Dear Friends:

Summer is officially upon us. School is dismissed for a short while. Folks are planning vacations here and there. Flat Jesus, a good friend to Epiphany, is with us wherever our travels may take us. Take a moment to print out Flat Jesus and cut along his outline. Paste onto card stock. Color Flat Jesus in your favorite colors. Glue a popsicle stick on his back. Laminate Flat Jesus so he can withstand the journey along the way throughout the summer. Put him on the dashboard; in the bow of the boat; on the train; at the picnic table; riding the waves; on the handle bars; in the cockpit; resting on the deck. Snap a photo of Flat Jesus and send it on over to Epiphany at: commdir@epiphanyec.org and we’ll post it! Posting Flat Jesus reminds us all that Jesus is with us, “every day, until the end of time.”

Summer is our break for a little rest and read time. What’s on your list for summer reading? Here’s what some Epiphany folks are reading…Cate Springer is reading Inside Out and Back Again; Diane Springer (Cate’s mom) is reading, The Gangster We Are Looking For; Ben Eckman’s reading Things Fall Apart; Esme Woodhead is reading Third Grade Mermaid; Susan Buckner is reading A Higher Loyalty; Xavier Diaz is reading ghostly books; Deborah Morales is reading The Book of Joy; Sally Campbell is reading, the entire Armand Gamache series. Staff members are reading, Nine Habits of a Hands Free Life; Love Wins; Straining Forward; and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry. In addition to diving into some serious reading about king David, I’m finishing up Adam Hamilton’s book, Unafraid and Andy Stanley’s book, 7 Practices of Effective Ministry.   Whatever you’re reading, take time to just sit back and breathe a bit. Take a little time for the Holy Spirit to wash over you and bring you renewing strength.

Summer is good for us, experts tell us. We tend to eat better in the summer, taking in more fresh fruits and vegetables and reducing health risks and the possibility of a heart attack. We exercise more in the summer improving our agility. Exposure to a daily hour of early morning sunlight supposedly helps with our nighttime sleep. In the summer, we can visit other faith communities. Bring a bulletin back from your worship time and tell us how you saw God working in that community. Camps and classes and celebrations of all kinds bring joy, adventure and awareness in the summer. I just signed up to take Bishop Michael Curry’s class “From Palace to the Public Square” free from Churchnext and beginning July 2nd and available until July 15th as it coincides with The Episcopal Church National Convention held in Austin, Texas. Hurry to sign up for this free online offering that equips us even better for a world of loving like Jesus and practicing The Jesus Movement.

Our Mission trip: Faith Hope and Love, to Haiti followed immediately by Vacation Bible School in July is up front and center for Epiphany. At the same time, we’re hoping to finally replace the lighting in The Great Hall, scrub the preschool carpets, get rooms ready for a growing youth program for Epiphany and host at least one unique wedding. All the while, bring your Bibles to worship with you as we continue throughout the summer with The David Series. This Sunday, Family Worship, kids are invited to come, bring their coins to drop in the buckets to make a joyful sound unto the Lord, and learn a little about David. David in 2 Samuel 1:17-27 sings a lament, a song to remind us of those important people in our lives who have made a big influence over who we are today.

Summer is also a good time to invite others to worship with you and share in the good news of all God in Christ has to offer in our faithful and generous community. Take some time through the summer and let us know how your relationship with God in Christ is strengthening.

Blessings,

Hillary