WEEKLY ENEWS

April 18 , 2017

Around God's Table: A Liturgical Festival

Interested in worship planning and the sacred art of liturgy?

Join Camp Washington and Christ Church Cathedral for Around God's Table, an exciting Liturgical Festival that provides hands-on training by leaders from around the ECCT.  

The Festival will be held May 6-7 at Camp Washington and is open to to everyone age 8 to 110!
 
Activities will begin at Camp Washington on Saturday morning with several workshops throughout the day. The youth will remain at Camp Washington for an overnight camp experience including dinner, music, campfire, games, and fellowship. On Sunday morning, the youth will travel to Christ Church Cathedral where the adults from Saturday will join them as  participants in the liturgy.

Whether you have served your church for years or you have always wanted to - Camp Washington is an opportunity to come together, learn together, and grow together.

More information including registration and workshop descriptions  here. 
Resources for Discernment
 
At our recent Spring Training, there was a lot of interest in a workshop led by members of the COM on discernment and connecting our passions and faith with our daily lives. Given that interest, others might be interested to know of some discernment resources available on our website.
 
The handout from the workshop and a facilitator guide on finding passions and living into baptismal ministry can be found here.  Additionally, a general resource sheet for discernment is available here . 
 
As of January 2017, ECCT is offering Region Based Discernment Groups that are open to anyone who is asking what God might be calling them to next. 
 
If you are wondering about making a life change or a career change or just feeling called by God, this is a process for you! The groups will focus on discernment in the broadest sense drawing on resources from around The Episcopal Church, and those who might be discerning a call to Holy Orders are welcome to participate. Groups are currently running, and will likely begin anew in the fall. If you are interested in learning more about the Region Based Discernment Groups please click here. Contact Molly James, Dean of Formation, with any questions. 
Parish Administration and Finance eNews
 
Last week ECCT ran the second edition of our Parish Administration and Finance eNewsletter, featuring HR advice from ECCT's Kayla Tubolino, tips on "greening" church buildings, and an in-depth guide to investment management for parishes from Canon Louis Fuertes. If you're interested in receiving the Parish Administration and Finance newsletter, you can sign up here .
News From Camp Washington

As camp season approaches, eNews will feature a weekly update on all the opportunities  for families  and youth coming up at Camp Washington . 

Sunday, April 23, Camp Washington Open House  at 3:00 p.m. 
Come see why Camp Washington has been beloved by children of all ages for 100 years. Meet some of the staff, learn about the program, worship, and enjoy a cookout together. Please RSVP by calling  860-567-9623.  There is a second Open House date on May 21  at the same time, so if you can't make it this Sunday, you don't have to miss out. 

April 28-30, Middle School Retreat. "Camp Washington is excited for their second annual Middle School retreat weekend, where there's something for everyone in grades 6-8." A time for middle-schoolers to explore their faith, enjoy the beauty of nature, relax, and have fun. Whether you're camp alumni, or you want to experience it for the very first time, there's a seat at our table for you. Cost is $150. Click here to register.
Positions Open

To submit a job opening to be included here, please  fill out this form. Jobs will be reviewed and then posted in the weekly eNews and posted on the website.   
Announcements & Reminders

Nominations are now being accepted for Episcopal Church positions, committees, and boards that will be elected during the Next General Convention. More information here. 

The Faith Behind Bars and Beyond Ministry Network will hold  their ninth annual conference on
 Saturday, April 22 at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford. This year's theme is: " Prisons as Asylums: The Mentally Ill and Incarceration ." Register  here .  

Leadership Lunch and Lecture with Ray Suarez, April 24, Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. Please join the students and faculty of Berkeley Divinity School for a visit from veteran journalist Ray Suarez on Monday, April 24. Ray will speak on his recent book, The Holy Vote (2007), with time for discussion and questions following his presentation. For details and to receive an invitation, please contact Kira Wishart.
 
Mockingbird Conference 2017,  April 27-29, NYC.  A unique fusion of theology, pop-culture, humor, and story-telling, all centered on the subject of grace. Mockingbird is holding its 10th anniversary conference at the parish of Calvary-St. George's in Manhattan, NYC.  Mockingbird  is "a ministry that seeks to connect the Christian faith with the realities of everyday life in fresh and down-to-earth ways."  For details and to register, visit  the website . 

Annual Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) in Connecticut, May 4.  The ECW in Connecticut will hold their 136th annual meeting at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, Connecticut. The Rev. Kim Jackson of All Saint's Episcopal Church, Atlanta, will speak. Lunch will be provided. Reservations were due  Monday, April 17 . Print copies of the invitation, and RSVP form, were mailed to every parish.

