It is a busy season at Epiphany, but in the midst of it, we will be continuing a Christmas Eve tradition of giving a gift as a church body. Last year, we worked together to provide scholarships for eleven students at Uganda Christian University.
This year, we will be working again with our friends at Coates Elementary School as we did a couple of years ago when we purchased an 800 book library to help English-learners. Our goal for 2017 is to update their teacher team room with audio-visual equipment and whiteboards. In talking with Principal Kraft, this will help the teachers at Coates as they work and plan together, making them more effective as they educate.
The way we will do this is simple. During our evening services (5 and 11pm on Christmas Eve), the first $2,000 of our offering as a congregation will be designated to fund this project. If you won’t be attending those services, but would like to participate in this project, just write a check with “Epiphany Gift” in the memo line and put it in the offering during any service in December.
Given our own financial needs as a church this season as we complete the construction of our church’s long-term home, I’ve given this a good bit of prayer and time consulting with the vestry before moving forward with this year’s Epiphany Gift. In the end, my firm sense is that God continues to bless Epiphany abundantly. Being generous to our neighbors in Christ’s name during this season when we give thanks for our generous God’s gift of Jesus to us is part of our calling as a congregation.
God Bless,
Peter
The Rev. Peter Frank, Rector