Highlights of this edition:
- Opening Prayer
- Big Provincial Gathering!!!
- Clergy Spouse Network
- Conversatión de líderes hispano
- Christmas at Sea
- Prophetic Voices Podcast
- Episcopal Service Corps Application
- Suicide Prevention Announcement
- Leadership Coaching Project
- Constable Grant details
- Network Information and Details
- Affiliated Organizations Information and Details
Grants and Scholarships:
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Province V Network Initiative Grants are available.
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Province V Scholarships for conferences and trainings are available.
The January 2022 edition of this newsletter will be published on January 3.
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Advent Prayer
Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day,
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!'
Amen.
- Henri J.M. Nouwen
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Big Provincial Gathering
April 29, 12 pm ET -
April 30, 2022, 1 pm ET
South Bend, Indiana
Registration opens on January 3, 2022
A link to hotels will also open on January 3, 2022.
Please book with our link so that we receive credit for your stay!
Nomination information
NEW POSITION:
Call for an election by Bishop Mark Hollingsworth, President, Province V Executive Board:
Province V Clergy Representative to the Executive Council of General Convention
As a consequence of the Rev. Mathew Cowden’s election to the episcopate in the Diocese of West Virginia, we will elect a new clergy representative to Executive Council to fulfill his unexpired term. Nominations are now open for candidates interested in serving for two years immediately following the 80th General Convention (2022) and concluding at the close of the 82nd General Convention (2024). This representative will be permitted to run again for a full, six-year term in 2024.
This representative will serve on Executive Council of the General Convention and as a member of the Province V Executive Board.
Nominators for this position must be the Bishop or a Synod Deputy.
Nominations are due by February 1, 2022.
See full description here.
Online nomination form is at the bottom of this page here.
LAST DAY:
Province V Lay Representative to the Executive Council of General Convention
Nominations close on December 1, 2021
See full description here.
Online nomination form is at the bottom of this page here.
This representative will serve on Executive Council of the General Convention and as a member of the Province V Executive Board. The term will run from the close of the 80th General Convention until the close of the 82nd General Convention.
Province V Executive Board Officers
Nominations close on February 28, 2022
See full description here.
Online nomination form is at the bottom of this page here.
Officers will serve from the close of Synod 2022 until the close of Synod 2024. (A shorted term because of the delay of gathering.)
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Thank you to these Big Provincial Gathering sponsors!
The Big Provincial Gathering will be offered at an affordable registration cost
because of their generosity and support!
Please visit their websites to learn more about each of them
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And now, a word from our sponsors!
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from Church Publishing, Inc: (CPG)
Hot Off The Press!
The Rule of St. Benedict offers a rich opportunity to explore a grounded devotional practice, and this book’s fresh perspective will bring the Rule into your daily life.
Praying with Saint Benedict was written for the thousands of lay Christians who are drawn to the Rule of St. Benedict and desire to incorporate it into their daily devotional practice. Those who study the Rule aspire to apply the Benedictine values of community, hospitality, humility, simplicity, and prayer in their daily lives.
“A graceful and accessible way to encounter the timeless wisdom of the Rule of Benedict in the company of a prayerful companion and experienced guide. This magnificent book works like a devotional where you can bring your present-day life into conversation with this ancient text and let it shape and nurture you. I recommend it to anyone who is serious about growing toward spiritual maturity and wholeness.”
—Johnny Sears, Director of the Academy for Spiritual Formation at the Upper Room
*As a Bookshop Affiliate, Church Publishing Incorporated earns from qualifying purchases.
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If you are associated with an organization that might like to sponsor the Big Provincial Gathering, contact Heather via email or call 989-413-3229.
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Please share this information with everyone you know!
En Español - Bajar un .pdf de este archivo para imprimir y compartir.
Save the images below to use in your publications.
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NEW NETWORK!
Date of first meeting will be held Monday Jan 10, 6pm CT/ 7 pm ET
A network for lay spouses, of currently serving Episcopal clergy, focused on developing a community that connects and supports each other through our shared experiences as clergy spouses. Creating both local and cross-diocesan networks that engage our commonalities, struggles and triumphs across gender, orientation, ethnicity, age and religious identity as we live the life of a clergy spouse. Our space is confidential and our hope is through building a wellness oriented community we can reduce the isolation and strengthen our support networks. Come for shared stories, come for advice, come for laughs, come for wellness, come for a community that will lift you up.
We hope to meet in person in April at the BPG in Indianapolis. Registration for that event will open in January- watch this space!
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Conversatión de líderes hispano
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Mi nombre es Pedro Lara, soy un sacerdote de la Diócesis de Milwaukee, estoy ayudando a Heather Barta+ quien es nuestra coordinadora para nuestra provincia, a reunir a los líderes hispanos en nuestra provincia. El objetivo es que a medida que nos preparamos para nuestro Gran Encuentro Provincial el próximo año sea tener una representación más diversa de nuestra provincia. Parte de eso implica la posibilidad de tener un taller de español que puede estar disponible el próximo año.
