WEEKLY ENEWS

November 29, 2016
Bishop Ian's 'TED' Talk Address & Annual Convention Report

Bishop Ian addressed the 232nd Annual Convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut on Saturday, November 19. He discussed the accomplishments and changes that ECCT has experienced over the last year, and he invited ECCT to try something new on for this next year.

He invited all to try on a Sabbatical Year, to rest in the grace and love of God. Bishop Ian explained this new idea imagined for ECCT:  

[This Sabbatical Year] is not a call to complacency, inaction, or passivity. It is a call to present-ness before God and present-ness with one another in the goodness and fullness of God's grace and love in service to God's mission. It is a call to go deeper into the heart of God, a call to trust in God, to discover anew what God desires for us. What it is not, is a call to nihilism, depression, sadness, or making peace with evil...during this year of waiting on God, resting in God, we need to be ever present to the love of God and our invitation and our commission to make that love known and real in this world and in this country."

Listen to his full 'TED' talk address here. 

At Convention, six resolutions were passed (four with amendments) and one resolution was tabled. One courtesy resolution was proposed and passed. Twenty-six individuals were elected to fill the following positions: Standing Committee (Lay & Clerical), Provincial Synod (Lay & Clerical), General Convention 2018 (Lay & Clerical), and Mission Council. You can read a report of the Annual Convention here.  
2000+ Episcopalians Celebrated the Spirit in Connecticut

"Let the press and the media know, that a couple thousand Episcopalians were in the convention center," Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's opening statement to his powerful sermon.
Sunday, November 20, was a lively celebration complete with dramatic readings, St. Luke's Steel Band, a bountiful choir, an inspiring sermon, and the sharing of the Eucharist. Joy and light filled Ballroom B of the Hartford Convention Center. 

Bishop Curry's sermon will be pulled out and posted as soon as possible, and the other portions will be posted depending on copyright requirements. Please check our website for any update.

If you'd like a bulletin, here's a link to the PDF. We invite you to look through ECCT's Twitter page, as we livetweeted the whole weekend, as well as took pictures and some videos of the celebration. 
Advent I, Resources for your Advent Devotion
Free Advent Course with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby titled "Getting More Out of the Bible." On the first day of this new year, the Advent of Christ's coming and coming again, may Our Lord Jesus fill us with renewed courage, love, and joy, to live lives fully dedicated to his will and work. -Churchnext.tv  This course is made possible by the generous support of the Office of the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, the Bible in the Life of the Church initiative, and ChurchNext. More information and downloadable content is available here. 

Here are some resources that might of interest: 
Path to Peace, EYE 2017 theme & Planning meeting

The 2017 Episcopal Youth Event (EYE17) will focus on the theme Path to Peace. This theme is based on the Gospel reading of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12.

Path to Peace as a theme was developed by the EYE17 Mission Planning Team who discerned a call to focus on peacemaking and the ways each member of the Jesus Movement can pursue a path to peace.

Drawing hundreds of youth from throughout the Episcopal Church, EYE17 will be held on July 10-14, 2017 on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, OK, in partnership with the Diocese of Oklahoma.

Read more about EYE17 theme Path to Peace here. To be involved with EYE17 or to learn how ECCT is participating, please contact Bishop Laura. 

There will be an information session on January 22 at 4:00 p.m. at St. John's in North Haven. A panel of youth will share their stories from EYE 2014 and discuss what EYE 2017 will look like. Please register to attend this session here. 
Announcements & Reminders

A Day with Brian McLaren, author of "The Great Spiritual Migration," December 3 at the Newtown Congregational Church. From 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. there will be a gathering with faith leaders and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. is a public conversation. Register here. For more information, contact the Newtown Congregational Church by email. 

Annual Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols at Trinity College, December 4.This event celebrates the beginning of the holiday season for hundreds in the Greater Hartford community. The service will include music of the season offered by the Trinity College Chapel Singers, the oldest continuing student group on campus, and the Trinity College Concert Choir. The night begins at 4:00 p.m. at Trinity College Chapel. More information here.

Embracing Gender Complexity Conference, December 16 - 17 at Barbara T. Harris Conference Center in Greenfield, NH. Transgender and gender-non-binary people have long been and are increasingly part of congregations throughout Province 1. Many of our communities are exploring ways to better equip themselves to support and to embrace the gifts of this wide ranging community. Learn more and register here. 

Applications now accepted for Saint Hilda's House in New Haven. Saint Hilda's House is a ten-month residential young adult discernment program devoted to spiritual formation and urban ministry, and a member of the Episcopal Service Corps. Hildans serve in programs dedicated to addressing poverty, lack of education, lack of affordable housing, food insecurity, and other issues. To learn more about Saint Hilda's House here or contact the Rev. Carlos de la Torre. Apply to Saint Hilda's House here.
 
