The Examiner. The Newsletter of Epiphany Evangelical Lutheran Church, Richmond, VA. February 2016 STORY OF SALVATION

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1 The Examiner The Newsletter of Epiphany Evangelical Lutheran Church, Richmond, VA February 2016 Have you ever come to worship, listened to the Bible readings week-to-week, and wondered if or how they all somehow fit together? Have you ever contemplated the Scriptures and wondered if certain stories might be a little more essential than others? Have you, perhaps, been able to articulate how God has been at work in your life and in the lives of people you know, but have struggled to get a sense of how God might be active in a bigger picture throughout human history? Many people of faith have questions like these, even folks who feel very well-versed in the Bible. After all, Holy Scripture consists of a large collection of books that were written and compiled over many centuries. In worship, Sunday School, and in private devotion we touch on many of them, but it can often be difficult to gain a sense of any overarching themes and, furthermore, grasp how they relate to the God we encounter in Jesus of Nazareth. Our Lenten Wednesday theme this year will offer a chronological look at the grand themes of God s salvation history as they lead up to the cross of Jesus. The foundation of Christian faith stands on a belief that God has created us, redeemed us, and moves us forward towards the full life of his kingdom in Christ. Thanks to the Hebrew Scriptures and the witness of the ancient Israelites, we have great examples of how this movement has already been occurring over several thousands of years. This is a big picture in the truest sense. While Scripture contains plenty of individual stories and vignettes that inspire (and sometimes confuse) us, and while Scripture also provides wisdom from many different prophets and poets, the experience of God s people through time does present several specific, key events which can help us put the whole story together. On the night before Easter morning some congregations gather for a vigil during which they recite, one after the other, in chronological fashion, many of these events. This practice gives those who ve gathered to celebrate the Lord s resurrection a grand view of this history. Our worship theme this Lent will attempt to do the same thing over a course of five Wednesdays. It will serve as a fitting bridge between Ash Wednesday and Holy Week, the story of Jesus Passion. Please join us to hear this grand Story of Salvation and reflect more deeply on how this grace-filled story of salvation is the story of God for us. STORY OF SALVATION Creation Made in God s Image (Feb 17) The Patriarchs and the Matriarchs Called to be God s people (Feb 24) Exodus and Wilderness Delivered to God s Freedom (Mar 2) A Monarchy and a Temple Anointed to build God s Kingdom (Mar 9) Into Babylon and Back Molded by God s Judgment (Mar 16) 1

2 ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES Ash Wednesday is on February 10 - Services begin at Noon and 7 pm. (There will be no Wednesday 11:00 am Service during Lent) On the five following Wednesdays of Lent, services will be held at 12 Noon and at 7 pm (preceded by a 5:30 pm supper). FIRST COMMUNION INSTRUCTION Do you have a child in fourth grade? Epiphany Lutheran Church offers classes on Holy Communion to all 4 th and 5 th graders. These classes will be held during the Sunday School time (beginning at 9:45am) on February 28, March 6, and March 13. These classes, led by the pastors, are intended for children who will be receiving their first Holy Communion this year and to children who have previously been admitted to Holy Communion but have not yet received formal instruction from the church. First Communion will be held on Maundy Thursday, March 24, when we commemorate the institution of the Lord s Supper. Parents wanting their children to participate should contact the church office at All children who complete the instruction will receive a Holy Communion certificate on March 24. Because our denomination s governing documents regarding sacramental practice, The Use of the Means of Grace, do not suggest or propose any particular age-limit or requirement for admittance to Holy Communion (other than baptism), parents may request for their children to receive Holy Communion prior to the 4 th grade classes. Parents who wish to do so are asked to write a letter or to the pastors and request a meeting for discussion. Recipients for the Lenten Offerings in 2016 Education. It shapes us. It is an integral part of who we are and can make such a difference in how we approach learning in our daily lives. God gives us an opportunity to expand our horizons and our minds through education. A good education is truly one of His most powerful blessings! Our Lenten offerings for 2016 will support education in two ways: With the first $1200 of the monies collected we will fund school supplies for classrooms around the world. We will fund three classrooms through ELCA Good Gifts. $400 per classroom will provide school books and school supplies to students who do not have access to quality education in countries outside the US. Any monies collected above $1200 will be distributed evenly to support the education of Epiphany s own Seminarians as they continue their pursuit of degrees in Divinity studies. We hope you and your family will prayerfully consider your giving this Lenten season. Your contributions will go right into the hands of students: at home and afar. May God richly bless their pursuit of knowledge! 2

