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Annual Council: Open Hearing Webinar

Annual Council Open Hearings are an opportunity for delegates to share their feedback on resolutions, amendments and the proposed budget with the Committees of Council. The Diocese of Virginia has three Committees of Council that will host Open Hearings: the Committee on Resolutions, the Committee on Constitution & Canons, and the Committee on Budget. 
  
The respective committees will listen to delegates' opinions and feedback on the matters before them for consideration. The hearings are also an opportunity for delegates to gain a better understanding of the proposals and procedures. The hearings are not a time for debate, but for listening, learning and sharing. 

The resolutions, amendments and budget will be posted on the Council website for review as they become available - so stay tuned!
  
This year, there are three ways to participate.
Please note that only members of Council (lay delegates, lay alternates, canonically resident clergy, youth and collegiate representatives, and ex officio members) are permitted to participate.

For detailed information on how to submit comments, attend the hearing on-site and register for the Pre-Council Webinar, please click here. 
 
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.
221st Annual Council
January 21-23, 2016, Hyatt Reston Hotel, Reston 

Registration for Annual Council is open through Jan. 8.  Follow the link to find information about registration, exhibiting, nominations, awards, 2016 Annual Council forms, and the pre-council open hearings.
 
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. 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.
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, 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."  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.
Church Events
12/26: Celtic Communion, St. Paul's-on-the-Hill, Winchester
12/27: Christmas Lessons & Carols, Christ Church, Millwood
12/31: New Year's Eve Service, Christ Church, Alexandria
1/2: Historic Pohick Church First Saturday Tours, Pohick, Lorton
1/3: Contemplative Service with Holy Eucharist, Emmanuel, Richmond
1/3: Healing Eucharist, Holy Comforter, Vienna
1/3: Bluegrass Mass, St. Thomas', Richmond
1/6: Choral Evensong on the Feast of the Epiphany, St. Paul's, Alexandria
1/7: Series on the Rule of St. Benedict as a model for modern Christian congregations, St. Peter's, Arlington
800-DIOCESE | www.thediocese.net