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Mayo House to Close During UCI Bike Races in Richmond
But Staff Is Still 'Open for Business'
The city of Richmond will host the UCI Road World Championship from Saturday, Sept. 19, to Sunday, Sept. 27.

The bike race will cause major traffic disruptions and many employers and businesses along the race route will be closing their doors. That includes Mayo House, since we will be in the thick of the race. The diocesan staff will be working from remote locations during the week of September 21, and will be available to respond to your questions and needs.

Karen Smith, the "Voice of the Diocese," will continue to operate the Mayo House switchboard (from a remote location), and the rest of the staff will be checking their voicemails regularly during the week. So please do not hesitate to call us or email us during the week.
Need to Know
Installation of the 27th Presiding Bishop: Ticket details for two events
The Union of Black Episcopalians invites
you to a celebration in honor of the installation of The Rt. Rev. Michael Bruce Curry as the first African American Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church on Oct. 31 at the D.C. Armory. For details and to sign up for a free ticket, click here.

The Holy Eucharist with the Installation of the 27th Presiding Bishop will occur on Sunday, November 1 at 12 p.m. at Washington National Cathedral. Applications for tickets for available seating are available by lottery. Sign-up for lottery here. Applications will be accepted until 5 pm Eastern on Monday, Sept. 21. 

Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Exhibit to Open at Mayo House

An exhibit featuring the history of The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) will open at Mayo House on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 4:00 p.m. The exhibit is just one of the events commemorating the 125th Anniversary of the ECW in the Diocese of Virginia. Other events include the Fall Meeting on Oct.15. The meeting will include fun, food, fellowship, education and celebration. Free child care will be provided for children of all ages. Registration will be available this week.

Survival Skills for Lay Professional Training 

The Diocese of Virginia office for congregational development, in collaboration with the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care, has developed a training program designed to help lay professionals navigate the complex, shifting demands of their jobs in healthy ways. Survival Skills for Lay Professionals will address handling crises, negotiating healthy boundaries, dealing with difficult people and practicing self care.

Faculty for the training will be Dr. Doug Thorpe, executive director of VIPCare, and Julie Simonton, officer for congregational development and stewardship.
  
The workshop is from 9:30 - 1:30 and includes a working lunch. 

Dates include:
  • Oct. 8, St. Paul's, Miller's Tavern
  • Nov. 4, The Falls Church, Falls Church
  • Charlottesville training dates TBD

Learn more and register. 

Presiding Bishop's Statement on Syrian Refugee Crisis
"The children of Abraham have ever been reminded to care for the widow and orphan and the sojourner in their midst, who were the refugees and homeless of the time. Jesus charged his followers to care for the least of these and proclaim the near presence of the Reign of God - in other words, feed the hungry, water the thirsty, house the homeless, heal the sick, and liberate the captives. We cannot ignore the massive human suffering in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, nor in Asia and the Americas. We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, and our lives are bound up with theirs. The churchwide ministry of Episcopalians has included refugee resettlement since the refugee crisis of World War II.  It continues today through the leadership of Episcopal Migration Ministries, and I urge your involvement, action, and support."
 
Bishop's Fall Clergy Retreat "Come and See", Oct. 19-21, Shrine Mont
This year's Fall Clergy Retreat will feature Patricia A. Parachini, SNJM, D.Min., a pastoral theologian, educator and spiritual director. In a ministry spanning more than 40 years, she has written extensively on preaching, liturgy, and spirituality, led retreats in national and international settings, and is currently affiliate faculty at Loyola University, Maryland, and The Catholic University of America.  Pat will guide us "to more deeply appropriate gospel spirituality and develop a personal plan for following the Way of Jesus." Read Bishop Susan Goff's letter of invitation. Registration will go live Thursday, Sept. 1.
Stewardship Workshops
Oct. 17, St. Peter's in the Woods, Fairfax Station
9:30 a.m. - 12: 00 p.m. - Capital Campaigns
Is your church talking about a capital campaign? Do you need more information about what's involved? Deal Tompkins will provide a workshop on Oct. 17 from 9:30a.m. - 12 p.m. at St. Peter's in the Woods, Fairfax Station. For a full explanation of stewardship workshops, visit the   Stewardship and Generosity page on the diocesan website.  Register today! 
Wild Longing: A Contemplative Prayer Group
This fall you are invited to deepen your prayerful experience of God's abiding presence in your life through a variety of contemplative prayer practices. We will learn how to make ourselves more fully available to God through sound, silence, image, intercession, scripture, and creation. This group will start with an opening retreat on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and then continue on Thursday evenings in October from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Space is limited. Please contact Abbott Bailey to register or with any questions. The Reverend Abbott Bailey is the rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. She is currently enrolled in a program on Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats through the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and will be sharing this rich, experiential approach to prayer through this offering.
"Seeing the Face of God in Each Other" - Anti-Racism Workshop
Oct. 2-3. St. Mark's, Richmond  

The Anti-Racism Workshop will be facilitated by the Diocesan Committee on Race and Reconciliation. The goals of the workshop are to: 

  • Acquire anti-racism tools
  • Explore avenues to reconciliation
  • Renew your spirit with us

The workshop will begin Oct. 2 at 5p.m - 9p.m. with a  light supper. The session on Oct. 3 will be from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. and contintential breakfast and lunch will be served. The cost is $25.  

