In this edition: 237th Convention; Fire & Formation; Potential Women's Retreat; Fun Fact, Check it Out, Did You Know, Safe Church training changes ...
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237th Annual Convention
November 20, 2021, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
This year's one-day, hybrid convention will take place both virtually and in person at St. Andrew's School, Middletown. View the Call to Convention to learn more. All convention information can be found on the diocesan website, here.
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Mark your calendars!
A Special Virtual Gathering
sponsored by the
Commission on Ministry
Saturday, November 6, 2021,
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
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The Fire & Formation initiative is to aid and encourage the laity to discover their passion for Christ, deepen their spirituality, and fully live out their baptismal covenant.
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Hear Ye, Hear Ye…
Women of the Episcopal Church in Delaware
Are you interested in participating in a Women’s Retreat?
As women, our lives are usually busy and stressful. Often, we are caring for others and have little time left to care for ourselves? If you are interested in setting aside nagging obligations to spend time in reflection, renewal, fellowship, and connecting with and listening for what God may have planned for you, then let us hear from you. We are imagining a retreat for women of all ages at Memorial House in Rehoboth Beach.
To express your interest, please email any of the individuals listed below:
If sufficient interest is expressed, a retreat will be planned for winter 2022. When you respond, please indicate:
- Your first and last name.
- The name of your parish.
- Your age range (20-30, 50-60, etc.)
- Whether you would prefer a weekday or weekend retreat.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
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Fun Fact
Question: This year, July's full moon falls on Friday, July 23. Why is the July full moon known as Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, or Wort Moon?
Clue: a combination of Native American, Anglo-Saxon, and Germanic names gave birth to the names commonly used for the various full moons today.
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There are many diverse religious
festivals worldwide in July
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Here are some of them from the 2021 Interfaith Calendar:
7/9 – Baha’i: Martyrdom of the Bab
7/17-7/22 – Islamic: The Hajj
7/18 – Jewish: Tisha B’Av
7/19-/23 – Islamic: Eid al-Adha
7/23 – Rastafarian: Birthday of Haile Selassie
7/24 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: Pioneer Day
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The Episcopal and Anglican Church share a long history in Europe |
"Americans gathered for worship in Paris as early as 1814, although until the middle of the 19th century many there sought out Church of England gatherings if they wished to find familiar patterns of worship. Congregations of Americans began worshiping according to the use of the Episcopal Church by at least 1855, and the first congregation took shape in August of 1858." Read full article here
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Safe Church Training
Online Changes Now in effect
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Our Safe Church prevention partner, Praesidium, is upgrading to a new training system
Praesidium’s Armatus Learn to Protect System, is becoming Praesidium Academy
If you have taken Safe Church Training online within the last four years, you may have received a system-generated email inviting you to the new system on Wednesday, July 14. The email will have looked like this:
Subject Line: Praesidium Academy Invite
You've been invited to access online abuse prevention training in Praesidium Academy.
Get started by accepting the invite below.
- This email provided instructions on how to log into the new system
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Follow the steps listed for logging in at this time only
- Nothing more is required for you to do at this time
- The Episcopal Church in Delaware’s training policy has not changed
Safe Church Training is required to be taken every three years only at this time. If you are due for recertification, follow the above instructions to receive authorization as stated to take the online course. Remember, you must contact your church administrator or Toni Snow for instructions.
Quick demo and important information for new training system here
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Cycle of Prayer in the Episcopal Church in Delaware |
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This week (week of July 18), in our diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we hold up in prayer St. Stephen's Church, Harrington, vestry leadership and parish. For the updated 2020-2021 diocesan Cycle of Prayer click here.
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Open Positions in the Diocese |
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St. Paul’s, Georgetown Seeks Part-Time Parish Administrative Assistant
Bilingual-Bicultural preferred.
The successful candidate must be reliable, have a professional, enthusiastic manner, a “can-do” attitude, and strong computer skills. Attention to detail, and willingness to learn also required. This is a 16-hour a week position. We offer a friendly work environment and excellent hourly rate. Interested persons please send cover letter and resume to: Sharon Mackwell, Senior Warden, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, PO Box 602, Georgetown, DE 19947
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Upcoming Events in our Community |
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Hymn Sing and Dedication of the new Saint Anne’s Church Organ & Piano, Sunday, July 25, 4pm
This special event will recognize the great hymns of our Christian faith with a Hymn Sing, during which we will celebrate and dedicate the new Saint Anne’s organ and piano. The guest accompanist will be the very accomplished musician, Tedde Gibson. To learn more about Mr. Gibson, visit www.teddegibson.com. Everyone is invited to attend in-person to enjoy the rich sound of the instruments, and the concert will also be broadcast live on the Church’s website, www.saintanneschurchde.org.
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Delaware Urban Farm and Food Coalition, 2021 Urban Agriculture and Community Garden Tour, Saturday, August 7, 9am-1pm, featuring St. Nicholas, Newark.
