GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Welcoming All into God's Peace Together
Glow Logo
The Last Sunday After the Epiphany
Transfiguration Sunday
NO Worship Service at Grace
This Sunday, February 27, 2022
Holy Eucharist at St. Peter's, Monroe
10:00 a.m.
Details Below
Grace Episcopal Church
5958 Main Street, Trumbull CT 06611
Office Phone
203-268-2809
email:
office@gracetrumbull.org or click button
The Rev. Louise Kalemkerian,
Priest-in-Charge at Grace
Contact Rev. Louise via the Grace Office
The Grace Church Prayerline
Grace Church is happy to pray for you. You can submit your prayer request on line by clicking the button below or mail it to our church office at
Grace Church, 5958 Main Street, Trumbull CT 06611

Greetings!

Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)








Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 

Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said. 

While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 

Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

Collect for The Last Sunday after the Epiphany
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Prayer for Peace from the Book of Common Prayer
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love; so mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen

A Prayer for Peace Among Nations from The Book of Common Prayer
Almighty God our Heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Sermons and Reflections
The following is a sermon for this coming Sunday, February 27, 2022, The Last Sunday after the Epiphany written by The Rev. Kirk Alan Kubicek. The readings for this Sunday may be found by clicking on the "Readings" blue button above.
Radical Amazement!, Last Sunday in Epiphany (C) – February 27, 2022

“About eight days after these sayings, Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.” “These sayings” included telling them that in Jerusalem he would be rejected, he would die, and after three days be raised from the dead; that to be a disciple of his one needs to pick up one’s cross daily; that it is necessary to lose one’s life to save it. Knowing that is what had been said makes it readily apparent why he goes up on the mountain to pray.

The three sleepy disciples look on as Jesus’ appearance becomes dazzlingly bright, reminiscent of those times Moses would ascend Mount Sinai to meet with God face-to-face. On the way down, the people could not look at Moses, so dazzlingly bright was his face (Exodus 34:29-35). The dazzling Moses appears with Elijah, he of the blazing chariot, to pay Jesus a visit to discuss his “departure.”

Departure in Greek is exodos. They were talking about his exodus which would occur in Jerusalem. This is why we call Christ’s sacrifice “our Passover.” His death will be an exodus; his resurrection is another exodus. Think of Moses and Elijah as paying a pastoral visit to assure Jesus that they have been before where he is now, and that sure enough, just as it had been in the wilderness, as it was when fleeing Ahab and Jezebel, as it has been throughout the history of our people, God always provides a way out, an escape route, a way out of bondage, a way out of the hard times, a way beyond and passing over death to a life lived with God all the time. Eternal life with God. We call it Resurrection Life.

Peter does not miss the importance of the occasion and suggests building three booths: shelters resembling the temporary dwellings patterned after ones in the book of Exodus, dwelling in which the people lived during their wilderness sojourn. Shelters able to be picked-up and moved down the road. The kind of shelter in which all of Israel is commanded to live one week each year during the Festival of Succoth, the Feast of Tabernacles, which, we hear in the gospels, Jesus and his disciples faithfully observed each year.

Succoth celebrates the reality that, in the wilderness, God provides, and that we must trust this and be grateful. To this day, the Jewish people build a Succoth booth for an eight-day remembrance once a year. It must be built so that one can see the stars through the roof, and rain must be able to get in. During this eight-day celebration, one gathers together what are called the Four Species: branches of citron, willow, myrtle and palm.

Palms, like those we will gather from last year’s Palm Sunday, which will be burned for ashes to be used on Ash Wednesday later this week. The willow and myrtle are bound to the Palm, making what is called a lulav. With the citron in one hand, the lulav in the other, they are waved in all four directions, north, south, east, and west, then upwards and downwards to indicate that God is everywhere! Indeed, the voice heard at Jesus’s baptism returns: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” As God’s presence is heard, Moses and Elijah depart.

