Congregational Support Newsletter
March 2021
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Change has come to the Office for Congregational Support! Valerie Giannuzzi will shortly welcome baby #3 and be going on maternity leave. Covering Valerie’s time off, and continuing into the future, is Ms. Pamela Gravesande. Please join us in welcoming her to the great work of the people and parishes of Long Island! We look forward to Valerie rejoining the team in the fall. |
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Congregational Resources for Expanded/Opening Churches |
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As we move into this new phase of the pandemic of mixed live and virtual services, it’s a good time to rethink what is possible in our parishes. We have all seen that with Covid-19 we were able to pivot and make changes we may have thought impossible before. Now we know we can make big changes and create new growth space for creativity and reach. Now is a really great time, in the next six months, to capitalize on the energy and capacity that our churches discovered in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. Carpe Diem! I want to recommend the resources below to help churches rethink their parish call moving forward. We have the best opportunity now, to move into the next incarnation of Christ’s body, the church for today, with online and in-person church life. How we reach others with the Gospel and how we disciple our communities is an amazingly open field at this moment. Some of these resources you may have seen before, but now is the time to try them!
Renewal Works: Many churches discovered new depths and new spiritual intimacy in the last year, rediscovering our spiritual core to feed the mission before us. Renewal Works will help congregations to continue to refocus from program and building maintenance to spiritual growth focusing on what gives life. Now is the time to discuss joining the Fall co-hort of RenewalWorks, which can be done in person or online. Renewal Works includes: One online survey, four 2 hour meetings, two consultations with RenewalWorks staff and you’ll have a plan to go forward with. $500 per church, partial scholarships available from Congregational Support. Explore more here: https://renewalworks.org/the-process/
RootedGood: Using imagination, game theory, creative thinking process the What Now tool will assist you in listening to God, rethinking your mission, and reopening post COVID-19 with renewed vitality and vision: https://rootedgood.org/resource/whatnow/. The Office of Congregational Support has a limited number of hard copies of the Mission Possible congregational mission worksheet, contact Pamela Gravesande at [email protected]. RootedGood also has tools for re-focusing for new financial support that aligns with mission and builds sustainability, especially important as our buildings re-open and we face a lot of financial uncertainty. See the Oikos Accelerator here: https://rootedgood.org/the-oikos-accelerator/. Explore more about RootedGood as an organization here: https://rootedgood.org/
Mutual Ministry Review: A retreat day to reflect on what is most important, do skill-building, and goal setting for the coming year. Contact Canon Woodley via email for names of consultants: [email protected]
On change: A worthwhile read on the pain that accompanies change, be encouraged!
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First Tuesday March: Mapping Structural Racism in Long Island
Watch the First Tuesday Webinar on the data story behind structural racism with the Rev. Ken Howard of FaithX in the borough of Brooklyn. Moving beyond opinion, the data tells a compelling story of present day impact of historical actions in redlining, the GI Bill, and more. Fr. Howard also introduced us to Map Dash and how to use Map Dash from FaithX to inform your parish mission and vision. Mapping structural racism for the entire diocese will be available in late May. Webinar link here.
Coming soon to Long Island! Map Dash Demographics. Congregations will be able to explore the changes in their neighborhood, explore potential reach of discipleship and mission, do a vitality and viability analysis using the demographic resources from Map Dash. The Diocese link will be available on the Congregational Support website in a few months. Stay tuned!
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The 65th meeting of the United Nations Committee on the Status of Women will be virtual this year. Women of all ages and stages are welcome to register for free. The parallel Non-Governmental Organizations, which includes the Anglican Communion, will be holding workshops on information and advocacy March 14 – 26. Topics from Honest Reparations, to impact of Religious Extremism on the Education for Girls, to Grass Roots Medical Care and many more topics will be offered. A post Forum virtual meeting of EDLI Advocates for Women and Girls will take place on Wednesday, April 14 at 6:30.
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Chrism Mass will be held on Tuesday, March 30 at 11 am with optional in-person attendance at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. Vesting will take place at your vehicles, we will assemble socially distance at Mercer. Box lunches will be available following the liturgy to enjoy picnic-style at the grounds of the Cathedral (bring a folding chair). Oils will be available in the Undercroft. Complete details for registration will be sent soon. For those unable to attend in person, a live stream will be available.
