Youth and Young Adult Ministries: Transformation and Collaboration
Youth and young adult ministries in Southern Virginia embody the spirit
of transformation and collaboration. Our shared efforts help teens and
young adults to discover their faith and live into their call to
discipleship through meaningful programs and opportunities for service.
We also empower leadership at the parish, convocation and diocesan
levels, offering teens and adults who are called to this crucial
ministry the essential tools they need for their work.
Chanco is the heart of
our youth ministry efforts in this diocese. Over the past few years, we
have moved strategically and intentionally in order to unite our mutual
ministries around a shared mission in this diocese. All major youth
events, including EYC weekends for both Junior and Senior High, as well
as the Happening program, are now held at Chanco. The revamped team
approach to the chaplain program at Chanco has been instrumental in
providing necessary pastoral support, quality spiritual formation, and
compelling worship services at our summer camp.
Leadership development
has also been a priority for our shared initiatives in youth ministry.
In recent years we have witnessed a greater spirit of local
collaboration in convocations and strong participation at trainings and
parish consultations. The EYC Board and Happening Team are both highly
effective leadership groups, who not only engage in regular program
evaluation and creative planning, but also increasingly function as
local ambassadors for our ministries. In the summer of 2014, the
triennial Episcopal Youth Event will be held in Philadelphia, and we
look forward to sending a large delegation of youth to this important
and formative gathering.
Our college ministries efforts sustain young adults through
chaplaincies at the College of William and Mary, Old Dominion
University, Christopher Newport University, Longwood University and
Hampden-Sydney College. We also administer the Bishop Vaché Scholarships
which provided much-needed tuition assistance to low-income and
minority students. In July 2013, Ashley Scruggs was appointed to be the
Province III Campus Missions Coordinator. As the Diocese of Southern
Virginia broadens our reach in the Episcopal Church, we also seek to
further develop our local mission and vision for college ministries, and
we are beginning conversations about strategic planning in this area.
Without sustained
giving, none of this would be possible. An investment in youth and young
adult ministry is an investment in the vitality of the whole Church.
Generous financial support allows us together to build a firm foundation
for the future and respond daily to Christ's call to make apostles and
share the Gospel. Please prayerfully consider how you might be able to
more generously support these essential ministries, whether it is
through your time, talent or treasure. Thank you for your investment in
the lives of our young Christians.
Resources and training for church leaders: Financial Management & Communications
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Administrators & Treasurers Workshop
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Our Treasurer's Office works hard to manage the
finances of our diocese efficiently, effectively, and with complete
transparency. For our congregations, the Treasurer's Office is a rich
resource for assistance with administrative and financial questions.
Church financial
management includes some issues that may surprise and confuse even the
most experienced financial manager. We provide training, resources, and
one-on-one support to help administrators and treasurers navigate those
areas. We also help our churches to stay on top of changing IRS and
legal requirements.
This May, we
offered a day-long workshop full of practical information, including:
property insurance; audits and internal controls; IRS regulations;
clergy employment information; personnel issues; and records management.
The workshop was very well-attended and participants were enthusiastic:
- "I found the
session to be very informative. Each speaker covered the information
very clearly and asked for questions. The procedures I am using as
treasurer are good but need to be improved with the information I
received from this class. Thank you, for a job well done."
- "I
think the information from the insurance folks was helpful. I would
love to have the safety person talk about what he looks for when he does
an inspection."
- "This
was a fabulous, useful, well-organized workshop. I learned so much and
appreciated the great handouts for future reference and copies of the
PowerPoint presentation for easy note-taking. Thank you so much!"
For guidance or advice on church finances, please contact Comptroller Nancy James, njames@diosova.org or 757-213-3386.
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Cleta Norcross of Glebe Church, Suffolk, gets hands-on Facebook training
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Communication is vital to the life of a congregation
and an important part of the way it connects to and shares the Gospel
with its community. The way we communicate today is radically different
than it was just a few years ago - and it is continuing to change.
Digital tools like websites, email and social networks are important and
necessary parts of any communications plan. The diocesan
Communications Office is ready to help congregations make the move into
the digital realm, and to provide guidance and resources for
congregations ready to expand their current use of digital media into
other areas, like Christian Formation. Communications Officer Ann Turner
is available to answer questions and deliver hands-on training to help
congregations communicate better. Communications grants, awarded
annually, help parishes obtain the technology they need for digital
communication.
"St. Augustine's
was thrilled to receive a Communications Grant in 2012. The funds helped
us in several ways - acquisition of the (web)site and the purchase of
audio equipment." - Rose Parker, Vestry member, St. Augustine's, Newport
News
In addition to the
weekly Diocesan eNews delivered via email each week, churches can use
our weekly Parish News email to share their stories and invite
Episcopalians from across Southern Virginia to their special events.
Sharing our stories is a great way to get ideas and make connections
that grow ministries. Churches can also post stories and events on our
Facebook and Google+ pages. These networks are an increasingly useful
way to share information and to make connections between individuals and
congregations.
"Your diocesan
newsletters are chock full of information for everyone. I am so
impressed with what is available for us to learn. It's remarkable. No
demographic is ignored. I know you and your colleagues have been working
non-stop to make sure everyone is aware of what is available. Thank
you." - Jo-Ann Mahony, St. John's, Hampton
To learn more about the assistance and resources available from the Communications Office, contact Ann Turner, aturner@diosova.org or 757-213-3388.
Registration is now open for our Fall Clergy Conference - "Stewardship:
Resourcing the Great Commission" - to be held November 12-13 at Chanco
on the James. Our speaker will be the Rev. Canon Timothy Dombek, Canon
to the Ordinary in the Diocese of Arizona. 
Episcopal Relief & Development's program Gifts for Life is a
special way to change our world for the better by providing lasting
solutions that fight hunger, create economic opportunities, support
health education, and strengthen communities around the world. 
The Feast of St. Francis is October 4. Help us celebrate by sharing a
picture of your animal companions that we can share in our St. Francis
Facebook Celebration. Send your picture to 