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Events, Resources & News You Can Use
April 5, 2017
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In this issue
(keep scrolling down for articles)
- Leadership Institute: April 29
- Promote your Easter services with free video
- Demographic profiles and forecasts for all parishes
- Individually-wrapped gluten-free wafers
- Two conferences on church music
- UTO offering and ingathering
- Diocese of Rhode Island helps start Happening in Connecticut
Around the Diocese/Community
- Join Connecticut river pilgrimage with New England bishops
- Don't forget to post your Holy Week schedules
- Chrism Mass: April 11
- Clergy Day: May 2
- LEV training: May 7
- Eastertide Confirmations: May 13
Diocesan Calendar in Brief
Please submit complete materials about programs of diocesan-wide interest to the Rev. Gillian Barr at pressroom@episcopalri.org no later than Tuesday, April 11. Publication will be on Wednesday, April 19.
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Congregational leaders:
Make plans now to attend the 2017 Leadership Institute
Saturday, April 29 9 a.m. -- 3 p.m.
St. John's, Barrington
Wardens, treasurers, property chairs and clerks: Mark your calendars for the 2017 Leadership Institute, to be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, at St. John's, Barrington.
This year's event includes a workshop specifically for clerks on record keeping.
The event also is open to other vestry members - especially if your officers aren't able to attend. Clergy are also invited to attend if you wish to learn more about the nuts-and-bolts of vestry officer duties.
One highlight is a talk from Bishop Knisely about the role of lay persons in providing spiritual leadership in the congregation.
The program also includes:
- Speakers from Vanco Payment Solutions talking about online giving.
- Erik P. Ulmen of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) talking about Rhode Island's safety network as well as the programs offered by DHS, including its FREE security assessments for churches.
- Workshops on fundraising ideas, planned giving, and human resources practices, as well as an update on solar panels, heating fuel and other energy saving programs the diocese is exploring.
We hope each congregation will send at least 3-5 people. Register
HERE.
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Promote your Easter services with one of these free videos
Your friends at the
Acts 8 Movement (a group of enthusiastic Episcopalians dedicated to renewing the church through discipleship, evangelism, and the use of current technologies for communication and strategic action) are glad to offer the Episcopal Church videos for congregations to promote their Easter liturgies.
One is in the form of a cartoon and
one is more photographic. You may post either one as is, or you can download a high-resolution video and with some basic video-editing skills create a customized video for your congregation. You can also share them to your Facebook page from the
Acts 8 Movement Facebook video page.
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Demographic profiles and forecasts available for all parishes
The Episcopal Church provides detailed professional demographic profiles and forecasts for every congregation. The profiles cover a three-mile radius of the congregation's physical location and project forward five years. They can be downloaded free of charge
here.
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Individually wrapped gluten-free communion wafers
These gluten-free wafers from
Cavanagh are individually wrapped, meaning they stay fresh longer and are safer, and look and taste the same as regular wafers. They can be ordered on
Amazon.
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Two conferences on church music
Yale Institute of Sacred Music Conference: June 13-15
When Dancing
T
urns to Mourning:Worshiping God in the face of violence. This is an ecumenical conference for pastors, musicians and other church leaders.
Amid today's media-driven awareness and widespread fear, how can the worship, music and art of Christian congregations offer courage to those who are anxious, help to those who are suffering and long-term formation in ways of peace? What testimony can hymnody, preaching, and forms of prayer, ancient and new, provide? More information here.
Sewanee Church Music Conference: July 10-16
For more than 60 years, the Sewanee Church Music Conference has been a leader in continuing education for church musicians. It provides an invaluable annual opportunity not only to learn new skills and refresh old ones but also to share experiences and ideas with colleagues from across the country. More information about this year's conference is here.
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Diocese of Rhode Island helps m
ake 'Happening' a reality in Connecticut
Over the last year, clergy and youth from the Episcopal Church in Connecticut have been working with the Diocese of Rhode Island
Happening leaders to start a Happening ministry in Connecticut.
Happening is a retreat weekend planned by teens to give other teenagers the chance to encounter Christ, explore their faith, and strengthen their relationship with God. The very first Connecticut
Happening took place the weekend of March 24 - 26 at
Camp Washington with 12 first-time participants! Young people who have been active in Rhode Island
Happening traveled to be part of the weekend and help support the effort. Rhode Island
Happening is so excited to help our neighbors begin their own
Happening ministry, and we look forward to continuing to partner together in the future.
