BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//East Central Ontario Regional Council of the United Church of Canada - ECPv6.16.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://ecorcuccan.ca X-WR-CALDESC:Events for East Central Ontario Regional Council of the United Church of Canada REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Toronto BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20280312T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20281105T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270307 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20270315 DTSTAMP:20260513T083408 CREATED:20251110T151807Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T195356Z UID:132642-1804377600-1805068799@ecorcuccan.ca SUMMARY:Pilgrimage to El Salvador - March Break\, 2027 DESCRIPTION:Are you interested in joining a partnership that has blessed people across North America since the 1980s? Is the Spirit urging you to discover Christ’s work in communities that look dramatically different from your own? \nDuring March break 2027\, leaders from the East Central Ontario Regional Council together with the Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council and the Pacific Mountain Regional Council will welcome 20-30 people and travel to San Salvador to be guests of our global partners at Emmanuel Baptist Church. Through this week together you will learn about Salvadoran history\, perhaps help build a school\, community centre or church in rural El Salvador\, learn about peace making initiatives in a country with a violent history. In short\, your life will change. \nOn May 5th\, there was an El Salvador Information session on Zoom: On Tuesday evening about fourteen prospective pilgrims and the leadership team met on zoom to talk about what a mission awareness trip might look like to El Salvador. We started with brief personal introductions and we learned that there are a diverse group of people interested and there were some who have participated in an El Salvador experience and would like to return for more. There were some who have participated in mission trips in the past and many for whom a trip like this would be a first. There were well-travelled folks and people who have never travelled outside Ontario. There were retired folks and some still in the work force and there were youth still in high school. Three major communities were represented. ECORC (East Central Ontario Regional Council) area in south-eastern Ontario\, Emmanuel United Church in Ottawa and a group from the Okanagan region in British Columbia making this truly a national trip. \nWe discussed an overview of the trip. It would take place over the course of a week during March break of 2027\, some time around the second week of March. We will travel together and be met at the airport in San Salvador by our hosts and taken to our accommodation on the outskirts of the city. Our agenda for the week will be set by our hosts and we will learn about the history of this small country through visits to museums (like the civil war museum and the war memorial). We will learn about Saint Oscar Romero and his work as Bishop\, we will likely visit the catholic cathedral in downtown as well as the small chapel where he did so much of his ministry. We will learn about the geography of the area and learn about the impact of volcanoes\, earthquakes and mono-cropping that has shaped the Salvadoran people. We will build community with our host congregation as we work side-by-side on a project (like the building of a chapel foundation or the construction of a cistern) and as we worship together in their sanctuary. And\, we will build community as a group of pilgrims through large and small group activities. \nTo help prepare for the trip\, we will be meeting on zoom three times (Sept 8\, Nov 10 and Jan 12 each at 7pm) and in person by region on Feb 6. At each meeting there will be time to plan\, to build community and to ask questions. \nThe cost of the trip will likely be in the range of $2500 which includes everything except spending money for souvenirs. As a group we will be organizing fundraisers for two purposes. The first to help offset the cost of the trip and second to raise funds to help our hosts with a ministry project of their choice (most likely some kind of build). Again\, fundraisers will be grouped in each of the three regions. It’s never too early to start thinking about potential fundraisers. \nAdults who have visited El Salvador before will also have an opportunity to visit United Church global partner ADES\, the Santa Marta community advocacy and agriculture support group. \nAre you ready for this? Then please consider joining us March Break\, 2027 but before you complete this application\, please consider some important\, practical facts: \n\nEl Salvador has a tropical climate\, with especially high levels of pollution in the urban areas\nMuch of the terrain is volcanic and very steep. We will walk a fair bit on this trip.\nWe sleep in dorm rooms with 8 to 10 people.\n\nWhile our hosts are well connected and make our safety and health their priority\, it is important to understand the political situation in El Salvador: \n\nEl Salvador remains under a state of “Special Emergency”\, whereby some legal rights remain suspended.\nThis has resulted in mass incarceration\, which many believe has reduced the activities of the gangs and significantly reduced the murder rate.