DIOCESAN
Parish Audits
CPA and Diocesan audit team audits are due by July 15.
Intergenerational Camp at Bellwether Farm
Bring your family or “pod” to Bellwether Farm for a weekend of camp on July 16-18! Registration is required by July 12. Following an Olympics theme, pods will participate in team-building activities, friendly competition, and traditional camp activities including arts and crafts, fishing, swimming, hiking, and canoeing. Participants will also work on the farm with Farmer Kyle, caring for both plants and animals, and in the kitchen helping Chef Lonny prepare delicious farm-to-table meals. Evenings will include bonfires and s’mores, movies, stargazing, and large group games. Mornings and evenings will also include family-friendly prayer and reflection. Pods are responsible for supervising themselves and abiding by Bellwether Farm rules, with staff members organizing and coordinating activities. Pods can choose to stay in a retreat room with a private bath, or a cabin (sleeps up to 10). For questions, please contact the Rev. Anna Sutterisch.
Yoga Retreat at Bellwether Farm
Join Valerie Williams in a yoga retreat at Bellwether Farm on July 23-24. Participants will practice meditation, intention-setting, and yoga amidst the fields, forests, ponds, and livestock of Bellwether Farm. A farm-to-table lunch will be served on Saturday. While the bulk of programming is scheduled for Saturday, participants are encouraged to arrive Friday evening for dinner, a bonfire, and overnight respite. The cost is $40 per person for Saturday only. A single retreat room is an additional $110 and a double occupancy room is an additional $150. Registration is required by July 19. More information is available on the Bellwether Farm website.
Celtic Retreat at Bellwether Farm
Bellwether Farm will host a Celtic retreat, “Exploring our Anglican Roots through Celtic Spirituality,” on August 2-4. The retreat will venture into Celtic spirituality and the experience of God in all creation and how the life of the Celtic peoples became the roots of Anglican spirituality. We will explore Celtic prayer and Soul Friendship and close by looking for the next step of our journeys through the Celtic idea of Peregrinatio. The retreat will allow participants to take time to be out in nature and see God in farm activities or crafts. There will be times of prayer throughout the day, plus we will discover what goes into preparing farm-to-table meals and eating them, acknowledging that eating is also part of a life of prayer. Monday we will gather before dinner and we will end Wednesday morning after worshiping together. The retreat will be $270 for one person or $380 for two. Registration is required by July 23.
Pilgrimage at Bellwether Farm
A Pilgrimage will be held at Bellwether Farm on Saturday, August 28 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Registration is required. The cost is $30.00 and includes lunch. You will have an opportunity to enjoy the serenity and beauty of hiking on the trails at Bellwether Farm. A pilgrimage is a spiritual retreat. It is a time when you can set aside your daily concerns and open yourself to the holy. Come spend time with God; experience the healing power of walking in nature. Feed your soul by setting aside time in peace and quiet and allowing God to speak to you. Please contact Betty Kondrich at [email protected] if you have questions or would like more information.
Church Life
The summer 2021 issue of Church Life is now available online.
Giving Tools Update
A new QR code is available for gifts to parishes through the Diocesan website. 
Reimagining Sunday School: Curricula
The Diocesan Resource Center is no longer providing universal access to the Weaving God’s Promises curriculum. Instead, we’d like to work with you to find the program or curriculum that makes the most sense and will make the most impact in your specific context. The diocesan website features our recommendations on quality free resources, offers the ability to apply for financial aid to subscribe to paid curricula (like the excellent Weaving God’s Promises and others), or to request a conversation with us to help envision what might work best in your parish. Every child, faith community, and curriculum is different— and we’d love to accompany you in discerning what might be the best fit for you in this moment.
Safeguarding God's Children
All vestry members must be trained in Safeguarding God’s Children. If you are a newly elected vestry member, or you elected new leaders at your parish, it might be time to check if everyone has been “Safeguarded.” Trainings are self-paced online modules. To register, email Mary Ann Semple at [email protected]. If you would like to be trained as a facilitator to lead Safeguarding trainings, please contact Mary Ann. 
Quality Training for Your 2021 Stewardship Team
The Congregations and Christian Formation office is partnering with TENS to provide a series of four webinars offering stewardship training for your parish. The 90-minute webinars will be held on the first Tuesday of each month through August beginning at 6:30 pm. There is no cost. More details and registration information are available. 
PARISH
Final Service at St. Andrew's, Akron
The final service at St. Andrew’s, Akron will be held on Wednesday, June 30 at 6:00 p.m. Bishop Hollingsworth will preside.
Learning on the Lawn
This July, St. Timothy’s, Perrysburg is hosting family activities on the front lawn of the church – ranging from a movie to gardening to senior exercise to kid’s activities. On July 2 at 8:30 p.m., The Sandlot will be shown. Bring your lawn chair or blanket to relax and laugh together. In the event of inclement weather, the event will move inside to the parish hall.
How to Keep Our Children Safe
St. Martin's, Chagrin Falls is hosting a human trafficking program, “How to Keep Our Children Safe,” for all of the churches in the Chagrin Valley and their communities on July 29 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. via zoom. More information is available on the flyer.
Urban Garden Assistance
Trinity Cathedral’s Urban Farm is available to help parishes looking to start a community garden at or near the parish, or assist parishes grow their existing urban garden. Whether you’re looking to build raised beds, install a drip irrigation system, learn about crop rotation or find community partners, Trinity’s 16-year-old farm may have the answers. If you are interested in finding out more, email Scott Blanchard at [email protected].
A Conversation with Austin Channing Brown
St. Paul's, Cleveland Heights partnered with several local churches to host Austin Channing Brown for a virtual conversation as she discusses her book, “I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness.” Brown is a bestselling author, public speaker, and producer. Her work centers around the Black experience in America and engages a diverse audience in the work of racial justice. The conversation is available to watch.
OTHER
Peacebuilding Series
The Episcopal Peace Fellowship is launching an online Peacebuilding Series on August 1. Presenters include the Rev. Rosalind Hughes, Bishop Beckwith, and more.
Discernment for Lay Ministry
Dr. Kate Gillooly is offering a four-month course on Discernment for Lay Ministry again through Bexley Seabury (online) that will begin in July. The class is open to everyone churchwide. (Please note - it is not for discernment for ordination.) More information can be found on the Bexley Seabury website. 
IN THE NEWS