3 Words from our Pastor We continue to share with you in this newsletter summaries of our staff s and our Council s discussions of the resource Changes Congregations are Facing Today. So far we have covered Worship and Newcomers. One of the chapters in the resource is about Mission Engagement, a concept that is often difficult to nail down and define. The resource itself defines mission engagement as the power carrying the church forward into new life and new areas of ministry. In earlier decades, mission was typically seen as something that happened far away, often in another country, but funded by the local congregation. That relationship to mission is now changing. Many local congregations are coming to understand the need to be engaged in mission in their own contexts. We live in a mission field. We seek ways to engage in new ministry here, too. Much of what we read and discussed in this chapter reflects what we have noticed in Epiphany s own transformation over the past decade or so: Epiphany has placed an emphasis on local (vs. global) engagement. HHOPE, LAMB s Basket, CARITAS, and Habitat for Humanity of Hanover County are some examples of this. There are plenty more, most of which are coordinated not through a mission team but through our Community Service team. Our model of mission involves identifying local organizations and accompanying them. A portion of our Lenten, Christmas, and Easter offerings support global mission endeavors, but some of these offerings are also used to support local ministries and organizations. Epiphany often relies on our physical space to provide mission and service opportunities. Many community groups meet in Epiphany throughout the week, including several 12-step groups, various community treater and music ensembles, spirituality groups, a youth basketball team, and a garden club. Whenever Epiphany has made property additions, we have typically sought ways in which they can be used by the community. We need to continue to be good stewards of our church property. We typically do not work with neighboring congregations in mission opportunities. Could we form some partnerships with some nearby faith communities for specific projects? Is this an unexplored area? We noted a tension between reaching out to address people s needs and then using those occasions as a way to invite them to take part in the life of Christ with us. Sometimes we serve people in the community without knowing how or when it might be appropriate to invite them to worship with us or attend a Bible study. Some local children whom we have met through HHOPE took part in Vacation Bible School in This is an area for continued reflection. Mission is typically not an entry point for new people to Epiphany unless you count our moving nativity scene and the Jesus stained glass window as mission. Several people do venture into our midst each year simply because they ve seen these immobile evangelists and wanted to come inside! Otherwise, most new people do not become members because of particular involvement in our mission outreach. It seems we engage in most mission as an part of Christ s call to serve, not as a way of gaining new disciples or members. Some mission engagement is attractional (meaning we attract people to our place of worship) and other mission seeks to go where the people are and do ministry there. A healthy balance between these two is probably best. Regardless, a congregation that is not engaged in some form of mission at all times is likely to struggle and even die. Mission focuses us on the needs of the world around us, which is where the Spirit of Christ sends us. How can you become engaged in the mission of Christ at Epiphany? What challenges have you seen? 3

