VTS Christian Rock Concert features Five Iron Frenzy and The Sloan River Project

Virginia Theological Seminary and the Center for the Ministry of Teaching are proud to announce the first VTS Christian Rock Festival on Saturday, April 13. The festival will feature an impressive and diverse line-up of the best in Christian rock: Joel Joa (urban), The Sloan River Project (contemporary rock), Fran McKendree (singer-songwriter), The Letter Black (hard rock), and headliners: Five Iron Frenzy (third wave ska). The groups hit the stage on the campus Grove at noon (following two high school bands), and will continue until 10 pm.

"Like any great music festival there will be food - lots of it - and activities to draw the young and young at heart together for a day of celebration and thanksgiving!" said Dr. Lisa Kimball, Interim Associate Dean of Students and the Director of the Center for the Ministry of Teaching. "This is a moment for serious evangelism. Seize it!" Click here for more information and registration.

In addition to the ten hours of amazing music, the VTS Christian Rock Festival will begin with a morning Quidditch clinic and tournament at 9:00 am, as well as poetry, spoken word performance, opportunities to meet the musicians and plenty of food vendors all day. Rain or shine, the family friendly, ecumenical event is free and open to the public, including youth groups. 

Office of Black Ministries offers Lenten Study Resource

The Episcopal Church Office of Black Ministries has issued a free Lenten Study Resource,  "Fill Me, Use Me...for the Work of Ministry," designed to invite all ages to participate in the reflective nature of Lent. 

  

"The Lenten Study Resource has been designed upon the foundation of faith formation to serve as a companion to you on your Lenten journey as you take on the disciplines of holy listening and reflection in preparation for the Lord's passion and resurrection," explained the Rev. Angela Ifill, Missioner for the  Office of Black Ministries. Rooted in the Baptismal Covenant, each section is presented in key highlights: Opening Ritual, Scripture Reading, Reflection, Exploring the Landscape, Discussion Questions, Closing Ritual, and Assignment. Also included in the Lenten Study Resource are the Baptismal Covenant from the Book of Common Prayer, the Five Marks of Mission, and the Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation. For more information contact Ifill at  aifill@episcopalchurch.org.

Annual Council - Day 2 highlights

Caitlyn Darnell (William & Mary) reports on College Ministries

Repairers of the Breach Task Force presented a “Repairing the Breach: A Resource for exploring our history with racism in Southern Virginia” and an accompanying video. Those materials are available on the Formation page of our website. Convocations and Parishes will use the materials to initiate conversation, to share stories, both personal and institutional, that will help to transform relationships and to transcend the sin of racism.

Resolution R-1 (Repairers of the Breach) was passed with friendly amendment. The amended resolution is available here. The resolutions designates November 2, 2013 as a Day of Repentance and Reconciliation. A service will be held at Christ and St. Luke’s Church, Norfolk, at 11 am on that day for the attendance and participation of the Diocese of Southern Virginia Family. It further resolved that November 2, “All Souls Day” will be designated as the “Day of Repentance and Reconciliation” in the Diocese of Southern Virginia and parishes will annually hold this observance during the octave of All Saints.

Archdeacon Bill Jones and Deacon Becki Dean gave a report on the Diaconate. The Diaconal Ordination Exploration Program in the Diocese of Southern Virginia is accepting applications through May 15, 2013.  Those granted postulancy will receive formation and training in the new cross diocesan school for deacons. The school is a joint effort of the Episcopal Dioceses of Southern Virginia and Virginia.  Go to our website for more information.

Reports were received from the Commission on Ministry – Ministry of the Baptized, and ECW. The College Ministries report was presented by Canterburians Caitlyn Darnell (William & Mary), James Lilly (Hampden-Sydney) and Brian Collins (ODU). EYC president Holly Waide (St. Aidan’s, Virginia Beach) reported on the diocesan EYC.

Budget for 2013 was presented and passed.

121st Annual Council – Day 1 highlights

Bishop's Address to Council

 The day opened with Bishop Hollerith’s Address to Council. “Today, I find that I am especially thankful and feeling more joyous about our common life in Southern Virginia than ever before,” said Bishop Hollerith. “Something is different in our diocese.  We seem to be turning a corner!  And for that I give God thanks and praise.  All of my remarks this morning will be framed by a deep sense of hope that is developing in my heart about our future.”  Click here for the full text of Bishop Hollerith’s address.

Chanco

As the Bishop noted in his address, "I believe that Chanco has the potential to be a kind of special cathedral for our diocese -- a place that acts as a true spiritual center for our common life.”  Vital to the mission and ministry of Chanco is its new Executive Director, Gareth Kalfas, who was introduced to Council this morning. Gareth began his work at Chanco just weeks ago. He comes to the diocese from Camp All Saints in Dallas.

