The Episcopal Church of the Advocate
where tradition, liturgy and reason meet compassion, justice and transformation
More than a program or curriculum, it is an intentional commitment to a set of practices. It’s a commitment to follow Jesus: Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, Rest.
During A Teachable Moment between the 9 AM and 11 AM liturgies this fall, all are welcome to engage in The Way of Love. Each week we will explore one of the themes offered by our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.
See the introduction and Bishop Curry’s invitation here.
Are you interested in learning more about the history, theology, liturgy, and structure of the Episcopal Church? If so, join us Sunday afternoons, September 8 – October 13, for “Episcopal 101,” a conversation-based introduction to the church. In each conversation we will be asking, “What difference does this make for us?”
Each week’s topic will be posted beforehand (see basic plan below). Any and all are welcome to join in any or all sessions.
Note: for these preparing for confirmation or reception in the Episcopal Church at the Bishop’s Visitation on Sunday, October 20, participation is expected.
Classes will generally be held1:15 – 2:30 PM at the Advocate.
If you are interested in being a part of the conversation, be in touch with the Vicar (Vicar@TheAdvocateChurch.org).
Episcopal 101, general plan:
1) Jesus, Scripture and Creed
2) The history of The Church.
3) The Church in England and The Anglican Communion
4) Anglican spirituality and The Book of Common Prayer
5) The Episcopal Church USA in particular
5) The 21st century and How the Advocate fits in.
This fall, Hannah Boning and Jimmy McKinnell will be facilitating a group through Eating Together Faithfully, a framework for conversation from Life Around the Table. There will be eight conversations around eight meals discussing what it means to eat with God’s intentions for all creation in mind. How does the way we eat together reflect who we think God is? What does it mean for food to be healthy and just? Participants should expect good food, good discussions, and some outside reading and preparation each week.
We hope to begin the first week of October. Contact Hannah (boningh@gmail.com) or Jimmy (jimmymckinnell@gmail.com) if you are interested or have questions!
Details to follow in September.
September 4 House Dinner returns to the Advocate House!
September 8 We will return to our Sunday morning schedule
September 11 A new Wednesday schedule begins
5:15 PM Contemplative Prayer (note the new time!)
6 PM Holy Eucharist (note the new time!
7 PM An evening of fellowship and conversation. This week, the Reader’s Roundtable will beet to discuss The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, by Louise Erdich. See more here.
September 15 Welcome, “Pounding” and blessing of the Johnson Service Corps cohort for 2019-2020
September 21 The Advocate’s Sweet Sixteen Party!
3 PM – 5 PM Kids activities to include face painting, fairy hair, giant bubbles, costumes and photos, while the adults gather to envision the future of the Advocate.
5 PM – 6ish Kids activities continue during cookout accompanied by music from The Dogwood Blossom Band
6 ish – 8ish Advocate Talent Show!!
8 PM -> Campfire and campout on the Advocate grounds
Also coming in September:
Episcopal 101
The Way of Love
Eating Together Faithfully
Let’s go out to the ball game!
We’ve reserved us 40 seats to the Durham Bulls baseball game on Monday, August 19th.
Folks who wish to be part of the excursion should follow this link to purchase their own tickets, in whatever quantity they wish.
Tickets are $12.
The link shuts down on August 16, so any tix in our block must be purchased by then. And we’re under no obligation for unsold tickets. Pretty helpful!
On these hot summer days, with the news cycle and its images challenging our psyches and our souls, we need a place to get back to our center, our foundation, our strength. Join us this Sunday, July 7 at the Advocate for liturgy, sacrament and SONG!
9 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite Two from the Book of Common Prayer, with hymns from the 1982 Hymnal, with Nancy Trueblood at the piano. During the sermon time we will sing the old chestnuts, the tried and true. If you have a hymn you want us to be sure to sing, let me know! (vicar@TheAdvocateChurch.org)
5 PM Holy Eucharist from Enriching Our Worship with hymns and songs of Peace and Justice, led by Jesse DeConto (of Durham Beer and Hymns fame).
[Note: the NC Jazz Ensemble cancelled for this Sunday, so the Jazz Mass was cancelled, too]
6:30 PM Cookout (beef and veggie, burger and dogs, provided) and a Potluck Side Dish and Dessert. As you are able, please bring a dish to share. The baptismal pools and sprinkler will be set up for water play too!.
All are welcome, all are encouraged to come!
Sing and stomp along as the Advocate Acoustics lead us in a Blue Grass Mass this Sunday.
Blue Grass music is indigenous to the southeastern united states. It’s popularity in our region is reflected in numbers festivals held each year, from MerleFest to the Union Grove Old Time Fiddlers Convention. So twice a year or so The Advocate brings this musical style to our worship.