Registration Link Forthcoming.
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Virtual Clergy Conference Retreat May 5th
9:15 AM – 3:00 PM
Dr. Westina Matthews: Paths of Hope
Westina Matthews, Ph.D. is an author, a public speaker, retreat leader, and theologian. An adjunct professor at The General Theological Seminary in the Center for Christian Spirituality where she teaches contemplative spiritual direction, Westina has found a way to connect with others through a series of books, essays, lectures, preaching, and teaching. Her newest book is This Band of Sisterhood: Black Women Bishops on Race, Faith, and the Church (July 2021) a candid, unrehearsed, engaging conversations with the five current Black women bishops set against the backdrop of the pandemic, racial unrest, and presidential election.
Retiring after 24 years as an executive on Wall Street, Westina completed a year-long fellowship with the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University where she studied women and girls of faith in Burundi. She then joined the Jackie Robinson Foundation for four years as vice president, chief program officer. For many years, Westina was a lay leader at Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City, serving on the vestry and co-leading the parish’s annual offering of Commitment to Discipleship; and is now a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Savannah, Georgia. She serves on the boards of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and The Gathering of Leaders.
Registration Link Forthcoming!
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Opening this free e-book will feel like a sigh of relief. Reading prayers from the mestizo poet to the Korean prayer warrior, the Latina mother and many other beautiful cultural expressions of the Body of Christ will breathe hope over those of us who feel lost.
In this resource you will find:
Seven daily prayers to help us look up towards God’s love for us.
Seven daily prayers to help us look within towards God’s care for us.
Seven daily prayers to help us look out to God’s dream for the world.
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Black Lives Matter Audio-visual library for children and families.
Click on the link to hear and see stories about history, activism, self-caring, and more. Great resource for Sunday Schools and families seeking to celebrate Black life and want to build anti-racism into their life together.
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Resource for March 11 Green Faith Action Day or Earth Day. |
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https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/the-peace-of-wild-things-wendell-berry-animation?fbclid=IwAR0zJSimrmDT3te5Kh8Tp3FebSkI-NZozOwpGR_QQXz3FCsC2SlCn9cOVr8
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A whole church curriculum on Holy Troublemakers and Unconventional Saints. Includes saints from our own time and saints from other religious traditions whose life and work aligns with Jesus message. A variety of witnesses that cover a lot of ground from civil rights to environmental stewardship.
Downloadable curriculum $75.
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Parish Administrators’ Xchange (PAX)
We are excited to announce that regular PAX Zoom meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month at 10:30 am. The Zoom room opens at 10:00 am for fellowship. Program begins at 10:30. Registering is quick, and it provides you the opportunity to submit questions prior to the presentation. The next Zoom meeting will be held on:
March 9, 2021 10 a.m.
Meeting topic: Stewardship and Restorative Yoga with Rev. Canon Suzanne Culhane, Canon for Stewardship
Canon Suzanne Culhane will join us to introduce us to Restorative Yoga as a support to our ministry. She will offer a few simple practices that can easily be done in the office including postures, breathing exercises, and brief meditation. You will come away with a few easy steps to keep your body, mind, and talent sharp. Cn. Suzanne will also outline how the Office of Stewardship is here to serve all parishes of the Diocese. Please join us!
Register in advance for this meeting:
Register in advance for this meeting here:
PAX Meeting: Mar 9, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
*There are parishes whose prior years' Parochial Report(s) and/or audit report(s) are past due. Please click on the link to see if your parish is listed as delinquent. If so, please submit your report(s) to the Diocese before the deadline of February 28, 2021. Please send to the attention of Celeste LaCasse at [email protected]
2020 Parochial Reports are due March 1, 2021. Please see link for forms and instructions.
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Receiving Names:
Coming Attractions:
St. Stephen's, Jamaica, 5/21
St. Anselm’s, Shoreham: 10/21
Grace & Resurrection, Elmhurst, 10/21
New Calls:
The Rev. Cn. Ryan Boyce, Rector, St. Gabriel's, Hollis
The Rev. Cooper Conway, Interim PIC, Caroline Church, Setauket
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Open Positions outside the Diocese |
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