Elections & Appointments

Results of Executive Board elections at the pre-Council Convocation meetings were reported. You can find a roster of our new Executive Board here. 

The appointment of our Convocation deans was also announced. You can find a roster of our new deans here. 

Elections were held. Elected to Standing Committee were the Rev. Bob Randall (Old Donation, Virginia Beach) and Dr. Angela Parker (St. Paul’s Memorial Chapel, Lawrenceville). Elected to Disciplinary Board were: Ms. Tracy Martin (St. John’s, Halifax), the Rev. Conor Alexander (St. Francis, VB), and the Rev. Anne Kirchmier (St. George’s, Newport News). Elected to the Provincial Synod were Mr. Scott Norris (Emmanuel, Jenkins Bridge) and the Rev. John Boucher (St. Matthias, Midlothian).

Resolutions

Constitutional Resolution 1 (Status of Parishes & Missions) and Canonical Resolutions 1 (Commission on Ministry), 2 (Discipline Structure) and 3 (Discipline Structure) were all passed. Click here for text of resolutions.

Reports

Reports were received from the Rev. Susan Grimm, president of the Standing Committee; the Rev. Conor Alexander, president of the Chanco board; the Rev. Keith Emerson, chair of the Leading a Holy Life Task Force; Bud Schoolar, chair of the Talbot Hall Property Committee; and the Rev. Jeunee Godsey of the Mission Network.

Keynote Speaker

Definitely the highlights of the day’s events included two talks given by our keynote speaker, Dr. Lisa Kimball on “The EPIC Adventure of Being Church.” “As human beings we are hard-wired for Epic meaning,” she said. “Across time and cultures, we are a people of story. We search for stories that help us live lives of meaning.” Facebook, Harry Potter, multi-player online role-playing games – all extraordinarily popular secular epic narratives – challenge and instruct the church when it comes to the way we share our epic story. “At its core, Christianity is an epic journey and if we’re not communicating it as an epic into which every single individual is invited for a leading, transforming role, then we’re not communicating it.”   

Diaconal Ordination Exploration Program accepting applications

The Diaconal Ordination Exploration Program in the Diocese of Southern Virginia is accepting applications now through May 15. Applicants will interview with the Commission on Ministry for postulancy in the fall of 2013. Those granted postulancy will receive formation and training in the new cross-diocesan school for deacons. The school is a joint effort of the Episcopal Dioceses of Southern Virginia and Virginia. We expect the instructional phase to begin in January of 2014.  During the two year course, classes will meet one weekend per quarter with assignments in between. Click here for more information. 

Mockingbird: an innovative, online spiritual community

Mockingbird is an innovative spiritual community of Christians mostly in their 20s and 30s that is online, virtual, and thriving. This pioneering concept is explored in a new video produced by the Episcopal Church. "Mockingbird is showing how to meet people where they are in a non-threatening way," explained Mike Collins, Episcopal Church Manager of Multimedia Services.  "They allow people to explore their faith through pop culture."

According to Episcopalian David Zahl, "Mockingbird was started in 2007 in NYC, by a bunch of friends and colleagues who were interested in reaching out to young adults who had been "burned by the church." Many of us had grown up in mainline churches and had watched our friends drift away, or in some cases, get pushed away. We noticed that many of them ended up in New York, a place we love (my hometown). Anyway, it soon morphed into something else altogether, something much more exciting and larger in scope." Zahl added, "Mockingbird is a non-profit organization devoted to connecting the message of God's grace with the realities of everyday life in fresh and creative ways. We do this primarily, but not exclusively, via online resources, publications and conferences."

Mockingbird focuses on things "people are already thinking about," whether its science, theology, social science pop culture.  The five-year-old movement, according to its website, "seeks to connect the Christian faith with the realities of everyday life in fresh and down-to-earth ways."

Although the online community doesn't have a home made of bricks and mortars, Zahl noted, "the majority of our board members and volunteers are members or clergy in the Episcopal Church.  You could say we were born out of and sustained by the ministry of the Episcopal Church. We certainly have a lot of love for (and commitment to) our wonderful denomination!"  

Mockingbird will be sponsoring a conference in April in New York City. www.mbird.com

Presiding Bishop provides testimony on gun violence to Senate Judiciary Subcommittee

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has submitted written testimony to the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, chaired by Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, for the hearing on Proposals to reduce gun violence: protecting our communities while respecting the Second Amendment.   

"I urge lawmakers to press for comprehensive and universal background checks for firearm ownership, regardless of where and how a gun is purchased; for bans on the availability to civilians of assault rifles and high-capacity magazines; and for policies designed to better regulate the manufacture of guns, the Presiding Bishop states in her testimony. The Episcopal Church also supports the highest level of accountability for violation of all existing laws pertaining to violence in our midst." Click here for the full text of the testimony.