Family Newsletter:

Week of January 15, 2023

Family Calendar

Sun, Jan 15    :    8:00 & 10:00am :    Worship (No Church School: MLK Weekend)

Wed, Jan 18   :    5:15-6:15pm      :    Choristers Rehearsal

Wed, Jan 18   :    6:15-7:30pm      :    Midweek Dinner & Formation for all ages

Sat, Jan 21     :    9:00-11:30am    :    Communion Enrichment Retreat (2nd-5th grade)

Sat, Jan 21     :    Evening: TBA    :     Youth Bowling 

Sun, Jan 22    :    9:50-10:00am    :     Church School Drop-Off

Sun, Jan 22    :   10:00-10:40am   :     Church School (Godly Play & Storymakers)

Sun, Jan 22    :   10:00-12:00        :     Communion Enrichment Sunday & Reception

Two Things of Note

No Church School this Sunday because of MLK weekend: We'll miss holding our classes this Sunday, but we hope to see you in worship (grab a worship bag at the back--we made extra this week!) and then we'll all be back in class together again on January 22. 

Midweek on Wednesday, January 18: Please join us for dinner, formation, and fellowship at 6:15pm!

Dear families,

My senior year of high school my friends Breanna and Rachel (they are sisters) and myself and my brother would spend every Tuesday night eating a meal with unhoused people. There was a local non-profit that provided food for people experiencing homelessness. What I loved about it, is that everybody who came would all eat a meal together — erasing the lines between who was serving and who was being served. We would sit with the same guys every week and play Jenga. One of the guys was named Wolfman, a name one does not forget!

I think there was something about those Tuesday nights that was formational for us high schoolers. When I look back on my own life, many of the experiences I had growing up have shaped the commitments to justice that I have today. As parents, you are always thinking of the experiences your kids are having and how that might shape the way they live their lives. We think about that at Epiphany too — how our worship and life together might form us to be kind, generous, and compassionate people.

The Mission & Outreach group at Epiphany is currently in a season of discernment about where God might be calling us to next. We are taking some intentional time to hear from the greater parish community and exploring new partnerships in our community. This is an excellent time for you, as the families at Epiphany, to chime in about what you would like to be involved in when it comes to caring for our community. These experiences are deeply meaningful and they can be fun, like eating a meal together and playing Jenga.

Please consider filling out this survey today as an act of compassion and justice.

With hope,

Rev. Janelle

Mission & Outreach Survey

Midweek Dinner & Formation: January 28

On Please join us on Wednesday, January 28 for our Midweek gathering! We will enjoy a home-cooked meal together beginning at 6:15pm. From 7 to 7:30pm, adults are invited to a Bible Study with Rev. Nick; youth are invited to a time together with Janelle; and children are invited to a creative time of art and music with Bryn and Jeremy.

Visitors and Newcomers are always welcome! This is a wonderful time to get to know our community. 

Youth Bowling: January 21

On Saturyday, January 21, Epiphany youth (6th-12th grade) are invited out for an evening of bowling. Please RSVP to Janelle if you're interested in joining us!

Communion Enrichment Program on Saturday, January 21 for Children in 2nd through 5th Grade: Please Sign Up by Monday!

On Saturday, January 21 from 9am to 11:00am we will hold our Communion Enrichment retreat. That morning, for both the child and their adult, is a time when we learn about the meaning of Communion, its history, and how it fits into our liturgy. It is a hands-on, fun, and meaningful time together. 

Parents/caregivers, you are asked to be part of this experience along with your child. It's a wonderful opportunity to deepen your relationship with other families in your child's age group, to walk with your child, and to revisit the meaning of communion yourself.

On Sunday, January 22 we have Communion Enrichment Sunday, where we recognize the children who participated in the Saturday retreat and thank them for being such important parts of our church community.

While we open this program to any child in grades 2 through 5, this is something a child does only once. In other words, if they participated while in 2nd grade, they don't participate again in 3rd grade, etc. We give you the choice of doing this in grades 2, 3, 4 or 5 so that families have the flexibility to pick the right time for them. 

Please note that children of any age are always invited and welcome to partake of communion here; this program is meant to help explain and deepen that experience for our young parishioners.

If you are interested in taking part, please sign up here. Any questions? Please reach out to Bryn.

Communion Enrichment Signup

Church School Registration

Church School registration is always open! This gives us important information like allergies and opting into/out of photo permissions. We re-register each year to keep our information current. Thank you! 

Church School Registration

Important New Opportunities for Youth

Exploring our Faith

All youth (6th-12th grade) are invited to Exploring our Faith, Sundays after the 10am service from Feb. 5th - April 2nd (Skipping Feb. 19th). 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 at jhiroshige@3crowns.org if you are interested in being confirmed. Pizza will be provided! 

Youth Hut Hike: Summer 2023

Save the date for our Youth Hut Hike trip on June 26th-28th 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 at jhiroshige@3crowns.org.

Important Dates for Families

Sunday, Jan 15    :   Martin Luther King Weekend--No Church School Classes

Wednesday, Jan 18  :  5:15-6:15pm  :  Choristers Rehearsal (choir for grades 2-8)

Wednesday, Jan 18 :  6:15-7:30pm  :  Midweek Dinner and Formation for all ages

Saturday, Jan 21  :  9:00am  :  Communion Enrichment Program (grades 2-5)

Saturday, Jan 21  :  Evening  :  Youth Bowling

Sunday, Jan 22    :  10:00am :  Church School

Sunday, Jan 22  :  10:00am  :  Communion Enrichment Sunday

Wednesday, Jan 25  :  5:15-6:15pm  :  Choristers Rehearsal (choir for grades 2-7)

Sunday, Jan 29  :  10:00am  :  Church School

Sunday, Jan 29  :  11:15am  :  Annual Meeting

Wednesday, Feb 1  :   5:15-6:15pm  :  Choristers Rehearsal (choir for grades 2-7)

Wednesday, Feb 1  :  6:15-7:30pm  :  Midweek Dinner and Formation for all ages

Ongoing Midweek Schedule: Every First and Third Wednesday Evening

Bryn Hollenbeck, Director of Children's Ministries and Parish Life: bhollenbeck@3crowsn.org

Janelle Hiroshige, Associate for Youth and Community Partnerships: jhiroshige@3crowns.org

Jeremy Bruns, Director of Music and Organist: jbruns@3crowns.org

Nick Myers, Rector: nmyers@3crowns.org

 

70 Church Street, Winchester, MA  01890
781-729-1922
www.3crowns.org

A WELCOMING COMMUNITY