Walking Together During the Government Shutdown
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During this government shutdown, those affected are at the front of our minds – and we know you share in this care and concern, too.
The current shutdown impacts many of us and our neighbors – from furloughed federal workers waiting for paychecks to hungry families worrying that the help they need to purchase food may not be there next month.
ELCA World Hunger and the
MEANS Database have put together this short, practical list of things to consider and do to help our neighbors. Read and share. But most importantly, remember all our neighbors facing the immediate effects of financial uncertainty during this critical time.
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Do Justice for January 15, 2019
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Do Justice is a bi-monthly newsletter of the Virginia Synod, lifting up God’s call and command that we, God’s people, do justice. You will find helpful info about justice ministries in congregations, around Virginia, and through the ELCA.
This week's Do Justice highlighted the the commemoration of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on January 15th, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy's
Day for All People, ELCA World Hunger's
40 Days of Giving, and more!
To read the most recent edition of Do Justice,
click here. If you're interested in receiving Do Justice in your inbox,
sign up today!
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Young Adults in the Virginia Synod Unite!
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A group of Young Adults in Virginia started asking the question of how can we gather as a wider group of young people to faithfully network, create community, and inspire our churches. We want to gather for a weekend sometime this spring ask the question:
What do you want? Please fill out
this survey so we have your input as we plan this event.
Peace,
Alyssa Kaplan, Mycah McNett, Samantha DiBiaso, Amanda Silcox, and Pastor Alex Zuber
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Sermons are available one month prior to the Sunday service they are to be shared during. View all the sermons shared
on the Virginia Synod website.
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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
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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 this event,
click here.
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Caroline Furnace Pre-Lenten Retreat
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Pastors, Lay Leaders and Retired Clergy, you're invited! Be sure to Register by January 25th.
Gather with us at Buttonwood
Lodge on Monday, February 4 to Wednesday, February 6 for our Pre-Lenten Retreat, led by
Rev. Heidi David-Young
, our Director of Resource and Program Development.
We will explore the method of Rehearsing Scripture and work to encounter the five Lenten gospel scriptures as the "repertory church". Not just the title of Anna Carter Florence's new book, Rehearsing Scripture is also the experiential method she outlines to creatively and meaningfully delve into scripture.
As the Peter Marshall Professor of Preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary, Dr. Carter Florence uses this method of rehearsing scripture in her preaching classes with seminary students. Seminary students come together in class and rehearse scripture much like theatre students rehearse a play. During the Pre-Lenten Retreat, our task will be the same - to bring new insight and meaning to all who participate.
As Dr. Carter Florence says in the first chapter, "When the people of God read Scripture together in a let-loose, wild rumpus sort of way, with no other purpose than to simply speak and listen to the words that are written, the same thing happens every time: we discover the script in Scripture. We see that our Biblical text is a collection of scripts that God has given us to rehearse until something true emerges. And we become the repertory church."
Come gather new truth and insight for your Lenten preaching and become part of the repertory church!
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*Our Pre-Lenten Retreat will be held at Buttonwood Lodge, our adult retreat center in nearby Strasburg VA. The subsidized retreat cost is $115 per person, with an additional Early Bird Discount available until December 31.
Rostered Leaders of all denominations are invited to participate.
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Upcoming Events at Caroline Furnace
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Spring Work Weekend: April 12-14 in the Cabin Village
Pre-Advent Retreat:
August 19-21 at Buttonwood Lodge
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Lecture Series from Professor Emeritus Mark T. Nation at Eastern Mennonite Seminary
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Christianity Stand or Falls with its Revolutionary Protest Against Violence: Bonhoeffer's Persistent Opposition to War, Wednesday February 13th from 6:30-8:30 PM at Martin Chapel located at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. For more information,
click here.
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Ask, Thank, Tell: Growing Generous Stewardship
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The Virginia Synod and the Presbytery of the James are offering a one-day Stewardship education event with Charles R Lane, the author of “Ask, Thank, Tell” and “Embracing Stewardship” at Three Chopt Presbyterian Church in Richmond on Saturday, March 23, 2019, from 9 AM until 3 PM. The cost of the event is $15 per person. For this event, you have two options to participate. You can register and participate in-person or by simulcast.
Registration is now open to attend either in-person or through the online simulcast. If you haven't spent all of your continuing education funds for 2018, now is a great time to register to attend this event.
To register for the event,
click here, for more information about this event,
click here.
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ACTS 2019 Spring Course: Spirituality and Leadership
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April 6 and May 11, 2019 we will gather for our ACTS Spring Course. This year's spring course will be led by
Dr. