From Bishop Haynes: Pastoral update on re-gathering

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

 

Now that the Diocesan guidelines for re-gathering have been issued and churches are submitting their plans for in-person worship, we are confronted with the reality that this virus isn't doing what we thought it would or wanted it to. Instead of continuing to decrease, the number of new cases and percent positivity is increasing! Some areas of the Commonwealth are seeing more of an increase in numbers - the Tidewater area in particular. More and more we hear stories of people who know people who have been sickened with COVID-19, whereas before perhaps they knew of no one who had the illness. There is more confusion than clarity as to whether or not it is safe for congregations to gather for in-person worship. Our anxiety is at an all-time high!

 

In the face of such confusion, we hope that the following reminders will prove helpful:

 

There is no rush to re-gather for indoor worship

Even though churches are submitting their plans to re-gather, many are stating that their congregations are waiting until the fall actually to resume worship. This is entirely within the power of clergy and vestries to decide. We encourage leadership to watch the numbers in their area and to make decisions about worship accordingly. If you have opened for worship, but have subsequently decided that the numbers are heading in the wrong direction, you may temporarily decide to close again. You may continue to offer virtual worship opportunities for those who do not feel safe to come to church. Or you may gather for brief, outdoor opportunities for worship and fellowship. The important thing is to keep the lines of communication open with your parishes so that everyone knows what is happening.

 

We are in a different place today than we were in March

In March when we made the sweeping decision to shut down worship, we were completely unprepared to continue gathering safely. We didn't understand then what we understand about the virus today. Today we know more about how it is transmitted and about things we can do to protect ourselves. Today we have guidelines that we can put in place for our protection. We also understand more about numbers and trends that indicate if the virus is contained or is spreading. All of this information can help inform us as we make decision about worship and other church activities. Vestries and clergy are of course capable of making these decisions; however, the Diocesan staff also stands ready to offer counsel and advice. Give us a call.

 

Our technological abilities are increasing

We have learned a lot through this pandemic, and one of the things we have learned is how to stay connected and how to continue to be the church through the use of technology - email, virtual worship, social media, and other things. We now understand that God's church perseveres in new, fresh ways that we didn't dream possible before.

 

GOD LOVES US!

In this Sunday's Gospel we hear the Kingdom of Heaven likened to a small mustard seed that grows into a tree large enough to shelter birds from all over. With even the smallest kernel of trust that we can muster, we are welcomed into the protective branches of God's love. His all-encompassing embrace will shelter us, protect us, guide us and lead us into all truth. The day will come when the reality of this pandemic will be behind us. We will boldly carry forward the lessons we have learned from it. But no matter what, we will keep on being the Church of God. So let us go forth, continuing in the apostles' teaching, in the prayers, the fellowship and the breaking of bread. Pick up the phone and call somebody. Pick up pen and paper and write a letter. Do not be afraid to be the Church!

 

I will not forget you. Behold! I have carved you in the palm of my hand. (Isaiah 49:16)

Education for Ministry (EfM): Meet Diocesan EfM Coordinator Cindy Jordan

Hello there!  Let me introduce myself.  My name is Cindy Jordan and I will be the Diocesan Coordinator for EfM.  I am filling some formidable shoes of past EfM coordinators, so please be patient as I learn the ropes.

A little bit about me—I am a member of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Williamsburg, where my family and I have worshipped for 28 years.  I have one adult son and a new grandson, who both fill my heart.  I grew up in New England, but came to Virginia when my husband of 36 years was stationed at Yorktown with the Coast Guard. I have two brothers, who both have moved to Virginia and made their homes here, one of whom is a member of Old Donation with his famly.  My spiritual journey has been influenced by so many wonderful people throughout the years, many of whom are in this Diocese, ordained and non-ordained.  I am a high school teacher by vocation, but learned through EfM that my vocation can also be a ministry.  I hope to provide that experience for many of you.

What is EfM?  For those of you who might be new to the Church, EfM is a program of study, prayer and theological reflection that was developed by, and is administered through, Sewanee: University of the South.  Sewanee is a private Episcopal liberal arts college in Sewanee, Tennessee. It is owned by 28 southern dioceses of the Episcopal Church.  Its School of Theology is an official seminary of the church.

The course for EfM is a journey through the Old Testament, the New Testament, Christian/ Church History and Theology over a four-year period.  EfM allows participants an opportunity to explore God’s call to them, while giving them more information and opportunities for reflection to discern that call.   This is done through weekly small-group gatherings (currently virtually) lead by trained mentors.  The course operates much like a college course, however, there is no grading and no research papers to write! You can take breaks in the course should you need—take a year off if needed.  Throughout the course, participants are asked to reflect on their spiritual journey past, present and future. EfM is living theology.  Participants learn to live into their own theological beliefs and be an example of the heart and hands of Christ in their circles—family, friends, church, co-workers, and community.

Let me define “ministry” here.  We are not talking about “holy orders” and ordination!  Ministry is about giving of ourselves, and of our time, talents, and resources to bless and help others.  We are ALL ministers in this world.  God has often used unsuspecting, but good people to serve and minister to His people.  Think of Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Miriam, Deborah, Mary and the disciples called by Christ.  In Isaiah we read, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”   EfM prepares participants to say “Here I am!”