Se me ha pedido que reúna a los líderes hispanos de nuestra provincia para tener una conversación. Así que me gustaría invitarlos a todos a una reunión para tener esa conversación y espero que muchos de ustedes puedan hacerlo.
La reunión será a las 5:00 pm el 9 de diciembre por zoom. ¡Espero verlos ese dia!
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My name is Pedro Lara, I am a priest out of the Diocese of Milwaukee, and I am excited to be helping out Heather Barta+ who is our coordinator for our province in gathering the hispanic leadership in our province together. Part of that involves the possibility of having a Spanish workshop that can be available next year.
I have been asked to gather the hispanic leaders of our province to have a conversation. So I would like to invite you all to a meeting to have that conversation and I hope as many of you can make it.
The meeting will be Dec. 9 at 5pm CT / 6 pm ET by zoom. I am looking forward to meeting all of you!
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Christmas at Sea
Ditty Bags: Start making your donations to bring to the BPG!
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Ditty bags are used as gift bags for the Christmas at Sea seafarer’s presents. Made of a light washable cloth with drawstrings, ditty bags are approximately 12” by 15”. Depending on its width, a yard of fabric can make between 3 and 5 bags. It also takes a pair of 30” shoelaces, or 2-30” lengths of twill tape or cording. Each ditty bag is packed with 2 knit or crochet items, several non-perishable snacks, some travel size toiletries, and a Christmas card.
According to Joanne Bartosik, CAS Senior Manager, each year 5,000 ditty bags are needed, but they always fall short, sometimes by as much as 70%! (This year, 2021, they needed an additional 1,500 bags.) Joanne purchases paper gift bags to use, but reports that the seafarers are disappointed to not receive a cloth ditty bag.
Wouldn't it be great if Province V could remedy this problem for next year? Making ditty bags would be a great assembly-line project for a group of parishioners to make together. The material doesn’t have to be Christmas-themed. It would be a great use for material left over from our mask-making marathons at the beginning of the pandemic. Instructions for making ditty bags may be found here.
CAS also needs Christmas cards donated. What a fun project for a Sunday School class--young or old--to make Christmas cards—but no glitter please! Joanne tells me that when they visit the ships, mariners display their cherished CAS cards in their bunks, and remember the name of the person who made their handmade presents.
Please consider making either (or both!) to bring for the Big Provincial Gathering in April. After being blessed, Province V will send all items to Christmas at Sea.
Happy hand working! If you have any questions, please email me at CAS@ednin.org
-Beth Hall, CAS Designer & Crochet Angel
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"Prophetic Voices" Podcast
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Across our church and our society, we are having profound dialogues about race, truth, justice, and healing. Prophetic Voices: Preaching and Teaching Beloved Community explores where that dialogue intersects with our faith. Join us and our invited guests as we share prophetic voices and explore the lectionary through the lens of social justice.You’ll hear ancient texts interpreted in new ways, find fodder for preaching and teaching, and make present-day connections to the prophetic voices of the Bible. This podcast will help us rethink how we hear, see, and interact with the lectionary readings throughout the liturgical year.
GO LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST!!! Amazing insights and always ready to go for those of us who prepare (or at least start preparing) early. - The Rev. Heather Barta
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ESC seeks applicants for 2022-23 service year
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The Episcopal Church invites young leaders ages 21 to 32 interested in a transformative outreach and discernment experience to consider applying to the Episcopal Service Corps for its 2022-23 service year.
“Our core values are service, prayer, justice, vocation, community, and leadership,” said Wendy Johnson, manager of the Episcopal Service Corps network for The Episcopal Church. “These values shape and inform every aspect of a service year, and they are what set us apart from other post-graduate options.”
The service year structure helps guide many participants as they discern their next steps vocationally and spiritually. Many Corps members move into positions of leadership within their churches, the wider Episcopal Church, and community organizations.
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The Happy Holidays Are Not Always So Happy
A message from the Suicide Prevention Network
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There is tremendous pressure, beginning with Halloween and lasting all the way to New Year’s Day, to be upbeat and celebratory. One celebration runs into the next and society expects us to continually produce frivolity, family closeness, and warmth. These expectations put even more pressure on those who are experiencing loss, stress, loneliness, sadness, depression, economic difficulty, relational disjointedness, etc. It is not surprising that the holidays are times when many people make the decision to end their lives by suicide.
We in the church have so many opportunities to be a counterbalance to society’s expectations by offering venues for real talk and liturgies to name and hold the pain. We can preach about desperation in conjunction with the God of Hope and the incarnation. We can pray for those in distress.
