October 1, 2015
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 Notes from Bishop Mark
● Project Resource: Last week our diocesan team of the Very Rev. Jim Lively, Tripp Duerson, Avis Aheron, the Rev. Emily Edmondson, and I travelled to the Project Resource Conference and Training in Denver. Completing this MAP goal will involve our team's adding and training eight more members around our diocese in order to offer these resources for planned giving, annual stewardship, and major gifts to our congregations.
● Fall Convocations Begin: This weekend we begin our round of fall meetings with the New River Convocation. Along with the fellowship and the nominating and electing of new leaders, this time provides us with an opportunity to renew our commitments to becoming the missional church. The schedule of convocation meetings can be found here.
● Guidelines for the new Marriage Liturgies for Trial Use: My new Guidelines regarding the use of the Marriage Rites for Trial Use adopted this past summer by the 78th General Convention of our Church are now posted on our diocesan website and can found here. ● Fall Clergy Conference Overnight Is Next Week: The Theology of David Brown: Sacrament and Culture is the title the Rev. Dr. Robert MacSwain, Professor of Theology at Sewanee, has given to our October Clergy Conference, October 8--9, which will be held at Evans House. Click here to find advance reading material.
Thursday:
5 PM - Fellowship at 5 PM
6 PM - Dinner, followed by a one-hour session with Dr. MacSwain
9 PM - Close of day
Friday:
8 AM - Light breakfast fare
8:45 AM - Morning Prayer
9:15 AM - Session with Dr. MacSwain
10:15 AM - Break
10:45 AM - Session with Dr. MacSwain
Noon - Lunch, followed by discussion of new policies and initiatives
2 PM - Close of conference
RSVP to Lynn Robertson by October 1, for a dinner and lunch count, and mention any dietary restrictions. (As attendance is not required for retired clergy, they do not need to send me a letter if they choose not to attend.)
● Sunday Visitations and Weekday Parish Meetings/Events: This Sunday, I will visit with Christ Episcopal Church in Radford. The convocation meeting will follow. This Friday and Saturday I will be attending the Virginia Episcopal School board meeting.
● Pastoral Concerns:
--Pray for strength and healing for The Rev. Tom Crittenden as he undergoes a radiation series.
--Pray for The Rev. Preston Mitchell as he recovers from recent surgery.
--Pray for healing for The Rev. James Hubbard following surgery and treatment for a cancer diagnosis.
--The Rev. Deacon Butch Eanes continues at Springtree Rehab where he is receiving physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Please keep Butch and Carol in your prayers.
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 Connecting With Evans House
● From Kate Garcia: Just a few parishes still need to contact
Kate Garcia with the names and birth dates of all paid lay and clergy employees who work 20 hours a week or more: St. Andrew's, Clifton Forge; Emmanuel, Covington; Good Shepherd, Folly Mills; Emmanuel, Staunton; Ascension, Amherst; St. Thomas, Sedalia; and St. John's, Lynchburg. If there are no eligible employees, let Kate know that as well. Thank you to all those those who have already helped update these records!
● From Lynn Robertson: Parishes who would like hard copies of the refill packet for the Diocesan Paperwork Notebooks should let Lynn Robertson know no later than the Wednesday prior to their Fall Convocation meetings, so that these can be delivered. Parishes who prefer to download the refill packet will find that new documents for December 2015--August 2016 are already available on the diocesan website. Anyone with a need for 2014/2015 documents should contact Lynn.
● Evans House has received a request from the History Museum of Western Virginia for parishes to spread the word that volunteers are needed there. Duties would include answering the phone and greeting guests for a four-hour shift during the week. Here is a chance for a parish to engage with the community! Anyone interested should contact Lynsey Allie at info@vahistorymuseum.org or 540-342-5777.
● Our One Word returns to Evans House on October 1 at 5:30 PM, offering an opportunity for the women of DIOSWVA to share discussion, snacks, and laughter. Our word for this opening week is "UNDERSTANDING." Next week, on October 8, St. John's, Roanoke, will welcome Our One Word, also at 5:30 PM, while a Clergy Retreat is taking place at Evans House.
Watch this space to learn next week's word!
● From Julia Littlefield, United Thank Offering Coordinator: Remember your Blue Box! Mark every prayer of thanksgiving with a coin to widen the circle of thankful people.
● The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia Millennium Development Goals Committee has over $6,000.00 in grant funds available before the end of the year.These matching grants of up to $1000.00 support projects that aim to inform and meet the Millennium Development Goals of reducing poverty in the third world. Link to the grant application: http://www.dioswva.org/ministries/mdg-grants.html . ● " Pulaski Grow is a program aimed at developing teenagers in Pulaski County--and eventually beyond--into adults ready to enter the work force, the military or college with real-life experience. The nonprofit is designed to train teens in agriculture and sales, then use what they produce to keep it sustainable." Read more.
● Church of the Good Shepherd, Galax, celebrates Christmas in July every year, in an effort to provide service dogs and help incarcerated persons develop rehabilitative skills. Read more.
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Back Row: left to right Chesley Vohden, Gretchen Waller, Wanda Goodrich, The Rev. Steve Shackelford, Kim Wright Front Row: left to right Jo Kelley, C J Barron-Douglas, The Rev. Karen Joy Kelly
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● Diocesan DOK Chapter President, Jo Kelley, is pleased to announce the institution of a new Chapter of Daughters of the King. The Margaretha Luther Chapter was instituted on Sunday, September 20, and three new Daughters were admitted during the service. This Chapter is located at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, in Lynchburg, and is the first Lutheran Chapter to join the Diocesan Chapter. The Rev. Steve Shackelford performed the service and will serve as the Chapter's Chaplain. New Daughters include C J Barron-Douglas, Wanda Goodrich, and Judy Friel. Gretchen Waller will serve as Chapter President.
● Boys Home was featured in the Episcopal News Service email letter this week for the Teach a Man to Fish event. Find the full article here.
Within the Wider Community
● A Vigil Celebration and Eucharist, sponsored by the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE), will be held on Saturday, October 31, at 11 AM at the Armory, 2001 E. Capital St. SE in Washington, DC.
● Awakening Soul: Circling the Fire takes place November 5-8 at the Lutheridge Conference Center in Asheville, NC, with Walter Brueggemann and Valerie Tutson, by Fran McKendree and the AwakeningSoul Ensemble. Read more.
● The Episcopal Church Foundation has just released a list of upcoming webinars for Fall 2015. These webinars are offered for free and are a great way to get congregational leaders engaged in the strategic, leadership, and financial topics that are critical to the health and vitality of congregations. Read more.
● St. Nicholas Day 2015 is coming (specifically, Sunday, December 6)! The American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem are ready with resources for your parish this Advent--check out their website for games, coloring projects, worship resources, home devotions, and more.* And be sure to follow the link under "Youth Resources" to theSt. Nicholas Center, which offers a rich banquet of ideas on how to celebrate this beloved saint. Questions? Contact AFEDJ Missioner the Rev. Deborah Hunley (540-774-2397).
*Note: While part of the focus of AFEDJ is to encourage giving by children toward projects and needs in the Diocese of Jerusalem (Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon), and while we have our own St. Nicholas Day Offering in Southwestern Virginia, AFEDJ resources can be used without including the offering option.
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Resources and Links |
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as of September 30, 2015
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Something to talk about!
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as of September 28, 2015
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as of August 13, 2015
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Bishop Marmion Resource Center
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Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
1002 1st Street SW ~Roanoke, VA 24016
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