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NORTHEAST REGION ENEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2019
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Located on a busy street? Try Drive-In Prayer!
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From Jacob: On Saturday, June 22, 2019, eight members of Holy Trinity Church, Enfield held a Drive-In Prayer event at the church. From the hours of 10am through 12-noon, members held signs and waved at passing traffic, exhorting people to drive into the driveway to receive prayers of healing. Happily, nine total strangers stopped in for prayer. Each one received prayer and words of encouragement. They also received a goody bag filled with candy, a pocket-size Prayer Shawl and information about Holy Trinity. This event runs about three to four times a year; spring, summer and fall. Holy Trinity has been holding Drive-In Prayer events since 2014.
From Maggie: I am so grateful to have been included in this event - a first for me! It was a beautiful, if a tad-bit warm, morning in June and there was quite a lot of traffic driving down Hazardville Road! Stepping into the invitation to go outside my comfort zone, I participated in laying on of hands during prayer and waved and smiled at traffic so much I thought my arm would fall off and my smile muscles would break. One particular moment stood out when a physican from the area drove in for prayer, with her beautiful puppy in the backseat. Who doesn't love puppy kisses on Saturday mornings!? What I found most delightful was seeing the variety of folks who stopped in for prayer: from folks looking for 12-step programs, to doctors, to single parents, to people battling illness and depression. For me, this was an opportunity to see more of what the people of Enfield. And sometimes the people we meet in these kinds of activities represent differences that we may not always see represented in the pews on Sunday morning.
If you would be interested in trying on a drive-in prayer at your parish, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or call me at
203-639-3501 x154 and I will be happy to put you in touch with Peter.
Photos by Maggie Breen; Article written by Peter Jacobson, Holy Trinity, Enfield & Maggie Breen, NE Region Missionary
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From Maggie, your Region Missionary
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Welcome to the program year of 2019-2020 my friends. I hope you all had a wonderful Summer and are turning towards Fall with fresh eyes and a rested spirit.
What did the Summer hold for you? Did you find opportunities for rest and relaxation? Did you encounter something that made your spirit sing? Did you pick up a new hobby?
As your Region Missionary, I spent my Summer exploring the NE Region and inviting myself to anything that I could get into my calendar. Since I'm always ready to extend my comfort zone with new experiences, I jumped at the chance to organize "Hiking Holy Borders" with my friend and colleague Rev. Rachel Thomas (SE Region Missionary), ride a part of a transport chain for
Rescue Dogs Rock, NYC with Rev. Anne Fraley (St. Peter's, South Windsor), and evanglize via Drive-In Prayer with the folks at Holy Trinity, Enfield.
Each one of these activities fed my spirit in a way that I didn't anticipate. I have known for some time that engaging in work with community feeds my spirit AND keeps me mindful of my size and place in this vast universe. I was less aware of how impactful nature is on my spirit, how much caring hands matter in this world, and how important it is to have a voice for the voice-less. There is a difference between knowing something is true in your head (as in, I know that healing touch can be beneficial for people) and physically experiencing something as true and real (as in laying hands on and praying for a total stranger). And it was in the action of doing - of experiencing something new - that I felt my spirit awaken again.
And so I encourage you, my friends, to take a step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Perhaps that looks like engaging in a program at your parish that you've always been curious about. Or perhaps that looks like exploring what non-profits in your town are around and are in need of volunteers. Maybe it means sitting down with a dear friend and having an open conversation about how impactful Jesus has been in your life, and then listening to what your friend has to say in return. Share your stories. Try new things. Engage in a way that feels attainable and not overly risky. No need to jump in the deep end, if you prefer a toes-in approach! Both ways are equally good!
And no matter what you choose, I pray joy for you in your new experiments. I pray for all of us to have our hearts opened and our spirits stirred in ways we never imagined before now.
Photo by Maggie Breen
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Being Mindful and Present in the Moment with God
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I joined Rev. Rachel Thomas and Maggie Breen our SE and NE Regional Missionaries for their first of many summer hikes at James Spignesi, Jr. Wildlife Management Area in Scotland, Connecticut on Tuesday, July 16
th.
To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect other than a hike through the forest.
