Please welcome Pam Dawkins as your eNewsletter editor for the next seven weeks. Pam, who has a background in journalism and marketing, will serve in the part-time position of Digital Associate on a temporary basis until Alli Huggins returns in September. Alli is on a leave of absence to hike the Appalachian Trail as a ministry.
Pam started work at The Commons on July 18. She succeeds Rose King, who resigned in late June to take a new position closer to where she lives. Pam will edit eNewsletters and work on ECCT's social media and website. You can reach her at pdawkins@episcopalct.org.
-- Karin Hamilton, Canon for Mission Communication & Media
ECCT worship & "hiker feed" offered July 23
Left: from left: "Dundee" (aka Michael) of Austin, Texas is a section hiker (hiking a defined section of the Appalachian Trail (AT)) and began May 27; "Captain Hotlegs" (aka DJ) is a thru-hiker (hiking the entire trail) from Columbus, Ohio and started in Georgia on March 11; "Sally Mae" (aka Ashley) of Dayton, Ohio is a thru-hiker and started with DJ in Georgia on March 11; "Pig-Pen" (aka Alli Huggins, ECCT's Digital Associate on leave of absence to hike the trail) of New Haven started in Georgia on March 8; "Foghat" (aka David) began in Georgia March 12 but got off the trail in Virginia due to medical issues (he hiked with Alli for a while); and Northwest Region Missionary Eliza Marth. Hikers receive a trail name from other hikers.
Right: from top: Outdoor worship next to the Housatonic River in Falls Village; fresh flowers on a picnic table laden with food; Alli Huggins talks to the group about her experiences on the AT; group photo with (from left) the Rev. David Sellery (St. John's, Salisbury); Bishop Ian T. Douglas; Alli Huggins; a "flip-flop" thru-hiker traveling the less-common direction north to south; and the Rev. Heidi Truax (Trinity, Lime Rock) with her dog, Keen.
A good crowd of 30 or so people gathered "down by the river" in Falls Village on Sunday, July 23, to welcome Appalachian Trail (AT) hikers with food and outdoor worship. Unexpected acts of kindness, gifts of food, water, and other hospitality for hikers are colloquially known as "trail magic." This was ECCT's version this year.
The AT stretches about 2200 miles, from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Maine. Fifty-two of those miles cross the northwest corner of Connecticut. When the AT runs near a church, the clergy and congregation may seize the God-given opportunity to offer a ministry of hospitality. That's what St. John's, Salisbury does - offering new socks and an Internet café - and what Trinity, Lime Rock has done - with boxes of snack foods set out along the trail - when the AT has been re-routed to pass nearby them.
The date and location of the July 23 event were planned as a way to celebrate Alli Huggins, ECCT's Digital Associate, who is on a leave of absence to hike the trail as a ministry. She started hiking in Georgia on March 8 and planned to be hiking near or through Falls Village that day. Unfortunately plantar faciitis in both feet took her off the trail earlier in July, so she had to drive to the event. She expects to be back on the trail July 29.
"Trail Magic" supports the hikers, of course. This event also signified broader ECCT support for hiking-related ministries of our churches and for any related ministry networks.
The Episcopal Church urges Texas "bathroom bill" rejection
The Episcopal Church continues its stand against so-called "bathroom bills," with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and House of Deputies President the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings sending a second letter urging Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus to continue his opposition to that state's proposed bill.
On Friday, a Texas Senate committee passed the bill, which now heads to the whole Senate, in an 8-1 vote. In a story Friday, The Texas Tribune wrote the Senate is expected to pass the bill and send it to the Texas House this week.
According to the Episcopal News Service, the Texas bill would require transgender people in public schools, government buildings, and public universities use the bathroom based on the sex stated on their birth certificates. North Carolina repealed a similar bill in March after a year of opposition that brought national attention and cancelled events. In 2016, the North Carolina bishops opposed the bill, writing in a statement "...the issue of discrimination is not partisan, nor is it secular."
The church's General Convention is scheduled for July 5-13, 2018, in Austin.
On July 19, Curry and Jennings wrote, "We very much want to hold our convention in Texas. However ... we must be able to ensure that all Episcopalians and visitors to our convention, including transgender people, are treated with respect, kept safe, and provided appropriate public accommodation consistent with their gender identities."
Curry and Jenkins first contacted Straus in February, noting that, in 1955, the church moved its General Convention from Austin because the city could not guarantee enough desegregated housing for delegates. Read the letter
here.
Bishop Stephen Cottrell
Save the dates!
Three-night "Come and See" Revival
Aug. 27-29 in Ridgefield and conversation on evangelism Aug. 29 at the Cathedral
He will also give a presentation at
Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford Aug. 29 from 12:30 - 3 p.m.
More details and registration for the Hartford event will be included in next week's eNews.
Meeting Aug. 24 to explore
EfM theological study for laity
Bishop Laura J. Ahrens will host an open meeting Thursday, Aug. 24 from 3-5 p.m. at The Commons in Meriden to talk about Education for Ministry (EfM) theological study for laity. The meeting is for those already familiar with EfM who want to share joys, challenges, and opportunities in ECCT as well as for those who want to learn more about being a participant, a mentor, or setting up an EfM group.
