Welcoming All into God's Peace Together |
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Palm Sunday
The Sunday of the Passion
March 28, 2021
In Person Worship with Eucharist and Music 12:30 p.m. at Grace Church Trumbull
AND
Grace ZOOM Worship Service
12:30 On-Line ZOOM Service
Priest: The Rev. Louise Kalemkerian
See below for sign-on directions
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Grace Episcopal Church
5958 Main Street, Trumbull CT 06611
Office Phone
203-268-2809
email:
office@gracetrumbull.org or click button
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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
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Greetings!
The Liturgy of the Palms
Gospel: Mark 11:1-11
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.” ’
They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
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Collect for the Fifth Sunday in Lent:
Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Sermons and Reflections
This is a sermon on "It’s Holy Week. So What?, Palm Sunday (B) ." It is written by The Rev. Anna Tew and is published in "Sermons that Work," on the website of the Episcopal Church in the United States. The Liturgy of the Palms from Mark is above and the other readings for this Sunday may be found by clicking on the "Readings for this Sunday" blue button above.
It’s Holy Week. So What?, Palm Sunday (B) – March 28, 2021
With so much going on in the world, it may seem almost silly to insist on giving so much time and energy to the religious observance of Holy Week. This is especially true when one considers that so many people around us may only pay attention on Easter at best, and even that, for some, is at least partially out of obligation.
Add the difficulties of the pandemic on top of that, and the fact that most churches still cannot meet in person, and Holy Week itself may begin to feel a bit out of touch with the world around us.
We alone do not have precise answers for the human suffering that we see around us, for violence or death or disease – or where to find hope. What we do know, however, is that the narratives that form us — the stories of our families, our country, our faith — are the eyeglasses through which we see the stories on the news and the things around us. It’s through those stories that we come to conclusions about ourselves and our world and what is hopeless and what is redeemable. It’s through those stories that we see ourselves and our places in the world.
If your family story is that the people in your bloodline are giving and caring people, then you, too, will be encouraged to be generous and attentive. If we believe that America’s story is one of ingenuity and bravery, then a true patriot will do their best to have courage and see creative solutions to even the most daunting problems.
Religious stories are even bigger than that. They tell us not only how we should live, but how we got here and where we’re going. During Holy Week and Easter, here in the northern hemisphere, we tell the story of the Resurrection just as we watch creation come back to life in the springtime.
This week, we religiously observant Christians have the opportunity to live through the story we proclaim, day by day: the story of the last days of Jesus Christ, his last meal with his friends, his death by execution, and an unexpected and joyous ending. We do so with our ancestors in faith, and we do so with those yet to be born, who will follow us in Holy Weeks to come.
Right when things seem at a tipping point in our nation and our world, this story is calling to us again, if we dare to see the world through it. We are invited to forget that we know how this Holy Week story ends and place ourselves into the story itself: to feel the palm branches, to taste wine and bread, to feel cool water on our feet as they are washed, and to come and mourn at the foot of a wooden cross. Though most of us cannot experience many, if any, of these things in person this year, we remember how they felt, and we dare never take them for granted again.
In a world surrounded by disease, death, and suffering, we are being called to stare both love and suffering — God’s own love and suffering — in the face.
Our Holy Week story begins today, whether we grip actual palm branches this year or not. The palms we typically wave on Palm Sunday are burned the following year, as the story begins again.
We are called today into the story of Jesus – and called to pay attention to it anew. We have come to the holy city, Jerusalem, where Christ is entering, riding on a colt, or a donkey, or both, depending on which Gospel you read.
As Jesus rides along, a crowd begins to gather. Of course, this is before social media could gather people from all over the place in minutes, way back when members of a crowd had to hear and see and decide to gather on the spot. And the odd thing about the way the Gospels tell this story is that the city and the crowds become speaking characters.