Like millions of people, I have depression. To help manage my depression, I practice Mindfulness Mediation. I have incorporated my Mindfulness Mediation into my daily prayer life. It’s the blending of being present in the moment, with being present with God in the here and now.
At the start of our hike, Rachel opened with prayer and scripture reading. Then Rachel led us through the Mindfulness practice of sight, sound, touch and taste. This was to help us to see, hear, feel, and taste the beauty of nature that God has provided. I was ecstatic!
For me, it was to be present in the moment, to be present in the beauty of God’s creation, and to bring alive my senses one at a time in a structured and methodical way. In slowing down, clearing my mind, and being present with God, I started to notice things that I might normally not see, hear, feel, smell, or taste. You start to notice the slight differences in how the ground feels under your feet with each step you take. The mid-summer sound of locusts in the distance. The smell of a creek a few feet before you see it in the clearing. The sweet taste of honeysuckle.
At the end of our hike we reached our destination by a small creek. We rested and shared communion. Each of us, lay and ordained, took a leading role in the communion. At the end of communion, we told the person to our left why we were thankful they were in our lives. For me, this is what communion is all about. To share bread and wine, to give thanks to God and to give thanks to those who bless our lives.
Wonderful things happen when you slow down, you are mindful, you are present in the moment, and you are present with God.
Article by Chuck Sharp, St. James, New London; Photo by Maggie Breen
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Jesus, lamb of God: have mercy on us, Jesus, bearer of our sins: have mercy on us. Jesus, redeemer, redeemer of the world: give us your peace, give us your peace.
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Saving Dogs, One Car Ride At A Time
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A t-shirt in my drawer reads, "Easily distracted by dogs." It's a true statement. Puppies, senior dogs, mixed breeds, it doesn't matter--canines bring a smile to my face and my heart. My lifelong love for dogs also inspires a desire to be part of seeking justice for them when they are suffering from any number of causes. One of the ways I participate in that effort to help is by transporting dogs for organizations that coordinate their rescue and placement in foster or adopting homes.
My role as a transporter began a couple of years ago when I volunteered for an international rescue organization to transport two dogs coming from Qatar to a foster family in Rhode Island. Their US journey began when they arrived at Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia. They made their way north to New England, and I drove one of the last legs of their journey. As they were transferred to my care I encountered distinctly different dogs with a common eagerness to connect and trust. Giving them time to walk, drink, and have a bite to eat helps to establish that trust, and eases the stress of their journey.
It is a delight for me to transport for several reasons, not the least of which is being part of a dog's transformational experience from a harsh and cruel fate to one of tender care, freedom and love. The act of transporting, itself, is often accompanied by hearing the sound of contented, sleepy, breaths as the dogs travel and relax in a safe and caring environment. They are responsive to gentle touch, and the freedom to move and express themselves with wagging tails and grateful kisses. Before my eyes they begin to inch their way from a life of reserved caution toward one where they will thrive.
Sometimes the pain and suffering of God's creatures can overwhelm us, leaving us to feel helpless in our efforts to restore justice and vitality to lives that are hurting. Transporting doesn't solve the problems that lead to the need for it, but at the end of the day I'm grateful for the chance to make a difference for the dogs who share the road with me for just a little while.
Article by Rev. Anne Fraley, St. Peter's, South Windsor; Photo by Maggie Breen
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On a warm July day (wait, every day in July was WARM!) I met Rev. Anne Fraley in the parking lot of St. John's, Vernon. Together, we drove down to New Haven to pick up three dogs - originating from Texas and ultimately making their way north of CT for fostering and adoption - through an organization called
Rescue Dogs Rock, NYC
. This was my first (and hopefully not last) opportunity to join Rev. Anne in this work of animal care. There is something really unique about being a cog in the machine that is a transport chain, helping these dogs. It didn't seem like all that much when I thought about only the small part I played, but when I think about all of the folks who carved out time and energy to save these dogs along the way - it's amazing! This opportunity gave me a perspective I had been lacking - to notice both my small part in a project and the much larger impact of the entire group effort. I hope I can go on many more of these missions.
Article & Photo by Maggie Breen
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4 Easy Ways To Participate Within ECCT/NE Region
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HIKING POLL
The NE Region is considering hosting more hikes like what we have done this Summer. Using the poll below, please indicate if you would be interested in joining us!