EfM is a four-year program offered by the University of the South in Sewanee for adult learners. Groups of about 12, with a trained mentor, meet weekly during the academic year to review reading material and to learn and practice theological reflection. More info linked
here.
Liturgy Symposium at Christ Church Cathedral
The Rev. Dr. Malloy
Save the date of Saturday, September 30 for a Liturgy Symposium at Christ Church Cathedral.
The morning plenary session will be offered by the Rev. Dr. Patrick Malloy, noted scholar and liturgist, currently serving at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.
Workshops on a variety of subjects will be offered. More info and registration here.
Godly Play workshop Aug 18-20 at St. Mark's, Mystic
St. Mark's Church,15 Pearl Street Mystic, CT will host a "Core Godly Play Training" from 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20. "Core Training is the essential training for all storytellers and doorpersons in the Godly Play room. [Recommended annually for the first three years of your practice.] [L]earn the processes and Core stories of Godly Play as well as the theology behind these practices." Registration closes the Monday before training.
The 2nd Annual Youth Festival at Camp Washington is coming soon.
Registration is now open for Camp Washington's 2nd Annual Youth Festival, which runs September 9 and 10 in Morris. Campers in grades 8-12 will spend the weekend swimming, canoeing, zip-lining, and hiking, as well as archery, arts & crafts, trying out a ropes course, and paddling CORCLS (flying-saucer-like small boats).
Camp starts Saturday morning at 10 a.m., continues with food trucks, music, and more Saturday evening and finishes Sunday with brunch and a 1 p.m. pickup.
Registration is $25, thanks to the generosity of the Bishops' Fund for Children. Scholarships are available but space is limited, so register here today.
There is also still time to register your child for Children's Camp II, Aug. 6-18.
Children's Camp II (ages 7-12), Aug. 6-18: Help us end the summer with a bang! Join your friends, and make new ones as well), as we explore God's amazing creation through campfires, hikes, swimming, singing, dancing, and playing in so many ways you can't even begin to imagine.
UTO internship application deadline extended to August 1
The application deadline for the 2017-2018 United Thank Offering (UTO) internship in Houston, TX, has been extended to August 1. The internship, for young adults ages 20-35, begins September 1 and runs for a full year.
The 2017-2018 internship is offered in conjunction with MVNG, Inc. (Missional Voices), located in Houston, TX. The intern will support the work of the United Thank Offering and participate in the work of a local ministry.
Applicants will need to be comfortable with public speaking, travel, and show a willingness to participate on a team. Applicants will need to be proficient in Microsoft Office programs; collaboration software such as Slack, Google Drive, and Zoom; and social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The internship includes housing, insurance, travel costs and a stipend.
The internship's goal is to help young adults learn about themselves and discern what's next for them in their life and work, according to Rev. Heather Melton, the UTO's Staff Officer.
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.
The parish/worshiping community survey for the ECCT database is now live. A separate issue eNewsletter was published Monday July 10 (
link here to read) and print copies of information were mailed out that week. Please add this to your list of summer projects!
Thanks to the parishes who "piloted" the survey: Saint Luke's, Darien; Christ & Holy Trinity, Westport; Trinity, Brooklyn; St. Paul's, Southington; and St. Michael's, Naugatuck --- and thanks to the first two parishes to return their surveys after it went ECCT-wide: St. Luke's, South Glastonbury, and Grace, Windsor.
Godly Play workshop Aug 18-20 at St. Mark's Church,15 Pearl Street Mystic, CT will host a "Core Godly Play Training" from 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20. "Core Training is the essential training for all storytellers and doorpersons in the Godly Play room." Registration closes the Monday before training. Link here for more info and to register.
Save the dates of September 15-17 for the centennial celebration of Camp Washington. Guest arrival and opening reception at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 15, followed by dinner. Main event Saturday Sept. 16, full day of Camp activities. Lunch at noon; Holy Eucharist at 2 p.m. followed by celebratory dinner; 7 p.m. evening camp and campfire. Sunday Sept. 17 Morning Prayer at 9 a.m. followed by brunch and cookies.
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.
July 27, Standing Committee meeting
July 27, Property Committee meeting
August 3, Faithful Futures, Sustainability, meeting
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.
August 6, Trinity Music Series, Vital Connections Through Music, The Episcopal Church, Portland
August 7-11, Vacation Bible School, Christ Church, Oxford
August 27, Trinity Music Series, Vital Connections Through Music, The Episcopal Church, Portland
Save the dates of September 15-17 for the centennial celebration of Camp Washington. Guest arrival and opening reception at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 15, followed by dinner. Main event Saturday Sept. 16, full day of Camp activities. Lunch at noon; Holy Eucharist at 2 p.m. followed by celebratory dinner; 7 p.m. evening camp and campfire. Sunday Sept. 17 Morning Prayer at 9 a.m. followed by brunch and cookies.
