This Week at Edgewood

Grace to you, and peace...

We made a big announcement on Sunday: that we are planning to use grant money to do some renovations so that UKirk Birmingham can reside here at EPC. There is strong potential for a truly life-giving partnership. I am resisting the use of exclamation points in this paragraph, but I am incredibly excited about this.

And we're going to talk more about it tonight at Fellowship Supper at 6 p.m. (Handbells at 5, Choir at 7.) We'll try to answer all your questions about what we have planned and how this will impact our congregation. And we'll be very clear about what we don't know yet. Enchiladas are on the menu.

Our cross remains out front for blue bows in memory of Aniah Blanchard in solidarity with our friends at Trinity UMC. We've been asked to keep it there until a memorial service laster this month. We welcome your blue bows to be added to the cross.

After a break for Thanksgiving, Men's Bible Study picks back up on Friday to conclude our series on the Parables. Hot coffee at 7.

Sunday will be a very active Second Sunday of Advent here at Edgewood.
In our worship service we'll light two candles on our Advent wreath, seek comfort (and to comfort others?) with the prophet Isaiah, and we'll hear more about bells during the Sermon from the Steps.

While the adults are having their normal Sunday School hour, all kids and youth will be in the sanctuary for a dress rehearsal of A Very Edgewood Christmas Pageant. All children have a role! If you have a kid who will be able to be in the pageant but cannot be here on Sunday, please email Amber Genau and let her know so that they can be sure to have a costume prepared.

I encourage you to run off and grab some lunch, and then return to the church at 1:30 to carpool out to Pell City where we will be visiting with and caroling for some residents of the Veterans Home there.
We'll return to the church around 4 o'clock and some wonderful elves will have cookies and hot cocoa available for us. At 4:45, we have a scheduled visit from St. Nick, who will be happy to take photos with families. Please join us for all or part of this busy Sunday afternoon!

We are always so proud of our young adults as they make their way in the world. I want to extend a special invitation to UAB Fall Commencement on Saturday, December 14th at 9:30 a.m. in Bartow Arena (617 13th Street S) as our older elementary Sunday School teacher, former youth group stalwart, child of this church, and all-around impressive human Sabrina Bates graduates. If you would like to join us in cheering Sabrina on, and would like to carpool, please let Susan Hammack know.

During the Sunday School hour on December 15th, we'll have the performance of that whimsical pageant. Following the pageant we'll hold our sixth annual Bake Sale Auction. This year, the beneficiary of every cent bid will be Frontera de Cristo -- a PC(USA) border ministry that is doing some truly inspiring work. You can read more about Frontera at their website or in the upcoming December Edgewood Epistle. Last year we raised over $2,000 for the Magic City Acceptance Center, and all told this Bake Sale Auction has raised more than $11,000 for mission partners. If you simply must miss it, send a proxy!

December 21st (Saturday at 6 p.m.) we'll hold our Service of the Longest Night, a time when we make space for quiet, for grief, for deep breaths, and for silence.

One last thing: please note the flyer below for the Presbytery Elementary Epiphany Retreat. Neeley Lane will be wonderful as a keynote speaker enough. Let me know if you have any questions.

Listen for the bells and allow hope to interpret their tones for you.
And do not fear, for there is good news of great joy ahead.

Peace be with you,
Joe