All are welcome this Sunday, December 10 at 5:00 pm for Epiphany's annual Candlelight Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. A holiday favorite, this service of scripture and music centers on the mystery of the Incarnation. Sung by the Choristers, Parish Choir, and guests. A festive reception will follow in Hadley Hall. Our service of Lessons and Carols can also be viewed on Epiphany's YouTube channel. 

Advent is here, and the Giving Tree is back in church with opportunities to join in Epiphany’s gift ministry. You will find the tree at the back of Hadley Hall, covered with tags describing suggested donations to be made to organizations supported by Journey to Justice (formerly Mission & Outreach). Please take tags from the trees and follow the instructions to make donations by the date indicated. In addition, the information on the tree tags appears below and you can simply make your donation, as described, without collecting a tag. Your prayerful support of our partners, and the families they serve, would be greatly appreciated during this Christmas giving season.

St. Luke’s/San Lucas Food Pantry, Chelsea
Purchase $25 Target gift cards to be given to those who come in need to the church and the food pantry. Father Edgar is seeing a surge in recent immigrant families who need money to purchase food and warm clothing. Put all cards in the gift card collection box in the Epiphany office by Wednesday, 12/20.

American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem
The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem operates humanitarian institutions in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon. This includes the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza that was recently in the news after being shelled. These institutions are powerful examples of Christian witness in these conflict-torn regions. Donate directly at https://afedj.org/.

Haiti Nursing Foundation
Haiti Nursing Foundation (HNF) improves health in the Republic of Haiti by supporting quality nursing education, primarily at the FSIL Nursing School, located in Léogâne, Haiti. Donate directly to the Haiti Nursing Foundation at https://www.haitinursing.org/.

El Hogar Ministries, Honduras
El Hogar provides education to Honduran children and youth in vulnerable situations. They are focused on breaking the cycle of poverty and helping the children fulfill their potential.  Donate directly to El Hogar at https://elhogar.org/. 

(Winchester) Network for Social Justice
The mission of the Network for Social Justice is to foster a movement for systemic change to advance equity and inclusion in the town of Winchester and beyond. NSJ is oriented towards social justice activism through a three-pronged strategy of education, engagement, and advocacy.  Donate directly to the Network for Social Justice at https://nfsj.org/. 

All are invited to the Epiphany’s beloved, annual holiday tradition on Saturday, November 18 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Browse through a variety of unique and beautifully crafted, warm, and cozy gifts, and support this tradition spanning three decades.

In addition to items created by skilled and talented parishioners at the knit and craft tables, works of art by parish artist John McConnell will be on display. Returning this year are gifts by Studio on the Common, mittens by Cashmere Resewn, jewelry by Mei Mei of Lexington, pottery by Christa Bennett, and jewelry by Linda Preston. Choose from costume jewelry and White Elephant treasures of the past, among many other finds. Our non-profits this year include Holy Nativity Convent (candles), Haiti Peace Quilts, the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, Unite with Light, and Food for Fido. To entertain the kids while you shop, check out the Kids' Store for a "kids only" holiday shopping experience (no adults allowed!) where children can purchase family gifts, some crafts, and children’s books.

This year’s Silent Auction will have items such as tickets to sporting and cultural events plus festive baskets. We will also sell homemade apple pies, lemon curd, jams, and bread and butter pickles. All this in addition to cookies, breads, and treats for the holidays available at the bake table which make great housewarming gifts. The café will offer a delicious menu and a pleasant place to gather with family and friends. 

Growth and change are everywhere at Epiphany! With new and familiar faces, new and expanded offerings, and evolving and deepening missions, we are a dynamic, Christ- centered community.

In recent weeks, we have frequently discussed the simple idea that Stewardship is everything we do — with our time, talent, and treasure – after we say “yes” to God. Lay leadership, a key element to sustaining this vibrancy at Epiphany, focuses on the time and talent facets of Stewardship.

In the fall of each calendar year, we open the nomination process to discern who will join the lay leadership at Epiphany. Leadership opportunities for 2024 take many forms — Vestry, Clerk, Treasurer, Associate Treasurer, Diocesan Convention Delegate, Deanery Representative, Nominating Committee, and Property Committee.

Over the next few weeks — between now and Thanksgiving — you are invited to share nominations for leadership roles next year. You can nominate yourself or someone else as an invitation to consider a calling not previously considered.

You can submit a nomination online or by using the ballots and ballot box at the back of the church.  Click here for descriptions of each role.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to any member of the nominating committee (below), and you are very welcome to share your nomination directly with us as well. We look forward to hearing from you!

With gratitude for the service of so many,
Jared Cumming, Carol Hollingshead, Darwin Keith-Lucas, Joan O’Connor, and Reverend Nick

For the past year, Mission & Outreach has been discerning where God might be calling us next, in this new chapter that is unfolding here at Epiphany. After much thought and discussion, we are excited to embark on a journey, a Journey to Justice. Mission & Outreach (M&O) will now be called Journey to Justice (J2J). We feel it is time to have the courage to let go of old priorities and to trust God leading us to new understanding and new action. We will embark on a journey from charity to justice, from learning and understanding to action and partnership, and from personal faith to taking out faith into the world. Monthly gatherings will kick off after the 10:00 am service on Sunday, October 22 and will consist of a topic presentation and thoughtful discussion that will help guide us along our journey. Interested in joining? Contact Betsy Walsh or Rev. Janelle.

As part of our launch of Journey to Justice, on October 22, we will welcome the Rev. Edwin Johnson as our preacher. Edwin serves as the Director of Organizing at Episcopal City Mission, an organization that builds relationships and collective power across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for racial and economic justice as the expression of God’s transforming love. 

This Sunday, October 1, we begin our annual Stewardship Campaign. During this time, we invite everyone to prayerfully consider making a financial pledge to support our mission and life together. Your pledge supports our annual budget and enables us to offer programming and staff to help lead our mission in this place. Please pick up a pledge envelope on Sunday on your way out of the church. 

Epiphany gardeners have been growing fresh vegetables in the Bishop Garden this summer to support "Gardens for Good," which provides fresh food for those with food insecurity through the Council of Social Concern in Woburn and the En Ka Food Pantry in Winchester.

If you have vegetables from your own garden that you’d like contribute to feed Gardens for Good, bring your harvest to 19 Glengarry Road in Winchester; Dotty Burstein is the resident. She has set up boxes to receive the vegetables. There's a clipboard where you record who you are and how much of which vegetables you are dropping off. The food is delivered 9:00 am on Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday mornings before 9:00 am, so please drop off your harvest those mornings or the previous evening.

As the Diocese of Massachusetts, we are in the process of seeking a new diocesan bishop. Bp. Alan Gates will retire towards the end of 2024. As part of this process, there are a series of listening sessions to gather input from the people of our diocese regarding our vision for our future and the qualities we seek in our new bishop. Your voice is needed. Please see the dates/times/locations of the listening sessions, and register to attend, by clicking this link and filling out the form. In-person sessions will include light refreshments. Registration for the in-person sessions is not required but appreciated in order to plan refreshments and seating. Registration is required for the Zoom sessions so that you receive the Zoom link.