Epiphany full logo    "that all might thrive and serve ..."

Midweek Blast of Epiphany Light

August 17, 2016

Next Rest Area in 300 Miles
It wasn't just school that started last week, orchestra and drama started too. Soccer practice and gymnastics were added as well.  Cheerleading, football, and cross country have filled our calendars.  Private instrument and voice lessons snuck in there as well.  And don't forget karate and any other club, activity, or sport that we can cram into our lives.  Oh for the carefree days of summer when our mornings weren't jarred open by alarm clocks and our every move dictated but the beep and buzz of the calendar reminders that live in our pockets.  And double the time it takes to get anywhere because the roads are clogged like arteries after eating too much fried food.  It's not that any of these activities are bad; on the contrary they add to our lives and enrich our relationships, but when do we find time to rest?  
 
I worry we have a love-hate relationship with rest.  We know we need it, but our sleep is disturbed by devices with glowing screens that scream for our attention.  Just one more episode, just one more story.  Many of us have jobs that include ample time off but we seldom take it.  As if being busy is something to brag about or lack-of-sleep is a badge of courage.  Why do we hate to rest?  How much longer can we keep up this pace?  How have we forgotten that rest is holy and sacred?
 
"God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on the seventh day God rested from all the work of creating that had been done."  It doesn't stop there, "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy."  Years ago the Sabbath wasn't just a part of the creation story, it was a commandment that was followed.  Jesus routinely went off, alone, and prayed.  There are some communities and cultures today that religiously observe rest, but for many of us that ship sailed years ago.  
 
Why?  What are we afraid of if we rest?  Will we lose our job, fall behind, miss out on the free steak knife set?  Did anyone ever say on their death bed that they wished they had worked more overtime?  
 
The reluctance to rest may differ from person to person, but the struggle seems to be nearly universal and, just like any bad habit, it may take an extended period of time to unlearn our disdain for rest.  But how long can we keep this up?  If God rested, why don't we?  Maybe we need to begin with the reminder that rest is holy and it is blessed by God.  The world may not value rest, but the world seldom values what God values anyways.  They don't install oxygen masks in airplanes because they look cool; they are there because they might be needed.  Rest isn't a luxury, it is a need.  Don't look for approval or acceptance, God has already blessed it.  So why are we still avoiding it?
 
 
Pastor Chris  
 

Wednesdays at the Well tonight
Wednesdays at the Well icon
Wednesdays at the Well is our midweek service. 
Community meal at 6 p.m. serves the
ever-popular poppy seed chicken! Imagine children's choir resumes at 6:25, and worship begins at 7.

Suggested freewill offering for dinner is $6/adult, and $3/children. Cash, checks, and credit cards accepted.

Pastor Chris begins a new study of the prophet Daniel.

Come, be refreshed at the Well!

Meet our new intern, Anders Nilsen
This Sunday, August 21
Anders Nilsen, from Gahanna, Ohio, begins his two-year intern service at Epiphany this Sunday! Welcome Anders at a reception between services. Help him out by wearing your name tag for the next several weeks!

Welcome to our Epiphany family, Anders! We are so happy to have you with us!
 
Big Recess this Thursday!
Rainbow Village logo August 18, 7-8 p.m.
Take a break from your regular weekday evening activities and spend some play time with the kids at Rainbow Village while their mothers attend life skills classes. It's a lot of fun!
 
MOPS and MOMSnext starts up again this week!
"We are the Starry Eyed"  
Epiphany's chapter of MOPS and MOMSnext invites all mothers of preschoolers and school-age children to join us for our first gathering, Sunday, August 21 from 4-7 p.m. at Epiphany. As mothers enter the school years, new challenges and issues arise, and MOPS is a place where community and hope remains. MOPS and MOMSnext is an open, accepting place for all mothers to experience personal growth, practical help, and spiritual hope. For more information, visit our website at http://www.epiphanymops.com/
 
3rd Annual HTF Golf Classic
Thursday, September 29
The annual HTF golf classic is the major fundraiser for summer camps in Haiti. It's also a terrific event! Join the team to help make this year's tournament a great success! It's now time to register yourself as a player, your foursome, sponsor a hole as an individual or as a corporation. Visit our website and register TODAY!
http://htfgolfclassic.weebly.com/
https://www.regonline.com/2016HTFGolfClassic 
 
Epiphany Seniors Group
Funeral Planning
Last Thursday, Crowell Brothers Funeral Home gave a terrific presentation on funeral planning to our Epiphany seniors and "not so seniors!"

The next gathering for our Seniors will be September 8th, Throwback Thursday! Bring a photo from a time in your life that represents school or your first career. We'll share these, have some team competitions to carry out the fall team sports theme, and get to know our pastoral intern, Anders Nilsen.
 
Epiphany Lutheran Church
1350 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Suwanee, GA  30024
770-831-1966