The STAR August 2016

Signed with a Sign Every Sunday at Epiphany, many of us make the sign of the cross at several different points in the service. Why do we do that? First, not because we have to. At Epiphany, we welcome, but don’t require personal devotional actions during worship. Things like making the sign of the cross, raising our hands in prayer or praise, kneeling and genuflecting, all fall into the category of behaviors that are perfectly appropriate, but not a “rule.” But that said, there is a rhyme and reason, so to speak, to signing ourselves with this sign. If you haven’t done it before, I suggest trying it in worship sometime soon as another way to encounter God. When we make the sign of the cross in worship, first and foremost we remind ourselves that it is the cross that is our bridge to our relationship with God. For this reason, one of the traditional moments to make this gesture is when we say the name of the Trinity, “God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit,” together. Secondly, we use the sign of the cross to remind ourselves that it is only through Jesus and his sacrifice that we can receive any forgiveness or blessing from God. When we make the sign of the cross when, for instance, the minister says the words of absolution after the confession of sin, or at the end of the service when the minister says the final blessing, what we are doing is claiming those good words of God for ourselves, through Jesus’ cross.

Finally, we can use the sign of the cross to remind ourselves of how we need to respond to God. We make the sign, beginning with our head, from where we know God. We then draw a line, so to speak, to our heart, where we love God, and finally, we move across our body, from shoulder to shoulder, reminding us of our responsibility to serve God with our actions.

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Encountering God, Building a multigenerational congregation, Equipping every member.

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Each of us as Christians is marked with the sign of the cross. It’s only through the cross that we receive anything good from God. When we make the sign during our worship, we are reminding ourselves of something good, and beautiful, and true. God bless,

Here at Epiphany we emphasize: 

Encountering God through beautiful worship and believing prayer

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Building a multigenerational congregation that loves children and families.

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Equipping every member to publicly proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Livestream Goes High Tech In early July, Church of the Epiphany, Anglican upgraded to high definition video streaming of our 10am worship service. Epiphany has been streaming services since 2011, sharing our worship services with those that are homebound, out of the area or deployed to far away places such as Afghanistan. The streaming video effort grew out of Ron Harp’s desire to make the services available first via DVD, and later, with encourgement and approval of the clergy and vestry, via streaming. Ron was the full time operator for the first five years while we operated with donated or loaned equipment. With the technical help of Ralph Morris and Bob Beckley, we have grown from a simple camcorder on a tripod to three permanantly mounted (eBay purchased) HD cameras and the ability to transition seamlessly between cameras via a video mixing console. To further improve the viewer's worship experience, our new equipment allows the graphics we see on the in-house monitors to be seen as picture-in-picture inserts on the transmitted video. We have also resumed posting our sermons on Epiphany’s YouTube channel.

Overseen by Ross Cummings, the Audio Visual team has a dedicated group who operate the equipment every Sunday. Our streaming video operators are Bob Beckley, Ron Harp, David Meeks, Ralph Morris, Barb Oliphant, Andy Plummer and Catherine Zimmerman. On the Audio side, we have Bill Edmunds, Jim Humenik, Ralph Morris, CJ Plummer, Evan Zimmerman, Bryan Sadler, Dave Schreiner and Tim Stromberg. Consider tuning in while on vacation or away on business. You can find a link to live or archived services on our website, www.epiphanyanglican.net or at www.livestream.com/ epiphanyanglican . As always, if you are interested in joining our team, please contact Ross Cummings, 703-967-9836 or [email protected].

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Epiphany Youth on Mission to Aliquippa It is hard to capture all the beauty of spending a week with 23 energetic teenagers and four adults on mission to Western Pennsylvania. We did things that were familiar, like worshiped in a group and praying for the armor of God each day, but most of it was treading unfamiliar territory for these high school students. We walked and we prayed, as we listened to God for his heart for the people. We learned that the first impression of run-down and decrepit homes can be overcome by a vision of God’s presence in that community.

