Written by Canon Sarah Louise Woodford

If you are at Camp Washington on November 2 for A Day of Growing Hope & Forging Peace, you will hear a distinctive sound, even from the parking lot—a ringing that has a steady, metallic harmony as hammer comes into contact with metal. This is more than just a hammer hitting metal, though. It is the sound of guns becoming garden tools. It is the sound of violence and tragic ends becoming objects of nurture, creativity, and new life. It is the sound of folks becoming blacksmiths.

November 2, 2024, will be a workday at Camp Washington’s fully-equipped forge and at the center of it all will be the Rt. Rev. Jim Curry and his crew. Bishop Curry retired as ECCT’s Bishop Suffragan in 2014 and in 2017, co-founded Swords to Plowshares Northeast, a non-profit that takes its name from Isaiah 2:4 and reduces gun violence by transforming pieces of guns into objects, especially garden tools. These garden tools are then given back to local community and parish gardens, the once tool for violence now a tool that nurtures the growing of vegetables and flowers.

It will also be a day when Swords to Plowshares Northeast takes on new apprentices. Blacksmithing is a traditional trade that is learned by doing, by being beside someone who has beaten and formed metal many times before you. “I want to train the next generation of blacksmiths,” Bishop Curry said in a phone interview earlier this month, “November 2 will be a day of learning traditional blacksmithing techniques.” Bishop Curry hopes that during the workday, the group will create mattocks from gun barrels—a mattock, especially one created by Bishop Curry and his crew, is a two-sided garden tool with a handle, one side to be used as a hoe, the other side to be used as a fork for soil cultivation.

On our call, Bishop Jim shared the catalyst for both forming his non-profit and shaping his love for blacksmithing: the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT, which took the lives of 20 students and six educators. He, along with then Connecticut Bishop Diocesan Ian T. Douglas and Bishop Suffragan Laura Ahrens traveled to the scene of the shooting to be with the shaken and mourning community. It is an experience he will never forget. “I had to do something,” he told me.

That something came through the craft of blacksmithing and the witness of the Reverend Jeremy Lucas and the Mennonite blacksmith ministry based in Colorado, RAWtools. Bishop Curry went west and worked at the RAWtools forge, learning how to turn guns into garden tools. He also brought members of the RAWtools ministry to Connecticut to train members of his team.

At the forge of RAWtools, “I fell in love with process,” he told me. “I was learning a traditional skill; I was training for something. Blacksmithing is a full-body process and it allowed me to physically step into my desire to change things. And it was fun! Through shaping metal, areas of great tragedy can reclaim something, and that reclaiming is really joyful.”

And many throughout ECCT have already benefited from Bishop Curry’s apprenticeship to blacksmithing as well as his apprenticeship to peace. Connecticut community and parish gardens nurture their crops through his garden tools, many (including me) have a necklace or bracelet from which hangs a piece of a bullet casing transformed into a heart—and even the crook of our current Bishop Diocesan’s crozier was formed by Bishop Curry’s passion, mission, and artistry at the forge.

Like all apprentices that came before, you too, can learn from Bishop Curry’s expert craftmanship on November 2 at Camp Washington’s forge. You too, can fall in love with the process and become part of the bigger story that brings peace and hope into a world that so often gets stuck in loops of violence. You too, can strike metal and hear that metallic, melodious sound as you “turn swords into plowshares,” just like Isaiah has called us to do.

You can sign up for A Day of Growing Hope & Forging Hope here.

Posted & Written By: Caela Collins, Digital Storyteller feat. Artwork from local Artists around the Diocese

Silence in the Chapel

Artist: Caela Collins
Parish: St. Paul’s Cathedral, Oklahoma City

September is a time to celebrate and honor the beauty of our natural world as the temperature shifts and the green leaves begin to adorn themselves in warm-toned fall jackets, with yellow hues in remembrance of pausing with purpose, optimistic shades of orange welcoming in change, and burning with red-hot excitement for the future. 

During this season of change, I too adorned myself with the poetic aspect of rebirth as I blossomed into a newly-elected board member of the Episcopal Communicators, a nation-wide organization of communications professionals working in Episcopalian dioceses, congregations, and organizations, commended by The Episcopal Church. In this month of transition, I experienced an inspiring first in-person board meeting and retreat in Oklahoma City, where the upcoming Communicators Conference will take place May 13-16, 2025!

This leads me to the picture presented below: After an outdoor walk in the St. Paul’s Cathedral labyrinth, I allowed my heart to internally guide me throughout the space, leading me to the silence in the chapel. There was something special about the contrast between light and darkness, vibrant color and pitch blackness. Standing still in the midst of what many would perceive as opposing natural forces allowed me to get a small glimpse into the birth of creation. From darkness, God created light and magnificent color. I imagine the beginning of existence being similar to an artist’s studio: a black hole serving as the blank canvas, and creation being the detailed and intentional paint strokes from God’s paintbrush.

