September 29, 2022

On Sunday, September 18, we kicked off our 2023 Stewardship Campaign, “Living Faith & Life Together.” For many, this is a familiar part of the rhythm of our fall, but for some of us, it is either new or not yet a part of our personal financial stewardship. We’d like to challenge you to step into this critical aspect of our loving ministry to one another, of our community life together, and of our Christian ministry to the communities around us. Our life as a parish is funded by the pledges of each one of us, and our pledge is an integral part of our participation in Epiphany’s life and mission.

Our $1.2 million campaign goal represents a 15.7% increase over 2022’s pledges and is the second step in last fall’s stated goal to increase Epiphany’s pledge income by 30% over a 2-year period to support new ministries and initiatives such as Midweek, Word and Table and welcoming Janelle Hiroshige as our Associate for Youth and Community Partnerships. While it is still early in Epiphany’s 2023 budget cycle, it is our hope that increased pledge revenue will cover:

• $85K in new compensation costs including salary and healthcare increases for existing staff, a full year of Janelle’s ministry with us, and new administrative staffing to support increased marketing and communication in support of growing ministries.
• $30K in new program and operating costs (net of reductions), primarily in growing and emerging ministries, and also including a $10K increase to the preventative maintenance provision which hasn’t been increased in many years despite the continued aging of our buildings.
• $30K to rebuild the General Fund, which has been diminished by recent operating deficits, in an effort to provide a prudent level of support and flexibility in the face of current uncertain economic conditions.

An additional goal this year is to increase the number of us who pledge and to reduce our reliance on a small (and very generous) portion of the parish for a significant portion of our budget. Last year 10% of those pledging contributed 50% of our pledge revenues. We can meet this goal if 50 of us pledge for the first time and if those of us who can pledge at a higher level. Many of you have asked what you should pledge. The answer is different for each of us but consider what it means for you to integrate your financial commitment with other aspects of your life in this community. If you haven’t pledged before, please consider making your first pledge of any amount. If you have pledged before, thank you. If you are able, consider increasing you pledge in support of the initiatives noted above. Please reach out to anyone on the Stewardship Committee (stewardship@3crowns.org) or Vestry if you have questions or would like to talk more about any of this.

This Sunday (October 2), we will gather in Hadley Hall after the 10:00 am service for a State of the Church forum to share our priorities, hopes, and challenges for the coming year as well as to answer any questions that you may have. We will also plan to have a more informal discussion in Hadley Hall following the 8:00 am service. We hope that you will join us and be an active part of the discussion of where we are headed.

Nelia Newell, warden

Congratulations to all of our Epiphany friends celebrating birthdays and anniversaries during the month of October! 

Youth (6th-12th grade) and their families are invited to a friendly game of kickball at Ginn Field in Winchester on Saturday, October 1 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm. If you are interested in joining, please email Janelle. Hope to see you there!

Join us in Hadley Hall after the 10:00 am service as we share new and strategic information regarding our mission, ministries, and properties here at Epiphany. We have some very important information to share on October 2, as the wardens and rector will present the strategic work of the vestry that will impact our life and ministry for the next few years. The conversation will be available via Zoom; here is the link. 

On Sunday, October 2 at 5:00 pm, we invite you to our Blessing of the Animals service. This short service will be a time of prayer, song, and blessing of our animal companions. All pets need to be under proper control and comfortable around other animals. If you would prefer to bring a photograph of your pet, a blessing will be offered for them. 

Join Rev. Nick and Jeremy Bruns as they lead a three-part series on the spirituality and music of Johann Sebastian Bach. This forum will be an exploration of the personal faith of Bach through a combination of conversation, audio excerpts, and musical performance of organ and vocal pieces. Join us on Sundays, October 9, 16, and 23 after the 10:00 am service for this exciting adult forum series. This offering will not be livestreamed.

On Sunday, October 9 at 5:00 pm in the Sanctuary, all are invited to “JSB Plays JSB,” an organ recital featuring the music of Johann Sebastian Bach performed by Director of Music Jeremy S. Bruns. Admission is free; donations gladly accepted. 

We are looking forward to fellowship hours on Sundays in October, and would greatly appreciate your help! Please click on the button above to contribute a baked good, a gluten-free snack, fresh fruit, or your help with serving and clean-up. 

On Sunday, October 16 at 11:15 am, immediately following the 10:00 am Holy Eucharist, we invite you to our eighth annual Ciderfest! Celebrate fall with Epiphany friends, and enjoy fresh apple cider donuts and cider. We hope you will join us for this beloved Epiphany tradition! 

Beginning on Thursday, October 20 from 3:00 - 4:30 pm, Susan Bailey and Carol Delaney will be leading a Bereavement Support Group. We will meet in the Chapel. The group will run six consecutive Thursdays, skipping Thanksgiving. Please contact Susan Bailey at 781-570-9196 or bailey13@comcast.net if you are interested.  

Please mark your calendars for the following upcoming youth activities!

• October 23: Epiphany Tunnels/Clock Tower Spooky Ice-Cream Party, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
• November 5: Board Game Night, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
• December 9: Christmas Movie Night, 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Our next opportunity for baptism will be Sunday, November 6. If you are interested in being baptized or having your child baptized at Epiphany, please contact Rev. Nick. 

On Sunday, November 6 at 5:00 pm in the Sanctuary, we invite you to a choral requiem for All Souls’ Day. Remember the souls of the faithful departed in this service sung by the Parish Choir, featuring the beloved setting by Gabriel Fauré.