ECCT Weekly eNews
February 27, 2018
Pray, Listen, Act
Service of lamentation and remembrance for the victims of Parkland on March 14

On Wednesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford will hold a service of lamentation and of honoring the 17 victims of the Parkland school shooting. All are encouraged to attend and be with one another to pray and reflect.

Details on this service will be included in a more comprehensive eNewsletter to be sent later.
Women's Day Conference & invitation to CT's March For Our Lives in Hartford, March 24

Join the Women's Ministry Network for "Equipping and Empowering God's Women: A Way Forward" a conference celebrating International Women's Day, on March 24 at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford. The program begins at 9:00 a.m. and will conclude with worship at 12:30 p.m. I nformation and r egistration available here .

Listen to these inspiriting panelists:
  • The Rev. Winnie Varghese, Priest for Justice and Reconciliation at Trinity Wall Street (Winnie will preach as well)
  • Rose Fichera Eagen, Church Street Eats and Mother Rose's Boutique at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford
  • Dr. Megan V. Smith, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Child Study and Public Health at Yale
  • Ashley Makar, Outreach Coordinator for IRIS- Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services

After the Conference, attendees -- and others -- are invited to act by joining in the CT - March For Our Lives rally against gun violence. Folks will gather at the Cathedral and march to the State Capital building and join the 1:00 p.m. rally. Information is available here , there is a Facebook event page here .

All are welcome to pray , listen , and act .
Faithful Futures, March 1 - Building Revival: Workshop on Reimagining Church Facility-Use
On Thursday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m., a panel of leaders from four ECCT parishes will share stories about the ways their building, parking lot, or green space have helped to both generate income and support God’s mission in the larger community.

Breakout sessions on creative facility-uses will follow. Learn from other parishes’ risks, parish successes and challenges. Gain inspiration from their facility-use stories and consider what might be effective in your own community.

Please register today via Eventbrite . Participation is limited to 5 attendees per parish. Registration is free. Questions? Contact Lize Bickley .
Annual Mission Conference: March 3
Join the Companions in Mission Ministry Network THIS SATURDAY, March 3 from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at St. John's, West Hartford, 679 Farmington Ave, for GO!

The day will begin with Dwelling in the Word, followed by three short talks, concluding with an o pportunity to network and attend two sessions on equipping for mission. Registration and a complete schedule now available on Eventbrite.
Status of Refugees worldwide, in the U.S., and in Connecticut--March 11

Join folks from the Naugatuck Valley and South Central Region on Sunday, March 11 at 1:00 p.m. at Trinity Church, Seymour, 91 Church Street for a conversation with Chris George, the Executive Director of IRIS: Integrated Refugee & immigrant Services .

The afternoon conversation will include diving into the status of refugees worldwide, in the U.S., and here in Connecticut.
Good Book Club Corner:
The upcoming readings for the Good Book Club this week are:

Wednesday, February 28: Luke 9:28-62  
Thursday, March 1, Luke 10:1-20  
Friday, March 2, Luke 10:21-42  
Saturday, March 3, Luke 11:1-13  
Sunday, March 4, Luke 11:14-54  
Monday, March 5, Luke 12:1-21  
Tuesday, March 6, Luke 12:22-59
Resources including discussion questions, daily meditations, and videos are available here . Join the discussion on social media throughout #ECCT by commenting on our daily and weekly (Saturday afternoon) posts. Be sure to follow ECCT on Facebook ( link here ) and Twitter ( link here ) to participate!
What's happening in the Regions:

Northwest Region ( webpage , Facebook page )
  • Check the Facebook page for details!
North Central Region ( webpage , Facebook page / group , enewsletter sign-up )
  • March 24 - 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Equipping and Empowering God’s Women: A Way Forward at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford. Sponsored by the Women’s Ministry Network.
Northeast Region ( webpage , Facebook page / group )
  • St. John's, Vernon Music Series Presents: Elqui Trio, Music of South America - March 4 at 4 p.m. - Click to see poster
Southwest Region ( webpage , Facebook page )
South Central Region ( webpage , Facebook page , blog )
  • March 18 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. come join Christians from around the South Central Region for conversation, prayer, and fellowship at New England Brewing Co (175 Amity Rd Woodbridge CT). Hungry for fellowship, community, and a taste of craft beer? So are we! Come and be fed; come and share community; come and see.  
Southeast Region ( webpage , Facebook page )
  • March 3: 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Companions in Mission Ministry Network Annual Conference, St. John's, West Hartford. Click here for detailed flyer
Positions Open
Job openings may be found  here on the website . NOTE: Applicants will be able to submit their resume and cover letter to the contact person directly from the ECCT website, if that option is chosen by the person submitting the position for posting. 

