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The Episcopal 
Diocese of Ohio
DIOCESAN EVENTS
Harvest Hands
We could use a hand! Bellwether Farm is busier than ever and we would love volunteer farm help! For every Wednesday and Friday in September, we are looking for volunteers interested in harvesting, weeding, seeding, and sorting our fall season crops. Wednesday mornings have been designated "adult-only" to allow adult volunteers the opportunity to safely help out on the farm, while Fridays are being catered to participants of all ages. Please sign-up through the appropriate Eventbrite and reach out to Amy Melena if you have any questions. 
Youth Formation Leaders Gathering
Anyone connected with youth in the Diocese of Ohio (lay, ordained, volunteer, staff, etc.) is invited to a virtual check-in and conversation on Thursday, October 15 at 1:30 p.m. The gathering will feature Dr. Colleen Monn, a psychologist who works extensively with children and youth, who will share some insight into the mental health challenges facing our youth. Contact the Rev. Anna Sutterisch with any questions. Please register in advance for this gathering.
Personal and Family Retreat
Bellwether Farm is beginning to provide limited overnight accommodations. Personal and Family Retreats are a safe way to provide individuals, couples, and families an opportunity to spend the weekend at Bellwether on October 16-18 and October 23-25
 
These self-led retreats begin at dinner on Friday night and end Sunday morning with breakfast and a farmer's market. The package includes two dinners, two breakfasts, one lunch, and room accommodations. All meals are farm-to-table and locally sourced, allowing guests to experience the creative collaboration of Chef Lonny and Farmer Kyle in every meal. Guests also have the option to reserve one of five common rooms for additional space for gathering - perfect for reading and games. Each includes a coffee maker, mini-fridge, couches, chairs, and a table. Fishing poles can be reserved for $5 per family (live bait included!), as well as campfire pits free of charge. 
 
Guests will have the option to volunteer on the farm Saturday morning with Farmer Kyle. Outside of farm work and meals, retreatants are free to fill their time on the property as they please. We ask that you share close proximity only with those within your group and keep socially distanced from other guests and staff. Please remember to bring your mask.
 
