Easter message from the Presiding Bishop

Rejoice, rejoice and sing, rejoice and be glad... for earth and heaven are joined and humanity is reconciled to God! (From the Exsultet, BCP, p. 286-287)

As the Lenten season ends in Easter rejoicing, note what has been wrought in you this year.  A remarkable cross-section of America has been practicing Lenten disciplines, even some who are not active Christians. There is a deep hunger in our collective psyche to re-orient our lives toward life and light, healing and peace. We share a holy hunger for clarity about what is good and life-giving, and we yearn to re-focus on what is most central and important in life.  

Easter celebrates the victory of light and life over darkness and death. God re-creates and redeems all life from dead, dry, and destroyed bones. We are released from the bonds of self-obsession, addiction, and whatever would steal away the radical freedom of God-with-us. Our lives re-center in what is most holy and creative, the new thing God is continually doing in our midst. Practicing vulnerability toward the need and hunger of others around us, we have cultivated compassionate hearts. We join in baptismal rebirth in the midst of Jesus' own passing-over.   

The wonder of the resurrection is upon us once more. May we embrace God's ever-new life with every cell of our being, every yearning of our soul, and every muscle of our will. Christ is risen, death is vanquished, humanity is restored to holy and creative relationship with God's ongoing and eternal liveliness. Praise God who brings light out of darkness, life out of death, and newness out of the stale and moribund. Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori

Message available on the web here. 

Have you "liked" us on Facebook?

Our diocesan Facebook page is getting lots of traffic these days. We now have over 800 followers. Are you one of them? If not, drop by  www.facebook.com/diosova and see what you're missing. In addition to advance notice of upcoming workshops and conferences, links to resources, and news from our churches, you can follow the adventures of diocesan Comptroller Nancy James and her dog Jake as they visit every church in Southern Virginia this year. On March 27,  you'll also be able to follow the community Stations of the Cross led by St. George's, Newport News, as it happens, 6 to 7:30 p.m. 

Registration open for Safe Church classroom training

Numerous Safe Church classroom training opportunities are now open for registration, including:

• April 27 at Holy Trinity, Onancock
• April 27 at Bruton Parish, Williamsburg
• July 27 at Christ & Grace, Petersburg
• August 10 at St. George's, Newport News
• August 17 at Epiphany, Danville
• September 21 at Grace, Norfolk

For a complete list of all Safe Church classroom training, go to the Workshops, Training & Events page of our website. 

Don't miss it! Register now for our 2nd Annual Stewardship Conference on June 8

Mark your calendar for our June 8 Stewardship Conference to be held at St. Martin's, Williamsburg. You said you wanted stewardship information for smaller churches and more about planned giving and we listened! Our two keynote speakers for this conference will be the Rev. Timothy Dombeck, Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of Arizona, speaking on Stewardship for Smaller Parishes, and Jim Murphy, Executive Program Director of Episcopal Church Foundation, who will address Planned Giving/endowments/legacies. Participants will also get to take part in hands-on breakout sessions. Click here for more information and online registration.

Financial & Administrative Best Practices Workshop

Join us on Tuesday, May 21 at Grace Church, Yorktown for a day designed especially for your church's financial and administrative personnel. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn, ask questions, share your experiences, and connect with your colleagues in other churches. Topics will include: employment issues, benefits, taxes, audits and internal controls, property insurance, and more. Registration fee $20 (includes lunch). Click here for more information and online registration.

Vice Chancellor Gordon Tayloe uses his new iPad in continued service to our Diocese

At our Annual Council in February, we recognized Gordon Tayloe for his many years of service as Diocesan Chancellor and, as a token of our appreciation, presented him with an iPad. In a note of thanks to Bishop Hollerith and our Diocese, Gordon said, "I was very much humbled by the reception of the Council and presentation of my iPad at the 121st Annual Council by you and on behalf of the Diocese. I had expected to be recognized, but I had no expectation of the warmth and extended ovation that was accorded me. Then topping it all off, the gifting to me of the iPad was overwhelming."

Gordon is continuing to serve as one of our Vice Chancellors and his new iPad is helping make that possible. After a few lessons with Communications Officer Ann Turner, Gordon is using the iPad to draft and edit legal documents and manage email correspondence, among other things.  

"I thank you and the many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ with which I have had the opportunity to be associated and to have served the last ten years. Despite some "maturity" issues, I very much look forward to continuing to serve in the future. Thank you again my Bishop and friend, the clergy and congregations of our Diocese for so graciously honoring me."

Save the date! Stewardship Conference on June 8

Mark your calendar for our June 8 Stewardship Conference to be held at St. Martin's, Williamsburg. You said you wanted stewardship information for smaller churches and more about planned giving and we listened! Our two keynote speakers for this conference will be the Rev. Timothy Dombeck, Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of Arizona, speaking on Stewardship for Smaller Parishes, and Jim Murphy, Executive Program Director of Episcopal Church Foundation, who will address Planned Giving/endowments/legacies. Participants will also get to take part in hands-on breakout sessions. More information and registration coming soon!