Epic Center Empowering People in Community

Dear Chatham Community:

I am now attending Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury NC, what a wonderful place to learn. Open, welcoming, and challenging, will admit with a laugh my eyes and fingers hurt from all the reading and writing, but so thankful to be there and for the excellence of the Seminary, professors and students.

Being able to keep contact with home the Chatham Community  is a Blessing.

I noticed Second Bloom a Thrift boutique in downtown Pittsboro is now open on Monday’s.

Just by shopping at Second Bloom you are helping to support the women and children that are victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, when you visit please say Hi to Nan and Asia the dedicated staff for me. They carry wonderful slightly used women’s, children’s, and men’s clothing at excellent prices.

I am also aware that the Shelter is in need of food, household cleaning supplies, and paper products. The Garden Place provides shelter to women and children and helps to launch them into permanent safe housing. Please contact FVRC at 542-5445 to donate; their Mission is ongoing and never ceasing.

My thanks for all your prayers, encouragement, and love.

Light and Laughter to you All

To check out Hoods web site:   www.hoodseminary.edu

Melody Troncale

Tango Bravo has left the building.

Timothy Ashley Brown, that irrepressible, irresistible, most original force of nature, our very own fightin? man and space ranger has laughed his last on this green earth.

Handsome devil, blues harpist, electric Mandola, guitar and keyboard player, drummer, singer, songwriter, leather worker, jeweler, metal sculptor and brilliant storyteller. The funniest man around, smoker, pork chop and maple syrup lover, gicken wrangler, sometimes cranky, often inscrutable, NEVER dull, Timmy Brown filled a hole in our hearts we didn?t even know we had until he walked through that door. His kind will not pass this way again.

After surviving against great odds, a brain aneurysm and major brain surgery on November 8, 2008, Timmy fought with everything in him to recover, but subsequent medical problems took their toll and he gracefully took his last bow on Tuesday May 19th at 2:15 am. He would have been 59 years old July 30, 2009.

It is now up to us, his friends, relatives and chosen family to raise our glasses, tell our stories and laugh hard in his honor, through our tears and broken hearts. There is nothing left to do except?Chuckle, Chuckle, Pow, Pow!

We love you Tango Bravo.

There will be a Memorial Party celebrating Timmys life on June 21st at Edwin White Studios in Pittsboro. For more info, contact Keli Carlson at tangobravo.brown@gmail.com

To quote Timmy, good health.  Photo below by Cara O'Connel Light and Laugther to you Timmy all your friends and family......Melody

Timmy Brown's Urn thank you for the time we spent.  Melody

The last week of May I was honored to create Urns for a dear friend that passed away, below is one of the unfired urns...go to the photo album on Epic Center main page for more pictures. It was very healing to create these scared urns for him.  Light Love and Blessings on his family and friends.

Melody Troncale

Readings & Songs in the Key of Life:   Pat Jobe and Gary Phillips   Poems by the Sacrificial Poets 

A Benefit for Family Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Chatham County

March 14th , 7-9 pm Central Carolina Community College, Pittsboro.

 Event is free and open to the community.

Get ready for a good time.  Falling in Love with Everything is not your ordinary how-to-book, although Jobe tells us early on that it?s about staying alive.  Jobe says of himself, ??I?m a guy who writes and writes books, songs, newspaper columns and sermons. My cousin told me when I was 13, ?You?re like a blender where somebody left the lid off; stuff just comes flying out.?

Couple Jobe with lifelong friend, Gary Phillips, writer, former County Commissioner, local naturalist, activist and favorite person of many in the Triangle, and you have a wonderful evening of truth, laughter, song, and shared love of the community.  . Readings & Songs include; The Best of Radio Free Bubba, coauth,"andored 365 Ways To Criticize The Preacher, A Short Novel. Then top if off with the Sacrificial Poets and you get the cherry and whip cream hot fudge by Gary Phillips, and The Return of Radio Free Bubbasunday of love, wisdom, and insight.

Books will be available for purchase and signatures, and $5.00 of each book sale will be donated to Family Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Chatham.

