“…the least of these…”

I think that doing community volunteer work as a member of a church can be tricky. The religious agenda can often become entangled with the actual work. I grew up in a church culture where the success of charitable work could only be measured by how many souls would be “saved.” I don’t believe that is what Jesus calls us to do. To paraphrase Matthew’s gospel, we are called to welcome, feed, clothe, house, and visit those in need with no expectation of evangelical reciprocity.

Last year, a group of parishioners and I attended an orientation to volunteer at the Malden Warming Center (MWC). MWC is not intended to be alternative housing for the homeless. It is a place where from December to March, those in need can spend the night in a warm facility, receive a hot meal or two, find clothing and toiletries, and at least for that night, feel safe. I worked as an evening room monitor where my job was to greet the guests, register them, help secure their belongings, help them find a “cubicle”, provide blankets, and make sure they made their way to the kitchen for dinner. Other roles for volunteers include working in the kitchen, organizing and distributing clothing and toiletries from “Amy’s Closet”, monitoring the bathrooms, or showing up early to help with the morning routine. Help is also needed to pick up food in Arlington and deliver it to the kitchen or drive the morning shuttle to the T.

I am a physician in my day job, but at MWC I don’t have to be a doctor. I don’t have to be a therapist, a substance abuse counselor, a social worker, or an evangelist. I am there to welcome my fellow human being and do whatever I can to provide for their basic needs and treat them with the dignity they deserve. I learned early on that some guests are happy to chat about their lives while others just need quiet after a long harsh day. Yes, there are rules, conflicts, and difficulties because, after all, we are human. But at the risk of sounding corny or pretentious, this work feels as close to fulfilling Christ’s call to celebrate our collective humanness as anything I have ever done.

In the 2023-2024 season, MWC served 160 guests, provided almost 6000 meals, and distributed over 2000 items of clothing and personal effects. Fifteen guests found help in recovery programs and twelve found permanent housing. I invite you to consider volunteering or think about other ways to contribute (as you recall, we had our first annual Lenten Underwear Drive last year). Volunteer orientation sessions are scheduled for November 10 from 4:00-6:00 pm and November 21 from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Malden Warming Center (housed within a Nazarene church), 529 Eastern Avenue, Malden. Please contact Rev. Janelle for information. 

Reid Boswell

When I lived in Honduras after college, I discovered the mimosa plant. This is not a plant that amazingly grows the brunch-time beverage; rather, it is extraordinary for another reason. I discovered it one afternoon while lounging on the lawn of the school at which I taught. There, taking a break from teaching middle school religious education class and before my junior year psychology class, I noticed a plant do the most extraordinary thing—it reacted to my touch. The leaves of the mimosa plant shrivel up, closing their tiny leaves, at the slightest touch of an aggressive insect or, in my case, the touch of a human hand. Nearby mimosa plants started to close their leaves, as if one communicated to the other. Humans are just now coming to terms with the reality that plants have hidden lives. They react to touch, communicate with one another, and even feel pain. We have much to come to terms with when it comes to the interconnectedness of all life on earth.

This weekend, we begin our annual pledge campaign to fund the ministry of our parish for the year ahead. Our campaign is called Rooted Together. The image of tree roots going deep into the ground in search of nutrients and water is a metaphor that many of the writers of the Old Testament use to talk about our life with God and one another. Life in community is a rooted life, sustained by that which gives us life and helps us grow. 

This Sunday, we will begin our campaign, Rooted Together, and we invite you to plant yourself deeply into our life together here at Epiphany. Following the 10:00 am service, we will celebrate together with Ciderfest (cider and cider donuts), I'll share some about our campaign (a short talk, nothing long, I promise!), and then have the opportunity to be nurtured together in fellowship, or by joining the Newcomer Coffee Hour, or heading upstairs to the J2J gathering.

On November 3, after a wonderful All Saints' service, we will host a simple lunch in Hadley Hall, where we will have a more informal space to discuss our parish life and the budget for the year ahead. Then, on Sunday, November 17, we invite everyone to Commitment Sunday, where we will turn in our pledges or commit to continue to discern how we can give to our shared mission.

