Lenten Resource Round-Up
Lent is quickly approaching, as you are likely well aware. Below, you may find useful resources for individual and communal practice. Should you have other ideas that you think others may be interested in, share them on the Episcopal Church in Connecticut Facebook Page or Tweet them to us, @EpiscopalCT
Society of Saint John the Evangelist -
Growing a "Rule of Life"
This year the SSJE Brothers' Lenten series will focus on God as the Chief Gardener of our souls and use a tool from monastic spirituality called a 'Rule of Life' to explore and cultivate our relationships with God, Self, Others, and Creation. Just as stakes and lattices nurture the growth of young plants, so too can spiritual disciplines support the flourishing of our whole being. Continue reading here.
Lent Madness
Lent Madness began in 2010 as the brainchild of the Rev. Tim Schenck. In seeking a fun, engaging way for people to learn about the men and women comprising the Church's Calendar of Saints, Tim came up with this unique Lenten devotion. Continue reading here. Lenten Study Programs with ChurchNext
If you are interested in praying the Stations of the Cross, there will be a dedicated series available as a Lenten Study Program through Church Next. Continue reading about this potential practice, here. ChurchNext has also partnered with Trinity Institute to offer a free online Lenten series on Racial Justice, a series of five classes based on the Institute's 2016 program and available for individuals or for groups. Click here for more info. Check out other opportunities with Church Next that may be useful to you and your worshipping community, here.
Color your way through Lent
For something different, you may want to try coloring as a spiritual practice. Cokesbury has coloring books you can use. Go to www.cokesbury.com and enter "coloring books" in the search box.
"I Am With You," 2016 Lenten devotional book, by Kathryn Greene-McCreight
Kathryn Green-McCreight, priest from the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, wrote this year's Lenten meditation book recommended by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. She examines the biblical portrayal of God's presence among us as light in darkness in her most recent work, I Am With You. The book is a reflective and thought-provoking guide to the season of Lent. Close readings of Scripture are woven into a framework patterned on the Offices of the Benedictine day and the seven days of creation. Continue reading about the book, here.
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BDS Board of Trustees Announces Porter Fellowship
Berkeley Divinity School at Yale develops global leadership in collaboration with St. George's College, Jerusalem
Thanks to the generosity of a charitable foundation, for at least the next ten years an outstanding graduate of the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale will have an opportunity for a year of learning and service in Jerusalem with St. George's College, the Diocese of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem Peacebuilders. Read more about the Porter Fellowship.
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IRIS: Run for Refugees 5K this Weekend
 The Run For Refugees 5K is another possible way to support refugees, benefiting IRIS (Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services). Join IRIS this weekend before the Superbowl in their largest fundraiser. The scenic 5k that runs through East Rock benefits IRIS, a non-profit organization that helps refugees begin their lives in Connecticut.
Location & Time: Wilbur Cross High School (181 Mitchell Drive), New Haven, CT @ 10am
Packet Pick -up begins in the small gym at Wilbur Cross @ 8:30am. Race day entry is available. Donate or fundraise $100 or more for IRIS and receive complimentary race entry.
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Clergy Conference: Save the Date
Experiments in God's Mission: Joining the Jesus Movement
May 23-25 at the Sheraton Hartford South in Rocky Hill
Conference Speaker, Alan Roxburgh
Clergy attending will continue learning about and exploring what it means to be a missional church. The conference will focus on how to act on that learning.
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Installation and Seating of
Miguelina Howell
as Dean of Christ Church Cathedral
The Bishops of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut and the Cathedral Chapter request the honor of your presence at the Installation and Seating of the Very Rev. Miguelina Howell as the Tenth Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford on Thursday, February 18, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. Installation service to include the seating of the Very Rev. Dr. Emsley Nimmo, Dean of Aberdeen & Orkney as honorary Canon of Christ Church Cathedral.
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Clergy Online Book Club
Interested in a book group, but not able to make in person meetings? Desirous of some fellowship with clergy colleagues on a more flexible schedule? Dean of Formation, Molly James, is seeking to reconfigure an online clergy book group and to see what kind of interest there is. Possibilities include meeting via video conference or doing an asynchronous "conversation" via a Facebook group. If you think you might be interested in participating in a virtual book group with colleagues across ECCT, please fill out the very brief survey.
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The Church Remembers Perpetua & Felicitas
This week, the church remembers Perpetua and her Companions, Martyrs at Carthage, 202.The widow Perpetua, of Carthage, not only became a Christian but she also opened her home to Christian worship. When this was discovered by the authorities, she and several of her friends were imprisoned. Perpetua's small child was cruelly taken from her. One of her prison companions, Felicitas, a slave, gave birth to a baby while in prison. The baby was taken from her, also. However, to the great relief of all the incarcerated companions, the baby was secretly adopted by Christian parents.
