Presiding Bishop's Advent message: What is it that you are more waiting for?

Noting that Advent is a time of waiting for "the coming of the Prince of Peace, the one who will reign with justice over this world," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori focuses on two questions in her Advent 2012 message: "What is it that you are most waiting for?  And, how are you going to wait this year?" The Presiding Bishop's Advent 2012 message, videotaped in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd on the grounds of General Theological Seminary in New York City, is available here. The text of the message is available in English and in Spanish.

Daughters of the King hold Advent Quiet Day

The Daughters of the King of the Diocese of Southern Virginia invite all women of the Church to share in an Advent Quiet Day, entitled "Mary in Advent".  Our Daughters of the King Diocesan Chaplain, the Rev. Jack Lynch, will guide us through a very special advent experience featuring Holy Eucharist, meditation, and reflection. Our Advent gathering will take place on Wednesday, December 12, from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Christ the King, Tabb. Please bring a notebook or journal and your Bible. The cost of the event is $5, which includes morning coffee and lunch. RSVP to Ronda Toll at rtoll@cox.net.

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. 

Mission Cross makes a wonderful gift

The Mission of the Holy Spirit is an urban outreach ministry serving an at-risk community in Norfolk spiritually, emotionally, educationally and physically. Its focus is on empowering youth and their families through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Mission Cross was created to honor and support the ministry and community of the Mission of the Holy Spirit. Uplifted hands receive the Holy Spirit: holy hands that worship, praise and heal. Each cross is handcrafted of nails, a gentle reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made for each of us and that we are vessels of the Living God, called to go forth in his name.

You can purchase a Mission Cross and support the Mission of the Holy Spirit. Click here for more information and an order form.   

Brooklyn church is operational base for Occupy Sandy relief effort

Episcopal Church Office of Communications 

The Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn (Diocese of Long Island) is the operational base for Occupy Sandy. They are training and sending out volunteers into the still affected areas of Brooklyn, such as Red Hook and Coney Island, where tens of thousands of people still have no power. The rector, the Rev. Michael Sniffen, opened the sanctuary for use as a staging point to move goods and supplies. More than 20,000 volunteers have assisted, with 10,000 meals a day cooked and delivered. Donations can be made through the church's Amazon.com registry. Video here.

Church Publishing launches BCP ebook

Church Publishing Incorporated has successfully launched two new eBook editions of the Book of Common Prayer to accommodate a variety of applications and most eReader platforms, including all versions of Kindle, Apple, plus other devices and tablets.

"We're not the first to offer an  electronic edition of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP), but we wanted to offer the best version possible in multiple formats to cover the widest range of liturgical needs," said Brother Karekin Yarian, Church Publishing's project manager - eProducts.

Church Publishing's eBook edition, available for all eReaders, contains the complete contents of the authorized 1979 Book of Common Prayer, is fully searchable, and features a built-in Table of Contents. This edition is designed to maximize content accessibility on mobile devices and tablets. However, because eBooks are designed to reflow the text according to the size of the screen of the mobile device, designing this edition to maintain the exact page layout and page numbers of the print edition "was neither possible nor desirable," Brother Karekin explained, "As such, the layout of the content may be different, depending on the device you are using."

Church Publishing also offers a PDF version of the Book of Common Prayer, which is available on the Church Publishing website. Each of these versions is hyperlinked and has bookmarking capability. 

"These eBooks give Episcopalians easy access to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, making it as close as your tablet or eBook reader. I'm delighted that Church Publishing is responding to the needs of the church in this way," said Ruth Meyers, Hodges-Haynes Professor of Liturgics at Church Divinity School of the Pacific and a member of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for the Episcopal Church.

"Electronic books are becoming fully integrated now within the life of the Church, so we're meeting the needs of our customers with a variety of digital products," said Church Publishing's Davis Perkins, publisher.  "In addition to an already significant assortment of digital resources, including our eHymnals, riteworship, Living the Good News Online, and Weaving God's Promises curriculums, plus more than 500 CPI titles available as eBooks, the electronic editions of the BCP demonstrate our commitment to delivering important content for the Church via every available channel."

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.