Church Leadership Conference 2018

The Church Leadership Conference 2018 will be held at Kanuga Conference Center March 2-4, 2018. This year's conference is "Equipped for Every Good Work: Practical Tools for Tough Times." Kanuga and the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) partner to offer practical tools for the challenges of congregational leadership. Speakers and presenters will address core needs in strategic planning, church leadership and finances. Click here for more info. 

 

The Church Leadership Conference is an annual gathering of vestry members and other congregational leaders for practical learning, reflection and formation. The conference is designed in partnership by the Episcopal Church Foundation and Kanuga, and the focus is to strengthen, equip and re-energize church leaders for church leadership and ministry. Each year the conference gathers expert speakers and workshop leaders from around the Episcopal Church, to teach, inspire, and share practical tools, ideas and resources. In 2018, there will be four specialized workshop tracks for participants to dig deeper into an area of their need. The tracks are: strategic leadership, financial planning, creative communications and a Spanish language track. 

Bishops' messages on Nevada, resources

Message from Bishop Hollerith: 

 

By now you have heard that the people of Las Vegas, Nevada, are suffering through a terrible tragedy - one that the news media is defining as the worst mass shooting in US history. Please pray for those who have died, those who mourn, and for healing of the injured. The Diocese of Nevada is offering its healing ministry to the many affected by this tragedy. Pray also for our nation, as we continue to be a country plagued by gun violence.

 

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and the Primates of the Anglican Communion prayed to honor the victims of the shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada:

 

Presiding Bishop Curry presented a video message here.  

We were greatly distressed to learn of the dreadful events in Las Vegas last night. The scale of the loss of life and the numbers of injured is truly shocking. We are sending our deepest condolences to you and to the people of your diocese - in particular, the people of Las Vegas.

We are praying for the families and friends of those who have died and for the many people who have been wounded. We remember, too, everyone else caught up in this tragedy - including the emergency services (first responders). We pray that the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ will be with the people of Las Vegas as they endure this trauma.

 

Bishops United Against Gun Violence 

Liturgical Resources from Bishops United Against Gun Violence

A Christian Response to Gun Violence, a ChurchNext resource for groups or individuals

A Lifting of Voices concert to benefit Boys Home

Boys Home of Virginia announces A Lifting of Voices, second annual celebration of uplifting a cappella music. The concert is free and includes four of the Richmond area's finest a cappella groups coming together to perform songs from across the musical spectrum. Every song has been selected to fill your heart and lift your spirit and all proceeds go to children who need our help at the Boys Home of Virginia. The concert will be held at the Robins Theatre at The Steward School in Richmond, Virginia on Sunday, October 29 at 3:15 p.m.

 

All successful men were once boys. But not all boys become successful men. That's why Boys Home of Virginia is so important. They provide care for boys aged six through eighteen who have encountered obstacles and need a second chance to succeed. Since 1906, the Boys Home mission has been to provide care and education to help boys develop physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. They operate with 97% private funds and no boy is turned away because of their family's inability to pay. As they grow, costs also rise and Boys Home must find more supporters like you to take part in raising successful young men.

 

To learn more or to reserve your seat today visit, www.liftingofvoices.org.  

Questions? Contact Lauren Ward at lward@boyshomeofva.org  or (540) 965-7714

Don't miss the October Lock-in at Chanco, Oct. 13-14

Join us for a lock in for all teens in grades 6-12 and their adult advisors. This event will include a campfire, icebreakers and games, camp activities, chapel and a fun, won't want to miss party! This is a great opportunity for all parishes to have an already planned for you EYC event.  Just bring your youth and show up! The lock-in is also the perfect time for camp friends to reunite and an opportunity to meet many new ones. Don't miss this fantastic fun fall youth event at Chanco! Ten percent of the proceeds for all diocesan fall youth events will be donated to help the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma through Episcopal Relief and Development. Questions? Contact Youth Missioner Ashley Scruggs at ascruggs@diosova.org or 757-213-3393.  Click here for more information and registration. We look forward to seeing you there!

A Word to the Church from the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops

The Episcopal Church's House of Bishops Gathered in Fairbanks, Alaska (Diocese of Alaska), September 21-26, 2017. The bishops came to Alaska to listen to the earth and its peoples as an act of prayer, solidarity and witness. Click here to read the bishops' message.

 

A Prayer for Our Time and for the Earth

Dear God, Creator of the earth, this sacred home we share; Give us new eyes to see the beauty all around and to protect the wonders of creation. Give us new arms to embrace the strangers among us and to know them as family. Give us new ears to hear and understand those who live off the land and to hear and understand those who extract its resources. Give us new hearts to recognize the brokenness in our communities and to heal the wounds we have inflicted. Give us new hands to serve the earth and its people and to shape beloved community. For you are the One who seeks the lost, binds our wounds and sets us free, and it is in the name of Jesus the Christ we pray. Amen.

Changes on the Jackson-Feild campus

For 162 years, Jackson-Feild has been helping children. Throughout every change in focus, Jackson-Feild has adapted and modified not only its programs, but its physical campus as well.

Over the summer, two one-time staff houses that had until recently been serving as classroom space for the Gwaltney School have been reconfigured to serve more children for a variety of treatment programs now and into the future. In order to replace this physical space as well as support the continuing needs of the Gwaltney School, an addition has been built onto the administration building providing two classrooms and a multipurpose room.

 

Families, placing agencies, donors, and the community can rest assured that Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services will continue to provide high quality evidence-based psychiatric, residential, educational and recovery treatment services for children who suffer from severe emotional trauma, mental illness and/or addiction.

Data from 2016 Parochial Reports available

The Rev. Canon Dr. Michael Barlowe, Executive Officer of General Convention, has announced that data from the 2016 Parochial Reports of the Episcopal Church is now available here. At the same time, he has released analysis of the data, available in a variety of ways available here. Canon Barlowe noted, "The 2016 data reflects a continuation of recent trends, although rates of decline in such key figures as Average Sunday Attendance have decreased." He also observed, "Overall, congregational income through pledges and other offerings has remained constant," even as overall number of congregants has decreased. Read more here.