ECCT WEEKLY ENEWSLETTER
April 23, 2019
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Note: There will be no regular weekly eNews next week, April 30.
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Death toll nears 300 in Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka
Bishop Ian T. Douglas has been in touch with the Rt. Rev. Duleep De Chickera, former Bishop of the
Diocese of Colombo
, and learned that he and his wife Geetha are safe. Duleep is a significant political and religious figure in the country and he has been leading the way calling for the day of national mourning and interfaith reconciliation. Bishop Douglas has offered the assistance and prayers of ECCT. Our bishops commend this statement from the Bishops of the
Church of Ceylon
, below:
Joint statement from the Bishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Dhiloraj Canagasabey and Bishop of Kurunegala Rt. Rev. Keerthisiri Fernando,
of the Anglican Church of Ceylon, following the Easter Sunday terror attacks
"We are terribly shocked and deeply saddened by the barbarous acts of violence brought on innocent worshippers, children, women and men at Easter Sunday services at St. Anthony’s Church, Kochchikade, St. Sebastien’s Church, Negombo and Zion Church, Batticaloa., as well as on several hotels in Colombo targeting visitors to our country.
"The Church of Ceylon unreservedly condemns these cowardly and cruel acts of terrorism and we offer our deep condolences to the families and friends of the over one hundred persons who have lost their lives and those who have been hurt. We wish all those who have been injured full recovery. We pray for them and their families that God’s comforting presence will continue to be with them through this tragic experience.
"
We call on the Government to institute quick action to investigate thoroughly these incidents and to bring the perpetrators to justice, to ensure the safety of places of religious worship and to prevent any individuals or group taking the law into their hands or provoking acts of intimidation or violence against any community or group.
"We call on all Sri Lankans to be mindful at this time and to act with patience and understanding. We ask for the continued support of all security and emergency services in ensuring public peace and in providing care for the affected the motives of those twisted and warped minds who planned and executed such appalling acts could very well be to destabilise the country and to cause damage to the unity and harmony of our nation.
"We pray that these persons, whoever they may be, will be awakened to the awfulness of their crime.
"We pray we will be able to journey through this dark phase of our country. May the peace of the risen Christ who on the cross prayed for forgiveness be with you all."
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Easter 2019 Message from Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry
“In the moments of despair, in the moments of the worst darkness, God had done something incredible. God had raised Jesus from the dead.”
The Rt. Reverend Barbara Harris was the first woman ordained and consecrated a bishop in The Episcopal Church and in the Anglican Communion. In her memoir, entitled
Hallelujah, Anyhow!
[she] quotes an old Gospel hymn that says it this way:
Hallelujah anyhow
Never let your troubles get you down
When your troubles come your way
Hold your hands up high and say
Hallelujah anyhow!
When I get to Heaven, I want to meet one person, and her name is Mary Magdalene. Because if ever there was another Hallelujah, Anyhow sister, it was Mary Magdalene. And her life, and her example, tells us what it means to follow in the way of Jesus, in the Way of Love.
Mary Magdalene showed up when others would not. Mary Magdalene spoke up when others remained silent. Mary Magdalene stood up when others sat down.
Link here to read
Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry's statement on the violence in Sri Lanka
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From the blog:
Interfaith Dinner and Discussion at Grace Farms
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A rabbi, a priest, and an imam all sat own for dinner at
Grace Farms
…
No that isn’t a beginning of a joke, it was my dinner last Tuesday when I joined 75 other individuals in a beautiful dining room at Grace Farms in New Canaan. The evening program was an Interfaith Passover Seder and dialogue co-hosted by the Interfaith Council of Southwest Connecticut and Grace Farms Foundation.
Before the Seder, I sat with the Rev. Mark Lingle, Rector of St. Francis’, Stamford, to talk about the Council, the Seder, and what it is like to work closely with an Imam and a Rabbi. Mark was one of the three panelists for a post-Seder dialogue with Rabbi Joshua Hammerman of Temple Beth El, Stamford, and Dr. Kareem Adeeb, former Board President of the American Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies.