There is much to be grateful for and certainly one of the great blessings of this life is being rooted together here at Epiphany. It is an immeasurable gift to share life together here, to be rooted in one another, and know that all is rooted in God. 

See you Sunday,
Nick

This past weekend, our youth went on a bike ride together to Bedford Farms. The weather was perfect — warm, sunny, with early fall colors showing up on the trees. Unlike how un-perfect the weather is as I write this article — dark and rainy on a Monday morning. We met at Hurd Field by the Arlington Reservoir and continued our adventure all the way up to Bedford Farms for ice cream and back. We were joined by our parishioners and bike experts, Jason Kinchen and Dana Long. 

When we concluded our journey, one of our youth, Caleb, said: “Wow, I went from only bike riding in my neighborhood to bike riding 14 miles!” To which their dad added with a smile, “Yes, that was ambitious, Janelle.” I admit, sometimes I forget that our outings can have new experiences for our youth. For some of our tweens and teens, that was the longest bike ride they had ever been on. Yet, everyone made it and there was a sense of achievement and confidence at the end of the journey.

This brings me to two life lessons that I think we can learn from bike riding.

The first is this:

Together, you can go a lot further than you might think. There is something about having a community that allows for possibilities that might not be possible on your own.

And the second is this:

Sometimes when you go as a group, you don’t get to go as fast as you normally would like. You might need to slow down in order to include everyone. This is a helpful reminder because, in the community of God, there is no leaving people behind.

It’s like that old proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Perhaps the invitation this week is to think how we want to open up our lives to community and the ways we might grow and journey further than we thought possible. Additionally, when there is temptation to zoom through life, maybe we might slow down, look around us, and see who else we want to make sure is included.  

With gratitude,
Rev. Janelle

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of a place called Skye Farm, in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. In order to picture Skye Farm, the first thing you need to know is that it is not now and never has been a farm. It is in a pine forest, full of steep hills and glacial erratics. It would be near impossible to farm that sort of land, and thankfully a wise soul turned it into a Methodist camp, instead. It was at Skye Farm, in only three days a year, that much of who I am was formed. 

One weekend a year, our church held a retreat at Skye Farm. Dozens of my most beloved people would gather there. We’d share meals–always spaghetti the second night, my favorite. We’d sit around camp fires and sing good old camp songs, like Kumbaha,and An Ostrich Went Yodeling. [I’m being told the song was “An Austrian Went Yodeling.” That . . . makes more sense.]

We’d go for hikes, where I (as the designated littlest for the better part of a decade) would get passed from back to back. We’d paddle across the little lake where my dear Tanta Jane, a pillar of the congregation, taught me to “never let a man put you in the front of a canoe.” We children–from little preschoolers up to teens–all had a “secret” fort in some craggley bushes outside the main lodge, aptly named “the fort.” We spent hours in those bushes. 

I formed core memories at Skye Farm, with those beloved people. But moreover, I formed core feelings. Family. Inclusion. Abiding love. Forgiveness. Care. Joy. Attributes of God made real–incarnate–all around me, never to be doubted. 

I now have the privilege, as part of my ministry here at Epiphany, to plan our annual Parish Weekend Away. This past weekend, around 100 of us trekked up to Greenfield, NH, to spend three days together at the Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center. It was full to the brim, overflowing in joy. Inclusion. Care. Love. Family. 

My great prayer for this congregation is that our time together–on Sundays, at Midweek, or at Parish Weekend Away–forms in us core feelings, feelings that build who we are and how we see God. It’s never too late to feel truly loved. 

With love,
Bryn

Over the coming month, in our Sunday Forum following the 10:00 am service, we will be exploring several themes of peacemaking and our call to be a community of welcome in Jesus' name. From Swords to Plowshares (on October 6) to Disability Theology (October 27) to Finding Peace in Ourselves (November 3), we will be exploring the ways that we can help create a more just and peaceful world. 

Of particular importance, I would like to invite you to attend are the events we have planned during the weekend of October 12 and 13. On Saturday, October 12 from 6:00-8:00 pm in Hadley Hall, we are honored to host "An Evening with The Most Rev. Hosam E. Naoum." This fundraising event will support the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (AFEDJ) and is an opportunity for us to have a direct impact on helping those suffering amidst the continued violence and devastation in Gaza and the Holy Land. All are invited for conversation with Archbishop Naoum, with a reception featuring heavy hors d'oeuvres. Childcare is being organized for this event. Please click to sign up for the evening.  

