In this edition: Celebration of Walt and Nancy Lafontaine; St. Anne's School 20th Anniversary celebration; Clergy announcements and news; Fun Fact; Check it Out!; Did You Know?; Upcoming events; News in the ECD community, and The Episcopal Church
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Camp Arrowhead
We celebrate the work and ministry of
Walt and Nancy Lafontaine!
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Walt Lafontaine
Executive Director
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Nancy Lafontaine
Summer Camp Registrar
and Store Manager
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The success of Camp Arrowhead is due, in no small part, to its wonderful staff and the outstanding leadership of Walt and Nancy LaFontaine. They make the camp experience a joy for all campers. Thanks to their work and commitment, Camp Arrowhead will continue to grow into a vital, new, and expanded future ministry after their retirement next year.
Walt, executive director, started as a camper in 1965 and became a staffer in 1971. He has held most of the positions at camp.
Nancy started working with camp in 1977. Currently, in addition to being the summer camping registrar and camp store manager, she oversees the Carmine Environmental Center Critter Care.
Walt and Nancy will be retiring from Camp Arrowhead, December 31, 2023.
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A joyful celebration of St. Anne's School's
20th Anniversary was held on April 27
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The celebration began with the first in-person Founders' Day Chapel since 2019. It brought together the whole school community — from the newest member (welcome, Chaplain Kije!) to some of the people who brought St. Anne's into existence — who came together to worship and give thanks for the founding of this great school. The program for the day included a lovely recounting of the founding of St. Anne's by the Rt. Rev. Wayne Wright, the retired bishop of the Episcopal Church in Delaware, and a lively sermon by the Rt. Rev. Kevin S. Brown, our current bishop. |
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Clergy Announcements
Please join us in welcoming two new clergy!
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We are pleased to announce that the Rev. Kije Mugisha Rwamasirabo has agreed to become the next chaplain at St. Anne’s Episcopal School, Middletown. She comes to us from St. George’s by the River in Rumson, New Jersey, where she currently serves as curate. Kije is an enthusiastic and dynamic minister, a story teller of East African descent; and has an avid passion for ministry, chaplaincy, families, and youth. Prior to her current vocation, she served several congregations in New York, including Church of the Intercession, Trinity Wall Street, and All Saints Church. Reverend Kije received her theological education from General Theological Seminary and Union Theological Seminary. She is married to Patrick, and they have two children, Nehemiah and Esther. We look forward to formally welcoming the Rev. Kije, her husband, Patrick, and their two children, Nehemiah (rising eighth grade) and Esther (rising seventh grade), to the St. Anne's community later this summer.
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We are pleased to announce that the Rev. Stacey M. Carpenter has accepted the call to be the curate at Christ Church Christiana Hundred, Wilmington. Stacey's ministry will begin on July 1. She will graduate this month with her Master of Divinity from the Seminary of the Southwest, an Episcopal Seminary in Austin, Texas. While at seminary, Stacey completed two years of field education in the parish of St. Julian's of Norwich and developed formation programs for the seminary community. She has a passion for liturgy, discipleship formation, connecting church and community, and the intersection of faith and healing. Previously, she had a twenty-plus year corporate career leading project and program management and training and education organizations. A native New Yorker, who loves big cities as well as the outdoors, she is relocating to Wilmington with her dog, Miracle. In her free time, you will find her hiking, running, reading, cooking, or planning her next trip to a National Park.
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More exciting clergy news |
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You are invited to join St. Thomas's Parish, Newark in celebrating the good works of the Rev. Deacon Cecily Sawyer Harmon, Saturday, June 11, 4-6:30pm
Cecily officially retired in January 2022, however, because of Covid precautions, a celebration was scheduled for a later time. Now that the weather has warmed up, there will be a gathering in the Grove. Food and fun will take place in the open green space to the side of the church building for some delicious food, and lots of fun!
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Soul Stages: Surviving and Thriving in the Second Half of Life, by the Rev. Christopher Moore, was recently recognized as a resource for Mental Health Awareness Month
The month is sponsored each year in May by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAHM ), which focuses awareness on improving mental health and emphasizes that access to health care is vital for the well-being of all Americans. Soul Stages is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Church Publishing.
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Fun Fact
Question: During the American Revolution, it was challenging for patriot clergy to keep saying prayers for the king and state. Which clergyman in which parish resolved the problem by having a Methodist preacher read the prayers for the king in the service?
Clue: This priest was brother-in-law to Betsy Ross of flag fame.
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This week in Christian history |
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On May 20, 1277, Pope John XXI died when the ceiling in his castle office collapsed on him. He was the only Portuguese pope and also the only pope who was a physician. As such, he was an important figure in the development of pharmacology. His name was a mistake as there was never a
John XX.
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Image: Anonymous portrait, c. 16th century, now at the Archbishops Gallery of Braga, Portugal
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Cycle of Prayer in the Episcopal Church in Delaware |
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This week (week of May 15), in our diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we hold up in prayer St. James Church, Newport, the Rev. Sarah Nelson, rector. For the 2022 Cycle of Prayer, click here.