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ECCT's Digital Storyteller Alli Huggins is using a blog site,
episcopalct.blog
, to share her stories and those from others. ECCT podcast episodes are linked, as well. You can search archives and submit story leads. Contact her at
storytelling@episcopalct.org
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Explore effective leadership in times of anxiety and change; register for the May 2 "Faithful Futures" session at The Commons
Thursday May 2, 2019, 6:30-8:30 pm - Light refreshments available at 6 pm
God assures us that there is no need for us to be anxious, and yet, anxiety seems to be a common human experience. At times, the power of the Holy Spirit can be hampered by the power of anxiety flowing through a faith community. This Faithful Futures, "Effective Leadership in Times of Anxiety and Change," facilitated by Canons Lee Ann Tolzmann and Robin Hammeal Urban, will provide practical information to help leaders move forward faithfully, in the face of change and anxiety. Topics include how emotions spread from one person to another, emotional hijacking, and ways leaders can set the emotional tone of a group.
Lay and ordained leaders, individually or in teams of up to five per parish, are invited to The Commons on Thursday evening, May 2. We will gather at 6 pm for light refreshments and begin promptly at 6:30 pm to explore ways to lead in times of anxiety. Please register early as this event is limited to the first 50 people to register. You can register
here
.
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ECCT donates to Mozambique following Cyclone Idai
Bishops Douglas and Ahrens, with the support of the staff canons, authorized $5000 from the Emergency Reserve Fund to assist in rebuilding houses of worship in the Diocese of Lebombo in Mozambique following devastation from the recent cyclone. The donation was given through St. John's in Essex, which was sending its own contributions. The parish has a longstanding partnership with that diocese and its bishop. St. John's rector, the Rev. Jonathan Folts,
wrote this article
to describe the devastation, and the decision they made to support repairing church buildings.
Photo: The Ven. Narciso Langa, Archdeacon of Pungue, the Rt. Rev. Carlos Matsinhe, Bishop of Lebombo and Mr. Leonardo Cossa, Treasurer of the Archdeaconry, visit the parish of St. George in Beira, Mozambique. Courtesy Episcopal Relief & Development
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Connecticut River Pilgrimage set for May 24-31
Act now!
Registration closes April 24
Signup now to be part of the
Connecticut River Pilgrimage
this spring. It's shorter - just Connecticut. Pilgrims are invited to move deeply into prayer, contemplation, and movement by canoe or kayak as a community together from May 24-31.
There are two three-day options.
Guides will again be Mark and Lisa Kutolowski, guides for the
2017 River Pilgrimage
. The pilgrimage is open to applications from all faith backgrounds or none at all.
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Monthly bulletin insert for May now available
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Don't miss it! Annual Spring Training & Gathering (for laity and clergy)
THIS SATURDAY April 27 in Berlin CT
303 people registered online before it closed.
Onsite registration is $35 pp and you may pay at the door.
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It's a day in the spring to gather with lay and ordained Episcopalians in CT for training (aka workshops) in various parish ministries as well as workshops that can help deepen your personal spiritual life.
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Video above is sampling from workshops at the 2018 Spring Training.
Info, links, registration, and resources also on
this web page.
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Basics:
Saturday, April 27, 2019
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Berlin High School, 139 Patterson Way, Berlin, CT
Registration fee:
Online registration has closed. You may register and pay at the door for $35/pp.
Details
:
Workshop details in booklet
here.
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Know of an interesting individual or unique ministry in ECCT? Maybe something going on at your parish, or someone there?
Let us know!!
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Listen to
Episode #44
, a Good Friday meditation/reflection, about 13 minutes, led by Bishop Laura J. Ahrens while at Christ Church Cathedral. It's designed as a prayerful experience, with intentional silences included. Published Good Friday, April 19.
NOTE: Your podcast hosts are taking a break and are not publishing April 26 or May 3. The next episode will publish on Friday, May 10.
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CTVOICE Magazine did a feature article on churches and church leaders that offer a "spiritual home for everyone" including LGBTQ individuals. The profile included St. Thomas', New Haven and interview with the Rev. Keri Aubert, their priest-in-charge. Photos included one of Keri with her wife the Rev. Jakki Flanagan, in front of St. Thomas' red doors.
Click here to check it out.
The Rev. Ranjit K. Mathews and St. James' New London were in a front page photo on The Day of New London. The photos were from a Stations of the Cross walk through the city center, stopping at places "where violence or injustice were afflicted [or are] addressed." Online has additional photos;
link here
.
The ecumenical Stations of the Cross in Hartford, held on Good Friday and organized by Christ Church Cathedral, received media coverage from
WTHN News 8
.
Email
Karin
if your parish or worshiping community has been featured in non-ECCT media/news!
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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT CAMP WASHINGTON?
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Upcoming events at Camp Washington:
- May 3-5, Annual Middle School Weekend; Narnia! (info & register here)
- May 12, Second Sunday with Bishop Laura Ahrens: short program; worship; shared meal
- June 21-23, Writing workshop w/Davyne Verstandig (info/register here)
Sign up the kids for summer camp! Programs include:
Mini-camp (ages 5-10); Children's Camp (ages 7-12); Teen Camp (ages 12-16); Wilderness Adventure Camp (ages 7-12 and 12-16); and Service Leadership Camp (ages 13-16).
Come to an Open House on May 5, 3 p.m. tour and BBQ. RSVP by phone, 860-567-9623
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Camp Washington
is the official Camp and Conference Center of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (ECCT) and a resource for Christian development and spiritual formation for followers of Jesus. Camp Washington is located on 300 acres in northwestern Connecticut and organizes and/or hosts retreats, conferences, and events throughout the year and offers a full summer camp program. It is a place of “acceptance, joy, and renewal for all God’s people.”
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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL?
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Upcoming events at Christ Church Cathedral
* Specially designated Centennial year events
- May 4, Women Clergy event hosted by the Bishops
- *May 5 (Sun. 10 am) Mariachi Eucharist
- May 11 (Sat., 9 am-2 pm) Dean Kelly Brown Douglas, "What it means to be a Church in 'Make America Great Again' Times" (details and register here)
- May 19, 50th Anniversary celebration for couples married 50 years or more
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Christ Church Cathedral
is the gathering place for the entire Episcopal Church in Connecticut and the seat of its bishops. It is “Connecticut’s Cathedral” as all Episcopalians in CT are members of the Cathedral. From our Cathedral we are called and empowered to participate in God’s mission in our local neighborhoods. In this its centennial year, our Cathedral is opening its doors in new ways to neighbors near and far.
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ECCT CALENDARS
Events below are coming up in the next few weeks
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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.
ECCT meetings and events calendar (see other calendars below for bishops; Ministry Networks; Regions; and Clergy
- April 23: Faith & Order Cttee mtg.
- April 25: Standing Cttee mtg
- April 27: 7th Annual Spring Training & Gathering, Berlin
- April 30: Convention Planning Team
- May 2: Annual ECW Meeting, Plantsville
- May 2: Faithful Futures: Leadership & Anxiety
- May 11: Dean Kelly Brown Douglas at the Cathedral
Bishops' Schedule:
Confirmations:
- April 30, Bishops and Confirmations Dinner (info/register)
- May 4, Bishop Douglas, NW Region Confirmation, Camp Washington, 10 a.m.
- May 7, Bishop Ahrens, NE Region Confirmation, St. John's, Vernon, 6:30 p.m.
- May 11, Bishop Ahrens, SW Region Confirmation, Christ Church Greenwich, 10 a.m.
Visitations:
- April 28 Bishop Ahrens, Grace, Windsor
- April 28, Bishop Douglas, Iglesia Betania, Stamford
- May 5, Bishop Ahrens, St. Paul/St. James, New Haven
- May 5, Bishop Douglas, Grace, Old Saybrook
- May 12, Bishop Ahrens, St. Paul's, Brookfield
Other:
- May 14, Bishop Douglas; Bishop Ahrens; Mandatory Professional Development Day, St. Peter's-Trinity, Thomaston
- April 24, Greater Bridgeport Ministry Network Convocation
- May 1, Holy Landers gathering
- May 8, Brotherhood of St. Andrew Mtg
Region events
- April 30, NC Region Leadership Team Mtg
- May 3, NE Men's Breakfast at Grace, Stafford Springs
- May 3, NE Region Leadership Team Mtg.
