Survival Skills for Lay Professionals 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 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. and includes a working lunch. 

Dates include:
  • Nov. 4, The Falls Church, Falls Church
  • Jan. 28, 2016, Church of Our Saviour, Charlottesville
Learn more and register.

Church Pension Group 2016 Medial Trust Open Enrollment
The Church Pension Group (CPG) Medical Trust Open Enrollment (OE) for the 2016 plan year is upon us. OE is the once-a-year opportunity for eligible employees to change their medical and/or dental plan elections and to add or remove eligible dependents. It's also a time when you may have questions about plan changes or about benefits. 

CPG will offer nine one-hour webinar sessions during various times and days over the next several weeks.


For the two sessions focusing on High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts, click here.

For the seven general education webinars, click here
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Register today for "Be Still and Grow" and explore how churches can refocus their energies and deepen the faith of their membership. What would it look like if there were a renewed focus on prayer and liturgy? What could the Church become if leadership were more concerned with spiritual well-being than physical or financial? Register now.

Young Adult Service Corps Now Accepting Applications for 2016-2017

Do you know a Young Adult (ages 21-30) who's interested in serving abroad, deepening their faith and developing relationships with their brothers and sisters in Christ? If so, encourage them to apply for the Young Adult Service Corps. Applications for the 2016-2017 year are due January 8, 2016. The application with additional information and instructions is available here.

Also, you may contact Ashley Cameron who served in the Philippines and is now the Partnerships and Programs Coordinator for Mission and Outreach at [email protected] for any questions or information.

Spiritual Direction
Pathways: Spiritual Direction, a ministry of spiritual direction is currently being offered at Roslyn Retreat Center in Richmond.  Each hour long session is $65, overnight lodging at Roslyn is at an additional cost. For more information, visit our website . 

Please contact Amy Williams, [email protected] to schedule a session.

Future residencies: 
  • Nov. 10 -12: Ms. Linda Nelson
  • Dec. 14 - 17: The Rev. Howard Kempsell
Workshop: Equipping leaders in faith-based communities
Feb. 29- Mar. 4, 2016
Roslyn Center, Richmond

An intensive five-day session designed to enable participants to learn about, build and practice emotional intelligence skills in small group setting.

Skilled facilitators will provide tools and feedback to enable participants to learn about themselves and to immediately practice emerging skills. 


Need to Know
Web Solutions Training
Does your church use Web Solutions as your web provider? Do you need a refresher training? Have you just transitioned to Web solutions or are considering transitioning? If so, the diocesan communications team can provide training. We are trasitioning from individual training to group trainings that will be held every first and third Wednesday from 2:00 pm -3:00pm. The next training will be held on Nov. 4. Please contact [email protected] for more details or to sign up.

El Hogar: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Hoduras One Child at a Time
St. David's, Ashburn, will be hosting an evening with El Hogar, an organization working to end the cycle of poverty by working with the children of Honduras.
This informative event will be held at St. David's on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. The featured speaker will be Liz Kinchen, El Hogar's North American Executive Director. She will be sharing stories about the lives that have been transformed by the initiatives that have been undertaken by El Hogar in Honduras. Members of past service teams from St. David's will also share about their life-changing experiences volunteering at El Hogar and attendees will be given the chance to become a part of El Hogar's work.

Syrian Refugees: There are several churches interested in helping Syrian refugees resettle in Virginia. If you would like to learn more about these efforts, please contact Buck Blanchard, [email protected].
  
Ordination of Emily Cobb to the Transitional Diaconate, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 at St. Philip's, Richmond. God willing, the Rt. Rev. Edwin "Ted" Gulick Jr., Assistant Bishop of Virginia, will ordain Emily Cobb to the Sacred Order of Deacons (transitional) on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 10:30 a.m. at  St. Philip's, Richmond. The Bishop and the Standing Committee request the honor of your presence. Clergy: red stoles.
 
Ordination of Bill Roberts to the Transitional Diaconate, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 at VTS. God willing, the Rt. Rev. Susan Ellyn Goff, Bishop Suffragan of Virginia, will ordain Bill Roberts to the Sacred Order of Deacons (transitional) on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 10:30 a.m.  at  Virginia Theological Seminary's Immanuel Chapel (click here for campus map). The Bishop and the Standing Committee request the honor of your presence. Clergy: red stoles.
Other News & Events
  • Brs. David Vryhof and Jim Woodrum of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE) will lead "Finding God in All Things: The Role of Prayer in Making Life Choices,"  a retreat at St. Mary's Goochland, on Friday, November 6 from 6-8 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m.-noon. The Friday night session includes a light supper, and lunch follows the Saturday session. Suggested donations are $25, or $8 for Friday night and $20 for Saturday. Please register by contacting Lori Smiley at [email protected] or 804-784-5678.
     
  • The Rev. Vincent Hodge, vicar of St. Paul's in West Point and Grace in Miller's Tavern, has served as a priest in the Diocese of Virginia for 50 years.  He arrived by bus in Richmond on October 1, 1965. 
  • Diane Wright, a member of St. Mary's, Arlington, has been appointed by the Presiding Bishop as a member of the Episcopal Church Deputation to the United Nations Conference on the Status of Women, which will meet in NYC next March. 
  • All Saints Recital and Choral Evensong, St. Christopher's, Springfield invites you to their recital and choral evensong for the feast of all saints on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 4:30 p.m.  Click here for more information.
     
  • Community-Based Teach: Justice for Natasha McKenna. Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m at All Saints Sharon Chapel, Alexandria. Led by Stand Up for Justice, Amnesty International, and in conjunction with #BlackLivesMatter, this evening will seek to share information with the community about the tragic death of Natasha McKenna at the hands of Fairfax Country Sherriff's deputies in the midst of a mental health crisis.
  • Richard Becker in Concert. Grace & Holy Trinity, Richmond is hosting the the national and international concert pianist,  Richard Becker on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 4:00 p.m. for his performance of Chopin's 24 Preludes and G Minor Ballads. Click here for more information.
  
Church Events
10/28: John Philip Newel, St. Stephen's, Richmond
11/1: Healing Eucharist, Holy Comforter, Vienna
11/1: All Saints' Day Choral Evensong, St. Barbabas', Annandale
11/1: Bluegrass Mass, St. Thomas', Richmond
11/1: Contemplative Service with Holy Eucharist, Emmanuel, Richmond
11/1: Requiem by John Rutter, St. John's, McLean
11/1: All Saints' Choral Evensong, St. Paul's, Alexandria
11/1: All Souls' Labyrinth Walk, St. Andrew's, Richmond
11/4: Region 1 Council Meeting, Christ Church, Spotsylvania