What a lovely (rainy) summer this has been. On my drive down to General Theological Seminary yesterday, where I serve on the faculty, I noticed trees in the Poconos *just* starting to change. It’s true, autumn is just around the corner, and I’m starting to notice the light getting shorter and the mornings getting cooler.
We’ve had a really lovely spring and summer here at Epiphany – here are some highlights:
1. We welcomed our new organist, Eric Machan Howd! Eric is a great blessing for us and we are lucky to have him – organists are not easy to find in this area, and Eric brings a wealth of experience and skill to our little parish. Helen Schmidt also plays for us from time to time for our prelude or postlude, which gives everyone joy.
2. We had a successful RUMMAGE SALE which raised money for our repair of the stairs leading to the memorial garden and also was a great way to open our doors to the Trumansburg community.
3. Under the leadership of Tom and Mary Ellen Whitlow, we had a lovely MOVIE NIGHT at the end of June, and will have another one on September 1st. Good community, good food, and good entertainment!
4. On August 27th we hosted the final Worship at the Lake for 2023, part of our work with the Trumansburg Area Churches organization.
Heading into the fall, here are some things that are coming up:
1. On September 1, we will gather for our second movie night at 6 pm. The movie is “80 for Brady” and dinner will be served.
2. On September 19th we will be having a fund raiser with Doug’s Fish Fry. They will be setting up at the Trumansburg farmers market around 3 pm and we hope to bring a lot of business – keep it on your calendar and share with friends! The more folks who come to eat, the more money we will raise for our stairs.
3. On Sunday, October 1, Rev. April will be taking part in a community “Blessing of the Animals” along with the pastors from Ulysses Presbyterian church and Trumansburg Methodist church. We’ll be setting up on Main Street from 12pm-2pm. You are welcome to bring your pet(s) to be blessed either during our regular 9:30am service OR between 12-2.
4. Finally, beginning the second week of September, we’ll be having a once-a-month book discussion after church. The book is called “Claiming Resurrection” and is written specifically for parishes like Epiphany who are faced with declining numbers. It is a very hope-filled and helpful book, so I hope that all who are interested in being a part of the conversation around “next steps” with Epiphany will join us. We ordered 15 copies and there are still a couple books left unclaimed. We’ll be reading the introduction and chapter 1 for our discussion on September 10th.
As always, I pray for each of you and for our common life together. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns – I’m always happy to talk!
In Christ,
Rev. April