Growing in Grace Through Loss and Change: Six-week study beginning in January

Beginning in January 2021, a six-week Growing in Grace through Loss and Change program will be offered via Zoom. There will be two opportunities to participate in this study: 4 to 5:30 pm Sundays (January 31 through March 7) and 6 to 7:30 pm Thursdays (January 28 through March 4). For better or worse, change involves loss. We’re pretty good at celebrating adding things to our lives, and not so good at routinely cleansing, healing, or processing things when we experience change, particularly when it involves loss. The experience of life during COVID, the death of a beloved human or pet, change in job, home, school, partner, health or economic status all cause grief. Growing in Grace through Loss and Change provides simple action steps to become a cleansing/healing machine and live a lighter, happier life. This study will also give you new skills in responding to losses in others’ lives and can be the foundation or expansion of a healing ministry in your parish. Click here for more information and registration.

Episcopal Migration Ministries offers virtual Advent vigil this Sunday

Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), in partnership with the EMM Asylum Ministry Network and EMM Immigration Detention Ministry Network, will host a virtual Advent vigil on Sunday, December 13, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Advent vigil, available via Zoom and Facebook Live, will offer a time of prayer and reflection in a world being transformed by forced migration. Click here for more information.

Episcopal Relief & Development launches new online prayer experience

On November 30, Episcopal Relief & Development launched a new online prayer experience. It is designed to provide a curated list of prayers to guide supporters in praying for significant seasons in The Episcopal Church, disasters and other events. 

Content will come from The Book of Common Prayer, and other sources such as the organization’s Anglican partners, ecumenical friends, Seminary Ministry Partners, staff members, theologians and spiritual leaders. Initially, the prayers selected focus on all of those who were impacted by or responded to the record-breaking 2020 hurricane season. Future prayer experiences will expand to include prayers for liturgical seasons, other disasters, and Episcopal Relief & Development’s work with women, children and climate. The tool includes an “Amen” button at the end of each prayer which enables users to easily share the prayer with friends and family on either Facebook or Twitter.

Visit the main prayer hub at episcopalrelief.org/letuspray to learn more.

Employment opportunities

Part-Time AV/IT Technician

St. Andrew’s, Newport News, seeks a part-time AV/IT Technician to support the ministry and mission of the church by overseeing and coordinating all aspects of audio-visual production and information technology. To learn more about us, please visit: www.standrews-episcopal.org. Click here for job description and application information.

Data Entry 

 

The Diocese of Southern Virginia is accepting applications for a part-time Data Entry position. Click here for a position description. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to Lynn Farlin, Canon for Formation, at lfarlin@diosova.org or 11827 Canon Blvd., Suite 101, Newport News, VA 23606.

The Godspeed Project at Jackson-Feild

A resident at Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services (JFBHS) confided to Chaplain Robin Moore that prior to her placement she had no home and no place to sleep. The girl’s plight touched Moore’s heart and motivated her to act.

The Godspeed Project originated as a partnership between the Spiritual Care Program at JFBHS and Carson United Methodist Church in which the Women’s group graciously made and donated thirty pillowcases. Each pillowcase is unique and stitched with love; perhaps these ladies were thinking of their own children/grandchildren when they worked on putting the pillow cases together. The project seeks to supply each resident with a new handmade pillowcase to keep and take with them as they move on to the next place they will lay their head.

 

The Godspeed Project also includes an effort to partner with churches throughout the Greensville region to collect new, unused hard-sided suitcases to be offered to residents upon discharge so that they can pack their belongings instead of putting them into a trash bag, as is the case with so many youth.

 

Pillowcases and suitcases might seem insignificant, but they provide a sense of normalcy to those receiving and using them. They are tangible reminders to the youth that they are valued as human beings and will not be forgotten as they move on in their lives.

 

JFBHS welcomes churches and parishes to join in the Godspeed Project. If your church would like to help, please contact the Rev. Dr. Robin Moore at rmoore@jacksonfeild.org or 434-594-7909.

A word from Bishop Susan's Medical Advisory Team

As you know, Bishop Susan and Canon Roy Hoffman meet weekly with a team of doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants and an attorney to look at COVID case occurrences in the Diocese of Southern Virginia. The medical advisory team strongly recommends that parish leadership monitor metrics through the Virginia Department of Health paying special attention to percent positivity and 14-day trends. If percent positivity approaches 8% and case trends are increasing, parishes should consider ceasing in-person worship and return to virtual worship only. If percent positivity is 10% or above, in-person worship should not occur. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Diocesan Office.

New resources: Advent, Christmas and more

 Advent Resources:

• Ten Advent Resources for 2020
• Episcopal Church Advent & Christmas Resources
• Becoming Beloved Community
• Advent Candle Lighting Litanies

Congregational Vitality Assessment

Thanks to a partnership between Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) and Faith X congregations can take advantage of a free assessment tool to measure vitality (health) and sustainability (people, tools, funds needed to survive). There are several ways that the tool can be administered to gather the data. Visit www.episcopalfoundation.org/cva to learn more.

Creation Care

What’s your carbon footprint? Thanks to the Diocese of California you have access to a web based tool to help you measure your carbon footprint and take steps to improve for a more sustainable life for all. Visit www.sustainislandhome.org/ to get started and take the “WeRenew” challenge.

New Additions to the Diocesan Library

Here are some new additions to the Diocesan Library. If you wish to borrow any of the titles contact Lynn Farlin at lfarlin@diosova.org

• Dialogues On Race (DVD, Facilitator Guide and Participant Book) - Published by Sparkhouse the resource is structured to be completed in seven 1-hour segments.
• Dialogues On The Refugee Crisis (DVD, Facilitator Guide and Participant Book) - Published by Sparkhouse the resource is structured to be completed in seven 1-hour segments.
• Who Is My Neighbor: Refugees In America, (DVD) a 56 minute documentary that explores the refugee crisis and how it impacts churches, local communities, and the United States.
• White Savior: Racism in the American Church, (DVD) a 62 minute documentary that “explores the historic relationship between racism and American Christianity”.