As Matthew puts it: “When [Jesus] entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’”
Anyone who has ever loved a city — or any place, really — knows that places have personalities. Each place decides what it values, and it shapes everything from its streets to its rituals. Jerusalem here can be safely classified as “skeptical.” It is a place where major religions are born, and messiahs are common.
And yet, a crowd still comes to gather around Jesus, the prophet and teacher who has been drawing huge crowds, the one who is rumored to have healed the sick and driven out demons and restored sight to the blind and even raised the dead.
The crowds gathered around God in the flesh, celebrating his arrival, shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” He was, they believed, the one to save them from oppression.
Jesus knows how this story will end. He knows it will be painful. But Jesus still shows up.
And Jesus will show up on Sunday whether or not any of us shows up, in whatever ways we safely can, to form our community around the story. Jesus will show up whether or not we choose to see our world through this story.
You may not be able to attend to this story as much as you would like. None of us can, really, for the second year in a row, because of the pandemic. You may also have work or family or school obligations or you may just be exhausted from all you have to do. That’s okay.
The Resurrection will happen anyway. It is an eternal truth. It happened once, and Christians around the world sing it and tell it again, every year, with or without our personal involvement.
We are each invited, however, to be part of it. To let this story form us. To see the world through it and maybe, just maybe, begin to answer some hard questions about justice and peace and disease and suffering and death and resurrection and hope. So even if you can’t attend to it the way you’re used to or the way you might like — take some time to observe and ponder: Maundy Thursday and the Last Supper. Good Friday and the Crucifixion. Holy Saturday and the Great Vigil of Easter, as the Church retells the whole salvation story again.
We are in this story, now.
From now on, you are the crowds, even if we are physically apart. You are the disciples. You are the witnesses.
Forget that you know how this story ends. Learn again to see your world through new eyes, through the disciples’ eyes, so that maybe we can find hope for justice and healing in the midst of the chaos and pain in the world around us. Because the disciples, in their world, also knew chaos and pain and fear and death.
Put on the eyeglasses of the story of Jesus, just for this week, again.
And as the Resurrection comes again to us next week, may we leave with hope renewed that surprise endings are possible, that hope is not lost, and that even Death is not greater than God, nor greater than love. That if Christ can rise from the dead, then surely, surely, there is hope for us. Let us tell the Story again. Amen.
The Rev. Anna Tew is a Lutheran pastor serving Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in South Hadley, Massachusetts. A product of several places, she was born and raised in rural south Alabama, lived most of her adult life to date in Atlanta, and has called New England home for the past four years. Anna graduated from the Candler School of Theology in 2011, and since then she has served in both parish ministry and hospital chaplaincy. In her spare time, Anna enjoys keeping up with politics and pop culture (especially music), hiking, running, and CrossFit.
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Transition and Worship Update
Worship Info for this Sunday in RED Below
The Grace Vestry had virtual meetings with Bishop Laura Ahrens, for the purpose of discussing the future of Grace Church.
Bishop Ahrens advised the Vestry that due to the our financial situation, Grace is not considered able to search for a new priest. We need to consider other options. This decision was made by our Diocese in part because the larger percentage of our operating income comes from users of our facilities and not from parishioner contributions. It must be stressed that Grace parishioners are very generous and consistent in their pledging and contributions; there are just not enough of us to provide a larger percentage of operating income. Although our finances have been in the black for several months, this is in large part due to the fact that we were not paying a priest for many months.
The options presented to the Vestry were:
Explore joining with another parish in the area, most likely selling the Grace property, and transferring proceeds from assets (amount available for transfer to be determined by our Diocese) to the other parish and merge into the other parish. This option is not limited to Trumbull churches; parishes in surrounding towns are also an option. Of course, this is entirely dependent upon another church's willingness to work with Grace to accomplish this. The hope with this option is that the joining of two churches will bring new opportunities for worship and new resources for community service. It is expected that the assets of Grace are highly valued and Grace will be able to provide significant financial assets to a partner church. This option requires a commitment by most of our parishioners to agree to go to the partner church as a group. If this option is selected, Grace is responsible for arranging the sale of the Grace property and assets and handling the closing of the facilities.