The Eighth Day of the Succoth festival is known as Shemini Atzeret, the “day of holding back,” to stop or wait. It is the day the weekly Torah readings are completed and the scroll is turned back to the beginning – “In the beginning.” The significance of Atzeret, or holding back, is quite interesting. The sages say that this parable is the basis of Shemini Atzeret: God is like a king who invites all his children to a feast to last for just so many days; when the time has come for them to depart, he says to them: “My children, I have a request to make of you. Stay yet another day; your departure is difficult for me.” Which brings us back to that which Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were talking about: his departure, his exodus.

It tends to be overlooked that they likely spent the night on the mountain, for they do not come down until the next day. And curiously, no version of this story says Peter did not build the booths. So, we might ask, what did they do all night? Celebrate the Day of Holding Back with Jesus and God? Or did Peter, James, and John obey the voice from the cloud, and listen to Jesus all night long? Meanwhile, God knows that his son is going to Jerusalem, and wants to hold him back for one more night, as if to say, “Your departure is difficult for me.”

Jesus’s exodus did not end on Good Friday, any more than the great escape from Egypt was not the end of that first Exodus. For Exodus is always a beginning, just as the eight days of Succoth begin a new year of reading God’s Word. Just as waving the Palms north, south, east, and west reminds us that wherever we are, God is with us; that our God is the one God who always wants just one more night with us. And another. Until eventually, we all come down off the mountain, end the exuberant celebrations, and get back to the work God calls us to do – to heal a broken world, a practice sometimes called tikkun olam.

Whatever might be said about Jesus of Nazareth, his life demonstrates how to live a life of tikkun olam: how to repair a broken world. We sense his impatience the next morning when his disciples fail to cast out a spirit convulsing a young man. “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you?” he blurts out. Then he patiently takes care of the young man, and we are told, “All were amazed at the greatness of God!”

Amazement! Radical Amazement! Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel used to say that such amazement is the proper response to our experiences of the divine, and that living in radical amazement brings us into the space in which “great things happen to the soul.”[1] Such experiences of the divine, as the disciples experienced that night on the mountain, begins by leaving the endless stream of chaotic events that distract us day and night, and withdraw from it all as Jesus does to pray.

In such moments of prayer, perhaps we will be re-energized to open our eyes and see the work of God’s hand all about us. Perhaps if we spend one more day with the God who does not want us to leave, we too will be amazed at the greatness of God. We may find our exodus out of chaos leads us to a new beginning in a world of resurrection, celebration, and radical amazement as those three disciples experienced on a mountaintop with Jesus, one night long ago.

The Rev. Kirk Alan Kubicek is currently Priest in Charge at Christ Church, Rock Spring Parish, Forest Hill, Md. Christ Church is a Small but Mighty parish, and together we are rediscovering what our Lord has in store for our future. He has spent over 35 years in Parish Ministry in all shapes and size parishes, and for 15 years worked with The Episcopal Church Office of Stewardship and TENS. He often uses storytelling, music, and guitar in proclaiming the Good News. Married with three adult children and one grandson, Kirk also plays drums in On The Bus, a DC Metro Area Grateful Dead tribute band. All shall be well, all shall be well, all manner of thing shall be well!

[1] Abraham Joshua Heschel, God in Search of Man (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1955) p.117.
Transition and Worship Update
Worship Info for this Sunday in RED Below

The most likely and preferred (by Grace parishioners) option for the future is merging with another parish in the area. If merger is chosen and agreed to by both parishes, the time frame will most likely be in 2022. This was further discussed at the Grace Annual Meeting on June 27, 2021 and Parish Meeting on October 3, 2021.

From Fiona:
Hi all,

Sunday Service Schedule:

Feb 27th: 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Monroe. Service is available virtually via St. Peter's Facebook accessed from their website: stpetersonthegreen.com

March 2nd: 6:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday service at Grace Episcopal Church, Trumbull.

