December 15, 2022

Last week, after having run errands all morning and returned to the house with arms full, I realized that my keys were safely nestled in the zipped pocket on the inside of my winter jacket. I stared at the doorknob, felt the pressure of the keys on my chest, and said to myself, "Of course." And, like nearly everyone else in this situation, I tried to unzip my coat, hold the storm door open with my knee, and retrieve my keys. It didn't go well. Right before the grocery bag tore down the middle, I wisely decided to put all the bags down and step away from the door. I needed to let go of what I was holding.

This is a full week. From the exciting news of a breakthrough in the study of nuclear fusion or the celebrations of the World Cup, to the mournful remembrance of the shooting at Sandy Hook in Newtown, CT ten years ago or the more intimate moments of challenge or sadness (which often happen during holiday seasons). 

This is a full week. On Tuesday, Rev. Bob invited us into a space to care for one another as we experience such grief. Wednesday night the vestry gathered to discern our ministry and mission for this coming year and approve a budget. This Saturday the Parish Choir and Chorister gather to practice and prepare for the Christmas celebrations ahead. In Atlanta, at 2:00 pm on Saturday, Janelle Hiroshige will be ordained a deacon, as she responds to God's call in her life. On Sunday, we welcome the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem at the Adult Forum to explore the homeland of Jesus and our longing for peace and home in this world. At 5:00 pm on Sunday evening we celebrate our festive Lessons and Carols service, in a sanctuary adorned by the Flower Guild and prepared by the Altar Guild; after the service we have a festive reception together — a wonderful way to enter more deeply into Advent, towards Christmas. Just sharing all that is happening this week makes us realize, our arms are full. Full of wonderful and beautiful and, maybe, heavy things.

I'm reminded that it is good to carry such things. And, there comes a time to set these things down. Maybe when the work is finished, the songs are sung, the relationships tended, the call heard. To let go, reminds us that we can't do everything ourselves; indeed, we are not the center of it all. We need help opening the door or are invited to set something down to take another up. This Advent season, this week, is full — but let it not be about busy-ness or distraction, checking-lists, or getting wrapped up in the worry of a perfect "whatever". Advent and the celebration of Christmas is about this: we are not alone, God is with us, this sacred life rests in God's embrace — no matter what we carry.

Happy Advent friends. See you Sunday,
Nick

This Sunday at 2:00 pm in Atlanta, Janelle Hiroshige will be ordained to the diaconate, as she responds to God's call in her life. Support Janelle by watching her ordination here. Our heartfelt congratulations to Janelle! 

Join Rev. Nick this Sunday, December 18 at 11:15 am for the last session of our Advent forum series exploring our place in this world and our sense of longing for home and belonging. This Sunday, we welcome the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.

Our Christmas pageant will be on Christmas Eve at the 4:00 pm worship service. Please click here to sign your child up to participate in the pageant and to indicate their preferred role. We will hold our final rehearsal at 3:00 pm on Christmas Eve. All are welcome!

As of December 13, 208 households have pledged $1,052,7853. We have officially exceeded 2022’s pledge total. Thank you to all of you!

To those who have not pledged, we hope to increase the number of parishioners who pledge and thereby support our operating budget (I am sure you are tired of reading the various ways that I tell you that 90% of our operating budget is funded your indication of how much you will contribute in 2023 … ie. your ‘pledge’). Key note: a pledge indicates what you will give sometime before December 31, 2023… it is not a payment that you need to make today.  If you are willing to help support our budget next year, pledge some amount so that we can reflect your commitment in our budget (people pledge amounts that range from $100 to over $25,000).

Whatever your response, we are grateful for everyone’s presence in our life and ministry in all the many ways that you join in.  

December 31 is approaching and we want you to be aware of various processing deadlines for check requests, pledge payments, and other gifts. If you don’t find the answer to your question below, please be in touch with Maryann Badejo, Epiphany’s Financial Administrator, or Treasurers Jane White or Bill Brickman.

In order to receive proper tax credit, gifts and pledge payments must be postmarked (if mailed), received in the plate or in the office (if hand delivered), received in Epiphany’s investment account (if a gift of appreciated stock), or input from home via Realm by December 31 to be recorded as a 2022 gift. If you wish, 2022 pledge payments made after these deadlines can still be applied as a “prior year pledge payment” until the end of January 2023. 

Broker instructions for transferring gifts of securities are available from Kathryn in the parish office, Maryann, Jane, or Bill. 