The other option is that Grace close and our parishioners then choose to go to whatever church they wish to attend. Some of us could very well go the to same church but there is no requirement for that. In this case, our Diocese arranges the sale and closing of Grace and all Grace assets from the sale are transferred to our Diocese.
Our senior warden, Fiona asks that we all give this some thought and explore area churches. Churches that have Zoom services or virtual services linked on Facebook welcome participation by guests. Some area churches are also without priests and are also in transition. Keep in mind that you may also view past services at various neighboring parishes on-line, usually on the parish's Facebook page. Fiona asked that we virtually visit with St. Peter's Monroe, Trinity Nichols, Christ Church Trumbull in Tashua, St. Timothy's, Fairfield and Christ Church, Easton and we have done so.
During the most recent virtual meeting with Bishop Ahrens, the Grace Vestry was advised that the next steps in the process are survey and appraisal of all the Grace property. If you are able to assist with the survey and recording of items in the many rooms and areas of the Grace property, please speak with Fiona.
In the meantime, we continue to investigate and consider our options; the most likely and preferred (by Grace parishioners) option is merging with another parish in the area. During conversations with the various parishes, the idea of merger was enthusiastically entertained by the neighboring parishes. Grace has options to consider and, if merger is chosen and agreed to, the time frame will most likely be in 2022. This will be further discussed at the Grace Annual Meeting this spring, date to be advised.
We at, Grace, are very happy to announce that the Reverend Louise Kalemkerian will be joining us as interim priest-in-charge. She will be leading in-person worship services for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Palm Sunday will be held in-person at 12:30 with spiritual communion only. All safety protocols will be followed, social distancing, masks worn at all times, maintain 6 feet distance in pews and no close gathering in the sanctuary after the service. If the weather is nice we will try to have the service outside- please bring your own chairs in the event the weather is good.
Stay tuned for information on Easter service times as it will be moving to a different time and will be announced later.
We will continue to zoom live the service for anyone not able to attend in person and the link is below:
Peace be with you all,
Fiona Varker
Senior Warden
Topic: Palm Sunday Service at Grace Episcopal Church
Time: Mar 28, 2021 12:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Peace. Fiona
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Grace Welcomes The Rev. Louise Kalemkerian, Interim Priest-in-Charge
Rev. Kalemkerian was with Grace a few years ago as our Interim Priest and we all remember those months as a wonderful time in our parish. We are delighted and joyful to welcome her back and so grateful that she and our Diocese have decided that she will walk the path of transition with Grace.
Please keep Rev. Kalemkerian and Grace in your prayers.
Almighty and everlasting God, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift: Send down upon our bishops, and other clergy, especially Rev. Louise, and upon the congregations committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and, that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honor of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Page 817, The Book of Common Prayer
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To Parishioners and Friends of Grace
Stewardship in 2021
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.
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Grace is the Cereal Church
Cereal and other food items are needed for the Bridgeport 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!
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The Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., is the seat of the presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. Photo: Episcopal News Service |
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Church responds to second mass shooting in 7 days with renewed calls for action
By Egan Millard
Posted Mar 23, 2021
[Episcopal News Service] As the United States grieves for its second mass shooting in a week, Episcopalians continue to respond with calls to action, pastoral care and prayer.
A gunman killed 10 people at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, on March 22, as Americans were still mourning the killings of eight people – six of them Asian American women – in Georgia on March 16. In addition, there were five other incidents around the country in the days between in which multiple people were shot.
“Let us be silent and humbled before the sense of violation this brings to us,” the Rev. Mary Kate Rejouis, rector of St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Boulder, told her parishioners during an online vigil hours after the shooting. Rejouis’ parish is across the street from the University of Colorado Boulder and is home to its Canterbury Club. She and her family were out of town at the time of the attack.
