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Beyond Livestream Worship: Keeping Faith Communities Connected in the Face of COVID 19

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By the Rev. Ken Howard

This is the first in a multipart series on strategies and tools for doing and being church in the face of COVID19

The COVID19 pandemic is not the first time Christianity has been faced with the moral question of how to respond in the face of pandemic. In fact, the question is nearly as old as the Church itself. One of the first times was during the third century Roman plague. Something likely akin to Ebola, the so-called Cyprian plague (after Bishop Cyprian of Carthage) which ravaged the Empire from 250-270 CE.

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Scam Alert!

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We’ve seen notices like the one I’ll quote below from both our bishops now and it’s just a matter of time before someone tries it from some other clergy you might know…

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Annual Meeting, Sunday, Jan. 26th

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Our Annual Meeting is coming on Sunday, Januaryt 26th following an abrieviated 10:30am service.

More than just business, this meeting celebrates God’s work in us and through us during the previous year and shares what ministries are planning to accomplish (by God’s grace!) this coming year. We’ll also elect our leadership and approve our budget.

All members are asked to attend and vote.* This is an open meeting and all are welcome. We look forward to spending this time with you.

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Bishop Rickel’s Advent Message

Advent 2019

Our Episcopal Bishop, Greg Rickel, sends greetings and offers these thoughts during the Advent season, the four weeks of preparation leading up to Christmas.

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ELCA Churchwide Assembly 2019 Concludes – Here’s a summary…

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CHICAGO (Aug. 14, 2019) — Gathering under the theme “We are church,” voting members of the 2019 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) made a number of key decisions to further the mission and ministry of this church. The assembly, the chief legislative authority of the church, met Aug. 5-10 at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. Read more here about what was decided…

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Sadness, Anger, Grief: Bishop Rickel Responds to the Shootings in El Paso and Dayton

Sadness, Anger, Grief: Bishop Rickel Responds to the Shootings in El Paso and Dayton

Dear Ones, Yesterday, I was just about to blog some reflections on the Camino after being off the trail and home, and that will come… but it seemed so trivial when I received the word of yet another mass shooting in our country. I completely understand why the Mayor of El Paso felt the need to say the words to his fellow citizens, “Don’t worry, we are all safe.” But I had to wonder, how can any of us make that assurance? I am sure those words would be cold comfort indeed to the 20 families who lost loved ones […]

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A Call to Discipleship

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In this invitation, Eaton unites with the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church; the Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, primate, Anglican Church of Canada; and the Rev. Susan C. Johnson, national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

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Overcoming Self-Doubt:

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5 ways to get beyond imposter syndrome By Kristen Glass Perez. Thanks to WomenOfTheELCA.org. Reposting from https://www.boldcafe.org/5-ways-to-get-beyond-imposters-syndrome/ Recently, I received a request from a friend who is an expert in her professional field. She wanted to share that she was quoted in a national publication via social media, but felt awkward posting it herself. She asked me to post it for her. I was happy to do so. As soon as I posted it, I saw many other posts of strong individual achievements on my social media feeds. I noticed that few women posted about their own successes while male […]

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Bishop Jaech: God’s Promise for our Lenten Journey

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Dear Friends in Christ, As we enter Lent and head towards Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter, here is a story from Luke’s Gospel that jumps out at me. This translation is by Eugene Peterson in The Message. “Not long after that, Jesus went to the village of Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession—a woman’s only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, ‘Don’t cry.’ Then […]

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Bishop’s Leadership Conference: Save the Date!

Bishop’s Leadership Conference: Save the Date!

Bishop’s Leadership Conference (Dio Olympia) – Save the Date!  We will be meeting April 26-May 1, 2020, at Fort Worden in Port Townsend! More details will be available in the coming months, but make sure to mark your calendar now and save the date for the second installment of this powerful time of connection, learning, and community! Fr. James says, “This is an amazing leadership conference. I went in 2018. Anyone invested in the ministry and mission of St. Christopher’s is invited and would benefit! Please come talk to me about joining the team we will be sending.” In past […]

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Walk Again: Discerning the Future with Bishop Rickel

Walk Again

Eleven years ago, Bishop Rickel traveled throughout the diocese on his first walkabout, meeting the people of the diocese and visiting churches across Western Washington. Now, as we enter into a new phase of our life together, Bishop Rickel and representatives from our governing bodies will be traveling the diocese again for a series of conversations on our common vision and the road ahead. It will be a year of dialogue, a year of listening, and a year of growing together as the Episcopal Church in Western Washington. Join us for Bishop Rickel’s Walk Again. Saturday, April 6th, at St. […]

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5 Resources for Better Church Meetings

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Reposted from  ECF Vital Practices, by Brendon Hunter, Feb. 21, 2018. This month we offer five resources to help your vestry or other church group have more engaging and productive meetings. Please share this digest with new members of your vestry and extend an invitation to subscribe to ECF Vital Practices to receive Vestry Papers and the monthly digest. 1. The Consent Agenda: More Efficient MeetingsThe Consent Agenda: More Efficient Meetingsintroduces the concept and practice of using a consent agenda and how this makes space for strategic mission and ministry discussions without adding to the length of a meeting. – 2. Creative JuicesCreative Juices looks […]

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