The Name of Jesus

New Year's Day was the Eighth Day of Christmas. It was also the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, that day when we remember the naming of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Luke: "at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." (Luke 2:21). Our collect for that day reads:

 

Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

 

Notice that we are praying for God to plant within the hearts of everyone love for the name of Jesus. We are asking God to do the planting, which means that we acknowledge that God is the one who has the power to plant seeds of love and change within the heart of His creation. This is good news for Evangelism! Good news because our job is not to plant, but to nurture growth and then to harvest. Very often when we think of Evangelism we think that it is up to us to change the hearts of people and to persuade them to become Christians. We feel powerless to effect such change and then we feel guilty. Once the guilt sets in, it paralyzes us and we do nothing. And we miss where the true power lies: in the Name of Jesus.

 

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus tells his disciples that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few and says that we should pray for God to send workers into the harvest. Our job, as those who believe in the Name of Jesus, is to be ready and prepared to work the harvest. First Peter 3:15 tells us that we must always be prepared to give an account for the hope that is within us. Such preparation is actually a tool of the harvest. We must practice articulating why we believe that the Name of Jesus is the most powerful name on the Earth. If we don't engage in such preparation, we are like harvesters that go into the field without hoes or other tools of the harvest. We go into the field not expecting to bring in fruit.

 

How can we engage in preparation to make us ready to harvest that which God has planted in human hearts? We can engage in a disciplined life of prayer and Bible study. We can deliberately execute acts of kindness and justice. We can attend to our church community life faithfully. All of this prepares us to be harvesters of the fruits of the Name of Jesus. Sounds like some good New Year's resolutions doesn't it?

1. Read the Bible every day.
2. Start every morning with prayer - pray for others, pray for yourself, pray for the church, pray for the world.   Set an alarm on your phone and pause a few times a day to pray.
3. Do something every day for someone else as an act of kindness or charity (preferably anonymously)
4. Resolve to attend Church weekly.
5. Trust that God is planting Himself in everyone you meet and act accordingly.

As your Bishop-elect, I ask on New Year's Day - the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus -- to join with me in committing to do these things in 2020; and let's see what God plants and what kind of harvest we gather in the Diocese of Southern Virginia in 2020.

 

Blessings and Peace in Christ,

Susan+

2019 Seeds of Hope Grants awarded

Seeds of Hope Grants are diocesan grants available to congregations and groups to begin or expand ministries for social and economic justice causes as they relate to the Five Marks of Mission. 

  

Christ & St. Luke's, Norfolk

A Community Garden: Many Hands Make for Light Work. Grant will be used to purchase equipment for the garden which supplies the parish soup kitchen and local food bank.

 

Mission of the Holy Spirit, Norfolk

Bridging the Gaps. Grant will provide funds for facilitators, transportation, supplies and snacks for this educational program for Mission families.

 

St. Andrew's, Lawrenceville and St. Paul's, Lawrenceville

Seed & Feed Program and People in Need Program. Grant funds will fund a variety of educational programming for senior citizens, youth, dialysis patients and children being raised by single parents or grandparents. Grant will also provide funds for join program with Dept. of Social Services to assist with basic needs for residents of Brunswick County.

 

St. Andrew's, Norfolk

Mentally Healthy Norfolk Initiative: Stigma Free Campaign. Grant will fund production of brochures and posters, training expenses for identifying people in crisis, and re-design of program website.

 

St. James, Warfield

Senior Citizen Outreach Program. Grant will fund printing of program materials for participants and food for healthy lunches program.

 

St. Thomas, Freeman

Senior Pals Program and Youth Empowerment Project. Grant will fund presenters, food and supplies, transportation for cultural trips for programs serving the senior citizens and youth of the community.

