Clergy Transitions

The Rev. Michael Delk, rector of Hickory Neck, Toano, was called to Diocese of Lexington, KY, 7/13/14.

The Rev. Fred Poteet began as Associate Rector at Old Donation, Virginia Beach, 8/16/14.

The Rev. Kathleen Bobbitt will begin as Interim Rector at Emmanuel, Virginia Beach, 9/15/14.

The Rev. Earnest Graham will begin as Interim Rector at Hickory Neck, Toano, 9/16/14

The Rev. Nancy Meck will begin as Rector Time Certain at Johns Memorial, Farmville, 10/1/14.  

ECW to celebrate mission work at Fall Annual Meeting

By Nancy Smith, St. Aidan's, Virginia Beach

When 2014 ends, Barbara Taylor, St. Francis, Virginia Beach, will complete her two-year term as ECW Diocesan President. She is happy to report, by year-end, the ECW will reach its goal to raise $10,000 to support the Mother's Union in the Diocese of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo through Women-to-Women, a partnership with the Diocese of Virginia.  

Barbara said, "Many thanks to Episcopal Church Women diocesan-wide for giving your support to our sisters in Christ in the Congo. Through their work and with our help, women who are victims of rape and torture have a chance to rebuild their lives."  

The ECW will celebrate its work in mission at the Fall Annual Meeting, Saturday, October 18, at Christ Church in Danville. Susan Broaddus, Women-to-Women chair, Diocese of Southern Virginia, a former missionary in the Congo, will give an account on the status of the Tamar Project today. ECW board members, including a new diocesan president, will be elected to take office in January, 2015. The Rev. Helen McKee will install the newly elected board members.  

Contact Louise Boss, corresponding secretary, to register for the meeting at (757-678-5331) or louiseboss@exede.net by October 10. The registration fee is $10. Lunch is included.  

Fall Visit Day at Virginia Theological Seminary

VTS invites you to be their guest on Wednesday, November 5 at Fall Visit Day for prospective students from the surrounding region. Whether you are considering graduate theological education to prepare for a vocation in the Church, to deepen your understanding of your faith, or to learn how to share your faith more effectively with others, the Fall Visit Day is the event to attend. You'll hear about programs, talk to faculty and students, go to classes, have lunch and tour the campus, and find out how Virginia Seminary equips people for faithful witness. You can register for the Fall Visit Day by visiting www.vts.edu/admissions. For further information email admissions@vts.edu or call 703-461-1706.

This one-day event will begin at 7:45am and conclude at 4:00pm. The conference is designed serve the needs of visitors who can drive to and from campus on the day of the conference. Space is limited, so register now. The registration deadline is October 20. Virginia Theological Seminary is located at 3737 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304.  

Fall Camp at Shrine Mont

The Tri-Diocesan Council on Aging will offer its annual Fall Camp on October 27-30 at Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs, VA. This year's keynote speaker will be Terry Hershey, an inspirational speaker, humorist, author, organizational consultant. He divides his time between designing sanctuary gardens and sharing his practice of "pausing" and "sanctuary," to help us do less and live more. Terry's book, The Power of Pause, offers the permission to slow down and to be gentle with ourselves, in a world that demands More-Bigger-Faster. This year's chaplain is The Rt. Rev. Martin Townsend, retired Bishop of the Diocese of Easton, MD where he served for nine years. Returning again this year will be Ed Kilbourne, singer, story teller and folk theologian. Click here for more information and registration.  

National Acolyte Festival in DC Oct. 11

Acolytes from across the United States fill the Cathedral's nave for a morning service of rededication and Holy Eucharist. Participants attend workshops in the afternoon. The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, presides. Participants will enjoy:

• Meeting acolytes and worship leaders from across the nation
• Combining processional crosses, banners, torches, thuribles, flags, and streamers for a festive procession of acolytes, clergy, and vergers
• Liturgical dance group participation
• Lunch together and a variety of workshops

Click here for details and registration. 

Prison ministry gets a new name

Chaplain Service Prison Ministry of Virginia is changing its name to GraceInside. "This is a much simpler name, even our own staff couldn't always get the old name right consistently," said the Rev. Randy Myers, president, "and is quite descriptive of what our God is doing in the prisons through our chaplains. This is a new beginning for us, and we are very excited, as you'll see from the crazy, celebratory picture." Soon to come will be a new website, new email addresses for central staff, as well as entry into social media. Learn more about the prison ministry of GraceInside here.  

Eastern Shore Chapel, Virginia Beach, celebrates 1689 founding

By Donna Hudgins, Eastern Shore Chapel, Virginia Beach

Friday, September 12, 7pm, Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach will open its 325th anniversary celebration weekend with Under Five Prayer Books and Four Flags. The original music/dramatic readings performance recognizes the centuries and forces of history through which the church survived from Colonial times to the present: Revolution, Wars, Civil Rights, Women’s Ordination, and Societal Shifts. The program features well-known historic readings and music performed by choir, clergy, parishioners and guests. The performance will be held in the church, 2020 Laskin Road. Saturday, September 13, 11:30-3pm, the church will rejoice with families on the church lawn: featuring live music, BBQ, oysters from the Lynnhaven River, local rockfish, and games for the entire family.   Sunday, September 14, 10:15am, the church will conclude its celebration with a worship service of thanksgiving and prayers highlighting historic prayer books and American sacred music. All events are free and open to the public.

Said Rector Reverend Thomas Deppe, “ We have this singular opportunity to celebrate the vibrancy, dedication and community outreach ministries of generations of parishioners who kept this church alive through revolutions, separation from the Church of England, wars, social justice changes, and the destruction and moving of worship spaces. Through it all, they continued to worship and serve our community."

The church is interlaced in the story of Colonial Virginia and the City of Virginia Beach, tracing its founding to Adam Thoroughgood and the Anglican services he held on his land grant plantation. While the church is believed to date back to the 1660s, it is first mentioned in public records in 1689. The first Chapel was built as a "Chapell of Ease" on the eastern shore of the Lynnhaven River to more easily allow rural colonial parishioners to reach the chapel by water to attend services.

Three colonial structures and a fourth 20th century chapel built in the 1950s have served the churches growing congregations continuously with worship services for over three centuries. The design of the first chapel is lost in history; the second chapel (circa 1730-1754) and the third chapel (circa 1754-1952) were built on what was then the Salisbury Plains plantation of Joel Cornick and is now N.A.S. Oceana. In the 1950s with the expansion of the runways at Oceana, the 200- year old third chapel was dismantled and in 1954 a new chapel incorporating elements from the earlier chapels was built at its present Laskin Road location. The current location is less than a mile from the original 17th century Chapel of Ease.

Eastern Shore Chapel is often recognized in Virginia Beach for its expansive Food Pantry, its prison ministry, its Parish Day School and as the church of the 1,000 flags which are planted on the front lawn each Memorial Day to honor fallen military.