Weekly Check-In 06/05/2020
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North Central Region
Weekly Check-In
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View Online Here
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Letter from your Region Missionary
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Dear friends in Christ,
This week has been full of turmoil and grief and anger in our country and in my own heart. As an Episcopal priest, as a baptized Christian, and a child of God, I denounce the sin of racism, I grieve the brokenness of our world, and the fact that we fall so short of our baptismal vows to respect the dignity of every human life, especially the lives of people of color in our country. I am grieved because history and racism is repeating itself, again. In George Floyd's words, I hear echos of Eric Gardner's voice from 2014. I also hear the echos of stories I have heard from black mothers about how they worry and fear for the lives of their black children. Racism is not something we left behind. The sin of white supremacy is still actively with us. It is still in our communities and in our bodies. But, as Presiding Bishop Curry wrote on May 30, "
we need not be paralyzed by our past or our present. We are not slaves to fate but people of faith."
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The Rev. Erin Flinn
NC Region Missionary
Mobile: 860-966-3742
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In this moment it is normal to feel overwhelmed, exhausted and paralyzed. It can be difficult to discern what to do, how to listen, and what say next. This week the following words were brought to my attention during the Racial Healing, Justice & Reconciliation gathering on Thursday afternoon.
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Resistance is NOT a one lane highway. Maybe your lane is protesting, maybe your lane is organizing, maybe your lane is counseling, maybe your lane is art activism, maybe your lane is surviving the day. Do NOT feel guilty for not occupying every lane. We need all of them.
-Lindsay Young, @Lindss_tastic
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I invite you again to join me in prayer this week to ask God how each of us might engage in the work of racial healing, justice and reconciliation. There are many ways to engage in this work, and you don’t have to do them all at once, but we must each commit to doing something. It is our obligation as Christians and followers of the Way of Jesus. Pray, Listen, Learn, Act.
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Presiding Bishop Curry's Pentecost Sermon
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"...This past week, we have not only had to endure a pandemic occasioned by a virus, a viral pandemic, but we've had to endure and face a spiritual pandemic. The roots of self-centeredness where one person can look upon another person and despise and reject them, and not even behold them as a fellow child of God. We have seen once again the unthinkable become thinkable. It's caused great pain or better yet, on Earth, the great pain that was already there..."
Read full sermon here
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ECCT Bishops Statement, June 2, 2020
Jesus said to them: “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’"
(Matthew 21:13)
When Jesus enters Jerusalem and cleanses the Temple he calls us to a right understanding of Holy Places as sacred to God and the honoring of God’s purposes. At a time when our country is being torn apart by violence caused by racism, Holy places hold out for us God’s dream of justice, wholeness, and peace. Churches and sacred symbols should not be used as political tools to foment division, alienation and violence. We join with the
bishops of New England
and the
Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church
in decrying the use of St. John’s, Lafayette Square and the Bible by the President for partisan political purposes. Our faith and our nation’s ideals call us to a higher vocation of genuine unity and justice for all.
The Rt. Rev. Ian T. Douglas, Bishop Diocesan
The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens, Bishop Suffragan
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Racial Healing Justice & Reconcilation
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Racial Healing, Justice & Reconciliation Resources: If you are looking for more resources to engage in this necessary work of confronting and dismantling racism, check out the
RHJ&R webpage.
These educational resources were curated in order to recognize the reality of white supremacy and bias against people of color and awaken Episcopalians in Connecticut to the need for concerted action to address the ongoing injustice of the racial divide.
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June 5-7 is National Wear Orange Weekend.
WEAR ORANGE is a gun violence prevention movement of Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, that honors and remembers the victims and survivors of gun violence. WEAR ORANGE is also supported by
Bishop's United Against Gun Violence. For more info on what it means to wear orange
click here. Looking to incorporate wear orange in Sunday worship?
Here are some ideas.
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GHIAA - Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance. In October 2019, 1500+ people from 35 multi-faith congregations and allied institutions gathered to launch the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance
to build a diverse organization of lay leaders and clergy from across bounds of race, class, gender identity, religion and geography to build relational power to address social justice issues in local communities and beyond. GHIAA's current action campaigns are in the areas of Education; Gun Violence; Healthcare; Housing; and Criminal Justice Reform. For more info visit
http://cljct.org/ghiaa.
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Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) offers great resources for understanding the 2020 Census and why it matters to us as Christians and what we can do to ensure an accurate count. The Episcopal Church is an official partner of the U.S. Census. The Church’s goal is to use our presence in thousands of communities to help ensure that everyone is counted.
For EPPN Census resources & and a video from Bishop Curry click here.
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North Central Region Resources
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Fill the Truck with non-perishable food items on 6/6 and 6/7 @ Trinity, Tariffville. People in our community have lost their jobs and sources of income and are in need of food. Many are just barely above the threshold for qualifying for assistance, and because of this - they fall through the cracks. We can fill those cracks and help meet the needs of our neighbors!
Our donations will be given to the Simsbury Food Pantry for distribution. Social distancing and safe practices will be followed during the collection. Suggested food needs include: snacks for kids, pasta, pasta sauce, canned meats, canned meals (soups, stews, ravioli, etc), macaroni and cheese, rice, beans, etc.
