an Episcopal Church located in Downtown DC situated on the Ancestral land of the Anacostian, Piscataway, and Nacotchtan people
The Church of the Epiphany
an Episcopal Church located in Downtown DC situated on the Ancestral land of the Anacostian, Piscataway, and Nacotchtan people
Epiphanies Happen!
A message from the Rector:
Everybody has gone back to school and the streets are filled with cars, buses, cyclists, all in a rush amid seemingly endless construction. All hallmarks of the official end of summer. Of course, the heat here in DC and the surrounding suburbs reminds us that our cultural clocks are human contrived; it is still very warm out there!
I do pray that you were able to enjoy a bit of respite over these summer months. Our family had the gift of time with my mother, time at the beach, and I had a period of brief retreat. Our staff is almost back to pre-covid capacity and those who have been doing a bit of extra work to make up for some staffing gaps were able to enjoy a bit of expanded vacation time these past months. We are now ready for this upcoming program year with a bit more pep in our step.
As we move into the fall we start off with some great news. In 2019 we received a one hundred-thousand-dollar Homeland Security grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). With this grant we were able to upgrade our access systems to allow for keyless entry. We added outdoor lighting and upgraded the interior and added exterior cameras. We also have an implementable plan around keeping our space safe in the event of an intruder with intent to do us harm. As of August 31st, we have “closed” this project with Homeland Security. Much gratitude is extended to the numerous parishioners and friends of Epiphany who helped get the project started and across the finish line. Thank you especially to parishioner, Rev. Marge McNaughton for her leadership including the endless emails and attention to detail so that we could see all the monies used in the ways that project demanded. Thank you!
Please join us this upcoming Sunday as we kick off the program year with our Homecoming service. On Sept. 10th at 10am we will hear from our 2023-’24 choir, enjoy hospitality, and hear more about our pending building project. What a wonderful time to bring friends, neighbors, and anyone who is seeking a community they can worship and serve God. We are doing much to ensure that we continue to be a community that shares God’s love through justice and music for years to come. Join us as we continue our faith journey, I look forward to welcoming you back home.
Oh! Have you been following my tomato saga? Our scriptures over the summer months invited us to examine parables that focused on gardening, seeds, and soil. I had hoped that this would be the year that I would plant something in our sun deprived yard, and it would yield fruit. My neighbor shared with me two tomato plants, I accepted and proceeded to nurture them. I found the perfect spot, added a tiny fence, concocted an organic pest repellent, and poured lots of hope into my plants. Well, this wasn’t my year. Maybe next year!
