March 6th, 2024 | Newsletter
Let’s read together!
As Holy Week approaches, let’s prepare our hearts and minds with a rich, brief read: Jon Meacham’s The Hope of Glory.
RSVP to Jane at janemherring@gmail.com if you want to attend Tuesday night zoom discussion.
Use “HOPE OF GLORY” in the subject line.
Pages 3-47 on Tuesday, March 12 at 7pm
Pages 48-73 on Tuesday, March 19 at 7pm
Pages 74-99 on Tuesday, March 26 at 7pm
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Don’t forget to open the newly added attachment to see Sunday’s order of worship
Lenten Wednesdays: Lectio Divina at 6pm and simple Lenten Supper at 6:30 -
Sign up to bring a simple supper of soup and bread, or beans and rice - something easy to share.
From 6-6:30 we will read and contemplate scripture.
At 6:30 we will gather around the table for a simple supper, customary for Lent.
Please sign up for one of the Wednesdays in Lent to bring a simple supper for sharing: email janemherring@gmail.com
March 13, 20, or 27.
Also:
Looking to Holy Week:
Maundy Thursday Supper of the Lamb: We will gather at EPC on Maundy Thursday, March 28th at 6:30. John and Terry Denton provide lamb and we all bring side dishes and desserts. It is a beautiful time together and I encourage all to attend, truly a church family occasion. We break bread together, have a brief liturgy of prayers and readings, and share memories and stories. Just as Jesus gathered with his beloved disciples, we gather ourselves up in His presence to break bread and remember.
Good Friday, March 29th at 6:30: We gather in the sanctuary for a quiet, contemplative service of Word, Prayer, and Lamentation, acknowledging the continuing ramifications of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world.
Bring the burdens of your heart and put them upon the cross of Jesus Christ at this Good Friday service.
Bring fresh flowers to place on the cross on Easter Sunday and we will see this same cross flower as we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord.
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Fourth Sunday in Lent (March 10, 2024)
• First reading
o Numbers 21:4-9
• Psalm
o Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
• Second reading
o Ephesians 2:1-10
• Gospel
o John 3:14-21
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Litergical readers and schedule notes
Date Pulpit Liturgist Notes
3.10.24 Herring Barbara D. Daylight Savings Time starts
3.17.24 Herring Marilyn L. Assemble Goody Bags
3.24.24 Herring Sara or Greg B. Presentations by Greg B. and by EPC children
3.31.24 Herring Karen R. Easter
4.7.24 Herring Sandra H Communion
4.14.24 Herring Mark S.
4.21.24 Herring Darrell H.
4.28.24 Herring Karen R.
5.5.24 Herring Ginia W. Communion
5.12.24 Herring
5.19.24 Herring
5.26.24 Herring
1. Thanks to all the liturgy volunteers!!!
2. It is so nice to be able to give Pastor Jane and John advance notice of the liturgist schedule, it helps them so much in their service planning.
3. We have 3 slots in May left to fill. Won’t you give it a try? – its fun, allows you to stretch yourself a little, helps interact with scripture in a different way and connect with God from a new perspective.
4. If you wish to volunteer, please send an email to: epcbusiness9770@gmail.com or call 615-473-3510.
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The amount collected for the Christmas Joy offering was $325.00. The mission committee thanks you for your generosity.
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Job 42:10 (NIV)
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.
Quotes about prayer:
Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them; outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world. EM Bounds
You are invited…
During the Lenten season, the EPC prayer group gathers on Wednesdays after the Lectio Divina service and supper to lift the prayers of the congregation and others. Come join us for reflection, followed by fellowship and then prayer. What more could you ask for!
It is our fervent prayer that this ministry is a blessing to the rest of our EPC family and beyond.
EPC prayer group
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Red Cross
Blood Drive update:
We have had two very successful blood drives and we want to build on that momentum. There is an attachment of a Red Cross Blood Drive flyer you can share on the front page of this email.
Date: May 31, 2024 (Friday) Time: Noon – 5:00 PM
• Online sign up is now live:
1. go to: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/donation-time
2. Key in zip code: 37221
3. Click on: “Load more results” until you see May 31, 2024
4. Click on : “Emmanuel Presbyterian Church” then choose your time slot
We need your ideas, we need your creativity, we need your networks. We are seeking collaborators for a variety of tasks in the months leading up to and on the day of the Blood drive, including:
• People with social media savvy to help make a plan for getting the word out
• People with creative skills to help develop flyers, messaging, and thank you tokens
• People with extensive networks that can help recruit donors
• People willing to help on the day of the drive to check in donors, make sure donors are offered thank you tokens, help place signage and help with clean up. If you are willing to be a partner in this meaningful mission work, please contact Barb Halverstadt at 615-473-3510 or via email at epcbusiness9770@gmail.com
Tax Help:
• UnitedWay is using our sanctuary to provide free income tax preparation: January 31st – April 10th (for those making less than $70,000).
