NotesfrombishopmarkUpdate from Canon Mark Furlow
Folks, it's with pleasure that I offer a few notes for this edition of our diocesan Weekly Update. Bishop Bourlakas is away with our deputation at General Convention, and I encourage you to follow the happenings of Convention via the links in the Connecting section of this email. Remember to take advantage of the live streaming at the Media Hub!   

 

Sharon Bryant 
Sharon Bryant: Our beloved sister, Sharon Bryant, died this past Tuesday at home. She was comfortable and surrounded by family. The Rev. Kathy Chase said prayers and had Communion with all those who were gathered. Kathy and I continue to provide support as needed. The family will receive visitors from 6 to 8:00 PM at Sharon's family home Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, June 25-28. A celebration of Sharon's life is being planned for after General Convention and details will be forthcoming. At this time, I encourage you to write a note to the family by way of the funeral home's website. 

 

Thinking Missionally About Racism in DIOSWVA: As we mourn the loss of those who died in the recent shootings in Charleston, South Carolina, and begin to have a deeper conversation about race in our country, it is our duty as a baptized people to understand and address the challenges of racism. In the Baptismal Covenant, we commit to "renounce the evil powers of this world that corrupt and destroy the creatures of God. Episcopal scholars such as John Westerhoff associate these particular powers with the "isms" that exist deep in our society. Racism is an evil power that remains pervasive. It runs deep, contaminates the ground water, and remains in our blind spots. Read more. 

 

For the sake of God's mission,

Canon Mark+   

 
ConnectingConnecting

. . .  with Evans House

● Clergy, please mark your calendars for the Fall Clergy Overnight gathering October 8--9. More details will follow in the early fall.

● If you're interested in following General Convention in general, and our deputation in particular, consider these options:
--General Convention Media Hub: Livestreaming from Salt Lake City, Utah;
--Prayers of the People: hosted by the Society of St. John the Evangelist;
--DIOSWVA@GC--: Conversation with our deputation on Facebook;
--Coming soon~Video blogs posted by our deputation on the diocesan website.

● If there's an event or piece of news you'd like to see highlighted here or on our website, please email  news@dioswva.org.   

withinthediocese. . . within the Diocese

Smiling faces at St. Mark's, Fincastle 
● On June 21, Bishop Mark visited St. Mark's, Fincastle, where there were four confirmations and more than twenty reaffirmations. It was also the Rev. Stephen Stanley's last Sunday as rector there. 

● The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia Coordinator for Episcopal Relief & Development, Nick Moga, is scheduling visitations to parishes for the Fall of 2015 and Winter of 2016.Nick can do an adult forum, teenager seminar, homily or a Q&A event at your parish.If your parish would like to have a visit, please contact Nick at nickmoga@aol.com or 540-962-4650.   
 
 
● Check out the Bulletin Board section of the diocesan website to learn about upcoming river trips,  summer camps, and more!

● St. John's, Roanoke, is searching for a Children's Music Associate. Read more.

 
● At the recent 46th Annual Daughters of the King Triennial Retreat in Midway, UT, Chesley Vohden (St. Stephen's, Forest) was re-elected to the National Council and elected as Second Vice-President. Over 500 Daughters attended from all over the US and international countries.  Chesley is shown here with Jo Kelley; the two are holding candles from Thistle Farms , a social enterprise for women. 

● The Chapel Choir of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, England will be in Staunton over Independence Day Weekend. There will be three times to hear this prestigious choir sing. Read more.
 
 . . .  with the Wider Community
 
● The Beecken Center of the School of Theology at the University of the South invites clergy and spiritual caregivers of The Episcopal Church and religious leaders of all faiths to enroll in a two-day disaster chaplaincy training. Read more.

 

● 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, including James Rose, Diocese of Southwestern Virginia and Diocese of Georgia
James is serving in the Diocese of Kobe, Japan. Read more.

● "This body is meant to be sacrament of God, an outward demonstration of the life and hope within us." Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in her opening remarks to the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church on June 24. Read more or watch here.
ResourcesandLinksResources and Links

as of June 23, 2015
Something to talk about!
as of June 18, 2015
as of June 1, 2015
bmrc-online.org
Bishop Marmion Resource Center
as of June 5, 2015
Bishop's Dollar and More