The stained glass windows, which coincidentally bear the title “Creation Windows,” are the focal points of this photo. If you look closely, you can see how the three windows on the left and the three windows on the right mirror the six days of creation in the following order: light, waters covering the earth, plant life appearing on the land masses, seasons with the cycles of the sun and moon, creatures living in the sea, creatures that fly, and animals living on the land.

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Sunflower Sunrise

Artist: Kim Davis
Parish: Christ Church, Pomfret

Jamie Trunnel summed up Sunflowers best:
“God enjoys encouraging us through things in his creation, and sunflowers are certainly no exception. Growing from a small seed, they show how mighty a little faith can become. Their constant pursuit of the sun is a good reminder to continually seek the Son, Jesus, during our days. And, bursting with glorious color, they implore us to share our own contributions with the world.”

The addition of a sunrise reminds us of the son, Jesus, rising from the dead, saving us from sin, and showing us the way to eternal life.

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Serenity Sunset

Artist: Laurie Marcho
Parish: Christ Church, Bethany

In my happiest hours, the ocean brings me joy and gratitude.  In my saddest hours, the ocean brings me solace and hope. The sound of the waves are where my prayers, which often have no words, reach God.  God hears my heart. 

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” -Genesis 1

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Magic Wings

Artist: Johanna Jacob Kuruvilla
Parish: The Church of St. Andrew the Apostle, Rocky Hill, CT

This is a series of three paintings inspired from pictures I took following a swallowtail butterfly while walking in my aunt’s garden. As children, one of the first things we learn about creation is the metamorphosis of the creepy, crawly, hungry caterpillar to a fluttering, beautiful butterfly. 

Butterflies are known for their beauty and cultural symbolism in many countries. Some people believe that they are symbols of resurrection and transformation. As a Christian, I can’t help but notice the parallels drawn between Jesus’s death and resurrection and the metamorphic life of the caterpillar. 

These ever-so delicate winged creatures flutter from flower to flower, fulfilling their role as caretakers of our planet. Like these magical wings, Creation is filled with marvelous wonders, holding secrets and stories, waiting to be discovered and shared if only we can keep our curiosity fluttering.

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Sunset Over the Connecticut River

Artist: Deborah Simmons
Parish: Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford

Living near the Glastonbury, CT, boat launch, I have the awe-inspiring experience of witnessing the sun’s setting on the Connecticut River, as with many who live nearby, throughout the year. The image was taken on the eve of a January winter. Each minute of the setting sun, one can see how the colors and shadows change. As the light fades into darkness, I am humbled, amazed, and blessed. I do not know any of the folks gathered around me.  I don’t know of their lives and beliefs. I believe the one common purpose of the moment for others in attendance is to view the setting of the sun. For me, I stand as a witness to God’s creation and caring.

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Sands of Time

Artist: Susan Varanka
Parish: The Church of St Andrew the Apostle, Rocky Hill

This textile art quilt depicts the beauty, diversity and reality of God’s creation as well as our responsibility in caring for our earth and its inhabitants.  Each creature is encircled with a quote from a renowned scholar highlighting our connections.  We are all responsible nurturing caretakers as we leave our foot print upon God’s creation.  

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Twisty Old Apple

Artist: Roxanne Steed
Parish: St. James, New London

Flourishing Community: The moment calls to mind the community between this tree, the soil in which it flourishes, the rocks that lie on the downward slope just beyond it’s trunk, the waters of the sound that wash the shore twenty feet below, and the winds that blow ashore here. The tree’s branches reach out almost to the sound, shading the rocky breakwater (a welcome relief on hot summer days at low tide I would think!).

I imagine at higher waters and during storms, the sea spray, and perhaps even the waters, reach for the tree above the buffeted slope. And yet the soil where her roots plunge deep, is steady, present, and un-eroded. The rocks live out their vocation-of-service in what strikes me as a relationship of mutual giving in spite of wind and water.

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Written by Sarah Louise Woodford, Canon for Communications & Media

On June 7, 2024, the rich, dark wood sanctuary of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in New Haven, CT, was dimly lit and in each of its vibrant stained-glass windows, there was a candle, neatly placed upon the windowsill. The candles were glowing reminders of those parishioners who had been a part of the church’s nearly two centuries of ministry and the Candlelight Vigil was both a powerful symbol of their memory and a poignant way to mark the church’s year-long celebration of 180 years of ministry.

Those present stood and collectively said the following collect: “We gather at this 180th Anniversary Celebration to honor those on whose shoulders we stand—those who have paved the way; those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom and existence…May we always remember our ancestors with reverence and love as we give thanks for all they have taught us and all they have done to open these doors for us. May they continue to share with us their great wisdom and strength as we seek to preserve and continue the heritage they have left us.”

From St. Luke’s Candlelight Vigil.

