Presiding Bishop writes to congregations about Good Friday offering for Jerusalem and Middle East

"In spite of the challenges, the strength and vitality of the witness of indigenous Christians throughout the Middle East is inspiring," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori writes in the annual Good Friday letter to all congregations asking them to consider assistance for Jerusalem and the Middle East.

"The Good Friday Offering provides essential funding to strengthen the visibility of the Christian presence throughout the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East," the Presiding Bishop writes. "That funding is critical to the ongoing ministry of both institutions, as well as others in the region."

Funds collected from the Good Friday Offering are gathered and distributed to the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East which includes the Dioceses of Jerusalem and Cyprus and the Gulf, all members of the Anglican Communion.

Information and resources for the Good Friday Offering are available here. 

For more information contact the Rev. Canon Robert Edmunds, Episcopal Church Middle East Partnership Officer, redmunds@episcopalchurch.org.

2013 Gathering of the Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church to be held April 4-5

Registration is now open for the 2013 Gathering of Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church to be held on April 4th and 5th 2013 at the El Tropicano Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. This promises to be a wonderful time of spiritual growth, education and great fellowship. Registration

includes workshops, lunch & dinner on Thursday & Friday, musical performance, river barge tour to dinner on the Riverwalk & an optional private tour of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Financial assistance is available. Click here for more information and registration. 

New Formation resources and training available

Two new online resources have been added to our Christian Formation Resources page:
Faith Formation Learning Exchange is a source for best research, practices, approaches, and resources in faith formation for all ages.
21st Century Faith Formation is a resource center to help leaders in congregations create faith formation using 21st century approaches, methods, technologies, and tools.

Click here for information on The Vision and Practice of 21st Century Faith Formation three-day interactive educational program for clergy, faith formation leaders, and staff in all Christian congregations. The training includes: 

• Understand the diverse religious and spiritual needs of all generations
• Understand the emerging vision of 21st century faith formation in a connected, networked, digital world
• Discover a variety of 21st century approaches and resources for faith formation with all ages
• Learn how to design faith formation that addresses the religious and spiritual needs of all ages and generations, and uses the new digital media and web technologies 
• Develop the skills for becoming a faith formation curator

Applications now being accepted for diocesan grants

Seeds of Hope Grants 

Seeds of Hope grants are available to congregations and diocesan groups (e.g., affiliated institutions, commissions and task forces) within Southern Virginia to support the development or expansion of Social Justice ministries sponsored by diocesan congregations and organizations. Click here for more information and application form. Application deadline is August 1. 

Mission Initiative Grants
The Mission Network is again making available grants of up to $1000 per Convocation to be used in an Evangelistic Mission Initiative. Be creative! How can you raise the visibility of the Episcopal Church in your area? How could you better equip the congregations in your Convocation to be more inviting and welcoming? Click here for more information and application form. Deadline is October 1.

Communications Grants
Communications Grants provide congregations in Southern Virginia with funding for development or expansion of digital communications. Click here for more information and application form. Deadline is May 15. 

Repairing the Breach: New resource for exploring our history with racism

At this year's Annual Council, the Repairers of the Breach Task Force presented "Repairing the Breach: A Resource for exploring our history with racism in Southern Virginia" and an accompanying video. Those materials are available on the  Formation page of our website. Convocations and Parishes will use the materials to initiate conversation, to share stories, both personal and institutional, that will help to transform relationships and to transcend the sin of racism.

 

Resolution R-1, submitted to Council by the Task Force, was passed with friendly amendment. The amended resolution is available here. The resolution designates November 2, 2013 as a Day of Repentance and Reconciliation. A service will be held at Christ and St. Luke's Church, Norfolk, at 11 am on that day for the attendance and participation of the Diocese of Southern Virginia Family. It further resolved that November 2, "All Souls Day" will be designated as the "Day of Repentance and Reconciliation" in the Diocese of Southern Virginia and parishes will annually hold this observance during the octave of All Saints.

VTS Christian Rock Concert features Five Iron Frenzy and The Sloan River Project

Virginia Theological Seminary and the Center for the Ministry of Teaching are proud to announce the first VTS Christian Rock Festival on Saturday, April 13. The festival will feature an impressive and diverse line-up of the best in Christian rock: Joel Joa (urban), The Sloan River Project (contemporary rock), Fran McKendree (singer-songwriter), The Letter Black (hard rock), and headliners: Five Iron Frenzy (third wave ska). The groups hit the stage on the campus Grove at noon (following two high school bands), and will continue until 10 pm.

"Like any great music festival there will be food - lots of it - and activities to draw the young and young at heart together for a day of celebration and thanksgiving!" said Dr. Lisa Kimball, Interim Associate Dean of Students and the Director of the Center for the Ministry of Teaching. "This is a moment for serious evangelism. Seize it!" Click here for more information and registration.

In addition to the ten hours of amazing music, the VTS Christian Rock Festival will begin with a morning Quidditch clinic and tournament at 9:00 am, as well as poetry, spoken word performance, opportunities to meet the musicians and plenty of food vendors all day. Rain or shine, the family friendly, ecumenical event is free and open to the public, including youth groups. 

Office of Black Ministries offers Lenten Study Resource

The Episcopal Church Office of Black Ministries has issued a free Lenten Study Resource,  "Fill Me, Use Me...for the Work of Ministry," designed to invite all ages to participate in the reflective nature of Lent. 

  

"The Lenten Study Resource has been designed upon the foundation of faith formation to serve as a companion to you on your Lenten journey as you take on the disciplines of holy listening and reflection in preparation for the Lord's passion and resurrection," explained the Rev. Angela Ifill, Missioner for the  Office of Black Ministries. Rooted in the Baptismal Covenant, each section is presented in key highlights: Opening Ritual, Scripture Reading, Reflection, Exploring the Landscape, Discussion Questions, Closing Ritual, and Assignment. Also included in the Lenten Study Resource are the Baptismal Covenant from the Book of Common Prayer, the Five Marks of Mission, and the Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation. For more information contact Ifill at  aifill@episcopalchurch.org.