“So much was broken tonight, or perhaps the brokenness we live in was revealed here, as it was in Atlanta just a few days ago. I feel broken too — both for the reality of this experience today, and also for the truth of it — we know this ritual. Violence, devastation, prayer, come together, burials, grief, some hand wringing … until the next one. I have had enough of that,” she said.
To read the rest of the article, click on the blue button below.
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A News Story from NPR, National Public Radio, Shared by Fiona
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Temporarily Sheltered In Canary Islands, Migrants Fear What Comes Next
March 20, 20215:21 PM ET
The Canary Islands depend on tourists. But lacking international visitors because of the pandemic, some hotels have been hosting new guests — migrants and refugees from Africa.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
The economy of the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic, depends on tourists. But as the pandemic halted global travel, 2020 brought a different wave of visitors - a surge of African migrants. And some tourists aren't OK with that. Sophie Eastaugh has this report from Gran Canaria.
(SOUNDBITE OF WAVES CRASHING)
SOPHIE EASTAUGH, BYLINE: At this time of year, beach resorts in the Canary Islands would usually be packed with European tourists. Now they're nearly empty. Tom Smulders is from the Canary Islands hotel federation.
TOM SMULDERS: We should have an occupancy of over 90%. At this very moment, only 5% is occupied.
EASTAUGH: Some feel it's not just down to COVID restrictions. Derek Atkinson from England is one of the few people soaking up the sun.
DEREK ATKINSON: Everybody's sending messages back home. The refugees are everywhere, and it's frightening, intimidating. I've got friends that live up here. They're moving.
EASTAUGH: Tony Bates from Wales agrees.
TONY BATES: A lot of people that we know are saying they will not come back until the migrants are gone 'cause of what they're hearing about people being intimidated and threatened.
EASTAUGH: They're talking about the 23,000 migrants and asylum seekers who arrived on these islands last year, an eightfold increase that caught Spanish authorities unprepared to accommodate them. Empty hotels became a temporary but controversial solution.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).
EASTAUGH: At a four-star hotel up the road, young men from Mali, Morocco and Senegal are playing draughts on the terrace. For Calvin Lucock and his wife, Unn Tove Saetran, opening their hotel to migrants was a business decision. Their staff faced unemployment.
CALVIN LUCOCK: We were apprehensive.
UNN TOVE SAETRAN: Maybe a little bit scared.
LUCOCK: We didn't know who was arriving. We didn't know how their behavior would be. But when you see them get off the bus and you see the fear in their eyes, that quickly evaporates.
EASTAUGH: Over the last six months, around 1,500 men, women and children have passed through the hotel, some fleeing conflict, others desperate for a better life. For the couple, it's been...
LUCOCK: Life-changing. From cold, frightened young men that first arrive to spending now months knowing them as people as opposed to the term that everybody gives them, immigrants. First, they're individuals. They have a name. They have dreams, just wanting a chance of life.
EASTAUGH: Lucock and Saetran have tried to make their guests feel safe and welcome - listening to their stories, organizing activities and offering the help of their lawyer. Assane Top is one of the guests. It took him eight days to get here by boat from Senegal, a risky journey across a thousand miles of Atlantic Ocean.
ASSANE TOP: (Through interpreter) Even though there isn't a war in Senegal, we were starving. We ate just one meal a day.
EASTAUGH: Top says he barely scraped a living as a fisherman. And as his parents get older, coming to Europe was the only way to support them. But after four months with no information, he's struggling. And he knows the locals don't want him here.
TOP: (Through interpreter) Every day, you think - will I be sent back today or tomorrow? That would be a disaster for us. We don't want to go home with nothing to show our parents.
EASTAUGH: Giving coronavirus as the reason, Spain's socialist government has stopped even documented migrants from travelling to the mainland. They're moving the migrants from hotels to six new camps on the islands from which most will face deportation. Tom Smulders is hopeful that the government's action will help tourism bounce back.
