In this edition: Bishop stresses importance of Covid-19 vaccine; Pros and cons of online worship; Fun Fact; Did You Know?; Check it Out!; positions open in our parishes; resources for our parishes; and news from the diocese, Episcopal Church, and Anglican Church.
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All Delaware adults 16 and older
now eligible for vaccine!
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Bishop Brown stresses
the importance of
Covid vaccines
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"The pandemic is not over. We must stay vigilant to love each other and care for each other by following all the proper public health measures. Together, we will overcome this pandemic but, even greater, in Jesus Christ we know with the love of God we can overcome even the darkest hours of our lives." — Bishop Brown
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In Delaware everyone 16 years and older is now eligible for the vaccine. The state waiting list is open here. Pharmacies may also vaccinate everyone now. (Please note: pharmacy waiting lists are separate from the state waiting list.)
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Millennials and the Episcopal Church
during pandemic
Two young adults reflect
upon their online
worship experiences
[first printed in the
Spring issue of the
Delaware Communion
Magazine]
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Fun Fact
Question: The eleven bishops of Delaware have been called here from many parts of the USA. Which bishop's birthplace was the furthest away?
Clue: He was serving as rector of Christ Church, Nashville, Tennessee at the time of his election to bishop.
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St. John Chrysostom's
Easter Sermon is read each year
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St. John Chrysostom, one of the most gifted preachers of all time, is esteemed a saint by Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, and Anglican Churches. 600 of his sermons survive, and this particular sermon, although short, has proven to be especially influential. Every year, thousands of churches around the world in the Eastern Church tradition read this text in its entirety on Easter Sunday. The homily has been part of the liturgy since at least the ninth century and continues to this day. You may read the sermon here.
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The Roses Will Bloom Again:
an Appalachian hymn of hope
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Ralph Edmund Stanley (February 25, 1927 – June 23, 2016) was an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing. Born in rural southwest Virginia and one of the first generation of bluegrass musicians, he developed a unique style of banjo playing. His a cappella version of O Death in the film O Brother Where Art Thou won him a Grammy. The resurrection hope speaks powerfully in his Appalachian folk hymn, The Roses Will Bloom, listen here.
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Cycle of Prayer in the Episcopal Church in Delaware |
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This week (week of April 4), in our diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we hold up in prayer the St. Luke's Church, Seaford, the Rev. Marianne S. Ell, pastor. For the 2020-2021 diocesan Cycle of Prayer click here.
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Positions open in our parishes |
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Trinity Parish, Wilmington, is seeking an organist/choir director
Seeking a faithful, gifted, and experienced full-time organist and choir director to build on the solid tradition of musical and liturgical excellence that is our legacy of more than 300 years. We highly value the ministry of music in the worship life of our parish and in the community we serve. We have traditionally offered a rich variety of music that spans the breadth of the Anglican tradition and draws on other musical traditions as well. We worship in two languages (English and Spanish) and in two locations (Trinity Church and Old Swedes Church). Our ideal candidate will enrich our life in faith by developing the musical gifts of our parishioners, and helping us share the power and beauty of music with the greater Wilmington community. Read full job description here.
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St. Thomas's Parish, Newark, is seeking a part-time sexton
The sexton maintains all interior spaces of the parish’s buildings and is responsible for monitoring appliances and systems, performing periodic inspections, making repairs as appropriate, and notifying the property committee when the services of outside contractors are needed. The sexton reports to the rector and collaborates with the parish’s property committee, but must be able to work with minimal supervision. S/he must also be flexible in scheduling maintenance activities around the parish and outside events, as well as in periods of heavier use of the parish’s buildings (eg. Christmas and Holy Week/Easter). Read the full position description here. Interested applicants, please contact the rector, the Rev. Dr. Howell J. Sasser here.
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Resources for our parishes and community |
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Province III Spring 2021 Newsletter
Read full newsletter and
register for the following events here.
- Understanding Addiction and Supporting Recovery, 8-week online course begins April 10
- Next meeting of Episcopal Network for Economic Justice, Thursday, April 15, 12:30pm
- Covid-safe Event Planning, Monday, April 26, 12-1pm
- Introduction to 80th General Convention, by the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, Monday, May 24, 12-1pm
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Episcopal Network for Stewardship offers resources for these topics & webinars:
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Clergy guide to forming the campaign team, information here
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Stewardship job descriptions here
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Free webinar on year-round stewardship, Saturday, April 14, register here
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Free webinar on virtual stewardship 201, Saturday, May 1, register here
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Free, training & recruiting your stewardship team, Saturday June 5, register here
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News in our parishes and community |
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The Old Swedes Foundation is pleased to announce it has received a $15,000 grant from the Jessie Ball DuPont Fund.
These funds will support the newest project, Facilitating Change with Collaborative Neighborhood Placemakers. This grant will launch Old Swedes Historic Site’s expansion of programming to be more inclusive of its neighbors on Wilmington’s East Side and beyond. Old Swedes is committed to establishing a center for lifelong learners grounded in its origins dating back to 1638. Old Swedes aspires to make the historic site a place to find commonality in stories from the past and to inspire greater engagement in the community. More information.
