Convocation Newsletter
(COVID-19 special edition #11)
May 29, 2020
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A Newsletter for Members and Friends of the Convocation of
Episcopal Churches in Europe
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Pentecost in a time of pandemic...
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The Day of Pentecost: Whitsunday
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
In Time of of Great Sickness and Mortality....
O most mighty and merciful God, in this time of grievous sickness, we flee unto thee for succor. Deliver us, we beseech thee, from our peril; give strength and skill to all those who minister to the sick; prosper the means made use of for their cure; and grant that, perceiving how frail and uncertain our life is, we may apply our hearts unto that heavenly wisdom which leadeth to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
.
(1928 BCP, 45)
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A Word from the Bishop: Pentecost
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When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place.
Pentecost
, the great feast of the church’s founding, comes on Sunday. It is always a liminal sort of festival; it comes in near proximity to the end of the school year, and at the threshold of the summer doldrums that beguile us away from our Sunday routine.
As a gathering of the church spread across seven countries and six languages, Pentecost for us is usually about the story of the disciples suddenly discovering their linguistic gifts. This year
the youth of the Convocation
have covered that base for us,
producing a
wonderful video
drawing on their many languages — even some not counted in our “official” languages.
This year, Pentecost almost seems a little too edgily ironic. That moment the church began with the visitation of the Spirit, one basic fact starts the whole story: the fact that, ten days after witnessing Jesus’s ascension to heaven, “the disciples were all together in one place.”
It’s a little poignant, not to say painful, to be reminded of that part of the story this year.
The one thing we cannot do is gather together in one place.
Even as we move back into the space of the church, some of us—for very good reasons—will continue to participate via a livestream of some kind. We know, and frequently assert, that the church is the people of the community and not the building in which they gather; but families need homes, and that space in which we gather to worship, however grand or humble it may be, is for us the expression of that long-ago room.
The organizing principle of the church is the faithful gathered for worship; and we feel shortchanged when this is denied to us, even when the reasons precluding our gathering are themselves an expression of Christian love. But we need to remember that the tongues of fire that shone forth the presence of the spirit lit up on people—and not on the building in which they were gathered.
No image could more clearly set before us the most important claim of Pentecost—that the church is made whenever and however faithful people seek each other out, by whatever means, to join in the praise of God and in service to the world after the pattern of Christ.
So on this day of all days, our task is not to gather in church—it is to
be
the church. It is to reach out to each other in affirmation and love, to gather in those who risk venturing into our virtual communities, to stop at nothing in working stay knit together as the Body of Christ, no matter where we are.
So, I’ll see you—either on the screen or at the appropriate social distance—in church!
Blessings,
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Youth Commission:
PENTECOST PROJECT 2020
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The Convocation Youth were invited to submit creative ideas for a project called “
Pentecost Project 2020
”, telling the story of
Pentecost
.
What a wonderful result:
a video featuring youth from throughout the Europe speaking the good news in the languages of our Convocation!
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A Conversation on Race, Film, and Reconciliation
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Wednesday, June 3
8:00 - 9:00 PM
“
A Long, Long Way: A Conversation on Race, Film, and Reconciliation with Greg Garrett
”
In this special weekday evening Zoom Cathedral Forum, author and
Cathedral Theologian in Residence Greg Garrett
discusses the issues raised in his new book
A Long, Long Way: Hollywood's Unfinished Journey from Racism to Reconciliation
(Oxford University Press, 2020). The book was largely written at the American Cathedral in Paris. Join Greg and parishioner Jocelyn Phelps for discussion about how story helps us have hard and holy conversations and films can lead us in the direction of reconciliation.
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Academy for Parish Leadership Online
June 5, 6, 20, and 27: Opening and Closing Plenaries
and Four Breakout Sessions
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EQUIPPING THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY; BUILDING UP THE BODY OF CHRIST
The
Academy for Parish Leadership
is a project of
The European Institute of Christian Studies
. Through APL, the Convocation seeks to deliver quality education to support lay leaders in all manner of leadership issues.
APL 2020 will be online: June 5, 6, 20, and 27
(Register for some or all of the six online sessions)
Registration and Information
here
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"Living Out the Holy: "
Engaged Spirituality for Concerned Christians
This edition of the
Academy for Parish Leadership
will offer a range of speakers and resources on four topics at the center of the Convocation’s work and witne,ss in the world:
- Refugees and Migrant
- Climate and Creation Care
- Racism and Reconciling the Beloved Community
- Youth and Children: The Church of Today
These four priorities were set at the 2019 Convocation Convention. See Bishop Edington's Address
here
Participants in
APL 2020
will have opportunities to explore more deeply a variety of these topics, and to benefit from the perspectives of speakers motivated by their faith commitments to engagement in activism and witness.
We will explore both the spiritual underpinnings of that engagement and concrete, practical steps that we and our parishes can take to live out that commitment in 21st-century Europe.
