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Checking in: October 24, 2020 |
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Prayers for the Universal Church, its mission and its members |
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These prayers were a part of ECCT's Annual Convention Worship on October 18, 2020. They were compiled from the requests offered by different parishes with partnerships in the church around the world, and included pictures they have received.
Thanks to: Doug Barrett, St. Mark's, Mystic - St. Luc's School, Mercery, Haiti
Vianna McGougan and Barbara Loftus, Calvary, Stonington - CHAIN Foundation, Teammates for Life, Uganda
Grace Barnum, St. James', New London - Ecuador Centrale and Goma, Africa
Tony Custodio, St. John's, Essex -- the Diocese of Lebombo, Mozambique
arol Carlson, St. Ann's, Old Lyme - Marc Yves-Regis, Dominican Republic camp
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For Future BLT's: I'd love to hear stories especially from parishes who have not yet been represented...do you know who you are? (I do). Please be in touch and we can talk what and how! Don't hide your light under a bushel basket!
If you do have a video in mind, please: use the landscape rather than the portrait format (eg horizontal rather than vertical) and please ask for a "File Request" from me to be able to easily load a HD 720 resolution video to a Dropbox link. (If that sounds complicated, it's not really!)
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Connected to the Wider Body of Christ:
ECCT Annual Convention 2020
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Also, check out the report from the Young Adult Task Force, below.
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The Wider Body of Christ: the communion of the saints |
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This All Saints Day, we would like to lift up all who have died in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut due to COVID-19. We invite you to share the names of those from across ECCT, and/or the name of their relatives, who have died due to the virus.
The Cathedral for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut and our Cathedral Dean, the Very Rev. Lina Howell, will coordinate this pastoral outreach. Please send the names of those who have died from COVID-19 to our ECCT Cathedral at allsaints@cccathedral.org. We will work with Dean Lina and our ECCT Canon for Mission Communications and Media, Jasree Peralta, to offer a video liturgical resource remembering those we love who have died from COVID-19. The video may be used in your parish services on All Saints Day. Please send your names in by Sunday, October 25!
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A Community of Theological Imagination:
how might we engage with others in our country
so that God's way of love informs all that we do?
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VOTE AND THEN...
“From Pew to Public Square”
New resources for Episcopalians, Social Issues and Community Change
Taking up Presiding Bishop Curry's charge for Episcopal faith communities to live out our public witness and sacred values, From the Pew to the Public Square provides quick coaching in moral agency, discernment, and decision making for social and community social change.
#VoteFaithfully Toolkit
This a resource from The Episcopal Public Policy Network that offers prayers, scripture, tips for advocacy, and action steps for casting your vote and helping others vote as well. Check it out in English and Spanish.
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Being Disciples and Apostles: learning to be Anti-Racist |
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Building your Racial Justice library?
In solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement, ECCT has partnered with the Black owned Connecticut based Key Book Store as our main provider for print and digital educational text. USE SPECIAL CODE: (ECCT) at CHECKOUT FOR 15% OFF YOUR PURCHASE!
Need help discovering specific resources? Fill out this form to connect with Kelli Ray Gibson, our Racial Justice Resource Coordinator.
To learn more about the season and Ministry Network of Racial Healing, Justice, & Reconciliation, visit our website here.
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Forming Disciples and Apostles who offer hospitality for all |
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Deacon Ron Steed of Grace, Yantic and St. James', Preston, also works at the Homeless Hospitality Center in New London. He interviews Barbara Perkins of Saint Ann's, Old Lyme, about her volunteer work their, as well as her prayers and hopes.
Ron adds,
"Friends, if you want to share in the gritty, practical, front-line work of racial healing, consider volunteering at the New London Homeless Hospitality Center. NLHHC has a very diverse staff, and our guests are disproportionately Black and Brown. As a volunteer, you will share in the suffering and joy of our guests and be a witness to the suffering and resurrection of Christ in the world; you will be the hands and feet of Jesus in this place. Clergy might find that the NLHHC experience is enormously grounding and refreshing. Our COVID protocols are robust, but you should not volunteer if you have particular vulnerabilities. For more information, contact Deacon Ron Steed ronaldsteed@gmail.com, (860) 326-9576"
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Middlesex Habitat for Humanity
The new site at 382 Hammock Road North, Westbrook, will hold open volunteer days throughout the build, which will occur on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.
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Some stories of disciples and apostles
engaged in God's mission in our region
The Rev. Jana Branson as new Rector in St. David’s, Gales Ferry
New London houses of worship have a long history of activism, featuring the Rev. Ranjit Mathews of St. James and photos of past actions
St Ann’s Old Lyme had their blessing of the animals covered by The Day
NOTE: Yes, I subscribe to The Day, so this news is slanted in that direction geographically. Google Alerts sends me other news; IF YOU have been in the news, send me a link!
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ALSO: ECCT's Digital Storyteller is glad to share your stories. Please send an email to storytelling@episcopalct.org to be considered. Please keep it under 600 words (a Word Doc preferred) and any photos or images you'd like included.
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Forming disciples and apostles: fed by word and sacrament |
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Parenting in the Wilderness:
Monthly at 9:00 a.m.
