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Hello <<First Name>>,
The Rev. Darriel Harris will speak on food, faith, and justice on at 7pm on Thursday, January 30th at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Grand Rapids.
Pastor Harris combines thoughtful Scriptural reflection and practical action with his church, Newborn Community of Faith, sponsoring Strength to Love II Farm in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of Baltimore, made famous as the home of Freddie Gray. Strength to Love II serves as an employment site for citizens from the neighborhood returning from incarceration. It is a grassroots project that makes a tangible difference in the lives of those it serves, and it is anything but easy.
Rev. Harris is also a Ph.D. student at Johns Hopkins. His work focuses on faith-based interventions for public health outcomes. He began this work in south Sudan, where he learned that telling stories from Scripture motivated change in a way that scientific data alone did not. His work has since been featured by The Atlantic magazine, Duke World Food Policy Center, and the Johns Hopkins Health Review.
I hope you will join me in learning from Rev. Harris. He will be speaking not only from his education but also from his experience as a longtime faith-based leader in Baltimore working for healthy food access for all. I know that as I always do when we are together, I will learn from him.
The event is free and open to the public, but we request registration here so we can be sure to have enough space.
Peace,
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The Rev. Nurya Love Parish
Rector, Holy Spirit, Belmont
Executive Director, Plainsong Farm
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- February 7-9 - The Gathering - a youth event for high schoolers in Kalamazoo hosted by the ELCA. Learn more and register.
- February 14 - Celebration and Building Consecration at Sudanese Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids at 6pm. View the invite.
- February 22 - Save the Date: Southern Leadership Day Workshops in Kalamazoo.
- February 28-March 1 - The Provincial Youth Leadership Event at Bellwether Farm in Ohio. Apply.
- March 7 - Save the Date: Central Leadership Day Workshops in Lansing.
- March 20-22 - CHARGE - a youth event for middle schoolers in Traverse City hosted by the ELCA. Learn more and register.
- March 24 - Ordination of Wendy Brown and Thomas Manney to the Priesthood at St. Paul's, Flint at 6pm. View the invite.
- March 28 - Save the Date: Northern Leadership Day Workshops.
- May 2020 - Journeys of Paul Pilgrimage to Greece. Learn more and register.
- June 20-27 - DREAM Mission Project in the Dominican Republic. Apply.
- July 7-11 - Episcopal Youth Event in Washington, DC. Learn more and apply.
- October 30-31 - Save the Date: Joint Diocesan Convention in Lansing, with special guest, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.
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Spring 2020 - Leadership Days
Kalamazoo, Lansing, Gaylord
Save the Dates!
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June 20-27 - Mission in the DR
Mosoví, Dominican Republic
Apply Now!
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Wood TV8 - New congregation at GR church means new life
"A church faced with a dwindling membership will be turning over its church building and property to [Sudanese Grace Episcopal Church] in need of a permanent home."
The Cedar Springs Post - Rev. Darriel Harris to speak on health, faith and justice
"Plainsong Farm, whose mission is to restore lost connections between people, places and God, is sponsoring a presentation and discussion on January 30...The presentation will take place at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church..."
Grand Haven News - Against those who would harm LGBTQ students in Grand Haven
by the Rev. Jared Cramer, "There is a quiet parents’ movement afoot in Grand Haven right now, and it is one that could do irreparable harm to our kids."
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Sudanese Grace Episcopal Church Receives the Gift of a New Church Home
Departing Wallin Congregational Church gives their building to SGEC
 In September, Wallin Congregational Church voted to close their congregation and give their building to our siblings, the congregation of Sudanese Grace Episcopal Church.
Sudanese Grace was planted in the early 2000s by refugees, the "lost boys" of the civil war in South Sudan. They have been worshiping in space provided by other congregations since their founding, most recently with Mayflower Congregational Church in East Grand Rapids.
A service is planned for February 14th at 6pm to celebrate this act of generosity and to consecrate the building for SGEC's use. Please join us!
- Click here to read the announcement from Bishop Hougland.
- Click here to read the news story from Wood TV8.
- Click here to read the event invitation for February 14th.
(Photo: The congregation of Sudanese Grace poses for a photo inside their new building.)
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Camp Chickagami to Partner with ECCC in Grant-Funded Curriculum Building around Dismantling Racism
The collaboration received a Becoming Beloved Community Grant
 Eastern Michigan's Camp Chickagami is one of six Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers that are embarking on a process to design a new curriculum for youth around dismantling racism, especially in a camp context. The participating camps were invited to this process because they are already invested in working on diversity and inclusion within their own context.
Several camps, including Camp Chickagami, will pilot the curriculum in their own context during Summer 2020 to eventually share with the wider Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers network.
This collaboration was made possibly by a Becoming Beloved Community Grant from the Episcopal Church, a competitive process.
