenue, NE.

9. Musica Sacra Atlanta presents Joshua Roman, Cellist in Recital at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. Sunday, October 30, 2 p.m. In this free concert Roman will perform three of Bach’s Cello Suites. For his ongoing creative initiatives on behalf of classical music, Roman was named a 2011 TED Fellow, joining a select group of Next Generation innovators of unusual accomplishments with the potential to positively affect the world. For more information about this exciting young performer, see www.joshuaroman.com. First Presbyterian is located at 1328 Peachtree Street, NE, in Midtown Atlanta.

10. Explore seminary education at Emory University's Candler School of Theology. Sign up for First Tuesday at Candler, an event for prospective students on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 6:30-8:00 p.m. You are invited to visit Candler’s campus for a casual dinner with Dean Jan Love, members of the Admissions team, and current students. Dr. James Abbington, Associate Professor of Church Music and Worship, will present a talk entitled, Congregational Song in the 21st Century. Register online by this Friday, Oct. 28 at: http://www.candler.emory.edu/admissions/connect/group-visits.cfm.

11. On November 2-4 Anna Crumley-Effinger, Program Director, Africa Policy and Advocacy at American Friends Service Committee will be in Atlanta. On Thursday, November 3, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., at the Atlanta Friends Meetinghouse she will talk about the AFSC-Africa programs and involvement

in the Truth and Reconciliation process getting underway in Burundi. She will share about on-going work to support local communities emerging out of violence as they seek healing and livelihoods that can support their futures. AFSC-Africa works in Zimbabwe, Somalia, and Burundi, as well as supports regional work on peace issues and maintains a partnership with a newly formed local NGO in Mozambique that was started as AFSC finished it's more than 30 years of work in the area. Anna is interested in meeting with anyone who has been working with the Burundian community who is interested in learning more about AFSC’s work on peace and reconciliation in Burundi. Anna is curious to think about how diaspora (including resettled refugees) might be part of this process. She will meet with the Burundian Friends on Sunday, November 6, at 9 a.m. at the Atlanta Friends Meetinghouse. Alice Lovelace at AFSC's Southeast Regional Office,

Atlanta, is coordinating Anna's visit. [e-mail] or 404-586-0460 ext. 17.

12. The Religion and Public Health Collaborative at Emory University is sponsoring A Conversation with John Wallace on November 4, 2011 on the Emory Campus. Dr. Wallace is the Philip Hallen Chair in Community Health and Social Justice at the University of Pittsburgh, is a pastor in a church in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood, and is renowned for his work researching the impact of crime and drug-related violence on churches, as well as gender and racial disparities in school discipline. At Emory, he will engage in a panel discussion with local pastors Religion, Social Capital, and Community Health in Changing Atlanta’s Neighborhoods. Panelists include Susannah Davis, Kirkwood UCC, Toni Belin Ingram, Greater Smith Chapel AME, and Stephanie Crumpton with Columbia Seminary’s Faith in the City CPE program. The event will be held from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., November 4 in the Cox Hall Ballrooms 1 – 3, with a continental breakfast beginning at 8:30 a.m. Please R.s.v.p. to Susan Landskroener, [e-mail] by October 31.


13. CURRENTS: Attitudes and Issues – A Visual Arts Exhibit will be at the AFSC Georgia Peace Center Gallery, 60 Walton Street, NW, downtown Atlanta, November 5 through December 10. The center is two blocks from the Five Points MARTA Station. This exhibit features works by Geoffrey Johnson and Kerly Suffren and is open during scheduled events or by appointment. The Opening Reception will be Saturday, November 5, 7-10 p.m. with a talk by the artists and discussion. CURRENTS offers an opportunity to look at a social/cultural/political continuum of issues and events that touch the lives of black men in positive and negative ways and is an intergenerational exploration through music, poetry, and visual arts. Find out about the events and artists at AFSC .

14. We want to be sure you know that educators and students with I.D. will be admitted free to the Breman Museum for the inauguration of the Genocide Prevention Institute, November 6. The Inaugural event will feature the Honorable Shirley Franklin, former Mayor of Atlanta, moderating a panel of genocide survivors from Rwanda, Bosnia, and the Holocaust at 1 p.m. Following the discussion there will be a viewing of ‘Worse than War’, Holocaust historian David Jonah Goldhagen’s groundbreaking film, which explores the preventable phenomenon of genocide. Visit www.thebreman.org for more information. And www.thebreman.org/education/courses-for-professional-credit.html has all the information on the associated teachers course -- registration, scholarship, fees, etc. These events are to be held at the museum, 1440 Spring Street, Atlanta 30309.

