Stewardship: Practical and Spiritual
Over the past few weeks, we have heard about how our pledges support our church community and mission and how a commitment to increase our pledges will allow us to expand our ministries as we look to Renew & Rebuild. Stewardship, however, goes beyond enabling our ministry: it is also, or can be, spiritual — a way to grow deeper in relationship with God through Christ.
Although the stewardship campaign is in the fall, acting out our role as stewards is truly an all year, daily activity. Stewardship is defined as caring for something entrusted to one’s care. Stewardship is a way of life that calls us to make God the priority in all things. As Christians, we strive to be disciples of Christ. And being a disciple is connected to discipline. And that is one way that pledging is spiritual; the discipline of regularly giving to God and being part of what God wants to, and can, do through the people in his church, with the resources he has given them. And by pledging, we remind ourselves throughout the year that all we might have is really from God and is God’s. A weekly pledge check can be a regular, palpable reminder of our commitment and connection to God.
As Christ says “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) By pledging, we are showing that our heart is with Christ, seeking to do his good work. This is another way pledging is spiritual; we are walking in Christ’s way to give of ourselves for the growth of Christ’s community and to grow closer to and more Christ-like.
Earlier this year the choir sang this anthem in a most beautiful arrangement:
I believe in the sun, even when it’s not shining.
I believe in love, even when I don’t feel it.
I believe in God, even when God is silent. (Mark A. Miller (b. 1967))
We believe that together, with everyone’s help, commitment, and generosity, we can do more together and Renew & Rebuild and extend our community in Christ. What do you believe?
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2022 Stewardship: Nelia & Jonathan
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2022 Stewardship Campaign Progress
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Outdoor Worship for All Ages This Sunday
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This Sunday, November 14 at 5:00 pm, we invite all, and especially young children, to join us for a 30-minute outdoor worship service in the Cloister Garden. This Sunday's service will focus on gratitude and giving, and we are all invited to bring donations for the Food Drive, which will become a part of our worship together. Please note that in the event of inclement weather, this service will take place in Hadley Hall. We hope you will join us!
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Fill the Christmas Fair Bake Table with
Your Favorite Cookie or Dessert
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Homemade apple pies will be sold after church on Sunday. Stock up for Thanksgiving!
3, 2, 1, BAKE
One of the favorite tables at the Christmas Fair is the BAKE TABLE! Please plan to fill it with delicious homemade treats. Make your favorite cookies, breads, pies or other specialty and deliver to Hadley Hall kitchen on Thursday, November 18 or Friday, November 19. Thank you for your donations!
Keep on Volunteering — Feeling Elf-ish???
New volunteer opportunities have just been added — including an opportunity for two Christmas Fair Elves! Grab a friend and step into our Elf costumes. You will wave to the cars on Church Street and take pictures with everyone in the Kids Store. You'll be the hit of the event! Great for teens and young (or young at heart) people.
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Midweek @ Epiphany on November 17
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All are invited to our next Midweek @ Epiphany on Wednesday, November 17! Dinner will be held from 6:15 - 6:45. This week's menu includes lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and cookies.
Following dinner, join from 6:45 - 7:30 pm for formation for all ages. Adults and teens grades 8-12 can join the Rev. Bob Davidson in the Upper Parish Hall for clergy-led Bible study, and children can join Bryn and Craig for creative programming. We look forward to seeing you!
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Stewardship In-Gathering Sunday on November 21
Join us on Sunday, November 21 for our Stewardship In-Gathering Sunday. We will celebrate the close of our Stewardship Campaign with festive fellowship hours after each morning service as we offer our financial support to our shared ministry here at Epiphany. We will also gather-in the offerings and food items for our annual "Turkey Wahoo" with St. Stephen's Youth Program.
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Advent Retreat: Together on the Road
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Saturday, December 4, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." The angel Gabriel’s life-changing announcement to Mary set in motion changes that continue to resonate in our hearts and in the life of the world. All are welcome to join Bethany House of Prayer colleagues Bernardine Ileto and Kimberly Green for our Advent retreat here at Parish of the Epiphany. Together, we will explore and reflect upon the life-changing “announcements” we’ve experienced over the past twenty months, and the pressing questions we feel today both personally and collectively. Please register using the button above, or contact the church office at 781-729-1922 to confirm your attendance. |
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Director of Music and Organist Search
As we prepare for the departure of Craig Benner in January, we have started a process to search for our next Director of Music and Organist. I have asked David McSweeney and Corey Hollenbeck to co-chair a Search Team for this position. Together, the Search Team and I will work to plan and execute a process to attract and engage quality candidates for this position. While we cannot be certain as to when we can hope to welcome a new Director of Music and Organist, we want to share the good news that our Search Team has already begun to meet and to initiate our shared work. The Search Team consists of parishioners who sing in the choir and those who participate in our music ministry as a congregant on Sundays. The other members of the Search Team are Melanie Blake, Marion Dry, Lindsey Schrader, and Mary Street. During this time of transition, we welcome your prayers of support as even now we hold fast to the promise that God is present to us in this search as we seek to call a pastoral musician and minister of music to deepen our life and ministry together here at Epiphany.
