A WEEKLY eNEWSLETTER AND OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN DELAWARE | |
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Exciting New Announcement
New Canon to the Ordinary named
by Cynde A. Bimbi
While we bid adieu to our beloved Canon Martha Kirkpatrick as she prepares for her well-deserved retirement, it is a great joy to announce that the Rev. Brad Hinton will be joining the team at the Mission Support Office as the new canon to the ordinary, beginning January 2024.
Since 2007, Brad has proudly served the people of St. David’s, Wilmington (Brandywine Hundred) as their rector, chaplain to the day school, and president of the school’s board of directors. He jokes that he has served in this parish so long that people instinctively call him David!
Bishop Brown said, “Through his dedicated service, Brad has demonstrated a unique ability to work in the trenches, nurturing and challenging parishes to reimagine their ministries. His real-world experience in facilitating change and encouraging parishes to break free from the status quo will be invaluable in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of this diocese and the Church as a whole.”
Brad is passionate about serving all congregations no matter shape or size, and his extensive experience spans a diverse range of parishes: small, urban, and suburban. He understands that the context of each congregation is distinct, and his hands-on expertise in these various settings equips him to offer invaluable guidance and support to all congregations.
One of Brad’s most inspiring qualities is his joyful and contagious energy. He approaches ministry with an open-minded creativity that has the power to inspire and ... Read full announcement here
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New Clergy Calls
Please give them a warm welcome!
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The Rev. Dr. Jack Anderson has accepted the call to become the rector of St. Philip’s in Laurel. Jack was a Roman Catholic priest before being received into The Episcopal Church last year. Jack lives in Millsboro and may be reached at [email protected]. | |  |
The Rev. Jamie Samilio has accepted the call to become the interim rector at Christ Church in Dover. She most recently served as the priest-in-charge at the Church of the Good Samaritan in Clearwater, Florida. Canonically resident in Virginia, she may be reached at [email protected]. | | |
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Sacred Ground: A Conversation about Race and Faith
Next session begins November 16
A message from the Rev. Deacon Cecily Sawyer Harmon
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My Siblings in Christ, as we begin a new season, I would like to reintroduce myself to you. I am the Rev. Deacon Cecily Sawyer Harmon, LCSW. In February 2023, Bishop Brown appointed me Missioner of the diocesan Racial Justice & Reconciliation Commission (RJRC) in February 2023.
It is an honor to serve you as we follow in our Lord’s footsteps of Becoming the Beloved Community and to live out our baptismal covenant — to respect the dignity of every human being, to strive for justice and peace, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
There has been significant good work accomplished in the three years since the inception of RJRC, originally co-chaired by Dr. Sheridan Quarless Kingsberry and the Rev. Chuck Weiss. RJRC now has ten commissioners from across the state, including two students from St. Andrew’s School, who are our disciples and who are lovingly shepherding us in this holy and sacred work.
A program that RJRC strongly supports and endorses is Sacred Ground, a program led by the Rev. Carlyle Gill and Carol Wzorek. Please read and share the adjoining information and consider participating. The limit for this session is 12 participants and it will fill quickly. I have already taken one spot and look forward to meeting some of you as we journey through this session together.
Cecily
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Sacred Ground is a film-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to explore America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in our own family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. More than sixty people from a variety of faith communities have taken Sacred Ground during the last three years.
The 11-part series is built around a powerful on-line curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.
Sacred Ground is part of Becoming the Beloved Community, the Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day….all while grounded in our call to faith, hope, and love.
Our next group begins on November 16, 2023. We will meet on zoom every other Thursday evening 7-9 pm, ending on April 18, 2024. Our time will be spent in dialogue about the material we’ve watched/read, its application to our lives, and the overall connection to our faith. It is a deeply transformative and powerful experience.
If you are interested in learning more, please email or call one of us. We’d be happy to share more in-depth information about the series with you, and put you in touch with Sacred Ground graduates.
Mother Carlyle Gill 202-316-1839; [email protected]
Carol Wzorek 703-220-6048; [email protected]
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Registration Open!
239th Annual Convention
Friday, November 17, 4:00 p.m. - Saturday, November 18, 4:30 p.m.
University of Delaware, Clayton Hall
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Let's get ready, my sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus! Our 239th Annual Convention is coming soon. Everyone is invited. — Bishop Brown
Keynote speaker: We are excited to announce that the convention keynote speaker will be Dr. Catherine Meeks.
Ticket cost and deadlines:
- Early Bird Package - $105.00, until 10/15/2023
- Convention Package - $125.00, until 11/4/2023
- Friday Evening Only - $85.00, until 11/4/2023
- Saturday Day Only - $85.00, until 11/4/2023
Registration: Everyone is invited to convention. Please register here
Hotel: The convention hotel is the Courtyard by Marriott Newark — University of Delaware.
For special convention rates, make hotel reservations here
Volunteers are needed! We need your help to make this convention a success. For their service, all those volunteering will receive a complimentary ticket to attend convention. Please contact Toni Snow for more information.
Find all convention information on the diocesan website here
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Last opportunity to register
for the Parish Communications Workshop
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Discover the pivotal role communications play in
strengthening our churches' presence in the community
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- Thursday, October 12
- 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m
- Christ Church, Dover
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More information here
- Register here
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From inter-generational communication strategies to digital storytelling to content recycling, this workshop is designed for parish administrators, communicators, social media creators, rectors, lay leaders, and anyone interested in church communications. | | |
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The mother of the Rev. Bruce Lomas, Dorothy (Roberts) Lomas, age 101, died peacefully on September 27, 2023, in Portland, Maine. A private family graveside service will be held at a later date. Canonically resident in Massachusetts, Bruce has been serving regularly at Christ Church, Milford, and St. Stephen's, Harrington. | |
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Fun Fact
Question: In what year was the annual diocesan convention addressed by the Rt. Rev. José Antonio Ramos, Bishop of Costa Rica?
Clue: It was the same year that the image known as the “Best UFO Photo Ever” was taken in Costa Rica.
Answer: Here
Image: See Answer.
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On This Date in Christian History
Women Leaders
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On this date in 1582, Spanish mystic and founder of a reformed Carmelite order Teresa of Avila died. A model of spiritual discipline, she experienced visions of Jesus, wrote several mystical books (including her autobiography), and possessed a genius for administration.
Image: "17-05 03 St Teresa of Avila" by Felton Davis is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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On this date in 1890, Catherine Booth, English "mother of the Salvation Army," died of cancer. Besides preaching as a Salvation Army minister, she persuaded her husband, William, to make women an integral part of Salvation Army leadership and work.
Image: Unknown author, unknown source
Public domain
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