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.  

Johns Memorial remembers 1963 effort to desegregate Farmville churches

On July 28, Johns Memorial, Farmville, was one of four churches that took part in the 50^th anniversary commemoration of the “Kneel-In” that took place in Farmville

On Sunday, July 28, 1963, just one month before the March on Washington and Dr. King’s I Have A Dream speech, over two dozen local students were arrested for attempting to desegregate downtown Farmville churches. That day, a mass meeting of nearly five hundred people was held at First Baptist Church. After the meeting, various small groups fanned out to integrate several downtown churches. A group of seven to eight were admitted inside Johns Memorial, sitting with Dr. C.G. Gordon Moss (consequently, Moss was stripped of his church officership). Another group was denied entrance to Farmville United Methodist. After being denied entrance to Farmville Baptist, the group proceeded to pray and sing hymns on the church steps and was ultimately arrested for “disturbing the public worship of God.”

Fifty years to the date, these churches -- now integrated -- came together to honor these unsung local Civil Rights heroes. Approximately 150 people took part in a walking tour between four nearby churches — First Baptist, Farmville Baptist, Farmville United Methodist and Johns Memorial. The four-church program and walking tour retraced the steps of the 1963 student activists, beginning inside First Baptist Church. Reflections, prayers and remarks were offered at each site.

A statement from the Vestry was read at Johns Memorial : “We, the members of Johns Memorial Episcopal Church, confess with profound regret and Christian sorrow that our church participated in the complex webs of racism that gripped this community fifty years ago and since … Insofar as our brothers and sisters, especially our African American brothers and sisters, were harmed educationally, socially, and spiritually we wish to say that we are sorry and ask pardon, although we recognize that no pardon is deserved.” Click here to read the entire statement.

“The 50th anniversary program not only commemorates the event,” said Dr. Michael Utzinger, “but acknowledges the positive potential that persons of faith can have to promote racial reconciliation in our community.” Utzinger is a member of Johns Memorial and Hampden-Sydney College religion professor.

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.