Around God's Table, May 6-7.  A weekend of worship and workshops centered on the sacred art of liturgy designed to bring all lay youth and adult worship leaders together for fellowship, mutual learning, and sharing of best practices.  Around God's Table is a collaboration of Christ Church Cathedral and Camp Washington. Find more information, including registration and workshop descriptions, at  campwashington.org . 

May 19-20  events in Portland to focus on recovery.  On Saturday, May 20, Teresa McBean, executive director of the National Association for Christian Recovery (NACR) will lead a day-long session on "Recovery as Community: Practical Ways to Support Healing and Restoration from Substance Use Disorders."  More info and link to register here.  The evening before, Friday, May 19, from 6-8:30 p.m., Trinity's Priest-in-Charge the Rev. Phil Bjornberg will host a roundtable dinner for lay and ordained leaders to talk with each other about challenges they're facing, and ways they may imagine incarnating recovery and reconciliation as participation in God's mission. To attend, email the Rev. Phil Bjornberg no later than May 12. 

Luce-Hartford Conference on Christian-Muslim Relations, May 22, Hartford Seminary. "The war in Syria and general unrest in the Middle East and North Africa has created a humanitarian crisis for millions of forced migrants. Crucial questions are being asked about what this means for Europe and the United States. The 2017 Luce-Hartford conference will provide an opportunity for religious leaders and others to engage as communities of 'moral deliberation,' to reflect and offer up practical opportunities for engagement in the public sphere based upon their own spiritual, scriptural and theological resources." For more information, click here. 

The River of Life: Connecticut River Pilgrimage, 
May 31 - July 9. 
This is a 40-day trip on the Connecticut River. Churches in this region have partnered with  Kairos Earth, as well as local, statewide, and regional organizations along the Connecticut River, to organize the first-ever pilgrimage along the length of the river.  The pilgrimage is open to anyone. Learn more  here . 

When Dancing Turns to Mourning: Worshiping God in the Face of Violence, June 13-15, Yale Institute of Sacred Music. This is an ecumenical conference for pastors and lay leaders hosted by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music Congregations Project. More information available here. 
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.
  • April 18, Donations & Bequests Board Meeting
  • April 18, Resolution 4 Work Session
  • April 19, Commission on Ministry
  • April 20, Missional Priest Meeting
  • April 20, Standing Committee 
  • April 25, PIC meeting 
  • April 27, CT River Planning Group
  • April 27, Property Committee meeting 
  • April 27, Confirmation Dinner with Bishops
  • April 28-29, Postulants and Candidates Retreat with Bishops
  • April 28, South Central Region Convocation 
  • April 29, Southeast Region Convocation 
  • April 29, Mandatory Clergy Professional Development Day
BISHOPS' SUNDAY VISITS

April 23, St. George's, Bolton (Douglas)
April 30, Christ Church, Ansonia (Ahrens); Christ Church, Norwich (Douglas)

PARISH EVENTS: A complete Parish Events Calendar is available here. 
Hosting an event?  Please submit Parish events  here. 
Reach out to the specific parish for event updates, specific locations, and further details. Season-specific regular worship services will not be listed below.
  • April 22, Spring Concert, Emmanuel, Killingworth
  • April 23, Conversation on Christian Communities in the Holy Land, Christ Church, Greenwich
  • April 23, Conversation with Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori, St. Paul's on the Green, Norwalk 
  • April 24, Bible Study: The Crusades, Holy Trinity, Enfield
  • April 29, Opening a Paper Pantry, St. James', Glastonbury
  • April 29, Drive-In Prayer, Holy Trinity, Enfield
  • April 29, Bottles of Hope Workshop, Christ & Epiphany, East Haven
  • April 29, Free Concert, St. Mary's, Manchester
  • April 29, Benefit Concert, Trinity, Trumbull
  • April 30, The Lost Keys Concert, St. Ann's, Old Lyme 
  • April 30, Choral Evensong, St. John's, West Hartford
  • April 27, 5:30 p.m., Greater Bridgeport Ministry Network Meeting, Christ Church, Stratford
  • April 30, 3 p.m., Community Gardens Ministry Network Meeting, Grace Church, Old Saybrook
  • May 18, 10 a.m., Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Network Gathering, Manchester Memorial Hospital. More info, including registration,  here . 
UPCOMING SAFE CHURCH TRAININGS:

Hybrid Basic Comprehensive: 
  • April 26, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m., St. John's, Essex (register here)
  • April 26, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m., Christ & Holy Trinity, Westport (register here)
  • April 29, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m., St. Peter's, Milford (register here)
  • May 2, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m., Trinity, Brooklyn (register here)
  • May 13, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m., Trinity, Newtown (register here)
Full day: 
  • April 22, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., St. Monica's, Hartford (register here)
  • June 10, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Christ Church, Ansonia (register here)

EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN CONNECTICUT
PARTICIPATING IN GOD'S MISSION


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