New Camino: Re-imagining Latino/Hispanic Ministry in Southern Virginia

May 8 & 9

St. David's Episcopal Church

1801 Camborne Road, Richmond 

Many church leaders (both clergy & lay) are interested in growing with and being responsive to their Latino/a neighbors. They think it is impossible because they don't speak Spanish.

Come to the New Camino Seminar. Come learn how Latin@/Hispanic Ministry has changed from old bifurcated Spanish only/English only model.  

Led by The Rev. Anthony Guillen, Episcopal Church Officer for Latin@/Hispanic Ministries, and practitioners from across the country, this seminar explores the changing face, cultural backgrounds, interests and needs of Latino/a communities, and how we can welcome, serve and involve these communities in our Congregational Life and Ministry.

Clergy, vestry, and lay leaders who want a growing and vital church will join us at New Camino.

We encourage teams of at least 3 people from each congregation.

Click here for more information and registration. 

Conference is a joint effort of The Diocese of Southern Virginia, Convocation 7, and the Episcopal Church Center. Contact: The Rev. Canon Jeunée Godsey, Canon for Congregational Development, jgodsey@gmail.com. 

Praying for the churches of Southern Virginia

As part of our liturgy at Annual Council 2015, each delegation wrote a prayer for their parish. We are sharing these prayers each week in the eNews so that we all can support one another in the upcoming year.

Martin's Brandon, Burrowsville

Gracious God, we thank you that this past year the people of Martin's Brandon came together in hope for worship, word, prayer and praise. We are especially thankful that last year you blessed us with the means and opportunity to restore our parish hall and bell tower, and to replace our belfry cross (once taken from us) which now once again shines as a beacon for all our community to see. All these wonderful changes have enabled us to return this year to our tradition of service within and without our community by once again throwing open our doors to feed, teach, shelter and comfort. We ask that this year you give us the clear discernment to seek and provide loving service within our immediate community and beyond, making full use of all you have given us. Help us to employ the gift of hospitality toward all those who come into our midst, aware that, in welcoming the stranger we are welcoming your holy angels. These things we pray in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. Mark's, Hampton

Father God, Almighty and omnipotent, we praise you and thank you for your grace, mercy, and love.  You have blessed St. Mark's throughout our transition with lay persons and supply priests who have faithfully continued your work.  We ask that you grant us continued patience and discernment as we seek our next shepherd, and when revealed, please grant us a spirit of harmony as we gracefully accept change, lovingly build relationships, and boldly go forth to become all you wish us to be.  We ask this through your Holy Spirit and in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

A Call to Action: Creating a Recovery Ready Diocese

Join us on Saturday, April 25 at Bruton Parish, Williamsburg, for a day-long formation event for individuals and parish teams to learn more about the disease of addiction and how to create Recovery Ready parishes. Hosted by the Addictions and Recovery Commission of the Diocese of Southern Virginia. Facilitated by Chuck Robinson, national director of Christian Programming and Outreach for Elements Behavioral Health, and Jan M. Brown, director of Spiritworks Foundation. Event is 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Lunch is included. $25 per person or $75 for a team of 4 or more. Click here for more information and registration. 

CE-Net to meet on March 19

CE-Net (Christian Education Network) will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday, March 19 at 9 a.m. at Emmanuel, Hampton. Please join us as we catch up and discuss future CE-Net meetings.

Breakfast will be provided. Feel free to pass this invite along to anyone who you think would be interested! Please RSVP to Jennifer Nauroth jenny.nauroth@cox.net.  

ECW Annual Spring Meeting at Glebe Church May 16

Take a step back in time May 16. The ECW Annual Spring Meeting will be held at historic Glebe Church, Suffolk. All women are encouraged to attend this meeting to learn about the ECW's 2015-16 outreach project. Your vote is important. The Rev. Ross Keener, Glebe rector, will officiate at Eucharist.  

Glebe Church is 277 years old this year. In 1775, the frame church called glebe built around 1640, was the site of the first open defiance to the British Crown on the south side of the James River. In "ruinous repair" by 1737, a new church known as Bennett's Creek Church, was completed the next year. The Suffolk parish existed until it was dissolved in 1998 by the Council of the Diocese of Southern Virginia and The Glebe Church, Bennett's Creek Parish was formed. A parish hall dedicated to Rev. Keener was built in 2003.  

Contact Louise Boss, corresponding secretary, to register for the meeting, 757-678-5331 or louiseboss@exede.net, by May 9. The registration fee TBA includes lunch.

Apply now for ECW Scholarships

The Elise Holladay Scholarship, funded by Episcopal Church Women, awarded $10,000 in grants to 13 young men and women throughout the diocese last spring. Apply now for 2015 scholarships. Also, the Beverley D. Tucker Scholarship is available and provides assistance to men and women in church-related training in an accredited Episcopal school. To apply for both scholarships, use the same form, available here. Applications must be received by Monday, May 4, 2015.  Send your completed application to the attention of Susan Broaddus, ECW Student Work Chair, 1323 Lafayette Blvd., Norfolk, VA 23509. No email applications will be accepted. Questions? Call Susan at 757-623-0205.

Good Friday Offering for Jerusalem and Middle East

"The Episcopal Church has been in partnership with the Diocese of Jerusalem for a very long time," 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 offering we collect on Good Friday carries on the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, through support for the many ministries of healing, feeding, and teaching among the dioceses of the Province," the Presiding Bishop writes.

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.  

"May our offering this year strengthen the bonds among all God's people, and bless each one with concrete and eternal signs of more abundant life," she concludes.

The Presiding Bishop's letter is available here. 

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.