February 17, 2025

Beloved,

In preparing for Synod 2024, I asked this question of our Ecumenical Catholic Communion communities:



As I shared in my State of Communion presentation on Friday evening of Synod, my heart was very moved and encouraged to learn about all the ways our Communities are reaching out to others.   A special display was created in the Chapel (which was located in the lower level of Longs Peak Lodge) so everyone could read, learn and get ideas from each other over the days we were gathered.

I realize not everyone had the opportunity to view and read these during Synod so we decided to create a series of Newsletters to offer to all the opportunity  to learn more about the wonderful work being done within our Communion.   

It is a joy to highlight the goodness happening

in our Ecumenical Catholic Communion

and I encourage you to read,

to learn,

and to connect with one another

about continuing this important work

in our Communities.

If your Community did not have the opportunity to answer this question before Synod, please feel free to do so now. You can email your response to Carolyn Sue Cecil at admin@ecumenicalcatholics.net, so our sharing and growth can continue!

Pax & Amor

Bishop Paul "Pablo" Burson, M.Div., L.P.C.

Presiding Bishop, ECC

BishopPaul@ecumenicalcatholics.net

This week, in our ECC Service and Ministry Outreach Series, 

we will feature the wonderful ministries

happening at:

Church of the Holy Trinity ECC

Long Beach, California

and



Light of Christ

Ecumenical Catholic Communion

Longmont, Colorado

We have different events for the benefit of our

community.

1.-We teach our children to bring food and pack and

distribute it in the streets of the homeless. (during

Thanksgiving time)

2.- We make donations for missions that Holy

Trinity has (churches who are in need, specifically

trying to help one community of Mexico to build a

church)

3.- We send money for children with no parents for

their education.



4.- During Christmas many people come for baskets

and gifts. We distribute these donations to all the

poor in our community.

For Good Friday in 2024, we hosted a Stations of the Cross walk through various sites in Longmont where KKK activities happened in the 1920’s, a time where all city council members and the mayor of Longmont were also members of the KKK.

This event received publicity here in Longmont, and in the Denver Post. That caught the attention of the Department of Homeland Security who reached out to us. Currently, our Adult Formation Team is working with the Department of Homeland Security 

We also hosted a movie screening of “This is [Not] Who We Are” about racism in Boulder County. There were individuals who were part of making this documentary who were on site to help with the discussion after the movie.

Our Good Friday walk in 2025 will be at various sites in downtown Longmont that were devastated during the Colorado flooding of September 2013.

Our Youth went to Pine Ridge Reservation to be with the Lakota people on a cross-cultural immersion trip.

In the Spring our youth paint and donate bowls that become part of Longmont’s “Empty Bowls to Feed the Hungry” project which financially supports the OUR Center.

Some of our Adults went to El Paso on a cross-cultural immersion trip to learn about immigration and the border. We lived in a shelter with migrants during the week, and met various organizations throughout El Paso including a retired border patrol agent, and shared worship and meals with many migrants.

Some of our Adults also went on a service trip to a Hopi/Navajo reservation in Nevada. This was a combined endeavor with the Lutherans within whom we are nested.

We have a home visit Eucharist team. This mostly serves LOC members, but recently we filled in at a senior living center offerring a Communion service while another worship provider there was out because of a surgery.

We have a small team that has been going to the ICE Detention Center in Aurora for one-on-one visits.



Before the pandemic we had a small team doing Communion Services on Sunday in the county jail. That program was paused during the pandemic and is just starting to get restarted and we are hopeful to be part of that again.

Many of our members volunteer at a food pantry called the Round Pantry and one of our members is on their board. Other members help at the OUR Center in Longmont. Occasionally LOC sponsors, cooks, and serves lunch there. We also have members working regularly in the clothing bank.



There is a little pantry on site that we stock one day a week for our neighborhood. And we have a community garden onsite where neighbors pay only 50% for fresh produce. One of our members is on the board for the garden, which is also sponsored by our host Lutheran community, and many members help with weeding, etc.

Along with our hosting Lutheran community, we sponsor outdoor movie nights with a bouncy house and snacks.

In February we offer a lending library related to Black History Month. It is an honor system library and anyone who visits the building can borrow a book. We have children’s books as well as adult books. We did an intergenerational book club with “The Watson’s Went to Birmingham – 1963” with readers from middle school aged to octogenarians.

4 times a year we do a “drive” collecting needed items for various food pantries, etc around Longmont.

For November we will collect all the desserts for the

Thanksgiving distribution at the Round Pantry.

Generally, 500+ families are served at the Round Pantry every two weeks.

We participate in Earth Day Activities, with displays in our building.

We have a vibrant Stephen Ministry team that not only serves Light of Christ, but anyone in Longmont who could use a companion in a challenging time.

We host the 11th Hour Project by gathering to pray and ring the church bell on the 11th of each month at 11 am to raise awareness for climate justice.

Synod 2024:  Our Family Photo Album:

https://conta.cc/4ethWMF



Synod 2024: Links to all of our Amazing Speakers and Presentations:

https://conta.cc/4hkiibb