Ecumenical Catholic Communion

In Action

In our Communities

March 10, 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

Ecumenical Catholic Communion

Service and Ministry

Outreach

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

we will feature the wonderful ministries

happening at:

Church of the Beloved ECC

Northglenn, Colorado

and

All Souls ECC

Reading, Pennsylvania

Church of the Beloved ECC

Northglenn, Colorado

Provided winter clothing to elementary students newly immigrated, and high school students, too.

Packaged and distributed 1350 pounds of rice and beans to area food banks in 2023 and plan for a similar project in Oct. 2024.

Hosts a ministry called “Anawim” to lgbtq+ individuals and parents; paricipated in PRIDE in Adams County and Denver.

Monthly food drive for food banks.

All Souls ECC

Reading, Pennsylvania

All Souls strives to maintain a presence in our community through many service and outreach projects.

Outreach

Opportunity House

Opportunity House is a 24hr multi-service facility that improves the quality of life for men/women/children in need and who are homeless. All Souls has prepared and served meals at Opportunity House to the residents. We ensure they get a well-balanced meal.

Family Promise

Family Promise provides services to homeless families, youth and individuals facing a housing crisis. The main church where we have space and nest in has hosted families overnight. We have provided meals and All Souls members have slept overnight in the church while the families were there to provide support. Since Covid, the Family Promise organization has found houses that provide a place for the families to stay. All Souls has provided gift cards and meals to families.

Social Engagement

All Souls participates in numerous community functions to spread the word of Christ and inform people about the ECC.

Good Thyme for Life

Good Thyme for Life is an annual dine out event to benefit Co-County Wellness Services. Local restaurants participate in hosting dining events where a portion of their food sales are donated to Co-County Wellness services. Individuals or organizations host at these restaurants and have raffle baskets and sell raffle tickets to raise extra funds. All Souls has hosted for the past 6 years. We usually have between 20-24 raffle baskets.

West Reading Art on the Avenue

A local community Art Festival and Vendor fair that is held in a borough outside of Reading, Pa where we are located. It showcases the local art talent and vendors share and sell their goods. All Souls was one of the few churches represented at this function. A lot of community engagement and involvement.

Berks Pride Fest

Formally known as Reading Pride Festival, this function has grown tremendously over the past few years. All Souls is proud to have been a participant since our founding. We support our LGBTQ+ community and engage with festival attendees by sharing the welcoming and all-inclusiveness of the ECC.

Berks Cultural Diversity Festival

Berks County has a very rich and diverse culture. Bring the Change presents the festival in partnership with many diverse community organizations. All Souls sets up our booth and celebrates diversity along with these organizations and the community.

Pride Night at the Reading Phillies

A local farm team of the Philadelphia Phillies, the Reading Phillies hosts a Pride night to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community. All Souls participates in this event to support and to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community.

Blessing of Animals

In honor of St. Francis of Assisi, All Souls performs a Blessing of the Animals in a local park near out church. We do this on the first Saturday in October and we do it outside so more people from the community are free to bring their pets and have them blessed. We had out a St. Francis medal to every pet that is being blessed. This year, we are asking for donations of pet food or pet items to donate to local shelters. There will also be individuals from local rescues attending the blessing with adoptable pets.

Berks Pride Interfaith Service

We have hosted the Berks Pride Interfaith Service. This service celebrates the many different faiths in our community who support the LGBTQ+ community.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

All Souls has hosted and will be hosting the Transgender Day of Remembrance Service in conjunction with Berks Pride and the LGBTQ+ Center of Greater Reading. This solemn service recognizes all the transgender individuals who have lost their lives to violence in the past year. Held every year in November, we read the names of those who have been killed, light candles and ring a bell. This very important service is held to honor those who have been killed and to remind us that there is so much work to be done in our worldwide community to foster acceptance of our LGBTQ+ sisters and brothers.

All Souls was also one of the few churches in the Reading area who held a memorial service for all those who lost their lives in the Pulse nightclub shooting that occurred on June 12, 2016.