To allow us to close the financial year efficiently, parish leaders and staff should aim to submit check requests for reimbursement or payment of bills by December 15. We will make every effort to process the rare expense that requires 2022 accounting after December 15. As always, check request forms are available in the office and at https://3crowns.org/forms. A list of account numbers and titles is available in both places for your convenience in completing check requests.

Please note as well that the office will be closed during the week of December 26 to allow the staff a well-deserved break. However, we will be checking the locked mailboxes outside the Hadley Hall and parish office doors for material that needs to be processed that week.

If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to be in touch with Maryann, Jane or Bill. We are grateful for your ongoing support for Epiphany and extend our warmest wishes for a peaceful and holy Advent and Christmas season.

Advent is here and the Giving Trees are back in church with opportunities to join in Epiphany’s gift ministry. One is at the back of Hadley Hall and one in front of the church nave. The trees are covered with tags describing suggested donations to be made to organizations supported by 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 Church, Chelsea
Purchase a $20 Target gift card to be given to a child at the St. Luke’s Christmas Eve service. Put all cards to be donated into an envelope labeled “St. Luke’s” and place in the gift card collection box in the Epiphany office by Wednesday, 12/21.

Council of Social Concern, Woburn:
Purchase gift cards (value $10 to $100) from Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, Gamestop, Amazon, Visa, or Mastercard. Note the value on the cards and put them in the gift card collection box in the Epiphany Office. Cards returned by Thursday, 12/8 will be donated to individual families to buy Christmas gifts. Late cards will go to the Children’s Center classrooms.

St. Stephen’s Youth Program, South End Boston:
Purchase a $20 Target gift card to be given to a child at the St. Stephen’s Christmas Eve service. Put each gift card in a signed Christmas card with “St. Stephen’s” on the envelope and place in the gift card collection box in the Epiphany office by Wednesday, 12/21.

Blackstone School Library, South End: 
Order requested children’s books from a wish list supported by Bookends in Winchester here.Bring the books to Hadley Hall and a volunteer will deliver them to the Library, or just order a book and a volunteer will bring any books not picked up to Blackstone.

El Hogar Ministries, Honduras: Donate directly to El Hogar here.

Haiti Nursing Foundation: Donate directly to the Haiti Nursing Foundation here. 

Mosaic: Interfaith Youth Action (formerly Kids 4 Peace Boston): Donate directly here.

Quest Adventures, Boston: Donate directly to Quest here.

Network for Social Justice, Winchester: Donate directly here.

American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem: Donate directly here.

Join us on Wednesday, January 4 for a special Midwinter @ Epiphany! At 6:15 pm, we will offer cocoa, grilled cheese, and tomato soup, with seating in Hadley Hall and warming fires in the Cloister Garden. At 7:00 pm, we will celebrate the end of the Christmas season with a burning of the greens. Please grab your boots and join us!

Are you interested in serving as an acolyte, reader, LEM (Lay Eucharistic Minister), or usher? Join us on January 8 following the 10:00 am service from 11:15 am -12:15 pm in the sanctuary for our training day. 

All youth (6th-12th grade) are invited to Exploring our Faith, Sundays after the 10:00 am service from February 5 - April 2 (skipping February 19). For those interested in being confirmed (must be 10th grade or older), these classes will be required and fulfill all confirmation qualifications. Please email Janelle if you are interested in being confirmed. Pizza will be provided! 

Save the date for our Youth Hut Hike trip on June 26-28 in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We will have a guide from the Appalachian Mountain Club and this will be an opportunity for community building while enjoying God’s creation. Interested? Email Janelle.

Creation Care is striving to make Epiphany a sustainable community. As always, outreach is part of what Epiphany does. The following are four Environmental Justice organizations and their websites that have made a real difference in sustaining our world, and we want you to know that you have supported them through the Creation Care group and through direct parishioner involvement. They are:

Green Roots: GreenRoots is a community-based organization dedicated to community engagement and empowerment, youth leadership and innovative projects to improve and enhance the urban environment in Chelsea and East Boston.

The Conversation Law Foundation (CLF): The CLF creates and defends environmental policy by pressuring federal and state agencies to enforce environmental justice laws.  

350 Mass Action: 350 Mass Action is building a powerful statewide movement to transition to a just, equitable, and clean energy economy.

Alternative for Community and Environment (ACE): ACE is a Roxbury-based environmental justice development nonprofit that organizes neighborhood residents and works with community organizers to build platforms and offer resources that address systemic injustice.