SMULDERS: We're a perfect destination, an island in the sun. And I think by the time people will start to come and visit us again, 90% of the migrants will be away.
EASTAUGH: For NPR News, I'm Sophie Eastaugh in the Canary Islands.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
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Local News
From the Trumbull Patch
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Bad Neighborhood: Northeast And CT In New Coronavirus Hot Zone
The latest data released from the CDC show Connecticut wedged inside a new Northeast hot zone
Posted Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 7:08 pm ET|Updated Thu, Mar 25, 2021 at 8:23 am ET
CONNECTICUT — The state is currently ranked 7th in the U.S. in coronavirus cases per capita, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The latest data released from the CDC show Connecticut wedged inside a new Northeast hot zone, with neighboring states New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island faring even worse.
The state is reporting a COVID-19 infection rate of 185.4 cases per 100,000 population over the past seven days. By comparison, California is 48.2; New York, 223.7; Massachusetts, 167.2; and Florida 146.2 cases per 100,000 population.
"We're low compared to our neighbors, but we're high compared to the rest of the country," Gov. Ned Lamont said during an interview on WNPR Wednesday morning. But although he was "concerned" about the new negative trends, he believed there were enough residents both vaccinated, soon to be vaccinated, and with the antibody from a previous infection already inside them, there was no cause for alarm.
To read the rest of the article, click the blue button below.
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FOR INFORMATION ON COVID-19 VACCINES, CLICK THE BLUE BUTTONS BELOW
COVID-19 Vaccine in Connecticut:
Get the latest information on availability, eligibility, and access to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccine access is only for those who live or work in Connecticut
NOW SCHEDULING
- Age group 45 to 54 and older and on-site educators and childcare providers
Next Group (can schedule beginning on the dates below)
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April 5: People between the ages of 35 and 44 were originally scheduled for April 12 and people between 16 and 34 were due around May 3, but both those groups are being combined for a projected April 5 date.
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People with questions about the vaccination process can call the Trumbull Senior Center at 203-452-5199. |
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From the Trumbull/Monroe/Easton/Redding Daily Voice |
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COVID-19: CT Infection Rate Up; Latest Breakdown By County, Community
03/23/2021 5:45 p.m.
The COVID-19 numbers in Connecticut are largely trending in the right direction as the state continues "getting shots into arms" and accelerating its vaccination program.
Gov. Ned Lamont said that there were 20,009 COVID-19 tests administered in Connecticut on Monday, March 22, resulting in 898 confirmed cases for a 4.49 percent positivity rate, up slightly from over the weekend.
According to the Department of Health, there were four newly confirmed virus-related deaths - down from nine the previous day - as the total rose to 7,845.
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To read the rest of the Daily Voice Article, click the blue button below. |
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COVID-19: CDC Director Warns Of 'Avoidable Rise In Cases,' Says US Is At Fork In Road
03/23/2021 4:45 p.m.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky is urging Americans to remain vigilant so the country doesn’t see an “avoidable rise in cases."
Walensky warned on Monday, March 22 that another surge similar to what happened in the winter is “avoidable” as the federal government ramps up production and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I get it. We all want to return to our everyday activities and spend time with our friends, family, and loved ones,” she said. “But we must find the fortitude to hang in there just a bit longer. "We are at a critical point in this pandemic - a fork in the road - where we as a country must decide which road to take.”
To read the rest of the article, click the blue button below.
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COVID-19: Here Are Ways For CT Residents 45-And-Over To Book Vaccine Appointments
03/20/2021 5:30 a.m.
Approximately 400,000 more Connecticut residents are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as the state continues ramping up its vaccination program at one of the quickest rates in the country.
As of Friday, March 19, all Connecticut residents 45 and older can book an appointment to receive the vaccine, joining healthcare workers, nursing home residents and employees, educators, and first responders.
