Christian Formation leaders take part in Essential Building Dimensions program

 

Christian Formation leaders from Southern Virginia joined with colleagues from Diocese of Maryland this past weekend at Virginia Theological Seminary to take part in a new initiative, Essential Building Dimensions. This program is designed to help formation professionals to be effective leaders in the Episcopal Church through sharing and developing resources, relationships, nurturing and support. This new initiative is sponsored in partnership by the Diocese of Southern Virginia and the Diocese of Maryland. Pictured L to R: Sue Davis, St. David's Chesterfield; Jennifer Nauroth, Emmanuel Hampton; Ann Meyer, St. Martin's Williamsburg; Marguerite Alley, Emmanuel Virginia Beach; Anne Zobel, All Saints Virginia Beach; and Caroline Black, Canon for Formation.

There's still time to join the diocesan choir for our Service of Repentance, Reconciliation & Healing

It's not too late to join the Diocesan Choir for our Service of Repentance, Reconciliation & Healing on November 2. 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 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. The deadline to sign up is September 17. Rectors and choir directors - please forward this information to anyone in your parish who might be interested in this opportunity.

Upcoming Safe Church training

There are currently two upcoming opportunities for Creating Safe Churches for Congregations and Children classroom training. These sessions are recommended for all vestry members, church employees and licensed Eucharistic Visitors. Any parishioners, volunteers, clergy and staff who work with children are requested to complete the Child module. 

September 21 at Grace Church, Norfolk

Click here for details and registration.

September 28 at Johns Memorial, Farmville

Click here for details and registration.

Upcoming Diocesan ECW events

Diocesan ECW Board Meeting

September 7, 10 a.m.
St. Francis, Virginia Beach

 Click here for information and registration.

Crossing Borders: Women to Women
Saturday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m. to noon
Good Shepherd, Norfolk

The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of the Diocese of Southern Virginia invite you and your parish to learn more about what's happening in the Congo and what the Episcopal Church is doing to help at "Crossing Borders: Women-to-Women," a brunch and presentation on Saturday, September 21, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 7400 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk. Our speaker is the Rev. Deacon Carey Dougherty Chirico of St. George's, Fredericksburg. Donations of $10.00 per adult and $5.00 per student are requested and can be sent to Mrs. Grace Martino-Strid, 3457 Chesapeake Blvd., Norfolk, VA 23513 by September 16. Reservations can also be made by phone, 757-853-8520. We are serving food with an African theme. Please reserve your space now and so we will know how much food to prepare!  Click here for a registration form.

Jackson-Feild residents treated to a day on Lake Gaston

Nineteen residents of Jackson-Feild Homes recently spent a day at Lake Gaston thanks to some very special friends.

       

Mrs. Carol Weigel and Mrs. Jane Roundtree are neighbors and members of the Lake Gaston Ladies Club. This club has been very supportive of Jackson-Feild and its residents. They enlist other neighbors and friends to help sponsor this outing.

The boys and girls arrived at 9:00 and were greeted and welcomed by their hosts after which they headed for the water to swim or hop in a paddle boat. Three volunteers provided motorboats and the children were given a tour of the lake. For most of the residents it was the first time they had ever been on a boat. They returned to lunch which was a meal fit for a king. Carol Weigel had prepared a detailed schedule of events to keep the residents busy when they were not in the water. After lunch lawn games were held with each winner receiving a prize and then it was back to the water for more swimming.

At the end of the day residents thanked everyone for their hospitality and kindness. This marked the second year in a row that the children were able to spend the day at Lake Gaston thanks to members of this club.

A good time was had by one and all and it is a day that will be long remembered by the residents.

Nominations for Annual Council Elections

Nominations for elections to held at our 122nd Annual Council (Feb. 7-8, 2014) are now being accepted. The nomination form is available on our website. You will also find information about and requirements for each position open for election. Nominations are due by December 7, 2013.

Elections to take place at Annual Council are Standing Committee (1 Lay and 1 Clergy), Disciplinary Board (1 Lay and 2 Clergy), Provincial Synod (1 Lay), and General Convention Deputation (4 Lay Deputies and 4 Lay Alternates; 4 Clergy Deputies and 4 Clergy Alternates).

CE-Net Speaker Series: Youth Missioner Ashley Scruggs

Join CE-Net (Christian Education Network) on Thursday, September 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as they host Diocese of Southern Virginia's Youth Missioner Ashley Scruggs. Ashley coordinates training, communication, and events for youth, young adults, and their leaders. In addition, she serves Province III as the Coordinator for Campus Missions. In this session, we will take a look at what's real for youth and young adults today. Come hear some potentially surprising information about risk behaviors, social life, and spiritual perspectives. Invigorate your ministry by learning more about needs and motivations of young people. Join with us in reflection on the place of the church in the lives of young people and strategies we might use to minister more effectively to these younger generations. This session will be particularly relevant for clergy, youth leaders, and anyone working with parish formation. Click here for registration. 

Tailgate at ODU Canterbury Center!

Seeking faculty and staff at ODU 

Are you a faculty or staff member at Old Dominion University? Or is someone in your parish? The Canterbury Center at ODU would like to reach out to Episcopal faculty members. Help us find out who they are! Please send the names of any current ODU faculty or staff members with Episcopal connections or sympathies to the Rev. Gillian Barr, Episcopal campus minister at ODU, chaplain@oducanterbury.org. Thank you!