March 5th: Saturday: 9:00 - 1:00. JOINT PARISH MEETING with Bishop Ahrens, St. Peter's and Grace Churches held at St. Peter's. The meeting will provide coffee and snacks and lunch. All members of both parishes invited to attend this meeting. (more details below).

March 6th: 11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist at Grace Episcopal Church, Trumbull

March 7th: 7:00 -8:30 St. Peter's -Book Reading Discussion Group. If you are interested in joining the information is on the website: stpetersonthegreen.com

Additional Ministry Opportunities:
Feb 27th: 2:00 p.m. Chapel on the Green, New Haven - Ministry. St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Monroe participates in this ministry and information can be found on their website . The following is from their web page stpetersonthegreen.com.
Chapel on the Green (COTG)
We are back to worship on the Green! Please join us for a brief prayer service on Sundays at 2 pm, rain or shine. Now featuring singing together again accompanied by drums! We share a meal after our afternoon service. All are welcome!​We are still partnering with DESK by handing out supplies at their Drop-In Center on Thursdays from 3:30-4:30pm at 266 State Street. Let us know if you would like to get involved!
Questions? Contact the COTG Coordinator at cotg@trinitynewhaven.org.
Sponsor a Sunday
Our volunteer groups and partners are just as important now, as ever! We invite you to sponsor a Sunday to prepare and distribute a meal for our guests. See the Volunteer tab on our website to learn more.

Grace Merger Transition Update:
Dear Grace Parishioners and Friends:
On Saturday morning, March 5 Bishop Laura Ahrens will be with us for a very important meeting regarding the potential merger of Grace Episcopal Church and St. Peter's parishes. The entire parish of both churches will get together to explore next steps in the merger process and have an opportunity to ask questions. Bishop Ahrens, Dylan Mello and Mark Santucci from the Diocese, will be there to facilitate the conversation.

Our hope is that you will be part of this very important conversation - and our goal is to have as many people as possible involved in this process. The meeting will gather in the undercroft of St. Peter's from 9 am to 1 pm. Light opening snacks/coffee and lunch will be provided.

We hope you can join us! Please let us know either way by completing the google form linked below by Saturday, Feb 26 so we can plan for food!

Although we would love to have everyone attend in person, we understand that there may be some COVID related reasons why some cannot. There will not be a general link to join remotely, but if you would like to talk to a Vestry member about how to creatively include yourself in the interactive conversation, let us know on the google form - we will do our best to arrange for you virtually.

Click here for google form:

This is a very exciting time for both parishes - come join us, come meet others from Grace Church, be part of this important conversation.

God Bless,
The Vestries of Grace Episcopal and St. Peter's Episcopal Church.

From Fiona - As we go forward each vestry will stay in communication and ECCT will start scheduling meetings with us. We must remember that this is a merger/marriage of equals and as we work through the many tasks ahead. If all goes well, and let's pray that it does, the formal merger would be final at the Annual Convention which is scheduled in early November, 2022. Then the combined parish will be formally recognized. There will be a new Vestry and new bylaws and a time of honeymoon as we get to know each other and see how the new combined church develops.

Stewardship:
Thank you for your continued support and the return of your pledges. Pledges and donations are still being received. Please pray about Grace Church and how you might support with pledges or donations.
Thank you and God Bless.
Fiona Varker, Senior Warden

To Parishioners and Friends of Grace
Stewardship in 2022

Please mail your pledges and contributions to Grace Church, 5958 Main Street, Trumbull, CT 06611. Non-pledge contributions are gratefully accepted and you may also request envelopes if you want to send a periodic contribution but not pledge.

If you prefer to pay via PayPal, the link is on the Grace Website. Additional donations to Grace may also be made via the Grace Website or by check.

Your pledges and contributions are being processed, recorded and deposited and are much appreciated. The bills still roll in and Grace needs to stay current with our salaries and services!

