WEEKLY ENEWS

November 7, 2017

Bishops address The Episcopal Church after the Texas Church Shooting Bishops Ian T. Douglas and Laura J. Ahrens sent this letter to the Episcopal Church in Connecticut yesterday afternoon . The letter also includes a statement from the Bishops United Against Gun Violence. " Once again we awaken on a Monday morning to learn of yet another mass shooting in our country. This time the victims were Christians at prayer. Will this gun violence never stop? "We have reached out to our colleague bishops in the Diocese of West Texas, the Rt. Rev. David Reed and the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson. We have assured them of our prayers and have offered our assistance in any way possible. " Presiding Bishop Michael Curry offered up this video message of prayer for those who have died and all who are suffering physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental scars from Sunday morning's attack at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas . At least 26 individuals were killed by a man with a semi-automatic rifle. The Bishops United Against Gun Violence offered this Vigil in Response to an Act of Mass Violence on their Twitter account @TheCrossLobby as a tool for communities and individuals in need of prayer. At last year's Annual Convention, ECCT passed Resolution #7, "Gun-Free Zones" as amended.

ECCT Deacons renew vows, the Rt. Rev. Barbara Harris preaches, at Christ Church Cathedral Bishops Laura J. Ahrens and Barbara Harris, along with supporting clergy within ECCT gathered on Sunday morning as 16 deacons renewed their vows at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford. Deacons also participated in Church Street Eats at the Cathedral, a ministry focused on feeding all and "praying for those who are homeless and struggling with today's challenges," Bishop Ahrens says.

Left: Deacons gather with Bishops Ahrens and Harris, and the Rev. Molly James, Dean of Formation. Photo by Don Burr. Above: Deacons prepare for Church Street Eats in Hartford. Photo by Bishop Ahrens.

Food Truck Festival, Friday of Convention at St. Paul's, Riverside! Following our worship service on the Friday of Annual Convention, join us for some great food featuring local food trucks at St. Paul's, Riverside ! This will be a fun and relaxed atmosphere, perfect for connecting with colleagues and friends from all over Connecticut. Please RSVP so that our food trucks know how many to prepare for. You can also share the event on Facebook! Meals can be purchased directly from the food trucks. Our lineup of food trucks includes: HAPA Food Truck: American street food meets Asian Pacific cuisine Taste of Grill: #1 Mediteranean grill food truck

FINAL information session, register now! Learn about the proposed Budget of Convention. Register now to attend an info session. An overview of the budget process and proposed budget of convention will be presented by Louis Fuertes, Canon for Mission Operations & Finance, with either Bishop Laura or Ian present to facilitate discussion and answer questions.   A light dinner will be served. Please register through the Eventbrite link attached. Tomorrow, November 8: (Northeast Region) 6 – 8 p.m. St Mark’s, Storrs: Register.

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Celebrations of New Ministry: the Rev. Matt Lindeman at St. Peter's, Milford on November 9 at 6:30 p.m. the Rev. Ranjit Mathews at St. James', New London on November 28 at 7:00 p.m. the Rev. Ann Lovejoy Johnson at St. Mary's, Manchester on December 5 at 7:00 p.m. Many blessings on their new ministries.

Convention Corner: Annual Convention The 233rd Annual Convention is November 17 - 18 in Greenwich, CT. Read more  here .   A basic schedule of events is available here . Resolution, Reports, and Candidates Read each Resolution , Report , and about each Candidate online. *Note: some resolutions, reports, and information on candidates are not available pending Faith & Order Commission review. Regular Online Registration ENDS November 14 The regular registration rate is $85, the rate will increase to $100 as a walk-in on the day of convention. Please register today for Convention . Convention Choir We’re looking for singers from all over the Episcopal Church in Connecticut to take part in a massed choir at our Convention worship on Friday, November 17 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Hyatt in Old Greenwich. Rehearsal will begin at 4:00 p.m. that Friday and singers are encouraged to bring choir robes from their home parish. If you are interested in joining the convention choir, please contact Jacob Street for details on music and other instructions.

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.  Organist, Calvary St. George's, Bridgeport Youth Minister, St. James', Farmington Music Director, Christ Church, Tashua Part-Time Parish Office Assistant, St. Paul's on the Green, Norwalk Director of Music Ministries, St. Mary's, Manchester Organist/Director of Music, St. John's, North Haven ECCT is hiring a part-time Diocesan Property Manager   For open Clergy positions please click here . Clergy positions will no longer be posted in eNews.

Announcements & Reminders

The parish/worshiping community survey for the ECCT database is live. Thanks so much to the following churches that completed their survey since last week's announcement: St. James', Higganum; Trinity, Hartford; St. James', West Hartford; St Alban's, Danielson; and St. Timothy's, Fairfield! Keep them coming! Click here to read the related documents.

Living Local Joining God (LLJG) is the missional experiment that ECCT launched in the fall of 2016. This two-year “try on” involves six parishes (one per Region) and the Tri-Town Missional Curacy in the NE Region. Learn all about Living Local: Joining God on the new webpage !

ECCT Youth Team at General Convention The 79th Annual General Convention of The Episcopal Church , July 5-13, 2018 in Austin, TX. High school students are encouraged to apply to be a part of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut Youth Team to General Convention . Applications are due by December 1 . Applications are available here .