• Wednesdays only, by appointment 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Call 615-206-7560 or go online to: Unitedwayfilefree.com
• Pass the word to others who might be interested
Oasis:
GOSH DARN GRAVEL GATHERING
Saturday 3/30/24…This three-day gravel cycling event in Hickman County, TN is back for the seventh year with proceeds benefiting Oasis Bike Workshop! Volunteers will receive an event t-shirt, post-ride meal, and non-transferable free entry to next year’s even. They are also welcome to camp out on Friday or Saturday night. Tasks range from greeters, and registration help, to bonfire keepers and aid station volunteers. Use this link for more information and click the contact button: www.oasisbikeworkshop.org
Bike check-in and rider registration
Nueva Vida:
A request has come in for help from our Hispanic neighbors at Nueva Vida, a church we have partnered with in the past. They operate a food pantry that provides other necessities as well. Think of this as a Lenten “give to” item instead of a Lenten “give up” item. The following starred items are the most needed:
*Diapers (both those for children and for adults) *Feminine hygiene products
*Laundry detergent and fabric softener
Cooking oil
Rice *Red beans, black beans
*Tortilla corn flour *Cornmeal
Beds of all sizes
Powdered milk
Warm weather gear - coats/hats/gloves/warm socks
There is a collection box outside the children’s classroom. Thank you so much for helping us meet this need.
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Financial Support:
As you may have noticed from our lengthy Mission section, we are involved in many projects in multiple ways. Some of our funding comes from the budgeted mission or other committee funds and some of it comes through specially designated funds from members or previous members of our congregation. If you would like to donate additional funds for a specific program, checks can be made to the following ongoing missions of EPC.
Community Garden
Gateway to Higher Education Scholarship
Crossroads Campus
Maple Village
Special Music Ministry events
Oasis
Please note on the memo line of your check which mission you intend to support.
If you are not able to attend worship service and still wish show your support for Emmanuel Church, you can contribute in the following ways:
• Online–send an electronic payment, your bank can help you set this up if you have questions.
• By Mail – our mailing address is EPC, 9770 Hwy 96, Nashville, TN 37221
• Through EPC’s website www.epcnashville.com or www.epcnashville.org Simply click on the “GIVE” button, then the “donate” button, to donate via PayPal or debit/credit card. This can be a one-time donation or can be set up as a monthly donation, although currently, this is not working, see below.
In regards to the PayPal online donation function:
We now have access to the PayPal account which was part of the problem, but we still must get the donation button function working again on our website. Frustrations and aggravations are duly noted. If it helps any, they are equally shared by others.
Current donations should be made by mailing a check to the church or sending an online payment through your banking payment function. (Or in person, wink, wink)!
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Our upcoming fellowship and worship activity will be the Supper of the Lamb. See below.
Looking to Holy Week:
Maundy Thursday Supper of the Lamb: We will gather at EPC on Maundy Thursday, March 28th at 6:30. John and Terry Denton provide lamb and we all bring side dishes and desserts. It is a beautiful time together and I encourage all to attend, truly a church family occasion. We break bread together, have a brief liturgy of prayers and readings, and share memories and stories. Just as Jesus gathered with his beloved disciples, we gather ourselves up in His presence to break bread and remember.
Good Friday, March 29th at 6:30: We gather in the sanctuary for a quiet, contemplative service of Word, Prayer, and Lamentation, acknowledging the continuing ramifications of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world.
Bring the burdens of your heart and put them upon the cross of Jesus Christ at this Good Friday service.
This same cross will flower on Easter morning as we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord.
Easter Sunday: We gather for our 10am Worship Service in great gladness to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Special music, the flowering cross, Easter tidings and treats.
Join us for fellowship and a fresh cup of coffee around the kitchen window!
Thank to the following:
• March 10 - Doug and Sue
• March 17 - Doug and Sue
• March 24 - Claire
• March 31 - Karen and Fred
• If you would like to sign up, there is a sheet on the stand in back. Please pick a date that works for you.
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Communication:
Welcome Visitors! We are excited to call your attention to, and encourage you to visit, our upgraded website! Go to www.epcnashville.com or www.epcnashville.org for all your questions. Cut and paste one of these sites in your browser. If you can’t find it there, try the options below.
• Visits with Pastor Jane Herring must be by appointment.
• Reach out to Pastor Jane on her church phone (call/text) 615-818-9727 or email at janemherring@gmail.com about what it means to be baptized, to be confirmed in the church (if you have already been baptized), to join the church or any other questions you might have.