 

To register, please email Ellyn Crawford, crawfordellyn@yahoo.com.You may bring a check with you or mail one to the Diocese c/o Mary Anne Bryant.  
Taste and See that the Lord is Good: A Conversation between a Farmer, a Chef, and a Theologian
Oct. 3, Grace & Holy Trinity, Richmond 
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An invitation and an opportunity to explore the relationship between faith and food:

 

Our relationship with food, God, and the environment is the focus of our Stewardship of Creation Conference this fall. With the help of our keynote speaker, Rachel Marie Stone (Eat with Joy), together with the panelists and workshop leaders, participants will be invited to discern a new relationship with food, one which honors both God and the world as God's gift.  

 

The program cost is $15 for adults (children 12 and under are free) and includes a "wholly" meal. Learn more and register.  
Spiritual Direction
Pathways: Spiritual Direction, a ministry of spiritual direction is currently being offered at Roslyn.  Each hour long session is $65, overnight lodging at Roslyn is at an additional cost. For more information, visit our website. 
  
Future residencies:  
  • Sept. 28 - Oct.1: The Rev. Howard Kempsell
  • Nov. 10 -12: Ms. Linda Nelson
  • Dec. 14 - 17: The Rev. Howard Kempsell
To check availability during these residencies, please contact Amy Williams, awilliams@thediocese.net.
Other News & Events

  • Trinity, Charlottesville invites you to a series on racial reconciliation.  (G)Race Matters: Race, Faith and Forgiveness Today. The series begin on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 7:00 p.m. Click here for details.
  • Foundation Cristosal invites you to Protecting Central American Refugees: A Faith-Based Response Forum and Pupusa Dinner on Oct. 4, 7 p.m. at Grace, Alexandria. The speakers will include Philip J. Palin, Senior Fellow in Homeland Security, Rutgers University Graduate School; Noah Bullock, Executive Director, Foundation Cristosal; Dr. Sebastian Albuja, Former Head of Latin America and Africa Division, Norwegian Refugee Council; Marc Hanson, Senior Associate, Washington Office on Latin America; To RSVP, please email: Hannah Perls, hperls@cristosal.org 
  • Calling all formation leaders! The Diocese of Washington D.C. is offering a Formation Leaders Retreat from Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2015. This retreat, led by Dr. Lisa Kimball from the Center for Ministry and Teaching at Virginia Theological Seminary and Ms. Melissa Rau from Youth Ministry Architects, will give leaders the opportunity to re-imagine what their ministries can look like. This retreat is for those who work with children, youth and family ministries and has a maximum of 40 participants- so register now!
  • The UCI Road World Championship bike race is coming to Richmond, and area churches are preparing to welcome the cyclists and fans. A "Blessing of the Bikes" will be offered on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 a.m. at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, 1800 Lakeside Avenue. All are welcome to come participate in the brief liturgy and enjoy the opening day of the races. We will ask God to bless the bikes and all who ride them. Clergy are invited to wear green stoles over street clothes and help say blessings with individual riders and their bikes. Parking at the Gardens is unavailable, so bike, walk, or plan to take the shuttle from Anthem 2015 Staples Mill Road (parking there is $10). Clergy, please contact the Rev. Laura Inscoe, linscoe@gmail.com if you'd like to participate.
  • On Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m., people of all faith traditions will join together in  Washington DC under the theme "Coming Together in Faith on Climate," a gathering to bring together faith communities for inspirational messages, songs and poetry to inspire and connect faith and climate leaders and build momentum for action. This free, ticketed event will be live-streamed across the country. This timely event will coincide with the Pope's visit to Washington DC where he is expected to bring attention to the issue of climate change.
  • The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) will host the second interfaith summit on stewardship of Virginia waters in Virginia Beach on Oct. 7. During the "Living Waters: Wading In" conference, theologians, scientists, advocates and policy makers will explore concrete steps people across many faith traditions can take to protect and restore our rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay. Registration is available online.
  • The Leadership Program for Musicians (LPM) is looking for students! LPM), a national program offering classes for church musicians and those interested in church music, is accepting registrations for the 2015-2016 year. Learn more here.  
    
Church Events
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9/18: Bluegrass Bash, St. Stephen's, Richmond
9/19: Saint James Art & Craft Fair, Saint James Episcopal Church of Mount Vernon
9/20: The Rev. Becca Stevens: The Hope and Heartbreak of Trafficking, Violence, and Addiction, St. Paul's Memorial, Charlottesville
9/20: Contemplative Service with Holy Eucharist, Emmanuel, Richmond
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