15. Senior pastor of Peachtree Road United Methodist, Atlanta, speaks on All Saints’ Sunday on Day 1. Dr. Bill Britt will focus on All Saints’ Sunday, which many churches observe on Nov. 6. Based on Jesus’ teachings known as the Beatitudes, his sermon is entitled “We Are Blessed.” “That’s what this day is all about: remembering the saints who have gone before us; reminding ourselves that we, too, are saints; and becoming more completely the persons God has called us to be,” he says. “We are blessed.” The program includes interviews with Britt conducted by Wallace, who is also executive producer. Find information at Day1.

16. Churches of the Southside Ministerial Association and Church of the Incarnation are working together on the Delores Project-Atlanta to encourage appropriately aged people to get colorectal cancer screenings between January and March of next year. They have contacted over 85 churches and an additional 60 organizations in the Southside to participate. Your congregation can get involved in this faith/health ministry. Training will be held on Saturday, November 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for organizational contacts at the Church of the Incarnation, 2407 Cascade Road, Atlanta. We encourage you in the Southside to identify two people in your congregation who can serve as education and mobilization contacts and send them to the training. Breakfast will be served 8-9 a.m. Please register so there will be enough biscuits. Ministers are invited to attend. If you have questions call 770-298-4017 or email [e-mail] to reach Dr. Juaney A. Lynn-Rigsby



17. Fall Recycling and Environmental Health Event for South Fulton, Saturday November 12 at Hapeville Charter Career Academy, Union City Campus, 6045 Buffington Road, Union City 30349, 10 to 3. Find out about all kinds of things and bring your cooking grease and books you would like to donate. For a small fee cans and pails of paint can be recycled and papers shredded. For further information, email [e-mail] or call 404-502-7265 or 770-380-9103.



18. The 2011 Odyssey Awards Luncheon honors individuals who have significantly contributed to the success of Community Concerns, Inc. in its mission to assist people in need of guidance and support as they move from homelessness to self-sufficiency. This year on November 12, 12 noon at the Loudermilk Center, 40 Courtland Street, Atlanta, CCI will present its Odyssey Award to seven honorees: corporate sponsor, Delta Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Stephen E. Gorman; Board Member, Vice President/Partner of The Marquin Group, James Beasley and his wife, Director of Accounting for MARTA, Cynthia Beasley; longtime Community Supporter, Rev. Nila Dubose, Faith Community Volunteer, Myra Lightfoot, and the Odyssey Success Story Couple, Larry and Linda Powers. Luncheon tickets are $50 each and are tax deductible. The Odyssey Awards Luncheon is CCI’s annual fundraising event. Rev. Dr. J. Allen Milner committed himself and his congregation at Chapel of Christian Love to eradicating homelessness over 28 years ago. For more information about the Odyssey Awards Luncheon or Community Concerns Inc. and Odyssey III, call 404-659-3390 or email James Milner II, Director of Community Concerns at [e-mail].




19. Rock Spring Presbyterian Church 141st Annual Homecoming and Kirkin’ O’ the Tartans, Sunday, November 13. Schedule includes 9 a.m. Gospel at the Rock service with gospel music and Bible preaching, Sunday School is at 9:45; and Joyous Worship at 11 with bagpipe and drum and Hicks with Picks. A covered dish luncheon will follow, bring a dish if you are able to fed yourself +1. If you need a ride call the church at 404-875-7483. Rock Spring is located at 1824 Piedmont Avenue, NE Atlanta 30324, www.rspc.org.

20. Reminder of God, Human Suffering, and the Minister at Columbia Theological Seminary. Consider how to face evil and be delivered from it, with renowned teacher and preacher Charles G. Adams, November 17 - 19. Other presenters include Mark Douglas, associate professor of Christian ethics; George Stroup, J. B. Green Professor of Theology; and Joseph L. Roberts, Wade Huie Professor of Preaching and Director of the Center for Preaching.The $165 program fee includes lunch on Friday and a light continental breakfast Saturday. For additional information and to register, CTSnet.edu.


21. Recycle cellphones through the end of the month to help victims of domestic violence in Georgia. The HopeLine® phone drive will collect wireless phones, batteries, and accessories, in any condition from any wireless service provider. There are several collection boxes on the Georgia State University campus, one at the Auburn Avenue Research Library,101 Auburn Avenue NE Atlanta 30303, and one at the Empowerment Resource Center,236 Auburn Avenue NE, Suite 200,Atlanta 30303




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