Seeds of Hope: Helping Hickory Neck Church feed the hungry

The third of seven in a series about the recipients of this year's Seeds of Hope Grants to develop and expand social justice ministries in Southern Virginia. Learn more about Seeds of Hope grants here. 

Hickory Neck, Toano, participates in the From His Hands (FHH) program started over six years ago with the objective of providing hot balanced meals to approximately 80 people in the Grove Community of James City County once a week - currently 100 meals are served. Grove represents a major portion of low income and individuals/families in need in James City County. There are 13 churches which have united in support of FHH Ministry. About two years ago, FHH began expanding the ministry to include a motel which housed homeless and near homeless individuals and families and an average of 35 meals were delivered on a weekly basis. About six months ago a second motel was added to the ministry and meals are served there every other week.

Some of the churches serving the motels also provide "room bags" including motel friendly foods like canned soups, canned meats, noodles, snack bars, and hygiene products. Families at the motels which have children are often provided with diapers and infant formula and foods.

Currently, the mission is being supported by grant dollars and each of the member churches provides monetary support, as well as volunteers, to buy, prepare and deliver food. The Salvation Army provides a canteen truck for the delivery of the meals. Over the past six years, most of the protein was donated by grocery stores. Unfortunately, the grocery store providing the bulk of the protein went out of business a year ago as a result of the economy.

Seeds of Hope grant funds will be used to help provide protein for the Grove mission, motels and additional "room bags." The grant funds will allow expansion mainly in the motel side of the mission. Currently, in James City County, there are five motels which house homeless/needy individuals and families. The grant will allow the ministry to expand to as much of that population as possible without forgetting their obligation to the Grove community.

Diocesan pledges due December 1

Pledges to the Diocese for 2013 are due by December 1 to allow for the final budget to be presented to the Executive Board and Annual Council for approval. If you have any questions, contact Comptroller Nancy James, njames@diosova.org or 757-213-3386.

Presiding Bishop calls for week of prayer for Democratic Republic of Congo

The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs 

"Pray for an end to the conflict, an end to violence and the atrocities, that the needs of the suffering may be supplied, and that peace may prevail," Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in calling for a week of prayer for the Democratic Republic of Congo from November 26 - December 2. Prayer resources are available here and here. 

The following is Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori's call to action:

Our fellow Anglicans in the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to experience violence and displacement.  Since April, there has been a significant rise in violence promulgated by a new rebel group, M23, and several existing ones.  The violence has caused the displacement of 320,000 within DR Congo, and 60,000 into Uganda and Rwanda.   

The work of the Anglican Church in Congo continues to be of the highest quality and responsiveness, rooted in the love of Christian for neighbor.  During a visit there in July of 2011, we saw firsthand evidence of the work done by Mothers Union and other groups on behalf of the least of these - women, children, and orphans, all victims of the violence of war.  The internal displacement of hundreds of thousands since then, and the flight of still others into neighboring countries, has made the situation much worse.  Many thousands are living with fear and insecurity, hunger, sickness, and poverty, while they yearn to return home and live in peace.

Archbishop Henri Isingoma of the Anglican Church of Congo asks us to join in a week of prayer for peace in DR Congo, from 26 November through 2 December, initiated by the Congo Church Association.  Pray for an end to the conflict, an end to violence and the atrocities, that the needs of the suffering may be supplied, and that peace may prevail.

I can think of no better way for the Christian world to prepare for the Advent of the Prince of Peace, and I hope and pray that you will join me in praying during the week leading up to Advent.

Online Advent calendar from the Episcopal Church and the Society of St. John the Evangelist

The Episcopal Church and the Society of St. John the Evangelist have teamed up to bring you an Advent calendar using the social network Pinterest. You do not have to have a Pinterest account to view the calendar. Beginning December 2, go to http://pinterest.com/iamepiscopalian/advent-calendar/ each day during Advent. Every day a new window opens offering you a moment of solace and reflection as to the true meaning of Advent and the coming Christmas Season. Each window will reveal a special Advent word, meditation and beautiful image.   

Episcopal Church partners with FaithStreet, a new congregational evangelism tool

The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs 

A partnership between the Episcopal Church and FaithStreet paves the way for congregations to connect their church with church seekers through an innovative church locator that offers much more than a search engine. "Our partnership with FaithStreet will give our congregations a new tool to promote their churches," commented Anne Rudig, Episcopal Church Director of Communication.  "FaithStreet not only locates a church, but works with a congregation to present the mission and ministry done there in ways easily understood by a seeker. It goes beyond address and contact info to providing an ethos or 'vibe' of particular churches."

FaithStreet currently showcases 3,580 churches in all 50 United States, in over 1,500 cities. This includes over 100 church networks and denominations representing churches of all sizes, ranging from five to 10,000 members. "FaithStreet is a tech-startup that is making it easy for anyone to find and connect with a great Christian church in their area," explained Ryan Melogy, Co-Founder. "We're creating a personalized church discovery experience, where anyone will be able to find a great church for them."

"Churches will always be able to create a free profile on FaithStreet," noted Sean Coughlin, Chief Executive Officer. "In the future, FaithStreet will offer paid features, services, and advertising plans. These paid services will be always being optional, affordable and effective."

For more information and to join FaithStreet: www.faithstreet.com.

Episcopal Church offers Advent sermons for children at no fee

The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs 

To engage children in a more active role during worship this Advent, the Episcopal Church is offering a four-week series of lectionary-based children's sermons. Offered at no fee, the children's sermons provide clergy and lay leaders with step-by-step instructions on how to help the children lead the adults in worship. "The sermons were designed for use in small congregations, but are appropriate for churches of any size and with any number of children, ranging in age from young children to youth," explained Sarah Johnson, Editor of Sermons that Work in the Episcopal Church Office of Communication.

The sermons for the four weeks of Advent are available the Sermons That Work website. The sermons are also available in Spanish on the Sermones que Iluminan website. 

"These materials provide a subject lesson, rather than an object lesson," explained Teresa Stewart, writer of the children's sermon series and founder of Paper Bag Cathedrals, a website for small-church resources. "Instead of linking some outside object to Advent, these work in the opposite direction. The children's feelings - something they know well - are the subject of the exploration. The children will be asked to imagine, pretend and act out experiences that they are already familiar with. Then you can help link these feelings to this Holy Season. Start with their expertise. It's a whole-body, not brain-only, kind of Christian formation. Experiential, not just cognitive."  

The four-week series are:

First Sunday of Advent (Year C), December 2: "Wait and Trust: Remember God Keeps Promises"

Second Sunday of Advent (Year C), December 9: "Wait and Get Ready: Make Things Right for All People"

Third Sunday of Advent (Year C), December 16: "Wait and Dream Big: Expect Really Good News"
Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year C), December 23: "Wait and Give Thanks: Celebrate the Promise"

For additional information, contact Johnson at sjohnson@episcopalchurch.org.

Take advantage of our membership in The Episcopal Network for Stewardship

The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS) membership benefits are available to all parishes through our diocesan membership. Benefits include formation and training resources, webinars, giving campaign materials and new ideas and insights from contributing bloggers. If you would like to use these materials, please email Caroline Black at  cblack@diosova.org or Nancy James at njames@diosova.org to receive the login information for www.tens.org.