Thank you for your support of Episcopal Relief & Development

The Rev. Keith Emerson; St. Paul's, Suffolk; Diocesan Episcopal Relief & Development Coordinator 

 

I am deeply grateful to the people and parishes of our diocese who have given money to Episcopal Relief & Development over the summer months (July-September). It has been a time of incredible need and we in the Diocese of Southern Virginia have responded generously. During this period, we made 555 contributions for a total of $112,144.37.

 

I am grateful for donations made by the following parishes and organizations:

 

Water & Sanitation and Hunger Food Security

Emmanuel, Franklin

St. John's, Hopewell

 

Sudan Relief Efforts

Bruton Parish, Williamsburg

 

Undesignated Gifts

Emmanuel, Hampton

Christ Church, Amelia Courthouse

St. Stephen's, Newport News

Church of the Advent, Norfolk                                                    

Christ and Grace, Petersburg

St. Luke's, Powhatan

All Saints', Virginia Beach

 

US Disaster/Hurricane Harvey Relief

Christ Church, Amelia Courthouse

St. Luke's, Blackstone

St. Mark's, Bracey

St. Thomas', Chesapeake

St. Matthew's, Chesterfield

St. Cecelia Guild, Eastville

Emmanuel, Hampton

St. Martha's Guild, Hopewell

Manakin, Midlothian

St. Andrew's, Newport News

St. Paul's, Norfolk

St. Michael's, North Chesterfield

Christ and Grace, Petersburg

St. Mark's, Suffolk

Old Donation, Virginia Beach

Emmanuel, Virginia Beach

Good Samaritan, Virginia Beach

Christ the King, Yorktown

 

Once again, thank you to everyone who has contributed. Together we are healing a hurting world.

October United Thank Offering donations bountiful

Ronda Toll; Christ the King, Tabb; Diocesan UTO Coordinator 

 

Donations to the United Thank Offering (UTO) collected during October ingatherings throughout the Diocese have been coming in at a swift and steady pace - what a blessing! Monies will be collected and sent for 2107 through December 10, 2017. Please send donations to Ronda Toll, Diocesan UTO Coordinator, at the following address: 42 Cherbourg Drive, Newport News, VA  23606.  

 

ECW Falls in Love with New UTO Prayer

The National UTO Board recently created a simple prayer (memorable and easy enough for children to recite) that can be said when making an offering in a Blue Box. This prayer, which will soon be featured on Blue Boxes, was shared by the Diocesan UTO Coordinator at the ECW Annual Fall Meeting on November 4. The reaction was immediate. The ECW loved it! Here's the new prayer: Almighty God, I give you praise for blessing me in many ways. Create in me a grateful heart and with this gift, a blessing start. Amen.

Administrators & Treasurers Lunch Group to meet in Newport News on Dec. 14

The Administrators & Treasurers Lunch Group will meet on Thursday, December 14 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at St. Stephen's, Newport News. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet with other parish administrators and treasurers to talk about common issues. Bring your own lunch. Beverages will be provided. There's no agenda for this gathering - just an opportunity to get together, share, encourage, support, and ask questions. RSVP the Diocesan Comptroller Judy Dobson, at jdobson@diosova.org or 757-213-3386. St. Stephen's is located at 372 Hiden Boulevard, Newport News. 

Advent resource for Preparing to Become the Beloved Community

A newly developed Advent resource is now available to help Episcopalians everywhere to take up Jesus' ministry of reconciliation and healing. Every congregation will soon receive in the mail Preparing to Become the Beloved Community, a multi-fold poster and resource pack with prayer, reflections and activities for each week of Advent. The resources can also be downloaded here. Preparing to Become the Beloved Community was developed by the Episcopal Church's Racial Reconciliation Team. The resources are designed for group use among all ages, including adult forums, Sunday school, women's and men's groups, Advent preparation, vestry meetings, and more. Click here for more information.

Bishop Magness speaks at retreat for combat vets

Bishop Magness was the keynote speaker at the closing ceremony for the Welcome Home Initiative retreat for combat zone veterans. During the ceremony, Bishop Magness presented the Rev. Nigel Mumford, retreat leader, with a Chaplain's (camoflage) stole.  

 

The Welcome Home Initiative program is an intense, focused three-day retreat for military veterans, and their spouses, who served their country in combat and may be suffering, in varying degrees, from post-traumatic stress. Click here to learn more.

Grants available from The Episcopal Church

Young Adult & Campus Ministries grant info available  

 

It's time to start the process of discerning whether to apply for a 2018 Young Adult and Campus Ministry Grants, which provide funding for dioceses, congregations, and community college/tribal college/university campuses for an Episcopal ministry (or ecumenical ministry with an Episcopal presence). The online application will open on January 2, 2018.  However, information is now available and a webinar has been slated to assist in discerning the application process. Click here to learn more. A one-hour webinar to discuss the grants process and answer any questions has been slated for webinar on Thursday, December 7 at 4 p.m. Space is limited. Register here.

 

Episcopal Evangelism grants available for local and regional efforts

 

The application process is now open for the new Episcopal Evangelism Grants Program, designed to fund local and regional evangelism efforts in the Episcopal Church. Episcopal institutions (congregations, dioceses, provinces, schools, monastic communities, Episcopal organizations and other Episcopal affiliated entities) are eligible to receive these funds. Regional collaborative partnerships with non-Episcopal entities are welcome, but an Episcopal entity must serve as the project leader, active manager, and reporting agent. Grants are available for up to $2,000 for an individual congregation and up to $8,000 for multi-church, diocesan and regional collaborations. Groups receiving funding are expected to make a significant financial contribution toward the project, as well. Click here for more information.

Presiding Bishop on Texas church shooting

Presiding Bishop Curry offered his comments during a visit to the Scottish Episcopal Church in Aberdeen, Scotland. Text is below. Click here to watch video.

 

I'm in Aberdeen, Scotland, where last night we had a service at St. Andrew's Cathedral, giving God thanks for the deep roots of the Episcopal Church here in the Scottish Episcopal Church. The Scottish Episcopal Church is indeed the mother church of the Episcopal Church, and we give thanks for the ties that bind us together.

 

But even as we gave thanks last evening, we received word that in Sutherland Springs, Texas, a gunman entered the First Baptist Church, and now some 26 people have been killed and many more wounded and afflicted. I offer this prayer for those who have died, for those who are suffering, for those who are still healing from physical wounds, and the emotional, spiritual and mental scars. As I pray and invite you to pray the prayer the Lord taught us. I invite you to pray that God's will might be done, that God might guide us to find a better way, to find concrete steps so that this kind of thing doesn't happen anymore. But above all, we pray for those who suffer and for those who have died. Will you pray with me?

 

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. The Lord bless you and keep you.  

 

The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give us all his peace this day and forevermore. Amen.