From Rev. Christen's Desk 

Dear Epiphany Parish,

This is a poem for Epiphany from one of my favorite poets and artists, Jan Richardson. Her work can be found at her website: http://paintedprayerbook.com/

As we enter the final weeks of this long Epiphany season we've been in, let's return to the story of the Magi one more time and remember that journey they took to find the Christ Child.

Peace in Christ,

Rev. Christen

Where the Map Begins

     by Jan Richardson

This is not
any map you know.
Forget longitude.
Forget latitude.
Do not think
of distances
or of plotting
the most direct route.
Astrolabe, sextant, compass:
these will not help you here.

This is the map
that begins with a star.
This is the chart
that starts with fire,
with blazing,
with an ancient light
that has outlasted
generations, empires,
cultures, wars.

Look starward once,
then look away.
Close your eyes
and see how the map
begins to blossom
behind your lids,
how it constellates,
its lines stretching out
from where you stand.

You cannot see it all,
cannot divine the way
it will turn and spiral,
cannot perceive how
the road you walk
will lead you finally inside,
through the labyrinth
of your own heart
and belly
and lungs.

But step out
and you will know
what the wise who traveled
this path before you
knew:
the treasure in this map
is buried not at journey's end
but at its beginning.

-Jan Richardson

Volunteer Opportunity!

Epiphany Parish will be preparing and serving a meal at Breaking Bread on Monday, February 25th.  Breaking Bread is a free community meal that takes place every Monday night at United Church in Walpole.  We need volunteers from 4:00-5:30pm to set up and prepare food and from 5:30-7:00pm to serve the food and help clean up.  There will be a sign up sheet at coffee hour today.  You can also sign up by emailing the office at office.epiphany@verizon.net

June 8 may seem like a long way away, but it isn't where Village Fair planning is concerned!

Our first all-parish Village Fair Planning meeting will take place this Sunday, February 24 after the 10am service. All are encouraged and welcome to come help us kick-off this important parish event. We are still looking for some people to take on leadership roles for the fair. Please speak with Rev. Christen if you are interested in being a Co-Chair this year.

Progressive Dinner

March 2nd

 Join us as we kick off March  

with this fun social event!   

All adults in the Parish are welcome.

If you have never attended a Progressive Dinner before - here is how it works.  We begin at one house for appetizers, travel to the church for the main course, then travel to another house for dessert.  Each participant is asked to provide either an appetizer or dessert as well as to make a financial contribution ($15 per person) for the main course, which is catered. 

There is a sign up list in the Narthex and the undercroft.  We are seeking a host for the dessert course.  Sign up to host or just sign up to attend.  If you have questions, please contact George Ford at tcats1971@gmail.com or Mark Helm at mar3lyn@comcast.net.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper - March 5th

All are welcome to join us in the undercroft on Tuesday, March 5th from 6pm-7:30pm for a Pancake Supper. This fun all-ages event is an Epiphany Favorite. Join us as we burn the palms from last year to make ashes, eat delicious pancakes. All children are welcome to enter our pancake flipping races to win major bragging-rights within the parish. After dinner, we will learn about Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent with a brief service in the sanctuary.

We are looking for some adults who are able to come and help cook pancakes that evening. Please email Rev. Christen at christen.epiphany@gmail.com if you are able to help.

An e-vite invitation will be sent out shortly.

LOVE is an ACTION!

Before our Annual Meeting, we had members fill out cards with the different ways that they show God's love in the world to help us show the larger impact that the Epiphany Parish has in our community. We'll be sharing a few of these responses each week.

Ways that members of Epiphany Parish have acted out God's love in the world:

• Supported the Food Pantry
• God is Love. To know God is to Love. Serving God's people is love.
• Carpooled kids to activities to lessen the burden on other families.
• Forgave and tolerated individuals who have yet to learn responsibilities towards each other.
• Love serving on the Altar Guild!
• I celebrated 30 years of giving back to the community through the Junior Woman's Club of Walpole!

Weekly Announcements

Ash Wednesday: Ash Wednesday, March 6, is the beginning of the Lenten Season Lent is the season before Easter when we intentionally fast, pray, and take on spiritual disciplines in order to grow in our relationship with God. On Ash Wednesday, we will have services of Holy Communion with the Imposition of Ashes at 12pm and at 7pm (with music). All are invited to come and join us for one of these services as we enter into a Holy Lent.

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Confirmation Class: The first meeting of our Confirmation Class will take place this Sunday evening! Please keep Sydney Tortora, Nina LaRusso, and Owen Hayes in your prayers as they prepare for their upcoming confirmation in June!

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Funeral Services for Jeff Groves will take place this Saturday, February 23, at 11am at Epiphany Parish. There will be a collation following the service in the undercroft with an opportunity to greet the family.