Songs to include:
This Train is Bound for Glory
Uncloudy Day
Farther Along
Wings of a Dove
I’ll Fly Away
Sunday, June 16, at 5 PM.
Come on your own, or bring a friend!
Wednesday, May 29 Ascension Eve
5:15 PM Contemplative Prayer
6 PM Holy Eucharist with Hymns for the Ascension of our Lord
7 PM House Dinner.
Sunday, June 2
9 AM Holy Eucharist with hymns and the Easter Troparian
10 AM Ascension lantern launch and Pee Wee Homes tour
11 AM Holy Eucharist with Hymns, Songs and the Easter Troparian
12:30 PM Lunch
Sunday, June 9 The Day of Pentecost
9 AM Holy Eucharist with hymns and the Easter Troparian
10 AM Beating of the Bounds
11 AM Eucharist with Hymns, Songs, the Easter Troparian
12:30 PM Festival Lunch
Here at The Church of the Advocate, instead of having a single feast day, we embrace a 10-day feast season — It starts with the Feast of the Ascension,
when Jesus ascends to God and, as recorded in First John,
there he serves there as our Advocate.
This year we will celebrate that ascension with an Ascension Eve Eucharist this Wednesday at 6 PM.
It is this Advocate Jesus, that we remember in our Advocate cross.
But there’s more. We then have a Sunday after the Ascension, which, this year, is next Sunday, June 2. And we will celebrate with a “beating of the bounds”. See more about that here.
Then comes the Day of Pentecost when we remember how the Holy Spirit descended and moved and breathed among those gathered in Jerusalem.
And moves and breathes among us still. This we will celebrate with a time of fellowship and a heavenward launching of lanterns and a festival potluck.
In all of this we remember the power and the presence of God among us as church, as people, created and beloved.
The next free talk in the series offered by Piedmont Patch features Dr. Annabel Renwick, Curator of the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants at Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Dr. Renwick’s talk will describe the design and growth of a demonstration Piedmont prairie initiated in 2014.
10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, 2019, at the Piedmont Patch Advocate site.
“It’s quite extraordinary to consider that three hundred years ago the terrain surrounding Durham, North Carolina would have been dominated by grassland supporting a myriad of wild flowers, grasses, and associated wildlife,” Dr. Renwick notes. She adds, “Much of this landscape has disappeared due to urbanization, farming, and forestry, and even though the population of North Carolina continues to rise, there are ways we can help create habitats for wildlife in urbanized areas.”
Dr. Renwick will describe the creation of a one-acre rendition of native grassland created with almost 100 species of wild flowers and grasses totaling 20,000 plants at Sarah P. Duke Gardens, noting the changes that have occurred over the four years since its construction.
Dr. Renwick’s work directly relates to the mission of Piedmont Patch, which is to demonstrate how to collaboratively restore native landscapes, one patch of Piedmont at a time. Our demonstration Piedmont Patch is located on the campus of the Episcopal Church of the Advocate at the intersection of Merin Road and Homestead Road in Chapel Hill. Visitors to the site are always welcome.
Learn more about Piedmont Patch at our web site: piedmontpatch.org.
June 8 Piedmont Patch Free Talk: Notes from a Small Prairie with Annabel Renwick
The next free talk in the series offered by Piedmont Patch at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, 2019 features Dr. Annabel Renwick, Curator of the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants at Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Dr. Renwick’s talk will describe the design and growth of a demonstration Piedmont prairie initiated at that garden in 2014 in a presentation to be held at the Piedmont Patch demonstration site, Episcopal Church of the Advocate, 8410 Merin Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.
“It’s quite extraordinary to consider that three hundred years ago the terrain surrounding Durham, North Carolina would have been dominated by grassland supporting a myriad of wild flowers, grasses, and associated wildlife,” Dr. Renwick notes. She adds, “Much of this landscape has disappeared due to urbanization, farming, and forestry, and even though the population of North Carolina continues to rise, there are ways we can help create habitats for wildlife in urbanized areas.”
Dr. Renwick will describe the creation of a one-acre rendition of native grassland created with almost 100 species of wild flowers and grasses totaling 20,000 plants at Sarah P. Duke Gardens, noting the changes that have occurred over the four years since its construction.
Dr. Renwick’s work directly relates to the mission of Piedmont Patch, which is to demonstrate how to collaboratively restore native landscapes, one patch of Piedmont at a time. Our demonstration Piedmont Patch is located on the campus of the Episcopal Church of the Advocate at the intersection of Merin Road and Homestead Road in Chapel Hill. Visitors to the site are always welcome.
Learn more about Piedmont Patch at our web site: piedmontpatch.org.