To help expedite the process of scheduling an appointment, eligible Connecticut residents can do so online or through the state's telephone hotline. Once the first appointment is made, a follow-up appointment will be made at the vaccination site to receive the second shot to complete the process.
Those who are eligible can sign up for an appointment using the state’s Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) or through Connecticut’s hotline at 877-918-2224 or by calling 211.
One can make an appointment online by visiting:
Originally, the plan was to make the vaccine available to all residents over the age of 16 by Monday, May 3, though with the Biden administration distributing more doses, Lamont is moving up the timetable for who is eligible.
Now, that last group, anyone 16 and older, will be eligible for the vaccine as of Monday, April 5.
According to the Connecticut Department of Health, 966,705 first doses and 536,736 second doses administered for a total of 1,467,233.
According to the Department of Health, as of Thursday, March 18, the following grounds have received at least one dose of the vaccine:
- 75+: 78 percent of the population;
- 65-75: 74 percent;
- 55-64: 46 percent;
- 55+: 62 percent;
- All adults 16+: 33 percent.
"There’s a blend here as we move from age group to age group,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said this week. “In some of our communities two-thirds of the people, 55-64 have been vaccinated. In others maybe it’s just a third in some of our cities, and we want to make sure there’s no vaccine left on the shelf. That’s why we’ve moved into the next age category.”
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An Invitation from Yale Divinity School
A Conversation About Easter and Passover with YDS Professor Joel Baden and Berkeley Divinity School Dean Andrew McGowan
The spring holidays of Passover and Easter have been intertwined since the earliest periods of Christianity. Each represents the defining event of Judaism and Christianity, respectively: the Exodus from Egypt and the resurrection of Jesus.
YDS Professor Joel Baden and Berkeley Divinity School Dean the Rev. Dr. Andrew McGowan have created a Yale Bible Study on the biblical origins of the two holidays. We encourage you to take advantage of this free study in the weeks approaching Passover and Easter, and then join them for a webinar on Tuesday, April 13 at 12:00pm where they will discuss Easter's origins from Passover and how these observances have changed over the centuries. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask the experts your questions about the relationship between these ancient holidays. The webinar is offered free of charge and questions can be submitted in advance to Megan Lukens.
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AA Meetings at Grace
Updated Information for March 2021, click blue button below
AA groups have resumed meetings at Grace. Instead of meeting in the Lewis Hall Meeting Room for now, groups are meeting in the larger Undercroft Parish Hall. For now this space allows for socially distanced meetings. The space was cleaned and AA will provide cleaning going forward. One restroom will be used by AA and the other will be closed during meetings. For details on available meetings, and restarting meeting, please go to grace-eye-opener.org
or click the button.
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We've joined the Confidant Health platform to expand access to critical services
Hi there,
We held a special session announcing that C.A.R.E.S. has aligned with a new, innovative company called Confidant Health.
The Confidant Health founders recognized the need for a shift in the way substance use and mental health care is delivered. Their unique approach combines clinical best practices that are shown to support individuals entering recovery and those that help families heal. Confidant’s proprietary app-based care delivery system is accessible where and when people need it.
Aligning C.A.R.E.S. with Confidant Health has allowed us to enhance and expand our services to best meet the needs of all of our participants and their families. We will now offer the Confidant Cares Family & Friend Support Group virtually on Monday nights at C.A.R.E.S. usual time, while also making Confidant’s array of service options immediately available to our members that need information, education, coaching, clinical treatment, and continued recovery support for mental health and substance use disorders.
If you have any questions about this process, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Thank you for your ongoing support of C.A.R.E.S. and I hope you join us in our new, improved format as we continue to grow and provide education, resources and hope for the individuals, families, and communities we serve.
With warmest regards,
Donna
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
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Caroline House Spring Outdoor Brunch
Caroline House Mission:
To enable women and children to reach the fullness of their potential
through education in English language and life skills
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To make a contribution to the CCGB Virtual Food Drive, click the blue button below. |
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St. Pauly's Clothing shed at
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
reopens!