Advent begins Dec 3. Come to the Family Advent Day at Camp Washington! As your family awaits the coming of Christmas, spend an afternoon together preparing your heart and your home. Make an Advent wreath with greens selected from Camp Washington's campus, dip Advent candles, paint ornaments and more. The afternoon ends with worship and dinner together. Tickets begin at $15 and are available here . SAVE THE DATE: Camp Washington will host an Advent Retreat, December 15 - 16, with Bishop Laura J. Ahrens. This retreat will focus on how to use spiritual practices, how to identify God's calling in discipleship, and how to grow in transformation. More information to come!

Presentation at Christ Church Cathedral:  In Search of a Prophet, Kahlil Gibran: An Unparalleled Spiritual Guide for Our Times  by Paul-Gordon Chandler, Dec. 3   This free and open to the public event will be held at  Christ Church Cathedral  on Dec 3 at 2 p.m. Author Paul-Gordon Chandler will discuss the spirituality of Kahlil Gibran, the early 20th century Lebanese-American poet, artist, and mystic.  In Search of a Prophet  is a journey through the spiritual life of Kahlil Gibran, author of the bestselling book The Prophet. Capturing our imaginations and enriching our spirits, Paul-Gordon Chandler explores this beloved writer and artist, a mystic who sought to build bridges and tear down walls (description from Amazon.com).

National Episcopal Historians and Archivists (NEHA) 2018 Call for Papers NEHA is now accepting proposals for papers to be presented at the 2018 Conference held in New Haven, CT. Presentations are made on a voluntary basis. Presenters are allocated 15 minutes for a paper and 5 minutes for questions. Proposals are due January 31, 2018 Guidelines, possible topics, and more information available on their website .

IRIS' Annual Run for Refugees is Feb 4! Support refugees at the largest annual fundraiser for IRIS (Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services) , a refugee resettlement agency in New Haven, CT. IRIS helps refugees and other displaced people establish new lives, regain hope, and contribute to the vitality of Connecticut’s communities. Can't make the run but want to donate or support a team? You can do so here . Register 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. November 8, CT General Convention Deputation Meeting, The Commons November 8, Region Budget Review, NE Region, St. Mark's, Storrs November 9, Women Clergy Breakfast & Book Study, The Commons November 9, Deacons' Council Meeting November 9, Celebration of New Ministry for the Rev. Matt Lindeman, St. Peter's, Milford November 10-11, Camp Washington Board Retreat, Camp Washington November 14, Convention Planning Team Meeting, The Commons November 15, Commission on Ministry, The Commons November 16, Fresh Start, The Commons November 16, Standing Committee, The Commons November 17-18, Annual Convention, The Hyatt, Old Greenwich November 18, Deacons' Breakfast at Convention BISHOPS' VISITS: November 12, Bishop Ahrens, Grace, Hartford; Bishop Douglas, St. Mary's, Manchester November 19, Bishop Douglas will celebrate the 125th anniversary of St. Paul's, Southington December 3, Bishop Ahrens, Trinity, Lime Rock; Bishop Douglas, Grace, Newington

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. PARISH EVENTS: Regular worship services, including season-specific, will not be listed below.    November 6, Faith in a New Millennium, St. Paul's On-the-Green, Norwalk November 7, First Tuesday, Church of the Good Shepherd, Orange November 10, Faith on Fire: Drew Derreth, Christ Church, Greenwich November 11, Autumn Leaves Fair, Christ Church, Middle Haddam November 11, Guided Labyrinth Walk, Church of the Good Shepherd, Orange November 11, 25th Annual Collin Bennett/Marcus Garvey Scholarship & Awards Banquet, St. Martin's, Hartford November 11, VA Service Day, St. Alban's ,Danielson November 11, Chili Festival, Grace Church, Stafford Springs November 11, Holiday Fair, St. Paul's, Wallingford November 12, 149th Dedication Celebration, Grace Church, Hartford November 12, Assisted and Independent Living Fair, St. John's, North Haven November 12, CODA Latin Jazz Trio Concert, St. John's, Vernon November 12, Vital Connections Through Music concert, Trinity, Portland November 12, The Fifth Annual Sing Off! A Capella Concert, Church of the Holy Advent, Clinton November 12, Evensong celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, St. Paul's, Wallingford November 13, Bible Study: the case of the Grateful Samaritan, Holy Trinity, Enfield November 17-18, Fall Rummage Sale, Church of the Good Shepherd, Orange November 18, "Ye Olde Sugar Plum Fair," Trinity, Wethersfield November 18, Holiday Craft Fair, St. John's, North Guilford November 18, Quality Street Fair, Trinity, Collinsville November 18, 30th Annual Cookie Express Christmas Fair, Church of the Good Shepherd, Shelton November 18, Roast Pork Tenderloin Dinner, St. Peter's, Hebron November 19, Turkey and a Thirty Foodshare Drive, St. George's, Bolton November 19, St. Petersburg Men's Quartet Ensemble, St. James', Danbury REGION MEETINGS & EVENTS: November 12, SE Region: Welcome Reception for SE Region Missionary, Grace, Old Saybrook November 16, SE Region: Region Leadership Team Meeting, St. Ann's, Old Lyme MINISTRY NETWORK MEETINGS & EVENTS: November 12, Holy Landers MN: Holy Land Pilgrim Reunion & Info gathering, St. Mark's Rectory, New Canaan November 14, Hospital Healthcare Chaplains MN meeting, The Commons

SAFE CHURCH TRAININGS:   The fall 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 recertification, 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.   Comprehensive (Basic) Safe Church Training: For ordained and lay ministers who have not yet attended a training in Connecticut Option 2 - hybrid program with online training plus shortened live follow-up November 20, St. John's, Vernon, 6:30 - 9 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED