Reverse Advent Calendar, online resources and webinar

Here's an idea for a different kind of Advent calendar - a Reverse Advent Calendar. Here's the idea - find two empty wine boxes and keep them in your kitchen or pantry, somewhere where they will be at the front of mind. Starting December 1, place a non-perishable food item into one of the 24 compartments each day. Once the boxes are full, donate them to your local food bank.

#AdventWord 2015 - Participate in Society of Saint John the Evangelist's Advent calendar. Respond to a daily meditation with images and prayers that speak to your heart and be part of a global Advent calendar that brings people from around the world together.

Episcopal Church Foundation has collected links to lots of free Advent resources, including calendars and devotions; Advent wreaths and activities; St. Nicholas Day; and preparing for Christmas visitors at your church, and lots more.

Click here for an Advent toolkit that you can use to bring your community together in support of Episcopal Relief & Development.

ChurchNext has just launched a new online offering - Advent: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Bishop Susan Goff of the Diocese of Virginia offers a deeply inspiring class that's available for individuals, or groups. Watch a preview here. 

News from Mission of the Holy Spirit

By Keith Josey, Lay Pastor, Mission of the Holy Spirit

As we prepare for the holiday season I would like to take a moment to remind you that many families depend on the generosity of individuals like yourselves to ensure that their family has a blessed holiday session.

 

Each year our challenges are increased due to the ever-growing needs of others. The generosity of churches and individuals like you has allowed us to serve numerous families. This year we have seen great changes and have enjoyed the growth of our members in the following ways: Currently our Sunday service has a Eucharistic presence on the second and fourth Sunday, we now have a number of parents who attend weekly and actively participate in the worship experience alongside their children. This helps to create a stable environment both at the Mission and in their homes. Our enrichment program has assisted many of our youth to achieve academic success. We continue to offer support to our college students and are excited about the members who will graduate this May. We have another exciting year of health and wellness with nursing interns from ODU here to assist our members and encourage healthy life choices for our children, adolescents, and adults.

 

Overall we are doing well, but there is a continued need for funding and the development of continued resources for the Mission. Remember that people tend to give to the organizations they know and trust, so this is why I'm sharing our successes and educating you about the needs we strive to meet.

 

While I am grateful for the support of all the Individuals and churches, we especially need your continued support for the following:

• Groups and individuals to assist with donations for Christmas gifts for the children and Christmas food baskets
• Volunteers to assist with enrichment and other programs
• Volunteers who can help coordinate regular fundraising activities
• Volunteer who wish to become members of our board

As we work to leave the hardships of our past behind us and live in the present, we must keep looking toward the future. Remember: "He who is not courageous enough to take risk will accomplish nothing in life." --Muhammad Ali

For more information or to volunteer, contact the Mission at 757-858-0010 or info@MissionoftheHolySpirit.org.  Click here for the Fall 2015 newsletter.

Safe Church classroom training in 2016

The 2016 Safe Church classroom training schedule is online. You can learn more about Safe Church training and register for upcoming classes here. Upcoming classes are:

• Jan. 23, 2016 - Johns Memorial, Farmville
• Feb. 27, 2016 - Good Shepherd, Richmond
• Mar. 19, 2016 - St. John's, Hopewell
• Apr. 23, 2016 - Hickory Neck, Toano
• May 21, 2016 - St. Christopher's, Portsmouth
• Jun. 18, 2016 - Good Shepherd, Norfolk
• Sep. 17, 2016 - Galilee, Virginia Beach
• Oct. 1, 2016 - St. Augustine's, Newport News

Latest issue of ECW Grapevine newsletter is here

The ECW Grapevine is a quarterly, print-ready newsletter with occasional special editions. The deadline for the next issue is Friday March 18.  Please help us with distribution via email or, printed copies for folks who don't have computers. If you have news you would like included in The Grapevine, or would like to be added to the email list, please contact Nancy Smith, nsmithwtr@aol.com. In this November 2015 issue you'll find:

• President's letter from Nancy Sands
• Getting to know Diocesan ECW Board members
• A real-life love story
• Women to Women update

Lost Boys Foundation: Volunteers needed

Outreach Africa: Lost Boys Foundation helps our Sudanese refugees (many of whom are now citizens) as advocates in the complexities of American life. It also raises money to help their younger relatives get an education in Kenya. Founder Julie Hill is in need of volunteers on the Peninsula to help with patient advocacy and with fair housing issues. Go to  http://lostboysUS.org to learn more about the Foundation and the Lost Boys or contact Julie at 757-749-3644 or julhill@cox.net to learn how you can help!

Robert B. Wynne elected to Board of Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services

Robert B. Wynne, an associate in the tax and employee benefits department at McGuireWoods LLP has been elected to the Board of Trustees of Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services. A native of Cary, North Carolina, Mr. Wynne received his Bachelor of Arts from Sewanee: The University of the South, his Juris Doctor with Honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his Master of Laws in Taxation from the Georgetown University Law Center. Mr. Wynne and his wife Tsveti reside in Richmond, and he looks forward to his board service to an organization that helps children with mental health disorders.

Young Adult and Seminarian Grant Programs from United Thank Offering

Young Adult and Seminarian Grant Programs from the United Thank Offering are accepting applications. In addition to grant applications from Young Adults, the UTO Board has also created a process for seminarians to apply for UTO grants for projects either at their field education site or in their home diocese.

 

There are a couple of changes from last year for the Young Adult grants. Instead of awarding one per province, the Board will select the top ten applications to fund. A video is not required, but applicants are welcome to submit one if they feel so called. Young Adult grants are for projects led by people 21-30 not for projects to minister to that age group.

 

All of the applications are also available on the UTO website, www.unitedthankoffering.org. The deadline for applications is January 29 at 5 p.m. Eastern time.