The clothing donation shed at Grace Episcopal Church, 5958 Main Street, Trumbull, CT, which was temporarily closed due to global effects of the pandemic, has now been reopened 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.
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A word from the brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Palm Sunday: Vulnerability
What is it that makes you vulnerable? In our lifetimes, we don’t lose our spiritual vulnerability. We wouldn’t want to lose it. How we come to know God, how God breaks through to us, is probably through something that is broken in our lives.
– Br. Curtis Almquist, 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
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The Episcopal Church in Connecticut
Participating in God's Mission
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Bishops United Against Gun Violence
Statement on the Atlanta Spa Shootings
March 18, 2021
As participating bishops in Bishops United Against Gun Violence (BUAGV), a network of over 100 Episcopal Bishops dedicated to overcoming gun violence in our nation, we offer the following statement from BUAGV as our statement on the tragedy in Atlanta.
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Ian T. Douglas The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens
Bishop Diocesan Bishop Suffragan
On Tuesday, another white man who should not have had a gun shot and killed seven women and one man at massage spas in the Atlanta area. Six of his victims, all women, were of Asian descent. The gunman had been a patron of at least two of the spas where the massacre took place; and in the aftermath of the shootings, he confessed, saying that he considered the women at the spas to be a sexual temptation he needed to eliminate because of his Christian faith.
It is hard to know what to decry first in the toxic stew of racism, misogyny, religious violence, and gun culture. Most basic, perhaps, is the fact that the alleged killer bought his weapon just hours before the attacks began. The sale was entirely legal, showing yet again that standards for gun purchasing and ownership across our nation are far too lenient. Day after day, innocent people pay the price.
In addition to the need to enact sane gun legislation, we must eradicate from our culture the racist, misogynist ideas that lead white men to perceive Asian women as sexual objects. Such demeaning stereotypes that turned deadly in Atlanta on Tuesday are rooted in this country’s centuries-long history of anti-Asian laws and policies. In the past year, these old hatreds have been revived by mendacious politicians and misguided people who have attempted to exact retribution from Asians and Asian Americans for the origin and spread of the COVID-19 virus. Women have borne the brunt of these lies: Stop AAPI Hate reports that in the last year, Asian women have reported hate incidents 2.3 times more often than Asian men.
As Christian leaders and bishops, we are particularly disturbed that the alleged shooter’s Christian faith is reported to have fueled his desire to murder the women in massage spas whom he believed were sexual temptations. It grieves us that the Christian faith we profess can be twisted and deformed in ways that give rise to violence, particularly to gun violence, by white Christian men against women and people of color. Christian churches, regardless of theology or denomination, must explicitly reject the idea that God wants Christian men to dominate or kill other human beings. Such is not the way of Jesus. Such is not the way of love.
We extend our profound sympathies to the families of the victims of this shooting, and we are praying for everyone who has been touched by this brutality. As we have repeatedly emphasized, we pray not to avoid taking action, but to prepare for it. Please join with us in reaching out to the Asian American people in your congregations and communities. Join us too in helping to raise awareness of the ways in which men in this country objectify women, particularly Asian women, and leave them vulnerable to trafficking and gender-based violence. And join us in advocating with your United States Senators to pass these essential pieces of legislation now before them that can help prevent gun violence and save lives:
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“From Many, One” Webinars to Fuel Practice of Conversations Across Difference
Web sessions March 25 and April 8, 2021
A set of upcoming webinars promises to prepare Episcopalians to effectively listen, honor difference, and help to heal families, congregations, communities, and nations.
“From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference” will host three webinars introducing individuals and ministries to what Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry calls “the spiritual practice of love in action” – one-to-one listening and sharing across the differences that separate us. The webinars will cover basics like invitation and attentive listening, as well as the theology, tools, gifts, and challenges related to this critical spiritual practice.
