Written By: Caela Collins, Digital Storyteller Photo Credit: The Reverend, DeaconDonald Burr, Christ Church (Stratford)
The blood in your veins, trembles in the presence of water, Rushing towards an ancient past that passed but refuses to pass away.
Like the buried seeds, whose harvest sits atop varnished wood During a November altar, reveals the immortality of ancestral traditions Even as the recipe alters.
It’s the rivers that give you shivers. The rumbling world below your steps are quaking the earth.
Un-birth your faults when friction builds along the edges of plates, Piled with potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin, and three sisters. Miracles live in your lithosphere; It’s the magnitude of tribes who marched before you Who are at the epicenter of turning tides, Causing your spirit to quiver.
Give thanks to our “Long Tidal River,” A name baptized by ancient elder tongues Who inherently knew the restorative power and blessing in The Creator’s water In “Quinnitukqut.” Now named Connecticut, the bridge that binds historical text and esoteric nature In a world where Ezekiel 47:9 becomes a synonym for waterbirth.
Deep within the rivers is a knowing, a humbling calling. Not a place for drinking, but one where knees are falling.
The hunger for a Native past Is passed around the table of offering, Anointing the centerpiece of prayer.
There’s something in the water, You feel it in your bones. Light a candle of gratitude, Because the ancestors are here.
This photograph was snapped along a dirt road on the Schaghticoke Reservation near Kent, CT.
Posted & Written By: Caela Collins, Digital Storytellerfeat. 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.
Photography: Captured by iPhone 13 Pro
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.
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
Acrylic Paint
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.
8in x 10in canvas board. Acrylic paints and chalk pastels.
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.
18″ x 24″x 1.5″ Mixed media: digital print on archival paper, enhanced with acrylics, black ink, and cold wax.
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.
Cotton and wool fibers, permanent ink, cotton and silk thread, cording, machine and hand stitching.
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.
12 x 12 Watercolor painting of an apple tree that sits on the shore of Long Island Sound at Harkness State Park in Waterford, CT.
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 81st 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 81st 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?
“Spirituality is recognizing the divine light that is within us all. It doesn’t belong to any particular religion; it belongs to everyone.” -Muhammad Ali
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.”)
Camp Washington, Lakeside, CT
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!
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!
I found it. The silver thread we’ve been tugging at, secretly anxious of its end. Slowly growing in tangles, witnessing unraveled truth. The woven fabric of this world coming undone. Only to find that warmth never came from wearing knitted armor. It came from the bare silver lining that took form in Adam’s dust. Who knew that love’s loophole is what kept us clothed? There’s no need to tie up loose ends with God’s thread.
Sweaterless, a poem by: Caela Collins
Today is Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, two commemorations that present a strong case for love. Going along the theme of noticing God’s love brought me back to Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s call to action in the film A Case for Love: inviting us to take 30 days to practice love regardless of politics, religion, or ethnicity, because love is about all of us.
As we receive ashes on our foreheads, I wonder: How is love expressed within the context of our diocese? Who are we at our core, and in what ways has love molded us in Connecticut? I had to go deeper to understand how love guided us here to this place as a diocese. Putting PB Curry’s call to action, in action, led me to speak with coworkers and folks from the wider ECCT community to notice that silver thread we’ve been tugging at and find the evidence of love.
The Radical Love of Jesus
“We all have the capacity within our own lives to live out the love of Jesus and impact the lives around us in real and lasting ways.” ~Bishop Jeffrey Mello
Bishop Jeff has a background in social work, and as a clinician, he was trained to see a person, group, or organization holistically. They are not just one thing, but it’s their context, family life, health (physical/mental), and many other factors that lead to their disposition. From a social work lens, our Bishop Diocesan has honed in on a continuous discipline of deep, abiding love. What we learn from this is to love the whole person and not just the parts we agree with—love does not pick and choose who it reveals itself to. As he defined love in his context, the word that kept coming up was “sacrifice.” He expressed that sometimes we must sacrifice our own ease and comfort for wholeness. People pleasers show self-love in setting boundaries; in addiction, the sacrifice of immediate gratification is love for long-term health and wholeness; and putting on your own oxygen mask first reveals that the act of love is continuous; the work doesn’t end with yourself; it is the promise of healing and wholeness for everyone.
