The Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement in Rhode Island
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Oct. 17: Paperless Convention, ECW Ingathering,
hurricane relief, Camp news and more
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The Rt. Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely
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A paperless convention
Practicing creation care in community
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Can you imagine a Diocesan Convention with no paper? That's right: no folders at registration, no paper service booklets at Friday evening's Eucharist and no single-use plastic bottles of water (We'll give you re-usable water bottles.). Even our lunch will be different, with a minimum of paper waste and a maximum of locally sourced and produced food.
When we gather Nov. 2-3 at St. Luke's, East Greenwich, we will be trying to live out part of being the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement by caring for creation. Care and justice for all creation is a core value of the Episcopal Church, and we're asking our convention delegates to help us be good stewards of our environment.
Please download documents and save them to your mobile device(s) before arriving at convention — cellular coverage is very limited around the St. Luke's campus. If you must use paper, please print your own copies before arriving. We won't have any copies available onsite.
The bishops of the Episcopal Church met in Alaska last fall, and it was a powerful experience for us. To paraphrase what we at the House of Bishops wrote then, we walked the land, stood beside the rivers and listened to the stories of people whose livelihood depends on that land. It helped us recognize that struggles for justice are connected. Racism, the economy, violence and the environment are interrelated.
Reducing our dependence on paper for two days may seem like a small step. But it's a step that may enhance our awareness and understanding of the importance of caring for God's creation.
+Nicholas
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STORIES FROM OUR CONGREGATIONS
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Turning toward Jesus:
Way of Love series an inspiration
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Episcopalians at
Emmanuel, Newport, spent most of August and September learning how to incorporate The Way of Love in their lives.
The Rev. Anita Schell, rector, created a seven-week series of sermons, choosing a Way of Love word each week for the focus and incorporating it into the lessons of the day. She reinforced those messages with "snapshots" in the parish newsletter and worship bulletin. The finale was a guest sermon from the Rev. Bruce Torrey of
Food for the Poor, an interdenominational ministry providing food, clothing and other resources in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Schell said: "My take is that folks loved it. The simplicity of concrete steps and scriptural reflection resonated for the congregation. I've invited them to practice the Way of Love principles regularly."
Is your church connecting people to The Way of Love? Let us know with a note to
dave@episcopalri.org.
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Loaves & Fishes RI volunteers prep food for distribution (top); the truck is ready to roll (above)
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Episcopal Charities Spotlight:
Food, clothes and dignity
Loaves & Fishes RI helps
neighbors in need
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The interfaith ministry Loaves & Fishes RI delivers more than 20,000 meals each year, plus clothing and basic necessities, to Rhode Islanders in need. Hot sandwiches, fruit, hard-cooked eggs, homemade baked goods, prepackaged snacks, coffee and hot chocolate (lemonade and cold water in summer) — are delivered “with kindness and compassion,” says the mission statement.
“We take a catering truck, outfitted to serve about 120 people, to multiple locations in Woonsocket and greater Providence,” said Jeff Manickas, Loaves & Fishes RI board chair and member of St. Paul’s, Wickford. “We aim to provide our clients with some choices in the items available, and through non-judgmental, friendly conversation, we strive to get to know those we serve, all while honoring their dignity. Our brief interactions with them provide an opportunity to offer ‘more than a meal,' a moment of genuine kindness and respect, in contrast to those times when the world would seem to treat them as insignificant, or even invisible.”
The ministry includes Episcopalians from St. John’s, Barrington; Emmanuel, Cumberland; St. David’s on-the-Hill, Cranston, St. Luke’s, East Greenwich; and St. Paul’s, Wickford, and seven churches from other denominations.
Episcopal Charities helped Loaves & Fishes RI through a $4,000 grant in 2017. In all, Episcopal Charities distributed $348,300 in grants to 56 nonprofit agencies that serve people in need in Rhode Island. You can make a donation
online. You can learn more about Loaves & Fishes RI
here.
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Luncheon for retired clergy and spouses, and surviving spouses
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October 25, 11:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.
St. Mark's, Warwick
The fall gathering for retired clergy, spouses and surviving spouses will be a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, October 25, at St. Mark's, 111 West Shore Road, Warwick. There will be time to connect with friends and to hear news about General Convention. Letters and email invitations have gone out with RSVP information, but please contact
the Rev. Noel Bailey
to respond if you haven't, or to request a ride.