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APL 2020 is Online
Join us :
1) Friday, 5 June:
- 19.00-20.15 CET Plenary session. Opening remarks by Bishop Mark Edington, with an overview of the work of the Convocation's Task Forces and the presenters speaking during the weekends.
2) Saturday, 6 June:
- 10:00 Session 1: Refugees and Migrants
- 16:00: Session 2: Climate and Creation Care
3) Saturday, 20 June:
- 10:00 Session 3: Racism and Reconciling the Beloved Community
- 16:00 Session 4: Youth and Children
4) Saturday, 27 June:
- 10:00 a.m. Final plenary session, reporting back, next steps, worship.
Register for some or all of the six online sessions -
here
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The four online sessions will include speakers from within and outside of the Convocation
who are motivated by their faith commitments to engagement in activism and witness. We will have online breakout sessions to discuss and explore both the spiritual underpinnings and look at concrete, practical steps so that we can live out our commitment in 21st-Century Europe.
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Task Force on Migrants and Refugees:
Shari Brown
(Executive Secretary of the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe): As a dual national, Shari has enjoyed living in South Africa, Britain, Germany and now Belgium. She first experienced this transition in her teens when her father was banned by the South African Apartheid government and the family moved to the UK. Following German and Theology studies in Scotland, she had her first exposure to meeting refugees through Caritas in Stuttgart, Germany. She also spent time in Cape Town managing the Peace Education Programme of the Quaker Peace Centre. For many years, Shari coordinated the work of Restore, a project of Churches Together supporting refugees and asylum seekers in Birmingham, England. This involved raising awareness, befriending and advocacy. In 2018, Shari became the Executive Secretary of the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, based in Brussels.
As part of the 2019 Lambeth Awards, the Archbishop of Canterbury presented Shari with the Langton Award for Community Service for her contribution to the reception and integration of refugees.
She is a member of the Methodist Church, though more recently has been worshipping at the Episcopal Church in Waterloo.
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The Taskforce on Stewardship of Climate and Creation Care:
“Our speaker is
the Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus
who has served as the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California since 2006. Bishop Marc has a BSc in Plant Science, Master in Social Sciences and a Master of Divinity from the Virginia Theological Seminary. His leadership has focussed on key issues relating to immigration reform, health care and climate change. His work includes involvement in the
Paris UN Climate Conference (COP 21)
in 2015 and
Marrakesh in 2016 (COP 22)
. Together we will explore why Episcopalians should care about climate change and how parishes can help to lead a reversal of anthropogenic climate change.”
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Online Worship in the Convocation
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Online Worship Opportunities for Sundays and Weekdays
With most of our church buildings closed to public worship, many of our parishes and missions have moved their Sunday and weekday Worship online. Consider taking part in worship with your sisters and brothers in Christ across Europe.
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Chapel of Santa Maria a Ferrano Retreat Center
in Ferrano, Tuscany, Italy
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All times are (Central European Summer Time (CEST).
Worship on Sundays and during the week:
Sundays
Mondays
Tuesdays
Wednesdays
- American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Paris, FRANCE **
- 9:00 a.m. Morning prayer live-streamed - here
- Compline available each day on YouTube - here
- Christ the King, Frankfurt, GERMANY - link
- 19:00 Compline
- Emmanuel Church, Geneva, SWITZERLAND
- 12:30 p.m. Noonday Prayer - Link
- Resurrection, Orvieto, ITALY
- Morning Prayer at 9:30 a.m. (in Spanish)
- St. Augustine, Wiesbaden, GERMANY
- Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. "Word and Worship" - link
- St. James, Florence, ITALY
- Evening Prayer at 6:00 p.m.
- St. Paul's Within the Walls, Rome, ITALY
- Morning Prayer, Rite II at 12:00 Noon
Thursdays
Fridays
Saturdays
**
All live-streamed services are posted to the Cathedral
YouTube
and
Facebook
and may be accessed at any time.
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Congregational Plans for reopening churches
- see the Bishop and Council of Advice directives
on
Regathering the Church Prayerfully and Intentionally
here
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Convocation COVID-19 Webpage
Information in one place
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Convocation COVID-19 Response
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Please visit our
webpage
dedicated to our COVID-19 response, as well as other resources.
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Watch the Conversation with Dr. Radford
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“Covid, Community, and a
Changed Church”
A Conversation with the Reverend Professor Gina Radford
, Former Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and Team Vicar, Dart and Avon Mission Community, Diocese of Exeter (Church of England)
Few people are better qualified to speak to our present moment than Gina Radford. After qualifying in medicine at the Royal Free Hospital, Dr. Radford trained as a GP and became Director of Public Health in South West Devon. From there she became head of the Public Health Development Union at the Department of Health, where, among other things, she was responsible for the establishment of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. In 2013, she helped lead the UK’s national response to the emergence of Ebola, and in January of 2015 was appointed Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, a post she held until June of 2019.
A lifelong Christian, Dr. Radford was ordained to the priesthood in the Church of England in 2016. She now serves as Team Vicar for South Brent and Rattery in the Diocese of Exeter as Team Vicar.