Tailgating at ODU Canterbury Center 

Are you going to cheer on ODU Football as they move up to FBS/C-USA? Help support campus ministry while you tailgate! Tailgate spaces in the back yard of the Canterbury Center, just a few blocks from the stadium, are available for every home football game. $30 per vehicle per game. Lot opens four hours before kickoff. Discount season passes available on-site at the first game. First come, first serve. The Center is at 1526 W. 49th Street. 757-489-9096 or chaplain@oducanterbury.org for more information.

Connect your grads with College Ministry

As your high school graduates head off to college, don't forget to connect them with the nearest Episcopal campus ministry or parish. It's the only way campus ministers will know about your student - schools do not give out such information any more. You can find information about Southern Virginia's campus ministries on our website. You can also find a list of campus ministry contacts for other colleges in Virginia. If you don't see yours listed, contact Youth Missioner Ashley Scruggs for information, ascruggs@diosova.org. 

• Christopher Newport University, Newport News - The Rev. Lauren McDonald, revlauren4@gmail.com 
• Longwood University & Hampden Sydney College, Farmville - Mr. Bob Zupanek, bob@johnsmemorial.org 
• Old Dominion University, Norfolk - The Rev. Gillian Barr, chaplain@oducanterbury.org 
• College of William & Mary, Williamsburg - The Rev. John Kerr, jkerr@brutonparish.org 

Getting on board with Google+

Southern Virginia now has it's own page on Google+. If you're not familiar with it, Google+ is a social network, like Facebook and Twitter. If you're a Google+ user, we hope you'll follow us there.

Google+, Hangouts, and other Google tools are free and could help you extend your ministries. Here at the diocesan office, we are working on ways to make use of these tools not only for communications, but also for Christian Formation and leadership development. If you'd like to learn more about Google+ and its associated tools, please contact Communications Officer Ann Turner, aturner@diosova.org or 757-213-3388.

Episcopal Church Task Force on the Study of Marriage issues report on initial meeting

From the Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs

At the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2012, Resolution A050 called for a Task Force on the Study of Marriage to be appointed by the Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and President of the House of Deputies the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings to study and consult broadly on the subject of marriage. They were asked to explore historical, biblical, theological, liturgical, and canonical dimensions of marriage, and to do so in consideration of the "changing societal and cultural norms and legal structures" of our time.

The Rev. Brian C. Taylor, Task Force Chair from the Diocese of Rio Grande, noted following the group's first gathering, "This remarkable and diverse group of clergy, bishops, and laity appreciate the enormity of the task before us, and the importance of doing so at this time."

Taylor said that the Task Force also "considered deeply what underlying question the Church was asking through this resolution. Our working assumption at this point is that it is this: What might the Episcopal Church have to say to today's world as to what makes a marriage Christian and holy?"

 Click here to read the Task Force's report. 

Mark your calendar for Fall youth events!

Make plans now to be a part of upcoming events for youth in Southern Virginia. Click here for details on the events below and a complete list of 2013-2014 events. 

October 11-13 - October Weekend

November 8-10 - Happening #60

November 15-17 - November Weekend

All youth are invited to come hear Remedy Drive in concert on September 8 at Galilee, Virginia Beach. This event is co-sponsored by Galilee and Old Donation, Virginia Beach. Contact them to purchase tickets. FYI - Tim Buell, drummer for Remedy Drive is a member of St. John's, Portsmouth! 

 

A great day of Godly Play training in Williamsburg

On Saturday, 47 people - including folks from Diocese of Virginia - took part in Godly Play Training. As you can see, even Flat Jesus made an appearance. Thanks to St. Martin's, Williamsburg, for hosting the day-long workshop.

Communications: Webinars, workshop and resources

Church communicators - here are some upcoming events you might want to put on your calendar.

Equipping Digital Saints - free webinar series from General Theological Seminary
Six free, hour-long webinars on selected Thursday afternoons, 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, examining both the technology and mission uses of social media and digital technology. The webinars will include opportunities for viewers to ask questions. For those who are not able to attend the webinars in real time, recordings will be posted soon after the first broadcast on the GTS Digital Formation YouTube channel.

September 19, 2013 - Getting Past Unknowing: What is the "Cloud"?

October 17, 2013 - Digital Giving & Financial Stewardship
December 5, 2013 - Social Media, Hospitality & the Holiday Season
January 16, 2014 - To All Nations: Five Ways to Get the Message Out
February 13, 2014  -Go Forth: Mobile Apps for Ministry (iOS and Android)
March 13, 2014 - Transformation: The Evolution of Social Media & the Church Today

Church Media Conference   

September 28, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Offered by the Lutheran Virginia Synod 

The second annual Church Media Conference will be held at St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Norfolk, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 28. Participants will learn about bridging the technology gap, webpages, church marketing, advertising, media editing and posting, logo design, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, texting, youth and media, worship music and media, online storage and copyright considerations. To register, go to www.vasynod.org, click on Events. 

Church Communicators Manual 

Do you have a copy of our newly revised Church Communicators Manual? You can find it on the Communications Resources page of our website along with a number of other resources.