By Canon Sarah Louise Woodford
Did you know that Advent observances had more in common with Lent, especially in the Middle Ages? Though not as rigorous as Lent (especially in regards to fasting days), Advent was a time marked with fasting, simplicity, and pilgrimage. It was a time to focus on the life of Jesus and to step into his story to deepen faith, to deepen connection, to deepen compassion.
As I spoke with Sasha Biagiarelli, Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet’s Administrator and Business Manager, about the company’s upcoming production of Ahavah, I couldn’t help but wonder—is Ahavah a modern-day Advent pilgrimage for us here in ECCT?
The production tells the story of a girl named Hope, who lives in the modern age. Her life is one of repetition and routine. Yet—she is longing to find meaning in her life, she is longing to be part of a larger story. Her longing is met by finding the Bible and then stepping into the past and into the story of Jesus. After Hope’s discovery of the Bible, the ballet moves between the present day and Biblical times and Hope learns to find inner meaning, and Jesus, through it all.
This imaginative retelling of the story of Jesus’ birth and life has run for 18 years and Sasha has been part of the production for seven. One of the reasons she thinks this retelling of Jesus’ life is so effective is that it isn’t based on speech, it’s based on movement. “Movement,” she says, “allows for more abstraction, more space. It passes the conscious part of the brain. It surpasses words.”
She gave me the example of a scene in the production between Jewish and Gentile women at a well. It begins with a Roman soldier drawing a line down the center and then each side tries to gain a larger portion of the well—some outwardly fight with each other, some sneakily tip-toe around the well so as not to be detected. The scene ends with one of the women being pushed into the well. It’s funny, it’s sad, and it says something bigger about empire, about conflict, about human nature and its need for the life of Jesus.
If that’s not an Advent pilgrimage, I don’t know what is.
Ahavah will run from December 7 to December 8 at Middletown High School. You can purchase tickets here. All of the profits from the performances will be donated to St, Vincent de Paul soup kitchen in Middletown.
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.”)
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).
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.
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.
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.
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!
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, Filmed, and Photographed by: Caela Collins
I once read that our souls need to be reminded of what lies beneath the fear of darkness. I think this is especially true as we move from the season of Advent into Christmas. Here in Connecticut, especially in December, we move through days that are short and nights that are long. On December 21, we experienced the Winter Solstice, the darkest night of the year. It may sound odd, but the presence of light inhibits growth if it is not balanced with darkness. A seed, before it can grow and send up its shoots of green, needs time in the soil’s dark depths—it needs a season of undisturbed transformation. In darkness, a seed grows and brings about new life, which is why we “green” the church as we await Christ in Advent. We are waiting for this new life, this bright light, to emerge and bring us into the new season of Christmas. Let us explore three parishes within the city of New Haven which is part of the South Central Region, and learn how they green their churches during the dark season of winter as our spirits sprout towards the coming light that is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
From Top to Bottom we visited the following parishes:
The photos below were provided by the parish:
Written By: Caela Collins
As Christmas 2023 approaches, I find it harder to separate the idea of the Holy Family’s past from the Holy Land’s present. Many feelings around the Holy Land’s past and future call attention to duality, refuge, belonging, and intergenerational knowledge. Much like the Holy Family, there are countless families today still searching for safety and fleeing injustice. I don’t know what 2024 will bring, but what I do know to be true is that God always finds a way to us amid troubling times—guiding us and helping us find a way home.
It is no coincidence that creation mirrors the liturgical seasons. Advent, which is in the winter, is a time of darkness and anticipation for light, and light is what leads us home. Uncertainty is the only constant in life, but similarly to the first and second candles of Advent, we can find hope and peace in the light of the Lord, who always leads us home. Sometimes “home” looks different than what we intended it to look like. It may even be miles away from your birthplace. But just like the stable Christ was born in, there is unassuming beauty in finding God in places we don’t normally tend to look.
During this past year, I’ve explored stories with you that discussed holding sacred space for duality, seeking refuge in a foreign land, pursuing belonging as an act of self-acceptance, and leaning into intergenerational knowledge. Some of these stories are thematically linked through the rest of the piece. It’s my hope that through these small recollections of themes, peace may sprout. The final theme I present to you this December is “Finding Home.”
