ECCT Weekly eNews
May 22, 2018
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry preached a message of Love and Jesus at Royal Wedding
The Royal family experienced the joy and love of the Presiding Bishop Michael Curry at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, on Saturday morning. Bishop Curry preached a strong message on the Power of Love , beginning and ending his 13 minute sermon with a passage from the Song of Solomon 8:6-7 and a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"[Jesus] gave up his life, he sacrificed his life for the good of others, for the good of the other, for the well-being of the world, for us! That’s what love is. Love is not selfish and self-centered. Love can be sacrificial. And in so doing, becomes redemptive. And that way of unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive love, changes lives. And it can change this world."

Bishop Michael Curry was invited by the Prince and Meghan and hosted by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, here is an interview with them the night before the wedding , and here is another interview after the wedding ceremony talking about how the sermon was received .

Saturday Night Live was even taken aback by Presiding Bishop Curry, calling him the unexpected star of the wedding. He even made a cameo on Weekend Update .
Pastoral Conversation with Episcopalian Members of the NRA, June 16 at Christ Church Cathedral

Bishops Ian T. Douglas and Laura J. Ahrens of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut invite Episcopalian Members of the National Rifle Association and other Episcopalian owners of firearms in Connecticut to a pastoral conversation about how best to address the epidemic of gun violence in the United States.

June 16 at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford at 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Information on the flyer here .
Young Adult Service, Formation, and Community in Connecticut 

Saint Hilda’s House is a ten-month residential young adult discernment program devoted to spiritual formation and urban ministry while living in community. The unique setting, in the heart of New Haven, gives residents access to a diverse range of educational, service, and spiritual resources.

Visit www.sainthildashouse.org to learn more about the House and application process. Saint Hilda's House program year begins August 2018, so there's still time to apply! Questions? Contact the Rev. Carlos de la Torre .
Convention Corner:

Annual Convention: Something New
Something new is coming to Annual Convention this year, and we want you to be a part of it! Learn about why we’re making these changes in this first video in a series, and be sure to check out our website for the latest information about this year’s Convention.

Register for Convention
Registration is now open for the 2018 Annual Convention, on October 26 & 27 at the Mystic Marriott in Groton, CT! Register before June 15 to get the early bird discount rate of $65. Learn more about this year’s Convention and register today ! More information in the Call to Convention available here .

Submit your delegates' names
Submit the names of your elected delegates and alternates using the ECCT parish survey ( link here , or email Matt Handi for more information). The Call to Convention was mailed earlier this month. ALL and updates and information after that will be online and sent by email. 

Annual Convention Banquet: Trivia Night
 It's a battle of wits and useless knowledge at Convention on Friday night! Over dinner, compete with your team for unique prizes by answering trivia questions from church history to popular culture--from the arcane to the downright silly. Get together your friends from around the church and register today.
What's happening in the Regions:
(links and the top item listed on each Region's web page, if any)

Northwest Region ( webpage , Facebook page )
  • Check the Facebook page for details!
North Central Region ( webpage , Facebook page / group , enewsletter sign-up )
  • Click here to view the North Central Region Event Calendar
Northeast Region ( webpage , Facebook page / group )
Southwest Region ( webpage , Facebook page )
South Central Region ( webpage , Facebook page , blog )
  •  Hiking with the Rachels, dates available here.
Southeast Region ( webpage , Facebook page )
  • May 26, 11:00 a.m.: Blessing of Common Goods Garden, Grace Church, Old Saybrook. 
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 .
ECCT is hiring!
Suzanne DeMerchant is retiring as Bishop Laura Ahren's Administrative Assistant. ECCT has begun the search for a highly competent organized individual to work as the new full time Administrator to Bishop Suffragan, shared position: 80% for Bishop Suffragan and 20% for Finance & Operations.
Announcements & Reminders
Please continue to fill out the parish/worshiping community survey for the ECCT database - and be sure to update it with 2018 delegates to Annual Convention!!

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: Christ & The Epiphany, East Have; St. Peter's, Monroe; Church of the Holy Trinity, Middletown; St. Peter's, Milford.

Episode 9 is now LIVE! We hear stories from the Rev. Canon David Cannon.

Check it out: Coffee Hour at The Commons , or on iTunes , Google Play , and Stitcher !

If you have any ideas for show topics or know of an interesting individual/ministry happening in ECCT, send us an email .
Bishop's Book Study with Bishop Laura Ahrens, Today! May 22, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Camp Washington

The Bishop's Book Study at Camp Washington is a monthly gathering of clergy and lay people who love to read, and provides an opportunity to discuss the book in an inviting environment. Lunch is provided. Please RVSP here .

The next book is The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World , by Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams. Here is a flyer .
PB Curry and other faith leaders to participate in May 24 Vigil at the White House

Joining the Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann, Professor Emeritus at Columbia Theological Seminary, t he Rev. Jim Wallis, President and Founder of Sojourners , and other predominant religious, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will hold a procession and candlelight vigil at the White House on May 24, Reclaiming Jesus. The Episcopal Church Office of Communications will livestream everything  here .
ECCT's Deputies to GC79 Open House, June 6

Join the ECCT Deputation to General Convention on Wednesday, June 6 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at The Commons for an open conversation about General Convention. Ask questions, share thoughts, and learn about the deputies and what they bring to General Convention as representation of ECCT. Feedback regarding the #MeToo discussion within the Episcopal Church is welcomed.

Share your thoughts with the deputation, offer up questions and conversation topics by emailing ecctdeputation@gmail.com .
Save the Date: June 24 -- EfM Graduation

The 2018 Education for Ministry Graduation ceremony is scheduled Sunday June 24 at 2:30 p.m., hosted by St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 4670 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT. This year’s graduates are from EfM groups meeting at Church of the Epiphany, Durham, St. Timothy’s, Fairfield, and St. James’s West Hartford. Contact Ron Ward for more information.
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.

  • May 22, Bishop's Book Study with Bishop Laura Ahrens, Camp Washington
  • May 22, Convention Planning, The Commons
  • May 22, General Convention Deputation Meeting, The Commons
  • May 23, Faith & Order, The Commons
  • May 24, Fresh Start Meeting, The Commons
  • May 28 THE COMMONS WILL BE CLOSED -- THE NEXT ENEWS WILL GO OUT MAY 30
  • May 29, Jubilee Ministry Centers Gathering, The Commons
  • May 31, Transition Consultants Meeting, The Commons
  • May 31, Priesthood Mentors Gathering, The Commons
  • May 31, Finance Committee Meeting, The Commons
  • June 1 - 3, Deacon Formation Retreat, Episcopal Camp and Conference Center of Rhode Island
  • June 2, Nurture Your Spirit: Deacon Retreat, Camp Washington
  • June 5, Retired Clergy Steering Committee Gathering, The Commons

BISHOPS' VISITS:

  • June 3: Bishop Ahrens, Trinity, Tariffville; Bishop Douglas, Christ & Holy Trinity, Westport
  • June 10: Bishop Ahrens, St. James' Danbury; Bishop Douglas, Christ Church, Greenwich
  • June 17, Bishop Douglas, Grace/St. Peter's, Hamden
  • June 24, Bishop Ahrens, Emmanuel, Weston
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.   

  • May 22, Hiking with the Rachels, Old Furnace State Park and Moosup Valley State Park
  • May 22, Proactive Retirement Planning Seminar, St. John's, Pine Meadow
  • May 24, Bible Study: God Shows No Partiality: The Power to See the World Differently, Trinity, Wethersfield
  • May 31, Bible Study: What You Worship As Unknown, I Now Proclaim to You: The Power to Meet People Where They Are, Trinity, Wethersfield
  • June 2 - 3, Free Concert: Lean on Me, Trinity, Tariffville
  • June 3, Pipes Alive! Concert, St. John's, West Hartford
  • June 4 - 8, Yale Youth Ministry Initiative Summer Symposium, Yale Divinity School, New Haven

REGION MEETINGS & EVENTS:

MINISTRY NETWORK MEETINGS & EVENTS:
  • May 24, Women's Ministry Network Meeting, The Commons
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 2 - hybrid program with online training plus shortened live follow-up
  • 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