“Being Church Together in a Changing World”
  Lent 2017 Study Series brought to you by TAPESTRY
What does it mean to be Church in these times? With each other, with partners who share our Christian faith? With our neighbor? Tapestry, the Virginia Synod Steering Team on engaging “diversity in context,” has put together a 5-week Lenten study series, for use by either congregation groups or individuals.  It comes in two parts:

Weekly Webinars led by Directors of Evangelical Mission. Directors of Evangelical Mission, or DEMs, are rostered leaders appointed by the ELCA to serve in Synods to assist congregations with mission, outreach, and stewardship. Four DEMs will be presenting on the following:

Week 1: Intro "Being Church Together in a Changing World"

Week 2: God's Mission has a Church (Why does God have a church?) – Pastor Erika Uthe, SE Iowa Synod

Week 3: Listen, Listen, Listen!  (Why listening - listening together - is necessary.) – Pastor Deb Stalin, Minneapolis Area Synod

Week 4: Calling: You Can't Do It By Yourself (Why being Church Together is Necessary) – Pastor Justin Grimm, St. Paul Area Synod

Week 5: Final Thoughts on "Being Church Together in  Changing World" – Bishop Jim Mauney, (and DEM for the VA Synod!)

Webinars will be shared each Monday beginning on March 6th, and available for download to any personal device on the Virginia Synod Vimeo page. The webinar videos will be accompanied by Scripture and discussion questions – so a great resource for congregations and individuals out there looking for a study series over Lent!

Weekly Devotions from People Across the Synod. Each week, there will also be Lenten devotions posted to TAPESTRY’s blog, written by Virginia Synod Lutherans!  

Just exactly does it mean to be Church together in this day and age?  Let’s start by studying together, imagining what God might be up to in our congregations, communities, and synod!

The Lent 2017 Study Series will be distributed via email to all Rostered Ministers and Congregations. 

If you would also like to receive the series via email, please contact Emily Pilat, Director of Communications for the VA Synod, at [email protected]. The series will also be made available on the Synod website!

Questions about the Series or TAPESTRY in general? Please contact TAPESTRY team member Pastor Aaron Fuller, [email protected].
Do You have an announcement, upcoming event or news story idea? Send it to Emily Pilat at [email protected] and make sure to follow our
Announcements
7th Day 2017

7th Day is our annual overnight event for youth in 5th and 6th grades and their adult advisors. During the weekend participants are part if a “Shepherd Group” with other youth and adult leaders and explore a story of the Bible through drama, games, crafts, and music. In the evening youth and adults will have time to relax in their Cottages with their congregation and other congregations from Virginia and discuss how 7th Day is going.

For more information, and to register for 7th Day click here
Register Now for the Spring 2017 ACTS Course
Join us March 11th and April 1st at Grace Evangelical Lutheran in Waynesboro (or at two Simulcast locations). Hear Rev. Dave Delaney present an introduction to the Old Testament, providing participants a broad view of the history of Ancient Israel and how their scriptures came to be.

For more information, and to register for the Spring ACTS course, click here
Reformation 500 Observances
As the second oldest Lutheran college in the USA, the mission statement of Roanoke College declares that we "honor our Christian heritage by nurturing a dialogue between faith and reason." In this spirit, Roanoke College announces a series of special academic events from late 2016 through the anniversary year 2017 in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and in coordination with the 175th anniversary of the college's founding.

For more information on this and future events from Roanoke College celebrating the Reformation click here
Keyboards, Percussion, Guitars, Oh My! Alternative Expressions of Praise and Worship
The workshop will be led by Christ Church Episcopal Music Director Keith Tan and Rector Shirely Smith Graham.

March 11, 2017 at Church of the Messiah, 12201 Spotswood Furnace Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22407

For the Spring workshop registration flyer click here
The Lutheran Church in the Shendandoah Valley of Virginia Where We’ve Come From – Where We’re Going
As we celebrate the 500th year Commemoration of the Reformation, our own Virginia Lutheran history can help us as we move forward as Christ’s Church in the 21st Century.  Dr. Susan McArver, Professor of History and Educational Ministry Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, will help guide us to look for the ways God continues to Reform Christ’s Church. Join us!

Saturday, March 18, 2017 from 1:30-3:00 PM at Grace Lutheran Church 500 S. Wayne Avenue Waynesboro, VA

For more information, and to download a bulletin insert, click here
Inside Out: Forming Faith 2017 Roots and Wings Workshop
What happens when we consider how faith affects our brains, not just our hearts? In this daylong events, be prepared to look at faith formation and ministry with children and youth using an “Inside Out” point of view. Workshops will balance findings from neuroscience with practical applications for parenting and leading ministry.

Join us Saturday, May 6th from 9 AM to 3 PM at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hampton

To view the event flyer and paper registration, click here
To register for the event online click here
Significant Events form for 2017 Synod Assembly
Submit your congregation's significant events to Debbie Worley at  [email protected] . To be included in the Bulletin of reports, the form must be submitted by May 9, 2017.

To download the Significant Events form for 2017, click here
Nominations for Synod Council and Committees

For Synod Council, we will be electing one lay member (male or female). and four rostered ministers(1 to fill a vacancy in the class of 2018; 1 male, 1 female, and 1 of either gender for three year terms)

We will be electing 8 new members for the Consultation Committee that can potentially be involved in settling arbitrational matters that might arise in the life of the synod. They will serve a six-year term until 2023.

We will be electing 12 new members for the Committee on Discipline: 2 Lay, 2 Clergy for a two-year term; 2 Lay, 2 Clergy for a four-year term; 2 Lay, 2 Clergy for a six-year term.


To download the position description for the Synod Council and committee positions, click here

To download the nomination form, click here
Job Opportunities

The Village at Orchard Ridge, a National Lutheran Community

Philanthropy Director Winchester, VA

National Lutheran Communities & Services (NLCS) is recruiting for a Philanthropy Director in Winchester, VA. Reporting to the Chief Philanthropy Officer, the Philanthropy Director is an integral position within the organization, serving as lead in all areas related to philanthropic programs at The Village at Orchard Ridge. Responsible for cultivation and stewardship programs in support of the fundraising goals established by National Lutheran Communities & Services (NLCS) and The Village at Orchard Ridge—A National Lutheran Community including capital campaigns. Assures that the institutional fundraising efforts follow excellent management and stewardship practices in stewarding donors and gifts made to The Village at Orchard Ridge. Designs, implements and/or maintains a comprehensive fundraising program including annual giving, major gifts, endowment and capital campaigns, fundraising events and other special projects of The Village at Orchard Ridge supportive of and in accordance with the overall NLCS goals and objectives 

Job Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, Human Services or related field is required. 
  • Visibility requires maintaining a professional appearance and providing a positive image of NLCS. 
  • Must possess strong written and oral communication skills; able to maintain confidential information. 
  • Must be able to develop presentations and documents. 
  • Must have strong computer skills, including proficient in Microsoft Office and willing to learn the donor databases. 

For more information or to submit a resume, please email Annette Damron  [email protected]
All job postings can also be found online at  www.vasynod.org/job-opportunities . If you have a position opening you would like posted, please email Emily Pilat at  [email protected]