Believe Out Loud training workshop in Norfolk

This workshop, offered by Formation Ministries and Integrity USA, will help you to speak to people in your church about why it's important to welcome and include LGBT people in the life of your church communities and will offer tools to help your church become an inclusive and welcoming community. Workshop is Saturday, February 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (lunch provided) in the Gunn Conference Center, Norfolk. Click here to register.

Lenten silent retreat at Chanco

A Lenten silent retreat, "Be Still and Know that I am God," will be offered at Chanco March 16-18. Come away this Lent to be with our Lord through worship, guided meditations, labyrinth walks and nature. Beginning after dinner on Friday through Eucharist and lunch on Sunday, this is an opportunity to be in contemplative silence with God. Sponsored by St. Aidan's, Virginia Beach and led by Wendy Wilkinson, M.Div. Click here for a retreat brochure.

Volunteers needed for Camp Wakonda 2012

Camp Wakonda, the diocesan camp for children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS will operate from June 20-24 this summer. The camp is based at the diocesan center in Norfolk. Counselors are needed to interact directly with campers throughout the day, so they should be capable of participating in all camp activities. Counselors must be at least 21 years old. There are 60 children looking forward to this summer camp experience this year. Without enough volunteers, some of the activities planned for the kids will have to be cancelled. Please consider this meaningful outreach opportunity. To volunteer or get more information, contact Boyd Duncan, 757-850-1520 or bduncan4@cox.net.

Chapel Pantry receives Seeds of Hope Grant

The Chapel Pantry at Eastern Shore Chapel, Virginia Beach, has been awarded a Seeds of Hope Grant from the Diocese of Southern Virginia. The $2500 grant will allow the pantry to purchase much-needed shelving and a special refrigerator that thaws frozen foods. Seeds of Hope Grants are awarded to ministries that address social justice needs in our diocese. In 2011 the Chapel Pantry provided food to over 20,000 people. You can learn more about the Chapel Pantry ministry on Eastern Shore Chapel's website.

Saint Paul's College holds open house for prospective students

Prospective and accepted students and their families are invited to an Open House at Saint Paul's College in Lawrenceville on January 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will enjoy a campus tour and the opportunity to speak with administrators, department chairs, and representatives from Admissions, Student Affairs and Financial Aid. Additional Open House opportunities will be held on March 24, April 14 and May 5. Please call Admissions, 434-848-1877, to reserve your spot.

Recasting of building assets

The Episcopal Church Building Fund is has openings for 2-3 congregations to join a consulting process in Virginia aimed to help congregations who have building space but who are struggling financially to make ends meet. The process forms a learning community that meets three times together and five times through Webex meetings over the course of a year with facilitators and peer accountability with the aim to effect change directed at earning income through the building, creating a greater relationship and sense of relevance to the community through their programming and building use, and ultimately looking at doing church differently so that they are not obsolete. If your congregation is interested contact Sally O'Brien at the Episcopal Church Building fund at 804-893-3436 or get more information from their website at www.ecbf.org. You may also contact the Rev. Canon Jeunee Cunningham to explore options for some diocesan financial aid toward the consultation fee, jcunningham@diosova.org

Talbot Hall Property Update

The Talbot Hall Property sub-committees (Conveyance Committee and Location Committee) held a joint meeting on January 5. The committees are engaged in continuing the process of discerning the future of the Talbot Hall property and the location of the diocesan offices. 

What’s happened so far? 

In April 2011, the Talbot Hall Task Force - charged by the diocesan Property Committee and Bishop Hollerith to receive and recommend proposals regarding the property - concluded its work and made its report to the diocesan Property Committee. After reviewing that report, along with prior property assessments, the Properties Committee voted to recommend to the Executive Board the sale of the Talbot Hall property and the relocation of the diocesan offices to a more demographically central location. This recommendation was presented at the Executive Board's June 2011 meeting. 

In response, an ad hoc committee of the Executive Board was then appointed to determine what further information was needed in order to move forward. The committee reported its findings to the Executive Board at its September 2011 meeting. The following resolution was approved: "Be It Resolved that the Executive Board authorizes the Properties Committee to explore* the sale of Talbot Hall and to explore* the most feasible location for the Diocesan Office, continuing to respect the neighbors of Talbot Hall and the history of the property." In response to the resolution, the Executive Board established two new sub-committees, a Conveyance Committee and a Location Committee, to gather further information. 

The Talbot Hall Property sub-committees held an initial joint meeting on October 26, 2011. Bishop Hollerith attended this meeting of the Conveyance and Location sub-committees and gave an overview of the historic functions of the Talbot Hall property, in this order of priority: to supply the administrative offices; to provide housing for the Bishop and one staff person; and to provide a diocesan conference center. The sub-committees were charged to gather information and make recommendations to the Executive Board regarding how these needs can best be met. 

Where are we in the process? 

The committees are now in the process of gathering information. In order to move forward, the Executive Board and Standing Committees have submitted a resolution to the 120th Annual Council which seeks support of their already existing canonical authority to make decisions about Talbot Hall and the possible relocation of our diocesan center. The full text of the resolution will be available in the delegate packets distributed prior to Pre-Council Convocation meetings.  

*Exploring the possible sale of the property will include inquiries into: cost effectiveness, cost comparisons, diocesan demographics, possible locations - including the present location at Talbot Hall, facility use requirements, input from various regions of the Diocese, and other data.