There truly is a rich heritage St. Luke’s seeks to preserve and continue. The church, located at 111 Whaley Avenue, began its ministry in New Haven, CT, on June 7, 1844, through the African American parishioners of Trinity on the Green. It is the third oldest Episcopal Church in the country with a predominately African American congregation. Many from the Caribbean have found their parish home here and its award-winning Steel Band often plays both locally and nationally. Its parishioners have included founding member Alexander DuBois, grandfather of W.E.B. DuBois; Bishop James T. Holly, the church’s second rector who later became the first Episcopal Bishop of Haiti; and Constance Baker Motley, an important figure in the Civil Rights movement who worked closely with the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund and Thurgood Marshall. She would go on to be the first African American woman to sit on the Federal bench of New York’s U.S. District Court. Constance Baker Motley is also the great aunt of 180^th Anniversary Executive Board member, Michelle Royster-Clark and the cousin of another executive board member, Morgan Esdaile. St. Luke’s is ready to celebrate her and many more parishioners and memories throughout the year.

The year’s theme is taken from Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.” A Bible verse given to those planning the anniversary events by a parishioner. Events for the anniversary began in April with Friends and Family Sunday. Following June’s Candlelight Vigil, there were events over the summer, including a picnic in July. St. Luke’s celebrated its third annual Community Day on August 24, with its main focus on the 180^th Anniversary. Run by the church’s Hospitality Chair Donna Johnson and a team of faithful parishioners, the day was full of bookbag giveaways, food, and face painting and games for children. Twenty local vendors participated in the event.

From St. Luke’s summer picnic.

The bulk of events are yet to come and will be celebrated starting this fall, beginning with a series of Spirit Sundays, which will start with Homecoming Sunday on September 8, 2024. Parishioners are encouraged to wear something that connects with the theme of the day and participate in an activity after church. Some of the themes of the Spirit Sundays include Homecoming Sunday, when folks are asked to wear St. Luke’s colors (red, black, or gold); and Legacy Sunday on February 9, 2025, where folks are asked to wear their 180^th Anniversary t-shirts with church-related table games following the service. A concert showcasing St. Luke’s Steel band is also being planned for the fall. All of this will culminate with a picnic and a gala next summer.

These events come from the imagination and planning of the 180^th Anniversary Executive Board, co-chaired by Jocelyn Freeman and Danisha Collins. I was able to speak to a few members of the executive board over Zoom earlier this August, including sisters Danisha Collins and Vickie Daniel, Michelle Royster-Clark, and Morgan Esdaile. During our hour-long conversation, the executive board members spoke fondly about St. Luke’s and how being part of the executive board allowed them to give back to, and celebrate, the heritage of a church family that helped them not only grow as women of faith, but also as leaders in the church. “St. Luke’s made me who I am,” said Co-Chair Danisha Collins, “I got my first taste of leadership as a girl when I was asked to read the lessons during the service.” Her sister Vickie chimed in, “St. Luke’s is the place that got me my first summer job. When I needed community service hours for my college application, I was able to do it through St. Luke’s.” The group also spoke about how much they enjoyed being acolytes and participating in the church’s liturgical dance program.

Other members of the 180^th Anniversary Executive Board noted that through their planning, they came across a few surprises from the stories older members of the congregation told them as they planned events for the year. “We once had a basketball team!” they said with a lot of laughter. All of them also participated in a church-wide fashion show as children, a memory they had forgotten. “I wanted to bring the fashion show back,” said Morgan. On the Spirit Sunday entitled “Denim Sunday” (April 6, 2025), there will be a fashion show after the service. There are also plans to include a fashion show in the gala.

Michelle also spoke about how anniversary planning reminded her of the programs at St. Luke’s that were impactful to her—like the Girls’ Friendly Society, a worldwide Anglican organization for girls. Girls’ Friendly began a chapter at St. Luke’s early in the 20^th Century. “I was deeply influenced by the Girls’ Friendly,” she said, “and I want my daughters to have a chance to be part of it, too.” Michelle hopes that after this year, she will be able to continue St. Luke’s involvement in Girls’ Friendly for not only her three girls, but for other young women at the church.  

We ended our conversation with talk of the gala, coming the summer of 2025. The gala, whose theme is “Rejoice in Hope” is open to all in ECCT and will be an evening full of celebration and fun. The executive board is working on a fashion show as well as awards that will be named in honor of St. Luke’s parishioners who have died.

“It’s time for us to take stock of what we’ve done and celebrate St. Luke’s,” said Danisha. “It’s time for us to put the joy at the forefront.”

A note on the 180^th T-Shirt Design: The t-shirts, which are being sold to support the gala, were designed by St. Luke’s 180^th Anniversary Executive Board. The color scheme, which is of the pan-African flag, speaks to St. Luke’s African American and Caribbean heritage as the pan-African flag represents the diaspora as a whole. St. Luke’s official colors, gold and red, are also part of the color scheme. A glowing Episcopal shield is also present, representing the church’s traditional ties to the denomination’s ministry. The back of the shirt includes the year’s theme from Romans 12:12.

Please follow St. Luke’s on their Facebook Page for updates throughout the year.

