May 20, 2020
IN THIS EDITION : Bishop Brown's COVID-19 Response #13 - Patience and Preparation
Adapting to the times
Children's Ministries:
Our churches are serving their youngest members in exciting new ways
St. John the Baptist, Milton has a 'children's talk'
as part of their online Sunday worship.
St. David's Church, Wilmington
offers Children's Chapel via livestream.
Several of our churches are offering a variety of online resources for children and their families including Sunday School lessons, bulletins, coloring pages, special talks, and other materials.

At St. John the Baptist, Youth Minister, Jill Malloy, is offering online weekly Sunday school lesson videos, with craft activities mailed home to children. There is also a children's talk as part of their regular online Sunday worship, offered by Youth Minister, Rob Freeman, pictured above. Their website also offers age appropriate activity bulletins.

At Trinity Parish , Wilmington, Storytime for Children is geared towards their younger members and has been quite a success! They offer Storytime for Children as a Zoom meeting on Thursdays.

Immanuel Church , Highlands Children's & Youth Minister, Anne Harra, maintains student and family engagement with Zoom Sunday school, weekly packages sent to the home, and story times on Facebook.

St. David's , Wilmington, livestreams its Children’s Chapel on Sundays. Kathy Hanna and the Rev. Brad Hinton team up to make it personable and visually engaging for children (a work in progress with a significant learning curve). Also, a small leadership team is creating a series of interactive videos on Facebook and/or YouTube that can be viewed in advance/on demand. Later, small group discussions take place in age-appropriate groupings via Zoom breakout rooms.
Share this fun children's video
with those who might enjoy.
Let us know!

If you are offering virtual children's or youth programs, please let us know so we can share the good news! We plan to list a complete list of children/youth services offered in the diocese on delaware.church
Bishop Brown's COVID-19 Update

Patience and Preparation for
In-person Worship
What Did Jesus Wear?
We may imagine Jesus in long robes with baggy sleeves,
but this is far from how he would have dressed.
We may imagine Jesus in long robes with baggy sleeves, but this is far from how he would have dressed. Joan Taylor, Professor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King's College London, writes:

"Over the past few decades, the question of what Jesus looked like has cropped up again and again." Taylor explains: "...for me as a historian, trying to visualise Jesus accurately is a way to understand Jesus more accurately, too. The Jesus we’ve inherited from centuries of Christian art is not accurate, but it is a powerful brand."

There is no neat physical description of Jesus in the Gospels or in ancient Christian literature. But there are incidental details, from which it is clear that "...while Jesus wore similar clothes to other Jewish men in many respects, his 'look' was scruffy." Further: "This, to me, is the beginning of a different way of seeing Jesus, and one very relevant for our times of massive inequality between rich and poor, as in the Roman Empire. Jesus aligned himself with the poor and this would have been obvious from how he looked.

"The appearance of Jesus matters because it cuts to the heart of his message. However he is depicted in film and art today, he needs to be shown as one of the have-nots; his teaching can only be truly understood from this perspective." Full article
Fun Fact! [Answer]

The answer to last week's Fun Fact question, 'Who is playing the prelude at Bishop Brown's Sunday worship service'?

