March 31 , 2020
ECCT eNEWS
ECCT Journeys through Stations of the Cross

Beginning Saturday, March 28, through Good Friday, individuals from every region of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, both clergy and laity, will be leading one of the 14 Stations of the Cross each day.

In a time of physical distancing, we invite you to join us virtually and pray the stations along with us using the Book of Occasional Services. You can currently follow along on our social media and YouTube channel here.
ECCT Stories: Feeding of the 3,000

note: this blog was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Note the update from the Rev. Kim Litsey at the end of this article.

The Lenten Fish and Chips Dinner at St. James’ Episcopal Church, Poquetanuck (Preston), is much more than an average fish fry. It is a sight to be seen, and to be honest, there are some fish to be eaten. 

The community of St. James serves over 500 people every Friday in Lent, that is well over 3,000 each liturgical season of Lent. The Fish and Chips Dinner started 55 years ago by the Rev. Canon David Cannon, and has been feeding the community a choice of baked or fried Cod, French fries, coleslaw, and homemade desserts ever since. Oh, and you can have seconds, too! 

In loving memory, Marcia A. Birdsall, 1930 - 2020

Marcia A. Birdsall, a former elementary school teacher and retired administrative assistant at Pomfret School, died Tuesday morning, March 10, 2020, at Alexian Village in Signal Mountain, TN. She was 90 years old.

Marcia is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 63 years, the Reverend James A. Birdsall, daughters Jessica and Priscilla (Grant Wood), sons Timothy (Jillian Douglass) and Jeremy (Sally), and granddaughters Jessica Wood and Maggie and Bea Birdsall, as well as her sister-in-law Barbara Demos, brother-in-law Russell Birdsall, Jr. (Felice), her cousins in the Rambikur family, and several nieces and nephews.

Marcia’s family would like to give special thanks to the caregivers at Alexian and to all of the hospice nurses whose care and skill provided much affection and support to her in her final years. In remembrance of Marcia, donations may be made in her name to Hospice of Chattanooga, www.hospiceofchattanooga.org .

Coffee Hour at The Commons: Earth Tenebrae

Alli and Jasree welcome the Rev. Tuesday Rupp, the Rev. Norman MacLeod, the Rev. Rachel Thomas, and the Rev. Erin Flinn to discuss Earth Tenebrae. 

The service of Tenebrae dates at least as far back as the twelfth century. The service is typically used in Holy Week as a form of preparation for the observance of Christ’s Passion: his arrest, humiliation, torture, trial and execution. Tenebrae is the Latin word for “shadows.” It traditionally includes psalms of lament, readings from the book of Lamentations and sung Latin Responsories.  Listen now
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ECCT EVENTS
All upcoming ECCT events have been either postponed, cancelled, or moved to online Zoom video calls. To view the most updated list, check "Upcoming ECCT Events" under our
Send us your candle lighting video to by April 6!
for more details, click here
RESOURCES
For links to Covid-19 health updates, factsheets and other resources regarding parish communication and worship during this time, please visit our Covid-19 updates page.

Some new resources that have been added recently (courtesy of the City of New Haven) :

  • Food Safety Guidelines
  • Volunteer Screening Questions
  • COVID-19 Impact on Faith Community Q & A

For a list of parishes that are holding live streaming services,
If you missed this past Wednesday's discussion on ministering for the homeless, you can access that video on ECCT's YouTube channel here.
Self Care
That Discomfort You're Feeling Is Grief

Executive Summary During the global pandemic, a palpable sense of collective grief has emerged. Grief expert David Kessler says that grief is actually multiple feelings that we must manage. In an interview with HBR, he explains how the classic...

Read more
hbr.org
Care for Your Coronavirus Anxiety

You're not in this alone. Listen to meditations, get expert advice, and more with this mental health toolkit.

Read more
www.virusanxiety.com
For more self care resources for you and your family, visit our
GRANT & SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Ruth planting tree
The Jack Spaeth Care for Creation Environmental Grant - accepting applications

The mission of the Jack Spaeth Care for Creation Environmental Grant is to encourage innovation and to empower members of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut to educate, witness and invite change in our congregations and communities with the goal of embracing a global vision of climate justice and preserving and celebrating God's creation.

Grant applications are due by April 3rd and grantees will be announced April 22nd.  Learn more about the grant here.
OPEN POSITIONS
Parochial Reports were due March 1, including the addendum . If your parish has not completed their parochial report, please do so ASAP.

Questions? Contact Karolyn Nicolaides .