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  Annual Council: Last Chance for Early Bird Registration

 

This Friday, Dec. 18, is the last day to register for Annual Council at the discounted early bird rate of $215! Please visit the Council website for links, forms and contact information.

 

After Dec. 18, The registration rate will increase to $265. The deadline for registration is Jan. 8. Please share this information with colleagues and fellow delegates to help us spread the word.


 

Remember: 
  • Make your lodging reservations at the Hyatt Regency Reston before it is booked! The deadline for the special diocesan rate is Jan. 6.
  • Nominations, resolutions, amendments and annual reports must be submitted to the Council office no later than Jan. 6.
  • A Pre-Council Webinar will be held on Saturday, Jan. 9. Webinar registration details will be available by the end of the week. 
   
Annual Council Awards

The nomination deadline for the awards to be presented at the 221st Annual Council is Jan. 6.
 
Download individual forms for instructions and nomination deadlines below. Nominations may be submitted electronically.
 
Bishop's Outreach Award for Congregations

Harriett "Happy" Pullman Award for Individual Outreach

Meet Me in Galilee Award for Racial Reconciliation

Biggar-Power Award for Older Adult Ministry
Bishop's Appeal for Mission & Outreach
Each year since 2002, the Diocese of Virginia has awarded grants to assist with a broad range of ministries, both here at home and throughout the world. These vital programs depend on your gifts, which come from God's bounty, to empower ministries, transform lives and strengthen the work of our congregations.

If you haven't had a chance to see our blog series on previous grant recipients, please take a look at the amazing work these ministries accomplished and which your gifts make possible. We can do so much more together than we can do alone!
Calling all who love summer camp!
Shrine Mont Camps
is seeking directors for THREE
 of our 2016 camps- Explorers' Camp, St. Andrew's Camp and St. George's Camp. If you are or know someone who has leadership skills, loves working with children and youth and would be a fantastic fit for any of these positions, please send them our way. Check out our camps website for more information about the positions as well as an application and please contact Paris Ball with any questions you may have.
Visitors from South Africa
A team of visitors from the Diocese of Christ the King, South Africa, will be visiting us for Annual Council and for a week prior to that (January 14-25). They come prepared to tell stories and provide background concerning the path of racial reconciliation work in South Africa over the last 25 years. Are you interested in learning more or having them come and visit your parish? Contact Ashley Cameron at acameron@thediocese.net or (804) 643-8451 x1048.
2015 Advent Resources

The diocesan office of Christian Formation wants to help enrich your Advent journey! Our new website features tools and resources to guide us as we await the coming of Christ.  

will feature the journey of advent through scripture, prayers, art, reflections, music and thought provoking media. A new weekly offering will be available each Sunday of Advent.

There is still time to enjoy this resource throughout your personal Advent journey and to share it with your parish, friends, and through social media! 
Shrine Mont Camps Calendar 
Do you wish that you had more pictures to help you remember the sunshine, laughter and FUN of summer? Now you can with the 2016 Shrine Mont Camps calendar! For $14 you will receive 12 months full of pictures to keep you warm until summer rolls around again. Purchase online by Dec.16 and you can have one (or several!) in hand for Christmas time - don't worry, we won't tell anyone if you keep one for yourself! Questions? Contact Hannah Roberts at intern@thediocese.net.
 
"Seeing the Face of God in Each Other" - Anti-Racism Workshop
Mar. 4-5, 2016. 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 Mar. 4 at 5 p.m - 9 p.m. with a light supper. The session on Mar. 5 will be from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. and continental 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.
Mission Trips
Please keep those with December mission trips in your prayers including St. Anne's, Reston, to the Holy Land. If your church is taking a mission trip in December and you are not included on this list, please contact Ashley Cameron at acameron@thediocese.net.
Need to Know
UTO Young Adult Grant Application instructions go to www.episcopalchurch.org/uto and www.uto.org.  Please email your grant application to Mary Anne Bryant, Office of Mission and Outreach, Diocese of Virginia by Jan. 18, 2016.  Webinars concerning these grants will be on Jan. 13 and 14, 2016 at 8:00 p.m.  Grants will be announced on March 1, 2016.
 
UTO - 2016 Grant Application and instructions will be available on Jan. 4, 2016  at www.episcopalchurch.org/uto  and www.uto.org.  Please email your grant application to Mary Anne Bryant, Office of Mission and Outreach, Diocese of Virginia by Feb. 19, 2016.  Webinars concerning this grant application process will be on Jan. 6 and 7, 2016, 8:00 p.m. as well as Feb. 17 and 18, at 8:00 p.m.  Grants announced on June 13, 2016.
 
Diocese of Virginia (DOV) Grant Programs for 2016
The DOV Office of Mission and Outreach will be receiving Letters of Inquiry for Mustard Seed and The Bishop Peter J. Lee Endowment for Small Church Revitalization starting January 1, 2016.  To obtain information concerning these grants please go here. If you should have any questions please email Mary Anne Bryant at mabryant@thediocese.net or call (804) 643-8451 ext. 1017. Grants to be announced May 2016. 

Other DOV Grants Available - Short-term Mission Grants for Teams or Individuals go here.  Youth Mission Voucher information go here.
 
The deadline is approaching quickly for the  Young Adult Service Corps! If 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 encourage them to apply for the Young Adult Service Corps. Applications for the 2016-2017 year are due Jan. 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 acameron@thediocese.net for any questions or information. And check out the Episcopal News Service video featuring Ashley Bingaman, a member of Christ Church, Winchester, who served as a missionary in Haiti from 2012-2014.

Did you miss the Episcopal Migration Ministries Rapid Response webinar? You can watch it here to learn more about the refugee crisis and how you can help now. What is most desperately needed at this time is  your voice and your advocacy.  In addition, as we enter into this holiday season, beginning our holy journey through Advent, we commend to you the United Thank Offering's Challenge to the Church. The United Thank Offering board is challenging Episcopalians to support refugee
welcome in the United States through its 2015 Ingathering Challenge. United Thank Offering will match the first $30,000 given by December 31, 2015 that is marked "EMM-UTO."  The challenge, which kicks off immediately, will continue throughout December 2015. Click here to learn more about the challenge. To Donate, select "UTO for EMM Challenge" from the drop-down menu and put "Episcopal Migration Ministries" in the comments. Checks may be sent to:

United Thank Offering
DFMS - Protestant Episcopal Church
P.O. Box 958983
St. Louis, MO 63195-8983
Check notation:  UTO-EMM

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, bblanchard@thediocese.net.

  
Other News & Events
The Islamic Center of Virginia, with the help of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, will hold a press conference (1241 Burford Rd.) next Thursday, December 17 at 3:30 p.m. This gathering is an opportunity for diverse clergy and interfaith organizational leaders to stand together with the Muslim community against hurtful and bigoted public discourse. Organizers hope a broad and diverse representation of religions and denominations will come together for this event. This will be an opportunity to announce a joint statement, as well as an event open to the general public that will take place in January. RSVP here.
  
Church Events
12/17: A Blue Christmas Service, St. Barnabas', Annandale
12/17: Series on the Rule of St. Benedict, St. Peter's, Arlington
12/20: A Festival of Lessons & Carols, St. John's, McLean
12/21: Our Christmas Hope, St. James's, Richmond
12/26: Celtic Communion, St. Paul's-on-the-Hill, Winchester
12/27: Christmas Lessons & Carols, Christ Church, Millwood
800-DIOCESE | www.thediocese.net