The experiences of the companions in prison, including the dreams and visions of Perpetua, were recorded and remain one of our most valuable documents of early Christianity. The companions were sentenced to be thrown to wild beasts in the arena. Their last act together was to exchange the kiss of peace. They went joyfully and triumphantly to their fate, Perpetua calmly tidying her veil in the face of the hideous onslaught.
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, with whom your meek ones go forth as the mighty: Grant us so to cherish the memory of your blessed martyrs Perpetua and her companions, that we may share their pure and steadfast faith in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For other daily prayer practices and the Liturgical Calendar including the commemoration of saints and other feast days, please click here.
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Fresh mission initiatives are happening in Bridgewater these days, spurred by - of all things - a Convention resolution.
In 2014 the Annual Convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut passed a resolution that reduced the diocesan asking from 12.5% to 10%, renamed it "Common Support," and made it a requirement. The resolution recognized that for parishes such as St. Mark's, which had been paying the full 12.5%, they'd have more money in their operating budget. It asked, but didn't mandate, that the parishes use those funds to support God's mission, then share their story with the Secretary of Convention.
The Rev. Robert "Woody" W. Woodroofe, Missional Priest at St. Mark's, wrote to Secretary of Convention the Rev. Adam Yates in January 2016 to share St. Mark's story. Here it is in his words, with some slight editing for this blog, with his permission:
Continue reading here ...
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Positions Open
To submit a job opening to be included here, please fill out this form. Jobs will be reviewed and then posted once in the weekly enews and posted on the website for four weeks.
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Coming up soon
REGIONAL & DIOCESAN OFFERINGS
The ECCT calendar is located here. It allows you to filter events by category and includes a subscribe link at the bottom of the page. Events at The Commons in Meriden unless otherwise noted.
- Feb. 2, 5:30 p.m. Camp Washington Board Meeting
- Feb 6, 9 a.m. Community Garden Gathering, Register here
- Feb. 7, Run for Refugees, New Haven, details at irisct.org
- Feb. 9, 6 p.m. Ordination of Nathan Ives to the Priesthood, Emmanuel, Killingworth
- Feb. 10, Ash Wednesday
- Feb 12-14, Winter Wonderland Weekend (ages 7-12) at Camp Washington
- Feb 13, 9 a.m. COM Discernment Day
- Feb 18, 8:30 a.m. Fresh Start
- Feb 18, 6:30 p.m. Installation of Miguelina Howell as Dean of Christ Church Cathedral
BISHOPS' SUNDAY SCHEDULE, FEBRUARY
- Feb. 7 - Bishop Douglas - St. John's, East Windsor
- Feb. 7 - Bishop Ahrens - St. Andrew's, Northford
- Feb. 14 - Bishop Douglas - St. Thomas, New Haven
- Feb. 14 - Bishop Ahrens - St. Paul's, Plainfield
- Feb. 21 - Bishop Ahrens - Trinity, New Haven
- Feb. 28 - Bishop Douglas - St. John's, Washington
- Feb. 28 - Bishop Ahrens - St. John's, Salisbury
complete list of events is available on the website, for your consideration.
Feb. 7, 8 a.m. Souper Bowl Sunday, Christ & The Epiphany, East Haven
Feb. 7, 12:30 p.m. Pipes Alive! Natasha Ulyanovsky, Organ, St. John's, West Hartford
Feb. 7, 4 p.m. Organ Recital by Sumner Jenkins, St. Michael's Parish, Litchfield
Feb. 9, 6 p.m. Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner, East Haven
Feb. 9, 6 p.m. Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, Christ Church, Oxford
Feb. 12, Lenten/Easter Study Group, Christ Church, Oxford
Feb. 15, 6 p.m. Love, Biblical Style, Holy Trinity, Enfield
2016 SPRING CLERICUS MEETINGS
Clergy are invited to attend whichever of these meetings that best fits their schedule and location. Each line provides a link to the respective Eventbrite page. From there, you can find more details and register for the event. Each event is scheduled from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., and you are invited to bring your own lunch.
SAFE CHURCH TRAINING FOR LAITY
- Mar. 5, 2016, 9 a.m., St. James's, West Hartford
- Apr. 16, 2016, 9 a.m., Trinity, Collinsville
- Apr. 30, 2016, 9 a.m., St. Peter's, Cheshire
- May 7, 2016, 9 a.m., St. John's, Vernon
- May 14, 2016, 9 a.m, St. Paul's, Brookfield
- June 4, 2016, 9 a.m., Christ Church, East Norwalk
- June 25, 2016, 9 a.m , St. John's, Niantic
Safe Church Recertification - for Laity
- Feb. 3, 2016, 6:30 p.m., St. Andrew's, Madison
- March 7, 2016, 6:30 p.m. The Commons, Meriden
- April 9, 2016, 9 a.m. St. Mark's, New Canaan
- April 12, 2016, 6:30 p.m., Trinity, Tariffville
- May 21, 2016, 9 a.m., St. Paul's, Shelton
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