Bikes and ice cream on a hot summer night

Twelve members of the Colonial Heights Rotary Club traveled to Jackson-Feild August 22 to deliver 16 brand new bicycles. With help from several of our residents the Rotarians worked tirelessly in the hot sun assembling all the bicycles. The bikes are Road Master bicycles with large tires which are needed to ride the gravel roads around the Jackson-Feild Campus.

The funds to purchase the bicycles were provided by a grant from Rotary District 7600. Local Rotary Clubs can request grant funding for needs within their communities. A grants committee within the District must approve all grant requests.

After the bikes were assembled residents, guests and staff gathered in Robinson Gym for an old-fashion ice cream social. The Rotarians provided ice cream and all the toppings which brought smiles to the faces of residents. Everyone had a great time.

Rotary International is an organization consisting of 34,282 service clubs with 1,200,000 members world-wide. Colonial Heights Rotary is one of 62 Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 7600. Their club members embody the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self".

Upcoming Cursillo Weekends

Cursillo is defined as a movement within the Episcopal Church designed to help us grow closer to Jesus Christ. For more information and application go to www.cursillodsv.org.    

Cursillo Co-Ed Weekend - October 15-18, 2015,  Chanco on the James. Rector: Richard Toll

Cursillo Men's Weekend - April 14-17, 2016, Chanco on the James. Rector: Joe Jerauld

Cursillo Women's Weekend - April 28-May 1, 2016, Chanco on the James. Rector: Debbie Hazzard

Addictions & Recovery: First Fridays Recovery Eucharist; Sundays@7

The next First Fridays Recovery Eucharist will be on August 7 at 5:30 p.m. at Bruton Parish, Williamsburg.  Hosted by SpiritWorks Foundation, First Fridays is a service with readings and prayers related to the theme of recovery and is particularly appropriate for individuals and families healing from addiction, co-dependence, mental illness, trauma, and abuse.  Our preacher and presider this month is the Rev. Lauren McDonald.  All are welcome to join us as we pray for healing and wholeness in the candlelit sanctuary of Bruton Parish.  Parking is available on Duke of Gloucester Street during the service.  For more information contact Lauren at 757-903-0000.

The Center for Spiritual Recovery, a SpiritWorks Foundation Community, continues to host Sundays@7 this summer.  The purpose of Sundays@7 is to gather to bear witness to the disease of addiction in all its forms, to pray for healing and reconciliation, and to celebrate the joy of recovery.  The service includes prayers, singing, drumming, silence, and scripture and recovery readings.  Homemade ice cream follows during the fellowship time.  All are welcome to join this intentional community as we pray for healing from addiction.  The service will continue every Sunday evening until August 30 at 7 pm at the SpiritWorks Pavilion at 5800 Mooretown Rd. in Williamsburg.  (We meet inside if there are heat advisories or storms!)  Please contact the Rev. Lauren McDonald at 757-903-0000 for more information. 

Seeds of Hope Grants deadline extended to August 15

Seeds of Hope grants of up to $2500 are available to congregations and diocesan groups to begin or expand for social and economic justice causes. In the past, the grants have helped fund a variety of ministries across the diocese such as launching food pantries, providing programming for seniors, creating empowerment, health, and educational activities for inner-city and rural youth, job training programs, and many more. The August 1 deadline for 2015 has been extended to Aug. 15. Grants will be awarded in September. Applications and more information can be found here. Contact The Rev. Canon Jeunée Godsey for more information, 434-603-1782 or JGodsey@diosova.org.

A season of bread

Over the next few Sundays, the Lectionary readings from the Gospel of John will focus on Jesus' miraculous feeding of the multitude and what it means that he is the "Bread of Life." This "Season of Bread" coincides with a time when local food banks are starved for donations. With people away for the summer, food drives tend to screech to a halt. Perhaps your congregation might consider collecting non-perishable food items during the month of August and donating them to a nearby food bank. Let's make this a "Season of Bread" that gives food to the hungry while feeding us spiritually.

2016 Camp Chanco Dates with a "Do it Now" discount for all registrations by Labor Day!

The Chanco Board of Directors has set the dates and rates for 2016 with a special promotion this year!  Register for 2016 by Labor Day and lock in to our 2015 rates!  Registration is currently available via paper forms at www.chanco.org or call 888-7CHANCO to register. Plan early for next year's fantastic Chanco experience and save a few dollars at the same time!  

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.

Manakin, Midlothian

Almighty God, who has promised to hear those who reach out to you, we ask your blessings on and guidance for Manakin Parish as it prepares to say goodbye to its spiritual leader and enter a process of discerning your will for its future growth. Raise up among your people wise leaders prepared to seek out and implement your plans for your church. Dear Lord, we also pray that you will bless those who lead and those who prepare to serve in Stephen Ministry beginning at Manakin Episcopal Church; enable them to provide care and support to those who are hurting and need your help. May they be mindful of your command to love one another as they are loved by you. These things we ask through Jesus Christ our lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen

Emmanuel, Cape Charles

Dear Lord God, Creator of us all, we thank You for your ongoing guidance and the unconditional love Your Holy Spirit moves us to express for each other and the world.  We ask that, just as Your beloved Son Jesus began his powerful ministry among small groups, You empower us within our small community to minister to those in need, and transform our small parish into an outsized force for blessings within Cape Charles and the larger world. In the coming year, we ask that you guide those seeking to help others to our doors to join us. We pray You increase our awareness of the gifts we each have to share, and that You lay before us those in need with whom we may share them, most particularly the hungry and elderly.We humbly ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.