In Christ,
Rev. Nick
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Last Chance to Contribute to Epiphany's
Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive
Our
Epiphany congregation will continue our tradition of celebrating this season of
gratitude by contributing to the Council of Social Concern Thanksgiving food
drive.
There
has been a good response with 39 bags brought in so far. We are hoping to reach
the amount from last year which was 90!
A
list of suggested food items is below. Local super market gift cards will be
appreciated too. (Please put gift cards with amount noted on card into sealed
envelopes.)
Bring
donations of food and grocery store cards into the narthex (church lobby) by this Sunday, November 14. Gift
cards can also be mailed to or dropped off at the office.
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Advent Lectio and Book Discussion
Thursdays from 1:00—2:15 pm in the Suter Room. Beginning December 2 through January 6 An opportunity to ponder, as Mary did, upon the mystery of our lives and our faith. We will practice Lectio Divina with some well-loved scripture; followed by discussion of Kate Bowler's book, Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved. Available on Kindle. Chapters 1 and 2 for December 2. Contact Sandy LaPerche to RSVP for headcount.
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Strength for the Holidays on December 7 On Tuesday, December 7 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm, we invite you to "Strength for the Holidays: An Evening Presentation on Loss and Resilience." This presentation will be held in Hadley Hall and led by the Rev. Bob Davidson, Epiphany's Assisting Priest and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Hospice Chaplain.
During a time of festive Holiday celebrations many struggle with the absence of loved ones and partners creating a void many fail to understand. Any are welcome to learn more about coping tools and ways to be present to loss and memories of happier times.
Members of the public are welcome. Social distancing and mask-wearing will be observed throughout the presentation.
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Mission & Outreach:
Service Opportunities in
the Wider Community
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Thanksgiving Donations for Students at
St. Stephen's Youth Programs
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For 14 years, Parish of the Epiphany hosted a “Turkey Wahoo” at St. Stephen's Youth Programs (SSYP), an afternoon of Thanksgiving-themed crafts, games, fun, and food. In 2020 and sadly again this year, the lingering pandemic has and will force us to instead provide 60 bags of groceries so that the students and their families may enjoy an abundant and culturally familiar meal at home. Please click here to choose what you would like to donate and please bring your food items with your pledge on Ingathering Sunday, November 21. |
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Donate Unused Airline Miles Thousands of Afghan evacuees are temporarily living in military bases, awaiting reunions with family members and transportation to their final destinations — but they need our help to get there. Your extra airline miles can fill this urgent need. Learn how to pledge your miles to the Billion Mile Challenge at welcome.us/miles.
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This Week's Calendar
Click here to access the complete parish calendar.
Thursday, November 11
All Day Parish Office is Closed for Veterans Day
1:30pm Frank Jackson Interment Service in the Memorial Garden
5:30pm Men's Group via Zoom
7:00pm Healing Prayer via Zoom
7:30pm Parish Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary
9:00pm Compline via Zoom
Friday, November 12
All Day Diocesan Convention
11:00am Frank Jackson Funeral Service in the Sanctuary
12:00pm Frank Jackson Funeral Reception at the Winchester Country Club
Saturday, November 13
All Day Diocesan Convention
Sunday, November 14
8:00am Holy Eucharist in the Sanctuary
9:00am Bible Study in the Suter Room
9:00am Coffee Hour in Hadley Hall and the Cloister Garden
10:00am Holy Eucharist in the Sanctuary, Hadley Hall, and via YouTube
10:00am Church School in the Upper Parish Hall
11:15am Coffee Hour in Hadley Hall and the Cloister Garden
5:00pm Outdoor Worship Service for All Ages in the Cloister Garden
Monday, November 15
6:00pm AA Meeting in Hadley Hall
7:30pm AA Meeting in Hadley Hall
Tuesday, November 16
8:30am Employment Transition Group Meeting via Zoom
9:00am Midweek @ Epiphany Dinner Preparation
9:30am Staff Meeting in the Suter Room
1:00pm Nomination Committee Meeting via Zoom
4:00pm Circle of Life via Zoom
7:00pm Mission & Outreach Committee Meeting in the Suter Room
Wednesday, November 17
All Day White Elephant Set-Up in the Suter Room
4:00pm Midweek @ Epiphany Set-Up in the Kitchen
6:15pm Midweek @ Epiphany in the Cloister Garden, Hadley Hall, and Upper Parish Hall
7:30pm Vestry Meeting in the Upper Parish Hall
Thursday, November 18
All Day White Elephant Set-Up in the Suter Room
5:30pm Men's Group via Zoom
7:00pm Healing Prayer via Zoom
7:30pm Parish Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary
9:00pm Compline via Zoom |
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70 Church Street, Winchester, MA 01890
781-729-1922
www.3crowns.org
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