Church Schools Celebrate 100 Years
The year was 1920 and the country was reeling from the aftershock of World War I. Americans felt an urgent need to restore humanity and renew their commitment to social causes. At that time, urban schools were overcrowded and rural areas had only a few schools spanning vast distances. In its founding year, the Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia purchased three underfunded schools – St. Anne’s School in Charlottesville and the renamed St. Catherine’s School and St. Christopher’s School in Richmond.
In the same year, the group turned its attention to the underserved Tidewater region, where they established St. Margaret’s School for girls in Tappahannock and Christchurch School for boys in Middlesex County near the Town of Urbanna. Both schools began operations in September of 1921. Read on
Resurrection Celebrates Grand Opening

In response to the loss of over 90% of affordable housing units in Alexandria, members of the Church of the Resurrection took an extraordinary leap of faith in 2019: to tear down their church building and use their land to build a 113-unit apartment complex for working families. More than 14 families have moved into The Spire, with more coming soon. This month, the people of Resurrection celebrated with a ribbon cutting for the new church, which is adjacent to The Spire. Following the ribbon cutting, Bishop Susan Goff led a service to consecrate the church building.

Got a good news story to share? Send it to Nancy Chafin. 
The Rev. Canon Abbott Bailey to Serve as Interim Canon to the Ordinary 
Bishop Susan Goff is pleased to announce that the Rev. Canon Abbott Bailey will return to Virginia in May to begin ministry as Interim Canon to the Ordinary. Bailey is currently the Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of California. Prior to that, she served as Rector of St. Andrew’s, Oregon Hill in Richmond, from 2008 to 2018.
 
“I am delighted that Abbott will join us in mission in the Diocese of Virginia,” Bishop Goff said. “The pool of available candidates who know the Diocese of Virginia, who have experience as a Canon to the Ordinary and who are available quickly for a short term is extremely small. The Holy Spirit worked overtime to bring Abbott to us.”
  
Canon Bailey succeeds the Rev. Canon Mary Thorpe who retired in March. “Mary leaves large shoes to fill,” said Bishop Goff. “We are blessed that the Rev. Canon Abbott Bailey has all that it takes to fill them well.”  
Special Convention to Adopt the Budget
Saturday, April 24 via Zoom

The Special Convention to Adopt the Budget is just one week away! Delegates should note the following deadlines and documents related to Convention.

Upcoming Deadlines
  • TODAY Registration closes. If you have not already done so, please register as soon as possible. Questions about registration? Contact Bill Martin.
  • TOMORROW: Open Hearing on the Budget Saturday, April 17, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. A link has been sent to all delegates. If you didn't receive it, contact Bill Martin.
  • Please check the Special Convention webpage, which is updated frequently with new documents and information.
Shrine Mont Camps Regather This Summer
This summer, more than ever, kids will be yearning to return to their favorite summer traditions. Shrine Mont Camps is so excited to offer families an in-person, mountain-top experience in 2021!

Camps 2021 will look a little different from years past, but some things won’t change: Campers will still grow in their relationships to self, others and God in a safe, inclusive and loving environment. They'll make new friends, spend time outdoors and celebrate God's Creation.

Camp Sessions
In the month of July, SMC will have several one-week sessions for campers 8-14, and multiple sessions of Family Weekends, where groups can come and stay in Shrine Mont's lodgings and enjoy a camp experience for the whole family! This year's camps will include all your favorites: canoeing, field games, worship at the Shrine, Shrine Mont food, camp fires, even a possible campout under the stars!

Secure Your Spot Today!
Because of the limited sessions and smaller groups, camps are filling up fast. If you haven't registered, please secure your spot today! If you have registered, please invite friends who may be new to Shrine Mont Camps. If you are on the fence, the camp website has lots of information about how Camps will stay safe this summer. And always feel free to contact Paris Ball with questions.
The Bishop's Learning Series
Bishop Porter Taylor’s online classes continue with a new course beginning in May and June. There are class times specifically for clergy and lay participants. 