Written, Filmed, and Photographed By: Caela Collins, Digital Storyteller

I don’t believe in coincidences. As a curious person with an insatiable hunger for random side quests and a love for spontaneous adventures, my mind-body connection is deeply in tune with impromptu micro-moments of joy. These micro-moments, called “glimmers,” are the antithesis of triggers. Glimmers ground your nervous system into a rest and digest state through feelings of peace, safety, and joy, whereas triggers prompt your body to enter a state of fight or flight, often through survival or trauma response. As a child, I was always taught and told that God speaks to us, but no one ever explained how. I knew the Bible stories and miraculous love of God were ever-present, but for a long time, it felt like someone somewhere clicked the mute button. How could I know God is speaking to me when everything is silent? It’s unlikely that an angel will appear before me in aisle seven of the grocery store, proclaiming “Do not be afraid,” as the startled version of me drops a carton of eggs on the floor. In the age of social media, it’s not ideal to stumble upon a burning bush on a neatly town-landscaped island crying out “Caela! Caela!” in the parking lot of Trader Joes. Next thing you know, I become a meme, or my verbal response becomes a viral reel & TikTok SoundBite, or I become an instant spectacle with a barrage of phone cameras pointed in my direction. But that’s where coincidences come in; they’re the subtleties I desperately needed to tune into God’s voice. Coincidences are those micro-moments when God decides to remain anonymous.

As the saying goes, the streets are talking, and whether it’s Madam VP Kamala Harris’ infamous and facetious quote from a speech given in May 2023, “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” turned into musical memes and skits, ‘brat summer’ this, or ‘brat summer’ that inspired by singer-songwriter Charlie XCX’s most recent album, what seems to be among the hottest topics right now on social media are the Olympics, particularly how diversity is America’s greatest asset for medal-wins. A long time ago, an interviewer asked pre-college-grad me: If I were a brand, what brand would I be, and why? I answered, “The Olympics… because it brings people together from all around the world, showcasing different ethnicities, religions, and talents; I love the beauty of diversity and believe that our differences empower one another.” Post-college-grad Caela still feels that way, and speaking of hearing God’s voice in silence through divine coincidences, aka a glimmer, is the reason I spontaneously drafted this story.

Did you know there was a connection between the 81^st General Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Olympics? The Olympics, simply put, are a celebration of human diversity, and if I had to sum up my experience of the 2024 General Convention, that was my exact experience. The Episcopal Church, as we know, is large, but as I physically stood in spaces where people from multiple continents congregated for God’s mission, I felt just how large the worldly presence of The Episcopal Church truly was.

If you’ve ever visited The Commons and seen my desk, which is difficult to miss, I have a creative barrage of art, quotes, trinkets, and stickers. As I sat here today, I couldn’t shake the thought of Muhammed Ali, who is from Louisville, Kentucky, and for whom the Olympics created a mini-documentary special. I then glanced over at my stickers, one saying, “Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous” and the other saying, “Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures.” Then, in the silence, I realized that it wasn’t a coincidence and that I needed to share this story of the Olympics and religion.

During my time at the 81^st General Convention, I had the opportunity to visit the Muhammed Ali Center (Museum) and experience an unforgettable glimmer. This micro-moment of joy specifically overcame me when I entered the “Seeing the Other” exhibit. This exhibit was a collaboration between the Muhammed Ali Center and the “Portraits in Faith” project, which aims to unite individuals from diverse faiths and cultures. The “Portraits in Faith” project provided a space for individuals to view and interact with portraits through sacred listening and viewing, with the aim of fostering conversations about how humanity perceives one another. Ironically, this micro-moment did not allow me to rest because something subconsciously and spiritually ached to share this glimmer out loud.

When I walked into the exhibit, something beautiful resonated with my spirit as I scanned every black-and-white portrait. It’s not every day that you get an opportunity to have an exhibit all to yourself; in the silence, it was just me and a gallery of God’s masterpieces, humanity in all its diverse forms. There were 500 people from 29 countries, as well as over 50 religions and spiritual groups. Every face had a story to tell, and every story was significant—pre-college grad Caela, who used the Olympics to represent herself, was savoring and soaking in this magnificent glimmer. Having said that, I’d like to pose the same questions that were posed to me as I exited the exhibit:
1. How well do you listen to others’ stories?
2. What can you do to dismantle your misperceptions of others?
3. How can you foster greater unity within humanity?

Written by The Rev. Tuesday Rupp, Rector of St. Paul’s Church, Woodbury

John 1:37b-41

[Jesus’s first] two followers said, “Jesus, where are you staying?”

Jesus answered, “Come with me and you will see.” So the two men went with Jesus. They saw the place where Jesus was staying and stayed there with him that day. It was then about four o’clock.

These two men followed Jesus after they heard about him from John. One of the men was Andrew. He was Simon Peter’s brother. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon. He said to Simon, “We have found the Messiah.” (“Messiah” means “Christ.”)

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5) NEW FRIENDS

There are no phones allowed at Camp Washington. Everyone sleeps in cabins, and everyone shares bathrooms and showers. Everyone will sweat and get dirty; everyone will smell like sunscreen and bug spray; everyone will be new to some aspect of camp life. What a gift. On Sunday night, a lot of kid conversation consisted of TikTok catch phrases; by Friday morning, I heard kids humming songs and chants from the week, talking with excitement about games and activities, giving detailed descriptions of bead crafts, or comparing their favorite meals. New friends had inside jokes to share, with nary a “skibbidy” to be heard.