- May 4, NE Region Convocation
- May 7, NE Region Confirmation
Ordinations and Celebrations of New Ministry
- May 29, Celebration of New Ministry, the Rev. Alan Murchie, Trinity, Nichols, 6:30 p.m.
- June 6, Celebration of New Ministry, the Rev. Marek Zabriskie, Christ Church, Greenwich, 6:30 p.m.
Upcoming clergy events (see next category also)
- April 23, ROC gathering
- April 30, Interim PIC gathering
- May 4, Women Clergy event hosted by the Bishops at the Cathedral
- May 7, PIC Consultants Gathering
- May 9, New Call Mtg
- May 9, Retired clergy, spouses & partners event Info/register here
- May 14, Mandatory Clergy Professional Development/Safe Church Recertification
- May 20-22, Clergy Conference, Westbrook Info/register here
- May 23 Clericus: No. Central & So Central, at St. Peter's Cheshire; 11 a.m. Register here
- June 4 Clericus: Northeast & Southeast, at St. Peter's, Hebron, 10 a.m. Register here
- June 15: Mandatory Clergy Professional Development/Safe Church Recertification
Mandatory Clergy Professional Development Day (MCPD) - choose ONE
- NOTE: First session was held April 11. Additional sessions: Tuesday, May 14, St. Peter's-Trinity, Thomaston; OR: Saturday, June 15, St. John's, Vernon. If you cannot attend the day for which you register you must register for and attend the one make-up session on Sat., Sept. 17 at St. John's, West Hartford. Clergy who fail to attend MCPD in 2019 will not be "clergy in good standing."
- See FAQs here. (what's required, who's required to participate, and more)
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PARISH & REGION EVENTS
Events below are coming up in the next few weeks
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April 21-27:
"50s to now" concert; tag sale; chamber music; lasagne dinner
April 28-May 4:
Healing service; choral evensong; Four Seasons spring concert; book club: "Maid," Education for Ministry Open House; evensong; Neighbors Feeding Neighbors; tea & musical; talk: Gregory Boyle
May 5-11:
"Grieving before death," pipe organ nconcert; spring fashion show; May Fair (Manchester; New Canaan)
May 12-18:
Fab Five concert
May 19-26:
Steel Band concert; 200th anniversary
Selected event featured this week:
Christ & The Epiphany Spring Fashion Show, Sunday May 5, 3 p.m. "
Fun, Food and Fashion at the 6th Annual Spring Fashion Show. This event features seasonal styles from the Good Shepherd Thrift Store modeled by parishioners, and includes a hot and cold hors d’oeurves and dessert buffet, gift basket raffle and live entertainment. Tickets are $12, and four non-perishable food items to benefit the East Haven Food Pantry. For reservations, tickets or further information, please contact the church office at 203 467-2310."
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Sign up for Region Newsletters
All Region Missionaries will use an ECCT staff common account in Constant Contact for regular newsletters by May 1, so you can sign up right now to receive your Region's newsletter when it launches. (Most have already launched. They are fabulous!!)
The Region Missionaries will do their best to ensure that current subscribers are carried over to the new system but just to be sure (and in case you weren't on that subscriber list), you can subscribe now.
Click on "Update Profile"
at the footer of this enewsletter or
go here
and update your newsletter preferences to add more newsletters (or make other changes). You can change your subscription at any time.
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Safe Church Training - Spring schedule started in March
All Safe Church Trainings (Comprehensive Basic and Lay Recertification) can be found on our website.
Important note for clergy only:
ALL clergy must attend one Mandatory Clergy Professional Development Day in 2019.
These include Safe Church Recertification
. The first was April 11. Additional date options (link on them to register):
Tue., May 14
in Thomaston; and
Sat. June 15
in Vernon.
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OPEN POSITIONS - WE'RE HIRING!
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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.
ECCT staff positions:
Applications are currently closed or on hold for the positions of Region Missionary (three), Canon for Mission Communication & Media, and Dean of Formation. Reference checks have been completed for the position of Racial Justice Resource Coordinator.
Parish and Camp pos
itions:
Clergy non-parochial:
For open Clergy positions in parishes please click
here
.
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