JULY Our Selves, Our Souls, Our Bodies

We acknowledge that we are in strange and unprecedented times, but also recognize the importance of continuing, as able, to celebrate our anniversary year as something we can do together while we are apart. This year, the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast is celebrating its 50th Jubilee Anniversary. Each month of 2020, we have chosen a particular focus that honors our life in Christ in very special ways and highlights our theme of Remember, Reorient, Renew. We've also created a toolkit full of resources to help us celebrate together. All of our resources for the year are available on our website at www.diocgc.org/jubilee-celebration.

For the month of July, our theme is Our Selves, Our Souls, Our Bodies. Well known author, Walter Brueggemann, wrote a short book entitled, Sabbath Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now. Other leading authors, like Barbara Brown Taylor, have argued for a similar return to Sabbath-keeping. These authors reminds us of two important faith guideposts: remember the Sabbath and keep it holy; you cannot pour from an empty cup. In this month of our Jubilee year, we are called upon to examine our own spiritual wellness, our Sabbath-keeping, our spiritual disciplines and habits, and perhaps our own call to a Sabbath-as-resistance. To add, after experiencing the stress and trauma of the last several months - a global pandemic, national economic recession, racial injustices, plus our own personal strains - it is more important than ever that we remember that what we say ‘yes’ to is as important as what we say ‘no’ to as well.

Collect for Our Jubilee Year

Lord God of all creation, fill us with your grace as we remember your kindness and goodness towards us, through providence and through struggle; and let the trumpets proclaim the year of Jubilee, a year of the Lord’s favor, as we dedicate ourselves to reorient our mission efforts to renew your Gospel in our midst. May your Spirit inspire us, we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Options for Participation* *Due to current restrictions for our in-person worship, modification of the below options may be necessary for online participation. Be creative!

Plan a quiet day for yourself and family. Encourage one another to think about sabbath in broader ministerial/communal ways. Find more information here. Host an online book club via Zoom. Invite church members to read and discuss Sabbath Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now by Walter Brueggemann. Especially for Clergy - take advantage of spiritual direction, personal retreat time, and additional clergy care offerings in your local area. Find more information here. A Letter for Senior Wardens - Bishop Russell has a message regarding the care of your church's clergy. Read it here.

Resources for Mental Wellness During a Pandemic

Here is a listing of helpful resources on a variety of topics as they relate to the stress and strain of life during a pandemic. Having trouble talking to your child/ren about the Pandemic? How to Cope With Homeschooling Children. What is Zoom fatigue? Where might I find out about community resilience? How do we acknowledge and deal with the trauma-induced aspects of the pandemic? How do we deal with grief in a time of social distancing and delayed funerals? How do we help someone feeling suicidal?  I am not as productive as I was before the pandemic. What is happening? How do I deal with my anxiety? What are some coping strategies for loneliness? Where do I go to get Covid tested if I feel unwell or have been exposed? I feel called to reach out and help others in this time. What educational resources are available? I feel so depressed. Is there any help kind of online help during this time? How do I keep Sabbath during a Pandemic?

Music for Our Jubilee Year Celebration

Our Jubilee Hymn Christopher Powell of Christ Church Cathedral in Mobile was commissioned to compose our Jubilee Hymn, and we feel it accurately portrays our diocese and our life together in Christ. We invite you to learn the hymn with the hope that when we can safely sing once again in our churches, that we can proclaim our joyful Jubilee. For now, corporate singing is not allowed in our churches in order to keep everyone safer from the coronavirus; however, we encourage you to learn the hymn on your own, or watch the video of select choir members from Christ Church Cathedral singing the hymn. Jubilee Hymn Lyric Sheet Jubilee Hymn Music Sheet Jubilee Hymn Video Performance

Upcoming Events

Currently, we do not have any in-person events scheduled, but we hope you are able to participate in virtual events with people in your community.

Next Month... The theme for August is Justice & Reconciliation. In the words of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, “We made a commitment to live into being the Jesus Movement by committing to evangelism and the work of reconciliation – beginning with racial reconciliation … across the borders and boundaries that divide the human family of God. This is difficult work. But we can do it. It’s about listening and sharing. It’s about God.”  The Church also seeks to mobilize Episcopalians on issues of social change, and to build and enhance communities committed to transforming unjust structures in societies, and to accompany and enrich the ministry of Episcopalians working to be catalysts for equality, justice, and transformation. We know this to be more important than ever. Learn more

Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast | www.diocgc.org/jubilee-celebration

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