This is the only program I know of that gives the non-ordained, the non-clerical, the kind of knowledge and tools they need to be active in the life of the Church and church community.  Everyone is called to ministry but finding that ministry with all the “noise” around us can be difficult.  Many EfM graduates have gone on to begin new ministries in their parishes, serve on their vestry, become formation leaders in their church and even, through discernment, deacons. The benefit to our parishes and diocese is immeasurable as participants and graduates begin their journeys.  The benefit to the participant is a deeper knowledge of how the Church came to be and a much richer view of their place in it and in today’s world.

My goals for EfM in the Diocese are three-fold:

• To be sure every parishioner in DiSoVa is aware of the opportunity to become an EfM participant and explore their call to ministry in the church. 
• To “train up” several current EfM graduates to become mentors for new groups
• To grow our network of groups by at least 20% this coming year

Right now, new groups are forming and “old” groups are gearing up to resume in the fall!  All groups will begin online due to the current public health issues.  This is a great time for some our smaller parishes to offer EfM to their parishioners as we can combine folks in the on-line format.   No prior study or knowledge of scripture or theology is required. 

I am very much looking forward to walking this journey with you.  Join me and here your call!

Want more information?  Contact your rector, your Christian Formation Director, or Cindy Jordan at cwjordan.efm@gmail.com.

Open office hours July 16 with Latino/a/x Missioner

The Rev. (Padre) Mario Melendez is hosting Open Office Hours tomorrow, July 16, from 1 to 3 p.m. Do you have ideas and/or suggestions to help the Latino/a/x community in Southern Virginia? Does your parish, community, or organization want to be involved in this wonderful ministry? Padre Mario would like to hear from you. Click here to register. 

Planning for fall formation programs

Who has started thinking about planning for their fall programs? This fall will look vastly different than past years and we want to be here to help you through the planning process.  We have two opportunities for formation leaders to join together to hear about new formation ideas and talk through the ideas that you are currently exploring.

 

Province III Virtual Summit 

On Monday, July 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., our Province 3 coordinators are hosting a virtual summit to talk about formation in the fall. Whether you work with children, youth, adults, or all of the above, join us for a Zoom forum to explore answers to what formation ministry look like in the Fall and have an opportunity to share resources with one another. Advanced registration  is required. Click here to register. 

 

Diocesan Colleague Lunch 

On Wednesday, July 22 at 12 noon, join us for a Diocesan colleague lunch over Zoom. We can discuss what we learned on Monday (although it's not necessary to have participated) and have space to ask questions specific to our Diocese. We will break out into groups based on if you are planning formation for children, youth, or adult ministry to better process your ideas for the fall with formation leaders going through the same things. Advanced registration  is required. Click here to register. 

 

If you have any questions or things that you want to see covered, please contact Megan Dern at mdern@diosova.org.

Learn more about Education for Ministry (EfM) in July 30 online event

Have you ever considered participating in Education for Ministry (EfM)? Do you have questions or want to learn more about the scope and sequence of the program? On Thursday, July 30 at 6 p.m. the Christian Education Network (CE-Net) will host an online session dedicated to Education for Ministry (EfM). The Episcopal Church believes that all baptized persons are called to ministry. While the scope of ministry differs from person to person it is all grounded in our baptismal promises. EfM is an education program of "study, prayer and reflection", that is dedicated to helping people live out their ministry. Cindy Jordan, Diocesan EfM Coordinator, will provide a brief overview of the program and will respond to questions. Click here to register for this July 30 Zoom event. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

Bishop Susan to lead online Bible study in August

Bishop Susan would like to invite anyone in the Diocese of Southern Virginia who is interested to study the Bible with her through Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina is a prayerful way of studying Scripture that, once learned, can be practiced in groups or in solitude. Beginning August 10, we will meet weekly for four weeks to look at Scriptures that will also be helpful in assisting us to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis.  No experience is needed, as Bishop Susan will guide you through the practice of reading (lectio), meditation (meditatio), prayerful response (oratio), and contemplation, or simply resting in God (contemplatio). Beginning at 7 p.m., these meetings will last for 90 minutes. Each meeting is limited to 50 persons, so registration is needed. Register to participate here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

TENS offers free resources for virtual stewardship

As the summer deepens, many congregations begin to think of their fall stewardship campaigns. The Episcopal Network For Stewardship (TENS) provides excellent stewardship campaign materials that are free to all congregations in Southern Virginia via our diocesan TENS membership. This year TENS will be providing resources that help congregations to conduct virtual stewardship campaigns in addition to the more traditional efforts.  

 

TENS member resources are available to all congregations in Southern Virginia via the diocesan membership. For log in information contact Canon for Formation Lynn Farlin, lfarlin@diosova.org or Communications Officer Ann Turner, aturner@diosova.org.  

 

Take advantage of these free webinars offered by TENS: 

• Virtual Stewardship 101 - July 25, 1 p.m. Review virtual offering plates and answer questions about virtual best practices. Register here.
• Creating Virtual Community for Stewardship - August 15, 1 p.m. Learn more about how to create meaningful small groups and pastoral teams virtually. Register here.
• How to use the TENS 2020 Materials for your Stewardship Campaign - Walk through this year's resources to maximize their usefulness. Register here.