In recent years, the practice of holding a Blue Christmas Service has gained popularity. Close to Christmas, a congregation can gather to name the pain of life, to sink into holy silence and holding, to invite everyone into their humanity.
First Step: Hold, or attend, a Blue Christmas Service.
Invitation: please join us on the second Thursday of December at 2pm EST.
Remember to share this number widely:
Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741741
The Suicide Prevention Network meets monthly. Find out how to join in at this page.
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Coaching is not what you think it is!!!
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Leadership Coaching can change your world.
This is not about sports. It's not about telling you what to do. Coaching is about YOU. Giving YOU space to talk through your challenges in a safe space. Giving you time to create plans and test out ideas. You are creative, resourceful, and whole. A coach asks questions to help you uncover your own knowledge and create a plan.
This is a note from our trainers:
We trust you are figuring a way forward during this unusual time in the church. Over the last year, this one thing has become increasingly clear--Deeply contextual coaching is going to be the most helpful way to assist clergy and their congregations as we move through this Covid hangover and also toward a more inclusive and just church.
The help churches need will not be found in the latest shiny program, or someone's new book with advice. The way ahead for each congregation must be highly contextual and carefully carved out of the collective wisdom and experience of each congregation's leadership.
- Chris Holmes and George Howard, Nov. 17, 2021
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We are here to support you!
Coaches are available to ALL leaders – clergy and lay. You can be coached individually, create a group of people, or bring a team together for creating shared goals and plans. Any of them will offer an introductory session so you can together discern if you are a good fit. If you work in a rural area, you might qualify for free coaching. Find out more and explore coaching with a trained leadership coach!
For information on LCP Coach training or to discuss Coaching by one of the LCP Trained Coaches, visit this website or contact Province V Coordinator Heather Barta at provincevcoordinator@gmail.com or (989) 413-3229.
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Applications are due by 12/1/21 to the provincial office for review. Email Heather.
The Constable Fund provides grants to fund mission initiatives that were not provided for within the budget of The Episcopal Church as approved by General Convention 2018, with a stated preference for work in the area of religious education. Read about the details and view the application.
The process in Province V:
- Prepare your grant request in a word processing document, following the application form
- Submit your request to the Provincial office by December 1, 2021
- The Grant Review Committee will consider all applications and choose one to be submitted.
- All applicants will be informed of the status of their application by December 9, 2021. The Provincial Coordinator and chosen applicant will work together to submit by the December 12, 2021 deadline.
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Networking Conversations
Province V's work in the world is to "Connect. Network. Support." Networks exist for people to gather around areas of interest and share resources with each other. Sometimes, networks host webinars to share information and sometimes they develop new resources to support leaders in their local contexts.
There are a number of networks meeting regularly and several that are just getting organized. Most network meetings last about 60 minutes. See their webpages or email their contact for more information.
For a full list of Networks and other Affiliated Organizations, visit the Province V website.
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Anti-Human Trafficking
Date of next meeting: Feb 8, 2022, 6:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm CT
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Archivists
Date of next meeting: TBD, 11 am E / 10 am C
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Clergy Spouses
NEW NETWORK!
Date of next meeting: Jan 10, 2022, 6pm CT/ 7 pm ET
Zoom link
A network for lay spouses, of currently serving Episcopal clergy, focused on developing a community that connects and supports each other through our shared experiences as clergy spouses. Creating both local and cross-diocesan networks that engage our commonalities, struggles and triumphs across gender, orientation, ethnicity, age and religious identity as we live the life of a clergy spouse. Our space is confidential and our hope is through building a wellness oriented community we can reduce the isolation and strengthen our support networks. Come for shared stories, come for advice, come for laughs, come for wellness, come for a community that will lift you up.
We hope to meet in person in April at the BPG in Indianapolis. Registration for that event will open in January- watch this space!
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Creation Care
Date of next meeting: Dec 6, 11 am E / 10 am C
The theme of the UTO Grants for 2022 is Creation Care and the grant deadline is approaching! More information and grant application is here.
The Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee is forming a Creation Care Commission! If you are a member in the diocese and interesting in joining, contact Please contact The Rev. Gregg Schneider, Deacon at St. Paul’s in Beloit, by email at deacongregg.stpauls@gmail.com
From Christ Episcopal Church, Rolla, MO
Creation Care Ministry Movie Group: The Biggest Little Farm. Wednesday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m. Zoom
The Biggest Little Farm is a documentary about a couple who moves from L.A. into the countryside to build one of the most diverse farms of its kind in complete coexistence with nature.
Watch the movie on your own, then join the discussion on December 1. More info on where find the movie and register for the zoom discussion here.
