27 Episcopalians ready to serve as missionaries through the Young Adult Service Corps

Twenty-seven young adults representing 21 Episcopal Church dioceses are serving as missionaries in the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) for the 2015-2016 term in locales throughout the Anglican Communion. Andy Russell, from Bruton Parish, Williamsburg, will be serving in the Diocese of Central Tanganyika, Tanzania. Andy will be in Dodoma, Tanzania with The Carpenter's Kids program, which provides education to children who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. There are an estimated 40,000 of these orphans within the diocese.  

"This year we witnessed the largest group ever of applications for positions as YASC missionaries," said Bishop Stacy Sauls, Chief Operating Officer.   "A record 45 applications from 27 dioceses across all nine provinces in the Church were reviewed.  Of those, more than half have discerned to serve as YASC missionaries. We are proud of our YASC missionaries and of this remarkable achievement."

YASC is a ministry of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society for Episcopal young adults, ages 21 to 30, who are interested in exploring their faith in new ways by living and serving in communities around the Anglican Communion.

  

Bishop Sauls noted that most of the YASC missionaries will provide ministry work in education, youth work, social services, community development, and agriculture. He noted that YASC missionaries will assist in expanding the relationship with the Mission to Seafarers, will support an existing diocese-to-diocese relationship (Virginia-Liverpool), and will support mission initiatives in the northern region of Haiti by partnering with Episcopal Volunteers in Mission who are serving in the area.

  

Each YASC missionary maintains a blog, detailing his/her service, reflections and adventures. Andy Russell's blog is Looking Out, Looking In: A Mission to Tanzania.  

Praying for the churches of Southern Virginia

As part of our liturgy at Annual Council 2015, each delegation wrote a prayer for their parish. We are sharing these prayers each week in the eNews so that we all can support one another in the upcoming year.

St. Martin's, Williamsburg

Gracious God, whose peace subdues every storm: give us calmness of heart that we may, with joyful expectation, see you at work in the world and join you as helping hands, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. George's, Newport News

Almighty God, you have called us to be your church and blessed our congregation with compassion for others, deep-seated faith, and a strong commitment to following you through good times and bad.  Help us to create a new vision and find new ways to be Church in northern Newport News, offering hope, help and hospitality to those inside and outside our doors.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen

Boys Home guides boys from challenging circumstances to develop their full potential

By Steve Hansen, Boys Home, Covington

Boys Home addresses the physical, academic, social, and spiritual needs of their residents. In a privately funded, faith-based, residential setting, they provide a stable environment, parallel parenting, and the opportunity to attend either public or their on-campus school. The Boys Home setting of 1,250 scenic acres in the Alleghany Highlands provides an ideal setting for growing boys to experience the simple gifts that living and playing in the outdoors bring.

A few quick facts about Boys Home of Virginia (also known as Boys Home Incorporated):

• Boys Home is an Episcopal Church ministry started in 1906 by the rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Covington, VA and incorporated in 1925 under the Diocese of Southern Virginia and the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia. The bishops of both dioceses continue to play an active role in the affairs of Boys Home.
• Boys Home is mission driven, not tuition driven. No boy is turned away from Boys Home because of financial reasons. Boys Home receives very little government funding; it is 97% privately funded. No diocese is responsible for our funding so we rely on donations from parishes and individuals and a modest amount of private grant funding.
• Boys Home employs a full-time, ordained Episcopal chaplain at its own expense. (Boys Home is currently in the search process for a replacement for their retired chaplain.)
• Boys Home residents come from many states besides Virginia. Currently they have residents from MD, OH, NJ, PA, FL, MO, CO, TN, and NY.

You are encouraged to check these sources of information on Boys Home: website; Facebook; Twitter. Of special interest, the Boys Home website has a number of church resources that can be downloaded here.

The Boys Home Mission Works! Program is a great opportunity for youth groups, women groups, or men groups. Info can be found in the "Spiritual Life" and "News" sections of the Boys Home website and throughout the Boys Home Facebook and Twitter postings.

Your prayers and donations for Boys Home are greatly appreciated by the boys and the staff!

Jackson-Feild annual fishing outing lures young anglers

On June 12, thirty-two residents and staff left campus bright and early to travel to Smithfield for a day of fishing. For many it was the first time they held a rod and reel in their hands, baited a hook and cast a line. Residents headed to their special fishing hole, and volunteers retrieved lines of out the trees and tall grass. When asked, they even removed the catch from the lines of squeamish fishers.