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Bishop Brown forms Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission
On May 25, 2020, the world witnessed the murder of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement. This brutal event reawakened many to the ongoing reality of racism within individuals and systems. In response to that tragedy, Bishop Brown created a think tank of laity and clergy. Their charge was to develop a sustainable structure that the Episcopal Church in Delaware (ECD) will use to address systemic racial injustice in our church and the larger society. The think tank based its work on Becoming Beloved Community, and returned to Bishop Brown with two strong recommendations: first, form a Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission (RJRC) to carry out this work; second, hire a missioner for racial justice and reconciliation, who will act as a liaison between the ECD and RJRC, and work alongside it to accomplish its goals. Read full statement here.
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Camp Arrowhead Parish Day, Saturday, April 24
You are invited to tour the beautiful property, meet the fantastic staff, learn about retreat possibilities, view plans for the new Ashford Center, and have some great fun! More information here. Register here.
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News from the Episcopal Church |
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Episcopal Church Year in the Life web series explores challenges of past year
A Year in the Life is a new web series from The Episcopal Church that documents how Episcopal churches, schools, and ministries have navigated a very contentious and difficult year. New episodes of A Year in the Life will be released every two weeks beginning on April 20. The trailer is available for viewing on The Episcopal Church website here, on Facebook here, and on Instagram TV @theepiscopalchurch. More information
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Blue Book reports available on the General Convention website
The reports for the 80th General Convention, commonly referred to as “Blue Book reports,” will be posted on the convention website starting in April. More information in English and Spanish here
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Launching on April 12, we at Evangelism Matters are inviting you to turn off the Zoom screen and tune in for an audioconference featuring podcast-style talks on the opportunities and challenges of evangelism today. This free audioconference was designed to intentionally flip the conference format inside-out and offer an innovative approach to sharing, learning, and growing the ministry of evangelism among Episcopalians. “We know people are suffering from ‘Zoom fatigue,’” said Lydia Bucklin, canon to the ordinary for Discipleship & Vitality in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan and member of the Evangelism Matters design team. “It’s great to give people the option to physically move while listening: walking the dog, doing the laundry, driving their car. They can learn, interact, and reflect when and where it’s best.” For more information and registration read latest edition of Episcopal Evangelism Newsletter here.
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Is the Biden Administration Turning a Page on Humanitarian Protection for Immigrants?
Register now for webinar, Thursday, April 8, 4-5pm
Join Episcopal Migration Ministries and the Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations for a webinar to learn more about the current state of humanitarian protection and ways the Episcopal Church can engage on these issues. More information.
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Virtual Episcopal Latino Ministry Competency Course, August 9-13, 2021
Registration is now open for the next session of the Virtual Episcopal Latino Ministry Competency Course (VELMC), an innovative five-day intensive course designed for diocesan staff, clergy, lay leaders, and seminarians to gain practical knowledge and cultural competency for Latino/Hispanic ministry. More information.
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Last week for these April deadlines!
Young Adult Service Corps, application deadline for 2021-2022 extended to April 9
More information in English and Spanish here.
Episcopal Church scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year, application deadline April 11
More information in English and Spanish here.
Becoming Beloved Community grants available for local/regional efforts, applications due April 12
More information in English and Spanish here.
Other April deadlines
Care of Creation Grants now available, application deadline extended to April 16
More information in English and Spanish here.
Project Resource Offers Spring Stewardship Training, Sundays, April 18 to May 23, 5-6:30pm
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News from the Anglican Communion |
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A collection of Primates' Easter Messages for 2021
You may read these messages from the Anglican Communion around the world here.
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Anglican Communion Secretary General urges Christians to pray for the People of Myanmar
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, has called on Christians around the world to pray for Myanmar and her people. In an Easter message of hope, Dr Idowu-Fearon tells the Myanmar people that they are not alone. More information here.
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Read Archbishop Justin Welby's Easter letter to partners and churches around the world.
"Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.” (Luke 20:38)
"This past year has, undoubtedly, been one of the strangest we have ever known. The Covid-19
pandemic transformed the way we live around the world. It has been a year of much loss, grief and suffering for many all over the globe, made worse by our inability to comfort one another in the usual ways. We have been confronted with our mortality and our fragility as human beings, but also with our interdependence and interconnectedness. In His life and death on the Cross, Jesus enters into the pain, uncertainty and confusion that are a part of human life. He lives amongst the...." read full letter here.
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Archbishop Justin Welby's reflection on the anniversary of Covid
"A year ago we went into lockdown. We measure the losses since in deaths. We measure them also in so many other ways. Lost days at school. Lost contacts with friends and families. Lost opportunities to hug, to touch, to say hello, to say farewell. The losses in the economy that affect our lives and futures. The losses of sport and other great occasions, of festivals and mass gatherings in the arts and music. The loss of choices. Covid has touched everything and" ... read full reflection here.
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Episcopal delegates to UN conference push for women’s rights as COVID-19 intensifies challenges
As the 65th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, or UNCSW, comes to an end, the Episcopal and Anglican delegates to the mostly virtual conference are bringing back a message to the church: The work of gender justice is even more important in light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women. For the last two weeks, delegates have attended online meetings, learning about the challenges faced by women and girls around the world, and advocating for policies that align with the church’s mission. The top goals include increasing women’s access to decision-making positions, prioritizing issues impacting marginalized women, expanding education for women and girls, and eradicating gender-based violence. Read Episcopal News Service article here.
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