Weekly Check-In 3/31/2020
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North Central Region
Weekly Check-In
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Letter from your Region Missionary
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Dear friends in Christ,
As I enter my fourth week of social distancing at home, the weight and loss of this season is beginning to settle in, and even this introvert is beginning to miss being part of an embodied community. After weeks of trying to get ahead of the game and stay up to date with breaking news, it feels like a stillness is beginning to settle in. The pantry is stocked, the garden seedlings are planted, and last minute errands are done. With this stillness, a wondering has entered my mind -- now what? As a doer, I am tempted to keep doing and perhaps even over do, but I also hear a still small voice speaking amidst the chaos and uncertainty. A voice that says, "Be still, and know that I am God."
The church community is not the only community that is trying to come to terms with this new normal, the arts community is also reeling. This week I read a reflection written by Lauren Warnecke, a dance critic for the Chicago Tribune. Her piece is titled, “
Moving is Important. What if we Took the Hint, and Actually Paused.
” She writes,
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The Rev. Erin Flinn
Mobile: 860-966-3742
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"…Fear and anxiety has thrust arts organizations into panic mode: Create something, anything, they think. Anything that will keep the arts alive... The quick reaction of artists has produced a genuinely beautiful expression of why the arts are important. Every day, I see a new tear-jerking compilation of videos from musicians at home, pasted together to play a symphony. I see increased democratization of dance in which anyone with internet access can take class... I see creativity, ingenuity, resilience, beauty and love. I see collaboration, solidarity and self-sacrifice.
But I also see a hectic, harried rush to create a new normal that looks as close as possible to the old normal. What are we trying to hold onto? What is the point of hustling even harder when the world is clearly telling us to slow the heck down? Why are we hyper-focused on pressing forward in a week’s time, reinventing aspects of life in touch-free, digital spaces that weren’t intended for those spaces in the first place? What if we took the hint and just stopped for a second, took a collective breath and acknowledged the trauma that’s unfolding?" (
To read the full article click here.
)
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Warnecke’s words sink in to the core of my being – The creativity and the collaboration that has emerged over the past few weeks has been incredible, a true gift. At the same time I worry about burnout. I worry that our need to create the old normal in new spaces, in its entirety, will lead to exhaustion. What if we took a collective breath? What if we slowed down? What if we let go and made space to not just to pray, but to lament, fast, cry, grieve, and yes even get angry for a moment. God is big enough to hold all of our emotions, even the ones we would rather not feel. Our world has been rocked, and we are only beginning to see the ripples. Acknowledging these feelings and the loss does not mean we are without hope, it does not mean that we stop waiting for new life, renewal and resurrection. We can have both grief and hope. Before there is Easter, there is the pain of Good Friday, and the uncertainty of Holy Saturday.
This coming Holy Week will be different from anything any of us has experienced before, and maybe it is okay to let it be different. Maybe it is okay to let go, to be still, and let God come to us in the simplest of forms – the still small voice.
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ECCT Journeys through Stations of the Cross. Beginning Saturday, March 28, through Good Friday, individuals from every region of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, both clergy and laity, will be leading one of the 14 Stations of the Cross each day. In a time of physical distancing, we invite you to join us virtually and pray the stations along with us using the Book of Occasional Services. You can currently follow along on our social media and
YouTube channel here.
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Kindle the Flame: Send us your videos for an ECCT wide compilation! Whether it be striking a match, lighting your BBQ grill, turning on a light bulb or lighting a good old fashioned candle, ECCT invites you to "kindle a flame" and send in a short video of you doing so to include in an ECCT wide compilation video, to be premiered on Holy Week.
For more info click here. Please submit your video by April 6.
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See all updates, event statuses, and resources involving ECCT and the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) virus here:
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ZOOM Call for Clergy & Wardens with the Bishops Every Wednesday at 8:30 AM.
Clergy and wardens are welcome to join a conversation with our Bishops to discuss resources during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Zoom info on ECCT Home Page. Can't make the morning meeting? Record meetings available on the
ECCT webpage.
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Resources from the North Central Region
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NC Region Warden's Zoom Gathering. Tonight, March 31 @ 6 PM - This is an opportunity for Wardens to gather on Zoom for an informal conversation to ask questions, reflect, and share new ideas. We are all in this together! For Zoom info visit it our Region Website:
https://www.episcopalct.org/northcentral
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Do you have creative church signs out in front of your parish? Let's see them! Share to the
NC Region Facebook Group. Above is an example from Trinity, Portland. Nice sign, friends!
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DO YOU SEW? A letter from a nurse in our region who works at St. Francis Hospital:
"Sew face masks. Yes, there really is a shortage. I am working in it. We are being asked to keep our surgical and N95 masks for 3 shifts before throwing them out or sending them to be sterilized. The cloth face masks do NOT take the place of an N95 mask; they are NOT a barrier to covid 19. They can be used when caring for a non-covid patient which frees up resources for staff caring for a covid positive patient. There are tons of websites for patterns with elastics or ties. Here are 2 links for easy sewn masks with elastic.
www.skiptomylou.org/face-mask-pattern
www.sewgoodgoods.org/face-mask-covid-19
Please make sure the fabric is cotton and is pre-washed. Remember that the staff has to launder them daily in hot water. No need to use the flannel that these two patterns call for cotton is fine.
Completed masks can be dropped off at Trinity Episcopal Church, 55 River Rd, Collinsville, CT 06019. Middlesex Hospital is also collecting masks -
more info here
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Priscilla Hooper of St. James, West Hartford is offering
virtual KFC (Kids for Christ) program for young children, Sundays at 9 AM. If you and your family would like to join, email Priscilla for the zoom link and coloring pages to print at
education@stjameswh.org. Best suited for ages 3 to 10.
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Are you looking for children's formation?
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Is Your Parish Survey Up to Date?
One of the best ways for us to get in touch with parish leaders is through the contact information collected in the Parish Survey -
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Please be sure to
sign-up for ECCT eNews if you do not receive this communication. In this rapidly evolving situation it is the best way to get up to date info. from our Bishops and ECCT community.
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Communications for the North Central Region
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Join the
NC Region Facebook Group
, a community bulletin board for the region. This is your place to share parish/community events, photos, videos and more.
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Like and follow the
NC Region Facebook Page
. This is where the Leadership Team will post news of upcoming Region events, gatherings, conversations, resources, etc.
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If you want to know what your Region Missionary is up to, follow her
Facebook Page
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