Storytelling is Truth-telling
“The conversation about love begins by the truth that we’re loved by God.” ~Bishop Laura Ahrens
Bishop Laura is an avid runner and swimmer. She understands that love contributes to a healthy way of life. In defining love, she was able to capture the idea of storytelling as truth-telling. From her context, love is a place of grounding, and when life disorients us, we are grounded by God’s truth in the divine love for us. We discussed the small moments and how they manifest in kindness, silly adventures, and sharing stories, which allow people to feel cared for. Our Bishop Suffragan uses love as a mindful grounding practice: being aware of God’s creation as a witness of love with the fresh air pumping in her lungs and the feel of water as she does laps in the pool.
Love in Human Form
“Showing up consistently can show a person that you really do care about the longevity as they proceed through life. They don’t have to suffer alone.” ~Cyra Borsy
I had the pleasure of speaking to Cyra Borsy (a Candidate for the Diaconate) to better understand her perspective on love as a beautiful, healing experience. Immediately, she deemed love an act of selflessness, even when we come across individuals who are comfortable not living in a space of love. Which allowed us to dive deeper into the idea of comfort: are you truly comfortable when you live on the outskirts of the realm of love? To answer, it all boils down to how love, or the lack of it, shows up in the body. Living outside of love can feel like one’s norm when exposed to trauma, leading us to a sense of empathy/sympathy with that knowledge. What must that feel like in your body or muscles? How love lives in the human body both physically and emotionally reveals that living a life in fear leads to pain, where anger emanates. Living in love is a release and exhale that allows you to relax. Showing unconditional love and speaking certain truths in difficult spaces is where love can create a space of ease to help shift the narrative of a world that lacks love.
Unlocking Resistance
“At the heart of all their traditions when they’re at their best, is the golden rule: do or don’t do unto others you want done unto you. Love people the way you want to be loved. It’s an understanding as a reflection of the divine by serving that reflection.” ~The Reverend Mark Lingle
St. Francis, Stamford, is a parish that leans into and uplifts diversity because, as they plainly state on their website, it was God’s idea. A large part of love is trying to understand our neighbors. Sometimes there is resistance to venturing out or acting on our curiosities when learning about a way of life that is different from our own, but something magical happens when walls are torn down. The Reverend Mark Lingle gave me some insight on the benefit/beauty of interfaith connection: when you look beyond the surface level, surprisingly, you’re able to see how many similarities there actually are. We discussed how learning about other faiths can provide further learning about our own. He also noted that we learn more about ourselves when we learn about others. The interfaith reality is that we aren’t seeking to convert but come together for the greater purpose of caring for God’s community.
From Hands to Hearts
“I want people to see themselves as an image of God’s creation.” ~Marc-Yves Regis
If you haven’t already met him, Marc-Yves Regis, is our diocesan Photographer. You will see him at many of our diocesan events behind his camera. As an artist, his craft allows him to capture special and intimate moments of love across ECCT. Even I, as the Digital Storyteller who’s usually behind the scenes, am in awe of the moments of love Marc captures: joyful hugs, moments of connection, and ECCT folks expressing the love of Jesus to one another. When discussing love from a photographer’s viewpoint, Marc-Yves expressed how he always seeks to find people in the best way by showing them at their best. His lens of love also extends to the photographs he takes of Camp Hispaniola, a summer camp he began in 2009 in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Even in his camp photos, you can see his talent in showcasing the natural beauty of God through humanity.
The Timeline of Love
“Love as being an ideal: it has a meta nature that it is the norm for all feelings. Concern fits in, connection, care, goodness, faith, all the things that we cherish as virtues and values are all under the umbrella of love- it’s a transcendent feeling.” ~Greg Farr
In an impromptu conversation with Greg Farr, ECCT Archivist, and Paul Eaton Hamilton, St. Mark’s Archivist (Bridgeport), I gained a valuable viewpoint on love in a historical context. Paul spoke with me about St. Mark’s, founded in 1920, and how challenging America in the 20s and 30s was for people of color. However, when you look at the historical-faith context, these Black Episcopalians focused on a mission to create a community of believers; they held together their equanimity to create a loving community. To reiterate that storytelling is truth-telling, we must be mindful of shifting the narrative of love. Love is ever-present and has the power to survive in desolate circumstances. But to be rooted in its power, we must understand and be attentive to a multitude of varied experiences where love was an act of preservation for some, and an act of revelation for others.
