Monday, July 29, 2013

Diocesan service of Repentance, Reconciliation and Healing on November 2

On February 16, our Annual Council passed a resolution acknowledging that the sin of racism continues to negatively affect the mission of our parishes in Southern Virginia. The resolution also called for a Day of Repentance, Reconciliation & Healing - a day in which our diocesan family can gather together in worship - and that parishes will annually observe a Day of Repentance, Reconciliation & Healing during the octave of All Saints.

Our diocesan Service of Repentance, Reconciliation & Healing has been set for November 2 at Christ and St. Luke's, Norfolk. The service is intended to be a liturgical moment in an ongoing process of learning. Click here for a flyer to post and share.

The Reverend Canon Stephanie Spellers will be the preacher at the November 2 service. Spellers is the Canon for Missional Vitality in the Diocese of Long Island and the Chaplain to the Episcopal House of Bishops. She is the author of "Radical Welcome: Embracing God, the Other and the Spirit of Transformation" and is the Consulting Editor for Emergent Resources at Church Publishing Inc. Spellers is the founding priest for The Crossing Community, an emergent congregation based at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston.

Repairing the Breach resources

The sin of slavery thrived in Virginia and the sin of racism continues to infect and hamper the people and parishes of our diocese. How do we reach a place of material and relational reconciliation and spiritual healing that will lead us to new life in Christ? Our Repairers of the Breach Task Force has prepared the Repairing the Breach study guide, together with the accompanying video, for use in parish communities.  We trust that it provides a structure and resources to understand the past and present influence of slavery and racism upon us as individuals, congregations, and a broader community of faith in Southern Virginia. Click here to access these, and other, resources.

Diocesan Choir forming for Service of Repentance, Reconciliation & Healing

We are forming a diocesan choir to sing for this service. This choir is open to all singers who wish to participate.  There are only two rehearsals for this choir, which will be conducted by Kevin Kwan, music director at Christ & St. Luke's. The rehearsals will be held at Christ and St. Luke's, Norfolk, and will be on Saturday, October 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Saturday, October 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The warm-up on the day of the service (November 2) will be at 10 a.m.  The repertoire for the service (two choral anthems) will be chosen shortly and sent out in September. There is no audition for this choir, but it comes with the understanding that singers will prepare the music before the rehearsals. If you are interested, please email kevin.kwan@christandstlukes.org, giving your name, parish, and voice part. Rectors and choir directors - please forward this information to anyone in your parish who might be interested in this opportunity.