Summer eNewsletter | August 10, 2022
 
Welcome to the Diocese of Chicago email newsletter. Please forward this email to your congregation and colleagues and invite them to sign up.
Bishop-elect Clark Reflects on the Lambeth Conference
Bishop-elect Clark with members of her Bible study group at the Lambeth Conference.
Bishop-elect Paula Clark wrote this message as the Lambeth Conference of Bishops concluded on August 8:

"The Lambeth Conference was wonderful and life changing. The Anglican Communion is indeed 'God’s Church for God’s World.' I was exceedingly proud to be a member of the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement. I met bishops from across the world, many of whom prayed for the Diocese of Chicago and me over the last two years. I enjoyed a personal conversation with Archbishop Justin Welby and learned a great deal from the members of my Bible Study group and other bishops serving God with courage and conviction across the globe. I even met up with seminary mentors, professors and friends from Virginia Theological Seminary. It was a glorious two weeks, and I thank the Diocese of Chicago for allowing me the opportunity to represent you."


The Lambeth Conference, a gathering of bishops from across the Anglican Communion that takes place about once a decade, took place at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England. Read coverage from Episcopal News Service.
Ordination and Consecration News
Ticketing for the Ordination and Consecration
Congregation names due August 15, lottery opens August 17

The ordination and consecration of the Rev. Paula E. Clark as the Thirteenth Bishop of Chicago will take place on Saturday, September 17 at the Westin Hotel in Lombard, Illinois. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will serve as the chief consecrator.

Due to space constraints at the Westin, the Standing Committee has allocated eight tickets to each congregation. Congregations have been asked to determine and register their list of guests by August 15. Contact Rebecca Elfring-Roberts with any questions.

Beginning August 17, individuals can sign up to enter a lottery of additional tickets open to anyone who would like to attend. Look for more information on how to sign up for the lottery coming via email and social media on August 17.

For those who are unable to attend in person, the Ordination and Consecration Service will be livestreamed and local watch parties are being planned across the diocese. If you and your congregation are interested in hosting a watch party, please contact Jihan Murray-Smith for more information. 

Additional updates and information, including the link for the livestream, will be posted on the diocesan website.
Consecration Volunteers & Liturgical Participants Needed
Deadline to respond is August 15

Experienced volunteer acolytes, choir members, and ushers are needed for the ordination and consecration of the Rev. Paula E. Clark as the Thirteenth Bishop of Chicago on September 17. Diocesan members of all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, and geographic locations are encouraged to apply by contacting Greg Millikin by August 15. Please note: liturgical participants and volunteers will not be included in a congregation's allotted eight tickets.
Pre-Consecration Clergy Gathering with Presiding Bishop
September 16 in Lombard

All clergy of the Diocese of Chicago are invited to meet with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry at the Westin Chicago Lombard at 11 a.m. on September 16, the day before the Ordination and Consecration of Bishop-elect Paula Clark. The gathering will be followed by a luncheon at noon. Please register by September 1 using this link.
Churchwide and Diocesan News
Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites all Episcopalians over 18 to consider applying to be a delegate—in person or virtually—to the 2022 United Nations climate change conference, known as the 27th session of the Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27). Members of the first hybrid delegation will meet monthly ahead of COP27 via video conferencing, as well as daily during the November event.

Learn more and apply by September 1 in English or Spanish.
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.
On August 31, the Diocese of Chicago Sanctuary Task Force will host a webinar, Refugees, Asylum Seekers, The Current Situation and How We Can Help, from 7 to 8:30 pm Central on Zoom. The webinar will feature presentations from Shana Willis and the Rev. Chris McNabb, and will be hosted by Ellen Lindeen, chairperson of the Diocesan Peace & Justice Committee. Learn about the speakers and register to participate.
New Episcopal Migration Ministries Brochure
Since the 1930s, The Episcopal Church has been involved in direct service, community organizing, and public policy advocacy for the rights of voluntary migrants and immigrants, as well as forcibly displaced refugees and asylum seekers. A new brochure from Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) provides a concise overview of the church's activities and positions on these important issues and provides links to learn more or get involved. The brochure can be downloaded and shared in print and digital formats.

For more information about these ministries in the Diocese of Chicago or the Sanctuary Task Force, contact the Rev. Sandra Castillo.
2022 Hunger Grant Application is Open
Applications due August 29

Each year the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago Hunger Committee offers support to congregations and agencies that sponsor programs to address hunger in the diocese. To apply for a 2022 grant, please respond to all questions and submit your application by August 29.

In 2021, the Committee awarded grants of $200 each to 12 food pantries and meal programs. The grants are funded by the diocesan budget, gifts to the Hunger Committee, and other sources. 
 
photo: Northern Illinois Food Bank
The College for Congregational Development Fall Training
October 9-14 in Woodstock
The College for Congregational Development (CCD) program returns this fall. The CCD Year B week-long training will be held Sunday, October 9 through Friday, October 14, at the Loyola Retreat and Ecology Campus in Woodstock, Illinois. Learn more about the program.