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Registration for summer camp at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, N.H., is open at www.bchcenter.org/bchcamp, where more details on programs and session dates are also available.  Epiphany Parish has a long history of attending and supporting BCH Camp.  If you would like more information, or would like to speak with someone who has attended the camp, please speak with Rev. Christen.

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An Episcopal Relief & Development disaster preparedness training will be offered on Saturday, Feb. 23, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street) in Boston.  Lunch will be provided.  The training will facilitate the development of a ministry that assists congregations in anticipating and preparing for local, unexpected disastrous events.  At the conclusion of the session, participants will be prepared to function as the Episcopal Relief & Development point person for the congregation.  Lay participation is encouraged and clergy are welcome.  More information can be found at https://www.diomass.org/event/episcopal-relief-development-disaster-preparedness-training-2

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Altar Flowers ~ Do you want to commemorate a special date in your life? Celebrate a birthday or anniversary? Honor the memory of someone special? Do you sim­ply want to give thanks for a blessing? Flowers are a wonderful way to do so while adding a splash of color and beauty to our Sunday morning worship service. February 24 is still available. See the sign up poster in the Narthex or you can sign up by e-mailing office.epiphany@verizon.net, or by calling the parish office to reserve one of these dates or to check for future dates. You are invited to make a donation of $40 for one vase or $75 for both vases; however donations of any amount are welcome to help defray the cost of flowers. Thank you!

Please note that once again this year we will not be having flowers during Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday on March 6. Regular flowers will resume in April, following Easter.

Bishops' Letter

The Bishops of our Diocese have Issued a Pastoral Letter on the Church's Response to Sexual Misconduct

Bishop Alan M. Gates and Bishop Gayle E. Harris issued on Jan. 17, 2019, the following pastoral letter to the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, regarding the General Convention's three-year suspension of the statute of limitations on initiating clergy disciplinary cases involving sexual misconduct against adults:

https://www.diomass.org/news/diocesan-news/bishops-issue-pastoral-letter-churchs-response-sexual-misconduct

From Jan. 1, 2019, until Dec. 31, 2021, those who wish to bring a case of sexual misconduct against a member of the clergy will be able to do so, regardless of how long ago the alleged misconduct occurred. 

In Our Prayers

Marge Buttimer, Rod MacLeod, Ted Mangles, David Sanford, Jack

We also continue to remember:  Richland Arcikowski, Frank Baronie, Janna Jones Bellwin, Dick Brideau, Jan Bryson, Paul Canavan, Julianna Costa, Scott Dalrymple, Clinton Dempsey, Jane Emswiler, Mary Lou Fitzpatrick, Patrick Fleming, Sandy Frye, Tom Fuller, Ed Glebus, Skip Gould, Nancy Griswold, Jack Hammill, Sandy Hammill, Beverly Happnie, Bill Hicks, Sr., Todd King, Bob Laurie, Laura Marchese, Dena Miller, George Najarian, Alex Panosian, Harry Pritoni, Robert Quimby, Susie & John Rogers, Ashley Rose, Art Sachs, Nicole Shirley, Denise Sullivan, Don Uliano, Tina Valentine, Jonathan White & Family, Barbara, Diana, Grant, Jim, Jimmy, Mark and Alexis, Maureen & Family, Molly, Sarah, Shawn

•  We pray for our first responders and military personnel and their families.
• We pray for those affected by war, terrorism, natural disaster and violence, abuse, addiction or loneliness.

Recently Departed: Jeff Groves, Peter DiPasca, Sr

Walpole Cycle of Prayer: The Protestant Chaplaincy at Cedar Junction and Bay State Correctional Facility

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: St Barnabas' Church, Falmouth; Christ Church, Harwich Port; St. Andrew's Chapel, Hyannis Port; St. Paul's Church, Nantucket; Congregations: Wardens, Treasurers & Clerks

Celebrating Birthdays: Feb. 24: Connor Vigneau; Feb. 25: Betty Riley, Liz Connolly; Feb. 26: Christine Lent, Alex Lent; Feb. 27: Newell Squires, Maria Stockwell; Feb. 28: Natalie Lee; Mar. 1: Kyle Horton, Alicia Langmead

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Names on our prayer list are listed in the order in which the prayer request is received and are kept on that list for 6 weeks. At that point, if prayers are still needed, the name will be moved down into the alphabetical list. We appreciate updates for those we hold in prayer. Please contact the parish office or e-mail the office at office.epiphany@verizon.net to update our list.

The office is open this week (w/e Feb. 23)

Tuesday - Thursday

10:00am to 2:30pm

The office is closed on

Monday, February 18 in observance of Presidents' Day

The office will be open next week (w/e Mar. 2)

Monday - Thursday

10:00am to 2:30pm

Rev. Christen is in the office most weeks on Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday.

If you have a pastoral emergency, please do not hesitate to contact Christen at 978-758-7270.

If you would like an opportunity to meet with Christen during the week please e-mail her or call the church office to make an appointment. This will ensure that she is not out making pastoral calls and that you will have her undivided attention.