4 Music Ministry Lenoir-Rhyne University Choirs in Concert NOTES FROM THE CHOIR LOFT DIRECTOR OF MUSIC MINISTRY, KEVIN BARGER The Lenoir-Rhyne University A Capella Choir and Brass Ensemble from Hickory, North Carolina, will present a concert at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday evening, March 15, 2016 in our sanctuary. We are delighted to serve as a host congregation for these groups, and we rejoice in the celebration of the final tour under the direction of Paul Weber (a former professor of our music director) as he we will retire at the end of this year. The groups will be touring through Virginia, New York, Washington D.C., South Carolina and North Carolina. Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private liberal arts institution affiliated with the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and also Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. Kevin Barger, Director of Music Ministry. Playing during Sunday Worship There will be no charge for admission, though a freewill offering will be taken to help offset the groups tour expense. We are excited that these groups will be joining us for this special event. To make this the most successful, we need you in the following capacities: Assist in cooking dinner Tuesday, March 15. Dinner will be served around 5:30. Usher at the concert by handing out programs and collecting the free will offering. Host two or more students in your home Tuesday night, give them breakfast Wednesday morning and have them back to the church. Come to the concert to support the school, the program, and these fine young musicians. To assist with any of the tasks, or if you have any questions, please contact Beth or Kevin Barger at or kevinbarger@epiphanyelca.org or bethbarger@epiphanyelca.org. Children s Choir Reminders Both the Cherub Choir and Singing Saints will meet each Wednesday in February for rehearsal. On February 3, the groups will meet from 6:30 7:00 (7:10 for Singing Saints) as they normally would. For the remaining Wednesdays (10, 17, 24), the groups will meet from 6:15 6:45 in order to better accommodate the Lenten services that begin at 7:00 p.m. Please note this change! The Cherub Choir will sing in worship on February 21 at both services. The Singing Saints will sing in worship February 7 and 28 at both services. Junior Handbells will meet February 3 in the balcony from 7:00 7:30 p.m. This group will participate in worship at both services on February 21. The group takes a break during the Lenten season. Check with Mrs. Hahn for a special short rehearsal on February 17 just before you play that coming Sunday. 4

5 Music Ministry (cont d) Time Change for Chancel Choir rehearsals Beginning Ash Wednesday, chancel choir rehearsals will immediately follow the Lenten worship service. For February 10, we will meet at about 8:00 p.m. for a short rehearsal following the Ash Wednesday service. For the remaining Wednesdays in Lent, except Holy Week, we will meet about 7:40 p.m. Easter Singers Do you love singing? Do you want to play a special part in helping to lead worship on Easter Sunday, March 27? If you are interested in joining the chancel choir for the Easter services, please plan to join us at rehearsal on Wednesdays beginning February 17 immediately following the Lenten worship services. We will rehearse the Easter Music first to better meet your schedules and allow for planning. Anthems will be offered at all three worship services on Easter Sunday. This is a great part time opportunity to join the chancel choir! Come one, come all! Somethings 2016 Vino Valentine! Please join us for an evening of fun, family and fellowship at Vino Valentine! Who: All are invited! (even if wine isn t your thing!) What: Wine tasting; dinner (lasagna to be provided); and juice tasting/activities for kids When: Saturday, February 13 at 5 pm Where: The Paget Home 4424 Cedar Forest Road Glen Allen, Virginia What to bring: Bottle of wine to taste; a side (Last names A M) OR dessert (Last names N Z); canned goods for HHOPE Pantry Questions? Please contact (m.perryman@yahoo.com) or (spaget2004@hotmail.com) Marcie Perryman Stephanie Paget 5

6 Team Epiphany is just starting! JOIN TEAM EPIPHANY! There is still time to join Team Epiphany to prepare to walk or run the Monument Avenue 10K on Saturday, April 9. Please join us on Saturday morning at the Star Lodge at 7:30 a.m. We have a quick devotion together, feature a running or walking tip each week, and then a group run/walk. We have plans for walkers and runners of all abilities. This is a great week to enjoy each other s fellowship, work off those extra holiday pounds, or strive for a personal record in your performance on race day. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact John Bates at or Bates26.2@verizon.net; Jon Gonzales at or Gonzalesjk@hotmail.com; or Tatter Hartmann at or tatter@hotmail.com. Luther on Tap February 18 Isley Brewing in Scott s Addition 7pm Thank You Mark! On behalf of the congregation, the Church Council would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mark Schuetze for his years of service as Youth Ministry Assistant. Mark was an invaluable player in facilitating Epiphany Youth Group activities from collecting forms to fielding questions from inquiring parents and youth he kept everything running smoothly! Thank you Mark for your time, energy and dedication. Going forward, please continue to contact epiphayyouthgroupva@gmail.com for any youth group inquiries. Pastor Joseph will be monitoring this account. 6

