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| Announcements From Around the Virginia Synod |
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Kids in Virginia Need Food 365 Day a Year
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Over 500,000 of our school aged children in Virginia qualify to receive a free or reduced priced lunch during the school year. Many of these children count on the meal that they receive during school, but what are they to do when summer hits and they are no longer in the classroom?
Childhood hunger during the summer months is one of the issues that the Virginia Synod Childhood Hunger Task Force, also known as Virginia Feeds Kids, has been concentrating on this year.
 In 2015, Virginia Feeds Kids hosted three interfaith and iteragency gatherings to strategize with partners across the state. Now, in 2016, they are launching local efforts.
"We are encouraging regional interfaith and interorganizational coordination throughout the summer," said Eric Carlson, the chair of the Virginia Synod Childhood Hunger Task Force.
While the Free/Reduced Lunch Program is familiar to many in Virginia, the
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is less well known. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a program of the USDA, ensures that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session.
Each region has organizations who act as sponsors for sites where children are actually fed.
Virginia Feeds Kids is hosting six regional informational sessions about feeding children during the Summer.
The meetings are, "to raise awareness for congregational leaders about the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and how congregations can help regional sponsors and how sponsors can help congregations in finding and feeding hungry children."
"Organizations and people from all congregations are invited," said Eric Carlson. The sponsor for the region where the sessions are being held will also be in attendance.
Meetings will be held in Waynesboro, Richmond, Roanoke, Norfolk, and Abingdon during March and April. The first session was already held in Fredericksburg in February and the participants are planning on continuing coordinating together.
"In Fredericksburg we are going to gather a list of all the Summer VBS programs in the region and we will publish that list of who offers a meal or a snacks," said Carlson.
After each session, the registration button on the Virginia Feeds Kids website will turn into a button where you can sign up to receive information about coordination efforts in that region.
See the event announcement below or go online to www.virginiafeedskids.org to register for a session or to learn more about the efforts of Virginia Feeds Kids.
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Regional Informational Sessions for Feeding Children in the Summer Months
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Virginia Feeds Kids (The Virginia Synod Childhood Hunger Task Force) is hosting Regional Sessions for congregational leaders to explore feeding children during the summer months.
Link up with a food-providing sponsor and learn how to integrate a meal into your summer programs (like Vacation Bible School).
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2016 Spring ACTS Course
Save The Date - April 9 & May 14
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The ACTS Spring Course, "A World According to God: Practices for Discipleship" will be April 9 & May 14, 2016. The presenter will be Dr. Martha E. Stortz, the
Bernhard M. Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation at Augsburg College, a position she has held since 2010.
ACTS is the Virginia Synod's Adult Faith Formation program. For more information about ACTS,
click here.
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It is that time of the year when TWO reports are due from rostered leaders and congregations:
1.) The Parochial Report - Form A and C (statistical information about your congregation, reported to our churchwide partners). This form is out by the pastor of a congregation or the main contact person for a congregation.
The form can be found on the right side bar a
www.elca.org/Resources/Office-of-the-Secretary
2.) Rostered Leader Report to the Bishop -ALL rostered leaders complete this form and send it to their Synod Bishop. The various forms are found under the "Synods" tab at
www.elca.org/Resources/Office-of-the-Secretary
Questions? Contact the synod office!
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Rev. Nadia Bolz Weber at St. Mark, Charlottesville
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The Rev. Nadia Bolz Weber, founding pastor of the House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado, is visiting Charlottesville - UVA and St. Mark Lutheran in March! She is the author of "Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner and Saint" and her latest book, "Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People." She's a popular speaker who preaches prophetically while maintaining a surprisingly salty vocabulary.
Nadia will participate in an Evening Vespers service at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Charlottesville on Friday, March 18th at 7:30pm. On Saturday, March 19th at 1 pm in Newcomb Hall Theater, Nadia will give a public talk as part of the Festival of the Book, entitled, "Finding God in All the Wrong People".
You may find information about that talk here:
http://vabook.org/participant/nadia-bolz-weber/
The Wesley Foundation, St. Mark Lutheran, St. Paul's Memorial, and the UVA Department of Religious Studies in Charlottesville are partnering to sponsor this visit. Both events are free and open to the general public.
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Dementia ministry training - March 22, 23
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The Hermitage in Richmond and Hermitage in Northern Virginia, will offer one-day learning opportunities for clergy and laity. "Building a Circle of Support: The Role of the Church in Supporting Individuals with Dementia and Their Care Partners" will be held Tuesday,
March 22, at The Hermitage in Richmond, 1600 Westwood Ave. and on Wednesday,
March 23, at Hermitage in Northern Virginia, 5000 Fairbanks Ave., Alexandria.
