General eNewsletter | June 29, 2022
 
Welcome to the Diocese of Chicago email newsletter. Please forward this email to your congregation and colleagues and invite them to sign up.
General Convention Begins Next Week
The 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church will take place from July 8 to 11 at the Baltimore Convention Center. The four-day convention, which was shortened in May due to COVID-19 concerns, will include legislative sessions in the House of Bishops and House of Deputies which can be viewed on the General Convention Media Hub. When the link to the hub is available, it will be posted on diocesan Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Diocese of Chicago proposed four resolutions to the 80th General Convention. Find the resolutions on the virtual binder. Two of the resolutions, Resolution C012 (Confronting Christian Zionism) and Resolution C013 (Freedom of Speech and the Right to Boycott) have been amended by the legislative committees on Social Justice and International Policy and recommended for approval. Resolution C031 (Confronting Apartheid) has been referred to the 81st General Convention in 2024. Read more from Episcopal News Service.

Resolution C029, which would add Bishop Barbara Clementine Harris to the church's calendar of saints, was one of 16 similar resolutions, all of which were referred to the Prayer Book, Liturgy, and Music legislative committees. On Monday, those committees passed a substitute resolution that directs the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to compile relevant historical and biographical materials and present them to the 81st General Convention in 2024. Read more from Episcopal News Service.

Learn more about the work of General Convention:
Sanctuary Task Force Webinar on Resolution D031
June 30 on Zoom

The Diocese of Chicago Sanctuary Task Force will host a webinar on General Convention Resolution D031: Opposition to Detention and Surveillance of Immigrants and Asylum-Seekers. The event will take place June 30 from 7 to 8:30 pm Central on Zoom. Spanish interpretation will be available.

Panelists will discuss Resolution D031, which takes the position that detention of immigrants and asylum seekers is unjust and must end, and that electronic surveillance is not an acceptable alternative to physical detention. Learn more and register to attend.
Kristin Saylor Named to 2022 Trinity Fellows Leadership Cohort

The Rev. Kristin Saylor, rector of St. Lawrence Episcopal Church in Libertyville, has been named to the inaugural cohort of the new Trinity Leadership Fellows program, sponsored by Trinity Church Wall Street. Saylor is one of 29 professional and faith leaders selected from more than 270 applicants to participate in the two-year program. Learn more about the program.  
Camp Chicago is Back!
Registration still open for Sessions 2 & 3

Camp Chicago is back for the summer of 2022 at Camp Stronghold in Oregon, Illinois and registration is now open for campers ages 7-17. Sessions are scheduled for the following weeks:

  • Session 1: June 26 - July 1
  • Session 2: July 3 - July 8
  • Session 3: July 10 - July 15
Grant Applications Open for Episcopal Creation Care Projects
Applications due August 15

The Episcopal Church Office of Creation Care is accepting applications for the 2022 Creation Care grant funding cycle through August 15. Up to eight projects—ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 each—will be awarded to Episcopal institutions by a committee that includes former members of the churchwide Task Force on Creation Care and Environmental Racism.

The grant committee is committed to supporting efforts led and aided by youth and young adults, communities of color, and Indigenous peoples. Questions can be emailed to Phoebe Chatfield, associate for creation care and justice.
Email and Phone Scams Continue

Many congregations and dioceses have experienced email scams, in which emails appearing to be from the bishop or a clergy leader solicit church members to send money, provide information, or purchase gift cards. This is a form of email "phishing" known as "whaling."

More recent attempts have included voice messages claiming to be from Bishop-elect Paula Clark. Please be assured that neither the bishop-elect nor any clergy or diocesan staff member will ask you for money or gift cards. Any requests for these items should be deleted.

If you think you may have received a scam email, we recommend the following:
  • Carefully check the sender’s name and email address
  • Look out for misspelled words and incorrect grammar 
  • Do not click on any suspicious links or attachments
  • Report the email as spam

Reporting A Scam
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the main agency that collects scam reports. Report your scam via email or by phone:
Summer Publication Schedule
From September through June we publish both a general email newsletter and Leadership News, a publication for lay leaders and clergy in the Diocese of Chicago, on alternate Wednesdays.

In July and August we will publish a combined newsletter every other week. Watch for newsletters on July 13 and 27 and August 10 and 24. Regular publication will resume on September 7 with Leadership News.

The deadline to submit items to be included is noon on the Tuesday before publication. Please send news about your congregation's ministry, mission and events to Jen Boyle-Tucker. 
Around the Diocese
Prayer Vigil for Those Killed by Gun Violence
Tuesday, July 12 at St. Charles Episcopal Church

On Tuesday, July 12 at 7 pm, the St. Catherine of Siena chapter of The Order of the Daughters of the King at St. Charles Church will host a prayer vigil for those who have been killed by gun violence. The vigil’s focus will be the Litany in the Wake of a Mass Shooting from Bishops United against Gun Violence, with time for silent reflection and music for quiet meditation. For more information contact Katie Thomson.
Reminders
CDC Guidelines for High Community Transmission
Several Illinois counties now in "high" community level
On Friday, the CDC reported that 20 counties in Illinois are now rated at High Community Level for COVID-19, including counties around the Chicago metropolitan area and counties around Peoria. Find a map online.

The CDC recommends a number of measures for people in areas that are rated at High Community Level for COVID-19 transmission. Learn more online.
 
As a reminder, the diocesan COVID-19 advisory team recommends that congregational teams continue to meet regularly, monitor local conditions, and make changes as necessary. Read the February 16 letter to the diocese from Standing Committee President Anne Jolly in English and Spanish.
Vaccines Now Recommended for Ages 6 months to 4 years

Vaccines for young children are continuing to be shipped nationwide and locations offering vaccines are being updated every day. Visit https://www.vaccines.gov/ to find a provider near you. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens.
Job Openings

Visit the website for a full list of clergy openings and lay employee openings.