May 11, 2023

We are seeking an Office Administrator and Financial Administrator here at Epiphany. This work is able to be full-time or part-time depending upon the candidates. Please share these opportunities with any potential candidates and contact Rev. Nick for more information or conversation. Often, we engage the best candidates through word of mouth and we ask for your help in finding wonderful people to join our life together and a great staff team. See the position descriptions at https://3crowns.org/join-our-team. 

I am grateful to have Kristina DeFrancesco join us at Epiphany during this time of transition as we seek a new Office Administrator. Kristina worked with us doing temp administrative support during our previous search. Kristina will work remotely and help us in producing worship booklets, our weekly 3Crowns Newsletter, and managing the office@3crowns email. Please note that during this time of transition, our office will be minimally staff during the week and we, together as a staff, will do our best to respond to phone calls in a timely manner.

Parish of the Epiphany's rummage sale is back! This long-running tradition returns for the first time since the pandemic on Friday, May 12 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm and on Saturday, May 13 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Find clothing, housewares, toys, collectibles, and more.

Mother's Day is nearly here (May 14). Why bore your mother or mother-in-law with the same old gift of flowers or brunch? Find an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind treasure at the Epiphany Rummage Sale! And what about a gift that soon-to-be graduate? Buy a set of china or pots and pans to help them as they move into their own place. Weddings coming up in June? Hostess gifts for your summer travels? Our specially curated "Notions" table could hold that hidden gem that will spark joy. 

Volunteer to be a cashier during the sale, or help bag and take away unsold items: May 13 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. 

Continuing today at 11:30 am and weekly on Sundays through May 28, we are excited to welcome back Dr. Brian Litzenberger to our Faith Forum in Hadley Hall. During the season of Eastertide, we will explore the seeds of possibility and wholeness as we discern God’s voice in our own lives and life together. Reflecting upon the post-Resurrection stories in the New Testament, Dr. Brian and Rev. Nick will invite us to explore, through dialogue and teaching, where God is calling us as a community. 

The Employment Transition Group will resume meeting via Zoom starting on Tuesday, May 16 at 8:30 am. If you are searching for employment or are considering a transition, we offer a supportive, informal, non-judgmental environment where we cover topics such as networking, use of the internet including LinkedIn, resumes, elevator speeches, and interview techniques. The group will be facilitated by Robie White (job search veteran) and Jen Shire (HR professional in the technology and educational worlds). For more information, please contact Robie or Jen. 

On Tuesdays, May 16 through June 6 from 5:30 – 6:25 pm, join parishioner Elizabeth Berner for a free yoga class in the Upper Parish Hall. Please bring a water, yoga mat, and any other props that will support you during your practice. Wear comfortable clothing. To register, please email Elizabeth Berner or call 617-650-2536.

Please join this Wednesday's Midweek Dinner, beginning at 6:15 in Hadley Hall. All are welcome! This week we will focus on community and connection. We'll learn something about each other, have some fun, and say goodbye and thank you to Kathryn, our Parish Administrator. This intergenerational evening will have some special treats, and a special liturgy as we give thanks for the bonds that link us. 

Dinner will be: steak tips, mashed potatoes, salad, bread, pizza for the kids, and a special dessert. Click here to sign up to help prepare dinner! 

Find nourishment at Midweek. 

Registration for our Parish Weekend Away opened this past Sunday, and the response was strong. We have over 80 parishioners signed up already, ranging in age from toddlers to retirees. 

If you can't come for the full weekend, please come for the day on Saturday. You can arrive that morning and join us for coffee, workshops, lunch, a myriad of afternoon activities (including canoeing, nature walks, social time in the lodges, and more), the popular adult social hour, and dinner. Stay as long into the evening as you'd like: we'll have our legendary square dance, cards and games, and a campfire and sing-along. 

We have plenty of overnight space available in our "camper" category of accommodations. This means you will be placed in cabins which have bunk beds, electricity, heat, and bathrooms. Camper cabins are a little less cushy than lodge rooms (mainly in terms of the bunk beds) but are still a comfortable and only mildly-campy option. Camper cabins, because of their size, will have at least five people per cabin. Our retreat team will thoughtfully match up families or individuals to share these cabins. (Or, if you've got a large family, you might get your own!).

