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Midweek Blast of Epiphany Light
September 9, 2015
Jesus the Refugee
I am hoping that you have been haunted by the images, stories, and videos of families fleeing their homes in search of a better life.  I am hoping that your heart hurts when you see an image of a three-year-old boy lying face down on the shore after he had drowned.  I am hoping you had to fight back tears when you watched a video of a family who had been reunited after they were separated and uncertain if everyone in their family had survived.  I am hoping you feel this way because that is normal.  We should look into the eyes of another person, regardless of the language they speak or the color of their skin, and see a brother or a sister.  We should see the loss of life and feel helpless and lost.  We should hear the cries of a parent and feel an ache in our soul.  If you don't, we need to talk.
These stories should haunt church people even more.  Our story (The Bible) is filled with stories of refugees and migrants.  Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Ruth, and even Joseph, Mary, and Jesus knew what it meant to flee their homes and seek safety and shelter in a strange land.  (Good thing there wasn't a wall keeping Jesus, Mary, and Joseph out of Egypt!)  We (US Citizens) have it lucky.  We don't worry about invasions or civil war.  We don't worry about a rebel military storming our villages with gunships shooting anything that moves.  We are fortunate that this is our situation, but it also removes us from the dire circumstances of our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world and we only have to change the channel to block it out.  We need to see these things.  
A news channel had posted the picture of that three-year-old dead on the beach on social media and I was disturbed by how many commented that it was inappropriate for the news station to post such a picture.  They "didn't want to see it" and "shouldn't be forced to see it."  I don't want to see it either, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening, and our blind eye doesn't stop it from continuing.  We need to see these things.  We need to be disturbed because I don't know what else will motivate us to do something about it.  We are fortunate to live where we live, but that doesn't mean we can ignore those who are living in hell.  
But being disturbed isn't enough.  Our faith must challenge us to do something about it.  Pray for these people, write letters to your elected officials, find worthy organizations who are on the ground in these places and are making a difference and support them financially, open up your home to someone who needs safety and shelter.  Their hell isn't our reality, but doing what we can to make a difference is our responsibility.  Don't change the channel.  Be disturbed.  Act.

See you in church,
 
Chris 

Wednesdays at the Well tonight
Wednesdays at the Well icon
Community meal at 6 serves fried chicken and sides. Suggested freewill offering is $6/adult, $3/child; cash, checks and credit cards are accepted.
Imagine Children's Choir at 6:25 welcomes all kids pre-K through 5th grade.
Worship at 7 is a 30-minute service of prayers, songs, scripture and Holy Communion. Tonight Pastor Chris shares messages from Old Testament prophets.
Help furnish the new infant nursery
Epiphany opened a new infant nursery earlier this month to care for children who are not yet walking. We still need a few items - glide rockers, wall cabinets, etc. - to better equip the space for infants.  
Please check out the Amazon Wish List to donate an item for the nursery.  
HTF Golf Classic on October 8
HTF camp Now registering golfers, signing up sponsors
Epiphany is partnering with the Haitian Timoun Foundation (HTF) to again sponsor the tournament at Olde Atlanta Golf Club, Suwanee. The "best ball scramble" tournament is set for Thursday, October 8, 10 am shotgun start. The event will help fund HTF camps in Haiti next summer.
Download the flyer or visit the HTF Golf Classic website to learn more about the tournament and HTF summer camps, which have grown to touch the lives of hundreds and hundreds of children in Haiti. This year alone, some 1,300 children were served by HTF camps in Jacmel, Fermathe and the Central Plateau.
Contact htfgolfclassic@epiphanysuwanee.org to offer your help with the tournament or to donate door prizes or goody bag items. We still need a lot of volunteers!
Pastor Chris's One-Year Anniversary
Sunday, September 13th after the 11 a.m. service

Join us for a cake reception celebrating Pastor Chris and Gina Hermansen and their three children, Kellyn, Kendra, and Haydn. They've been with our Epiphany family for a year one-year!
 
Epiphany Lutheran Church
1350 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Suwanee, GA  30024
770-831-1966