Kairos Prison Ministry team forming

Kairos Prison Ministry shares the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to incarcerated men, women, youth and their families. Kairos sprang from the Cursillo movement and is supported by volunteers from the 4th Day movements such as Cursillo, National Episcopal Cursillo, Presbyterian Cursillo, Lutheran Via de Cristo, The Upper Room's Walk To Emmaus, and independently ecumenical Tres Dias, as well as by volunteers from independent and non-denominational churches. As a ministry, Kairos embraces a diverse group of volunteers working together to fulfill Christ's call to action in Matthew 25:36.

 

The team is forming now for KAIROS 18 at Sussex II State Prison which will be in April, 2020. If you would like to learn of the many opportunities to serve, or if you would like to have a presentation for your parish, please contact Lee Davis, cleedavis3@gmail.com or 757-679-3249.

Boys Home Christmas Tree Farm open for 26th season

Boys Home of Virginia is marking the Christmas season with the 26th year of harvest from its Christmas tree farm. The boys and staff work on the trees throughout the year to ensure they are ready when the Christmas season rolls around. The tree farm features family activities like choosing your own tree, refreshments and hot chocolate, a photo booth, a children's craft table, small petting zoo, and drawing to win a gift basket. The gift shop is decorated with traditional Christmas trimmings selling fresh garland, ornaments made by the students, a variety of Christmas items, as well as wreaths of various sizes.

The 2019 Boys Home Christmas Tree Farm season began Friday, November 29 and will extend to Saturday, December 21. The tree farm, located in West Augusta, is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Santa will visit our tree farm on Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8 and Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Be sure to stop in for pictures and hot chocolate with Santa! The tree farm is located off of Route 688 at 1118 Bear Wallow Flat in West Augusta, Va. For more information call 540-965-7700. You can also visit the Boys Home website at www.boyshomeofva.org/our-tree-farm

   

Clergy transitions

The Rev. Daniel Crockett conducted his final services at Hungars Parish, Machipongo, and Christ Church, Eastville, on November 24, 2019.

 

The Rev. Ross Wright will retire from Church of the Good Shepherd, Richmond, on January 5, 2020.

Ridley Scholarship applications due January 15

The Ridley Foundation board will meet in February to consider new applicants for the second semester. New applications and documents are due by January 15. Current recipients need to send their first semester transcript in order to receive the second half of their grant. Complete information about Ridley Scholarships is available here.  

Registration for 128th Annual Council is open

Registration for the 128th Annual Council is now open for attendees and exhibitors. Council will be held February 28-29, 2020 at the Williamsburg Lodge in Williamsburg, Virginia. Go to www.bit.ly/diosova128 for complete Council information, including registration and lodging.  

 

	The Very Rev. Cynthia Kittredge

Keynote Speaker 

The Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge, ThD, is our keynote speaker for this year's Council. She is dean and president of Seminary of the Southwest. The focus of Kittredge's leadership is the formation of Christian leaders in community for the vitality of the church and to advance God's mission of reconciliation. Read more here.  

 

Nominations for Elections at Council

The following elections will take place at Annual Council: Standing Committee (one lay and one clergy); Disciplinary Board (two lay and one clergy); Provincial Synod (one lay), and General Convention 2021 (4 clergy deputies, 4 lay deputies. Note: Alternate deputies will be elected in 2021). More info and nomination form can be found here.  

 

Youth Delegation & Adult Advisors

Every year a special delegation of 12 youth in grades 9-12 are invited to attend Diocesan Council. This is an annual gathering of clergy and lay people from all over our diocese. This weekend is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the Episcopal Church, to find out more about the life of our diocese, to participate in and help to lead worship, to hear inspiring keynote speeches, to meet new friends, and to serve the church. Two adult leaders are selected to serve as advisors for the youth delegation to help them engage in and process Council. More info and application forms can be found here.  

 

Communicator Credentials

Church communicators are an integral part of connecting their Convocations and congregations with Council while it is in session and, afterward, through their reporting. Credentialed communicators (whether volunteers or church staff) have their registration fee waived. More info and application form can be found here.