Convocation Newsletter
(COVID-19 special edition #10)
May 22, 2020
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A Newsletter for Members and Friends of the Convocation of
Episcopal Churches in Europe
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Ascensiontide in a time of pandemic...
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Seventh Sunday of Easter: The Sunday after Ascension Day
O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting.
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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Image of the ascending Christ with only his wounded feet visible (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy), baroque period
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Earth and Altar
Q. Is God’s activity limited to these rites?
A. God [is not limited] to these rites; they are patterns of countless ways by which God uses material things to reach out to us.
(An Outline of the Faith [“The Cathecism”], BCP, p. 861
We are going back to church. Slowly. Carefully
.
Maybe a little fearfully.
But we are going back; the lockdowns are easing, the doors are opening, the rules are being worked out.
Even so, it will not be the same, and we will do ourselves a great disservice if we go back determined to make it the same that it was. A great idea of what profit we realize from these past months of isolation and estrangement from each other and our empty churches is a matter of our choice—and that, in turn, is a matter of spiritual discipline.
Considerable debate has erupted in some quarters of the church over the past few weeks—much of it hard to reconcile with the minimum standard of respect expected of Christian discourse—about restrictions being placed by the church on the practice of “virtual Eucharist.” To be clear, such a practice does not have the support of the leadership of the church, and has not been authorized in the Convocation. But there are two parts to this conversation worth considering.
The first is what it reflects about how immensely consequential changes to the historic inheritance of the faith should be undertaken. These weeks have been difficult, to be sure, but by no means do they hold the prospect of an interminable separation of faithful people from the table of Eucharist. It is never a wise thing to make important decisions in the midst of an emergency. In more ways than one, the conversation about opening up the understanding of the church to “virtual” or “remote” eucharist — whereby people would sit at their Zoom screens at home with their own bread and wine, and in some way partake of a sacrament being celebrated in a place they could only observe though a video link — feels like responding to a genuine emergency by creating one of our own.
To speak, as some have, about the eucharist in some way being “hoarded” by the church, or by the clergy, is in some ways to err in comparing the eucharistic sacrament to a commodity—which it is not. It is not a thing that can be gathered, stored up in excess, and kept from others. We can only make eucharist in the moment we share it together, as people actually gathered. There is a thread that ties together a sense of being deprived of a Eucharist that somehow others in power are keeping away, and the protests in places like Michigan over a sense of being deprived of freedoms that somehow others in power are taking away. Both mistake a sense of personal entitlement for a claim of right.
That is not to say a conversation about the impact of this pandemic and its consequences for our sacramental life it isn’t an important conversation to have; it is. And it is also not to say that those who feel strongly about the need to change fundamental aspects of the sacramental life of the church are by definition mistaken; they are not.
But with that said, one of the things it means to be members of a church built on the foundation of a deep commitment to shared governance means that deliberation, prayer, and deep conversation are necessary and not incidental to any changes in matters of such substance. I hope this will happen, and from a healthier beginning than what is now on offer; but it surely has not yet been undertaken in anything like a way recognizably Episcopal.
The second, and to me the more important, is what the conversation itself says about the choices we make as to how to see these past weeks. It is entirely within our grasp to choose to focus either on the scarcity of a seemingly abundant thing we had taken for granted, or to focus instead on the unexpected abundance of God’s presence in aspects of our lives we have become more dependent on, whether we wanted to or not; time alone, time in meditation, time spent in reflection. And we can equally choose to see anew the vivid presence of God in things we don’t usually think of as sacramental—simple human conversation, the gift of companionship over a meal, a lover’s embrace, sharing the day with colleagues in an office.
Our faith teaches that we hold to two sacraments; baptism and eucharist. But holding to this does not mean God is somehow barred from being present to us in more accessible ways. Said in different words, the sacraments that are God’s gift to us are not static, compartmentalized things; they are meant to invite us into lives of sacramentality, always on the lookout for the presence of the divine wherever we walk and with whom ever we speak. The stuff of the world around us, the earth and all that is in it, is the setting for the sacred; the God who created all that is, seen and unseen, is not limited to water, bread, and wine.
So whether you are planning your return to a socially distanced gathering at church, or choosing to stay engaged a little while longer through Zoom, you may always choose to live as though you are in the midst of the possibility of the sacred each moment.
And if you do, believe me—you will meet the presence of the holy in the least expected, and most profound, ways.
Blessings,
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Academy for Parish Leadership Online
June 5, 6, 20, and 27 in Six 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, and overview of what the task force is, who will be presenting, what to expect out of the sessions.
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 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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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 2006 (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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Please send us
Alleluias!
We’re continuing with our daily Alleluia on the Convocation’s Facebook page (
https://www.facebook.com/EpiscopalEurope/
). Please contribute a drawing, a picture, or just a selfie with an
“Alleluia”
— and we’ll share it with the world! Heaven knows we need to keep up the supply of Easter joy as we move cautiously back out of our isolation.
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Upcoming Youth Commission Event:
PENTECOST PROJECT 2020
The Convocation Youth are invited to submit creative ideas for a project we are calling “
Pentecost Project 2020
”. We are going to tell the story of
Pentecost
and we need your help!
Check out the attachment for all the details. You can create a short video, drawing, claymation, lego scene…anything that helps tell the story of
Pentecost
. We’ve broken down the reading into different parts and you can choose what part you want to focus on. Or you can submit something for every part! For any questions, email
Youthcommission@tec-europe.org
We can’t wait to see what creative ways we can tell the story of
Pentecost!
Pentecost Project
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Online Alleluia!
The Youth met online for bible study and enjoyed an
Alleluia
moment!
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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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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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Church of the Ascension - Munich
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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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CANCELED OR POSTPONED EVENTS
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- July 5-12 Episcopal Youth Event - postponed to 2021 - info
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- June 21: Consecration of the new Old Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht - POSTPONED
- July 19: U.S. Bishops visiting Convocation Parishes and Missions - CANCELED
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Spring 2020
- May 30: Visitation at Church of the Resurrection, Orvieto, Italy
- 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
- June 29 - July 2: Clericus
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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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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), 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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