Serving and Fun
At the Water’s Edge
Recently (July 15-20), 35 youth and adults gathered “At the Water’s Edge” in Virginia Beach for the 2018 Junior High Servant Event. Each year, rising 7th – 9th graders from across the Virginia Synod come together to experience a week of service, learning, worship and fun. Highlights from this year include:
  • Packing over 11,000 meals of beans, rice and pasta through Operation Blessing.
  • Working with the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia to prepare fresh produce and donated items to be distributed in the community.
  • Helping People In Need Ministry and ForKids in their mission to serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness and poverty.
  • Participating in a simulation on the impact of government policies on the Racial Wealth Gap.
  • Hearing about the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission program from two YAGM
  • alums.
  • Our annual Compassion Walk where participants get a small taste of what it means for the homeless who often must walk miles to access food and basic services.
Of course, it isn’t all work at the JHSE. Besides making new friends and “hanging out,” we also took a dolphin cruise and spent some time at the beach.
The Junior High Servant Event is a great opportunity to grow together in faith and to build and deepen relationships with other Lutherans from across Virginia.
Participating congregations this year included Faith, Suffolk; First, Norfolk; Good Shepherd, VA Beach; Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Petersburg; Muhlenberg, Harrisonburg; Our Saviour, Christiansburg; Our Saviour, Warrenton; St. Michael, VA Beach; and St. Timothy, Norfolk.

We invite you to join us next year, July 21 – 26, 2019 as once again we gather “At the Water’s Edge.”
Do You have an announcement, upcoming event or news story idea? Send it to Emily Pilat at  pilat@vasynod.org  and make sure to follow our
Announcements
Prayers for victim and first responders in the California Fires
We lift our prayers for ELCA Pastor Bob Swartz and leaders of St. James Lutheran Church as the Carr Fire continues to rage and bring much destruction. Now at 27% containment, it has burned over 100,000 acres and destroyed over 1,000 homes and other structures. 

We also lift our prayers for all the first responders who are risking their lives to stop this fire, especially for the fighter fighter, bulldozer operator, and four residents who have died in this disaster . Many local police and fire personnel have lost their homes even as they have been on the line to protect others. 

St. James has opened its doors to provide respite, child care, A/C, food and water and internet connections for all in need and is hosting All Saints Episcopal, which is located in a mandatory evacuation area. 

Fires are also burning near Yosemite and in Lake County. Prayers appreciated! Visit the Sierra Pacific Synod's website  and Facebook page for more info. Lord, have mercy.
Fall 2018 ACTS Course
This year's spring ACTS course will be held October 20th and November 10th at Grace Evangelical Lutheran in Waynesboro (or at two Simulcast locations). The Rev. Dr. Timothy Wengert will present on Lutheran Confessions.

For more information on the Fall ACTS course and to register for this fall's course,  click here .
Goodness & Mystery
Illustrating Faith with Fabric
A liturgical art display from Studio Three 17, Goodness & Mystery will be held on Sunday, August 26 from 10 AM to 4 PM located at the Woltz Pavilion at the Godfrey Miller House
28 South Loudoun St. Winchester, VA 22601.

There you can meet the artist, Norma Fredrickson and browse a display of stoles, paraments, and art for beyond the sanctuary.
Introducing Three Sides Podcast
Three Sides is a monthly podcast featuring stories from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). As a church that believes God is calling us into the world – together, Three Sides will present diverse voices from across the ELCA.  Listen as we share unique stories from across this church.
 
In our  introductory episode , Shanna Crawford, Philip LaDeur and Andrew Steele talk about why they’re excited to co-host the ELCA’s new podcast. Our hosts also give listeners a sneak peek of the first episode, “Women who lead,” which launches in August.

To subscribe and listen today, click here.
Reflect, Renew, Recommit Seminar
September 24-29, 2018
Reflect, Renew, Recommit (3R) , a week long discernment retreat will be offered September 24-29, 2018 at Lutheranch in Tallapoosa, GA.  This experience creates a safe place for rostered leaders and spouses to process, share, worship, embrace prayer practices, use tools for vocational support, and discover a newfound community.   If you know a leader that might find this retreat helpful, please invite them prayerfully to consider attending. 
 
The total cost to attend is $1100. Synods will be asked to support leaders in sharing the by contributing $550 toward their tuition. Participants will contribute $550 and spouses an additional $300.
 
For more information please contact: Tiffany Pieters, 3R Registrar, at  tiffany@scsynod.com  before August 15. If you have questions about the week, please reach out to Tammy Devine ( tdevine@porticobenefits.org ).

To see the 3R informational brochure, click here. To register for the event click here.
2019 Impact Grants—Apply Now!
Impact1890—A National Lutheran Program is pleased to announce the availability of Impact grants for the 2019 year. Each year, Impact1890 awards grants to non-profit organizations that share in the same passion of serving seniors, particularly those who are aging in place in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. All grants must address at least one of the following urgent needs faced by seniors:

  • Social isolation
  • Transportation
  • Housing
  • Navigating and accessing health care and social services
  • Chronic disease management
  • Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and memory loss

Does your organization qualify? Proposals will be accepted June 1, 2018 – August 15, 2018. To learn more about the submission of grant proposals visit www.impact1890.org. Questions? Contact us at grants@impact1890.org or 301-354-2703 and ask for Impact1890.

To download a flyer with info on Impact1890's Impact grants, click here.
Strategy Survey on HIV and AIDS
The ELCA Strategy on HIV and AIDS wants to hear from you and has put together a survey to better understand the many ministries of congregations and organizations as they relate to health and specifically around the response to HIV/AIDS. Please consider taking a few minutes to share more about ministry in your congregation or organization and help inform the work around the ELCA's Strategy on HIV and AIDS. To take the survey, click here .
Job Opportunities
Prison Chaplain
Do you know someone who might be called by God to serve as our next Chaplain at Marion Correctional Treatment Center? Would you help us find the ONE? Please help us by spreading the news - just ten hours a week!

To learn more, click here .
Part-Time Coordinator of Programs, St. Luke Lutheran Church in Richmond
St. Luke Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia is recruiting a Part-Time Coordinator of Programs. The Coordinator of Programs is a person of committed faith, with a passion to further the ministry of
St. Luke through intergenerational programming. This position is responsible for the creation, development, and implementation of programming, with one special focus on the needs of younger members, young adults, young couples and families and a second special focus on seniors which includes but is not limited to Education, Fellowship and Outreach.

For a complete position description, and information on how to apply, click here.
ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow- Washington, DC
Through the support of ELCA World Hunger, ELCA Advocacy works to end hunger by engaging directly with local, state and national governments and equipping people of faith to seek justice through advocacy. ELCA Advocacy is a ministry of the ELCA Domestic Mission Unit. This is a twelve-month, non-renewable contract position.

The Hunger Advocacy Fellow will participate in a 12-month transformative experience that combines leadership development and faith formation with impactful advocacy that moves us toward an end to hunger and a just world where all are fed.

The 2018 Hunger Advocacy Fellow is a full-time contract employee (with benefits) of the ELCA Advocacy office in Washington D.C. The Fellow will serve as a member of the ELCA Advocacy national staff team.

Focusing on analyzing and addressing the root causes of hunger and economic injustice, and promoting a holistic approach to hunger ministry, the Hunger Advocacy Fellow will build ELCA World Hunger capacity to end hunger by deepening and expanding Lutheran advocacy efforts in synods, coalitions and networks.

For a complete job description, and to apply for this position, click here.
If you have a position opening you would like posted, please email Emily Pilat at  pilat@vasynod.org