Visit the website for a schedule of the weekend, as well as individual and group pricing. Register via Eventbrite soon; space is limited for each weekend.
Convention Reminders
Registration for the 204th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Ohio is now open. Registration must be completed by October 23. Parishes must certify their delegates by October 23.
Dismantling Racism Training for Youth
Youth in grades 9-12 are invited to register for a Dismantling Racism training to be held on November 7-8 at Bellwether Farm. We will be using the curriculum developed by the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing and the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. Registration will cap at 12 youth. Register at dohio.org/DYE.
Bellwether's Buy 1 Give 1 Turkey Project
Bellwether Farm is raising turkeys this season, caring for them and giving them access to all the things they love: sunshine, pasture, and all kinds of bugs. We expect to have a limited number available by Thanksgiving and will be selling them as part of our 2020 farm-to-parish COVID-19 response initiative, Feeding the Beloved Community. Since May, we have been able to donate produce and pork to five parochial hot meal programs, and are excited to have the opportunity of adding turkeys during the holiday season. Here's how it works: A contribution of $100 ($50 of which is tax-deductible) will cover two turkeys - one to enjoy with your friends and family and one to be enjoyed in the hot meal programs we are supporting. There will be 45 partnerships available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and you can sign up here, or by contacting Kyle MitchellPick-up days will be Saturday, November 21; Monday, November 23; and Tuesday, November 24. Your turkey can either be fresh or freshly frozen.
Los Amigos Episcopales Fundraiser
Due to COVID-19, Los Amigos Episcopales (LAE) will not be able to have its traditional Soup Supper fundraising event this fall. In lieu of this, LAE is conducting a fundraising appeal until the end of the 2020. Our main mission is to support the vocational, educational, social, and Humanitarian programs of the Anglican-Episcopal Diocese of El Salvador. LAE provides the sole support for one of four Montessori Schools run by the Diocese - La Davina Providencia. LAE also supports the Diocese's new Seminary with four seminarians to be ordained in early 2021. During the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic complicated by other natural disasters, we are proving funding to help the Diocese of El Salvador provide food security to parishioners. For more information about how you can donate to LAE, go to www.losamigosepiscopales.org.
Young Adult Grants
The Young Adult Ministry Grant, funded by the United Thank Offering (UTO) and distributed by the Diocesan Young Adult Task Force, is a new grant to encourage parishes, mission areas, etc. to experiment and take bold action to attract and engage young adults (19-30). Applications will be reviewed monthly, and funds must be used by May 2021. Members of the task force are available to brainstorm with you, and have included some ideas in the grant application.
Learn, Pray, Act
Resources from the Episcopal Church for addressing racist violence are available. This is a growing list of litanies, learning opportunities, and suggested actions and connections from across The Episcopal Church and beyond. There are links to some specialized resources on the Diocesan website. As you are thinking about how to respond in your parish and community, please be in touch with the Rev. Margaret D'Anieri, Canon for Mission, at mdanieiri@dohio.org.
PARISH EVENTS
BrownBag Concerts
For an unprecedented 43rd year, Music & Art at Trinity will offer seven BrownBag concerts this fall. This year's concerts will be livestreamed from an empty cathedral for the safety of the performers and the home audience. The BrownBag concerts are the longest-running free music program in Northeast Ohio. You can watch all of the concerts at bit.ly/TrinityConcerts or trinitycleveland.org. More information about the performances are also available
  • October 21 - Michael Messina, organ
  • November 4 - Arc of the Keyboard, Nicole Keller, organ
  • November 18 - Dueling Divas! Violinists Andrew Sords and Mari Sato with pianist Elizabeth DeMio
  • December 2 - A Jazzy Christmas, Jennifer Cochran & The Gateway Band
  • December 9 - A Ceremony of Carols - Treble voices of the Cathedral Choir
  • December 16 - Messiah Sing
Job Openings
Part-time Bookkeeper - St. Hubert's, Kirtland Hills
Director of Youth Ministries - St. Paul's, Cleveland Heights
View all job openings.
OTHER
New Realities of Worship: A Webinar for Small to Mid-Size Congregations about Technology & Worship
 The CEEP Network will hold a webinar for small to mid-size congregations about technology and worship on Wednesday, October 17 at 3:00 p.m. With COVID-19 continuing to change the way we exist as churches, especially around worship, we gather a panel of clergy from small to mid-size parishes to discuss how they are handling the challenges of worship in person and online now and for the future. Our panelists will discuss how parishes with limited staff capacity and shoestring technology budgets can adjust to a changed landscape and the opportunities this time holds. We will specifically cover: Continuing meaningful on-line only worship; Avoiding burnout with both on-line and in-person worship; and, Creating compelling opportunities for parish engagement in worship. Our panel, from parishes from around the country, will share best practices, learnings, failures, and perceived challenges/opportunities in their parishes and communities. These church leaders will take your questions and leave you better positioned to strengthen and build your ministry for the future.
  • Anne Jolly - Rector, St. Gregory's; Deerfield, Illinois
  • Angela Shepherd - St. Bartholomew's; Atlanta, Georgia
  • Richard Wall - Rector, St. Paul's K Street; Washington, D.C.
  • Scott Zaucha - Rector, St Ann's; Woodstock, Illinois
Episcopal Poll Chaplains and Election Leadership Training
Clergy and lay chaplains interested in serving as a prayerful presence at the polls on Election Day are invited to register for a training webinar on Tuesday, October 20 at 12:00 p.m. This webinar, offered by The Episcopal Church and partnering organization Lawyers and Collars, will teach public faith engagement for what Presiding Bishop Michael Curry describes as "poll chaplains." Participants will learn how to provide a calm and loving presence in the way of love, peace, justice, and reconciliation.
The Basics of Faith-Based Public Advocacy
Province V of The Episcopal Church, a network of fourteen mid-western dioceses including the Diocese of Ohio, is partnering with the Public Theology Network to offer a mini-series, The Basics of Faith-Based Public Advocacy. The series will be held on October 20 and October 27 from 6:00-7:15 p.m on Zoom. The topics include: How to be an Advocate (October 6); Moses and Jesus as Public Theologians (October 13); "Can I say that?": Religious Speech, the First Amendement and your 501(c)3 Status (October 20); and What does the world really think about the U.S.? (October 27). Register for all or one of the events. For more information, visit the Province V website.
Episcopal Evangelism Grants Available for Local and Regional Efforts
Episcopal institutions can now apply for the next round of the Episcopal Evangelism Grants Program, designed to fund local and regional evangelism efforts in the Episcopal Church. The application deadline is November 15 at 11:00 p.m. The new grant cycle will focus on projects that explore new methods of evangelism. Congregations, dioceses, provinces, schools, monastic communities, and other Episcopal organizations are eligible to apply. Regional collaborative partnerships with non-Episcopal entities are welcome as long as an Episcopal entity is the project leader, active manager, and reporting agent. Groups receiving grants are expected to make significant financial contributions toward their projects, and to report what they have learned to the wider church. The Grants Committee will make its recommendations to Executive Council in December, and funds will be distributed in early 2021. More information can be found on The Episcopal Church website.