October 16, 2015
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 Notes from Bishop Mark
● Fall Convocations Underway: This weekend we continue our round of fall meetings with the Abingdon Convocation meeting at Christ Church in Marion. Along with the fellowship and the electing of new leaders, this time provides us with an opportunity for renewing our commitments to becoming the missional church. The schedule of convocation meetings and the updated agenda are here.
● The New Discernment Process from the Commission on Ministry: The new process that was discussed at our Clergy Conference is now open and ready to receive aspirants for discernment towards Holy Orders. The new process is now on our diocesan website here.● Clergy Retirement News:
--The Rev. Cathy Montgomery has announced her retirement as Rector of Grace Memorial, Lynchburg. She will serve through February 2016.
--The Rev. David Rose has announced his retirement as Rector of Grace, Radford, for the summer of 2016.
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Canterbury fellowship at Blacksburg
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● Sunday Visitations and Weekday Parish Meetings/Events: This Sunday, I will visit withChrist Episcopal Church in Marion. Last Sunday I worshipped with Good Shepherd, Folly Mills. Canon Gwin and I worshipped with the Canterbury fellowship at Blacksburg on Wednesday.
● Pastoral Concerns: The Rev. Deacon Butch Eanes is home from Springtree Rehab and is receiving therapies at home. Please keep Butch and Carol in your prayers.
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 Connecting With Evans House 
●Remember to check out the diocesan Bulletin Board--you'll find information about available MDG grants, upcoming training opportunities, and parish events!
● 2016 rates for medical and dental insurance are now available. You can find them here as well as on the diocesan website. Active clergy and lay employees can make individual plan selections and changes from November 4 through November 20. Members will be contacted by Church Pension Group about how to do this. Employees who would like to become new members should contact Kate Garcia.
● From Connor Gwin, Canon Missioner for Youth and Young Adult Ministry:
--Fall Youth Event (FYE) will take place November 13-15 at the Phoebe Needles Center. The event is for high school aged youth (grades 9-12). More information and registration forms will be available soon at youth.dioswva.org. ---Winterlight at Kanuga is an annual gathering/retreat for Episcopal youth (9th-12th grades) from around the country at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, NC, from December 27, 2015 to January 1, 2016. Canon Connor cannot recommend this event highly enough! It is a week of fun and fellowship, all while growing in faith. Registration is available at www.kanuga.org/winterlight. If there is enough interest, group transportation will be arranged from Roanoke to Kanuga and back.
● Voluntary Proportionate Giving (VPG) forms were mailed to parishes on October 9. They are due back to Evans House by December 15, so that Executive Board has the information needed to craft the 2016 diocesan budget.
Parish pledges support our shared mission initiatives.
● Our One Word continues on Thursday at 5:30 PM, and we will be gathering at Evans House. Our next word for reflection and discussion is GIVING. We'll offer food, fellowship, and fun--try GIVING us a look!
● From Julia Littlefield, United Thank Offering Coordinator: Be thankful for God's daily blessings and use your Blue Box to mark each one.
● St. Peter's, Altavista, will stream the installation of The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry as Presiding Bishop on November 1 for church members and guests, in the Parish Hall, following our All Saints Holy Eucharist Service, and a parish luncheon. Christ, Buena Vista, will be a site for the streaming of the service of consecration of Bishop Curry.
● Two events are happening at St. Luke's, Hot Springs, in October:
--A celebration of the Feast Day of St. Luke, on Monday, October 19, beginning at 6 PM, with a simple supper and the worship service Compline to follow. --On Sunday, October 25, at 1 PM, we will celebrate the feast of St. Francis with our annual pet blessing. All are invited!
Within the Wider Community
● Applications are now being accepted for the position of Missioner for the Office of Transition Ministry for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS). Read more.
● The offerings received at the daily Eucharists during General Convention 2015, totaling $6,792.20, have been given to Episcopal Relief & Development. Read more.
● Applications are now accepted for the 2016 Roanridge Trust Award Grants , which are provided annually for creative models for leadership development, training and ministries in small towns and rural communities across The Episcopal Church. Read more.
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Resources and Links |
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as of October 14, 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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