• General EPC email can be sent to epcnashville@gmail.com (be aware that multiple people have access to this email account.
• If you ever have any questions about anything dealing with EPC’s finances or other business topics, email your question or request to epcbusiness9770@gmail.com
• Email announcements for the Sunday bulletin to janemherring@gmail.com
• Email Information or corrections for the weekly newsletter to frhanchey@gmail.com
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Ongoing:
Worship Committee Mtg every 2nd Sunday after service
Mission/Fellowship Committee Mtg every 3rd Sunday 9:30 am
Session Mtg every 3rd Monday
Prayer Service every Wednesday at EPC at 6pm
Each Wednesday through April 10th – United Way tax prep workshops 1 pm – 6 pm.
2nd Thursday of each month (except for December) - Rug Hookers meet 10 am – 2 pm.
Collecting Lenten “gifts of love” for the Nueva Vida community through end of March.
Lectio Divina every Wednesday during Lent at 6 pm with a simple meal@ 6:30 pm.
March 24: Palm Sunday
March 28: Maunday Thursday
March 29: Good Friday
March 30: Volunteer to help at the Oasis fundraiser: the Gosh Darn Gravel Gathering
March 31: Easter
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Inquirers of all ages:
• Please reach out to Pastor Jane about what it means to be baptized, to be confirmed in the church (if you have already been baptized) or to join the church.
• Lent begins next week on Wednesday February 14th. Pastor Jane will offer a Lenten service complete with the marking of a cross on one’s forehead if you so choose. This is done as a way to pronounce the importance of Jesus Christ in your life.
• After the Lenten service is complete, there will be a meal served and a short Lectio Divina which is comprised of short bible readings, contemplation and a time to listen to what has turned out in past times to be deep meaningful conversations. At 7 pm there will be a short simple meal served.
• Please let Jane know if you are willing to bring one of the Lenten meals for sharing. You can reach her at 615.818.9727.
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• The children, big and small, (all those under 18!) are invited to participate in a special practice time for something being planned on Palm Sunday. If possible, I need parents to allow their children to come to the kid’s classroom when Jane finishes her sermon, sometime during the offertory til the end of church. Thank you.
• At Emmanuel we offer a “kid’s message” during the early part of the worship service, followed by a “children’s church” in the kid’s classroom for those up to 10 years old or still in elementary school. The message is a short story that usually has some sort of lesson related to it and in children’s church we usually discuss the story in more depth and follow it with a craft or activity that helps the story (and the lesson!) sink in.
• A nursery is available for those under 3.
• We offer a “chat time ” in a safe space for those over 10 who want some time to share what is on their mind.
• We always have two adults with the children and their safety and education is our top priority.
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Celebrating our own!
School Concert Band celebrates success in competition
Way to go Teddy, part of a winning team!
Fairview High director Mark Judd is proud to see the success of the band this school year. Recently, he has been working with students in the FHS Concert Band as they practiced for an all-day Concert Performance Assessment at Middle Tennessee State University earlier this week.
“Our students have accomplished so much this year, including a 15-point jump from our highest team score last year,” said Judd. “I could not be prouder of the student’s continued commitment toward excellence.”
In addition to the 15-point jump from their highest team score last year, they also won third overall music at the West Tennessee Small Band Championships in October. They capped off their fall with an award-winning show at the Division 2 Band Championships at Stewart Creek High in November.
“Our kids put everything they could out on the field this season and performed amazingly,“ Judd said. “This year’s team put the Fairview Marching Band on the map, and I am so proud as a director of all of our team’s hard work.” The band and orchestra will also be busy in April with a special trip to perform in Orlando April 4-7.
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• Organic seeds are now available for broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, peppers, spinach, and sweet corn. Also I have non-organic carnival blend sweet peppers, eggplant, mixed color marigolds, and butterfly/hummingbird friendly flower mix. These are available to anybody who wants to plant them in our gardens, church person or not.
• Let me know if you want to reserve a plot for this year. We have many spoken for already and see the need to build more.
Garden prep update:
• I think we have plenty of toilet paper rolls. Thank you for your help with that.
• A request went out earlier for 1 gallon milk or tea jugs but we have found those to be too heavy, so no more of those.
• When you finish up any ½ gallon milk containers, transparent or not, please bring them to the kid’s classroom. We will be turning those into watering cans.
• If you are an ice cream eater, please save your empty quart size containers and bring those to the kid’s classroom too. We will use them to hold all those wonderful toilet paper rolls for starting seeds.
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Class of 2024
Ginia Wood, Fellowship and Mission
John Denton, Building and Grounds
Class of 2025
Greg Burlison, Personnel
John Sevier, Director of Music
Class of 2026
Theresa Denton, Worship and Polity & Procedure
Jan Russell