Evangelism as Storytelling
Classes for clergy and laity starting early May

We are our story. Stories are how we make meaning. When people asked Jesus complex questions, he answered with stories. To that end, evangelism is about storytelling. We are commissioned to go and tell the Good News, which is the story of what God has done, is doing and has promised to do in us, with us and through us. This class will focus on sharing our stories with one another in a safe container. At the end of the course, discussions will include how evangelism as storytelling can be incorporated into a church's life in ways that draw people into a similar activity. 

Learn more about this class. If you are interested, please contact Anita Lisk. All classes will be virtual and will begin in early May. There will be a clergy class and a laity class.
Ordination of Vocational Deacons
April 19, 20 & 21 via All Saints’, Richmond’s Livestream

God willing, Bishops Goff and Brooke-Davidson will ordain Shea Godwin, Steve Busch, Peg Moncure, Courtenay Evans, Salli Hartman, Brian Justice and Steve Pace to the Sacred Order of Deacons. 


  • Monday, April 19 (Bishop Goff): Shea Godwin at 10:30 a.m.; Steve Busch at 1 p.m.; Peg Moncure at 3:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, April 20 (Bishop Goff): Courtenay Evans at 10:30 a.m.; Salli Hartman at 1 p.m.
  • Wednesday, April 21 (Bishop Brooke-Davidson): Brian Justice at 10:30 a.m.; Steve Pace at 1 p.m.

All are welcome and invited to attend the services via All Saints', Richmond's YouTube channel or Facebook page. For each ordination, there will be a maximum of 10 in-person attendees.
Join the Diocesan Creation Care Task Force
Members of the Diocese are invited to apply to serve on the Creation Care Task Force for the Diocese of Virginia. The Task Force is responsible for developing programs that meet strategic vision and goals. It is the conviction of the Diocese that this group represent a depth of diversity in Creation Care experience, parish, school or organization, geography, age, racial and cultural, as well as experiential diversity. The Task Force will be comprised of 15-20 people. Terms will be staggered. Those serving will be appointed by the Bishop. Please submit applications to [email protected] by Tuesday, May 18, 2021.
Virtual Governance Task Force
Delegates to the 226th Annual Convention passed Resolution R-1, Updating Rules to Assure Fairness in Virtual Church Governance Meetings, which established the Virtual Governance Task Force. That Task Force is reviewing diocesan-wide virtual governance experiences in order to recommend improvements for congregations, diocesan bodies, and Convention. The Task Force will hold virtual listening sessions soon; it also seeks written comments at [email protected]. Please comment about your experience with virtual church governance (including vestry elections), noting what worked well and what needs improving.
Brief but Important
Recommended Reading on Racial Justice
Looking for a starting point on your journey to understand and address systemic racism? The diocesan Ministry for Racial Justice and Healing recommends these books and articles to help individuals and groups begin their exploration of racism in our country, our communities, our churches and ourselves.

Prayer and Pain Scale Project
An exciting new research project is studying the successful treatment of long-term pain through the power of prayer. The study aims to develop a scientifically validated method, rooted in prayer, to serve anyone with pain-related chronic conditions. The Prayer and Pain Scale Project is a joint effort between the church and the medical community, co-led by the Episcopal Church in Delaware and Harvard School of Medicine in Boston. Participation is easy via confidential online questionnaires taking no more than 30 minutes to complete. Learn more 

Upcoming Events at Shrine Mont
Shrine Mont will be open for the 2021 season with additional precautions for COVID safety. View the full list of 2021 upcoming events.
  • April 30 - May 2 | Simply Yoga in the Mountains Devote a weekend to your well-being and practice active and passive yoga, including Hatha asana, gentle and Yin yoga.
  • May 6-9 | Digital Photography Retreat Learn more about how to use your digital camera and gain skills to take photos with better composition.
Offered by Virginia Theological Seminary
Sunday Webinar/Conversation, 2-3:30 p.m. via Zoom,
Decisions about whether and how to do Vacation Bible School can be overwhelming, even as restrictions are lifted.
 
Thursday webinar, 3:00–4:00 p.m. via Zoom
Panelists will discuss concrete ways for incorporating justice into our life of faith and bringing our faith into our community organizing. Come learn about liberative practices for faith communities.
 
Saturday workshop, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. via Zoom
Using Bowen Family Systems Theory (BFST) as our framework, this workshop will explore the emotional forces at work in our faith communities as they relate to race, politics, and the pandemic.