We were returning to a couple communities, the trailer park and the apartments, where the children ran to meet us, eager for fun, attention and Bible stories. They wouldn't let us go without a fight on the last day. In the midst of familiar, we experienced the uncomfortable picture of those who don’t have enough to eat. We met total strangers, talked with them for a while and then offered to pray for them. Not one person refused! They often left with tears in their eyes, having been given courage and hope. We worked to repair a hundred-year-old home with a sagging ceiling. While the home needed a lot of help, it was a symbol of hope for a better day for an unmarried mother of two. As we slowly and gradually met people on the street during the cook-out, relationships were beginning to form which could be continued with the folks living there long term. We ate and lived together (27 people in one large house). We had to take three minute showers since there were only two in the whole house! I learned how to live with the chaos of a home filled with people, but I miss it now that I am back to my quiet home. It was an adventure for each of us, Izzy, Evan, Sydney and me, one that we would not trade for anything

First Photo from Epiphany’s Sports Camp at Coates Elementary

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An Anglican Sunday Worship Service The Rev. Greg Goebel, May 10, 2016, http://anglicanpastor.com/ (Used with permission)

Word and Sacrament Our worship service consists of two parts, the Service of the Word, and the Service of the Sacrament. These two elements are equally important as the Word of God reveals Jesus and prepares us to receive him in the Sacrament. This pattern follows the early Church of the Book of Acts, who “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). The Service of the Word Hearing God’s Word read and proclaimed, praying together, and preparing for Holy Communion. The Procession and Acclamation We prepare our hearts for worship in quiet prayer and song. The ministers process behind the cross, reverencing the cross because everything we do is under the Cross of Christ. The People may also bow the head as the cross passes. We name and bless the object of our worship, the God of the Christian Faith, revealed in Scripture as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Collect of the Day and the Collect for Purity A ‘Collect’ is a prayer that “collects” the intentions of all the people and sums them up by acknowledging God’s work, asking of him, ending with a doxology of praise. This collect sets a theme for the day and week. The Scripture Lessons Holy Scripture is at the heart of our worship and faith. We read from a lectionary, a common pattern of Scripture texts. This helps us to worship together with other Christians, even though we are in different places. St. Paul wrote that we should continue in the public reading the Scriptures. (I Timothy 4:13). The Holy Gospel The gospel is read “among the people” because Christ came into he world to live among us, and so the Gospel is the center of our parish life (See John 1:1-14, and 1 Corinthians 3:11). The “little” sign of the cross may be used with the thumbnail over the forehead, the lips, and the heart, signifying our prayer that the Gospel would fill our minds, be upon our lips, and in our heart. The Sermon Everything we learn about our Faith in Christ is embodied. It is sacramental, in that there is a means through which every aspect of the cure of our souls is effected. We need to hear a human voice speaking. We need that human voice to speak through personal experience and personality. We need to hear the Gospel, explained and illustrated, out loud. (Romans 10:14).

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The Creed The Apostle Jude taught us that we should “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” The Nicene Creed was produced by Christians from East and West at a time when the Church was undivided and is an expansion of the earlier Apostles’ Creed. By “catholic and apostolic” we mean the faith and order of the early Church and the Faithful throughout history and around the world today. The Prayers of the People Paul wrote to Timothy that, “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…” (1 Timothy 2:1). We pray for those who have departed this life in faith because together with them we await the final Resurrection of our bodies (I Thessalonians 4:17 and 5:10). They rest in him now in peace, and yet cry out “how long, O Lord?” (Revelation 6:10). As One Body of Christ, we share communion with the faithful on earth and in heaven (I Corinthians 12:12) . Our prayers remind us of their example of faith and call us to follow it. The Confession of Sin and the Absolution We are forgiven in Christ at our baptism, but not yet perfected. As St John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The absolution, or pronouncement of forgiveness, makes present to us the truth that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The Passing of the Peace The passing of the peace is a renewal of our obedience to the command of our Lord in Matthew 5:24, “First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” and the admonition of St Paul to the Corinthians, “Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11). Holy Communion Baptism is the initiation into the Christian life, a one-time moment of promise in which the people of God stand on his new covenant of grace to freely welcome a new member into the Body of Christ. Holy Communion is the on-going sacrament, the continually sustaining provision of God to nourish our faith and to regularly and constantly remind us of his mercy and to provide us his grace. The Offering The offering of our resources to God by giving to our local parish is a tangible expression of God’s ownership of all things, including our whole selves. Visitors are never required to give money during the offering. The Great Thanksgiving The prayers of the Eucharist service, which acknowledge that our Lord instituted this table for his people to commune with him together as his people.The Great Thanksgiving is the name for the cluster of prayers that surround the Lord’s Supper, or Communion. These

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prayers are based on ancient Christian prayers and the pattern of prayer from the earliest days of the Church, which are derived from Holy Scripture. The prayers are not identical, but they follow a pattern which includes a recitation of salvation history, an ‘oblation’ or declaration of the continuing power of Christ’s one time sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. The include ancient hymns and songs such the Sanctus or “Holy, Holy, Holy”. They always include the words of institution, that is, the words Jesus said when he instituted the Lord’s Supper. The Celebrant (a presbyter/priest who leads these prayers) takes bread by placing it on the table. He gives thanks along with the people. He breaks it, signifying both Christ’s body broken and the shared nature of communion. And then he gives it, administering the body and blood of Christ to the people of God.

