Epiphany at the Church of the Advocate

Lisa G. Fischbeck, Vicar, Church of the Advocate

The Season of the Epiphany brings yet another new beginning to the Episcopal Church of the Advocate. As we move into the season of Light, we are excited to become a mission in union with the Convention of the Diocese of North Carolina, and we take the opportunity to reflect on our start-up and explore the gaps between who we are and who or what God might be calling us to do and be as the People of the Advocate in Orange County.

As to who we are -- the articles on the following pages, written by people of the Advocate, give a good sense of what the Advocate is, in liturgy, spirit, and mission. But here are some statistics to add to the mix:

· There are now about 100 people from 50 households who call the Episcopal Church of the Advocate their church home (double the 50 people from 25 households who were launched on September 21)

· The Advocate community includes 36 “adult communicants” of the Episcopal Church who have committed to having their letter of membership transferred to the Advocate

· Pledges of financial support have come from 28 of these households, and total $45,000 -- about a third of our anticipated budget for 2004

· Attendance from week to week ranges from 50 to 75.

All of this is very exciting, and it has only been possible through the very warm start we have been given. I cannot say often enough, or strongly enough, how grateful we are for the administrative and office support given to us by the Chapel of the Cross in this first year. And the response to our end-of-year mailing to the Chapel of the Cross has been heartening, yielding over $10,000 in gifts and pledges.

Much of our attention, prayer, and energy in these opening months has been given to getting the weekly and the seasonal liturgy, communication, and program of the mission going. In Epiphany we focus on our mission. In our liturgy each week, we will include a commissioning of people for their life and ministry in the world, and we will incorporate more music from the Hispanic and African American traditions. We will also be exploring ways through which we can more effectively engage with the community of Southern Orange County. And we are pleased to have been given a grant from the Diocese that allows the Rev. Kym Lucas to share her ministry with us for about 10 hours a week. Kym is an African American priest of the Diocese with a particular passion for ministry to interracial households. Under her leadership, the Advocate is sponsoring a program, “Mixed Blessings,” providing social and spiritual support for interracial people, couples, and families in southern Orange County.

In the midst of all the new life and growth, there is always the question of location. While the Unity Center for Peace provides a wonderful setting for our worship and fellowship at this stage, we are keenly aware that we will soon outgrow that space, and we are also keenly aware of a need for a place to hang our sign and call our home in the day to day. And, of course, there is the long-term need for land and building. We welcome any ideas or contacts or financial support to help us with these things.

To learn more about the Advocate, I invite you to visit our regularly updated website, www.ouradvocate.org (designed and maintained by Anne Altaffer.) But the best way to learn about the Advocate is to visit us for worship on a Sunday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. at the Unity Center for Peace on Seawell School Road. We really appreciate visitors from the sponsoring parishes. It helps us to feel connected and supported in our life and ministry.

Peace,

Lisa