The 2021 garden tour will be focused on urban agriculture and community gardens in the Newark area.
Stop #1, 9-9:30am, St. Nicholas Episcopal Church garden located at 10 Old Newark Road, Newark, DE 19713. Established in 2011 and opened to the community in 2015. Recipient of NCCD mini-grant in 2019. Garden coordinator Fran Traccone will lead this tour.
Stop #2, 10-10:30am, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension demonstration vegetable garden and native plant garden located at 461 Wyoming Road, Newark, DE 19716. Master Gardener’s will provide an overview of the gardens.
Stop #3, 11-11:30 am, Food Bank of Delaware farm located at 222 Lake Drive, Newark, DE 19702 in the Pencader Industrial Park. Come learn about the hoop houses, CSA and field growing areas from community farm manager Kyle Brolis. 12-1pm. Bring your own lunch for networking under the picnic pavilion at the Food Bank of Delaware.
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Celebration of New Ministry, the Rev. Shelley D. McDade, Wednesday, August 11, 5pm, St. George's Chapel, Harbeson. All are invited. Reservation information to follow.
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Diocesan stewardship workshops coming soon:
- Saturday, August 21, 10-12pm, and
- Wednesday, August 25, 7-9pm
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Zoom links and more information can be found here
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Upcoming events in the Episcopal Church |
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Lift Every Voice and Sing: Black Episcopalians welcome all to four-day virtual revival , July 27-30
The Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) invites all to join a virtual churchwide revival that will feature stirring music, testimonies, learning, and messages from Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and others. For four nights, Black Episcopalians will lead The Episcopal Church in worship and preaching, focusing on the following themes inspired by the hymn Lift Every Voice and Sing: gifts from the past, challenges in the present, and promise for the future. All services will be livestreamed. The UBE revival also includes daytime sessions featuring panel and group discussions, prayer, and fellowship opportunities. Learn more and register for these enriching sessions here
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There is still time to register for upcoming Virtual Episcopal Latino Ministry Competency course
August 9-13, 2021
This is 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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Re-Vision and Renew: Discerning Leadership for Redeveloping Congregations, Thursdays, August 5, 12, 19 and 26, 12 to 5 p.m.
The Episcopal Church’s Office of Church Planting and Mission Development will offer a virtual retreat for those who feel a calling toward church/community redevelopment. The retreat is designed to give participants feedback around core competencies in church redevelopment. It is designed to nurture leaders who will encourage their congregations to develop relationships and partnerships outside the church — relationships which then invite change and redevelopment within the church. More information
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News from the Episcopal Church and beyond |
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Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites applicants for United Nations climate conference delegation
October 31 to November 12, Applications are due by August 20,
Taking advantage of a unique virtual opportunity, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites all Episcopalians over 18 to consider applying to be a delegate to the 2021 United Nations climate change conference — known as the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties, or COP26, and the presiding bishop’s delegation will attend daily virtual events during COP26, which takes place in Glasgow. “This year’s online platform will allow for wider representation on the delegation,” said the Rev. Melanie Mullen, director of reconciliation, justice, and creation care for the Episcopal Church. “Episcopalians who are young adults, people of color, Indigenous, LGBTQ identifying, and from communities affected by climate change and environmental injustice are especially invited to apply.” More information
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Twenty-seven Becoming Beloved Community grants supporting the work of racial healing, justice and reconciliation were awarded by The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council during its June 25-28 meeting. The grants total $220,450. More information in English and Spanish
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Episcopal Bishop Scott Hayashi, himself a victim of gun violence, now advocates with a group of other U.S. Episcopal bishops on the issue. In 2018 the clerics decided their push was missing something: a prayer. More information
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White Christian decline has slowed. Mainline Protestants now outnumber white evangelicals. New York is home to several of the most religiously diverse counties in the U.S. These shifts and findings are among some of the notable revelations documented in a sweeping and exhaustive survey of the U.S. religious landscape by the Public Religion Research Institute. More information
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Taskforce announced training updates to Safe Church curriculum
Three new courses related to safe church policies within the Episcopal Church were released July 14, with webinars planned soon to help dioceses transition to a new learning platform. All new courses will be launched to create a new program called Safe Church, Safe Communities. Developed by the Task Force to Develop Model Sexual Harassment Policies and Safe Church Training in partnership with risk management vendor Praesidium, the new courses are Introduction and Theological Background, Organizational Rules and Model Policies, and Abuse and Neglect. A train-the-trainer course will also be available live over Zoom and in-person in November, according to Judith Andrews, chair of the task force. In addition, the following courses will be added to Praesidium Academy by the end of 2021:
- Healthy Boundaries
- Power & Relationships
- Inclusion
- Pastoral Relationships
- Anti-Harassment
- Bullying
- Reporting Abuse
The new learning modules reflect policies approved by The Episcopal Church in 2017 for the protection of children, youth, and vulnerable adults. More information
As the new course materials are being released, Praesidium is transitioning from the Armatus platform to Praesidium Academy. Learn more about the upgrade here
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Presenting Hybrid Church Effectively (Part 2)
"While there are divergent opinions about online services and worship, there is common agreement that a hybrid offering can be effective in reaching people who may not return to a post-pandemic, in-person setting.
