December 4, 2024 | Next eNews: January 1, 2025 | |
ECCT Story
Where Tears Well Up & Spill Over: An Advent Meditation
Written by: Deacon Ronald Steed & Artist Roxanne Steed
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The veil draped between our space and God’s is wispy-thin in places. Yet, it can seem as though God is far, far away on some distant galaxy, kept from us by thick walls and iron gates, but that’s just the illusion of our ego. That is what it feels like when we try to take heaven by storm… when we try find God with our heads.
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Safe Church Training: Registration for Spring Semester Now Open
As followers of Christ, we all share responsibility for creating safe spaces in our worshipping communities. ECCT’s Safe Church policies & training are grounded in our baptismal call to “seek and serve Christ in all persons and respect the dignity of every human being.”
Safe Church is a requirement of The Episcopal Church for all ordained persons, adults who minister with minors, youth in leadership roles, and adults who minister with vulnerable humans.
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Registration Open for VISIONS, Inc. Anti-Racism Workshop: Jan. 24-25, 2025
The Episcopal Church in Connecticut is offering a two-day workshop in collaboration with VISIONS, INC. This training is for those who are interested in expanding ideas and creating community around concepts of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
VISIONS is a multicultural organizational development process that incorporates a variety of approaches and techniques that address what people think, what they do, and how they feel about cultural differences and changes.
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Court Halts Implementation of New Overtime Pay Rules
Due to a recent court ruling, we offer some updated information on overtime pay rules.
A federal district court in Texas recently voided key new overtime pay rules set by the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL) earlier in 2024, relieving private employers—including churches—from paying potentially more in compensation costs.
Under the U.S. DOL rule, the minimum salary threshold for exempt employees was set to increase on January 1, 2025, but the Court rejected the 2024 rule in its entirety. This decision means that churches need only comply with the U.S. DOL’s pre-July 2024 minimum salary threshold of $684 per week, or $35,568 per year, or with state law if higher.
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Resources to Support Immigrants & Refugees
From The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations:
"As we look ahead to a new presidential administration and congress, we anticipate many changes in immigration policy that may cause a great deal of harm to those in our communities...
The Episcopal Church has long stood with immigrants, including through refugee resettlement with Episcopal Migration Ministries. Our commitment to immigrants remains unwavering, and we hope you will join us in taking action."
ECCT has compiled resources from The Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations as well as other local resources on our website.
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Notes from The Commons
The Commons Holiday Hours
The Commons will be closed and ECCT staff will not be working remotely from Dec. 24-Jan. 2, 2025. Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
Parish Foreign Travel Survey
ECCT is updating our insurance as it relates to foreign travel. Please take a moment to complete a very short survey to aid in this process. Contact ECCT's Staff Accountant, Kathy O'Hearn, for more information.
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Parochial Report Orientation for 2024 Filing
Zoom Sessions
January 30, 9-10:00 AM
February 4, 3-4 PM
February 5, 7-8 PM
Join Canon for Finance & Operations, Rosanna Rosado and her team for one of three Zoom sessions to review requirements, changes, and best practices for submitting accurate and complete parochial reports for the year 2024.
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This is the Work that God Has Called Me to Do: An Interview with the Rev. Margie Baker | |
Earlier this week, I (Canon Sarah) had the pleasure of spending some time with the Rev. Margie Baker of St. John's, West Hartford. We spoke about her first book, God, Gospel, and Gender: A Queer Bible Study for Teens, which was published June 2024. The following interview has been edited and condensed for publication.
Sarah: Margie, could you tell us about how God, Gospel, and Gender came to be?
Margie: I love the story of how this book came into existence, because it was very much an accident and not at all my plan. I was at Forma in 2023 and they were having a pre-conference worship service at Virginia Theological Seminary’s chapel. After the service, I saw Lisa Kimball, who is a professor at VTS. She’s a lay person and is all about life-long and life-wide formation. She said, “Oh, Margie, it’s so good to see you. Margie, this is Justin—Justin, Margie should write something for you.” And it turned out that Justin was one of the publishers at Church Publishing. And he turned to me and said, “Well, hi, Margie, what do you want to write?”
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News & Updates from Our Cathedral
December 24, 5:30 PM Christmas Eve Concert & Eucharist
The Cathedral Choir will offer a prelude of carols and anthems at 5:30 PM, followed by Holy Eucharist at 6 PM.
December 25, 10 AM
Christmas Day Eucharist Join us for a bilingual celebration on Christmas morning.
December 29, 10 AM
Lessons & Carols
A bilingual service of readings and carols for the Christmas season.
December 29, 12:30 PM
Blue Christmas
A contemplative service for all who are grieving, in pain, overwhelmed, or just feeling “blue” during the holiday season. We gather together to honor our experience and bring our whole selves to God.
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News & Updates from Our Camp
Camp Washington will host ECCT author and priest, the Rev. Margie Baker, for two special retreats in early January that will explore her new book, God, Gospel, and Gender. Come have a quiet weekend at camp and join in a study of gender, sexuality, and scripture.
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January 3-5
Youth Retreat
Designed for queer youth, their allies, and those who want to be allies.
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January 10-11
Adult Retreat
Designed for clergy, parents, and teachers.
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Join our Bishops, clergy, and lay leaders around the diocese for a time of discussion and connection Wednesdays from 8:30-9:30 AM.
All Wardens' Call: January 8
Wednesday Bishops' Call for Clergy & Lay Leaders: January 15 (No call on January 1)
Wardens' Without Clergy: January 22
Zoom information is the same for all calls.
By video: https://episcopalct.zoom.us/j/2010776405#success
By phone: +1-646-558-8656 US; Meeting ID: 201 077 6405
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Ordinations to the Priesthood
Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford
Learn more
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Simple Rhythms Zoom Service
Zoom, sponsored by Christ Church, Pomfret
Learn more
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FORMA Hybrid Conference
Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center
Learn more
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203.639.3501
290 Pratt Street, Box 52
Meriden, CT 06450
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