7 Faith Formation LENT DEVOTIONS Thank you to all who ve volunteered to participate in our congregation resource for Lent this year. All Lent Devotions will be available for the congregation to pick up beginning Ash Wednesday, February 10. Look for them in the Commons. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2016 This summer we will again host two different weeks of Vacation Bible school. The first week offered in July will be for children, with youth and adult leaders. The second week will be for families of all ages and sizes. Mark your calendars now to join us for these adventures. Registration for these will begin in March. Kristy Anderson, Jennifer Baker and Sarah Bergh will be our co-directors for our first week of VBS Surf Shack! We are thankful for their service again this year, and they are excited for the adventure this summer. Co-Directors Wanted! Would you be willing to serve as a co-director for our second week of VBS Egypt: Joseph s Journey from Prison to Palace? We are looking for 3 persons willing to coordinate volunteers, meals, and activities for this week. If you are interested, please contact Christy Huffman for more information. Week 1 Surf Shack: Catch the Amazing Wave of God s Love Who: For ages 3 Rising 5th Graders Week 2 Egypt: Joseph s Journey from Prison to Palace Who: For ALL ages Dates: July 18-22, 2016 Dates: July 31 August 4, 2016 Times: 8:45 am 12 Noon Times: 5:30-7:30 pm (with dinner) 7

8 Adult Faith Formation Sunday Morning Offerings 9:45 am Parenting Class Our class continues through February using the book Have a New Family by Friday to guide our discussions. We look forward to you joining in the Chapel, and continuing our conversations. The Reformation We Lutherans are creatures of The Reformation. Next year will be the 500 th anniversary of the Augustinian monk, Martin Luther nailing on the church door at Wittenberg the 95 theses that are generally accepted as the start of the Reformation. How much do we know about the Reformation? How did those other protestant churches such as the Methodists or Presbyterians get started? How did those who left the Catholic Church to join these new denominations gain the name Protestant? Who was Huldrych Zwingli? Luther and Zwingli agreed on almost everything except the meaning of communion. How many of us will find that when we hear the difference between Luther and Zwingli over the communion that our own beliefs are more Zwinglian than Lutheran? What do we know about John Calvin or John Knox? Why did Henry VIII of England take his nation out of the Catholic Church and what denomination replaced the Catholic church and was that new church really Protestant? These and many other questions will be answered by the adult Sunday School class on The Reformation which begins at 9:45 am on January 31 in Price Hall and will continue through until May. Join us! Tuesday Morning & Wednesday Evening Offering Parables: Stories for Life in God's World Jesus was the master of the parable! Deceptively simple, these timeless stories were used by Jesus to bring new life to old ways. These sessions will help us discover God's truth for today's dilemmas. Join us Tuesday mornings at 10:30 am in the Chapel or Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm. Lent Study Beginning February 9 and February 10 we will switch our study to the texts of Lent. The Tuesday morning study will continue to meet at 10:30 am and the Wednesday evening study will begin at 6:00 pm in the Chapel. Thursday Morning Offering Moms Bible Study Join us Thursday mornings in the Chapel. The nursery opens at 9:15 am and discussion starts at 9:30 am. We continue our study of 1 John. 1 John is a book of comfort and challenge. It comforts us with the reminder that we are children of God. It challenges us to make our faith genuine by expressing in our lives what we believe in our hearts. During Lent we will switch to a study of hymns during Lent and Easter. 8

9 February Baptism Birthdays Memorial Day Weekend Youth & Family Camping: Bear Creek Lake State Park May 27 May 29 All who are interested are welcome to sign-up in the Commons beginning Feb 1. The cost will be $15 per person/night or $30 for a family of 3-5/night to be paid to Hanne by May 1 st. Or join us for the day on Saturday for meals, games, worship, and singing around the campfire! 9

