Send us a picture of your pet for our St. Francis Day celebration on Facebook!

  The Feast of St. Francis is October 4. Help us celebrate by sharing a picture of your animal companions that we can share in our St. Francis Facebook Celebration. Send your picture to aturner@diosova.org. Be sure to include your name, parish and your pet's name. Be sure to visit our Facebook page on Oct. 4 to see all the "Episco-Pets" in Southern Virginia! 

Don't miss October Weekend! Registration deadline is Sep. 30

  Have you registered for October Weekend yet? The deadline is Monday, September 30. October Weekend is for young people in grades 8 through 12 and their adult leaders. Come to Chanco October 11-13 for a weekend in the woods with teens from all over our diocese! October Weekend  features great music, small groups, socials and games, meaningful discussions, a dance, and really incredible worship experiences. Come experience the presence of God in community! Click here for details and online registration.  

Mark your calendar for these other important dates:

• Oct. 14:  Happening #60 Registration Deadline
• Nov. 4:  November Weekend Registration Deadline
• Nov. 8-10:  Happening #60 
• Nov. 15-17:  November Weekend 

Living Waters Summit examines water quality through the lens of faith

The Living Waters Summit, November 19, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is an opportunity to join faith and conservation leaders from across the Commonwealth as they examine water quality through the lens of faith. Investigate where faith and conservation priorities intersect. Immerse yourself in the wisdom and inspiration of speakers from the interfaith and science communities. Examine ways the faith and conservation communities can facilitate richer, more relevant conversations by working together. Collaborate across faiths to develop "next steps" to improve water quality in our communities during the coming year. Click here for details and registration. 

New Chorister Program open to all children ages 8-18

Christ and St. Luke's, Norfolk, is starting a Chorister Program for children ages 8-18, under the direction of Kevin Kwan, newly appointed Director of Music.  Boys and girls, regardless of religious affiliation, church membership, or musical experience, are welcome to join the choir.  The Choristers will be trained according to the standards set forth by the Royal School of Church Music. 

This opportunity is open to all families in the Diocese who would benefit from professional music training,  at no expense to the parents besides their commitment.  More than just music skills, the Choristers training can be an essential part of the whole formation of a child.  Each boy and girl receives significant individual attention in a stimulating, challenging, yet fun environment.

Rehearsals are on Wednesdays from 5-6pm, followed by a light supper open to all families.  This meal, organized by the parents, is a way to build community among the families in a casual setting.  Currently, the Choristers sing on Sundays every 4-6 weeks, in addition to the popular Christmas Eve and Holy Week services. For more information, please contact Kevin Kwan at kevin.kwan@christandstlukes.org or 757-627-5665 extension 18. 

St. John's, Halifax, ready to show off their new look

 

St. John's, Halifax, has just completed and $200,000 renovation of their church and parish house and will be showing them off to the community this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. St. John's, a Greek Revival building erected in 1844, has a rich history. Veterans from almost every American-fought war lie in the church's cemetery. One of the church's rectors, the Rev. Charles Dresser, married President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd.  

The extensive renovations at St. John's preserve the church's past while helping it to move forward into the 21st century. Among the many improvements to the structure, was making the church and parish house completely handicap-accessible. "Essentially, we've redone that building from top to bottom," said the Rev. Cleon Ross, interim rector. "There's no part of the building that hasn't been touched. "

The open house on Saturday will include tours of the church, parish house and cemetery. A dedication and blessing for both the church and parish house will take place on Sunday.   

Boys' Home participates in The Amazing Raise

 The Community Foundation, serving Richmond and Central Virginia, will again sponsor The Amazing Raise. For 36 hours beginning Wednesday, September 18, at 6 a.m. and extending to Thursday, September 19, at 6 p.m., supporters can designate online donations to eligible nonprofits. Boys' Home is one of the 571 organizations in this select group. The Boys' Home page can be accessed here.  

The Community Foundation does not benefit from the online donations and all monies except for a processing fee goes directly to the organization. As in the past, there may be times that the website is so busy that there could be delays in accessing the Boys' Home page. If you have problems, please use the online donations on the Boys' Home webpage or contact Boys' Home Development Director Janet Lemmer, 540-965-7715 or jdlemmer@boyshomeinc.org. Thank you for considering this venue to support Boys' Home!

St. John's honors the Rev. James Chisholm

The Rev. Brian Hobden, 14th rector of St. John's, and the Rev. Derek Harbin, 16th and current rector, bless a bronze plaque at the Rev. James Chisholm's grave.

In 2010, the Rev. James Chisholm was added to the Episcopal Church's calendar of saints for giving his life in service to others during the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1855. His feast day is September 15. Chisholm was the first rector of St. John's, Portsmouth. Chisholm sent his family away to safety, staying behind to provide whatever care for the sick he could. Chisholm provided food, medical assistance, and pastoral care. He was even known to have dug graves for those who had died. According to "History of Portsmouth, Virginia," "During that awful summer of 1855, Mr. Chisholm labored night and day among people of every denomination." "He was, however, spared to comfort the pest-ridden sufferings until the disease had abated; then his frail body, worn out by privation and toil, succumbed to the fever." Chisholm died on September 15, 1855 in the Portsmouth Naval Hospital.

St. John's honored Chisholm with series of events over the weekend, including tours of Olde Towne and the original Naval Hospital building, highlighting Chisholm's work. Sunday afternoon's event included the dedication of a new bronze plaque and the reading of a city proclamation by Portsmouth Mayor Kenneth Wright. A collection in Chisholm's honor will pay for mosquito bed nets. A fitting tribute since Yellow Fever, although now eradicated, was a mosquito-borne disease. Today, the nets could help prevent malaria, which causes 200 million illnesses and kills 600,000 people a year.