This annual fishing trip is a day that the boys and girls always enjoy, but "Hannah" was most the excited of them all. She landed the biggest fish of the day!

Don Lancaster, host of the radio show Fishing Tidewater, conducted a quick "Fishing 101" giving the boys and girls the benefit of his vast fishing knowledge. Old Point National Bank, longtime host of this event, provided the rods, reels, bait and tackle in addition to underwriting the cost of a cookout.

Praying for the churches of Southern Virginia

As part of our liturgy at Annual Council 2015, each delegation wrote a prayer for their parish. We are sharing these prayers each week in the eNews so that we all can support one another in the upcoming year.

Good Shepherd, McKenney

Gracious God, you have blessed our parish all these years. We ask your continued blessing and for your guidance in the coming year as we reach out and invite others, especially the young people around us, to join in worship each week and to become a part of our Christian community. We ask this through the Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. Thomas', Chesapeake

O God, who wonderfully created and yet more graciously gives care humanity over your creation: grant St. Thomas Episcopal Church the power to endeavor to strengthen our stewardship of your church; so that we may improve our ministries to those who are new among us, in need, and the young, all of this we ask in the name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

VTS opens Center for Liturgy and Music

Virginia Theological Seminary announces the opening of the Center for Liturgy and Music (CLM) at VTS. The Center exists to serve clergy and musicians by helping them to discover resources and to develop skills in liturgy, music and preaching.

"The future of the Episcopal Church in the U.S. depends on high quality liturgical and musical experience," said the Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D., dean and president of Virginia Theological Seminary. "Whether it's a big church or a small church, liturgy and music need to be done with care and attention. As a service to congregations, we are now offering a consultancy service and rich website resources to support liturgical and musical excellence."

The Center will provide information, instruction and inspiration that will create the desire in leaders to grow beyond their current capacity via:

*    A website providing quick access to resources (www.liturgyandmusic.com)
*    A "Dear Ambrose" column for questions
*    An electronic newsletter
*    Conferences and workshops in the field and on-site
*    Consultations with parishes either in person or via Skype
*    Links with other groups who seek to enhance music and liturgy, i.e. the Leadership Program for Musicians, North American Academy of Liturgy, the Mentoring Program of the Association of Anglican Musicians, Episcopal Preaching Foundation
*    Distance learning in partnership with the Leadership Program for Musicians
*    Presentations at diocesan conventions or other diocesan gatherings
*    Exposure to models of effective music and liturgy in diverse styles and languages
*    Master classes in preaching

For more information about the Center's offerings, please contact Ellen Johnston, program coordinator for the Center of Liturgy and Music, by phone at 703-461-1792 or by email at clm@vts.edu.

Jackson-Feild Homes' Gwaltney School holds its 18th commencement excercises

On June 5, three students at the Edna Hayden Gwaltney School received their high school diploma, and one received his GED certificate. Six students received their ServSafe food certificate and two their food occupation certificate of completion.

Dr. Bill Bowling, Director of Education, presided over the ceremony at the Golden Leaf Commons at the Southside Virginia Community College Emporia Campus. Mrs. Angela M. Carter was the commencement speaker.

Angela M. Carter, born and raised in Alberta, VA, is the author of a full-length poetry collection, Memory Chose a Woman's Body, a poetic journey and memoir that spotlights the effects of abuse, neglect and depression. An advocate of the healing ability of the arts, Mrs. Carter is a 2014 Pushcart Prize nominee, a nominee for the 2015 Virginia Library Literacy Award (poetry), a motivational speaker, an arts advocate, a painter and a photographer. Mrs. Carter lives in Harrisonburg with her husband, two children and a collection of pets.

Mrs. Carter - herself a victim of child abuse - shared her life story and spoke of her continuing struggle with mental illness. She urged the graduates to know that they are not alone in their daily struggles, and that they can make a difference in their lives. "Each new day is a new beginning. Don't give up. Don't convince yourself that you do not matter. And don't convince yourself that you cannot become the person you want to be, if you want to become someone new."

Over the last eighteen years, 149 students have graduated from the Gwaltney School with either a diploma or GED certificate. Each year, in honor and recognition of the student's work, an anonymous donor has provided a bouquet of roses for each girl, a wallet for each boy, and a gift card for each graduate.