On Sunday, October 13, Archbishop Hosam will preach at the 8:00 am and 10:00 am services. He will also share with us about the ministry, mission, and efforts of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and how we can be more involved through action, prayer, and support. This is a deep honor and gift for us as a parish, to welcome, support, and host the Archbishop on behalf of our own Diocese of Massachusetts. 

I love the energy of regathering in September. As I write this on Wednesday morning, I am looking forward to seeing many of you at Midweek tonight and am looking back gratefully over the past two weeks.

The last two weeks began with a Rally Day gathering filled with people reconnecting, wonderful food from Bella Isla, conversation between old friends and people we had just met, and exuberant bouncy houses. Last Sunday saw the beginning of Church School: almost fifty children followed Miss Bryn out of the church and spread across the Chapel, Suter Room, and Upper Parish Hall before rejoining us to overflow the steps for the Children’s Sermon. Sunday ended with a wonderful Journey to Justice gathering. Thank you to everyone who put in the work to make all of this a reality!

September also gives us a bit of a ‘reset button.’ The Sunday service bulletin and the newsletter are full of opportunities to explore something new. Each represents new people to get to know, new ways to challenge ourselves, new ways to be involved in our community. As the relationships deepen and the vision evolves in these overlapping groups, our larger community changes, and we discover new journeys that Epiphany is being called to consider.

I love the sense of beginning in September and look forward to discovering what the coming year brings and walking that path together with each of you.

Nelia Newell, Co-Warden 

Last Saturday, we had our Youth Fall BBQ Kick-Off, generously hosted by Heather and Darwin Keith-Lucas. It was a great time welcoming back our youth after the summer and welcoming in our new youth who just started 6th grade.

We started the evening with introductions, and each youth said their name, pronouns, and whether they thought Cheez-Its or Goldfish were better. In my opinion, White Cheddar Cheez-Its are the best, but unfortunately not many agreed with me on this. I also invited our older youth to share advice to our new 6th graders. A lot of the advice was along the lines of making the most of the experience, staying open, and exploring new opportunities. It was lovely to see our older kids take this advice seriously and share their reflections. One of our 9th graders spoke to the importance of finding the friends who accept you for who you really are and the temptation of trying to change yourself in order to fit in. He went on to say that if you try to hard to fit in, those friends aren’t really the friends you want because they’re not the ones that know and appreciate the real you.

That comment reminded me of the deep wisdom that our tweens and teens have. Sure, there are things we hope to teach them, but we cannot forget that they teach us too. The invitation for us adults of this parish is to make a point to listen.

This isn’t just the role of those who volunteer in the youth ministry program, but for all of us. Youth aren’t just the future of the church, they are present with us right now. I do encourage you, if you haven’t yet, to get to know our youth — their names, their hobbies, the book they’re currently reading. Say hello at coffee hour. Ask them how that test or soccer game went. Compliment their acolyte skills. We want to be more than just an intergenerational community on paper. We want to be an intergenerational community in practice. And I believe we have what it takes to do this. I am often encouraged by the ways I see you all connect with one another, and as we begin a new program year together, I am hopeful for what this year will bring.

With gratitude,
Rev. Janelle

The calendars are filling up, classes are beginning, programs are starting up, and the pace of it all makes the slower days of summer seem like a distant memory. Take a look below in this newsletter, and you'll see what I mean! We have wonderful new offerings beginning this month, and the program year at Epiphany is here. It's a gift and a blessing. And, let me encourage you to remember—remember the slower days of summer.

I'll remember the number of times our boys said, "I'm bored." My particular favorite being when we were standing in line to go up the Eiffel Tower in Paris (yes, seriously, even there, "I'm bored" made an appearance). It maybe wasn't my finest parenting moment, but standing in a long line under the ironworks of that amazing tower, I couldn't help myself: "You're supposed to be! We are waiting in line! Just look up, for crying out loud!"