\nHowever\, there are reports of false arrests and difficulty extracting young men from prison once arrested\, including citizens of other South and Central American countries.\n\nIf you have any questions\, please ElSalvadorMarch2027@gmail.com \nPlease follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/2027IBE/ and instagram: www.instagram.com/elsal2027\nPlease fill out the application below if you are interested in joining us! \n\n\n \n \n 2027 ECORC/ IBE Partnership Program\n El Salvador Pilgrimage \n \n NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.Please begin registration hereName*\n \n \n First\n \n \n \n \n Last\n \n \n \n PronounsWhich pronoun(s) do you prefer? Please use the space below if you are comfortable sharing. Address*Phone Number & Extension\, if any*Cell Phone Number*Email*\n \n \n Enter Email\n \n \n \n Confirm Email\n \n \n Community of Faith*For Applicants under the age of 18Name and relationship of Legal Guardian who we may contact:Guardian Home Phone:Guardian Mobile Phone:Guardian Email Address:Privacy information and consentThe East Central Ontario Regional Council (ECORC) protects your personal information by adhering to all legislative requirements with respect to privacy. The collection of information on this registration form is for the purposes of the East Central Ontario Regional Council (ECORC) only.\n\nConsent* I agree to the privacy policy and the collection of personal information.About Me:As of today\, I am 14 years old or older.*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n As of March 6\, 2027 I will be 18 years of age or older\, but under the age of 30.*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n As of March 6\, 2027\, I will be age 30 or older.*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n I participated in a previous Bay of Quinte or ECORC trip to El Salvador*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n I am in possession of a valid passport that is valid through September 30\, 2027. (If not\, you will need to apply for or renew your passport)*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n I have health conditions that may impact my ability to participate in certain activities. (If yes\, the leadership will be in contact with you to discuss accessibility options.)*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n Due to medical needs\, a companion will need to travel with me.*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n Due to medical needs\, a service animal will need to travel with me.*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n Sleeping accommodation is generally in “camp” style rooms with bunk beds\, and shared toilet and shower facilities. I am comfortable sharing a room with other persons on the trip (e.g. 8-10)*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n Getting Ready to GoTo help prepare for the trip\, we will be meeting on zoom three times (Sept 8\, Nov 10 and Jan 12 each at 7pm) and in person by region on Feb 6. At each meeting there will be time to plan\, to build community and to ask questions.You will also need to spend some of your own time learning about El Salvador and what it means to be in partnership.I commit to participating in the preparation activities.*\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n Travelling ExpensesThe cost of the trip will likely be in the range of $2500 which includes everything except spending money for souvenirs. As a group we will be organizing fundraisers for two purposes. The first to help offset the cost of the trip and second to raise funds to help our hosts with a ministry project of their choice (most likely some kind of build). Again\, fundraisers will be grouped in each of the three regions. It’s never too early to start thinking about potential fundraisers.To help with budgeting\, at this time I estimate that I am able to contribute towards reserving my place.(If you are unable to contribute\, the leadership will contact you with other options. A contribution is not required in order participate. ) \n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n Estimated Contribution: $_______Recognizing that different persons and communities of faith have differing abilities to pay and to fundraise\, and in recognition that this is a shared venture of the ECORC all fundraising will be coordinated and pooled.*I commit to participating in the pooled fundraising activities and to promoting our partnership in my Community of Faith.\n \n \n Yes\n \n \n \n No\n For All Applicants:Electronic Signature*Please consider this my electronic signature\, confirming my request to participate in the 2027 ECORC/IBE Partnership Program. I understand that spaces are limited. For persons under the age of 18\, please print the confirmation email after submission\, and have it signed and dated by your legal guardian. Then scan or take a photo of the pages and email it to kwilson@united-church.ca\nDate\n \n MM slash DD slash YYYY\n \n Name of Legal Guardian if under 18\n \n \n \n First\n \n \n \n \n Last\n \n \n End of registration - click Submit to completePlease make sure you receive a confirmation email after submitting your application. If you do not receive one\, your application has not been submitted - contact Karen Wilson at kwilson@united-church.ca URL:https://ecorcuccan.ca/event/pilgrimage-to-el-salvador-march-break-2027/ CATEGORIES:ECORC Events,Educational,News ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ecorcuccan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ES.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR