Dear friends in Christ,

After several Zoom meetings this spring, our committee gathered last Saturday at Roslyn. Our day-long meeting was characterized by joy, gratitude, and optimism: joy, at our first chance to be together in person, to make small talk during coffee breaks, and to share a meal; gratitude for the gifts we are discovering in one another, and for the trust you have placed in us; and optimism about what God will do and reveal in the next chapter of the life of our Diocese.

We are still in the “pre-search” phase of our work, meaning that we are not yet considering potential nominees to be our next Bishop. At Roslyn, with the help of consultants from the Kaleidoscope Institute, we explored the diversity of perspectives we bring to our task. We are educating ourselves and one another about the character and history of the Diocese, and we are seeking insight from people with deep, firsthand experience of diocesan functioning under recent Bishops. We are laying plans for the fall to invite every member of our diocesan family to share hopes, prayers, and aspirations for where God may be calling us under the leadership of our next Bishop.

It is a joyful blessing and a high privilege to be doing this work on your behalf. Thank you in advance for your participation. And thank you for your prayers. You are in ours!

To register, please contact Laura Hicks and provide: your name, title, organization, email and phone number. Please also indicate if you plan to attend in person or via Zoom.

Our Bishops and the Ministry for Racial Justice and Healing are working diligently toward racial justice and equity in the Diocese of Virginia. Much has been done and much more still lies before us. To get you thinking ahead, we invite you to review The Episcopal Church’s Racial Justice Audit of Episcopal Leadership. Through the Mission Institute, The Episcopal Church has surveyed and interviewed more than 1,300 members of the church’s key leadership bodies about their experiences of racism, racial identity and power in the life of our church. The audit and resulting report offer data, stories, major patterns and themes, recommendations, and key questions about how the church can truly become beloved community. How are the findings similar to what people in Virginia are experiencing? Check out the audit results and get ready for our own journey toward racial justice and healing.

TODAY: July 22, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. via Zoom

If your church is using the Realm church management software application, you may want to attend the introductory meeting (via Zoom) of the Diocese’s new Realm Users’ Group. The group’s goal is to create a community to help one another with issues specific to this church management system. Participants will share their Realm insights and expand their use of Realm through user-focused trainings. For more information on this meeting, contact Bob Clarke or Jenice Jones-Porter of St. George’s, Arlington.

Parish Youth Ministries (PYM) is a committee led by high school students from across the Diocese of Virginia. The committee plans, executes, and leads retreat weekends at Shrine Mont for 4th-12th graders. PYM is led by teenagers from all different backgrounds and who are in different stages of their faith journeys. The committee is now accepting applications from rising 9th - 12th graders. There are two levels of involvement: Core Leadership and Weekend Facilitator. Be a part of the committee at your own comfort level. In PYM, you'll grows skills in many areas while making new friends in a community of support and love. Questions? Contact PYM Adult Leader Katie Cosby.

Designed by Goodwin House CEO Rob Liebreich, StrongerMemory is intended to help people with mild cognitive impairment or early signs of dementia. Goodwin House is now making the program available to churches of the Diocese and offers training for facilitators. The program consists of simple activities practiced daily to engage the working memory and trigger brain activity which may help stabilize or improve cognitive functions. For more information about offering this program in your congregation, contact Jessica Fredericksen.