Dear Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Central PA,

Scroll to find news, helpful reminders, upcoming Shaped by Faith Meeting dates, and diocesan events.
News & Reminders
Follow along with our Lenten reflection series!
Each day in Lent we are publishing a reflection written by a member of our diocese. These short meditations focus on key themes in the mission of Shaped by Faith -- Discovery, Experiment, Collaboration, Creativity, Change, and Faith. We hope that these meditations will help you dive deeper into your own Lenten journeys and into the community of participants in this diocesan initiative. You can find these meditations on our Instagram and Facebook pages and on the diocesan website.
Would you like to appear
in a "Traveling the Way
of Love" movie? Volunteer with us! 
The Communications Office from The Episcopal Church will be coming to film our diocese for their Traveling the Way of Love Series. On Wednesday, March 18 from 4:00-5:00 p.m., we will be doing road-side blessings along Front Street. We will be holding up signs with encouraging words on them so we can bless people right where they are—sitting in traffic! We will also be handing out refreshments to pedestrians who walk by and making them feel welcome. We need 10 friendly volunteers to hold signs and help give out refreshments. To sign up, email Faith Neece at fneece@diocesecpa.org
General Convention is coming to Baltimore in Province III in 2021

The Diocese of Maryland is hosting General Convention from June 30 to July 9, 2021. If you are interested in volunteering, you can sign up   here.
Celebration of the Feast of the Blessed Absalom Jones

On Saturday, February 29, 2020, the Bishop Nathan Baxter Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians, the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, and the St. Stephen’s Cathedral and School partnered together for a Celebration of the Feast of the Blessed Absalom Jones, the first African American Episcopal priest and founder of the first black Episcopal Church. The cathedral welcomed guests from The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, Philadelphia, the church Absalom Jones founded. Read more here.
Upcoming Meetings
Mar. 21, Northern Tier Convocation , Meeting #5
Mar. 22, Susquehanna Convocation , Meeting # 4
Shaped by Faith Event
Saturday, May 30
Rooted in God: Sharing Our Stories
Featuring Keynote Speaker Diana Butler Bass
Camp Mount Luther

EVERYONE in the diocese is invited to join us on Saturday, May 30, at Camp Mt. Luther for a special Shaped by Faith event, Rooted in God: Sharing Our Stories.
The event will include a keynote speaker and workshops on ways to celebrate your parish's stories. We will also gather under a "big tent" with music and intergenerational events (all ages welcome!) 

There will be no charge for this event. To register, click here. To download the flyer, click here.
If you would like to join in this initiative or for questions, please contact The Rev. Canon Chris Streeter, Canon for Mission Development & Innovation, cstreeter@diocesecpa.org or 717-236-5959, ext. 1115.
Events
March 10
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
St. John's, Carlisle

Join St. John's Carlisle for a conversation on financial stewardship. Learn how one church increased pledging by 20% in one year, welcomed 28 new pledging households, and increased their average pledge from $2500 to $2660.
This event will be on Tuesday, March 10th from 10:00-3:00. The program is free, but donations to the roofing campaign are welcome. To register, contact priest@stjohnscarlisle.org
Saturday, March 14
9:00 AM – 3:00 p.m.
Imagine the Possibilities
Fundraising Workshop
St. Andrew’s in the Valley, Harrisburg

This fun, fast-paced day featuring Lori Jacobwith from Ignited Fundraising will be filled with opportunities to learn tools to help catapult fundraising and exponentially raise awareness of your organization's mission and purpose. Register here.
 To download the flyer, click here.
Monday, March 16
6 - 8 p.m.
Metropolitan Community Church of the Spirit
2973 Jefferson Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110

Learn about the history of solitary confinement, its uses and effects, and strategies for advocating against the practice. Hear from returning citizens about their lives during and after incarceration. Participate in interactive exercises designed to build community and spark conversation.

Light refreshments will be provided. Register here.
March 21
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Prepare Enrich Workshop
St. Stephen's Cathedral, Harrisburg

Training to become a PREPARE-ENRICH counseling facilitator by the Rev. Dr. Allison St. Louis, Licensed Psychologist and Episcopal Priest.
To register, send name and e-mail address to asl926@yahoo.com .

To download the flyer, click here.
March 27 - 28
The Path Between Us: Enneagram Conference with Suzanne Stabile
Parish Resource Center

Want to learn about the Enneagram?

Learn from author Suzanne Stabile through the Parish Resource Center on March 27-28.  Click here for more information.
Mar. 31, 11 a.m.
Clergy Renewal
of Vows Service
St. John's, Bellefonte

We will hold one Renewal of Vows Service the Tuesday BEFORE Holy Week.

This year, we are doing something different, and all clergy are invited to attend one service at St. John's, Bellefonte, at 11 a.m. on March 31. Bishop Scanlan will be preaching. Luncheon and a program to follow. Clergy to vest in cassock, surplice, and red stole.

There is no charge for this event, but we need all persons to RSVP by no later than 3/20/20. To RSVP, click here.
Saturday, April 25,
10 AM - 3 p.m.
The Way of Love:
Wholehearted Worship
St. Thomas, Lancaster

The Rev. Callie E. Swanlund , creator of the How2charist: Digital Instructed Eucharist and Certified Daring Way Facilitator, will guide us through a day of nourishing our hearts and engaging our senses in the rich beauty of Episcopal worship. How2charist is a film that deepens our experience of the liturgy and invites others into the Episcopal Church
 
The cost is  $10.00 per person or $15.00 per family. To register,  click here .
May 1 & 2
SSFM Learning Weekend
St. Cyril Center
All are invited to attend the next SSFM learning weekend, where you will learn ways to embrace the gifts of life and ministry to meet challenges in a time of fear, anxiety and change. 