10 Winter Celebration

11 Epiphany Youth Group Spring 2016 More Than Conquerors Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No! In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us! February Sunday 7 - LIL YOUTH lunch, songs, and games in the Star Lodge (12 to 2pm) Sunday 14 EYG Gathering Valentine s Day Care Packages (12-2:30) Wednesday 17 Seventh and Eighth Grade Fellowship (6:30-8pm) Sunday 21 EYG Gathering (12-2:30) Friday 26 Saturday 27 Hunger Rumble at Christ the King March April May Summer Saturday 5 Sunday 6 SEVENTH DAY (5 th -6 th grades ) (Meet at Target in Short Pump at 3:30pm) Sunday 6 EYG Gathering and Talent Show Final Prep (12-2:30pm) Sunday 13 EYG Gathering PANCAKE SUPPER and TALENT SHOW (Begins at 5:30pm) Wednesday 16 Seventh and Eighth Grade Fellowship (6:30-8pm) Sunday 3 Regular Gathering and Scavenger Hunt (6th Graders join EYG today!) Sunday 10 Fill the Baskets (formerly Nets for Nets) (12-2:30pm) Wednesday 20 Seventh and Eighth Grade Fellowship (6:30-8pm) Sunday 24 - EYG Gathering and YOUTH SUNDAY Preparation (12-2:30pm) Saturday 30 Youth Sunday Prep (9am) Sunday 1 YOUTH SUNDAY Sunday 15 Car Wash Wednesday 18 Seventh and Eighth Grade Fellowship (6:30-8pm) Sunday 22 Confirmation Sunday Friday 27 - Sunday 29 Memorial Day Youth and Family Camping Trip Wednesday June 8 - Senior Party hosted Yucha Family (all 7-12 graders + 12th grader s families) Sunday June 26 Saturday July 2 KAIROS Saturday July 10 Friday July 15 ATLANTA SERVICE TRIP Sunday July 17 Saturday July 23 VBS 1st week in August Backpacking trip 11

12 Community Service Ministry Thank You! HHOPE NEWS The HHOPE ministry team would like to give a BIG thank you to everyone who helped make 2015 a wonderful year for our HHOPE Pantry! A SPECIAL thank you goes to the members who have joined the HHOPE Ministry by taking over some of the behind the scenes responsibilities. The HHOPE ministry team is still looking for people to join our team. We meet the first Tuesday of every month to discuss upcoming distributions. If you are interested in finding out more information about this important and rewarding ministry, please feel free to contact Susan or Jeff Freeze at or us at susan.freeze@verizon.net. Report from HHOPE: In December we served: 8 seniors, 43 adults, 32 children. A total of 83 people and 24 households. Food Distributed in December weighed a total of: 1, pounds. The 2015 food distribution by weight was: 13,475.5 pounds. LAMB s BASKET FOOD PANTRY Time Commitment: 3.5hours/day Epiphany sends volunteers each month to the Community Food Pantry to help distribute food (Fridays) and stock the shelves (Wednesdays). To volunteer, contact Beth or sign up at the Welcome Desk. For additional information, call the pantry at Inclement weather? Check channel 8 for closings, or if Henrico schools are closed, then LAMB s Basket is closed. Epiphany s Upcoming Dates: Check the Welcome Desk for when the dates become available. Directions from Epiphany to 8419 Oakview Ave: Take Glenside Dr. North Turn LEFT onto Staples Mill Rd Turn RIGHT onto Hermitage Rd Turn LEFT onto Oakview Ave. Turn RIGHT onto Second Ave. Building on the RIGHT on the corner. 12

