Church Action Newsletter Week of October 10, 2011

[RCCAtl]

God calls us to some things we cannot do alone.
Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

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Does Metro Atlanta need a Center for Congregations to link congregations with needed resources? 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. According to the Indianapolis Center for Congregations President, Rev. Timothy Shapiro, a "congregation's ability to develop new skills and ways of thinking in order to meet their ever growing demands is the primary indicator of a congregation's health."Please take a few minutes to be sure your voice is heard.

Click here to Voice Your Opinion on a Survey
(Your input is urgently needed by October 21)



Member in the news!! Rev. Dr. Marvin A. Moss, Senior Pastor of Cascade United Methodist Church, is featured in the YouthUSA video of Secretary Hilda L. Solis’ Vision of the Future encouraging faith-based job clubs, career ministries, and employment initiatives. See it on youtube .



1. Fulton County Women’s Health Program is hosting a free Breast Cancer Awareness Program today, Wednesday, October 12, 2011 from 10-2 p.m. at Adamsville Recreation Center 3201 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Atlanta. The theme: “Hats off To The Breast Cancer Survivors” Contact number is 404-505-3181 for more information.

2. Phase 30 of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program, runs from January 1, 2012 until December 31, 2012. It is anticipated DeKalb and Fulton counties and the city of Atlanta will be awarded funds. Local organizations chosen to receive funds must have non-profit status, maintain an accounting system, practice non-discrimination, demonstrate the capacity to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs and have a voluntary board. Application materials are at www.unitedwayatlanta.org . For further information contact Charles Sterne at 404-527-7202 or [e-mail]. The application deadline is November 11, 2011 at 12 p.m.

3. Third Annual Festival of Lights, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. This event, sponsored by the Historic Westside Cultural Council and the Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition, takes place in the English Avenue Community. The kick-off parade begins at 870 Proctor Street. Enjoy free food, entertainment, arts crafts and health education. The HEALing Community Center will provide health information and general screening.

4. The Georgia Latinos Against Domestic Violence is hosting a Domestic Violence 101 for Community Leaders workshop on Saturday, October 15 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Norcross Human Services Center located at 5030 Georgia Belle Court in Norcross. This is a free educational opportunity. Topics include: how to support a domestic violence victim; barriers to providing and receiving help; specific issues of domestic violence in the Latino community. Space is limited. Reserve your place by e-mailing [e-mail]

5. Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin will be guest speaker for Women's Day at 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, Decatur. The Rev. Kimberly Jackson, Episcopal chaplain at Absalom Jones Episcopal Student Center, will serve as celebrant. The day's theme is "Courage for the Journey." The church is at 2833 Flat Shoals Road in Decatur. All are welcome.

6. Men's Day will be celebrated at Radcliffe Presbyterian Church on Sunday, October 16, 2011, 10:45 a.m. The speaker will be Dr. Ronald Edward Peters, President, Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta. The church is located at 286 Hamilton E. Holmes Dr., NW, Atlanta 30318,. formerly Hightower Road. The theme for the program is "Promoting the Mission of an Urban Church." While on the faculty at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Peters gained national and international distinction as an authority on Urban Ministry, including the honor of receiving a Fullbright Scholarship. The church phone number is 404-799-8286. The entire community is invited to this important service.

7. Early-music duo Harmonie Universelle, with Catherine Bull on baroque flute and Daniel Pyle on harpsichord, will perform at 3:15 p.m. Sunday, Oct.16, at the Cathedral of St. Philip. Bull and Pyle will perform works by Telemann, Couperin, Böhm, and Weiss. Following the recital at 4 p.m., the Cathedral will offer Choral Evensong sung by the Cathedral Schola.

8. Join the Bhutanese Artists of Georgia for their Live Concert 2011 on October 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the Clarkston Community Center. Karna Das, a renowned singer of Nepali music will be present and Mahesh Thulung and other local artists will perform. Tickets are $15.