 
For open Clergy positions please click here .
Announcements & Reminders
Please continue to fill out the parish/worshiping community survey for the ECCT database

A survey was launched in July 2017 to provide robust data on parishes, along with policies and procedures to make some of that data available for direct collaboration among parishes and worshiping communities. Thanks so much to the following churches that completed their survey since the last announcement: St. James', Farmington; Christ Church, Guilford; Christ Church, Middle Haddam !


Would you like to see the beta version of the "expanded parish directory" that this data helps to produce? We have not heard from all parishes yet and there is more data cleanup and directory formatting that we're addressing. Also, FYI, data on clergy is pulled from a separate database. Comments welcome. Click here for a PDF.
Parochial Reports due THURSDAY March 1!
ECCT parish vestry members, admins, and clergy may find the report here , each parish must log in with the UEID and PIN that has been mailed to the parish office.

Non-Parochial Reports ( form here ) also due March 1, contact Alison Hollo with questions.
Lenten Retreat, March 9 - 10, Camp Washington
Join Br. Robert L'Esperance, Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE), and other at Camp Washington for "Making Space for Silence: Exploring Contemplative Prayer," a Lenten retreat, March 9 - 10.

Registration available on Eventbrite here .
single candle
Happening, a spiritual weekend for teens,
March 16-18

Happening is a renewal weekend for teenagers in grades 10 – 12, a weekend full of fun, games, sharing, surprises, and a time of spiritual renewal & empowerment. Teens worship, play, sing, & talk about God’s place in their lives.

Please contact George Roberts if you have questions or are interested in registering. The cost for the weekend is $150 and you can register here .
Bishop's Book Study at Camp Washinton, March 20

Join others at Camp Washington on March 20 at 11:00 a.m., for an hour long book discussion, led by Bishop Laura J. Ahrens, with continued conversation over lunch. The book begin discussed is Falling Upward by Richard Rohr . The discussion is open to everyone, even if you have not read the book!

There is no cost to attend, however, registration is required via Eventbrite .
Adult Retreat with Sophfronia Scott, March 23 - 24

In this insightful program, novelist and essayist Sophfronia Scott will facilitate a weekend of reading, writing, and discovery, writing your own spiritual story.

More information and tickets available on Evenbrite .
Registration now open for ECCT's Spring Training & Gathering, Saturday April 7

Register today for the Spring Training & Gathering, a day of fellowship, learning, prayer and fun. All are welcome - people in the pews to vestry members to parish leaders and staff.

Over 30+ workshops will be available throughout the day, visit the Spring Training & Gathering workshop booklet,  available on our website here.
Register early for the Connecticut suicide prevention conference, May 1 in New Haven

The 2018 Connecticut suicide prevention conference titled Inspiring Hope: Coming Together for Suicide Prevention , will be May 1 at the Omni Hotel in New Haven. There is no fee to attend the conference. Continental breakfast & lunch will be provided. Registration is required and the event will fill up early.  
SSJE
Monastic Immersion Program at SSJE

Interns are single men and women (age 22-30), who desire a time of vocational discernment, spiritual reflection, or a period of sustained service that is slightly off the beaten path. Interns live in the Monastery Guesthouse in Cambridge, MA, join the Brothers in daily worship, and assist with various aspects of the community’s ministry of hospitality. Interns also engage in robust theological and personal reflection guided by Brothers and meet regularly with spiritual directors from the SSJE community.

Inquiries are welcome at any time; please email:  internsdirector@ssje.org .
Events coming up soon:
Events below are coming up in the next few weeks:
 
ECCT OFFERINGS:
 
The ECCT calendar is located  here . It allows you to filter events by category and includes a subscribe link at the bottom of the page. Specific details including locations, times, etc. will also be found there.

  • February 27, Convention Planning, The Commons
  • February 28, Faith & Order, The Commons
  • March 1, Recently Ordained Clergy, The Commons
  • March 1, Faithful Futures: Building Revival, The Commons
  • March 2-3, General Convention Youth Team, Camp Washington
  • March 4-10, House of Bishops, Navasota, TX
  • March 8, Finance Committee Meeting, The Commons
  • March 8, Deacons Council Meeting, Zoom meeting
  • March 9,-11, Deacon Formation Retreat
  • March 13, Provisional Priest in Charge Gathering, The Commons
  • March 13, Convention Planning Meeting, The Commons
  • March 14, General Convention Deputation Meeting, Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford
  • March 14, Service of Lament and Remembrance for Parkland victims, Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford

BISHOPS' VISITS:

  • March 4: Bishop Douglas, Church of the Epiphany, Southbury
  • March 11: Bishop Ahrens, St. Jame's, Danbury; Bishop Douglas, Church of the Epiphany, Southbury
  • March 18: Bishop Ahrens, Trinity, Milton; Bishop Douglas, Church of the Holy Spirit, West Haven
  • March 25: Bishop Ahrens, Trinity, Hartford; Bishop Douglas, St. Barnabas', Greenwich
  • April 1: Bishop Ahrens, St. James', New Haven
All Parish, Region, and Ministry Network events are posted on  this calendar .