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TRANSITIONS & CALLS
- The Rev. Darlene Kuhn has accepted a call to serve as Rector of Mediator, Harbert. Darlene previously served St. James, Albion.
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OPPORTUNITIES &
RESOURCES
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Province V to Host Several Networking Conversations
Leaders are invited to gather online for resources, support
 Province V of the Episcopal Church will host several online conversations around various areas of ministry prioritized within the Episcopal churches of the Midwest.
All of these conversations will be held using the online meeting tool Zoom. Click the links provided below to access the meetings when they take place. If you've never used Zoom before, you may be walked through a simple set up process on your device.
- Dismantling Racism - Wednesday, January 29th at 11am EST. Zoom Link.
- Creation Care - Monday, February 3rd at 11am EST. Zoom Link.
- Ministry in Resort Communities - Thursday, February 20th at 2pm EST. Zoom Link
Click here to learn more about Province V of the Episcopal Church.
(Photo: Church of the Nativity, Boyne City, one of the conveners of the Resort Communities conversation.)
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Episcopal Church Updated Manual of Business Methods
The update is the first revision since 2012
The CFO of the Episcopal Church recently released an updated version of the Manual for Business Methods in Church Affairs. This manual addresses the business methods prescribed by canon for every diocese, parish, mission and institution subject to the authority of The Episcopal Church.
Click here to access the updated manual. This document is also available on the Business & Administration resource page of your diocesan website.
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NEWS FROM THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
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LOAN & GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
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FEATURED PARISH EVENT:
Women's Pre-Lenten Quiet Day
 The Garden of Saints Chapter of the Daughters of the King at St. Paul's, St. Joseph will host their annual Pre-Lenten Quiet Day on Saturday, February 15th from 9:30-3:30pm.
The theme for the event is "Following the Way of Love."
The cost to attend is $10/person, which includes refreshments and lunch. Scholarships are available.
Please register by mailing this form.
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CONGREGATIONAL CALENDAR
- January 30 - The Rev. Darriel Harris speaks on health, faith, and justice at St. Philip's, Grand Rapids, sponsored by Plainsong Farm at 7pm. RSVP.
- January 31 - Chili Cook Off at St. Mark's, Newaygo from 5:30-7pm. $8/person to benefit camp scholarships.
- February 1 - Safety Ministry Workshop at St. Mark's, Grand Rapids from 9:30-11:30am. Suggested donation, $15/person. RSVP to Pam Stevenson by email or at 616-456-1684. *This information has been updated*
- February 2 - Choral Evensong at St. Thomas, Battle Creek. Music begins at 4:30pm.
- February 4 - Sacred Grounds Rainscaping Workshop hosted by LGROW at Holy Spirit, Belmont from 6:30-8pm. Learn more.
- February 8 - Turkey Dinner at St. John's, Otter Lake from 5-6:30pm. Free will offering will benefit local food distribution program.
- February 9 - Robert Schumann is featured in the Going Behind the Notes: Exploring the Great Piano Composers series at St. John's, Midland at 2pm.
- February 14 - Valentines Day Dinner at St. Mark's, Newaygo with seatings at 5:30 and 7:15pm. $20/person. Make a reservation by emailing stmarksnewaygo@gmail.com.
- February 15 - Pre-Lenten Quiet Day at St. Paul's, St. Joseph from 9:30-3:30pm. $10/person.
- February 25 - St. Paul's, Muskegon's monthly Feeding the Soul of the City Concert is at 12:15pm, featuring the Grand Valley Faculty Brass Quintet.
- March 22 - Chopin is featured in the Going Behind the Notes: Exploring the Great Piano Composers series at St. John's, Midland at 2pm.
- March 24 - St. Paul's, Muskegon's monthly Feeding the Soul of the City Concert is at 12:15pm, featuring the Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet.
- March 28 - Spring Fling at St. John's, Otter Lake from 10-3pm including lunch in the formal tea room and items for sale.
- April 14 - St. Paul's, Muskegon's monthly Feeding the Soul of the City Concert is at 12:15pm, featuring violinist, Gregory Maytan.
- April 26 - Franz Liszt is featured in the Going Behind the Notes: Exploring the Great Piano Composers series at St. John's, Midland at 2pm.
- May 1 - Claude Debussy is featured in the Going Behind the Notes: Exploring the Great Piano Composers series at St. John's, Midland at 2pm.
- May 26 - St. Paul's, Muskegon's monthly Feeding the Soul of the City Concert is at 12:15pm, featuring woodwind quintet, Quintessence.
- June 9 - St. Paul's, Muskegon's monthly Feeding the Soul of the City Concert is at 12:15pm, featuring mezzo soprano, Denise Newell, and pianist, Caron Farmer.
- Weekly - Free Spanish language classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at San Juan/St. John's, Grand Haven from 6-7pm for people at all fluency levels. Email to RSVP.
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