Our Archivist, Greg, noted that truth sits underneath our many cogwheels of stories and calls us to greater understanding. The more we learn to explore our past, the better equipped we are to be saints of the church. Looking at our context within the Episcopalian faith, we have consistently weighed in on the balance of things, finding a middle way. It is finding the middle way that is an act of love.
As we all explored love through the span of time, we concluded that it has always persisted with our knack for balance in a world that we simultaneously could and could not control. In the end, it all boiled down to knowing that the most important factor of love was being able to cash in on a priceless vibe and find your people.
And we are each other’s people, as we receive ashes today and eat just one more piece of Valentine’s Day candy before we put it away for Lent. May the next 40 days be a time when you notice that silver thread that ties us together, that tethers us to God’s, that gives us a focal point to notice God’s love. Let this be the evidence of our love.
Written, Filmed, and Photographed by: Caela Collins
On Sunday, January 14th at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford, we reflected on a significant milestone in our diocesan history: the 175th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in CT. We were filled with both gratitude for the progress we’ve made and a deep sense of responsibility for the work that lies ahead. This observance is a symbol of the beginning of a journey that calls our attention to Lamentation, Healing, and Celebration. The service does not mean to suggest that we have achieved a goal, but that we strive to seek visible and concrete ways to make amends with our history and our people.
Digital Storytelling Video Series
The Reverend Canon Harlon Dalton
“I am still basking in the afterglow. The service was rich, honest, and deeply rooted in our faith. Food for the mind. Food for the heart. Food for the road ahead. La luta continua.”
The Reverend Canon D Littlepage
“I was moved by the service, and grateful for the thoughtfulness that went into crafting the flow of music, prayers, scriptures, and meditations. As I prepare to join the staff of ECCT as Canon for Advocacy, Racial Justice, and Reconciliation, I was excited to see the collaboration among the Ministry Networks that were involved. The service was a wonderful reminder that I am stepping into a stream of intention and action that has already been flowing and filled me with hope that Episcopalians across Connecticut have not grown weary but instead are committed to the continued work of shaping the world around us more and more into a reflection of the Reign of God.”
At the 2023 239th Annual Convention, Resolution 6was passed, acknowledging the 175th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the State of Connecticut. This resolution led to an acknowledgement of the pain and injustice of Connecticut’s 200+ year legacy of slavery and the complicity of the leaders and members of The Episcopal Church.
Further regarding this: in “2020, the 236th Convention overwhelmingly passed Resolution 7, which directed the bishops to create a task force as to reparations by ECCT in partial compensation for 400 years of discrimination and bias based on race.” This led to the passing of Resolution 5, where the 239th Convention of ECCT requested that the Mission Council appropriate an additional $10,000 for a reparation fund.
Written, Filmed, and Photographed by: Caela Collins
Listen to Story in EnglishEscuchar cuento en EspañolÉcoutez l’histoire en Français
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:
Listen to Story in EnglishEscuchar cuento en EspañolÉcoutez l’histoire en Français
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.”
Finding a Spiritual 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.
Finding a Home within Your Mind
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!
“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:
Listen to Story in EnglishEscuchar cuento en Español
Thanksgiving, like many holidays, holds a space for both joy and grief. It’s an opportunity to appreciate those who are with you while being in remembrance of those who aren’t. It’s a time of reflection, holding loved ones close to you, and sharing food as a communal act of love while holding the Native and Indigenous peoples within your prayers and hearts.
Old stories about “Pilgrims and Indians” have traditionally carved out a singular narrative for this feast day, which in turn lacks respect for Indigenous perspectives and realities. At first glance, these conversations are uncomfortable because they force us to grieve what we once knew and wholeheartedly believed—narratives that once looked like Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa become distorted like Pablo Picasso’s Seated Woman, a space where we reckon with disenchanted layers of new information.
Left: Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci, 1500s) —– Right: Seated Woman (Pablo Picasso, 1932)
Although difficult conversations feel heavy, you may find sincere peace in knowing that doubt is actually a door. I read in Spirit Wheel: Meditations from an Indigenous Elder by Steven Charleston“Faith is not the absence of critical thought, But thought put to the greatest question… Religion not a court but a laboratory. We were not made to conform but to explore.” The Episcopalian community is shifting as we learn to unlearn. Without questions, we do not learn new information, and without listening as a form of active worship, we do not grow into the inclusive community God wants us to be.
