Episcopal Relief & Development providing relief support after Hurricane Dorian

In partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, and the Episcopal Farmworker Ministry, Episcopal Relief & Development is giving assistance such as food, water, clothing, shelter and other emergency supplies to individuals and families affected by the storm. The organization is also working through the Anglican Alliance to provide support to the Anglican Diocese of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos as they continue to assess the needs of communities.  

Donations to the Hurricane Relief Fund will help Episcopal Relief & Development's partners respond to the storm in the most efficient way possible. Many partners are not in a position to receive, store or distribute donations of physical goods or effectively use volunteer assistance at this time. Click here to make a donation.  

Episcopal Relief & Development's Disaster Preparedness Initiative equips Episcopal dioceses to prepare for and respond to crises. By offering resources and training and providing emergency support, the program helps vulnerable groups of people to make a full and sustained recovery and helps them to develop resiliency against future disasters. Many of the dioceses impacted by Hurricane Dorian have been working to develop this resilience and were ready to respond as needed. To learn more about building a Season of Resilience and to download disaster preparedness resources, visit episcopalrelief.org/resilience. 

Fall Camp at Shrine Mont registration now open

Fall Camp is a four day adult conference sponsored by the Tri-Diocesan Council on Aging which represents all three Episcopal dioceses in Virginia, and is held at the Shrine Mont center in Orkney Springs. This year's Fall Camp will be October 28-31. Keynote speaker will be author Philip Gulley. Gulley has written 21 books, including the Harmony series recounting life in the eccentric Quaker community of Harmony, Indiana. He also co-authored the progressive spirituality books If Grace is True and If God is Love. He also authored If the Church Were Christian, and The Evolution of Faith. Click here for details and registration. 

Carter's Walk in support of Chanco

The Rev. Carter Sinclair, deacon at Emmanuel, Virginia Beach, has made a commitment to walk 65 kilometers for his 65th birthday! Carter hopes to complete this walk in 12 hours or less on October 5. The Rev. Mimi Lacy, Rector of Emmanuel Church, recommended that Carter dedicate his walk to fundraising for a worthy cause. Carter chose The Campaign for Chanco.  

Carter shares, " Chanco is the spiritual center of the Diocese. As a summer camp, it might be first place that youth get exposed to the good news of Jesus Christ. Chanco is undergoing a wonderful building campaign and is very close to reaching the goal to fund all of the new construction and renovations that are so desperately needed. Therefore, I am asking for a pledge per kilometer, starting at 10 cents per kilometer (with no upper limit)."  

To support Carter in his walk for Chanco, click here for easy on line donation indicating "Carter's Walk" in the "notes" section or you may mail a check made out to Chanco with " Carter's Walk" in the memo line and mail to Chanco at 394 Floods Drive, Spring Grove, VA 23881. Thank you for your prayerful support of Carter's Walk!

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to participate in launch of Jim Wallis' new book, Christ in Crisis: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus

On September 25, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will join Sojourner's president Jim Wallis in Washington, D.C. for the launch of Wallis' new book, Christ in Crisis: Why We Need to Reclaim Jesus. Bishop Curry will join Wallis is discussing the ways in which Jesus speaks directly to our current political and moral crisis.  

Bishop Curry, in the foreword for the book, explains the importance of responding to our nation's current moral and "constitutional crisis" at this political moment: "With Christ in Crisis, Rev. Wallis creates an unprecedented spiritual field guide for Christians and those of different faiths-or no faith at all-who are trying to survive the polarizing bitterness and anger of our divided nation and move forward in the post-2016 political context."

The event will run from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at National City Christian Church on Thomas Circle in Washington, D.C. Click here for more information and registration.  

Upcoming events at Historic St. Luke's

Historic St. Luke's in Smithfield is Virginia's oldest church building. St. Luke's hosts a variety of educational events throughout the year. From its monthly lecture series to the popular Twilight Cemetery tours, St. Luke's has events for all ages and interests. Click here for information on these upcoming events:

• Preserving America's Oldest Organ is a two-lecture program - The Origins of the Hunstanton Hall Organ, and The Historic Organ at St. Luke's and its Continuing Influence on Organ Conservation. September 21, 1 to 3 p.m.
• Adults Only Twilight Cemetery Tours - October 18, 6 to 10 p.m.
• Twilight Cemetery Tours - October 19, 6:30 to 10 p.m.
• A Colonial Christmas Concert - December 6 at 7 p.m. and December 7 at 4 and 7 p.m.

ECW Grapevine newsletter available

The Fall 2019 edition of The Grapevine, the Diocesan ECW's newsletter, is now available here.

Data from 2018 Parochial Reports now available

The Rev. Canon Michael Barlowe, secretary and executive officer of the General Convention, has announced that the data from the 2018 Parochial Reports has been compiled and is available through a number of reports, available in English and Spanish.  

 

The Rev. Dr. Molly James, deputy executive officer, commented that "While the data gives us information from past years, it is also an excellent tool for strategic planning. Diocesan and parish leadership can use the information to help identify needs and opportunities. Data is an important part of how we tell our stories about who we are as Episcopalians. It tells us where we have been, and it can help us to live into a more vibrant future."

"Our data is only as good as the information we receive," explained Ms. Iris DiLeonardo, research and language specialist, "and so we have great appreciation for all the hard work of everyone who completed the reports. We are grateful that we had 97% completion this year."   

Click here for more information.