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Are you interested in hiking this Spring?
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Yes, please! If yes, proceed to next set of answers...
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Sunday afternoons work for me
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Monday mornings or early afternoon
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Tuesday mornings or early afternoon
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Friday morning or early afternoon
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PLASTIC BAG BAN POLL - FOOD PANTRY
All across CT stores are banning single use plastic bag usage. This is bringing up some concerns around how this will impact soup kitchens, paper closets, and community meals. Please complete the poll below if you are curious about this issue.
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Would you be willing to meet in the NE Region to discuss how this ban impacts the marginalized?
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Yes, I work with a soup kitchen, pantry or meal program and would love to talk
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Yes, I want to talk and I am not currently engaged in this work in my community
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No, thank you - this does not hold any interest for me
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WHAT FEEDS YOU?
What sort of activities speak to your soul that you are currently engaged in? Please pick from some of these options & email me if your activity isn't here! ([email protected])
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any kind of crafting or art
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reading - fiction or non-fiction
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attending worship services/eucharist
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TRIP TO MANHATTAN
Do you have an interest in seeing St. John the Divine, General Seminary and/or the offices at 815 in Manhattan? A NE Region field trip could be in the making!
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Are you interested in joining the NE Region on a trip to Manhattan?
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Yes; bring on the learning about The Episcopal Church
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You Don't Want To Miss This: Upcoming Events
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NE Region Lay Preaching Class:
The NE Region is hosting a Lay Preaching Class, beginning
September 19 and running through mid-October.
If you are a lay person interested in participating in this series, we encourage you to talk with your clergy-person or warden for permission to attend. This is a 6-week course and we encourage interested people to try and attend as many of the classes as possible. The classes will be on
Thursday evenings, from 6:30-830, and the lcoation will travel around the Region. Please have your clergy-person or warden email Maggie Breen (
[email protected]) with your contact information so that she can add you to the student list and get the class information to you before the classes start!
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The Season of Racial Healing, Justice & Reconcillation:
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Opportunity in the SC Region: Undoing Racism Workshops - New Haven:
The
People's Institute for Survival and Beyond
has been offering workshops for the dismantling of racism in the United States since its founding in 1980. They are "a national and international collective anti-racist, multicultural community organizers and educators dedicated to building an effective movement for social transformation."
This year there will be a series of opportunities through the
Elm City Undoing Racism Organizing Collective
, which is a collaborator with the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, to participate in these three day workshops. All community leaders are invited to participate (if you're reading this you are a community leader!). Workshops will be offered on:
September 12-14
and
November 8-10
. These workshops provide one opportunity to lean into the two year focus of Racial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation...and there are many others being offered across ECCT! Please contact The Rev. Kyle Pedersen
(
[email protected]
)
with questions about the workshops through Elm City UROC and check out their
website
for more information and for an application.
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A workshop on solar energy for houses of worship will be held the afternoon of
Sunday, September 15
at Temple B’nai Israel in Willimantic. It will begin at 2:00 and conclude at 3:30 with refreshments and conversation.
The workshop is co-sponsored by Eastern CT Green Action (ECGA) and Interreligious Eco-Justice Network (IREJN); its purpose is to encourage congregations to consider conversion to solar panels to fuel their energy needs.
Among the presenters are representatives from congregations who have successfully navigated the transition — beginning with the decision process, creatively meeting the financial challenge of the significant start-up cost, and the installation of solar panels themselves. Our target audience are the houses of worship of eastern CT; we hope to assist smaller congregations who might benefit from the experience of others to make the choice for renewable energy.
For more details or more information, you may contact Rev. Lois Happe via email at
[email protected]
or by phone at 860-429-2165.
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"Paris to Pittsburgh" Movie Event
Please join our friends at St. John's, Vernon and the Inter-Religious Eco-Justice Network on Sunday, September 22, for a movie presentation of "Parish to Pittsburgh" and a potluck dinner. Event starts at 5PM. Please email Letty Naigles at (
[email protected]) to RSVP.
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NE Region Parish Communication Workshop
REGISTER HERE- space is limited to 10 parishes, 2 people per parish.