13 Community Service Ministry MICAH NEWS: Epiphany members responded grandly to November s newsletter requesting some ways that members could be involved with the Micah program other than a weekly commitment. Tatter Hartmann and Milly DeLesDernier donated colorful and creative hand-knit mittens and hats for children at Southampton Elementary School. At the 30/40/50 s Christmas party folks were asked to donate new or slightly used books for Southampton students. MANY RESPONDED! Marcie Perryman delivered hundreds of books to the school in December that will be put into the hands of Southampton students. THANK YOU!!! As the school year continues, so does Southampton s needs. Volunteers are needed on March 2 nd for Dr. Seuss Day. March 2 nd through the 11 th there is a need for helpers at the library Book Fair. On the 18 th, adults are asked to participate in Career Day. If you in interested in learning more details, please sign the Micah sheet that will be available at the Welcome Desk in the Commons. WHAT DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE COLUMBARIUM? The Memorial Garden and Columbarium is an important ministry of Epiphany Lutheran Church primarily because it embraces our faith in everlasting life. For that reason, the facility opens out to the large cross in front. Although nearly eight years old, it is surprising what some members do not know about this ministry... The Memorial Garden and Columbarium offers THREE options for members and their families: Niche and plaque for the inurnment of ashes in an urn. Interment of ashes in the memorial garden in the center and a plaque on the wall. Memorial plaque on the wall for deceased members and family resting elsewhere. It is the only church facility in the state that offers all three options noted above. It is the only church facility in the state that is round. The Columbarium must be free of any flowers, cards, and memorabilia so visitors can easily walk around and focus on reflection and prayer. A complete packet with applications and policies is available in the church office. Please contact any Ministry Team member with questions or comments: Ben Droste, Betty Ring, Bill Crouch, John Berlinghoff, Tracey Fatzinger, Janet and Phil Card. 13

14 WELCA Circles Meet The Margaret Miller Circle will meet 10 am on Tuesday, February 9, in the Star Lodge. Anyone who may have an interest in joining or learning about the mission and activities of a Circle please feel free to call Cheryl Froom or Donna Josephson The Clara Sullivan Circle will meet at the home of Peggy Roberts on Friday, February 12 at 10 am. During Lent the meetings are held on Fridays. New members are always welcome. Call Leanne Spletzer for information ( ). Katie Luther Circle will meet on February 11 at 6 pm. Location to be announced. Please contact Tatter Hartmann at or tatterh@hotmail.com. NURSERY SCHOOL NEWS I can hardly believe that registration is already well under way for the school year. Our priority registration for current families and church members ended on January 18 and we then opened registration to everyone. We are well ahead of the numbers we had at this time last year, so if you are thinking of sending your child to ELNS in the fall, be sure to get in touch with the school office as soon as possible! I know that some of you are starting to plan your summer breaks already and we are busy planning for our two weeks of summer camp as well. We are changing our dates a bit from the past couple of years. Due to feedback from our families and staff members, we will no longer be offering camp in August. We will be doing two weeks of 4 days each in May and June immediately after the school year ends. The first week will be May 31 June 3 and the second week will be June 6 9. Registration for camp will begin in March, so be sure to check our website for the registration link! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me by phone or . Our phone number is and my address is elnsdirector@gmail.com. You can also visit us on the web at on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram just search for Epiphany Lutheran Nursery School. Sincerely, Jessica Hendricks 14

15 Fellowship Ministry A New Fellowship Group We would like to introduce a new group forming at Epiphany. This group is for those whose "nest" has just emptied, been emptied for a while or has always been empty. Both singles and couples are welcome. We will meet once a month for fun and fellowship. Activities will vary each month therefore times and locations will be announced in the bulletin, monthly newsletter and possibly social media. The following events have been scheduled: Sunday, February, 7; 5:30pm Super Bowl Party at the home of Brad and Traci Williamson (405 Sleepy Hollow Rd, 23229) Please bring an appetizer and beverage to share. Tuesday, March 8 th Dinner & Movie Saturday, April 16 th - Bike Ride on the Capital Trail A name for this group has yet to be determined. A couple ideas are Empty Nesters or Freebirds. We can decide on our name at our first event in February as well as discuss future planning. Please contact either Carol Hess or Laura Dietrick for more information and to let us know if you are able to attend the Super Bowl party. We are excited about this new group and hope you join us! Carol Hess or chess@hcps.us Laura Dietrick or ldietric@richmond.edu All Ages Chili Chilly Game Night! Friday March 6:00 Bring a pot of your favorite chili recipe to share w/ others as we play games! If you don't want to make chili, please bring a side dish or a dessert to share! Bring your favorite board game for a night of fun w/ church friends. Contact Marcie Perryman w/ questions or m.perryman@yahoo.com 15