Rhode Island
Happening #79 will take place at the Episcopal Conference Center May 5-7. More information can be found
here.
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United Thank offering and ingathering
Offering will be taken in parishes April 23
Ingathering on May 6
St. Barnabas, Warwick 11 a.m.
It is that time of year when the many blessings in our daily lives are reflected through giving to the United Thank Offering (UTO) and placing your pocket change in a blue collection box.
This year, April 23 has been designated as the Episcopal Church Women's United Thank Offering Sunday throughout the Diocese of Rhode Island.On that day, your collection of UTO boxes or envelopes will be presented at your altar.
The Annual Spring UTO Ingathering Service will be held on May 6 at St. Barnabas Church, Warwick, at 11 a.m., followed by a catered luncheon. This year's theme is "Evangelism through the Eyes of Autism." The Rev. Dennis Bucco will be the guest homilist, speaking about the wonderful ministry of Rhythms of Grace at Church of the Advent, Coventry, and strengthening the faith of the autistic community. More information will be shared during the luncheon.
Reservations for the luncheon are required. Cost: $10 per person. Deadline is April 29. Please mail your reservation, with check made payable to ECW-Diocese of RI to: Mrs. Carol Blackinton, 20 Judy Terrace, West Warwick, RI 02893.
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| AROUND THE DIOCESE / WIDER COMMUNITY |
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Join Connecticut river pilgrimage with New England bishops
Come on a spiritual journey of renewal, restoration, shaped by the Christian tradition, along the Connecticut River, from the Source to the Sea. Learn about the several you can participate in this pilgrimage, on the water or from shore,
here.
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Please make sure your Holy Week service schedule
is easy to find on your website
If you haven't already posted your church's Holy Week schedule on your parish's website, don't wait any longer! And make sure it's in an easy-to-find, visible place on your home page. Easter services tend to attract visitors, so make it easy for them to know when to come to church. List all of your Holy Week services (for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) on your home page where viewers can find the information quickly, not just in your online calendar.
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Invitation to Chrism Mass
and Renewal of Vows
Tuesday, April 11 10 a.m.
(vesting from 9:30)
Trinity, North Scituate
All clergy are invited to join Bishop Knisely on Tuesday, April 11 for the annual Chrism Mass and Renewal of Vows at Trinity Church, North Scituate.
We ask clergy to arrive at 9:30, and the service begins at 10 a.m. It is followed by the distribution of blessed oils and lunch. This year we are delighted to have the men's group from Trinity Church providing our lunch.
Clergy are asked to vest in cassock, surplice and red stole
(or comparable attire for Lutheran clergy). Clergy who are assisting on the altar are asked to wear an alb and red stole. Vesting will be in the parish hall. There is plenty of parking on both sides of the Danielson Pike.
Please
let us know you are coming so we can prepare the right number of vials of oils and lunch portions.
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Lay eucharistic visitor training
Sunday, May 7 2-5 p.m.
St. Matthew's, Jamestown
If there are persons in your congregation who have discerned with the priest in charge that they are called to serve as lay eucharistic visitors, they can attend the required training session on May 7 by completing
this application and signing up for the training
here.
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Eastertide confirmations
Saturday, May 13 10 a.m.
Emmanuel, Cumberland
The bishop offers this opportunity every Eastertide for clergy who have people in their congregation desiring to be confirmed between regularly-scheduled episcopal visitations. If you have persons who have been prepared for confirmation, they can be confirmed at this diocesan-wide service. If you have any questions please be in touch with Liz Crawley at
liz@episcopalri.org.
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Upcoming clergy events to put on your calendar
Chrism Mass: Tuesday, April 11, Trinity, North Scituate
Clergy Day: Tuesday, May 2, 9 a.m. -- 1 p.m. St. Thomas, Greenville
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| DIOCESAN CALENDAR IN BRIEF |
- Leadership Institute: Saturday, April 29
- Happening #79: May 5-7
- United Thank Offering Ingathering; May 6
- Lay Eucharistic Visitor Training: May 7
- Eastertide Confirmations: Saturday, May 13
- Connecticut River Pilgrimage: May 31-July 9
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