Thank you.
Food Ministries - Giving Opportunities
Trinity Episcopal Church Food Drives

Next First Friday Food Drive Friday, March 4th
Trinity Episcopal Church holds a monthly food drive collection on the first Friday of every month. Below is the schedule for the next few months. Please contribute as you are able. All drop-offs are in the parking lot.

ALL FOOD DONATED GOES TO LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES IN BRIDGEPORT, STRATFORD, & TRUMBULL 

SAVE THE DATES FOR TRINITY'S FIRST FRIDAY FOOD DRIVES: 

MARCH 4*
APRIL 1
MAY 6
JUNE 3
*WEATHER DEPENDENT
Grace is the Cereal Church

Cereal and other food items are needed for the Local Food Pantries.  If you want to bring milk for donation, please look for the no refrigeration required, shelf stable milk in the supermarket juice/beverage aisle or the coffee aisle. Either shelf stable almond milk or dairy milk is appreciated. 

During the current period of some in-person worship and "Church in Deployment" (Sundays with no worship services at Grace), please continue to drop off your contributions and they will be delivered to the Food Pantries. Thank you!
The Latest News from ENS

The Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., is the seat of the presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. Photo: Episcopal News Service
Presiding bishop, interfaith leaders pray for peace as Russia steps up its advance on Ukraine
BY DAVID PAULSEN Posted 23 hours ago
[Episcopal News Service] More than a dozen interfaith leaders, including Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, offered prayers and calls for peace in Ukraine on Feb. 23 during an online vigil organized by The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations and the Quakers’ Friends Committee on National Legislation.

Participants in the hourlong vigil included representatives from the Jewish, Muslim and Sikh faiths and several Catholic and Protestant Christian denominations, as nearly 1,000 people watched and listened live on Zoom and Facebook.

Curry, in his opening remarks, offered prayers for the “people and children of God whose lives and freedom are threatened.” Nearly 200,000 Russian and Russian-backed troops have deployed to the borders of Ukraine for what Western leaders have warned is an imminent invasion of the former Soviet republic, and some of those troops already have moved into an eastern region held by separatists.

“We pray for peace. … We pray for a just peace,” Curry said. “We pray that the lives of innocents and the lives of any human child of God will be spared. We pray that our leaders will find a diplomatic way, a nonviolent way.”

To read the rest of this article and more articles from ENS, click the blue button below.

From the February 23, 2022 Issue of "The Southwest Region Joy" Newsletter
Dylan Mello, ECCT SW/NW Region Missionary
Volunteers Needed for the Food Pantry at St. Luke and St. Paul's-Bridgeport and the Greater Bridgeport Ministry Network
 
Food insecurity is growing beyond measure in the Greater Bridgeport Area as in all areas of the country. Having stated that, we invite you to become a ministry partner supporting the food pantry at St. Luke & St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (Iglesia Episcopal San Lucas y San Pablo) located at 594 Kossuth Street in Bridgeport.
 
This is a time to volunteer in distributing nourishing food that supports a healthy diet to the clients. The food pantry operates on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. The hours are 9:30am to 12:00 noon. Currently distribution of pantry items is done in the church parking lot. Covid protocols are in place. If you can assist in packing the food bags for distribution, please contact the Reverend Diane Peterson at peterson6@optonline.net

You can make a difference in people’s lives as a volunteer. Together, we can help to end hunger, but it’s going to require an active partnership.  We're grateful to have you on our side.

The Way of Love Lenten Series
Wednesday Evenings in Lent
7PM-8PM
 
If you are curious about engaging in spiritual practices or trying something new this Lent, this mid-week hour might be something to explore with us! We invite you to join the Way of Love with folks from both the NW and SW Regions, as we cover the topics of Worship, Pray, Learn, Rest, Turn, Go, and Bless. Each week prior to the meeting, you may engage with light video material if you wish that expands on the subject, but no requirement either! Come for one session or come for all of them. We will meet on 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30, 4/6, and 4/13. Mary Perry and Dylan Mello will lightly facilitate the evening as we embark on deepening our spiritual practices with God.
 