Below are the upcoming events for the next two weeks. Hosting an event? Please submit ALL parish, Region, and Ministry Network events  using this form , you may select as many categories that apply to your event as needed. Please indicate which region your event is in by selecting the appropriate region category.   Reach out to the specific parish for event updates, specific locations, and further details.

PLEASE check to see if your event is already on the calendar before you submit it.

PARISH EVENTS:
Regular worship services, including season-specific, will not be listed below.   

  • February 27, Recharge your faith, Lenten invitation, Trinity, Wethersfield
  • February 28, Blues in Lent, St. Mark's, New Canaan
  • March 2, Men's Breakfast, Grace, Stafford Springs
  • March 2, Come Walk the Way of the Cross, Grace, Hartford
  • March 3, Concert with Ars Longa de la Habana, Christ & Holy Trinity, Westport
  • March 4, Pipes Alive! Concert, St. John's, West Hartford
  • March 4, Cookies and Characters, Grace, Hartford (yum...)
  • March 4, Elqui Trio, Music of South America, St. John's, Vernon
  • March 6, Recharge your faith, Lenten invitation, Trinity, Wethersfield
  • March 7, Yale Youth Ministry Institution Lunch & Lecture, Yale Divinity, New Haven
  • March 7, Blues in Lent, St. Mark's, New Canaan
  • March 9, Come Walk the Way of the Cross, Grace, Hartford
  • March 10, Paschal Candle Making Workshop, St. Peter's, Hebron
  • March 10, Centering Prayer Workshop, St. Peter's, South Windsor
  • March 11, The Status of Refugees Worldwide, in the U.S. & in Connecticut, Trinity, Seymour
  • March 11, Choral Music for the Soul: Faure Requiem, St. John's, West Hartford
  • March 11, Celtic Vespers, St. Mary's, Manchester
  • March 13, Recharge your faith, Lenten invitation, Trinity, Wethersfield
  • March 14, Duke University Chorale, Christ Church, Greenwich
  • March 14, Blues in Lent, St. Mark's, New Canaan

REGION MEETINGS & EVENTS:
  • March 2, Northeast Region Leadership Team Meeting, St. John's, Vernon
  • March 7, Southeast Region Clericus Zoom meeting (https://zoom.us/j/8391179709)
  • March 31, North Central and South Central Region Confirmations

MINISTRY NETWORK MEETINGS & EVENTS:
  • March 3, Companions in Mission Ministry Network Conference: Go!
  • March 5, Faith Behind Bars & Beyond, Lenten series: Breathing Under Water
  • March 11, Faith Behind Bars & Beyond, Lenten series: Breathing Under Water
  • March 14, Brotherhood of St. Andrew Meeting, St. John's, Vernon
  • March 24, "Equipping and Empowering God's Women: A Way Forward" Women's Ministry Network Conference
SAFE CHURCH TRAINING:
The spring safe church schedule for laity is online  here . If you serve in a parish, you want to make sure your lay leaders attend safe church training or re-certification, if required or recommended for them based on their position. You must register online; registration closes seven days before the session, or when it is full. Sessions with fewer than 10 people registered may be cancelled. Questions? Contact Deb Kenney .
 
Comprehensive (Basic) Safe Church Training
For ordained and lay ministers who have not yet attended a training in Connecticut

  • Option 1 - full day, includes lunch
  • April 14: St. Michael's, Litchfield - Register here

  • Option 2 - hybrid program with online training plus shortened live follow-up
  • March 8, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.: Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford - Register Here
  • March 17, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.: St. David's, Gales Ferry - Register Here
  • March 20, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.: Christ Church, Pomfret - Register Here
  • March 24, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.: St. John's, West Hartford - Register Here
  • April 18, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.: St. John's, Stamford - Register Here
  • April 26, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.: Christ Church, Easton - Register Here
  • April 28, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.: St. Peter's, Hebron - Register Here
  • May 19, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.: Christ Church, Roxbury - Register Here
  • May 22, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.: St. Mary's, Manchester - Register Here

Recertification Training for Lay Persons
For lay ministers who attended a full day of basic safe church training three to five years ago
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