Latino Leaders of New England Conference, December 16-17. Lutherans and Episcopalians United in One Mission at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. Inspiring, equipping, and empowering Latino Ministry Leaders for the 21st Century Church! Join leaders from all over New England to explore new opportunities for learning, faith formation and service. Questions? Contact Rev. Santiago Rodriguez.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2017 SUMMA Camp. SUMMA Student Theological Debate Society, July 18 - 26 at School of Theology at the University of the South. SUMMA is an opportunity for high school students who are curious about building their faith through intellectual channels. Find out more information and apply here. 


The Mission Finance & Operations office of the ECCT will be closed the week between Christmas & New Year's, returning on January 2. Contributions and donations need to be received in the office no later than December 14 for credit in 2016. Donations for 'Bishop's Fund for Children' should be mailed to  Camp Washington or through the ECCT website. The Mission Finance & Operations office seeks recommendations for several volunteers to serve a three year term on the Missionary Society's Revolving Loan Board Committee. The ideal individual would have bank lending and new loan evaluation experience. Please contact the Canon for Finance & Operations,  Louis Fuertes.

Applications accepted for Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) 2017-2018 placements. YASC serves throughout the Anglican Communion, and works alongside partners in administration, agriculture, communication, development, and education. Possible placements for 2017-2018 are Brazil, Costa Rica, England, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Japan, Jerusalem, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, and more. For more information contact Grace Flint, Episcopal Church Staff Officer for YASC Programming. Applications Due: January 6.

Seminarians of Color Conference slated for February 8-11. Sponsored by the Episcopal Church Ethnic Ministries Offices, the Conference will be held at the Canterbury Retreat and Conference Center, in Oviedo, FL. Participants will hear from clergy of color as they share wisdom & expertise on theology in context, praxis of ministry, intercultural and ecumenical collaborations, best practices, & theological excellence, as well as new and emergent models in ministry and church development. Register by January 13. Contact Angeline Cabanba.

Register today for the Church Leadership Conference, February 17-19 at Kanuga Conference & Retreat Center in Hendersonville, NC. Discussion will include reasons people find their way to our churches, how to make them feel appreciated and effective courses for personal growth. Workshops will be presented by leaders from Episcopal Church Foundation, Episcopal Relief & Development, Forward Movement, Center for Religion and Environment, Bexley Seabury Seminary, and more. Register today!
Positions Open

Job openings may be found here on the website.

NOTE: Applicants will be able to submit their resume and cover letter to the contact person directly from the ECCT website, if that option is chosen by the person submitting the position for posting.  
  • Director of Music, Trinity, Collinsville
  • Director of Operations, St. Mark's, New Canaan
  • Director of Faith Formation, Church of the Good Shepherd, Orange
  • Organist/Director of Music, St. Luke's, New Haven
  • Part-time Facilities Maintenance Manager, Camp Washington
  • Interim Director of Music, St. Mary's, Manchester
To submit a job opening to be included here, please fill out this form. Jobs will be reviewed and then posted in the weekly enews and posted on the website.   
Events coming up soon
Events below are coming up in the next two weeks:
 
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. Specific details including locations, times, etc. will also be found there.
  • November 29. PIC Consultants Meeting
  • November 30, Deacons' Council Meeting
  • December 1, Recently Ordained Clergy Meeting
  • December 1, Women Clergy Breakfast & Book study
  • December 1, Finance Committee Meeting
  • December 3, Leadership Gathering
  • December 4, Trinity College Chapel's Lessons & Carols
  • December 6, North Central Clericus Meeting, Church of the Good Shepherd, Hartford
  • December 6, Camp Washington Board Meeting
  • December 7, COM training
  • December 8, South Central Clericus Meeting, Church of the Holy Spirit, West Haven
  • December 8, 2017 Clergy Conference Planning
  • December 8, Faithful Futures -- Sustainability
  • December 9-11, Deacon Formation Retreat
  • December 4: St. Mark's, Mystic (Bishop Ahrens); Holy Advent, Clinton (Bishop Douglas)
  • December 11: St. Andrew's, Meriden (Bishop Douglas)
  • December 18, St. John's Guilford (Bishop Douglas)
PARISH EVENTS  A complete Parish Events Calendar is available here.
 Please submit Parish events here.
 
Reach out to the specific parish for event updates, specific locations, and further details. Season-specific services will not be listed below, please reference our calendar. 
2016 REGION CLERICUS MEETINGS (Calendar here)

EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN CONNECTICUT
PARTICIPATING IN GOD'S MISSION


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