At Camp, “new friend” is a broad category. Here’s a short list of places that our campers and counselors come from: Our campers and counselors hail from various places, such as Turkey, Jamaica, Honduras, Hungary, all over New England, and other parts of Connecticut, which can feel like a completely different country to a child. Kids, counselors, and staff shine across the spectrum of race, gender, neurodiversity, skills, interests, and faith. For Episcopalian kids, this was a way to connect with each other and their shared faith, making this one of the largest and most vibrant youth programs in our diocese. While participating in activities in small groups, creating skits, singing camp songs, over meals, and even during daily prayers, the kids formed bonds that could last a lifetime during cabin time and cookouts. It’s worth noting that, for our week, one very special Episcopalian was on hand to lead us in a rousing version of the classic camp song, “Goin’ on a Lion Hunt” (thanks, Bishop Jeff). 

4) BEN’S FOOD

Yelp rating for meals at Camp Washington: 5/5 stars for kid food. This is hands-down the best kid-friendly food you will ever eat, and there is something for everyone. Food is abundant and delicious, and fresh salads and ripe fruit are available daily. Ben’s secret recipes are the subject of much speculation and debate, but the main ingredient is certainly love.

We also received our nourishment in other ways. The customs of mealtime are a key part of what makes Camp Washington special. This is one area where I observed a significant difference between the campers on Sunday night and those on Friday morning. We expect everyone to take turns in serving, carrying, setting up, and cleaning up. Family-style meals mean that everyone at the table has to pay attention to the needs of others. Everyone engages in conversation and connection three times a day, free from distractions such as screens. Three times a day, we came away from mealtime satisfied.

3) BULLSEYES

This week at camp, I knew of two kids who shot bullseyes (one of them was the youngest camper that week)! Amazing! I witnessed campers creating artwork that they could proudly display at home, enhancing their swimming skills, baking cookies with Ben (refer to point #4), experimenting with dance and art classes, and experiencing canoeing for the first time. One camper shared with me that conquering her fear of heights during the ropes course was the highlight of her week. Bullseye!

These are the kinds of successes that happen when the reward is fun. People who love, celebrate, and embrace you for who you are, and who encourage and support trying out new things, can foster these kinds of successes.

2) THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE

After a week of creating, refining, making costumes, practicing dance steps, song lyrics, or impressions of counselors, this is Camp Washington’s night to shine. Campers, counselors, and staff cheered each other on through two hours of skits, songs, dance routines, amazing feats of flexibility, more skits, group dance numbers, instrumental solos, one very memorable singer, still more skits, and a rousing group finale. Perhaps the abundant snacks and cotton candy cones helped the audience stay attentive. I like to think it was a sense that every person on stage was a friend, and we always cheer our friends on.

One performance particularly stood out to me: a counselor-in-training, torn between a deep desire to share a song and crippling stage fright. Last summer’s attempt to get on stage ended in tears. This year, after several halting starts and stops, sharing and self-expression triumphed over fear. The sung and danced rendition of the song was brilliant. The cheering and applause were deafening. My heart exploded with joy and wonder. Bullseyes truly come in many and varied forms.

1) BELONGING AND BECOMING

I have heard that it takes something like 11 contiguous hours with the same people to form a group. I don’t know if that number is “true” or not, but the idea is clear: spending lots of time with the same people is required for that alchemical transformation that transforms a bunch of individuals into a group. Summer camp has the potential to do that; you’ve got the time and the togetherness. The question is, what kind of group are you going to form?

At Camp Washington, I encountered a culture that values both self-expression and community equally. A sense of belonging to the whole intertwines with the process of becoming (remembering?) who you are. There isn’t enough of that in the world, in church, or in our daily lives. But for one magical week, there was belonging and abundance. Maybe it’s like a little glimpse into the kingdom of God. I hope so. 

But don’t take my word for it—come and see for yourself!

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The Rev. Tuesday Rupp, Rector of St. Paul’s Church in Woodbury, served for the first time as a chaplain for children’s camp at Camp Washington, and is really excited about coming back for Summer 2025!

Written by The Very Rev. Miguelina Howell, Cathedral Dean

I am excited to share with you the highlights of my experience at the 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church, a gathering that was both inspiring and deeply enriching.

As you know, our Church has traditionally gathered every triennium to set the priorities in our participation in God’s mission, to approve the triennial budget, to engage in legislations that set the tone for the work of the wider church staff and for Episcopalians from around the globe to worship and join in fellowship together.

During the week, someone asked me what the highlight of General Convention for me was. The first thing that came to mind was Worship. Then, later in the evening, I paused to reflect on my experience of the past 10 days at what I call a big Episcopal family reunion.

The Worship Team and volunteers worked for four months to prepare for this gathering, a task that has usually been assigned for a three-year period of preparation. The challenge was to provide a worship as diverse as possible while keeping simplicity. God was praised! The music, the diversity of languages, and most of all the joy of the gathered community was a gift to many.