Bring a lunch and your computer and join us at St. Peter's, South Windsor on
Saturday, September 28.
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Community Fellowship And Crafting Day
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Join the NE Region for another crafting day on
Saturday, November 9, 2019
. This event will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, Stafford Springs from 9:30-2:30. Come for the whole time, or just a little while. Bring your lunch, a project to work on, something for show and tell & something for the swap table!
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From The Companions in Mission Ministry Network:
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Greetings Companions in Mission!
We have been talking about finding new ways of connecting people with similar interests in God’s mission for sometime now. I want to share an idea with you which may help people connect with each other (by no means is it original or mine): An asset map of parishes/organizations across ECCT that are engaged in God’s mission.
I have prepared a very brief survey that should take no more than 3 minutes to fill out. Once you fill it out, that information gets plotted on a Trello board organized by regions, where you can search a particular kind of mission, for instance, “Feeding Ministry” or “Human Dignity” and then click the map button to see them all plotted on a map. This should help people see which churches are, for instance, in mission partnerships overseas, and then see where they are located and have a way to contact them, and maybe even see if it would be a viable partnership based on the distance between the two locations within ECCT etc.
What I need is for each of us to kindly take some time out (less than 3 minutes) and fill out this survey. And then give it some time to populate the Trello board (usually within ten minutes), and then check out the Trello board and send me your feed back on the process and the idea.
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September:
09/06 - NE Region Men's Breakfast, Vernon Diner - 6AM
09/06 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
09/07 - Tag & Craft Fair, St. James, Glastonbury - 9AM-3PM
09/11-09/12 - NE Region Leadership Team Retreat, Incarnation Center, 4PM start time
09/13 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
09/20 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
09/22 - Healing Service, Trinity, Brooklyn, 2PM
09/27 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
09/28 - Craft Fair, St. George's, Bolton - 9AM-3PM
09/28 - Apple Fair, All Saints, East Hartford
09/28 - NAACP Committee for Community Conversations on Race Fall Film Series: "The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till", First Congregation Church of Woodstock, 2PM
October:
10/03 - NE Region Leadership Team Meeting, St. John's, Vernon - 6PM
10/04 - NE Region Men's Breakfast, Vernon Diner - 6AM
10/04 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
10/05 - Elisabeth Von Trapp in Concert, St. Peter's, Hebron - 5:30PM
10/11 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
10/18 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
10/19 - Region Leadership Teams Gathering at The Commons - 9AM-1PM
10/25 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
10/27 - Healing Service, Trinity, Brooklyn, 2PM
10/27 - NAACP Committee for Community Conversations on Race Fall Film Series: "An American Story: Race Amity and The Other Tradition", B'nai Shalom Synagogue in Putnam, 1PM
November:
11/01 - NE Region Men's Breakfast, Vernon Diner - 6AM
11/01 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
11/07 - NE Region Leadership Team Meeting, St. John's, Vernon - 6PM
11/08 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
11/15 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
11/22 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
11/23 - NAACP Committee for Community Conversations on Race Fall Film Series: "The Hurricane", Westfield Congregational Church in Danielson, 1PM
11/24 - Healing Service, Trinity, Brooklyn, 2PM
11/29 - Balance Class, St. Peter's, Hebron - 9AM
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STAY CONNECTED WITH NE REGION
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You can reach Maggie Breen, NE Region Missionary, the following ways:
MAIL:
Maggie Breen, NE Region Missionary, St. John's Episcopal Church, 523 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT 06066
PHONE:
203-639-3501 x154
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From Occupare Faenum Farm: The stifling heat of July has been difficult for all of us at the farm, two legged and four legged animals! We are all very much looking forward to the cooler temps of Fall in New England. Lysle and Luna continue to enjoy settling in at the farm, while Jude, Cappuccino, and Illa Nocte remain much the same. Michael and I are enjoying learning the new voices of the flock and are pleased to annouce that Luna has a very strong voice and loves to sing. I suspect our neighboors might be less pleased with this development. Apples continue to be a favorite treat, and we've added parsnips to the rotation - Lysle's new favorite! As always, we welcome visitors to the farm so should you wish to meet the sheep please do contact me so we can arrange a time!
Photo by: Maggie Breen
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