To sign up for the webinar click the blue button below.
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ECCT Stories: Meet: The Newly Ordained
Meet the newly ordained in ECCT! These six faithful followers of Christ were ordained to the priesthood in January and February 2021. We’ve invited them to share a little bit about themselves including where they’re currently serving and their hopes and dreams for their ministry.
To read the rest of this blog, click on the ECCT Stories Blog blue button below.
Would you like to learn more about the Episcopal Church in Connecticut? Visit the Episcopal Diocese website at www.episcopalct.org OR CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW
to read blogs, view photos, enjoy poetry and learn more about upcoming events in the Episcopal Church in our state. It is always an interesting site to check out when you are browsing on-line.
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Camp Washington - Life changing events for adults and children |
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Saturday March 27, 2021 9 AM EST
Lenten Quiet Day at Camp Washington
Join us for a time of reflection and renewal in the midst of your Lenten journey. Our time together will be held outside in the chapel (weather permitting) while observing all physical distance guidelines. The day will consist of four sections: Each presenter will offer a reflection/meditation followed by an activity such as journaling, discussion, walking, and other hands-on activities. You are welcome to bring a bag lunch to enjoy after the program. There is no charge for this program however registration is required.
To register for the Camp Washington Lenten Quiet Day, click the blue button below.
Welcome back home to Camp Washington!
Summer Camp 2021 will be a “different” kind of summer for us all- and- we are getting pretty good at being flexible.
As we continue to live with COVID-19, we also learn more as we try-on new things and listen to the science and guidance of experts.
The safety and well-being of our campers and staff is the #1 priority as we design plans and programs for this summer. We have shortened the number of sessions available, and have reduced our registration capacity, allowing us to create more space in the cabins and common areas. Campers will travel in cabin pods with established protocols for each pod.
We are following the guidance of the American Camp Association (ACA), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Episcopal Camps & Conference Centers (ECCC), and the State of CT to determine the layers of protection Camp Washington will need to implement this to insure the safest summer possible. Some activities will look and feel different, some will be new, and some may simply not be possible this summer. However, we believe that creating a summer camp experience for our families is perhaps more important this summer than ever before.
In the coming months, we will share our new guidelines with you once you have registered, and will ask you to take an active role with your camper in understanding your responsibilities in making this summer successful. Many rules, policies and protocols will be different- one thing will not change: the opportunity for your camper to come home to Camp Washington to have fun, reconnect with friends, staff, and our creator in the beauty of this amazing campus.
We are here to answer your questions, and look forward to welcoming you back home this summer to Camp Washington!
Summer Camp 2021 Schedule
MINI Camp, ages 5-10 : July 7-9, 2021 : $295
MINI Day Camp, ages 5-10 : July 7-9, 2021 : $150
Children's Camp 1, ages 7-12 : July 11-16, 2021 : $595
Children's Camp 2 (2 week), ages 7-12 : July 25 - August 6, 2021 : $1,350
Teen Camp 1, ages 12-16 : July 18-23, 2021 : $595
Teen Camp 2 (2 week), ages 12-16 : July 25 - August 6, 2021 : $1,350
Summer Camp 2021 Employment Opportunities at Camp Washington
As we re-gather as a community this summer at Camp Washington, we are looking to build a team of energetic, fun, creative, spirit-filled people who are excited to welcome our campers back home to Camp! Join us for the best summer job you will ever have: long days, warm nights, memories to last a lifetime.
We are looking for: Program Directors in Arts & Crafts, Sports, Performing Arts, Wilderness and Waterfront, as well as Cabin Staff and more. Check out all the opportunities online.
People of all races, colors, beliefs, genders, national origins, experiences, and abilities are encouraged to apply.
For Information on Camp Washington, See ECCT website for details or www.campwashington.org.
Camp Washington
(860) 567- 9623
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