Dear Friends,
Last week when I met a friend for coffee, she showed up wearing a t-shirt she had gotten at an Ani DiFranco concert. It said, “The world owes me nothing. We owe each other the world.”
This is true for we who follow the way of Jesus, my friends. It’s language from a secular prophet: “We owe each other the world.” Ethics, from a Christian standpoint, are never just about me and mine; they are always about how we are turning toward God’s vision of shalom, of Beloved Community, for all. And, if you believe that we owe each other the world, then the next question is: How do you create the circumstances in which you can offer what you can, in the name of Jesus, for the life of the world?
As we begin this new program year/school year/fall season, it’s prime time to ask what you can do now to support your ministry for that long haul, God’s dream of wholeness. The first response I have to that question goes toward personal practices of prayer and wellness
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and, depending on how I’m doing that day, an according degree of eye-rolling about how nice it might be to have extra hours in the day for self-care. But, as one of the events we link to below reminds us, self-care is far from indulgent: It’s the fuel that lets us join in offering our gifts back to God. Solo and family practices that keep us well and connected to God are like sleep
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they are non-optional: you can go without them for a while, but the body and soul will exact their due eventually, with accrued interest.
Less evident is the wisdom from our tradition that there’s more fuel when we turn toward each other as sources of God’s love, wisdom, and passion. That’s one gift of gathering at the upcoming
ECMN Convention
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to come together as a network of faith communities and followers of Jesus, sharing wisdom that can undergird all we do for the next year. Likewise, we’ve packed this email with opportunities to find fuel for the Way of Jesus in community. Two blog posts, from the
Rev. Devon Anderson
and the
Rev. Peter Stebinger
, offer different ways the authors have turned toward a community to find support, new energy, and inspiration. You’ll find resources and media that offer a foundation for the heavy lifting that comes with putting your gifts into practice.
What can you do now to strengthen your ministry for the long haul? In the midst of ramping up for the fall, this question is well worth your loving attention. We hope the School for Formation’s workshops, online videos, and courses will be Good News for the sustained ministry you offer for the life of God’s beloved world.
In partnership,
The Rev. Susan Daughtry |
Missioner for Formation
Emilia Allen |
Missional Support
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There's no time like right now to lean into your faith
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exploring the questions that captivate you and honing your skills so you can put your gifts into action in the world. Our next courses begin on September 16, so don't delay!
Upon completion, receive a voucher for half off the cost of your next course.
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Register now for courses opening September 16
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Worship Leader Training: Video Resources
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These short video courses offer worship leader training for acolytes, lectors, lay eucharistic visitors, and more. Our partnership with ChurchNext means your faith community can access these resources at no cost.
Start here.
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Friday, September 13, 2-5pm
Bloomington
Renewal is now required every three years. We are providing a training opportunity at Convention for those who need it. Over 50% of the training content is new.
Click here to register today.
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Friday, October 4, 2019, 1pm – 4pm
ECMN Retreat Center in Faribault
This three-hour course covers the theology behind the canons of the Episcopal Church, with a deep dive into Title IV, the ecclesiastical discipline process. Students will learn what constitutes an offense under Title IV as well as how the disciplinary process works, including its’ impact on faith communities. Students will also cover mandated reporting.
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with the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry
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Find out about new options for Green Burial
- and read more for a secular take on how some people are reclaiming death as a part of life. This is a key part of our faith too; how are we bringing Good News to this conversation?
What does it mean to be a movement?
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"If this generation is truly lonelier, that’s concerning for a number of reasons: Research shows that loneliness tends to increase as we get older. What will happen to millennials, who are already reporting high levels of loneliness, when they reach old age?" What might this say about your faith community's part in God's mission?
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"After all, this is my work. I have to take full responsibility for doing it right as well as doing it wrong. Doing it wrong isn’t bad, but doing it wrong and thinking you’ve done it right is." - Toni Morrison
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This daily/liturgical planner includes the Lectionary, a rule of life, weekly examen pages, and more.
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Are you a clergy or spiritual leader who feels the call to a more just world? Are you able to engage and mobilize your spiritual community effectively in the healing of the world?
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Dakota Sacred Sites Tours
Healing Minnesota Stories and the Minnesota Council of Churches are excited to announce dates for open Dakota Sacred Site Tours. These tours visit sites in the Twin Cities sacred to the Dakota people. Participants will experientially learn about the history of our land in a way that facilitates healing. There's only one left, so sign up today!
September 29, 1:00pm - 5:00pm
St. Peter's Catholic Church, St. Paul
To register for this transformative experience, please contact Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs, Director of Racial Justice, at
jimbear.jacobs@mnchurches.org
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September 18 - 22, 2019,
Kanuga Retreat Center, NC
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Real self-care is anything but self-indulgent. Far too many of us dismiss its critical benefits, with lasting devastation to our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
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September 20 - 22, 2019
Bloomington, MN
With growing concern over the devastation of all forms of addiction, including the ever-increasing opioid crisis, the Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy (FRLC), in partnership with the Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church (RMEC), present this conference on addiction and faith to raise awareness of the terrible addiction problem we face and how the church and people of faith can help to address it.
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Casting a vision for progressive Christian faith formation:
October 13 - 15, 2019 | Buffalo, MN
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An Online Conference for the Intersection of Parenting and Progressive Faith
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Leading Well Learning Retreat
Refine your capacity to work effectively with staff and volunteers.
Explore your gifts, strengths, and values, and their implications for leadership. Practice what it means for you to live and lead well. Learn ways to interpret your ministry context. Take time for worship, prayer, rest, and fellowship.
More here.
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Do you participate in the CPG pension plan?
October 30 - 31, 2019
Chaska, MN
Planning for Wellness Conferences are designed to provide you with the information you need to set goals, create a financial plan, and to take practical steps - small steps you can fit into your life - to improve your health.
Find out more
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November 2-3, 2019
Minneapolis
Where is the Spirit at work in this world? How do we act in ways that challenge injustice while being rooted in the presence of God?
More here.
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Rooted in Jesus
January 21 - 24, 2020
Atlanta, GA
It’s time for the Episcopal Church to come together as disciples of Jesus and take a bold new step into the next decade. Let’s spend four days together, talking about discipleship, leadership, evangelism, formation, preaching, and much more—so we can go out and be the Body of Christ. Together, we are stronger.
Find out more
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Sewanee Ministry Collaborative
A program that will create mutual mentoring groups for clergy, focusing on contexts where mentorship is known to be especially important—Latinx/Hispanic ministries; Black ministries; rural ministries; and for clergy trained in non-traditional theological education programs, with a special focus on women across all four groups.
Click here to apply.
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Small group facilitation guide & curriculum
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Share what's on your reading, podcast, or viewing list!
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