16 WEDNESDAY EVENING MEALS Continuing through February 3, all are welcome to join us for food, fellowship, and faith each Wednesday beginning with dinner in Price Hall at 5:45 pm. Choir rehearsals, Bible Studies, and Confirmation classes are offered. Suggested donations for the evening meal are $5/adult and $3/child 12 and under. Household max is $ Please sign up at the Welcome Desk in the Commons or the church office by Monday night at The menus are posted on the church s website at and on the sign up sheets. Are you able to lend a hand with serving or clean up? The sign up sheets are at the Welcome Desk or contact Beth Barger at Wednesday Lenten Dinners Only Beginning on February 10, all are welcome to join us for a Soup and Salad meal which will be served at 5:30 pm. Coir rehearsals, Bible Study and Confirmation classes are offered. Lenten worship services begin at 7:00 pm. Suggested donations for the evening meal are $4 adult, $2 child 12 and under. For the latest menu, check the church s website at Sign up sheets are at the Welcome Desk in the Commons or contact Beth Barger at yo lend a hand with serving or clean up for the dinners. Please Note: Due to declining numbers, there will not be a noon meal this year. Book Discussion Join us Monday, February 15 at 10:30 am in the Parlor as we discuss A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. We look forward to seeing you then. A Call to Save Our History For several years, the Archives has published in the Examiner the monthly article From the Archives. It tells a bit of the history of our Church obtained from annual reports, minutes, etc. found in the Archives. For each item published, someone took the time to record the events, history, etc. of our Church. Each January there is a call to the Congregation for Annual Reports due February 15 th of each year. Unfortunately, each year there are fewer and fewer reports. Some Ministry Teams rely on our Church Staff to produce their annual report. Ministry Teams do the work and know what happened better than the staff. Please take the time to put together your Ministry Team s annual report. If you need help, contact any member of the Archives Team. There is no set format for an annual report. No report equates to no history. Please do not allow our history to be lost. Your Archives Team, Dean Zellmer, Barry Westin, John Hartmann 16

17 Notes to Know CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL President Stephanie Paget 17 Vice President Lyle Gleason 18 Secretary Matt Greenshields 17 Treasurer Tim Sparks 19 OFFICE HOURS Monday-Thursday 9 am-3:30 pm Friday - 9 am Noon Council Members Joe Potter 17 Ramona Schaeffer 18 Amy Boyle 18 Wayne Shimko 19 Macon Sizemore 19 Ray Spletzer 19 17

18 Members in Our Prayers CHURCH STAFF Pastor The Rev. Phillip W. Martin, Jr., Pastor The Rev. Joseph L. Bolick, Diaconal Minister Christine V. Huffman, Visitation Pastor The Rev. Tom Bosserman, Director of Music Ministry Kevin Barger, Administrative Assistant Hanne Hamlin, Coordinator of Volunteers Beth Barger, Finance Manager Dottie Jaggers, 18

19 Epiphany Evangelical Lutheran Church 1400 Horsepen Road Monument Ave. at Horsepen Road Richmond, VA Phone: Fax: Address Service Requested Non-Profit Org. U. S. Postage Pd. Richmond, VA Permit # 711 a congregation of the ELCA Worship Times Sunday 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Wednesday Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Follow us on Audio recordings of sermons can be located on our website from our main page For sermons, click here. Links to the pastors sermon blogs may also be found there. 19