In addition to Worship, a meaningful highlight was an evening function. The Wider Church Staff hosted a Reception for Bishops and the HOB Staff to honor Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. The entire evening was delightful. The greatest impact for me was a moving tribute offered by the Rt. Rev. Michael Hunn, who served for many years with Bishop Curry. Bishop Hunn’s words were a testament of the kind, empowering, and caring leader Bishop Curry has been throughout his episcopacy. 

The Diocese of Kentucky did a remarkable job as hosts! Their Bishop, volunteers, Diocesan Staff, Cathedral Dean and Staff showed so much care. I am particularly thankful to Bishop White and his team for all the support we received in accommodating worship needs.

From a legislative standpoint, there were several highlights for me, most of them reflective of a changing church in a changing world, being the gift of adaptive leadership and collaboration the underline force:

• A historic milestone was reached as Navajoland was recognized as a missionary diocese, granting them, among other things, the authority to elect their own bishop. This marks a significant step forward in empowering local leadership and honoring the unique cultural and spiritual heritage of the Navajo people. My heart smiled and rejoiced hearing their Deputation sing Amazing Grace in their mother tongue.
• The way the bishops managed and interacted in relation to resolutions about the crisis in the Middle East was a testament to their mutual respect and desire to find common ground without compromising their beliefs. This ongoing dialogue is crucial, and the commitment to articulate their shared values and responses was evident throughout their discussions. This is hard and holy work.  
• I was also moved by the engagement of our newest bishops in the legislative process within the House of Bishops. Their passion, clarity, and spirit of collaboration set a hopeful tone for their collective work and common mission.
• In another significant development, the Convention approved the merger of the Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan, after nearly five years of experimentation and collaboration, officially merged into one: The Diocese of the Great Lakes. Both dioceses are familiar to me through colleagues from the wider church or through leaders who have been involved in missionary work in the Dominican Republic. It was a joy to see their hard work and openness to the Spirit culminate in what is indeed a new and strong beginning.
• Additionally, three dioceses in Wisconsin received approval for their merger request, reuniting as the Diocese of Wisconsin. This decision reflects a commitment to fostering stronger, more cohesive communities within our church.    

Other dioceses are in conversation and collaboration about the possibility of merging. This is happening at a time when we have elected a Presiding Bishop who is clear about the need for adaptive leadership and structural changes. The Presiding Bishop-Elect was a member of the Task Force for Reimagining the Episcopal Church in which he contributed largely to the vision reflected on the final report.  

On a more personal note, let me share that my first experience at a General Convention was in 1997, when I attended as Provincial Youth Coordinator, serving as one of the chaperons for the Official Youth Presence. At this Convention, I saw clergy and lay leaders from the 1997 Official Youth Presence serving this week as deputies. Words can’t express the joy and pride my heart felt seeing them serving God in this manner.

Finally, as one of the Chaplains to the House of Bishops, along with my chaplain colleagues, I had the honor of leading Bishops in prayer during the election of the 28^th Presiding Bishop. We led a moment of prayer, silence, and readings. The election happened in closed doors at Christ Church Cathedral, Louisville. The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe was elected on the first ballot. 

Right before the election, the chaplains tried to guess how many ballots the election would take. We prepared worship for four ballots. We agreed that the chaplain who guessed correctly would get free ice cream. Clearly, none of us got ice cream for free!  

These highlights represent just a fraction of the transformative experiences and decisions that took place at the convention. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this significant event and look forward to how these developments will shape our journey together as the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Now, I get ready to start sabbatical and depart Kentucky with a thankful heart and great anticipation for the many possibilities of a future unknown but held in God’s hands.

This piece was also published through Christ Church Cathedral’s media channels.

Written by the Rev. Matt Handi, First ECCT Alternate to The General Convention

I was sitting in the airport in Austin in November of last year watching the livestream of ECCT’s Annual Convention. I had put my name forward to serve as a deputy to The General Convention and watched as my name was called to serve as Second Alternate. Soon after, I learned that I would serve as First Alternate when a member of the deputation resigned.
Now, Alternates are not allowed to vote but they are on stand-by in case one of the full Deputies need to come off the floor. As an Alternate, too, I am able to sit in the bullpen consisting of other diocesan Alternates, guests, and visitors to watch the business of the church move by motions and votes. I am so in awe and impressed with the passion we all carry down here at GC81 for this church we love and are called to serve.

And there were perks to this trip as well. The Deputation was invited by the Union of Black Episcopalians to a gala this past Friday night to celebrate Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s retirement. And this was a gala in the truest sense as people were dressed to the nines, the fabrics so many wore were a living quilt of color and awe, an homage to culture, a celebration of strength and independence.

The escalator was an A-list event in itself. There was Kelly Brown Douglas just steps (literally; it was an escalator). Stephanie Spellers rode the same path. I was a agog. These women having meant so much to me in my formation; I still read Radical Welcome just to remind me that through the simple act of welcoming, we are breaking down barriers between each other, becoming closer to each other, and fulfilling that greatest commandment by loving each other.