View the
conversation
here
The forum took the form of a conversation between Professor Radford and Bishop Edington on Wednesday, May 13, with questions welcomed from registered participants.
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Grant Applications for 2021 Now Available!
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Grant Applications for 2021 Now Available!
The Finance Committee of the Convocation has decided to extend the deadline for applications for next year’s grants to May 31, 2020. Instructions to guide grant-writers may be found at
this link
, and the application form may be found at
this link
.
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Dear fellow Convocation Ministers and Wardens,
Alleluia, He is risen indeed! As we celebrate Easter this year we are more aware than ever of the importance and need for live music, dance and art outside of our own 4 walls. Our churches supply us not only with a building for worship, but a building full of art, whether it be church music, altars, windows, sculptures, performances and the list goes on.
I am writing today to remind you all that the
Whalon Fund for the Creative Arts (WFCA
) is now taking grant applications for 2021. Please see below for more information as well as links to our webpage, fund guidelines and application.
Please also forward this information to all your committee leaders that would be interested in this fund (Fine Arts committees, Vestries, Choir/Music directors, Sunday School teachers etc.).
We wish you a blessed Eastertide.
WFCA Committee
Parishes and missions in the Convocation are invited to submit grant proposals to support their work. Grants will be made for up to €500. Grant applications are due by
June 1, 2020.
LINKS
Fund Guidelines - see
here
Application form - download
here
If you would like more information or would like to give to the WFCA please see our
Webpage (click here)
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Upcoming Convocation Events
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Spring 2020
- May 31 Pentecost Project 2020 online Youth Event - link HERE
- May 31: Visitation at St. Paul's Within the Walls, Rome, Italy
- June 1-5: Bishops Meeting: "Living our Vows"
- June 6: Clergy Morning Prayer
- June 27: Ordination of Priests - Cathedral
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Fall 2020
- October 15-18: TEC-ELKB dialogue - Augsburg, Germany
- October 22-25: 2020 Convocation Convention in Nice, France
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A Message from the Presiding Bishop
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A useful resources from the Youth Commission:
FAITH AT HOME - RESOURCES FOR ALL AGES
-
DOWNLOAD
For more information on youth events and registration, please visit the Youth Ministry webpage
HERE
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About five years ago, Canon Jere Skipper began the work of expanding the Episcopal Asset Map to include our congregations and ministries in Europe to the church-wide resource.
All of the parishes, established missions, and other ministries are on the Asset Map. Much more information needs to be added. Please consider updating the Episcopal Asset Map entry for your church or ministry. If you need help contact the
archdeacon
.
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Convocation Communications Committee
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Trinité Magazine
Spring 2020 issue
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The Convocation Communications Committee (CCC) coordinates the communications of the Convocation. Special emphasis is given to Social Media, and close coordination with the parishes and missions of the Convocation. Existing modes of communication such as newsletters and the website are getting a facelift.
Members are: Thomas Girty (Paris), chair; Felicity Handford, Marc Smets-Tolley (both Waterloo), Walter Baer (Paris), Audrey Shankles (Wiesbaden), Helena Mbele-Mbong (Geneva), Maleah Rios (Rome) and Ellen Hampton (Paris), ex-officio. Others are being added.
The Convocation is now also featured with four pages in the cathedral's semi-annual publication
Trinité
, covering Convocation events.
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Did you miss Church?
Check out an on-line sermon:
See Bishop Edington's Sermon for Easter 2
-
here
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Other pulpits in the Convocation:
Check other congregational webpages
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A la radio : le Magazine Anglican
Le « Magazine Anglican », animé par Laurence Moachon, paroissienne de la Cathédrale de la Sainte Trinité à Paris.
À propos du Magazine Anglican :
Depuis septembre 2012, Laurence Moachon présente le 4e samedi du mois, le Magazine Anglican. Avec l’objectif de faire mieux connaître la tradition anglicane au public français, elle traite de sujets d’actualité culturelle, historique, liturgique ou ecclésiologique dans la Convocation et la Communion Anglicane.
ÉCOUTEZ OU TÉLÉCHARGEZ LE MAGAZINE ANGLICAN sur :
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Regarding Allegations of Clergy Sexual Abuse
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Important information on the lifting of the Statute of Limitation regarding clergy sexual abuse...
Let it be known that for three years in the Episcopal Church there is no statute of limitation on clergy sexual abuse. Every diocese has a confidential way to make a report. In Europe here is ours:
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Read the latest on what's going on in the wider church
and much more....
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"Go forth for God; go to the world in peace; be of good courage, armed with heavenly grace, in God's good Spirit daily to increase, till in his kingdom we behold his face."
Hymn 347 - Holy Eucharist; Music: Litton
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The Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe | 23 avenue George V, 75008 Paris, France
+33 (0) 1 53 23 84 06 | office@tec-europe.orgl | www.tec-europe.org
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