News from the Congo

By Susan Broaddus, ECW Student Work Chair

 

I heard from Bishop Bahati of the Diocese of Bukavu that our ECW/W2W transfer of $2,500 plus $695 from St. Paul's, Norfolk, has been gratefully received and spent! They bought eight sewing machines for the Cathedral Parish in the Essence neighborhood of Bukavu city, 10 machines for Katana village parish, and they will use the rest of the funds to buy spare parts for their machines.   This will help enormously as women learn the art of tailoring to become self-sufficient. The ECW set $10,000 as its December 2014 Outreach goal and, thanks to many donations from throughout the Diocese of Southern Virginia, we will easily achieve it!

Many thanks to various Southern Virginia clergy as well. Gifts large and small have amounted to the needed $4,400 for two scholarships to help the seminary in Bunia, D. R. Congo end this academic year. The funds were wired to the Vice Chancellor on June 3, and he is very grateful. Further grants of $300 are still needed for laptops for the advanced students.  The seminary has grown from a small group carried through their three years to one with concurrent classes and now to a university. The Anglican University of D.R. Congo has five areas of study but the School of Theology is the only one with resident students from the various nine dioceses.

Godly Play: The Basics and Beyond

Learning about God is an essential part of religious education, but Godly Play also emphasizes the spiritual formation of children and the adults who work with them. In those moments of crisis that all of us inevitably face, a sense of God's presence can sustain us and carry us through. At this day-long workshop, you can learn - or refresh your enthusiasm for -  the basics of Godly Play, and experience the newest stories and approaches to classroom enrichment from a veteran Godly Play trainer, Kathleen Capcara.

In the morning, participants will experience a full Godly Play session with an opportunity to learn some basic storytelling and classroom management techniques. Included will be ideas about ways students of all ages can use the Godly Play approach. The afternoon will concentrate on helping children form a love relationship with Jesus through the post-Resurrection stories about him in the new seven-part lesson called Knowing Jesus in a New Way, as well as a few other lessons from the latest volume of Godly Play stories

Click here for more information and registration. Click here for a flyer you can share. 

Fire damages St. Andrew's, Victoria

Dear Diocesan Family, 

I am sad to report that there was a fire early Sunday morning at St. Andrew's, Victoria. No one was hurt and the structure, although badly damaged, is still standing. The State Police have called the fire suspicious, but a complete investigation will take about six weeks. Church Insurance has been to the church to assess the damage.   

The congregation of St. Andrew's joined with St. Paul's, Kenbridge a number of years ago to form the Episcopal Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew, Kenbridge. The church building in Victoria is now a Shrine and services are only held there one or two times a year. The building is currently being rented by Faith Fellowship Center of Victoria.

I ask for your prayers for the members of St. Paul & St. Andrew as they grieve their loss, and for the members of Faith Fellowship Center as they search for a new church home. Please pray also for the person(s) who may be responsible for this terrible, destructive act.

Faithfully,

Bishop Hollerith

Happening Reunion at Chanco on July 26

Come celebrate Happening at Chanco this summer! The Happening Team is hosting a day of festivities for alumni on July 26 that you won't want to miss. Options throughout the day will include zips and ropes, music and praise, social time, picnics and cookouts. We'll also have a service project going on in the morning for those who want to help out around the grounds at our beloved Chanco. Fun starts at 9 a.m. and continues til 7 p.m. $25.00 is all it costs to register, spend the day, and have lunch and dinner with us. For those over 21 who would like to stay overnight and camp out at the Manor House, we'll also provide breakfast in the morning for only an additional $15. Good friends, good food, good times, good place, good price - what else can you ask for?

Clergy Transitions

The Rev. Daniel Crockett, began as Rector of Hungars Cure Parish Eastville, 4/1/2014

The Rev. Travis Greenman, began as Assisting Priest at St. Andrew's Newport News, 4/1/2014

The Rev. Becky Crites, began as Interim Time Certain at Epiphany Danville, 5/1/2014

The Rev. John Baldwin, retired from Emmanuel Virginia Beach, 5/31/2014

The Rev. Ian McCarthy, called to another diocese from Galilee Virginia Beach, 6/8/2014

The Rev. Charles Smith, will begin as Rector Time Certain at Trinity Portsmouth, 7/1/2014

The Rev. Rob Marston, retiring from St. Andrew's Newport News, 7/31/2014

Keeping up with the work of TREC - Task Force for Reimagining the Episcopal Church

The Task Force for Reimagining the Episcopal Church has been charged by the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church to create a plan for reforming the Church's structures, governance, and administration. The TREC website offers an opportunity for everyone to participate in the conversation. You can also connect with TREC on Facebook and Twitter.

In an address given at the 2014 Commencement Exercises of Episcopal Divinity School on May 22, the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, President of the House of Deputies of the Episcopal Church, said, "There's no doubt that, to be a new church in a new economy, we have to change and we're going to have to let go of some things. Our passions about restructuring the church are evidence that we know the church many of us once knew is coming to its end. Some of us are grieving that loss, while others of us are being liberated by it.   

• Around the church, I hear people talking about how to support relationships and networks around the church without a large, unsustainable corporate hierarchy. 
• We're talking about how to conserve our treasures-buildings, fabric and fine arts, and the remarkable work of the Archives of the Episcopal Church-without becoming overseers of museums.
• We're talking about how to restructure, reorganize and consolidate dioceses for local mission.
• We're talking about the future of lay and ordained ministry and how to educate people to answer God's call to transform the church and the world. 
• We're talking about the justice issues of living wages and health care and how to compensate people for ministry in the new economy.
• We're talking about how to broaden our long, hard struggle to eliminate canonical discrimination against women, people of color, and LGBT people so that our energy and vigilance for securing and maintaining rights within the church is matched by our passion for justice in the world.

To watch or read the complete address, click here.

Seeking an affordable family vacation? Family Camp is for you!

NEW this year, Family Camp is being offered from August 21-24 for campers ages 0 to 100! Families can now enjoy traditional camp activities together. A sampling of favorite camp activities such as archery, boating, crafts and zip lines will be offered along with daily worship and singing. Choose to be active all day or simply enjoy the rest, relaxation and quiet time in God's beautiful creation in the woods along the James River. This program is the perfect way to reunite with old camp friends or to introduce the next generation of campers to Chanco! Click here for a flier with more information on Family Camp. Easy on line registration can be found at www.chanco.org. Questions? Contact Executive Director Gareth Kalfas at director@chanco.org or at 888-7CHANCO (888-724-2626). Share Chanco summer fun with your family today!