9. Meridian Herald will present its 14th annual Higher Ground: Camp Meeting Service on Sunday, October 16, at 6 p.m. at the historic First United Methodist Church of Marietta, 56 Whitlock Ave (corner of the 120 loop/Powder Springs Street and Whitlock). The camp meeting, featuring old-time preaching, prayer, and singing, will be held in the outdoor pavilion. In the case of inclement weather, the service will be held in the sanctuary. Senior Pastor of Marietta First, Dr. Sam Matthews, will preach. After the service, attendees will enjoy warm fellowship and refreshments on the grounds. Chairs will be available, but there will also be space for personal lawn chairs and blankets. This is a free event and everyone is welcome.

10. Istanbul Center offers an important two-part event Politics of Exclusion: Extremism & Imagining the "Other" Panel Series. The first part of the series on October 17 will be moderated by Dr. Maia Hallward of Kennesaw State University. This first part features the following expert panelists: Agent Vernon Keenan, Director of Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Dr. Ian Almond, Georgia State University. Monday, October 17, 12 -1:30 p.m. at Istanbul Center's Midtown Office. The second part will be on Monday, October 31, details will follow. Istanbul Center Midtown Office is located at 1349 West Peachtree Street, Suite 1010 in Atlanta. Please RSVP to Program Coordinator Jessica Winslow at [e-mail] .

11. The Coalition for the Homeless with a Mentally Illness will meet as usual on Wednesday, October 19, at First Presbyterian Church, Atlanta. The time is 3:30 p.m. This meeting will be concerned with transitional housing through a United Way program and will include an update from an important meeting held at Grady today on the matter of how Grady cards for the uninsured can be more effectively issued and used.
12. Georgia Interfaith Power & Light presents their popular workshop on saving energy at home. The program is geared to people of every faith, everyone is welcome. On October 22 from 1 to 3 p.m., a free Home Energy Audit Class will be hosted by the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in southeast Atlanta at 737 Woodland Avenue. You will learn: How to reduce your home utility bills, How to make your home more energy efficient, and more. Everyone receives a goody bag with energy savings products you can use immediately. Reservations are required. RSVP  by email [e-mail] or 404-588-9978.

Georgia Interfaith Power & Light specializes in helping congregations save energy in their buildings. To receive an Energy Audit at your place of worship and apply for a matching grant to make the improvements, visit gipl.org.

13. The Zion Hill Baptist Church Summit Revival will feature three nights of dynamic worship, October 26, 27, and 28, with guest preachers, the Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, pastor of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church; the Rev. Yvette Massey, pastor of Red Oak United Methodist Church, Stockbridge, and the Rev. Dr. Marvin Moss, Cascade United Methodist Church, Atlanta. Services begin nightly at 7:00 p.m., 6175 Campbellton Road, SW, Atlanta. Get more information at 404-691-8025 or the website at www.zionhill.org.

14. Atlanta's Christian Talk 970 &1400 WNIV & 104.7 THE FISH invites all Pastor's to the 9th annual Pastor’s Appreciation Event and Luncheon, Thursday, October 27. This FREE EVENT will be held at The Marriott in Alpharetta, 5750 Windward Parkway (just off 400). Registration begins at 9am. Special guest speaker this year is Dr. Henry Blackaby. Henry T. Blackaby is president of Blackaby Ministries International, an organization he founded in order to help people experience God. This is a Free Event for all Pastors! Register online.

15. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church wants you to help to promote a thought-provoking discussion about the impact of technology on the spiritual formation of young people on October 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with the Rev. John Taliaferro Thomas, Headmaster at St. Andrew's Sewanee School. All are welcome, so feel free to pass this on. Tickets are $30 per person. Please note space is limited and seats must be reserved in advance. Folks can buy tickets at www.trainingandcounselingcenter.org. St. Luke's Episcopal Church - Parish Hall, 435 Peachtree St., NE, Atlanta.

16. You might know someone who would like to explore grad school. Idealist Grad Fair will be Nov. 1 at Georgia State University. It's free, open to the public, and meant for undergrads, professionals, anyone thinking of going to grad school to further their social impact career. Representatives from 90 schools that offer degrees in social work, public health, public administration, international affairs, information science, and lots more. Read all about it atIdealist.