ECCT invites you into a sacred space of compassion, grace, and fun, hoping to provide some support and fellowship to those of us struggling to make it all work, as we care for children. Gather with clergy and lay facilitators to hold one another up. Join the Zoom conversations here!
Please be sure your name in your Zoom “square” displays your name & your parish affiliation, so that we can safely be in conversation.
Upcoming leaders:
· Rebekah Hatch on November 12
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Discerning my path:
a new course offering
Discerning My Path is a course ECCT is developing in collaboration with other dioceses in Province I and Bexley Seabury Seminary. This course invites participants into a time of deep listening, practice of ancient and modern spiritual disciplines, and offering and receiving insight regarding individual gifts and passions — all within a brave/safe circle of trust. In addition to monthly online meetings in small groups, participants will engage spiritual reading, videos and articles on discernment, spiritual practices, and the ministry of the baptized. Our journey together will be enriched with activities for self-reflection, guided conversations with others, and exploration of our own contexts. Small groups meet monthly online at a time they schedule. Individual reading and reflection takes 2-3 hours per week. If you have been wondering what is next for you in your journey with God, this course is for you.
This opportunity is open to all the baptized in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. Scholarships and grants are available. For more information, contact Marcus Halley.
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Save the Date: Upcoming Discussion on Confirmation
Join Bishop Laura for a zoom call on October 29 at 3pm to share your ideas about confirmation in the coming year. Anyone who is leading confirmation classes and has ideas they would like to share, please join us as we create an opportunity for an hour to share resources and explore collaborations. In the meantime, feel free to watch this confirmation video put together by Bishop Laura for the Baptized for Life initiative Of the Episcopal Church.
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Forming Disciples and Apostles who care for creation |
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This Monday, weather permitting, we will meet at 67 Lord Hill Lane in Lyme and walk in Lord Creek Farm. Masks and distancing required; please email Rachel to let us know you're interested. |
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Preparing your garden for the winter will ensure that you have a healthy spring landscape next year. Join us for a 90 minute webinar on what you can do to put your garden to bed.
7:00 p.m.
Presenter: Judy Preston of Sea Grant
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Join us for a 90 minute webinar on how you can grow native wildflower from seed. This presentation will be Thursday, November 12 at 7:00 pm. All are welcome
Presenter: Jim Sirch
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Building Capacity as disciples and apostles:
our lives as leaders in parishes
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COVID impact on Parish Financials
(Q1 & Q2 Assessment)
ECCT is inviting each parish to participate with this online survey. This survey will serve to assist us in adequately assessing and preparing for how best to continue to assist you. Please visit the link below. All it takes is your quarterly statement and approximately 10-15 minutes of your time. Due by Friday, November 6th. We appreciate your participation.
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Wardens: November 9, 6:30 p.m.
Christian Formation folk: November 11, 4:30 p.m.
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Speaking of resources from the wider church:
Scholarships and grants available from the Episcopal Church
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Safe Church Training
Fall 2020:
All ECCT Safe Church Training (SCT) includes an online course followed by a 3-hour live session on Zoom. New online courses are designed to reflect whether you have previously participated in SCT, whether you currently have oversight responsibilities for events, programs or others engaged in ministry, and ministerial roles. This training is grounded in our call to seek and serve Christ in all persons and respect the dignity of every human being. It offers an opportunity to increase and enhance our ability to live out our Baptismal Covenant within our communities of faith and in the world beyond.
There is no fee to attend. Parish leaders are responsible for tracking attendance of laity who need to participate in SCT as specified in Appendix A of ECCT's Model Safe Church Policies. Registration for SCT is through Eventbrite. To register, click on one of the dates below for a live follow-up Zoom session. These sessions are limited to 20 participants and registration closes one week before the Zoom session or when capacity is reached, whichever comes first. Additional training sessions will be added as needed.
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Digital Office Hours with Jasree and Alli! Every Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm.
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Episcopal Warden Private Facebook Group
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Fed by Word and Sacraments:
Midweek opportunities for worship and study
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Sundays
Tuesdays
St. Stephen’s, East Haddam, 8:00 a.m.
St. Ann's, Old Lyme, 10:00 a.m. Morning Prayer via Zoom
St.John's, Essex, 8:30 p.m. Compline
Wednesdays
St.Mark’s, Mystic, 11:00 a.m. St. Mark’s Live - a grab bag of classes and conversations
St. Ann's, Old Lyme, 4:00 p.m. Prayers for the Season of Creation (outdoors in Memorial Garden; bring a cushion.)
Thursdays
Grace, Old Saybrook, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.: Zoom bible study of John's Gospel on 1st and 3rd Thursdays. Contact gracechurchrector@gmail.com for zoom link.
password 246835 Meeting ID: 662 330 272
One tap mobile +16465588656,,662330272# US (New York)
St. John's, Essex, 8:30 p.m.: Compline
Fridays
Deacon Ron Steed is hosting a weekly, guided healing-prayer meditation on Fridays at 8:00 am on zoom."I lead you into a safe and quiet space with silence and storytelling, then guide us through some healing prayer for whoever is on your heart.We should finish in about 30 minutes with a little time for reflection." Contact Ron for the link.
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STAY CONNECTED WITH SE REGION |
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