As violence rages in places throughout the world, including recent war between Israel and Hamas, we pray for peace: 

Gracious and holy God, lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth. Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace. Let peace fill our hearts, our world, our universe; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen. (ELW Additional Prayers)

National Coming Out Day - October 11

National Coming Out Day is an annual LGBTQIA2S+ awareness day observed on October 11.

From the Human Rights Campaign:

Coming out in order to live openly isn’t something you do once, or even for one year. It’s a decision that we make every single day of our lives. Every coming out experience is unique and must be navigated in the way most comfortable for the individual. Whether it's for the first time ever or the first time today, coming out can be an arduous journey. It is also a brave decision to live authentically

In celebration of our LGBTQIA2S+ siblings, I share these resources with you:

Celebrating LGBTQIA2S+ Lutheran Siblings

Pastor Kelly curated this celebration of just a few of our gifted, beloved LGBTQIA2S+ Lutheran siblings.

• A Celebration of LGBTQIA2S+ Lutheran Siblings (pdf descriptions)
• A Celebration of LGBTQIA2S+ Lutheran Siblings (ppt slides)

Virginia Synod Pride Worship 2023

The LGBTQIA+ Tapestry Thread provided Pride worship in June, celebrating God's beautiful diversity at this year's Pride Worship.



The service is available on YouTube. Thank you to the worship planners and leaders!

Climate Change in Context: Q&A with the Experts

(From the Tapestry Team Care for Creation Thread)

TODAY is the Deadline to Register

As the 2023 Season of Creation celebration comes to a close, Tapestry is excited to announce a once-in-a-lifetime chance to talk about climate change and creation justice from a distinctively Lutheran perspective with two experts in the field.

On Sunday, October 15 at 7pm the Virginia Synod Tapestry Team will host a discussion of climate change with Dr. Chad Rimmer, newly installed Rector of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, and Phoebe Morad, Executive Director of Lutherans Restoring Creation. The conversation will be based on your questions about climate change. You can submit questions in your registration or send them to Sr. Phyllis Cox, ELCA Deacon, at peacocks2360@gmail.com. 

Both Dr. Rimmer and Mrs. Morad are eco-theologists who can give us better insight on how best to incorporate climate change and creation justice into your ministry, so the more questions we can provide for them, the more spirited and spirit-led the conversation will be. 

Discussing Substance Abuse in the New River Valley

Pastor Libby Pfaff and the ministry of Nineveh Lutheran Justice Ministry in Radford appeared in a public radio story about how faith leaders in the New River Valley can respond to substance abuse problems in the area.

Thank you, Pastor Libby, for your love for and ministry with people with substance abuse disorders.

Use the link below to listen to the story.

God of Our Mothers: Meeting the Matriarchs

(From the Tapestry Team Justice for Woman Thread)

Fall 2023 Bible Study

Led by the Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick

“Is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob truly the God of Hagar, Sarah, Keturah, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah?” The Rev. Dr. Wilda Gafney asks this question in her book Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to the Women of the Torah and the Throne. 

Pastor Kelly invites you to explore that question as we gather round the table for holy conversation together with the matriarchs of the Hebrew Bible. As we engage the stories of these amazing mothers, we will purposefully center the lived experiences of women in scripture as we also learn more about the narratives of the people of Israel. 

A four-week bible study:

• Monday evenings 7PM - 8:15PM
• November 6, 13, & 27; December 4

Registration closes on Sunday, October 30. Sessions will be recorded and published together by December 12.