Follow-up to Bishop Breidenthal's pastoral letter
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Some have requested more clarity about the directives embedded in my Lent 5
pastoral letter
. Here they are, with some additions for Holy Week and Easter:
- Stay home if you can (if you have a home).
- Observe physical distancing in public (minimally six feet).
- Do not gather physically for worship.
- Do not enter your church to stream worship; do everything from home (if you have one).
- Do not do church work from church.
- Clergy: Do not practice “virtual communion,” even from home, or “communion to go.” Morning/Evening Prayer with Daily Office or eucharistic readings is always fine. The eucharistic rite through the confession and peace is also fine.
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Regarding Holy Week and Easter led remotely:
(These rites begin on p. 270 of the Book of Common Prayer.)
- Palm Sunday: No virtual blessing of palms; go straight from p. 272 to the peace.
- Maundy Thursday: The usual rite through to the peace (no virtual washing of feet).
- Good Friday: Follow the Prayer Book.
- Holy Saturday: Follow the Prayer Book.
- Easter Vigil:
Opening collect
No lighting of paschal candle or exsultet (we’ll light when we emerge from lockdown)
Skip to: The Liturgy of the Word (following Prayer Book directions)
Carry on with: Renewal of Baptismal Vows
Then follow from “Alleluia, Christ is risen” through to the Prayers of the People
- Easter: Eucharistic rite through to the peace
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I hope these directives are helpful.
Blessings,
+Tom Breidenthal
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The final presentation in the bishop's Lenten Series,
Whose Property is it Anyway? will be available on-demand beginning at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, April 1. A follow-up panel discussion will again be held on Sunday, April 5, at 2 p.m.
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The CARES Act and charitable contributions
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The CARES (the $2.2 trillion
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
) Act encourages Americans to contribute to churches and charitable organizations in 2020 by permitting you to deduct up to $300 of cash contributions, whether you itemize your deductions or not.
Learn more
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Your donations to
Episcopal Community Ministries (ECM) will aid in continuing the ministries of Episcopal communities throughout our diocese. An emergency COVID-19 Relief fund has been established through ECM to support parish ministries throughout the crisis. Right now, your gift will double its impact - individual contributions will be
matched dollar for dollar
by the William Cooper Procter Fund.
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Free webinar:
Churches and the CARES Act: Helping Congregations and Employees Weather the Cash Crunch
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The COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak continues to take major physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial tolls on millions of people worldwide. In the US, efforts to slow the disease’s continued spread has led to bans on public gatherings in many places, causing many businesses to shut down, and the buildings of many churches to go dark. With the US economy hurtling toward recession, Congress has passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion stimulus package designed to provide stability and relief to businesses and individuals. Ministries are included in this relief package.
To help churches and leaders respond well in the face of this unfolding adversity, ChurchWest and
Christianity Today
’s Church Law & Tax are hosting a free webinar at 11am (Central)/
12pm (Eastern)
on April 2, 2020
, with renowned church legal and tax expert Richard R. Hammar. Hammar, an attorney and CPA, will provide a helpful overview of the 900-page stimulus package, how it works, and the provisions churches and leaders should know to minister well to their congregations and communities.
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2021 Budget application process now open
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We invite you to read a letter from the chair of our Finance Committee regarding the 2021 budget process:
2021 Budget letter
Diocesan programs, committees and commissions should prepare and submit their budget application as soon as possible so the Budget Committee can provide the best vetting of your budget as possible. The deadline for submissions is May 1, 2020. A part of this application process includes a conversation with a Budget Committee member.
The consolidated budget is funded primarily with mission share dollars. Other sources of funding come from the William Cooper Procter Fund and other restricted funds. All budget requests whether mission share funded, Procter funded or other funding will need to follow this process and submit a Budget Request application.
The Budget Application can be downloaded
here or on the
diocesan website
to assist you in the budgeting process. Please send your diocesan budget request to: The Diocese of Southern Ohio, ATTN: Budget Committee, 412 Sycamore Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, or email to the diocesan operations executive, Carine de Lange, at
cdelange@diosohio.org
.
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Financial relief for congregations during pandemic: Application now available
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The diocese is offering several opportunities for financial help to congregations during the pandemic crisis. These include:
- Mission Share deferment for up to six months
- Financial assistance to cover payroll, utilities and property insurance (if this results in a short term loan from the William Cooper Procter Fund, the interest rate will be set at 2%)
- Church Pension Fund waiver of clergy pension plan assessments (maximum of 2 months)
- Emergency fund for outreach through Episcopal Community Ministries
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A beautiful idea for Palm Sunday
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How can we publicly acknowledge this important day on our calendar when so many of us will be behind closed doors?
The
Missionaries of the Holy Spirit
posted this idea on their
Facebook page
:
What if everyone on Sunday April 5 in the morning, puts a branch on the door of their house or on the window, to celebrate Palm Sunday?
It could be any green branch you can get. This would help, despite the social distancing, to be connected as we enter into the Holiest of Weeks.
Want to join?
We may be physically isolated, but not separated. We are united as the body of Christ.
We are the Church.
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Re-connecting
(repeat announcements, resources, etc.)
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Connecting with The Episcopal Church
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Habits of Grace: Love God, love your neighbor, love yourself
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is offering Habits of Grace, a
weekly
meditation to help Episcopalians cope during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click the image below to see this week's meditation.
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New podcasts from The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church has launched two daily podcasts, mirroring the daily meditations that air each morning and evening on The Episcopal Church
Facebook page
. The new daily podcasts can be found, along with all other podcasts produced by TEC at
https://linktr.ee/theepiscopalchurch
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Connecting with our cathedral
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All in-person programming at our cathedral is currently suspended. Online worship offerings include Morning Prayer at
8 a.m
. and
10 a.m.
, and the
Noon Service
.
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The cathedral choral scholar program provides Cincinnati area high school students an opportunity to join the Cathedral Choir as apprentices. Successful applicants will receive intensive training in the art of fine choral singing so that they may begin the process of learning to perform at a professional level. They learn a wide range of repertoire, such as works by Tallis, Brahms and Howells, as well as spirituals and music of other cultures. For their efforts, they are compensated with a monthly stipend throughout the academic year.
Learn more
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Christ Church Cathedral is located at 318 E. 4th Street in downtown Cincinnati. Visit
cincinnaticathedral.com
or call (513) 621-1817 to learn more.
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Connecting with Procter Center
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Camp registration
Summer camp registration is now open. Register by April 15 or Bring-a-Friend to get $25 off!
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Procter Center is located at 11235 State Route 38E in London, OH. Visit
proctercenter.org
or call (740) 206-2036 to learn more.
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Connecting with job opportunities
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Ascension & Holy Trinity, Wyoming
Ascension & Holy Trinity, Wyoming
St. Andrew's, Pickerington
Holy Trinity, Oxford
Bethany School
Bethany School
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Ascension & Holy Trinity, Wyoming
All Saints, Cincinnati
Diocese of Southern Ohio
St. John's, Worthington
Calvary, Cincinnati
St. Simon of Cyrene, Lincoln Heights and/or Transfiguration Spirituality Center
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Submitting news to {e}Connections
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Submissions for
e-Connections
must be received by
Monday at noon
for inclusion in any weekly newsletter.
- Submissions for e-Connections should be limited to short announcements. Items can be sent as text in an email, or an attached Word document.
- Photos must be sent as .jpeg files as separate attachments, not embedded in the body of the document or email.
- Flyers should be sent as .jpeg or .pdf files. A short press release or announcement of the event must accompany all flyers.
- Make sure to include the address of the venue and contact information.
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