Latino Ministries enters a new era

Signaling a clear commitment to the growth of Latino ministries in our diocese, the Executive Board recently approved calling Angelica Garcia-Randle to a part-time, contracted position as Latino Ministries Coordinator for the Eastern Shore. The move represents a critical step toward strengthening Latino ministries throughout Southern Virginia by capitalizing on efforts already underway on the Eastern Shore. The Mission Network and Congregational Vitality ministries, under the direction of Bishop Hollerith, are seeking to develop ministry with the growing Latino population in Southern Virginia.

Ms. Garcia-Randle is a native of Los Angeles, CA and the daughter of immigrants to the United States. Her mother emigrated from El Salvador and her father comes from a small village in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. Angelica, who is fluent in written and spoken Spanish, moved to Virginia from Southern California in 2011 when her husband, The Rev. Cameron Randle, was called as rector of St. James, Accomac and St. George’s, Pungoteague. Together, the Garcia-Randles have pioneered Latino and Food Justice ministries in Southern Virginia.

Angelica is Director of Dos Santos Food Pantry, a ministry of the churches of St. George’s Parish. Dos Santos (two saints) is a partner agency of the Foodbank of Southeast Virginia and the Eastern Shore and the only Spanish-speaking pantry in the region. The outreach serves a sizable migrant farmworker and Latino immigrant community by providing staple foods such as corn flour for tortillas, rice, beans, poultry and fresh

vegetables, along with clothing and personal hygiene items.

In the past year, Dos Santos has expanded to include an organic community garden to help supply the pantry and a vibrant new tutoring program for children of Latino immigrant parents in two key Accomack County public elementary schools. A mobile version of the pantry also distributes food and other necessities in trailer parks and migrant camps.

A marketing professional with photography and graphic design experience, Angelica has studied at the Paeir College of Art in Hamden, CT and The Rhode Island School of Design. She is presently working toward a degree in Applied Design with a concentration in Photography at The University of Maryland, Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, MD. She is a liaison to the Migrant Services Council of the Eastern Shore and has served on the board of Boys & Girls Club (Eastern Shore Unit), United Way and Una Familia, a tutoring program of the United Methodist Church in partnership with Dos Santos tutoring.

“I am honored to be able to help people in need and to contribute to cultural awareness on a broader level,” she explains.

In her new diocesan role, Angelica will make available resources and information for parishes and parish leaders drawn to establishing or cultivating Latino ministries. This includes cultural education and information exchange across the diocese through workshops, site visits, etc. A seven-member Advisory Board for Episcopal Latino Ministries was recently formed to provide oversight and create benchmarks and goals for the venture.

“Latino ministry has been part of Bishop Hollerith’s vision since the beginning of his episcopate, and the Eastern Shore, with the largest percentage of Latino population is the logical place to begin our concentrated efforts,” said the Rev. Canon Jeunee Godsey, Diocese of Southern Virginia’s Canon for Congregational Development.  “Angelica’s work incorporates what we learned through the Hispanic Ministry Conference last spring, and I believe we will see much spiritual fruit from this investment of our Mission and Ministry grant funds to support this venture. Our diocese is blessed to have Angelica offer her skills, gifts, and experience not only to grow the Latino ministry on the Eastern Shore, but also to serve as a resource to explore and expand Latino ministries throughout the diocese.”

Pre-Council Convocation Meetings

Location, date and time of each Pre-Council Convocation meeting will be posted on the Annual Council page of our website as they are received.

Convocation 1 - Sunday, January 17, 5 pm at St. James', Accomac

Convocation 2 - TBA

Convocation 3 - Sunday, January 31, 2 pm at St. Andrew's, Norfolk

Convocation 4 - Wednesday, January 27, 7 pm at St. Paul's, Suffolk

Convocation 5 - Wednesday, January 20, 7 pm at Bruton, Williamsburg

Convocation 6 - TBA

Convocation 7 - Wednesday, January 20, 7 pm at St. David's, North Chesterfield

Convocation 8 - TBA

Convocation 9 - TBA

Registration open for Happening #64

Happening is an experiential weekend retreat developed by teens for teens. Come and see what it's like to be transformed by God's love!

