A Women's Hózhó Center in Navajoland

By The Rev. Lauren McDonald, Addictions & Recovery Commission Co-Chair 

In late January, the Rev. Jan M. Brown and I answered an invitation from the bishop of Navajoland to travel to Farmington, New Mexico, to consult with the Episcopal Church in Navajoland (ECN) on creating a Women's Hózhó Center.

Hózhó is a Navajo word that is difficult to translate. Its meaning encompasses the concepts of living in balance, wholeness, wellness, beauty, harmony, goodness, and blessing. It's also used as a greeting. ECN is developing the Women's Hózhó Center to help women to heal from the disease of addiction, to live in balance, to set and achieve goals, to find their own voices and identity as Navajo women, and to discover sources of strength and spirituality. Using the experience we've gained leading the Women's Discovery Group at SpiritWorks, we spent the weekend in conversation with Navajo and non-Navajo clergy and laity in designing a Women's Wellness Weekend in March that will begin the programming for the Hózhó Center.

We also visited the mission church, St. Luke's in the Desert, while we were there and were humbled and delighted at the invitation to serve as celebrant and deacon that morning. Jan then facilitated a conversation at St. Luke's annual meeting in which the atmosphere moved from one of gloom at the potential of closing, to one of renewed hope and commitment to restoration and recovery. We were honored and privileged to be invited to walk alongside the Navajo people on their journey toward wholeness.

The Episcopal Church in Navajoland covers territory in New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. The unemployment rate on the reservation is 50% and the poverty rate is 38%. Alcoholism and addiction continue to be a challenge, with many women, especially, dying from cirrhosis of the liver. Conditions are harsh; resources are few. And yet, in our visit we saw great hope. Several of the Navajo people have attended Episcopal seminaries and are being ordained as deacons and priests. They are working to integrate Navajo culture with their Episcopal faith. They have begun developing social enterprises like the Blue Corn Project, the Bees and Honey Project, and the ShiMa' handmade soap project. They have also developed a group of coders and another group whose expertise is web and graphic design. They welcome mission teams from across the country who come to work alongside them and learn from them. They are eager to develop an ECW for their mission diocese as well as continuing to build programming for youth.

If you are interested in learning more about our work with the Navajo people, please contact Lauren McDonald, lmcdonald@brutonparish.org, or Jan Brown, jbrown@brutonparish.org. We invite you to keep the people of Navajoland in your prayers.

Church Facilities Management: A Stewardship Imperative

At this two-hour seminar you will be presented with data on facilities maintenance and costs affecting all houses of worship in Virginia. Most importantly, we will share industry standards and benchmarks that will empower you to deliver a strong and compelling case to any Vestry. We will share 8 strategies on how to recapture costs, many of which require no or little capital investment. Some of the topics to be presented include:

• Current Replacement Value (CRV)
• Maintenance Costs
• Costs of Utilities; Janitorial
• "Green" Sustainable facilities is NOT a Fad
• Preventive Maintenance

Led by Henry Conde, parish administrator at Galilee, Virginia Beach. Seminar is free, but we ask that you register in advance so we can plan appropriately.

• Click here to register for March 29, 9-11 a.m., at Ascension, Norfolk.
• Click here to register for March 30, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at St. John's, Chester.

Stewardship Commission invites you for conversation

The Stewardship Commission invites you to join them for informal gatherings for parish stewardship lay leaders to share successes and challenges with parish giving programs. All gatherings begin at 10 a.m. The schedule for the first quarter of 2017 is:

• March 18 - St. Matthias, Midlothian
• March 18 - Old Donation, Virginia Beach
• March 25 - St. George's, Pungoteague
• March 25 - Good Shepherd, Norfolk

Visit the Stewardship Commission web page - www.diosova.org/stewardship - for numerous resources - including year-round stewardship, planned giving, care of creation and more. 

9th annual James Solomon Russell celebration

The 9th annual celebration of the Feast Day of Archdeacon James Solomon Russell will be held on Sunday, March 26, at 4 p.m. at St. Stephen's, Petersburg. The speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Grady W. Powell. The offering will go to the new James Solomon Russell-Saint Paul's College Museum and Archives.

For information please contact James Grimstead at 434-848-2173 or gsmus@aol.com, or the Rev. Willis Foster at 804-733-6228. St. Stephen's is located at 228 Halifax Street, Petersburg, VA. 

Cursillo: Tidewater Ultreya on March 10

Please join us for the March Ultreya hosted by Ascension Episcopal Church (405 Talbot Hall Rd., Norfolk, VA 23505.) We will gather at 7 p.m. on March 10 to sing, group, enjoy a witness talk, and close with Compline. Musicians bring your guitars and share your gift, leading us in song and melody. A snack or drink would be appreciated after the Ultreya. Please note that the potluck dinner has been cancelled. If child care is needed, please call Nancy Comfort 757-480-0316. For more information about Cursillo and Ultreya, go to www.cursillodiosova.org.  

Cursillo #162 Co-Ed Weekend
Cursillo #162 will be held April 27-30 at Chanco on the James. Rector: Gerry Lopez of Grace Church, Yorktown. To apply to be a candidate or a team member go to www.cursillodiosova.org or contact Gerry at gerrylopez@cox.net.

Valentines for Boys Home from St. John's, Hampton

On Valentine's Day, Boys Home has been blessed by the St. Anne's Guild at St. John's, Hampton, for the last few years. They make sure every boy and every staff member has a Valentine! We know it must take hours to put together these goodie bags for everyone at Boys Home and we're so thankful for the commitment they've made to make a difference in the lives of these young men. The boys love the candy, but they also love knowing that people are thinking of them on holidays. They always remember St. John's for giving them Valentines and are excited to receive them each year. Thank you, St. John's, for thinking of the boys and making Valentine's Day special at Boys Home!

Jackson-Feild improvements

Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services recently completed several improvements in three separate locations on the campus.

 

Built in 1825, the historic manor home called "Walnut Grove" needed a new front porch due to deterioration in the original wood. In addition, a wheel chair ramp was added to ensure that the facility is ADA-compliant.Two houses originally built as residences for staff members were given a fresh coat of paint and new back decks, and new light fixtures in preparation for an on-campus program that JFBHS will launch in April. Rogers and Marshall Cottages also saw updates with new vinyl flooring to replace the old carpeting. The bathrooms in the 1960s-built Rogers Cottage also received a facelift and remodeling.

 

This spring, JFBHS is looking fresher and brighter thanks to the work of Larry Pair and his maintenance staff.