For those who attended in February we are going deeper into the understanding of systems, anxiety and change.  We welcome back The Rev. Dr. Gina Campbell and Dr. Deirdre Good who will engage us in Biblical texts and System theory. For more information, click here.
Save the date
May 4, 2020
Star Wars Mass
St. Stephen's Cathedral, Harrisburg


May the force (or fourth!) be with you.


For more information, visit www.ststep.org
Godly Play Training
Saturday, May 16
St. Luke's, Lebanon
Looking for ways to nurture the spiritual dimension of children's lives?

Our training focus is to Engage God's Playful Word: Parables and Honoring the Spirituality of the Child. We will begin at 8:30 AM and end at 5:00. This module is one of 3, and modules may be attended in any order or location. Participation in each of the three results in a Core Training Certification. 
Lunch is included in your registration, and our trainer will be Dawn Stewart. 
Click here to register.
Diocesan Migration Ministry Resources Vigil
Sunday, May 17
3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Shut Down Berks Coalition is a group of faith-based and immigrants’ rights groups seeking to close the Leesport, Pa. facility. The Berks County Detention Center (BCRC) is entering its sixth year in operation as an immigrant family prison.

Diocesan Migration Ministry Resources is organizing a vigil among Episcopal parishes to show our opposition for keeping immigrant families imprisoned at the Detention Center. Contact Fred Hartman, (717) 838-5377 or email.
Shaped by Faith
Clergy Conference
May 18 - 20

This year, Clergy Conference will be held at the Wyndham Resort and Convention Center, Lancaster. Please mark your calendars and save the date.


To register, click here.


For questions regarding Clergy Conference, please contact Faith Neece, fneece@diocesecpa.org
Spring Convocation Meetings

  • Tuesday, June 9, 6 – 8 p.m., Harrisburg Convocation, All Saint's Hershey
  • Wednesday, June 10, 6 – 8 p.m., Lancaster Convocation, St. Thomas, Dinner at 5:15 p.m., Meeting at 6 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 11, 6 – 8 p.m., Susquehanna Convocation, St. Paul's, Bloomsburg
  • Tuesday, June 16, 6 – 8 p.m., Northern Tier Convocation, Meeting Location TBD.
  • Thursday, June 18, 6 – 8 p.m., Altoona Convocation, Holy Trinity, Holidaysburg
  • Tuesday, June 23, 6 – 8 p.m. West Branch Convocation, Christ Church, Williamsport
  • Wednesday, June 24, 6 – 8 p.m., Southern Convocation, All Saints, Hanover
Save the Date
Saturday, June 20
Bus Trip to
Washington DC
Poor People's Campaign
The Mass Poor People’s Assembly and Moral March on Washington will be a generationally transformative gathering on June 20, 2020 at the US Capitol in Washington DC. 
We are marching to Washington DC from across the nation to demonstrate the collective power of poor and low-wealth people.
More information to follow, but please " Save the Date. "

To read more about the Moral March, click here.
REUNION
Hike and Lunch
Saturday, June 27
Join us on Saturday, June 27th for an Appalachian Camino Reunion Hike and Lunch.

All those who hiked this past summer are specially invited, but this event will be open to everyone. 

Check back for more details to be released soon.
Annual Diocesan Convention
Saturday, October 17
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Trinity Pro-Cathedral, Williamsport

Parishes, please submit your Parish Annual Meeting dates  as well as filing  Lay Delegates to Convention and  Church/Vestry Leadership  forms online.

Electronically submit the date of your  Parish Annual Meeting Date   by March 15 . To submit the date of the annual meeting, click  here. Once your parish has held its Annual Meeting, please submit the following documents.
Lay Delegate Form.  To submit, click  here.
Church/Vestry Leadership Form.  To submit, click  here.
All submissions are due no later than April 14 . 
 For questions, contact Canon Alexis Guszick   or call (717) 236-5959 x1108.
March 27-29
Middle School
Retreat
Camp Mount Luther
 
This event begins at 7 p.m. on March 27 and ends at 1 p.m. on the 29th and is open to all children in grades 7 – 8. Our theme this year is Narnia. Aslan is on the Move! A program based on The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. This retreat helps participants explore the deep power of faith and belief through a fantasy experience. The cost is $50.00 for teen leaders and $100.00 for youth. Register here .
EYE2020
July 6 - 10

All senior high youth are invited to attend this opportunity to meet people from all over the world, worship with amazing music, speakers, and preachers, and take part in activities designed for you. 
Our diocesan delegation includes Mary Ellen Kilp and our Bishop, Audrey Scanlan.
For more information,  click here.   To register,  click here . For information, contact  Dean Robyn Szoke-Coolidge .
July 19-24, 2020
Celebrating Camp Sunday & Preparing for Summer Camp at Camp Mt. Luther

The diocese of Central PA is partnering with the Upper Susquehanna Synod and creating a brand new camp experience for juniors (completed Grades 3-5), and intermediates (completed Grades 6-8). We’re borrowing some of Mount Luther’s program ideas from our ecumenical friends and some collaborative ideas from the Episcopal Camp and Conference Center to create this new camp. Stay tuned for more information!
For more diocesan youth information, please visit https://diocesecpa.org/youth/