It's easy for us to be distracted as humans. Distracted by the boredom of apparently nothing (poor Mr. Eiffel). "How did people survive before smartphones?", some wonder. Distracted by the pace of all the things: the news, the practices, work, errands, family commitments, social calendars, church activities, etc. Yes, we can be so busy we miss it all; we can be so idle, we miss it all. We are complicated, aren't we?!

I suppose it's why one of the things about this upcoming Rally Sunday is that we start the program year, the busy-ness, not with a to-do list, but a party and a celebration. We will celebrate the most important thing: God's loving and infinite grace, as we baptize and welcome in four new members into the Body the Christ. We will share a meal, reconnect, jump in the bounce house, enjoy one another's presence, and simply be together. This is not some respite from the real-world, it is the real world God calls us to: there is no to-do list in the kingdom of God that defines our worth or value or belovedness. God is. Love. We are. Loved. Don't get distracted from this. It is everything.

See you Sunday for a great celebration!
Nick 

Take a moment to look at the leaves and feel the warm air. I wonder . . .  what does the end of summer mean to you? What does it mean for you?

For parents and children, it means “back to school.” But the word “back” is deceiving–like a new school year is same old, same old. It’s actually startlingly new; new classes, new people, new teachers, new material, new expectations; and every few years, at least, totally new buildings. Just this morning I saw my oldest off to her first day of high school–a new school in a different town where she doesn’t know anyone yet. Be of good courage, I whispered. Be of good courage, says our sacred scriptures, again and again. 

These are days when the youngest of us are being asked to step boldly into new spaces. It takes a courage we adults generally don’t have to muster–at least not every year.

Our church school community has a lot of first days of kindergarten in the next week–ten by my count. What a huge moment. (Say a prayer for T, T, G, C, J, K, K, L, MK and S!) Even more of our children are headed to new middle schools, and first days of high school this week and next. 

We’ve already wished Godspeed to H, M, L and E, and sent them with our love and blessings off to college. 

Wow. Are these guys brave or what. Be of good courage, friends. We love you!

Let’s support these children of ours–with prayer, with love, and with encouragement. And let’s be inspired by them. Where might you be asked to step boldly in this new season? Be of good courage. You are held in the love of God and the love of this community. 

~Bryn

A year ago, Jonathan and I walked into Epiphany for the first time. On somewhat of a whim, we decided to come check out where friend Jeremy Bruns was playing. On a hot summer Sunday, we sauntered into the sanctuary to find that rare New England summer sight — people in church pews. Lots of them. Lots of you.

After being warmly greeted, we sat down, and marveled at the large number of kids in church, the large choir, and general vibe. There is just something special about Epiphany. You feel it as soon as you walk in. About midway through the opening hymn, I turned to Jonathan and whispered, “This just feels like home.” He nodded. (And shushed me for talking during a hymn.)

A year later, we are both so deeply grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of the Epiphany community. It does indeed feel like home for both of us. 

I am particularly grateful to be a part of this community as a seminarian, which I described to a group of kids in the parish as a bit like being a priest with training wheels on. Thank you for welcoming me into your pews, into your community, and into your pulpit. 

I believe John Wesley was right when he said there is no such thing as Christianity in isolation; Jesus calls us to live out our faith in, with, and through community, a truth Epiphany seems to embody so naturally. 

In seminary, there is no shortage of seminars and hand-wringing over how to “reimagine” church and foster much-sought, seldom-found community. As I hear from my colleagues serving in parishes across the country, I am continually struck by the beautiful, unique strength of the Epiphany community. We are a growing, energetic family who understands what it means to be the church, to learn, to serve, and to love one another. We worship so beautifully, from the wonderful Parish Choir to the dedicated Lay Eucharistic Ministers to the stunning flowers. You have also taught me so much about how to connect what we do in worship with how we live our lives. 

I am especially thankful to Nick and Janelle, who as mentors, teachers, and friends, continue to teach me about the grace, passion, and dedication necessary for ministry. 

I am about midway through my Master of Divinity as part of The General Theological Seminary’s hybrid program, and as the fall semester revs up, I am, with gratitude, looking forward to another great year at Epiphany, another great year with you. 

Dear Epiphany friends, thank you for the welcome, thank you for all you teach me, and thank you for being you. What a blessing. 

~Clayton McCleskey