The Words of Institution St Paul wrote to the Corinthians in his first epistle, chapter 11:23-26, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” He then adds an exhortation, “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” We re-present this every week. The Lord’s Prayer The Lord himself gave it to us, and it is the outline and basis of all Christian prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Receiving Communion All baptized believers are welcomed to receive at the Lord’s table. Fold hands flat together to receive the bread. Guide the chalice to your own lips. Many will make the sign of the cross before receiving each kind, and after receiving say, “amen.” You may also choose to receive by intinction (dipping) the bread into the wine and consume both together. Those who are not baptized, or are not receiving communion for some other reason, but would like to receive a blessing by a priest, may indicate so by crossing your arms on your chest, with hands at each shoulder. Unbaptized children are welcomed to receive a blessing as well. Post-Communion Having received from our Lord Jesus Christ in Word and Sacrament, we are sent forth into the world as ministers of reconciliation in his name (2 Corinthians 5:18). The Blessing The blessing is rooted in Aaron’s blessing (Numbers 6:22-26). It also reflects Paul’s doxologies in his Epistles, most notably Romans 15:13,33 and Philippians 4:7.

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Vestry Nominations Good People Needed Vestry elections will be held at the Annual Church meeting immediately following the 10am service on November 13th. We are looking for several qualified, interested and engaged church members who feel the hand of God calling them to serve, to step out of their comfort zone and into a position of actively working in the leadership of this church to discern the will of God. We don’t always understand why God is calling us to serve or how we will be used, but we know that by following His lead our lives and those of our congregation will be blessed. Please prayerfully consider whether you are being called to serve Epiphany in this vital position. Resist allowing worldly distractions to steer you away from this calling. When God calls someone, he promises to “lead(s) us in triumphal procession in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14). Do not hesitate, for it may deprive other people of the benefits of your service. ARTICLE VI. A of the Bylaws (see link below) spells out eligibility requirements: Eligibility. Only Eligible Voters who are eighteen years of age or over and have also been confirmed or received by a Bishop of the Province or another province of the Anglican Communion shall be eligible to serve on Vestry. Spouses and dependent family members of Vestry members and paid staff of the Congregation and their spouses and dependent family members are ineligible to serve on Vestry. Qualifications for a Vestry person are found in Titus 1 and are listed in the DOMA Canons, Title IB, Canon 1, section 3.C. If you have any questions, please contact one of the members of the current Nomination Committee: Merle Stromberg, Ann Guest, Barbara Noble, Jan Coffee, Brad Johnson or Lisa Baehr.

Bylaws: http://epiphanyanglican.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/BYLAWS-Approved-26-April-2015.pdf

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Missions Update: Uganda Christian University Epiphany is proud to support Uganda Christian University. In past updates, we have given examples of UCU leading college students to a faith-filled life. But this update illustrates UCU’s good works, in this case the scientific research that allows poor farmers to feed their families: _____________________________________________________________________________

To a subsistence farmer in rural Uganda, Uganda Christian University may seem as irrelevant as the international space station. But nothing could be further from the truth. The research done by professors and students in UCU’s agricultural science program has the potential to significantly impact both the lives and livelihoods of thousands of farmers. UCU received funding to identify what flies are ruining the rice of local farmers and to experiment with different rice varieties to determine which types of rice might be resistant to this common pest. The first step was to conduct research in rural communities to establish whether farmers were seeing problems with their rice and if they knew which pests were causing the damage. The participatory rural research showed that 100% of the farmers surveyed were experiencing damage caused by the stalk-eyed fly but did not know the cause of the damage. Based on this data, UCU faculty and students have hosted trainings for more than 400 farmers in rural districts to help them with pest management and better agronomic practices for rice production. The long-term key to increasing the yield is breeding rice strains for resistance to pests such as the stalk-eyed fly. The next step, which is still ongoing, is to test currently known rice strains for resistance. The team is in the process of screening more than 50 strains of rice. They are testing the most common strains preferred by farmers along with developed breeding lines and a few wild rice varieties. This is the kind of collaborative science research, education, and application that will greatly impact the future of a staple crop for thousands of farmers across Uganda and, potentially, millions of farmers across Africa and even Brazil. These are the kind of methods and the kind of training that will empower science students to think bigger picture, to explore real world problems, and to experiment and improve the conditions of their communities and countries.