Event Sponsors:

 Duffy Gilligan, a mortgage banker 919 929 2045,  www.duffygilligan.com

Weaver Street Realty (919) 929-5658 · 116 E Main St, Carrboro, weaverstreetrealty.com

All women of Chatham County are invited to attend a meeting about the Family Violence and Rape Crisis ministry in Chatham County.  Melody Troncale,  of FVRC  and member of Meroney UMC will share with us about domestic violence and how we can be in ministry to our sisters in need.
 
The meeting will be at Chatham UMC, located off of 150501 south of Pittsboro, on Saturday, March 14 from 3-5p.  We understand that March Madness will be in full swing but we need to take a moment to be aware of the madness that some women experience every day and how we can help.
 
Each participant is invited to bring canned goods, cleaning supplies or paper goods that will be donated to the Garden Place
 
If you have any questions, please don not hesitate to call Barbara Pugh at 919-542-4164
 
This event is sponsored by the Sanford District UMW but is open to all women.

Tanya 

"God Doesn't Have A Cash Flow Problem"

(Philippians 4:19) 

 Please help our sisters in need. The meeting will be at Chatham UMC, located off of 15-501 south of Pittsboro, on Saturday, March 14 from 3-5p. Open to all women

Chili Cook-Off January 31, 2009 3:30 to 6:30 pm at the Goldston Fire Department to benefit Meshach Carpenters and their work in our community

 On January 31 Meshach Carpenters is having an event to help raise funds for their upcoming projects to assist the community. One of which will repair The Garden Place Shelter for women and children and another will assist a family whose home was damaged in a tornado recently.

 Who are Meshach Carpenters? They are men from Goldston United Methodist and Meroney United Methodist who have skills?carpenters, electricians, plumbers?and all know their way around a hammer.  Together they reach out to the community to assist those in need.

Four local churches have come together to support the Meshach Carpenters? work?Meroney United Methodist, Goldston United Methodist, Goldston Baptist, and Cornerstone Baptist.

 Two bands will be featured: Flat Tired and Lonesome Dove Bluegrass.

There is a $75.00 prize graciously donated by Wal-Mart for the best Chili.  To enter bring your Chili in a crock pot to the Goldston Fire Department; Judging begins at 3:30 pm.  Dinning time is 3:30 to 6:30.

All you can eat Chili for $5.00, and desserts.  If you bring canned goods, $1.00 will be taken off the price and all food will be given to the local food bank.

For more information call Barry Parker.

.

Melody Troncale  epic.c@hotmail.com

Community Blessings

When you love Grace is extended back to you in all shapes and forms.  Blessings on this community for loving and helping to provide for each person we serve.  Chatham County once again gave from its Heart to those less fortunate fulfilling the very meaning of this Holiday Season.

On behalf of the women and children we serve I want to say Thank you  to all those that took Angles from our Angle Tree, those that donated food, clothing, toys, gifts and food cards to the Shelter residences and families that we serve.  Our Thanks to you for helping us help others during these very difficult times.

Sincerely

Family Violence & Rape Crisis, Second Bloom, The Garden Place Shelter, and The Coalition for Family Peace.

Melody Troncale

Epic Center

Meroney United Methodist proves right here ?at home? is mission territory

If we are not involved right here ?At Home? in mission we are missing out on the essential quality in Christ?s plan for his Church. The bottom line is that if we are not involved in our local community, we are not Church as Christ intended it to be. It is a work that needs activism, hands, prayer and financial support. It is the people of the community connecting with God?s heart for missions. ? At Meroney we intend to maintain a holistic evangelism, addressing the physical and relational needs of people along with their spiritual needs, supporting those in the community that need us the most,? said a spokeswoman for Meroney UMC. 