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Dismantling Racism
Date of next meeting: Jan 19, 2022, 11 am E / 10 am C
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Episcopal Network for Economic Justice
Date of the next meeting: Dec 13, 6:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm CT (every 2nd Tuesday)
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Lay-Led Congregations
Date of next meeting: Jan 15, 2022, 11 am E / 10 am C
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Migration Ministries
Date of next meeting: Jan 20, 8 pm ET / 7 pm CT
(no Dec meeting)
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Ministry in Resort Communities
Date of next meeting: Dec 14, 11 a E / 10 am C
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Prison / Jail Ministry
This network is still in formation. If you're interested in joining, please email Aaron.
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Public Theology
Date of next meeting: Events are being planned now! (Look for these to begin later this year on the 3rd Mondays of the month)
If you are interested in being part of the planning task force, please contact Marcia Ledford. This task force will plan the events that are presented during the network time.
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Recovery Ministries
Date of next meeting: Jan 11, 2022, 4 pm ET / 3 pm CT
We are off to a good start! The group that met during our first meeting started to develop a workshop for the Big Provincial Gathering. It is our belief that The Episcopal Church has too long ignored alcohol and drug abuse by its clergy, and has failed to provide spiritual resources or nourishment to both ordained and laity seeking recovery.
Alcoholism and addiction are life-and-death issues, and we are hoping to effect change in the culture that would help us all have the life Jesus came to give us: life abundant!
Come join us for our next meeting on January 11, 2022!
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Suicide Prevention
Date of next meeting: Dec 9, 2 pm E / 1 pm C
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Young Adult / Campus Ministry
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Save the date for the Young Adult / Campus Ministry retreat!
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Affiliated Organizations
There are a number of organizations affiliated with the Episcopal Church and working across Province V. This groups have a "structure" that is more organized than a network. They have resources and information that is useful in your local ministry contexts.
For a full list of Networks and other Affiliated Organizations, visit the Province V website.
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The Brotherhood of St. Andrew
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Episcopal Peace Fellowship
Peacebuilding Online Project, Dec 5, 2021, 4 pm ET / 3 pm CT
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Episcopal Relief and Development
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The Order of the Daughters of the King, Inc. (TM)
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Union of Black Episcopalians
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United Thank Offering
Your ingathering due date is TODAY! Please send funds so that they can be included in 2022 grants.
NOTE THE DEADLINES
If sending your donations via mail:
please get them in the mail by December 1, 2021 due to the USPS slowdown.
The United Thank Offering
DFMS – Protestant Episcopal Church
PO Box 958983
St. Louis, MO 63195-8983
If donating online:
to ensure it is counted in 2021, please donate by December 15, 2021.
Text to give: INGATHER to 41444
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Upcoming Events and webinars
Check out the following resources:
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In-person Mediation Training at Lombard Mennonite Peace Center in 2022. Registration is open for all five sessions scheduled for next year: March 14-18 (online), May 9-13 (online), June 13-17 (in person in Fort Mill, SC), August 1-5 (in person in the Chicago area), and November 14-18 (in person, location TBD). Once we have finalized arrangements with the host churches, we will post the sites at https://lmpeacecenter.org/.
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Contemplative Renewal through the Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal (ECCSR). Applications for the 2022 Cohort will be accepted until January 31, 2022.
- Center for Religion and the Environment
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Church Next - They offer a wide variety of courses.
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Bexley-Seabury Seminary Federation - several upcoming webinars, affinity groups, and courses
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Virginia Theological Seminary - several upcoming webinars
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You can also see all of their past seminars on their YouTube Channel.
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My Work to Do - a purposeful space for white people to come and learn, listen, reflect and build capacity and stamina to have conversations about race and racism.
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Province V Executive Board
Do you have questions about Province V? Would you like to be more involved in planning the events that are offered at the provincial level? The Executive Board of the Province meets monthly on fourth Fridays at 10 am via zoom.
The Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, Ohio, President
Canon Jane Cisluycis, Vice President
Ms. Adrienne Dillon, Missouri, Secretary
The Rev. Courtney Reid, Chicago, Treasurer
Canon Jane Cisluycis, Executive Council Representative
The Rev. Matthew Cowden, Executive Council Representative
Ms. Laura Jackson, Chicago
Ms. Katie Forsyth, Eastern Michigan
(The Rev. Aaron Zook), Eau Claire
Mr. David Annis, Fond du Lac
Ms. Lesley MacKellar, Indianapolis
Dr. Edie Wakevainen, Michigan
The Rev. Matthew Buterbaugh, Milwaukee
Ms. Betty Bowersox, Missouri
Mr. Christopher Hillak, Northern Indiana
Mr. Rick Stanitis, Northern Michigan
The Rev. Aaron Gerlach, Ohio
Mr. Edward Lasseigne, Southern Ohio
Ms. Jan Goossens, Springfield
The Rev. Joel Turmo, Western Michigan
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Connecting...
Share this newsletter! Forward to your friends and colleagues, or have them visit this site to sign up for themselves. (There is a link at the bottom of the provincev.org homepage, also.)
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