Please register HERE.
 
With any questions, please reach out to Dylan Mello at dmello@episcopalct.org.

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Local News From Area Towns - The Patch
Trumbull Weather Forecast For The Weekend Ahead
What to expect from the weather this weekend in the Trumbull area.

Weather News, Patch Staff
Posted Thu, Feb 24, 2022 at 12:37 pm ET

TRUMBULL, CT — A quick heads up: Weather officials have issued a Winter Weather Advisory for your area, beginning Thursday at 10:00 pm and ending Friday at 6:00 pm. More info from the National Weather Service is available here.

And now it's time for your weekend weather forecast, as reported by AccuWeather.

Editor's note: This list was automatically generated using data compiled by AccuWeather. Please report any errors or other feedback to content@patch.com.

Thursday, February 24
Clouds breaking; much colder
  • High 36, low 29
  • 7 mph winds, with gusts up to 12 mph

Friday, February 25
Rain; some ice mixed in early
  • High 38, low 16
  • Chance of Mixed: 96%
  • 9 mph winds, with gusts up to 15 mph

Local News From the Trumbull/Monroe/Easton/Redding Daily Voice
COVID-19: Trumbull School District Announces It Will Lift Mask Mandate
Zak Failla    02/23/2022 2:30 p.m.

A Fairfield County school district announced it will be among those who will be lifting its COVID-19 mask policy when the state-ordered mandate ends on Monday, Feb. 28.

Trumbull Schools Superintendent Martin Semmel announced that as of Feb. 28, facial coverings will not be required for students, staff, or visitors to all district buildings.

Beyond Feb. 28, it will be the choice of students, parents, and staff members about whether or not they choose to mask up.
As per federal guidance, masks will still be required in public transportation settings, including school buses.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont previously said that he “thinks today with boosters, given vaccines, given the N95 masks, you are in a better position to keep yourself safe, your child is in a better place to keep themselves safe,” when it comes to facial coverings in schools.

After a January spike of new cases, Connecticut has seen the COVID-19 numbers plateauing, with its daily infection rate settling around or under 4 percent. 

COVID-19: Infection Rate Above 3.5 Percent In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases, Deaths
Zak Failla    02/23/2022 8:30 a.m.
 
The daily COVID-19 positivity rate in Connecticut rose back above 3.50 percent as the number of patients being hospitalized for the virus held steady at 261 for the second straight day.

According to the latest update from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, there were 9,618 COVID-19 tests administered statewide on Monday, Feb. 21, resulting in 338 confirmed positive cases, resulting in a 3.51 percent daily infection rate, up from below 3 percent over the weekend.

Of the 261 COVID-19 patients being treated in Connecticut hospitals, health officials noted that 128 (49 percent) are not fully vaccinated.

According to the Department of Public Health, for the week beginning on Monday, Feb. 6, unvaccinated persons had a 3.1-times greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19 compared to an unvaccinated person. Unvaccinated people also had an 18.1-times greater risk of dying from the virus compared to vaccinated individuals.

To read the rest of this article click the blue button on the left below.

Recovery Meetings at Grace
For more information click blue button below

AA and AL-anon have regularly scheduled meetings in the Parish Hall Undercroft at Grace Church. Each meeting maintains Each-Use Please Clean-Up policy and the church provides a sexton for a Once-A-Week Cleaning. Safe-distancing, masks, and hand sanitizing are required. Smoking is NOT allowed on Church grounds.

For information on a specific AA meeting at Grace or requirements to sign up a new recovery meeting at Grace please go to grace-eye-opener.org - CLICK BLUE BUTTON BELOW.