Hybrid has been defined as a combination of an in-person service with an online service, either livestreamed or recorded, of the Eucharist, Morning Prayer, Compline, Noonday Prayer, or a Bible study. Even those who may not be enthralled with hybrid recognize its value. 'The digital world is a new mission frontier,' said Bishop Pierre Whalon, chair of the House of Bishops’ Ecclesiology Committee. 'And the church needs to be there. And the church needs to know how to use it.'” Read full Living Church article here
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Pastoral word from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to the people of Cuba
"To Bishop Griselda Delgado Del Carpio, to my brothers and sisters in the Episcopal Diocese of Cuba, and to all of God’s children in your country, I greet you with the ancient words of the Apostles, 'Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.' I stand in solidarity with you during this time of sickness, food insecurity, economic suffering, and civil unrest. I am praying for you, and I stand for the human rights of all peaceful protesters." Read full statement here
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A Year in the Life 05: Episcopal Service Corps
A Year in the Life, filmed throughout the pandemic using COVID-safe protocols, explores how Episcopal schools, ministries, and congregations have adapted to the challenges of the year – from food insecurity to calls for racial justice to worship through restrictions – and more. Each year, young adults answer the call to serve God and neighbor through the Episcopal Service Corps, or ESC, and its affiliates around the country. When Corps members discerned their calls to serve with the New York Service & Justice Collaborative, they knew they would partner with places like the Church of the Holy Apostles’ soup kitchen and the Trinity Episcopal Church Giving Tree thrift shop. But during a pandemic, how could they continue the work they had been given to do? The answer: creativity, faithfulness, commitment, and an exceptional love for their neighbors. Watch A Year in the Life here
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Presiding Bishop offers pastoral word to all Haitians, Episcopalians in the Diocese of Haiti, following the president's assassination
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry issued a pastoral word to all Haitians and Episcopalians in the Diocese of Haiti following the July 7 early morning assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in his home. Read full statement here
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VTS reparations fund makes first cash payments to descendants of seminary's Black slaves, laborers
By its best estimate, hundreds of Black laborers toiled at Virginal Theological Seminary as slaves in the decades before the Civil War and under later forms of economic exploitation in the era of Jim Crow segregation. In February, the seminary began issuing cash payments to eligible relatives, whom it calls “shareholders.” The initial payments are about $2,100 each, and shareholders are offered access to on-campus amenities that were off-limits to their ancestors. More information
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Statement on Indigenous Boarding Schools
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and President of the House of Deputies the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings issued the following statement regarding Indigenous boarding schools on July 12. Read statement here. (Coverage of Executive Council’s June 25-27 meeting where council discussed Indigenous boarding schools may be read here.)
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Episcopal Church announces 2021 Creation Care and Environmental Racism grant recipients
Seeking to support creative and long-term eco-ministries, The Episcopal Church’s Task Force on the Care of Creation and Environmental Racism has selected 10 new grant recipients, approved by the church’s Executive Council during its June meeting. More information in English and Spanish here
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Office of Church Planting and Mission Development announces ‘Discerning Leadership for Redeveloping Congregations’ virtual retreat
The Episcopal Church’s Office of Church Planting and Mission Development will offer a virtual retreat for those who feel a calling toward church/community redevelopment. More information
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Churches Uniting in Christ releases summer resources: ‘Labor Day Through the Lens of Racial Equity’
Churches Uniting in Christ (CUIC), a dialogue among ten Protestant faith communions in the U.S., announces the release of new ecumenical resources for local congregations to utilize during the summer season. The resources, available here, are designed to help churches experience Labor Day, through the lens of racial equity. More information
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News from the Anglican Communion |
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Church of England Debates Parish System, Unity, Clergy Discipline
Anxiety about the future of the Church of England’s parish system, unity across differences over the ordination of women, and the adequacy of its clergy discipline system featured prominently in the latest semiannual session of its General Synod, held online July 9-12. More information
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Archbishop of Canterbury sends ecumenical solidarity message to South Sudan’s leaders
Archbishop Justin Welby, Pope Francis and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland speak out on the 10th anniversary of South Sudan. More information
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Bishops begin global conversations in the build up to face-to-face Lambeth Conference in 2022
Dialogue between bishops has always been a key feature of Lambeth Conferences; and ahead of the 2022 Lambeth Conference a six-month programme of online Bishops’ Conversations is taking place to help bishops prepare for next year’s face-to-face meeting. More information
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