More info here
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Toilet Paper & Paper Towel Collection, Thursdays in June. Every June, St. James's in West Hartford, collects toilet paper and paper towels. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, toilet paper and paper towels have become valuable items, and agencies are especially in need. Your contribution of rolls of toilet paper and paper towels will be distributed to
individuals who come to the soup kitch
ens, food pantries, and to Hartford area shelters. We will collect items Every Thursday through the end of June between 10am-12pm. Please place you donations at the CLOISTER ENTRANCE to the church.
More info here.
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JUNE 20, St. Paul’s Food Drive from 10 AM - 2 PM to benefit Southington Community Services. Social distancing and safe practices will be followed during the collection. Needed items include: macaroni & cheese, canned vegetables, canned fruits, cereal, juice boxes, and children’s snacks as well as any and all donations of other non-perishable food items.
For flyer & info click here.
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Adopt/Furnish an Apartment.
The
Coalition on Housing + Homelessness
is working hard to move families and individuals from temporary shelters and hotels into permanent housing. 35+ units are being prepared in
Middletown,
Meriden and
Wallingford for June. In the past churches have "adopted" a housing unit and gotten it completely ready for a family to move in. If your parish is in the area and you would like to adopt an
apartment, or learn more, reach out to Ann Faust at
ann@growstrongct.org
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For info about moving people from shelters to apartments during a pandemic
click here
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Welcome Ekklasia - The Church of The Holy Trinity of Middletown has graciously welcomed
Ekklaisa Ballet to set up three spacious light filled studios in their expansive upstairs facility. From Ekklaisa "We are so grateful to the Rev. Mary Barnett and the congregation of CHT for their generous spirit! We consider CHT a partner in ministry for the many many ways in which we share vision and heart."
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JUNE 15, Open EfM Meeting @ 6 PM:
The Education for Ministry group at Church of the Epiphany, Durham has openings for the September 2020 class. We invite anyone who is interested or curious about EfM to attend one of our Zoom sessions . People should call or email Victor Friedrich, our Zoombie, for the meeting ID and password, at 347-366-5048 or
victor.friedrich@mac.com.
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JUNE 15, Ministry with People who lack Housing & Food Security @ 7 PM
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JUNE 16, NC Wardens Zoom Gathering @ 5:30 PM. Thank you to everyone who joined together on Tuesday. We will gather again in two weeks to continue the conversation
More info.
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Music & Youth Opportunities
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Our Cathedral's Ensemble-in-Residence, Cuatro Puntos, is hosting
Cross- Atlantic Quarantine Sessions,
Every Monday through June 29 on
Facebook. Or
Register via zoom to interact with the artists.
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Pop-up concerts to benefit local charities
offered by St. John's, West Hartford.
Every Wednesday at Noon. Info at
Music at the Red Door and on
Facebook.
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New Each Week
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The Rev. Margie Baker, is making videos for Children’s Chapel. You can find them on
YouTube each Sunday
. Video above was from Pentecost.
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Virtual Kids for Christ program for young children, Sundays at 9 AM. For Zoom link and coloring pages email Priscilla Hooper
education@stjameswh.org.
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Region Resource Reminders
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- Looking for a place to try online worship? For an ongoing list of ECCT Parishes hosting livestream services click here
- 2-1-1 is a one-stop connection to the local services folks in your community may need, from utility assistance, food, housing, child care, after school programs, elder care, crisis intervention and much more. For more info click here.
- 3-1-1 It is similar to 2-1-1 but region specific to the city of Hartford. More info here. If you need a ride to get tested for Covid-19 and you live in Hartford, you can call 3-1-1 for a free ride to your testing appt. For ride info in English & Spanish.
- Foodshare - (Serving Hartford & Tolland Counties) visit www.foodshare.org/coronavirus to learn more about locations or to donate. People who are in need of food can text FOODSHARE to 85511 to identify locations where food is being distributed near them.
- CT Food Bank - (Serving Middlesex County and 5 others) visit ctfoodbank.org to learn more about locations or to donate.
- NC Region Clergy are invited to a virtual coffee hour Every Tuesday @ 3 PM. For Zoom info please email me, Erin Flinn, at eflinn@episcopalct.org.
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Digital Communications Office Hours! Thursdays, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Join Canon for Mission Communications and Media Jasree Peralta and Digital Media Coordinator Alli Gannett for online office hours via Zoom. Bring your specific questions regarding all things communications and media. Registration is required, no limit on sessions.
Please register here.
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ECCT Resource for COVID-19 are continually being updated, including:
- Messages from our Bishops
- Event updates
- Financial Resources
- Self-Care Resources
- Digital Communications Resources
- Worship Opportunities
- And More...
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Communications for the North Central Region
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Join the
NC Region Facebook Group
, a community bulletin board for the region. This is your place to share parish/community events, photos, videos and more.
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Like and follow the
NC Region Facebook Page
. This is where the Leadership Team will post news of upcoming Region events, gatherings, conversations, resources, etc.
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If you want to know what your Region Missionary is up to, follow her
Facebook Page
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