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, Filmed, and Interviewed by Caela Collins

“What’s your idea of a perfect day?” I quietly scanned the question, tracing the black font typed on a small strip of white paper that was neatly unfolded & laced between my fingers. The weight of this question was disproportionate to the thin sliver of paper it was printed on; so light that even a feather could outweigh it. Yet, there I was, calculating the formula for my perfect day that could fit in the span of 24 hours.

What do I like to do? What makes me happy… like really happy? What does “perfect” even look like? That heavy question on the thin piece of paper, gentle in its gaze, seemed to beam up at me, wide-eyed like an inquisitive child, eagerly waiting for my answer. With a few deep breaths, all the superficial things that once clouded my head, dissipated and the things that brought true joy to my soul shined bright like the sun.

So what did my perfect day look like?

Well, it was the ease of waking up to the absence of an alarm clock, a long hug from a loved one, putting my playlist on shuffle and every song being as good as the last, no skips required. It was getting a random compliment, not the kind of compliment that strokes an ego, but the kind of compliment that makes your inner light feel seen & appreciated. It was getting an extra donut free of charge at the drive-thru, meeting a kind stranger, finding the $20 bill you forgot about, deeply tucked into your wallet that your mom advised you to do in case of emergencies. Then it hit me, mom. It’s her, my dad, brother, grandmother, and every family member by blood or chosen that pours love into me.

At first, a perfect day was an accumulation of small simple moments that warmed my heart and grounded me in gratitude. However, the more granulated it became, I realized that it always led to sharing moments with the ones I loved most.

The above sentiment reigned true for the Karimi’s, a refugee family of seven, whom tightly held onto the notion that family was the most important remedy for turning even the most imperfect of days into something perfect.

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We all know the Nativity story but as we explore diversified sacred images in our upcoming Annual Convention, we’re able to identify & reframe that story for what it truly is: a refugee story. Mary with child (Jesus) and Joseph were forced to flee, escaping persecution, from their homeland, a place that held everything they knew, but much like the Karimi’s, not everything they loved.

The Holy Family is still among us currently, in the faces of the refugee, the migrant, the immigrant, the poor and the oppressed. Many individuals are often in need of more clothing, blankets, food and better shelter; and much like the stable, Holy Advent, Clinton, opened their hearts and doors to a family seeking refuge.

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The Karimi Family’s Journey, like tens of thousands of Afghans, began with the urgency to flee out of fear of persecution and escape from the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group whom took over Afghanistan in August 2021 after waging a twenty-year insurgency. For families like the Karimi’s, The Taliban targeted those who worked for the original government structure. After being badly beaten and hospitalized, the patriarch of the Karimi family, Mohammad Karimi, decided to find refuge, leaving the only home he has known.

The family escaped to Brazil, managing to live in a church basement for 3-4 months, then trekked to Tijuana, crossed into California, only to be arrested and placed in a ‘camp’ there. Unlike many refugees, the Karimi family was blessed to have contacts within the states, Saba and Mahdj, who opened their home to the Karimis. Without acquaintances who have gone before them and offered aid, there is a likely chance that the family would still be in that camp today.

Fast forward to December 2022, the Sunday before Christmas, the Karimi family attended a church service at Holy Advent, Clinton. From that point on their lives were forever changed:

Want to Help?

• Help Financially: Checks can be written to Holy Advent Church, with ‘Refugee/ Asylum Seekers’ clearly written in the memo line.  All funds received will go directly to the Karimi Family.
• Employment Opportunities (must be in Clinton or Remote): Please contact jrwagner04@gmail.com or maryetwagner@gmail.com

ECCT x Creation Care Ministry Network hosted a Liturgical service at Camp Washington, Lakeside on June 14, 2023 to bless three newly planted trees that were native to the local landscape and ecosystem.

As part of our induction into The Communion Forest, “a global initiative comprising local activities of forest protection, tree growing and eco-system restoration undertaken by provinces, dioceses and individual churches across the Anglican Communion to safeguard creation,” the three trees were planted in dedication to three ECCT Bishops: The Rt. Rev. Dr. Ian T. Douglas, The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens, and The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey W. Mello.

The Liturgy below was created by Margaret Sipple, Member of Trinity, Branford and Coordinator of the parish’s Creation Care Ministry Network Team:

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The Trees that were Planted

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Reflection by Bishop Diocesan:

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Reflection by Bishop Suffragan:

• Interested in some pastoral R&R or summer camp fun for the youth? Reach out to Camp Washington!
• Looking for ways to protect and care for our island home? Get involved with Camp or Creation Care Ministry Network!

Creation Care Ministry Network	The Rev’d Dr. Anita Louise Schell	priest@saintannsoldlyme.org
Camp Washington	Bart Geissinger	bgeissinger@episcopalct.org