This year not only did Meroney UMC support national and world Missions it reached out locally through the following acts of Love and giving:

Cora food collections for Siler City and Pittsboro, Senior Citizen Supper, Kids for the Kingdom Mission for sick and shut ins; Crop Walk, Relay for Life, Yard clean up for elderly, Domestic Violence funds assistance, Kids programs in the community, Angel Tree donations, Chili Supper and donation to Shelter, sending packages to local soldiers that have been deployed; Ice Cream Social at West Chatham Park for the community, Local School backpack program, food donations to the Garden Place Shelter, Clothes and household goods donated to Second Bloom (outreach store for victims of Domestic Violence FVRC), Mowing elders lawns, and Sunday school classes responded to numerous mission projects from ramp building, church raising, roof repair, tree cutting to tractor assistance.

Meroney is an active, vibrate, church filled with Grace; we welcome everyone with an open heart. Sunday school starts at 10am for children and adults, Church 11am Sundays if you are looking to be involved in your community, searching for extended family, or just want to  Praise the Lord please join us at Meroney.

Upcoming events December 11th Christmas Caroling, December 14th Christmas Cantata, 11 am worship, Dec 21 Christmas Play 6 pm and December 24th Christmas Eve Service 5pm.

 For more information, questions, or guidance contact Rev. Jim Whittaker. 919-837-2925, 10568 NC Highway 902, Bear Creek, North Carolina, 27207

 From Siler City ...Take 421 south to HWY 902. Take a left onto HWY 902 and go approximately 4 miles. Meroney UMC will be on the left at the intersection of Meroney Church Rd and HWY 902...From Pittsboro ...Take HWY 902 west for approximately 10 miles. Meroney UMC will be on the right at the intersection of Meroney Church Rd and HWY 902. From Sanford ...Take 421 north to HWY 902. Take a right onto HWY 902 and go approximately 4 miles. Meroney UMC will be on the left at the intersection of Meroney Church Rd and HWY 902,l You will know we are Christians by our Love.

Melody Troncale       http://meroney-umc.org
  

Looking to teach your children about the spirit of giving?  Second Bloom Angel Tree!!!

Looking to teach your children about the spirit of giving? How to help those less fortunate in our community? We are all feeling the burden of these harsh economic times but when two or more work together the little we have can be pooled to help and the burden is lessened for all. Please Go to Second Bloom and pick a card off the Angel Tree.

 Please talk with your Sunday school, club, or class about assisting and helping those less fortunate. Are you a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop looking for a community project seeking to reach out but not sure how?  Please go to Second Bloom and pick a card off the Angel Tree

Last year the Angel Tree at Second Bloom, Family Violence and Rape Crisis outreach store helped over 45 families that needed assistance. This year the need is even greater. Please go to Second Bloom and pick a child or family to help off our Angel Tree.

We need individuals; families, churches, faith groups, clubs and office workers that would like to help or adopt one of our families during this season. You can help cloth and feed just one child this Holiday season or the entire family. Visit Second Bloom and pick a card off the Angel Tree

 Second Bloom is located in downtown Pittsboro 68 Hillsboro Street; hours are 9am to 5pm Tuesday thru Saturday. Help us help our clients, give a child clothes, food, and the blessings of your caring this Season. Food Baskets are needed. Clothing can be purchased at Second Bloom our Second Hand thrift store to cloth both mother and child.

For more information regarding the Angel Tree to assist our clients during this time and throughout the year contact Melody Troncale @542-5445 ext 307 at Family Violence and Rape Crisis Services. Cash donations will assist FVRC to keep our shelter open and advocates available to help, heal and empower victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

A wise person said once;? I have learned two lessons in my life: first, there are no sufficient literary, psychological, or historical answers to human tragedy, only moral ones. Second, just as despair can come to one another only from other human beings, help in the physical, too, can be given to one only by other human beings.?

Since the beginning of time we have responded to the death of a loved one with a cry,  even our own death is frightening, for some mind numbing, chilling; what is we fear?

 Job asked the question ?If a man die, shall he live again?? 14: 14. 

Plato was asked ?Shall we live again? He answered: ?I hope so, but no man may know?.

People are held in bondage to the fear of death, it is the central theme of all religions and some people believe that all religions are a human response to the fact of death. Now that?s a thought to ponder?