KAIROS: At the Family Table of St. Luke, at Sussex II State Prison

I shared the table with a friend and fellow team member from Williamsburg Presbyterian Church and four residents of the facility for four days.

To my right is a young man who was incarcerated at 21 years old with two life sentences. Now, seven years later the reality and the magnitude of his situation has engulfed him and he is trying to figure out what to do, how to live out the rest of his life.

Next, a young man, less than 30, who will be getting out in a few months. He suffers from Vitiligo which he contracted when he was 12. He told me how badly people head treated him and the trauma of wearing a coat and gloves to school year ‘round. He told me how he had finally come to grips with it. When he gets out he wants to get a CDL and drive big trucks ‘cross country.

Then there was “T”. He is from Norfolk, says he believes in a “higher power” but doesn’t know God. He was quiet and articulate, but he was struggling.

Last there was MH. He is “old school”. He’s been down a long time and has a long time to go. He has crafted a prison persona that is so thick and solid that he believes it himself. He know all of the words, the right things to say, but he his hiding in a very dark place.

We as team members are called to “Listen, listen. Love, love”. And that’s what we did.

Support youth Service Sunday

November 24 is our next Service Sunday for the youth, grades 2 through 12. Our projects will support Samaritan House as well as our Winter Shelter guests. Please bring regular size, not travel size, toiletry items for Samaritan House--shampoo, tooth paste, tooth brushes, bar soap or body wash-- to the Johnson Room on that Sunday. We will also be making placemats to be used at a Winter Shelter dinner. (No artistic talent required!). Bring a friend - all are welcome!

Your generosity enables WESC outreach

Thank you to all who supported the Women of Eastern Shore Chapel's soup sale in February and the Spring Thyme Herb Sale and Junque Shop in April. WESC has distributed $6,500 to ministries at Eastern Shore Chapel, in the Diocese, in Virginia Beach and in the world. The list is posted on the Outreach bulletin board. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! And look for the soup and bread sale February 2, 2020 and the Spring Thyme Herb Sale and Junque Shop in April!

CNU Chamber Choir to present "20 and Odd" at ESC

Don't miss Christopher Newport University Chamber Choir in our nave on November 10 at 5:00 pm. In this performance, the university’s premiere choral ensemble will explore an historic event that continues to color the United States to this day. The program  20 and Odd refers to Jamestown colonist John Rolfe’s correspondence in 1619 with the treasurer of the Virginia Company of London. In his letter, Rolfe documented “20 and odd Negroes” who were forcibly brought to Old Point Comfort, present-day Fort Monroe. The first half of the program features Renaissance works by composers from the European countries engaged in this subjugation of Angolan kingdoms of Ndongo and Kongo. The second half traces slavery to today with modern choral works on economic inequality, inner city education, government policy, and civil rights.

Parish Book Store: Christmas Book Drive; holiday gifts

It is not too late to join the Parish Book Store Book Group! Our next meeting is November 17 at 11:30 in the Parlor. We will be discussing Rachel Held Evan’s book, Searching for Sunday. All are welcome!

As you plan for your holiday shopping and other bookstore needs, please note that the Parish Book Store will be open on Saturdays from Nov. 2 through Dec. 21 from 9 am to 12 noon. Come by and support YOUR Parish Book Store.

And while you're there buy a book for the children at Mission of the Holy Spirit for Christmas. Select a gingerbread boy or girl from our tree, purchase an age-appropriate book, and leave it in our basket for a child at the Mission. The book drive continues until Dec. 5.

Parish Day School: Fall science projects

Fall Science projects are in full swing at Parish Day School. Students are weighing and measuring pumpkins, painting pumpkins, and counting how many seeds are inside their pumpkins. Students are using the scientific method to explore pumpkins. Some classes even conducted an experiment and measured ingredients to make slime. It is so much fun to be in preschool!

Support PDS when you shop!

We continue to participate linking purchases to Kroger and Harris Teeter cards to earn funds for the school and Shoparoo app where you can scan receipts to earn funds for PDS (use referral code FED85610 with the app). Additionally, if you purchase any food with Box Tops for Education labels on them, we collect the label to earn funds for PDS. Just put them in our Pink Mailbox in the PDS hallway. We are so thankful for the church families support!

Wednesday Dinner menus

Made with love and from scratch, join us for Wednesday Dinner 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. every Wednesday in the parish hall. You’ll enjoy an entrée, sides, soup, salad, bread, and fruit, all for only $6.00, or $3 for children. No reservations needed.

Christian Formation Schedule

Adult Forum

Sunday School

Upcoming at ESC

For the full calendar of events, visit our website .

Peanut Group - Meets every Monday at 8 a.m. in the Parish Hall

CNU Chamber Choir concert: 20 and Odd - Nov. 10, 5 p.m. In this performance, the university’s premiere choral ensemble will explore an historic event that continues to color the United States to this day. The program  20 and Odd refers to Jamestown colonist John Rolfe’s correspondence in 1619 with the treasurer of the Virginia Company of London. In his letter, Rolfe documented “20 and odd Negroes” who were forcibly brought to Old Point Comfort, present-day Fort Monroe. The first half of the program features Renaissance works by composers from the European countries engaged in this subjugation of Angolan kingdoms of Ndongo and Kongo. The second half traces slavery to today with modern choral works on economic inequality, inner city education, government policy, and civil rights.

Parish Book Store Book Group - Nov. 17, 11:30 am in the Parlor. It is not too late to join the Parish Book Store Book Group! Our next meeting is November 17 at 11:30 in the Parlor. We will be discussing Rachel Held Evan’s book, Searching for Sunday. All are welcome!

Schola Cantorum in Concert - Nov. 24, 5 p.m. Come see Schola Cantorum in their 24th season at 5:00 pm on Sunday, November 24th! This fall, we are excited to bring you the music of the '60s. Set in a psychedelic rock style, we open our program with Bobrowitz’s The Creation with music reminiscent of the musical Hair . From there, we spend time with the music of the Beatles, Willie Nelson, The Mamas and the Papas, the hits of Woodstock, and we close with the Fifth Dimension’s classic, Aquarius. Join us as we let the sunshine in! Following the performance, there will be a reception and silent auction fundraising event to benefit Schola Cantorum. Browse a great selection of gift baskets and other items to help with your holiday shopping!

Parish Book Store Christmas Book Drive - Going on now through Dec. 5. Once again The Parish Book Store is sponsoring a Christmas Book Drive for the children at Mission of the Holy Spirit in Norfolk. We have had the great pleasure to send over 100 age-related books to the Mission each December thanks to this parish and the community at large. Come by the Parish Book Store and purchase a book or two and match it with a gingerbread Christmas ornament that is age and gender appropriate. We encourage you to be a part of this outreach as many of the children receive very little this time of the year. The drive ends December 5.

American Red Cross Blood Drive - Dec. 19, 2 to 6 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

The Chapel Chimes is distributed every Wednesday.

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