I shared an elevator that night too with Presiding Bishop Curry. I was pushing a luggage cart at the time while wearing my clericals and I joked about having a second job. He smiled at my not very funny joke and we got into a conversation about the difficulty of pushing luggage carts. There is a metaphor there I am sure, but I’ll just say it was quite an evening. It is as if my Facebook page of Episcopal celebrities came to life and I had to hold myself back from geeking out and telling complete strangers that I loved them.

The next day was work. Work for this Alternate meant that I was to begin planning for the week, scoping out places to eat, communicating with fellow Deputies about lunch choices, ordering food from grocery stores, and setting up the hospitality suite. We all communicated by the texting app called WhatsApp. And by the end of The General Convention we probably should have called it LunchApp, because I was sending out a lot (A LOT) of texts about lunch orders and lunch menus and lunch order updates. It kept me busy.

On Saturday afternoon into evening, I visited the Thomas Merton memorial where Br. Merton had a vision, a revelation that he loved all people, that he could see in them God’s light, sunshine emanating from all of those he encountered on the corner of 4th and Walnut (Now West Muhmmed Ali Blvd). And I imagined the same and I wondered if any of those who passed by this spot were loved in such a way and, if they were told this, would they believe it. It can be sometimes hard to believe that we emit the light Merton perceived. I am convinced we do, but can you believe that you do?

I left the memorial to get dinner at an Ethiopian spot down the road and watched as other convention attendees trickled in. Bishops, priests, deacons, laity, every order seemed to be represented. A group from Africa, two priests and bishop walked in. I saw them pray over their food, their hands held above their injera and Doro Wat; they went to a holy place to thank God for holy things.

By Sunday, we were in the swing of things: Morning Eucharist; lunch ordered by the deputies via LunchApp; a meeting in the Hospitality Suite amongst the deputation and so on. This was our routine. Those who could escape the floor would head to the suite each day for fellowship, conversation, and debriefs. And I also found time to sit on the floor to observe every now and again.

Tuesday was Friday night event planning day. I had to follow up on phone calls I made to various event facilities who might host the ECCT contingent for the Friday night wrap up and celebration. One place sounded promising, and I visited another place just in case. That turned out to be a good idea as the first option fell through.

While traveling via one of those stand-up electric scooters from event place to event place, a woman on the corner of Market Street and 2nd waved me down. She shouted from the sidewalk, “Are you a pastor?”

“I am,” I replied.

“Can you come bless me?”

“I can,” I said and navigated three lanes over to meet her on the sidewalk. She spoke from a place of pain and sadness, her voice rose as tears brimmed but would not fall. She asked me to pray for Lawrence. She asked me to pray for Dominque who has been in a vegetative state for two years.

Soon, her tears grew brave and dared to fall. Her bus was soon to arrive, a half block away, she asked that I pray with her. We prayed for her sons. Her Lawrence. And her Dominique. I held her hand. Her bus arrived. She held on until the light turned green: her in the bus and me on the sidewalk. She let go. “I ask you too, please pray for Lawrence. Please pray for Dominique…” She rode off on a bus that would take her to the hospital. Or home. Or work, I know not where. I rode off on my scooter.

Wondering.

And so it was these past few days: Lunch and LunchApp; planning and replanning; walking the Exhibition Hall and spending some time on the floor watching the proceedings proceed. It has been an absolute gift and joy to serve this diocese, to serve you, in whatever capacity I could.

I left Thursday morning because I had a wedding to celebrate Friday afternoon. It was meaningful to celebrate this couple’s love and their continuing relationship as it transitions into a different kind of relationship with a new set of ups and downs and negotiations and renegotiations. New love celebrated. Continuing love renewed. Old love rekindled. A wonderful celebration.

And after all, isn’t that what we’ve been celebrating this past week here in Louisville?

Written by Sarah Louise Woodford, Canon for Communications & Media

After Wednesday’s morning session, the Reverend Rowena Kemp, one of ECCT’s deputies, met Stacey Kohl and I off the House of Deputies’ floor and introduced us to members of the deputation from Navajoland, who the day before took the next step towards becoming a Missionary Diocese. Once the House of Bishops votes to concur, Navajoland will gain seat, voice, and vote at The General Convention. Even more important for those who call Navajoland home, they will finally be able to call their own bishop, instead of having one assigned to them from the outside. With me on camera, and Stacey filming, we learned more about these amazing deputies and their work, as well as their ancestors, who engaged in the work before them.

The Episcopal Church in Connecticut also has a connection to Navajoland. The Reverend H. Baxter Liebler (1889-1982) was a Connecticut priest who worked closely with the Diné of Navajoland (this is preferred to the term Navajo). Before moving west, he founded St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church in Old Greenwich, CT.

Written by Sarah Louise Woodford, Canon for Communications & Media

The Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky, was filled on Tuesday with deputies, bishops, and visitors clad in tie-dyed t-shirts, and in ECCT’s deputation’s case, a cheery green with Camp Washington’s logo on the front and STAFF prominently printed on the back in white letters. Tuesday was Camp Day, and many deputations wore shirts to show support for their diocesan camps.