An updated meeting schedule is published on the Grace Church website at www.gracetrumbull.org, or http://gracetrumbull.org/767597

C.A.R.E.S and Confident Health
The C.A.R.E.S. Group Joins Forces with Confidant Health 
The C.A.R.E.S. Group is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing education, support, resources, and hope for families, friends, and anyone with a loved one affected by mental health and substance use disorders. 
To expand our reach and increase access to resources needed by the individuals and communities we serve, C.A.R.E.S. has aligned with Confidant Health, a virtual clinic specializing in substance use and mental health. 
The Confidant Cares Family and Friends Group meets virtually on 
Mondays from 7pm-9pm EST.
C.A.R.E.S.
VIRTUAL HOPE & SUPPORT GROUP
MONDAYS
7:00 - 9:00 PM
* All meetings are free of charge

Please contact us using the info below for assistance of any kind.
855-406-0246
From the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport


FCCF's (Fairfield County's Community Foundation)
Giving Day is TODAY, February 24th!
On Thursday, February 24th, please consider visiting https://www.fcgives.org/organizations/the-council-of-churches-of-greater-bridgeport to help us continue the work we do to break the cycle of poverty and crisis in the Greater Bridgeport area!
Another way to help us on Giving Day is to:
LIKE
SHARE
COMMENT
... on our social media posts! These actions make our posts more visible to others. We are on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Thank you for your support of The Council!

Salt of the Earth Enterprise Kitchen (SEEK)!
We are happy to welcome Brittany Glavin to our SEEK Kitchen as our first renter at Union Avenue! Brittany operates Southern Belle Bites and is a personal chef who came to us to prepare some of her most delicious dishes! Things like whole roasted chickens with lemon, garlic and rosemary, lemon garlic green beans, cream cheese and chive mashed potatoes and so much more! She has a partnership with Greiser's Coffee and Market in Easton, and you can find her on Facebook and Instagram by searching for Southern Belle Bites. We wish you must success Brittany!

For more from CCGB click the blue button below
An Invitation to a Night of Irish Step Dancers from Lauralton Hall
Dear Grace Episcopal Church,
 
Lauralton Hall would like to invite your parish congregation to Irish Night. Would you be so kind as to post this invitation in your weekly bulletin:
 
Lauralton Hall’s ever-popular Irish Night featuring the Highland Rovers Band, Fairfield Gaelic Pipe Band, and Brennan-Lucey Irish Step Dancers will be held on Saturday, March 5, 7:30 pm (doors open at 6:45 pm) at Lauralton Hall, 200 High Street, Milford. Coffee, tea, and dessert will be provided. Bring your own beverages, ice and snacks. $25 per person, age 21 and over event. Tickets available at www.lauraltonhall.org/irishnight; for more information, email IrishNight@lauraltonhall.org.
 
Thank you kindly for your support.
Sincerely,
Nicole Benson-Ayisi ‘04
Alumnae Relations & Media Manager
200 High Street | Milford, CT 06460
203.877.2786 x115
 
Lauralton Hall
Empowering Women for Life
A Fundraiser from Caroline House
Good Morning Caroline House Friends,
 
Thursday, February 24th, is Fairfield County's day of giving - an opportunity to unite our community around causes in which we truly believe and help nonprofit organizations connect to the larger community.
 
As we count down the days we understand that we need your help!
 
Please join our campaign and help us reach our goal of $7,500.
   
Get ready to give! At 12:00AM on February 24, visit 
and make a donation to us and/or to any of the great participating nonprofit organizations in Fairfield County. All giving will end at 11:59PM on February 24, so make sure to get your gift in on time!

To enable women and children to reach the fullness of their potential through education in English language and life skills.
Caroline House is a sponsored ministry of the
  
St. Pauly's Clothing shed at
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
is open!
 
The clothing donation shed at Grace Episcopal Church, 5958 Main Street, Trumbull, CT, is open to the public.