Registration will start at 9:30 a.m. followed by learning and sharing sessions from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Keynote presenter for the day is Gary H. Oberlender, MD, consultant in geriatric medicine from Roanoke. Sessions will focus on "The ABC's of Dementia" and "End of Life Care, Decision-Making Capacity, and the Role of Clergy." Cost is $25, which includes lunch, to be paid by cash or check upon arrival. Space is limited. Registration deadline is March 15. To register for Richmond event, contact Susan Cantrell at
(804) 474-1850 or
[email protected]. To register for Northern Virginia event, contact Lynette Mitchell at
(703) 797-3814 or
[email protected].
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In the Breaking of the Bread: Lutheran/Episcopal Retreat
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Join clergy and rostered leaders for an ecumenical retreat held May 16-18, 2016, at Shrine Mont Conference Center in Orkney Springs, Virginia.
Participants will gain working knowledge of The Book of Common Prayer and Evangelical Lutheran Worship and how to use them to preside with instruction from renowned scholars. Learning and fellowship with national ecumenical officers, bishops, deployment officers, synod staff, and full communion clergy partners in your area will equip you for shared ministries of word and sacrament.
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"Religion & Spirituality in A Changing Society" Lecture
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Diana Butler Bass presents the James H. Taylor Memorial Lectures " Religion & Spirituality in a Changing Society." There will be three FREE lectures at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynchburg, VA. On Friday, March 11 at 7:00 pm the topic will be "Spiritual Revolution: The Rise of the Mystics". On Saturday, March 12 at 9:00 a.m. the topic will be "Experiencing God in Nature: Challenge and Promise" and at 11:00 a.m. the topic will be "Experiencing God in Our Neighbors: Great Command in Action". Please click here for more information.
Please Click Here For More Information
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Visiting Theologian in Blacksburg, April 30:
Marianne Hieb on Meditative Art-Journaling
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Marianne Hieb will serve as Luther Memorial Lutheran Church's 2016 Visiting Theologian in Blacksburg. Sister Hieb ministers at the Lourdes Wellness Center in Collingswood, NJ, where, for the past 30 years, she has developed and facilitated the Creativity, Spirituality,
and Wellness program.
Dr. Hieb will facilitate a workshop, on Saturday, April 30, at Luther Memorial: Meditative Art-Journaling®: An Adjunct Prayer Practice and Way of Contemplative Presence. This workshop will invite participants to use art materials as a way to explore the presence of God. There will be a morning (9-12) and an afternoon session (12-4); participants may attend either one or both. Lunch will be served between sessions.
Luther Memorial is located at 600 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA.
This workshop is open to all and free to the public. All art materials will be provided.
It is requested that participants register by either calling 951-1000 or sending an email to [email protected].
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Director of Faith Nurture Ministries-Salem, VA
Anticipated Starting Date: June 1, 2016
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College Evangelical Lutheran Church (Salem, Virginia) seeks applications for a part-time director of Faith Nurture Ministries. Salary range is $25,000 - $30,000 annually. Compensation includes two (2) weeks of paid annual vacation. Continuing education funds are available.
Click here for the full position description.
Under the supervision of the Pastor, the director of Faith Nurture Ministries serves as an advocate for and facilitates Congregational faith formation programs.
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Part-time Executive Director of
Shenandoah Valley Lutheran Ministries
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Shenandoah Valley Lutheran Ministries is seeking a part-time executive director. The position involves organizing and carrying out day-to-day operations of SVLM, working with the Board of Dirctors and volunteers, representing SVLM in the community. Candidates should have administrative and managerial skills plus experience in fundraising,, grant writing and working with non-profit organizations. If you are interested in being the 'public face' of SVLM or know someone who might be, respond to Cathy Christovich
[email protected]
and request a full job description.
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Grace Inside Chaplaincy Opening:
Buckingham Correctional Center
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GraceInside (Virginia's Prison Chaplain Service) is currently seeking interested and qualified candidates for a Chaplain position at
Buckingham Correctional Center (BKCC is located in Dillwyn in central Virginia). BKCC is a level 3-4 security facility housing over 1000 men serving long sentences who've been infraction free for 2 years. This part-time position is currently funded for 30 hours a week. Qualified applicants should have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university, a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) or equivalent degree from an accredited seminary/theological school, and should be ordained and in good standing with their ordaining body (church, denomination/judicatory). CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) units are a plus, as is pastoral experience. Experience working in the field of criminal justice (jails, prisons, etc.) is also a plus. Interested candidates may request an application from Kate Shelton at
[email protected]. Completed applications should be scanned and emailed - along with a current resume and cover letter of interest - to Kate Shelton at the above email address. Deadline to receive all materials is Thursday, March 10, 2016. The position will begin April 1, 2016 ,with training and time for shadowing the current chaplain who retires April 30th.
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Do You have an announcement, upcoming event or news story Idea? Send it to [email protected] and make sure to follow our
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