As ECCT’s deputation worshipped, listened and voted on resolutions, stopped for lunch or an afternoon coffee break, the green shirts from ECCT’s Camp Washington were always present. Sometimes just as one person and sometimes in clusters of twos or threes, and even on the floor, after the nominees for Presiding Bishop were presented in a joint session, a solid block of green at the Connecticut table. A table that included all of our deputies, the Right Reverend Jeffrey W. Mello, the Right Reverend Doctor Laura Ahrens, and the Right Reverend Ian Douglas, Ph.D.

At the Province 1 luncheon, the Reverend Canon Lee Crawford, Ph.D. shared a moving story about her experiences at Camp Washington in the early 1970s and how this special place in our diocese helped to form her, not only as a person of faith, but also as someone who was called to the priesthood, even before women were ordained.

What a great witness, both past and present, of how camp is an important place that forms us and brings us not only closer to God, but also closer to hearing God’s call for our lives.

Written by Marta S. Rivera Monclova, M.Div., Ph.D.

What do you do when God calls you to something that doesn’t exist yet? Build it! Well, easier said than done. None of Haven’s members set out to found something new, but each of us—Marta (an English Ph.D., candidate for Holy Orders, and expert in grief), Gregory (an ex-computer programmer and jaded cradle Episcopalian), and Sean (a composer, artist, and former monk) – has been drawn into a life of dedicated service to God in community. As we each spent time in established religious orders, we found that the particular pattern of life we sought didn’t exist in the Church yet. By grace, we also found one another and discovered that what we could not do alone, we could do together. So we have embraced the joyous risk of sharing conversion of life together in love and trust. This conversion has led us in surprising directions and uncovered unexpected gifts. As we each grow into our individual call from God, the community grows stronger; and the strength of the community supports each member in our healing, growth, and ministry.

Our vision is to empower one another “to seek Christ with our whole selves and to serve our neighbors with all our gifts.” We take the Victorian Anglican sisterhoods, the Beguines, and Carmelite friars as our models; all pioneers who also sought to build dedicated lives in the context of their time. We also have as models the many present-day religious orders in the Episcopal Church. Many of these are primarily “contemplative” communities, whose work is internal and often includes a ministry of hospitality. Haven is a primarily “active” community, meaning that we balance our pattern of prayer and household life with significant ministry commitments outside the house—these currently include administrative work at Christ Church Cathedral, chaplaincy at A Place of Grace food pantry, pastoral and liturgical assistance at Seabury Life Community, and parish commitments at Grace Church in Hartford and St. James’s Church in West Hartford.

As we grow in our ability to offer formation, community, and support to people who are called to this life of service, we will be able to undertake more and more ministries of support in the Church. Our goal is not so much to start new ministries as to establish a new (or rediscover an old) model for dedicated ministers in the Church and the world: a corps of people who can support, work, advise, and show up wherever their gifts are needed. We are building a community that does this work as the first priority in their lives, within Haven as a body of support. We seek to build an endowment so that we have the flexibility to increase work in areas which have deep and pressing needs but are underfunded or unfunded.

One of our core principles is that dedication to God is the most important thing, and our work, our practices, and our community life all flow from that dedication and must be measured against it. This means that we strive to welcome people with widely varying experiences and needs, recognizing that our experiences, needs, and identities—for example, ethnicity, disability, neurotype, and gender—must be fully and actively welcomed into the community. One of the blessings of community is the ability to grow deeply in understanding and mutual support, valuing belonging over uniformity and charity over rule. This life is marked by the challenges that define the life-long call to surrender all that is within ourselves to the healing, life-giving touch of God’s grace revealed in relationships shared among people with whom one would not have otherwise chosen to live. It is a life ordered around the promise to abide in relationship with those same people regardless of whatever blessings or hardships variously arise within the fabric of that shared space. This is not easy! But it bears much spiritual fruit.

Haven itself is not yet a recognized religious order—in order to be recognized by the Episcopal Church orders must have six professed members, which, for a residential community that grows slowly and organically, might take a decade or more. The Anglican tradition has always maintained a “grassroots” approach to new communities, allowing them to take root in their own time. Haven was recognized by ECCT in 2023 as an Intentional Episcopal Community, which allows us to participate in the life and governance of our diocese as we grow.

One path that members of Haven may take is to make the traditional vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience. Our name for this vowed expression of Haven is the Order of the Body of Christ—a namesake with triple resonance: Jesus’ earthly body, the Eucharist, and the Church. Other members of Haven may choose to have different goals or a different relationship with the vows. At the center of Haven is lifting up the gifts of those we live with and those we meet, that we communicate in bonds of charity and mutual love, and that our lives are dedicated to God.  

Please pray with and for us! On May 30 (Corpus Christi), Marta and Gregory will be clothed as novices, thereby establishing the Order of the Body of Christ and renewing their commitment to Haven. The service will be at 6:00pm at Grace Episcopal Church, 55 New Park Ave., Hartford and is open to the public. RSVP for in person attendance or get the streaming link at havenreligious.org/rsvp.