Convocation 6 ECW meeting

The Petersburg Convocation 6 ECW Board will meet at Christ & Grace, Petersburg, following the 12:15 p.m. Lenten Service on April 8. Lunch will be offered by the Ladies of Christ & Grace for $5.  If you are in the area, please join us for this annual networking opportunity.  The speaker for the Service will be the Rev. David Davenport.

Share a link and help support Mission of the Holy Spirit

Mission of the Holy Spirit has kicked off their Flower Power fundraiser.  You can help make the effort a success by including this link - http://bit.ly/1hfSpCT - to the fundraiser in your church's Sunday bulletins and newsletters. Share it on Facebook and Twitter too. Your support will help the Mission continue to educate and empower inner city youth and to provide opportunities for their spiritual growth and worship.

May Weekend is May 16-18 at Chanco

Join teens in grades 8 through 12 from all over the diocese for a spring retreat at Chanco, May 16-18. The event includes a variety of activities and opportunities to make new friends and learn more about the church. EYC Board elections will also take place during this weekend, as well as small groups, singing, socials, and so much more! Click here for details and registration. Registration deadline is May 5. If you would like to run for EYC Board 2014-15, you'll need to complete the application in advance. Click here for the EYC Board application form.

Convocation 5 to host Liturgical Arts Festival

Celebrate and share the unique creative beauty that flourishes in Southern Virginia.

For two thousand years, the Liturgy of the Christian Church has inspired some the world's most beautiful works of art--music, architecture, sculpture, stained glass, textiles, etc. The Anglican tradition has produced its own unique flavor in countless examples of liturgical art, growing out of the traditions and cultures of parishes. These unique offerings come from hundreds of thousands of loving hands, hearts, and voices.

Churches in Convocation 5 (Jamestown Convocation) will host a Liturgical Arts Festival May 30 through June 8. The festival will provide opportunities for parishes to learn from each other and to share their knowledge. The festival will include:

• Concerts & Performances
• Workshops
• Exhibits of Hangings & Vestments
• Activities
• Sharing and Networking

Click here for more information. A schedule of events is coming soon!

BCP app available from Church Publishing, Inc.

eCP (electronic Common Prayer, Version 1.0) is the first, fully authorized, interactive version of the Book of Common Prayer 1979 of the Episcopal Church USA. Created by Church Publishing, Inc., eCP for iOS is built to run on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. eCP requires no internet connection, as all texts are stored locally on your device, allowing you access to these texts no matter where you go.

Webinar: Using Visual Social Media to Embrace the Sacred and Build Community

Visual social media, notably Pinterest and Instagram, are considered must-have-and-use platforms among secular social media experts. Within the past year or so, church communicators and religion educators have become enthusiastic about these social media platforms. Author and communicator Meredith Gould will host this online exploration of visual social media. Join her on May 13, 7 to 8 p.m. to learn: why visual social media platforms work especially well for faith-based organizations; how to use visual social media platforms strategically and tactically; and tips for setting up and managing accounts to optimize their value.

The webinar includes time for Q&A, so be sure to bring questions and concerns. Cost is $10. Click here for details and registration.

Bishop Hollerith heads to House of Bishops meeting this week

The Episcopal Church House of Bishops will meet at the Camp Allen Conference and Retreat Center in Navasota, TX (Diocese of Texas) March 21-25. Meeting in retreat, the theme for the gathering will be "How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song in a Strange Land." The schedule calls for prayer-filled sessions, and bishops will participate in daily Bible study, reflection and worship. Presentations and discussion will focus on mission of the Church.

As in previous years, this spring meeting of the House of Bishop is a retreat and therefore not open to the media. However, Daily Accounts, along with other related information, will be prepared by HOB members and released. You can follow those via Episcopal News Service.