17. Mozart Requiem: Memorial Concert for Anne Hale, at All Saints Episcopal Church, 634 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Tuesday, November 1, All Saints’ Day at 7:30 p.m. Raymond Chenault will conduct the All Saints’ Choir, soloists, and orchestra in Mozart’s Requiem as a memorial to Anne Hale, beloved chorister, supporter and benefactor of the music program at All Saints’. Find ticket information and more about this spectacular concert series at AllSaintsAtlanta

18. Remember Living into Sabbath at Columbia Theological Seminary, October 30 – Nov. 4., with Wayne Muller a week of refreshment and renewal. All information here.

19. Each autumn All Saints’ Episcopal Church invites an influential and innovative leader to speak as a part of the Ann Evans Woodall Lecture series. This year former U.N. Ambassador, U.S. Congressman, and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young will speak at the church on Thursday, November 10, 7 p.m. All Saints' Episcopal Church is located at 634 W Peachtree St NW in Atlanta. Visit www.allsaintsatlanta.org for more.
20. God, Human Suffering, and the Minister: Deliver Us from Evil - Center for Preaching Event 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, at Columbia Theological Seminary, in Decatur. 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, click HERE or call 404-687-4587.

21. Looking for a great way to make a difference in the lives of some kids, like sports? Check out FCA Soccer Ministries by visiting www.atlantafca.org/soccer and www.evotional.blogspot.com. Call Jorge Vallejo at 423-580-8557 or email [e-mail] for more info.



22. To help prepare for the New Year, the Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks has recorded a series of ten thought-provoking videos; each reflecting on a particular idea associated with this time in the Jewish calendar or on an individual prayer said on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. The Courage to Hope is sometimes the Greatest Courage of All. Find the video at youtube

23. Catholicism illustrates the history and treasures of a global religion shared by more than one billion people around the world. The series was created and is hosted by Father Robert Barron, the Francis Cardinal George Professor of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary and a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Father Barron tells the story of Catholicism using art, architecture, literature, music, and all the riches of the Catholic tradition in some of the most magnificent and sacred sites in Jerusalem, Rome, Krakow, Warsaw, New York, Istanbul, Ephesus, Lourdes, Mexico City, Athens, Corinth, Mexico City and more. Seen in Georgia on WPBA, GPTV and EWTN. For information, channels, dates and times, click here. www.catholicismseries.com

24. The world of saints, relics, and devotional objects comes alive in this remarkable online exhibit offered by the British Museum. "Treasures of Heaven” brings together over 150 objects from institutions like the Vatican and art museums across Europe and the United States. "Objects" contains video clips of curators talking about a few of the objects in the exhibit including the statue reliquary of St. Baudime and the world of the medieval goldsmith. The exhibition blog (found toward the bottom of the homepage) is a real treat, as there are over 50 posts that deal with conservation practices, metalworking, and the lives of these artisans. In the "Multimedia Guide", visitors can listen to Sir Derek Jacobi talk about some of the items on exhibit. Visit now.

25. Cool Congregations Challenge – win $1000 for your congregation – find out more.

26. HEARTS for Families currently has an opening for a Director of Programs and Services. HEARTS' mission is to support the concept of nurturing through providing training and technical assistance in the Nurturing Parenting Programs® in Georgia, and to develop, consult, and train other related programs which build child well-being and nurturing parenting skills in families. Interested parties should email a resume and a short letter applying for the position to [e-mail] and have a willingness to perform a preliminary assignment as part of the interview process.

27. One of our readers has reminded us of this movie several times and we think you should know about it and see it. Courageous is a faith-based drama produced by Sherwood Pictures, the media division of Sherwood Baptist Church, Albany, GA. It tackles morals, faith, and commitment challenges surrounding fatherhood and follows the lives of four law enforcement officers who work hard to protect and serve the community, but struggle to do their best when it comes to being good fathers. This powerful film is the starting point for a movement of fathers creating a legacy of Godly families. See the movie and then take the next step with these official resources that will serve you on your journey. Visit Courageous for show times near you and for great ministry tools to help your family and your church!


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Peace,

Ethel Ware Carter

Regional Council of Churches of Atlanta

404-538-0246