Happening #64 will be March 11-13 at Chanco on the James. It is open to all youth in grades 10-12 and adults who have never attended a Happening program. Cost to attend is $165. Please register no later than Friday, Feb. 26 so we can prepare for you.

Click here for more information and registration.

Save a date: 2016 Vestry Training Days

Healthy, skilled vestries who understand their role in the life of the church and their relationship to the clergy and congregation are essential in creating and maintaining vital congregations.  

 

These workshops are designed for all vestry members, and will include: Presentations on the role and duties of the vestry; Best practices; Opportunities to have conversations with other vestry members; Discussion of common challenges that vestries face.

 

In 2016, we will be hosting three events:

• February 13 at St. John's, Halifax - Anyone is welcome, but this will be focused on the churches of Convocations 8 & 9, as their context is somewhat different from parishes in other parts of our diocese.
• February 20 at Good Shepherd, Norfolk
• February 27 at St. David's, Chesterfield - At this session there will be a concurrent workshop for new senior wardens with the Bishop.

Further details and registration will follow in January, but please save one of these dates to join us, along with your fellow vestry members. Spread the word!

 

Radical Sending: Go to Love and Serve

As congregations explore their emerging visions, they need support in "equipping the saints" for their day-to-day lives and ministries beyond the doors of the building. The Dismissal - "go in peace, to love and serve the Lord" - becomes as important as the Eucharist in feeding the people for the journey. But churches often fail to focus on this baptismal calling to "go" into the worlds of work, family, and community. This book fills that void, focusing on how the baptized become "go-ers," providing practical and tested ways of fulfilling that calling.

 

* Core resource for discernment in living out baptismal promises
* Empowers the laity for their ministries beyond the church doors
* Study questions for small group discussion or individual reflection concludes each chapter.

 

Radical Sending: Go to Love and Serve builds on and complements the work of Stephanie Spellers' Radical Welcome, which called congregations to move beyond diversity and inclusion to be places where the transforming gifts, voices, and power of marginalized cultures and groups bring new life to the mainline church. Each chapter is followed by discussion questions for use with small groups or for personal reflection.

 

Author Fletcher Lowe has been a parish priest for 37 years and has served parishes in the Dioceses of Southern Virginia and Virginia. He has a passion for empowering the laity for their ministries in daily life. He is the co-editor of Ministry in Daily Life, Living the Baptismal Covenant and he compiled Baptism: the Event and the Adventure. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.

First Holiday Lock-In at Chanco a great success

Last weekend, 35 registrants participated in the first ever Holiday Lock-In for teens in grades 6-12 at Chanco. Beginning with icebreakers, followed by Eucharist, and finally a massive dance party on Friday night, the weekend continued with more games, discussions, worship and outdoor recreation on Saturday. Teens brought their sleeping bags and camped out overnight in Conference Rooms C and D. The fee to attend was just $15 along with a donation of canned goods. The donations from the youth were generous and will go to support the food pantry at St. Paul's, Newport News. We were blessed mild and sunny weather for the event, so we were able to enjoy a little gaga and a walk down to the dock. Initial feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, and they all said they would like to see us host more of these relaxed, affordable, short-term programs. So be on the lookout for another lock-in soon!

Registration open for 124th Annual Council, Feb 5-6, 2016

Continuing the Sacred Conversation:Racial Justice and the Role of the Church

Registration is now open for the 124th Annual Council of the Diocese of Southern Virginia, February 5-6, 2016 at the Williamsburg Lodge Convention Center.

Our keynote speaker this year is the Very Rev. Mike Kinman, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis, MO. Kinman will make two presentations, "#Ferguson Theology" and "Sacred Conversations About Race and Class, Power and Protest".

Preacher at the Council Eucharist will be The Rev. Canon Dr. Sandye A. Wilson, rector of St. Andrew and Holy Communion Episcopal Church in South Orange, New Jersey.

Click here for more information about Council, including registration and lodging, Youth Delegation application, Communicator Credentials, and nominations for elections.