Standard accommodations are currently fully booked, with the possible exception of one female adult space. If you would like to be placed on the waitlist for standard accommodations, please reach out to Bryn — she is tirelessly working to make more space. 

For more information, please visit our website. Please register HERE.

A couple of Sundays ago, I was talking to the daughter of a beloved parishioner who died of ALS. She reminded me that it had been eighteen years since he had passed. Eighteen years! I won’t bore you with tired aphorisms about time flying, but man, did that surprise me. It was only a few years later that we found the Tri-State Trek and started to raise money to combat ALS. So, we’ve been doing this a long time now.

Through that long stretch, despite the tremendous support we’ve received from the parish, and the many thousands of dollars we have raised, we’ve continued to have to report that ALS remains a horrible disease stubbornly resistant to cures and treatments. But we are happy to report that this year is different. ALS-Therapy Development Institute has announced a new drug, Tofersen, has successfully completed FDA approval and significantly slows the decline of respiratory function and strength and improves quality of life. More clinical trials are underway, so it seems a pipeline of hope is on the way.

But no reason for complacency! That’s why your favorite cycling group, Team Epiphany, is at it again. We’re hopping on our trusty two-wheelers to continue the fight against this horrible disease benefiting the ALS-TDI. They’ve changed the format this year, and we’ll be attempting various distances. During the weekend of June 24-25, your team will be looping around Durham, NH, completing distances between 30 and 200 miles. And so, once again, we ask for your support:

1. Please navigate to https://www.team-epiphany.org and make a pledge. We hope to break our record on fundraising. It will also show you who’s on the team and what they’ve signed up for. Sponsor your favorite rider or the team at large. It’s all good!
2. You could join the team. No, I’m not kidding. There are many ways to participate, both in person and virtually. We’d love to swell our ranks — https://tst.als.net/the-ride/participation-options/. Not a cyclist? Doesn’t matter, you can participate virtually walking, running, or doing any kind of exercise.
3. Pray for us. We will be training heavily between now and then. We’d especially like your prayers for the safety of all riders and volunteers on the weekend of June 24-25.

ALS has hit this parish hard over the years, and we ride in honor of our fallen friends, Steve Lewis and Rick Marks. Yet, we know there are lots of pressing needs in the world so we thank you in advance for considering supporting us.

In the meantime, stay safe and well and have a blessed Eastertide.

~ Team Epiphany

We are excited to honor our graduating seniors and graduating elementary school students. Please join us as we mark these transitions and pray for our students as they enter a new season! Festive reception to follow at 11:15 in Hadley Hall.

On Sunday, May 21 at 2:00 pm, the Reverend Nick Myers, Warren McFarlan, and Kim Erskine will be giving a one-hour presentation on the work of the Bequests & Planned Giving Committee during the past year, and why it is of relevance to every parishioner. In particular, the presentation will introduce the Cornerstone Society. Please click for the Zoom link for the session.

Our last Word & Table service of the program year will be held on Sunday, May 21 at 5:00 pm in Hadley Hall. Offered once a month October through May, Word & Table is a casual, contemporary, and creative service based on our familiar Episcopal liturgy. 

All are invited to a service of Choral Evensong on Sunday, May 21 at Christ Church in Andover, sung by the combined Parish Choirs and Choristers of both Christ Church, Andover and Parish of the Epiphany, Winchester on the Sunday after the Ascension. Music for choir and soloists will include ‘I will not leave you comfortless’ by Everett Titcomb, ‘The Second Service’ by William Byrd, and ‘God is gone up’ by William Croft. Jeremy Bruns will play the organ prelude recital beginning at 4:30 pm or a few minutes earlier, and the service will begin at 5:00 pm. A festive reception will follow.

Join the Parish Choir, Choristers and guests for Choral Evensong and the Investiture of Choristers at Epiphany on Sunday, June 4 at 5:00 pm. This festive service on Trinity Sunday will conclude the 2022-23 choral season. Music for choir and soloists will include ‘The Second Service’ by William Byrd, ‘O Lord, Support Us’ by David Briggs, and ‘I saw the Lord’ by John Stainer. Watch future 3 Crowns announcements for a bit more detail on the music for this festive end-of-season service.