The theme for this year’s 10th anniversary of Spring Training & Gathering was “Invite. Welcome. Connect,” which is a framework for intentional practices of evangelism, hospitality, and belonging. At the core of its teaching is the idea of having brave conversations:
Invite: When you invite people to your parish events and services, it’s not only about inviting people into a relationship with your community but rather inviting them into a relationship with Jesus.
Tips: Break the ice with local businesses, town hall, schools (pre-k through college), community centers, other churches (interfaith bonds), charities, police, and fire stations by starting a conversation on common ground. A commonality is that you all care about your local town and the people within it. Discover the various ways they use their unique skills and talents to contribute to the local community, and invite them to join your efforts in helping the community through partnership. Release expectations and pressure. Embrace helping others, know what’s coming up for your parish calendar, and affirm that they are welcome to join, participate, or simply gift their presence.
Welcome: Genuinely invite new people to your parish, affirm that they are wanted, welcome them with open arms when they have the courage to show up, and re-affirm that their presence was vital and made a meaningful difference.
Tips: It all boils down to acceptance and love; when you can exhibit that to someone who may be new or re-introduced to church, that is the act of participating in God’s mission for a more inclusive and loving world. A brave invitation opens the door for the brave first step of someone new to your parish, which in turn allows them to feel truly welcomed within your parish community and to start a relationship with Christ.
Connect: Foster genuine connection by being your authentic self and allow a safe space for them to be their authentic self. This requires the sacred act of listening; be an active listener by paying attention, showing that you’re being present with them, deferring judgement, and responding appropriately.
Tips: Hear their story first. Ask questions that will help your neighbors discern their gifts. Take thoughtful and friendly action to build a genuine connection and a safe space. Leave behind the evangelical sales pitch and speak from a place of presence and friendliness.
Not only in the busy season of Advent and Christmas, it is imperative to build a beautiful home within your mind to house your thoughts. Based on cognitive science, the average person has 60,000 thoughts per day, of which 80% are negative. Overall, we spend 47% of our time thinking, which is more time than we spend doing most day-to-day things. This is why it’s important to be intentionally kind to yourself.
When you have repetitive negative thoughts, that creates a dungeon-like atmosphere with no life, no light, and no hope. When you counteract negative thoughts with various mindfulness practices, that dungeon in your head is instantly renovated into a beautified space filled with your favorite things—vibrant colors, rays of sunshine, bountiful plants, and a comfy bed that rivals what even the highest-rated hotel suite could offer. Make it a point to visualize a beautiful space that you can visit during tough times; explore what decor would bring you the most hope, peace, love, and joy. We live in our heads most of the time, so take care of your inner home!
ECCT Wellness Videos:
“We spoke about the difference between being a tourist and being a pilgrim. As a staff member at St. George’s College once said, ‘a tourist is one who passes through the land, while a pilgrim is one who is open to having the land pass through her or him.” In other words, we go on this journey not just to ‘see sights,’ but rather to experience scripture in new and current ways.” These are words from The Rev. Dr. Lisa D. Hahneman, Priest-in-Charge at St. John’s, New Milford regarding the first in-person gathering of hopeful Holy Land pilgrims from the Holy Landers Ministry Network.
The Holy Landers Ministry Network is more than a pilgrimage group; it is a network of Episcopalians who seek to view our world through revitalized eyes. To allow foreign lands to remind them that we, as a people of all nationalities and backgrounds, are not merely words from the ancient text of the Bible but the living word in creation. Reaching back to the past to forge new paths for the future of Christ’s followers. Deepening their faith through a connection to the Holy Land’s past while finding spiritual home in the present and anchoring themselves in the mission of advancing the future by cultivating peace is how they hope to find home with others.
As we further uncover ways of “finding home,” let us remember to hold those who are currently in the Holy Land in our hearts and pray for a resolution to take place. May we give grace to those we do not understand and make intentional steps towards peace. May we lean on intergenerational knowledge passed down from the nativity story and know that God is with us in every season, even in times of persecution. Below are resources and an evening liturgy from the Holy Landers Meeting:
Written By: Caela Collins
Advent is BLUE!