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Upcoming Events in Our Community |
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Free Virtual Racial Justice and Reconciliation Workshop
Preparing the Church for Civic/Community Engagement and Advocacy, Thursday, May 19, 6-8pm
This is an advanced workshop designed to move parishioners and ecumenical, interfaith, and community partners into action with established organizations that are actively engaged in all three Delaware counties. More information here and registration here
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The Arts at Trinity (TAAT) presents the Serafin Ensemble
Trinity Parish, Wilmington, Sunday, May 22, 4pm.
Serafin roster artists for this concert are violinist Kate Ransom; violist Amadi Azikiwe (in from New York City); Jacques-Pierre Malan, South African cellist now residing in Baltimore; and countertenor, Augustine Mercante. Joining the Serafins for this performance is internationally acclaimed pianist, Read Gainsford, a New Zealander who now makes his home in Florida. As with all TAAT concerts, there is no charge for admission to the performance, but donations are graciously accepted before and after the performance. Bring a friend and enjoy an afternoon of gorgeous music! Program details and more information
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Interrupting Harmful Patterns
A Racial Healing Workshop for White People
Tuesday, May 24, 1:30-3:30pm
The Racial Healing Initiative (RHI) team is facilitating a unique virtual workshop. Many white people who are committed to racial healing ask: How do we work through our personal barriers and take action for change? For white people who have a general understanding of whiteness and systemic racism, it can be hard to see “nice racism” – the many common white racial patterns that perpetuate racial harm. We will engage in a series of reflection questions and an assessment tool of the skills and perspectives that can counter “nice” racism. Please register here
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Spiritual Darkness: An evening of Taizé music and prayer
Immanuel Highlands, Wilmington, Wednesday, May 25, 7 pm
Many believers experience times of spiritual darkness or dryness. It is a subjective feeling that God is distant, aloof, or even absent. During a time of spiritual dryness, prayers feel empty, hymns are sung without energy, sermons are lifeless, and Scripture appears to have no power over daily life. These are the times when our faith is being tested, and it is easy to give in to despair. We strengthen our faith through the beauty of worship and in the prayerful company of the faithful. You are warmly invited to join us for an evening of music, readings, silence and candle lighting in the tradition of the Taizé community of France. For more information, please contact Immanuel Highlands Office on 302 658 7326 or email [email protected].
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St. Barnabas' Church, Wilmington, Quilt Raffle
Supporting Episcopal Relief and Development for Ukraine!
Drawing to be held Sunday, June 5
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here
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Parish Communications Workshop
Thursday, June 9, Christ Church, Dover, 9:30am-2:30pm
This workshop will cover best practices, suggestions, and strategy for visual and content messaging for websites and social media. While we will focus on website and social media, we will also provide tips and tricks for graphic design for the non-designer in all media channels, to include eNewsletters. It will be a casual, fun affair that includes music and a bit of worship! Don't forget the free website we are giving away via a drawing at the end of workshop!
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Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers' Assembly and Moral March on Washington
and to the Polls with Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
Saturday, June 18 - Buses leaving from Delaware
Buses will leave from Delaware at 6:45am (and return/leave at 3:45pm) to arrive in time for a 9am gathering and 10am start from 3rd and Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC. Secure Bus Seats at: rally.co/ppc Follow the prompts and you should have a bus seat in a few minutes. Precise bus drop-off locations for each State are not yet determined. Buses will drop off at either Union Station or RFK Stadium. Plan on a good hike or bring money/credit card for use of the Metro.
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80th General Convention News |
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Presiding Bishop’s statement to Executive Council regarding changes to 80th General Convention
General Convention to attend only to matters essential for the governance and good order of the church and will be shorter in duration and smaller in size. Read full statement from Presiding Bishop here
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Anyone can register to attend meetings as an observer or to testify. Registration must be submitted at least two days prior to a hearing.
Churchwide Leadership, Saturday, May 21, 10am - open hearing
Sexual Harassment, Sexual Exploitation, & Safeguarding, Saturday, May 21, 2pm - open hearing
Joint Rules of Order, Saturday, May 21, 4pm - open hearing
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News from the Episcopal Church |
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"My heart is heavy with the news that a white supremacist gunman took the lives of ten children of God in Buffalo on Saturday. I grew up walking distance from the scene of this hateful crime, and my friends and I used to ride our bikes around the neighborhood. Buffalo’s Black community raised and formed me. I grieve with the city and people I love. The loss of any human life is tragic, but there was deep racial hatred driving this shooting, and we have got to turn from the deadly path our nation has walked for much too long. Bigotry-based violence—any bigotry at all—against our siblings who are people of color, Jewish, Sikh, Asian, trans, or any other group, is fundamentally wrong. As baptized followers of Jesus of Nazareth, we are called to uphold and protect the dignity of every human child of God, and to actively uproot the white supremacy and racism deep in the heart of our shared life. Please join me in prayer for the shattered families in Buffalo. Please also join me in expressing profound gratitude for the intervention by Buffalo police that likely saved many other lives. Even amid tragedy, even when manifestations of evil threaten to overwhelm, let us hold fast to the good. It is the only way that leads to life."
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Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, NC, online option is also available
For those seeking practical tools and a support network for ministry within the Latino/Hispanic community, registration is now open for Nuevo Amanecer 2022. This gathering is the largest annual conference sponsored by The Episcopal Church’s Office of Latino/Hispanic Ministries. New this year is a Christian formation component for children and youth, designed to help families to attend the conference together.
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