Online registration for the October program is now open. Please note: local COVID-19 health guidance and safety measures will be followed.
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:
Diocesan Convention News
185th Annual Diocesan Convention

The 185th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago will be held Saturday, November 19, as a virtual gathering on Zoom. Convention is the annual business meeting of the diocese, during which we elect leaders, consider resolutions and hear reports from across the diocese and the wider church.

Voting participants at convention include the canonically resident clergy of the diocese and lay delegates elected from each congregation. All voting will be conducted electronically.

General attendees and visitors are invited to observe the proceedings online on YouTube, and no registration is needed.

Please watch for convention updates in upcoming newsletters.
What's New: Streamlined Certification & Registration
Online forms due September 30 for clergy and lay delegates

Delegates must be certified to have voice and vote at convention. This year, a new certification form for lay delegates and campus ministries eliminates the need for separate registration and accepts electronic signatures. Delegate certifications are due by September 30 and can be completed online using the following links:



Clergy registration has been simplified to one form that should be completed by all canonically resident clergy to confirm participation or request an excused absence.

Call for Nominations, Resolutions, and Reports
Submissions due to the Secretary of Convention by September 30

At convention, members of the Standing Committee, the Bishop and Trustees, the Cathedral Chapter, and diocesan deputies to General Convention will be elected. View an overview of the elected offices in English and Spanish. Nomination forms, available in English and Spanish, are due by September 30 to the Secretary of Convention.

Resolutions to be considered at convention must follow a prescribed format and must be received by September 30. Download the guidelines for submitting resolutions in English and Spanish and submit to the Secretary of Convention.

Each year the commissions, committees, and task forces of the diocese submit annual reports to Diocesan convention. Reports are due to the Secretary of Convention by September 30.
Call for Convention Memorials

As is our tradition, we will remember those who have died in the last year in the convention necrology. Please submit the names of those in your congregation who have died since the 2021 Diocesan Convention to the Secretary of Convention by All Saints Day, November 1. 
Clergy News
In Memoriam: The Rev. James E. Allemeier

The Rev. James E. Allemeier, a retired priest of the Diocese of Chicago, died on July 6 at the age of 86. After working in insurance, the Rev. Allemeier was called to the Episcopal Church and graduated from Seabury-Western Seminary in Evanston. He served at churches in Phoenix, Arizona, and Downers Grove, Illinois before being called to Christ Episcopal Church in Moline in 1972, where he served as rector until his retirement in 2001.

After retirement, James and another retired Episcopal priest, the Rev. Lawrence Larson, founded All Saints Episcopal Church in Rock Island, where they served in voluntary capacities until a full-time priest could be called. A funeral service was held on July 11 at All Saints Episcopal Church. Read his obituary here.

May light perpetual shine upon him.
Welcome to the Rev. Steven Balke

St. James Cathedral has called the Rev. Steven Balke (pronounced ball-key), to serve as canon for outreach and pastoral care. Balke comes to Chicago from the Diocese of Texas, where he served as rector at St. Stephen’s, Beaumont. He begins his ministry with St. James Cathedral on September 1.
Nominees Sought for Clergy Representative to the Anglican Consultative Council

The Episcopal Church seeks nominations for a clergy member to serve a three-meeting, nine-year term on the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC). The representative will be elected at the church’s Executive Council meeting in October. The next ACC meeting is scheduled for February 2023 in Accra, Ghana. Deadline to apply is 5 pm Eastern on September 1. Learn more.
End of Summer Clergy Family Picnic
August 27 in Geneva

Clergy families from across the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago are invited for an afternoon picnic on August 27 at Wheeler Park in Geneva, Illinois, sponsored by the Clergy Spouse Network. The day will include food, games and a playground at the south pavilion. Families are invited for a complimentary round of miniature golf at Stone Creek Miniature Golf Course next door.

Please RSVP by August 11. A $25 donation per family is appreciated and will be accepted at the picnic. For more information or to volunteer contact Charles Zaucha.
Learning Opportunities & Events
Bishop Anderson House Hosts Healthcare Equity Forum
September 9 from 10 am to 1 pm at Rush
On September 9, Bishop Anderson House will host a free Healthcare Equity Forum based on the documentary The Color of Care. The forum will be held at Rush Hospital in the Brainard Conference Room from 10 am to 1 pm. Masks are required and a boxed lunch will be provided. Learn more and register to attend.
Feast of Saint Mary the Virgin
August 15 at Church of the Ascension

On August 15, Church of the Ascension in Chicago will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption with a Mass at 6:30 pm followed by an ice cream social. All are invited to attend.
Reminders
CDC Guidelines for High Community Transmission
Several Illinois counties in "high" community level

On Friday, the CDC reported that 59 counties in Illinois are now rated at High Community Level for COVID-19. 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
New this week: AV/Livestream Technician at St. Edmund's, Chicago; Administrative Assistant at Church of the Holy Family, Park Forest; Parish Administrator at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Barrington; and Youth Ministry Coordinator at St. Michaels, Barrington.

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

Summer Publication Schedule
From September to 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 our final summer newsletter on August 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