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ECW holds Annual Meeting and Ingathering
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November 8, 10 a.m.
St. Michael's, Bristol
The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Annual Meeting and Fall Ingathering of the United Thank Offering and Church Periodical Club Collection will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, November 8, at St. Michael’s, Bristol. The guest speaker will be from the recently formed East Bay Recovery Drop-in Center, a collaborative group of the Bristol Community, the R.I. Health Equity Center and St. Michael’s Church.
All are welcome to attend, even if your parish does not have a formal ECW ministry.
Reservations for the luncheon are required. Cost: $12 per person.
Deadline for reservations is November 1
. Make checks payable to: "ECW-Diocese of RI."
Please mail your reservation and remittance to:
Mrs. Carol Blackinton,
20 Judy Terrace
West Warwick, R.I. 02893
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Halloween Village at ECC
October 27, 1-5 p.m.
All are invited to the Episcopal Conference Center (ECC) for the second annual
Halloween Village
event, from 1 to 5 p.m. on October 27. Churches can take over a cabin and decorate it to be part of the fun, and children of all ages can come and go trick or treating at those cabins and take part in a costume parade and other Halloween games and activities! If your church wants to decorate a cabin, contact the
camp office
. More information about the afternoon, including the schedule, is
here
.
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ECC weekend for adults focuses on 'navigating
your child's teenage years'
Young people aren't the only people who benefit from a camp experience! ECC is now offering weekends for adults, beginning with a weekend November 9-11.
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DIOCESAN CONVENTION UPDATES
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Curt Spalding, Diocesan Convention preacher
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Diocesan Convention
set for November 2 -3
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Register now to be sure you get all materials and to beat the late-registrant price increase
Registration for lay delegates from congregations, canonically resident clergy, and guests (anyone else who wants to attend convention, including members of diocesan committees and commissions) is
here.
Ticket prices go up one week before convention. Delegates should coordinate their registrations with their clergy-in-charge to avoid duplicate registrations.
An email will be sent to all registered attendees later this week with links to all the documents for Convention, so you can download them in advance. As the Bishop explains in his column above, we will not have any paper copies of the resolutions, the budget, or the worship bulletin on-site.
Clergy should double-check with their delegates before Convention to make sure they've downloaded everything they'll need.
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Souls of College Hill: A Walking Tour of Slavery’s Haunted Legacy
Friday, November 2, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Cathedral of St. John
52 Power Street, Providence, RI
This All Souls Day, join us for a once-in-a-lifetime walk among the dead. As the sky darkens and leaves fall, the souls of some of Providence's early residents will rise for an evening stroll. A slave ship captain, an enslaved mother seeking freedom, an indentured African boy forced to work on a slave ship -- these are only a few of the souls you'll encounter as we traverse the broken stones of this nearly 400-year-old city. At the end of our tale, the night will conclude with a candlelit chorus of voices inside a historic cathedral, and a walk among the graves of a colonial cemetery.
All the rest of the details and registration information can be found
here
.
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October Events from the Center for Reconciliation
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- Race and Voting Rights in RI. Wednesday, October 24, 6:30 p.m., Cathedral of St. John. Details here.
- Race and the Second Amendment. Tuesday Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m., Cathedral of St. John. Details here.
Advanced registration for all events is appreciated, and information about registration is on the details page for each event.
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Episcopal Relief & Development Responds to Hurricane Michael
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Through partnerships with the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia and the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, the organization is providing emergency assistance to individuals and families affected by the storm, including food, shelter, generators and other basic supplies. You can read more specifics about their response
here and
make a donation to ERD's Hurricane Relief Fund.
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For Clergy
Dec. 6: Clergy Day.
Details and topic TBA via email.
February 19-21
Presbyters' Retreat
Passionist Center,
West Hartford, Connecticut.
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Diocesan Calendar
October 21: Revival with Bishop Curry
(
Diocese of Western Massachusetts).
October 23: Celebration of New Ministry,
St. James, North Providence,
7 p.m
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October 24: Diocesan Council
Diocesan House, 6 p.m.
Nov. 2-3: Diocesan Convention.
See articles above.
November 8: ECW Annual Meeting and Fall Ingathering
St. Michael's, Bristol,
10 a.m. See article above.
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The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island
401-274-4500 | 275 North Main Street | www.episcopalri.org
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