There is power in duality, friends; it is a pillar of faith because, in a world with individualized perspectives, environmental variables, and hereditary factors, the truth is that there are multiple truths when it comes to lived experiences. We must hold space for multiplicity, like Pablo Picasso’s Girl Before a Mirror. Duality is a sacred experience that allows us to stand in the infamous world of “Both/And” thinking. Without it, existence would be one-dimensional.
Girl Before a Mirror (Pablo Picasso, 1932)
Where there’s duality, there’s God…
Jacob was a cheater
Peter had a temper
David had an affair
Jonah was avoidant
Paul was a murderer
Thomas was a doubter
Moses stuttered
Lazarus was dead
Having hard conversations around Indigenous experiences was a mission Vicki MarkAnthony embarked on during her visit to the Cheyenne River Lakota Reservation in South Dakota, where she met up with 17 like-minded Episcopalians from Texas to work on three churches badly in need of repair, spend time with the children, plan activities, and learn from the elders (which required a lot of active listening).
Each day began and ended with communal devotions, led by one of my fellow missioners. Then we headed off to the day’s project, under the supervision of a woman with extensive experience managing disaster renovations. St. Andrew’s in Cherry Creek was not quite a disaster but in need of serious repair: windows were broken, floors had been flooded and warped, cracks in the wall were so wide the light came through, and both the outside and inside walls were in need of a paint job. The churches on the reservation are not just for worship but also for community gatherings, especially after a funeral or a baptism. And there are many funerals. When my former Rector, Ellen Huber, and her husband Kurt, formerly Rector of St. Peter’s Monroe, first arrived in 2020, they conducted over 50 funerals in the first month. Poverty, hunger, addiction, depression, COVID, and distances from healthcare have taken a toll on the Lakota people. But there is also much resilience, hope, and joy in each community.
Following the completion of each project, we celebrated with a Eucharist and sang Amazing Grace in Lakota before having a community meal. Since I had been asked to bring my banjo, the children gathered around, and we sang with joy. What a wonderful way to get to know the young ones of Bear Creek! At Cherry Creek, some folks played basketball with the teenagers while books and clothing were distributed after the meal. We learned how much the churches meant to the families in each community. Spending time with the elders gave us insights into their boarding school experiences, family traditions, love of the land, and connection to the horses, which freely roam throughout the indigenous communities. We also learned of the ongoing prejudices they experience from the non-natives, who own large tracts of rich crop land and horse and cattle ranches on the reservation, while the natives live on small plots in close communities.
At St. Andrew’s, we replaced broken glass with plexiglass, caulked the cracks, scraped and painted interior and exterior walls (painted in the 4 Lakota colors of red, yellow, black, and white), built a kitchen area for serving after weddings and funerals, cleared overgrowth, moved and reinstalled a wood stove, connected broken electrical outlets, dug drainage ditches, and installed new moldings and flooring. Only a few were construction experts; the rest of us learned on the job with lots of prayer. At St. John’s Eagle Butte, we painted the entry way (not technically a narthex since it leads to a community room) and repaired an exterior wall to the kitchen that a truck had driven through earlier that year. At the end of the week, we were invited to the Huber’s Black Horse Ranch, where they hold 4-H programs (America’s largest youth development organization) for the children, host summer camp programs, and offer Equine Therapy sessions (healing with horses).
We were invited to talk about the grief and joy we experienced while we were there and to spend time with the horses and nature, a source of healing. Lakota women made star quilts to present to the representatives of the three new churches. Christ Church Easton has recently installed theirs in the nathex, a symbol of a journey of discovery and a lament for our colonial sins.
Aid and Resources
If you are interested in following the Cheyenne River Episcopal Mission and/or the Black Horse Ranch, you can follow them on Facebook: Cheyenne River Episcopal or BlackHorseRanchEB, and their website is www.cheyenneriverepiscopalmission.com. You can make donations via PayPal. If you want to send checks, their mailing address is Rev. Kurt and Rev. Ellen Huber, PO Box 552, Eagle Butte, SD 57625.
