Union of Black Episcopalians to meet Oct. 13

The James Solomon Russell chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) will meet  on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Grace, Norfolk (1400 E. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk).

The Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) invites ALL Episcopalians, regardless of race, to become members of UBE and join them in their mission of fighting racism and encouraging the involvement of Black people in the total life of the church.

The James Solomon Russell chapter of the UBE meets on the second Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at Grace, Norfolk. All Episcopalians in the Diocese of Southern Virginia are invited and encouraged to join the UBE and become members of this diverse and concerned group. Annual dues are $70 for individuals, $60 for retired, and $105 four couples. For more information contact David Flores, drf71137@gmail.com.

Episcopal Relief & Development assisting with Hurricane Matthew recovery

	Devastation in Haiti from Hurricane Matthew.

Episcopal Relief & Development urges prayers for communities in the Caribbean and along the US East Coast that are dealing with the impact of Hurricane Matthew.

"Due to the power outages and communications challenges in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, information about the scale of the storm's impact is coming in slowly," said Abagail Nelson, Episcopal Relief & Development's Senior Vice President for Programs. "From what we are seeing so far, the damage is extensive in a number of areas and it will take a long time, even years, for many of these places to recover."

Episcopal Church-affiliated organizations and networks in Haiti and Cuba continue to assess damage and respond to emergency needs. In Haiti, Episcopal Relief & Development support will enable local partners such as the Bishop Tharp Institute (BTI) to provide food and water to displaced people sheltering on the school's campus. BTI is located in Les Cayes, one of the most hard-hit areas of Haiti's southern peninsula. As of October 9, more than 1.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and over 61,000 people are in temporary shelters, according to UN OCHA. The Haitian Directorate for Civil Protection has confirmed 336 fatalities as of October 8, though other sources place the death toll upwards of 1,000.

In the United States, the slow-moving storm grazed the Florida coast and had a large impact further north into the Carolinas. Episcopal Relief & Development is in contact with dioceses along the southern Atlantic coast, providing technical assistance to local leaders who are reaching out in their communities. After several days of heavy rain, flood levels continue to rise in areas of South Carolina and eastern North Carolina, stranding large numbers of people and prompting evacuations. Church partners are monitoring the situation locally and communicating as able regarding property damage and community members with emergency needs.

Please continue to pray for communities affected by Hurricane Matthew, for first responders who are rescuing and caring for people in need and for the families and friends of those who lost their lives.

Donations to the Hurricane Matthew Response Fund will help Episcopal Relief & Development provide critical assistance to communities in need.

Seeds of Hope grants: Laundry Love

Diocesan Seeds of Hope grants support the development or expansion of social justice ministries in Southern Virginia.

In 2015, a Seeds of Hope Grant was awarded to Laundry Love, a partnership between St. Andrew's, St. Paul's, Mission of the Holy Spirit, Unitarian Universalist Church of Norfolk. Laundry Love empowers those struggling financially. It pays for laundry, so money saved can be used for groceries, gas, school supplies, etc. However, Laundry Love is only a bridge to our neighbors. Clean clothes come second to the relationships being built.

 

The first Laundry Love event was held in January 2016 and held monthly since then. In the beginning, flyers were distributed around the neighborhood and through local charities. By March, the laundromat was packed and flyers were no longer necessary. They rely on word of mouth and post events on a Laundry Love Facebook page. This program has become a wonderful example of grace - they do not try to determine if people really need free laundry. "We have no idea what people are going through. We ask everyone who enters if we can pay for their laundry," report project organizers.

 

In addition to the Seeds of Hope Grant, funding for this ministry comes from St. Andrew's, who matched the grant and then doubled their match. St. Paul's matched St. Andrew's contribution. Other funding comes from private donations. At each event, people regularly contribute to a donation jar (an empty detergent bottle) so much that it covers the dry cycles.

 

A community is emerging from meeting every third Thursday of the month to do laundry. It's more than dirty laundry that brings people to Laundry Love. They come from many situations - low income, homeless. Others are experiencing the challenge of a washer breaking down or have recently moved. Linette was yelling at God when she went to another laundromat and her laundry got stuck in a malfunctioning washer. There was no attendant, just a phone number she called multiple times trying to get help. She waited several hours for a refund, but no one came. She happened into a Laundry Love event and was floored when her laundry was paid for - she had lost so much money at the other laundromat that she worried she'd have to spend grocery money to get her clothes clean.

Mark your calendar for lunch groups

Treasurers & Administrators Lunch Group

October 20, 12 to 1:30 p.m. at Christ & St Luke's, Norfolk

This is a wonderful opportunity to meet with other parish administrators and treasurers to talk about common issues. Bring your own lunch; beverages will be provided. There's no agenda for this gathering - just an opportunity to get together, share, encourage, support, and ask questions. Please RSVP to Nancy James, njames@diosova.org or 757-213-3386.

Communicators & Secretaries Lunch Group

November 2, 12 to 1:30 p.m. at St. Aidan's, Virginia Beach

Join church communications volunteers and staff and parish secretaries for this casual colleague group. Bring your own lunch; beverages will be provided. There's no agenda for this gathering - bring your questions, or ideas or resources to share, or just come to enjoy the support of your colleagues from across the diocese. RSVP to Ann Turner, aturner@diosova.org or 757-213-3388.

 

"A Lifting of Voices" to benefit Boys Home

You are cordially invited to "A Lifting of Voices", the first annual celebration of uplifting a cappella music to benefit Boys Home of Virginia. The concert will be held on Sunday, October 30 at 3 p.m. in the Robins Theater at the Steward School in Richmond.

 

The concert includes five of the Richmond area's finest a cappella groups - Soundworks, Uncommon, Beaux Ties, The Virginia Girls and Boys Choirs, and Main Street Station - performing songs from across the musical spectrum. Each group will perform individually followed by an inspiring finale in which all groups will come together into one ensemble.

 

There are a limited number of reserved seats available for a minimum donation, as well as additional open seating. For more info and to reserve your seats,  go to www.LiftingOfVoices.org.

Presiding Bishop to address value of Historically Black Colleges & Universities

The Office of Black Ministries of the Episcopal Church is sponsoring a public recognition event in Washington, DC on Thursday, November 10 for its affiliated Historically Black Colleges and Universities of St. Augustine's University, Raleigh, NC and Voorhees College, Denmark, SC. 

 

Music will kick off the day at 9 a.m. on November 10 at St. John's Church, Lafayette, Square, Washington DC with musical renditions  presented by the combined choirs of St. Augustine's and Voorhees. Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry will present the keynote address, followed by a question/answer session. In the afternoon, panel discussions will be led by the university presidents and students as they share their experiences.

For more information contact Ifill at aifill@episcopalchurch.org, (646) 323-0130 or Angeline Cabanban at acabanban@episcopalchurch.org  or (212) 716-6186.

Bishop Hollerith will install new ECW Board members at Oct. 15 meeting

All Episcopal Church Women are invited to the ECW Fall Annual Meeting Saturday, October 15, 9:30 a.m., at Grace, Norfolk.  Bishop Hollerith will install new board members elected at the meeting. Nancy Polick Sands, ECW diocesan president, featured speaker at the meeting, will talk about the current state of the ECW. Contact Louise Boss, corresponding secretary, to register for the meeting at 757-678-5331 or louiseboss@exede.net  by October 1. The registration fee of $20 includes lunch.