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Publishing Information The Epiphany STAR is generally published monthly and contains articles and information about what God has and is doing in us and through us as the Epiphany Family. It is intended to encourage each of us in our ministry and discipleship by relating how God is working in the midst of us. The Epiphany Candle is published weekly by email, highlighting what is coming in the days ahead at Epiphany and other information that the staff and vestry feel is important to emphasize. Articles and Subscription requests: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (for weekly bulletin) Deadlines: STAR: 21st of the month Bulletin: Monday, 8 AM Candle: Wednesday, 8 AM BIRTHDAYS

1 2 3 6 8 9

10 11

Stephen Antal Fred Apelquist Matt Miller John Newton Debbie Lynch Sheila Crawford Dennis McNeely Tom Noble Jim Roberts Norma Davis Krystal Apelquist Jessica Monroe

11 12 13

14 15 16 17

Severn Rash Erin Schultz Connor Vaughn Gin Edmunds Lisa Ellis Kate Oliphant Lesley Ermalinski Daniel Simonds Richard Daugherty Katherine Hanger Bryan Saddler Josh Croft

18 19 21 22 25 29 30

Lorena Croft Ellen Harrison Lucas Long David Rhoads Julia Judkins Amie Boncher Jan Welch Dave Bassert Mark Oliphant Christina Cummings

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

1 9 19 20 21

Care & Jim Murphy Fay & Frank Cochran Ann & Charlie Westerman Leslie & Bruce Johnson Carole & Keith Menzel Kay & Matt Miller

22 23 25 26 31

Patricia & Ed Stachew Julie & Bill Kesterson Tammie & John Morris Barbara & Alex Peake Diane & David Reed Linda & Dave Bassert

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Resources Epiphany Staff

Email

Extension

The Rev. Peter Frank, Rector

[email protected]

104

The Rev. Pamela Meeks, Associate Rector

[email protected]

106

The Rev. David Welch, Parish Deacon

[email protected]

703-309-0527

Jimmy Crawford, Music Director

[email protected]

101

Janice Monaghan, Financial Director

[email protected]

105

2016 Vestry David Bassert Jan Coffee Ann Guest George Hamlin Beth Monroe, Barbara Noble Andy Plummer Bryan Saddler, Dave Schreiner Merle Stromberg Carol Williams

Vestry Officers Senior Warden ................................ Merle Stromberg Junior Warden ................................... Andy Plummer Registrar ...................................................... Ann Guest Finance Committee Chairman ......Dennis McNeely Treasurer ................................................... Tom Miller Assistant Treasurer ...........................Charlie Monroe Chancellor .................................................David Reed

Intercessory Prayer Letter Requests can now be submitted by email at a secure site, [email protected] or written and left in the prayer request box in the Fellowship Area. All prayer requests are collected after the Sunday morning services and prepared for Monday morning distribution. For more information or questions, contact Faith Fisler at 703-591-6645 or email her at [email protected].

http://anglicanchurch.net/

http://anglicandoma.org/

13515 Dulles Technology Drive, Suite # 1 Herndon Virginia 20171 Main Number: 703.481.8601 Prayer Line:703.389.7292 Visit our website at www.epiphanyanglican.net Encountering God, Building a multigenerational congregation, Equipping every member.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS August 1-5

9:00 AM

Soccer Camp/VBS at Coates Elementary

9

7:00 PM

Vestry Meeting

13

12:00 Noon

Youth Studying Mark

20

TBD

All day youth event - place TBD September

13

7:00 PM

Vestry Meeting

20

Diocesan Clergy Day

24

9:30 AM

Fall Seasons

30

Parish Weekend October

1, 2 11

Parish Weekend 7:00 PM

Vestry Meeting

View the Church calendar on our website: http://epiphanyanglican.net/ To add your event to the calendar, contact Jimmy Crawford [email protected]

Worship Schedule Sundays 8:00 and 10:00 AM Eucharist and Healing At the 10 am service: Nursery available for infants through 2 years old Sunday School for children 3 years old through 5th grade

Weekdays at 12:15 PM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: Midday Prayer Wednesdays: Holy Communion