27 parishes represented at Blackstone Weekend

March 23-25, youth in grades 8-12 from around our diocese gathered for Blackstone 2012: Episcopal 101. 27 parishes were represented at the weekend. Designed by the EYC Board, the weekend offered reflections on what it means to be an Episcopalian, small group conversation, variety in worship, including an Agape Meal and Eucharist, workshops, a dance, and much more. 

Congratulations to our newly elected EYC Board 2012-2013: Meredith Allen, All Saints South Hill

Sandy Brothers, St. Matthias Midlothian

Erica Cooke, Emmanuel Virginia Beach

Molly Golski, St. Andrew's Norfolk

Chris Gregg, St. John's Portsmouth

Jeremiah Hoyt, St. David's Chesterfield

Lauren Jones, St. Aidan's Virginia Beach

Carson Merritt, St. Andrew's Norfolk

Nick Sarandria, St. John's Portsmouth

Holly Waide, St. Aidan's Virginia Beach (EYC Board President)

Matt Wheeler, Ascension Norfolk

Torin Wright, Emmanuel Virginia Beach

News from Mission of the Holy Spirit

The Mission of the Holy Spirit invites you to their "Get Fit Spring Fling" Health Fair on Saturday, April 14, noon to 4 p.m. at St. Stephen's, Norfolk. The health fair is organized by nursing students from Old Dominion University and partially funded by a diocesan Seeds of Hope Grant. It will include health screenings and information, food, and fun for the kids too. Click here for more information. Get all the latest Mission news in their Spring newsletter. Be sure to mark your calendar for the first annual Mission of the Holy Spirit Celebration Dinner on Saturday, June 9 at Old Donation, Virginia Beach. The evening will honor the Revs. Bev and Julia Tucker and the Rev. Bill Starkey. More information is available in the Spring newsletter.

Check out Chanco at their Open House events

Camp registrations are flowing!  Chanco is currently ahead of last year's to date registration numbers, so don't wait!  Register today for the session of your choice! Haven't been to Chanco before and want to know more?  Never fear! Chanco has two open house dates this spring where you can tour the camp, meet the camp director and other staff, enjoy refreshments, and see a video. You will also be able to fly along one of our zip lines to see the camp in a whole new way while getting a taste of the fun that awaits you at Chanco on the James summer camp 2012!  Open house dates are April 15th and April 29th from 11 am to 5 pm. Click here for a flier with more information on our summer camp sessions. Visit our website for more information or easy on line registration at www.chanco.org .  Any questions?  Contact Camp Director Jim Sitzler at 1-757-294-3012 or at director@chanco.org.  We look forward to seeing you soon at Chanco on the James!  

You can check out Camp Chanco on YouTube - click here!

Bishop Vache Scholarship applications now being accepted

The Bishop Vaché Scholarships provide funds to assist low-income and minority college students in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia. First-year students as well as returning college students are welcome to apply. Scholarship awards range from $1000-$5000 per academic year. Applications must be postmarked by June 30, 2012. Notifications will go out by July 15, 2012 and awards will be made by August 1, 2012. Click here for application.

Seeds of Hope Grant applications now being accepted

Seeds of Hope Grants are available to congregations and diocesan for social justice ministries. The Seeds of Hope Grants came from the diocese's Second Century "Feed My Sheep" campaign conducted fifteen years ago.  Grants of up to $2500 must support the development of new programs or support the expansion of social justice ministries that are already in action within congregations of the diocese. Requests that do not meet these criteria will not be considered. Applications and more information can be found on the website. Grant applications are due August 1, 2012, and if approved, will be distributed in November 2012. All grants must be used by June 30, 2013, with a report due back to the diocese, including pictures if possible, describing the results of the grant. If you have any questions, please contact The Rev. Canon Jeunée Cunningham, JCunningham@diosova.org, 434-603-1782.

CE-Net invites you to join them for "Changing Trends in Christian Formation"

CE-NET (Christian Educators Network) invites you to attend their Tuesday, April 17 gathering at Hickory Neck, Toano, from 12:00 to 2:30. Dr. Lisa Kimball, Ph.D., Director of the Center for the Ministry of Teaching and Professor of Christian Formation and Congregational Leadership at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria will be our featured guest speaker. She will be sharing her insights about the Changing Trends in Christian Formation. Lisa is passionate about building a healthy Church and equipping people of all ages with genuine Christian faith. She pays close attention to trends in American religious life, current research in human development, demographic changes, and popular culture to understand the spiritual hunger of our time and to identify effective models of Christian formation in diverse contexts. Lisa enjoys working with church leaders to address ministry challenges and imagine innovative responses. Lunch will be provided for $7.00 per person. Click here to register. If you have questions or require additional information please contact Lynn Farlin 757-423-6715 or Harper Lewis at 757-595-0371. Directions to Hickory Neck Episcopal Church can be found here. 

SCLM issues report on blessing of same-gender unions

The Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) of the Episcopal Church has forwarded to the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies excerpts from its report, "I Will Bless You, and You Will Be a Blessing": Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships.The report, nearly three years in the making, was prepared by the SCLM in compliance 2009-C056, "Liturgies for Blessings,"  a resolution  approved by the General Convention (GC) of the Episcopal Church in 2009 which directed the SCLM to collect and develop theological and liturgical resources for the blessing of same-gender relationships through an open process. Excerpts from the report are being made available for discussion at the upcoming House of Bishops (HOB) meeting in March. Members of the House of Deputies (HOD) will discuss the excerpts in the online forum on the website of Bonnie Anderson, HOD President, http://houseofdeputies.org/deputy-online-forum/.  The discussion on the Deputy Online Forum will take place March 16-23 and is available to the public for viewing. In addition, excerpts are also being made available to the wider church on Anderson's website:http://houseofdeputies.org/blessingexcerpts.  

"Since 2009, the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music has consulted widely throughout the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion," said the Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers, Hodges-Haynes Professor of Liturgics at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and chair of the SCLM. "Providing our report to the church's two legislative houses, the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, is the next step in our open process. We look forward to their discussions and to presenting our report to General Convention in July." 

The excerpts released March 8 include a theological reflection on blessing same-gender relationships, a proposed liturgical rite, and the legislative resolutions that the SCLM will recommend to GC12 in Indianapolis July 5-12.