RenewalWorks gathering: Leading for Discipleship

Leading for Discipleship: A Gathering for Leaders will be held September 30 - October 2, hosted by the Diocese of East Carolina and St. James Parish in Wilmington, NC. Leading for discipleship in Episcopal congregations can be challenging. It can feel lonely. With that in mind, we hope you will join us for a gathering of clergy and lay leaders, especially appropriate for those who have participated in the RenewalWorks process (a ministry of Forward Movement). We will come together for deeper learning about discipleship, as we support each other in the effort to build cultures of discipleship in Episcopal Church. Click here for details and registration. Registration closes Sept. 23.  

St. Mark's, Hampton, decides to leave their building

St. Mark's, Hampton, has made the decision to give up their building. The congregation has not made any decisions yet about their next steps, but St. John's, Hampton, has invited St. Mark's to use office and worship space at St. John's while they discern what the future holds for them.

 

Following a long period of study, prayer and discernment, St. Mark's vestry came to the conclusion that a continuing worship life for St. Mark's was unsustainable in their current building. At its meeting on June 18, the vestry decided to vacate the building. In a letter to the congregation, the Rev. Warren Hicks, St. Mark's rector, said of the vestry's decision that, "One of our guiding questions was, 'is the mission of the church to support the building or is the building to support the mission of the church?' Our answer is clearly the latter."

 

The last service St. Mark's will hold in the building at 2605 Cunningham Drive in Hampton will be on Sunday, July 21 at 9:30 a.m. Bishop Magness will deconsecrate the worship space on Thursday, June 25 at 7:30 p.m. 

 

St. Mark's was founded in 1963 as a mission of St. John's, Hampton, to serve the growing population of northwestern Hampton. St. Mark's has had a long commitment to radical hospitality and intentional welcoming. They continue to be a diverse community which welcomes individual differences and creativity. St. Mark's was the first church in the Diocese of Southern Virginia to affiliate with Integrity, an organization dedicated to affirming and encouraging the full participation of LGBTQ folk in the life of the church.

Bishop's Blog: A new vision

Bishop Magness has a new post on his blog - A new vision. "...it is clear to me that our older management style of status quo maintenance will not serve the leaders (either lay or ordained) within our congregations." Click here to read his latest post.

Singers needed for massed choir for Consecration service

Calling singers from across the Diocese to join the massed choir that will provide music for the Consecration of the next Bishop of Southern Virginia.  The Consecration service is set for Saturday, February 1, 2020 (time: 12 or 1 p.m.) at St. Bede Catholic Church in Williamsburg. All singers must attend one rehearsal in January 2020, as well as the morning rehearsal before the service. Exact rehearsal times and locations will be announced in the fall. 

Summer issue of The Grapevine ECW newsletter available

The Summer 2019 edition of The Grapevine, the newsletter of the diocesan ECW, is now available on our website here.  

The Grapevine is a quarterly print-ready newsletter available for individuals and churches to receive via email. You can sign up to receive The Grapevine by entering your email in the "Sign up to receive news" box at www.diosova.org.

 

If you have news you would like included in The Grapevine, contact Vicky Koch, vkoch@stpaulsnorfolk.org.

 

Save the date! Harvest Hustle to benefit Boys Home

On Saturday, November 2, all are invited to participate in the Boys Home fall fundraiser, the Boys Home Harvest Hustle! The Harvest Hustle will take place at the Intervale Trailhead of the Jackson River Scenic Trail, in Covington, and this year the event has been expanded to include a fun run, 5K, 10K, and half-marathon. All events start and end at the trailhead, following a mostly flat, crushed-gravel surface along the scenic Jackson River. Participants will receive an event T-shirt and commemorative medal. Register early! Prices increase after September 30. Children under 10 are invited to run the 5K or 10K for free. For more information or to register, visit www.runforboyshome.org or call Colleen at 540-965-7703. 

Bishop Search News: Walk About dates and locations set

There will be four walk about opportunities around the Diocese. These open public forums with the nominees gives everyone a chance to meet them, ask questions of them and hear their responses.

 

Thursday, September 5 at 7:00 pm at Hungars Parish, Eastern Shore 

10107 Bayside Road, Machipongo

 

Friday, September 6 at 7:00 pm at Galilee, Virginia Beach  

3928 Pacific Avenue, Virginia Beach

(will be available live and on-demand on the diocesan website) 

 

Saturday, September 7 at 1:00 pm at Chanco on the James 

394 Floods Drive, Spring Grove

 

Sunday, September 8 at 3:00 pm at Johns Memorial, Farmville 

400 High Street, Farmville

 

Bishop Election 

Election of the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Southern Virginia. Election will be held Saturday, September 21, 2019 at Dinwiddie High School, 11501 Boisseau Road in Dinwiddie. 9:00 a.m. check-in. 10:00 a.m. Eucharist with election following.

 

Consecration Service

Consecration of the 11th Bishop Of the Diocese of Southern Virginia will be held February 1, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., the Most Reverend Michael Curry presiding. Service will be held at St. Bede Catholic Church, 3686 Ironbound Road, Williamsburg. Reception following the service in Kaplan Parish Hall. Information regarding parking will follow at a later date. 

Consecration can be viewed live and on-demand on the diocesan website.