If you are not familiar with the clothing donation shed, it’s designed to give community members a uniquely clean, convenient, and well-cared-for option to donate their used clothing to. St. Pauly Textile Inc., the company that has provided the shed, partners with businesses and various organizations to distribute donated items both here in the U.S. and worldwide, where they are ultimately re-worn by people who need them. Grace Church funding for donated clothing, and additionally has the option to use donations to serve community needs.

With over 1,300 clothing drop-off sheds in place, St. Pauly Textile Inc. collects over 90,000 pounds of clothing every day and estimates that this clothing ends up in 44 different countries (including the U.S.) yearly. In 2019, the company was able to help keep over 20 million articles of clothing out of landfills, which clothed an estimated 2.5 million people worldwide. The company was founded in 1996 and is an A+ rated member of the Better Business Bureau.

Accepted items: clothing, shoes, belts, purses, blankets, sheets, curtains, pillowcases, and stuffed animals. NO FURNITURE OF ANY SIZE. NO TOYS. NO CARRIAGES. NO CAR SEATS. NO CRIBS. NO APPLIANCES. NO GLASS ITEMS. DONATION MUST FIT INTO THE SLOT IN THE FRONT OF THE SHED. DO NOT LEAVE ANY ITEMS OUTSIDE THE SHED.
A word from the brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist

Brother, Give Us A Word
We pray at the start of every Eucharist, “To you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid.” At worship there’s no need to pretend, no need to keep up appearances. Not only does God see us as we truly are when we worship, but he also challenges us to grow, and become more fully that unique person God created us to be.
-Br. Geoffrey Tristram, Society of Saint John the Evangelist

For more information on the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, please visit their web site at:  http://ssje.org/ or click the button below.
SSJE is a monastic community of The Episcopal Church & The Anglican Church of Canada
Brother, Give Us A Word is a daily devotion
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist is an independent, 501(c) (3) non-profit tax exempt U.S. corporation.
© 2015 The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, All Rights Reserved
The Episcopal Church in Connecticut
Participating in God's Mission
Prepping Lay Preachers: Evening Edition
Monthly through May, Wednesdays 7 PM via Zoom First Session: TODAY

Join your Region Missionaries and lay preachers across ECCT to dwell together and build community, as we converse around a variety of themes and topics related to preaching. Special focus will be given to liturgical seasons, beginning with Lent.

From the Reparations Task Force

Redlining is a discriminatory practice that started in the 1930s where the federal government “red-lined” neighborhoods that included racial & ethnic minorities, excluding these “high risk” neighborhoods from services such as bank loans, mortgages, healthcare, and even food. Some might think that such practices have stopped, but they continue to this very day. In 2019, Liberty Bank settled out of court on a $16 million lawsuit from the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, that alleged that the bank engaged in illegal redlining practices. As a result, Liberty Bank committed time, energy and resources to a wide range of programs for communities that have traditionally had difficulty accessing credit.

What are the redlining practices that are still operating in your region?

Click the blue button below to respond.
Camp Washington - Life changing events for adults and children
February 2022
 
Dear Friends,
 
Despite the unwanted news from our groundhog friend, we are dreaming of Spring! Longer and warmer days filled with wonderful retreats, great meals, the return of our friends from Nature’s Classroom, plans for Summer Camp ’22 and all the community and hospitality you have come to expect at Camp Washington.
 
We hope to see you at camp soon,
 
Bart Geissinger- Executive Director


For Information on Camp Washington, See ECCT website for details or www.campwashington.org.
Camp Washington
(860) 567- 9623
 www.campwashington.org OR CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW

The Camp Washington Fund
The Camp Washington Fund touches virtually all aspects of the our community. When you give to the CW Fund you are giving to the future of Camp Washington, our programs, and people.
 
The CW Fund is the most direct way that you can support our commitment to the stewardship of God’s creation, affirming and supporting discipleship, and exploring new ways to join in God’s mission of reconciliation and restoration.

To Donate, click the blue button