Answer: Bishop Brown
News from the Episcopal Church in Delaware
In this time of pandemic, our churches and parishioners are finding new and creative ways to serve their communities. Please let us know the ministries, e.g. feeding, clothing, social justice, etc., you are involved with or providing at this time. We would like to share with others. Please include any images you might have.
With sadness Camp Arrowhead has announced that the 2020 summer camping season has been cancelled due to COVID-19.
This decision was incredibly difficult to make and was arrived at through weeks of consultation with the Episcopal Camps and Conference Center, the American Camping Association, health care workers with ties to Camp Arrowhead, state guidelines, Bishop Brown, and the mission support staff....and prayer! Many factors played into this outcome, but in evaluating how the camp could run under restricted conditions, either the program or safety were compromised, and Camp Arrowhead was not willing to jeopardize either. In a heartening response , several Camp Arrowhead supporters have made donations to the camp's COVID Relief Fund. For a letter from the Executive Director, click here . For an explanatory video, refund response form, FAQs, and donation options, visit the Camp Arrowhead website.
In this time of Pandemic, Beware Cyber Criminals!
The FBI is aware that cyber criminals look to take advantage of generous religious groups by masquerading as someone 'in need' and tricking members into sending them money. Please contact the FBI (410-265-8080) if you know of anyone who recently has fallen victim to fraud schemes such as this. Additional details about these scams, how we can protect ourselves, and how to report suspicious activity can be found in FBI Public Service Announcement Alert Number I-032020-PSA here .
Cycle of Prayer in the Episcopal Church in Delaware
T his week (week of May 17) we hold up in prayer St. Paul's Church , Camden, the Rev. Kevin P. Von Gonten, Rector. For Cycle of Prayer Calendar for 2019-2020 click here.
News from the Episcopal Church
Love God, Love Neighbor: Episcopal Month of Action
In the month of June, join the Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations and Episcopal Migration Ministries for Love God, Love Neighbor: Episcopal Month of Action , a series of webinars to learn and advocate with and on behalf of immigrants, DACA recipients, refugees, and asylum seekers. New-comers contribute greatly to U.S. communities, enriching our common life, strengthening the U.S. economy, and bringing joy as they join and reunite with families and friends. And yet, immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees face a wide array of challenges, including federal policies and legislation that are outdated and do not address the realities of immigrants in America today. As the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement, we are called to advocate with and for our siblings seeking safety and a better life in the United States. Full webinar and other information
Celebrating Graduation resources available from The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church Faith Formation Department’s Office of Youth Ministry and Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministries have been collaborating with youth ministers, campus chaplains, and young adult ministers around the church to curate resources, ideas, and liturgies to help celebrate those who are graduating from high school and college. Celebrating Graduation resources include prayers and blessings, service videos and virtual choirs, worship bulletins and scripture, as well as a collection of resources and ideas for celebrating 2020 graduates during this pandemic. More information and Presiding Bishop's video message.
Ecumenical coalition offers webinar and resources as Pentecost approaches during COVID-19 pandemic
Three major ecumenical groups in the United States, Christian Churches Together (CCT), Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC), and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC), are coming together to invite their member communions and organizations to join in unity this May for training and support. As followers of Christ prepare for Pentecost, these organizations are offering voices of hope and reconciliation by creating two webinars and an ecumenical resource sheet for all churches and Christians in the U.S. to engage.  
May 28, 1:30pm ET webinar - “Pentecost Voices: Reclaiming Hope in the New Normal”
This webinar will feature leading Christian voices in the US sharing about how to reclaim hope in life after the pandemic. Click here to register .  More information
Deadline approaches for Episcopal Church’s 2020-2021 academic year scholarships. Applications due May 29, 2020
The deadline approaches for educational scholarships from The Episcopal Church for the 2020-2021 academic year. A scholarship applicant must be an Episcopalian and must have the endorsement of his/her bishop. The scholarships are derived from annual income of designated trust funds established by generous donors through bequests to The Episcopal Church. The scholarships assist:
  • Students enrolled in theological education and training.
  • Children of missionaries, bishops and clergy.
  • Students of various racial and ethnic minorities, and other groups covering a wide range of eligibility. More information
A letter from Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, to the Church: Update regarding DFMS staff travel and sponsored meetings during the coronavirus pandemic, May 11, 2020
"Dear Friends in Christ,
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect much of our individual and corporate lives, posing a threat to the health of so many. At this time, as states and countries consider or begin to re-open, it is important for us to remember to care for ourselves, but not for ourselves alone. The moral primacy of Jesus’ command to love God and our neighbor must guide us in all of our decisions. In this context, our choices – however complex or difficult – are to be made mindful of the public health and well-being of ourselves and our neighbors. Recognizing this, the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) of The Episcopal Church has met and approved the following update of the March 12, 2020 letter to DFMS staff regarding travel and meetings during the Coronavirus pandemic." Read full letter here .
Third season of The Way of Love with Bishop Michael Curry podcast
Season 3 of The Episcopal Church’s podcast the Way of Love with Bishop Michael Curry, is now available. These weekly conversations, featuring Bishop Curry, podcast host Sandy Milien, and a variety of guests, center on ways to live a life committed to living the way of God’s unconditional, unselfish, sacrificial,and redemptive love. Season 3 changes include longer conversations between Bishop Curry and his guests: faith leaders, authors, and thinkers who are committed to following the Way of Jesus in the world today. Framed by the Way of Love – those seven practices of turning, learning, praying, worshipping, blessing, going, and resting – listeners will hear stories and lessons about how they can grow closer to God in daily life. More information
Presiding Bishop Curry announces chief consecrators for the Ordinations and Consecrations of Bishops in the Episcopal Dioceses of Georgia, Minnesota, and Oklahoma
In March, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the decision to suspend large in-person gatherings, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry announced the rescheduling of ordinations and consecrations of bishops previously scheduled for April. Today, Curry announced his appointment of the chief consecrators for Ordinations and Consecrations of Bishops in the Episcopal Dioceses of Georgia, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. In making this announcement, Curry said, “In the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic, we are now at one of those threshold moments when important and significant decisions must be made on all levels of our global community for the good and the well-being of the entire human family. Federal, state, and local authorities continue to issue new guidelines on travel and in-person gatherings. I ask your prayers for the Church, our suffering world, and all dioceses awaiting consecration of their next bishop.” Read full announcement here .
From the Joint Standing Committee on Nominations – Deadline extended to May 31, 2020!
The Episcopal Church Joint Standing Committee on Nominations is accepting applications for several positions. Application forms and job descriptions are available on the General Convention website at https://www.generalconvention.org/nomineeapplication202 1 .  Applications can be submitted electronically, and nominees are able to apply for multiple positions on the same application. The deadline to submit application has been extended to May 31, 2020. Elections will be held at the 80 th General Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, scheduled for June 30–July 9, 2021. More information
An invitation for you, from Presiding Bishop Curry: Habits of Grace
"As we learn how to adjust our lives given the reality of the coronavirus and the request to do our part to slow its spread by practicing social distancing, I invite you to join me each week to take a moment to cultivate a ‘habit of grace.’ A new meditation will be posted on Mondays through May." Start watching here .
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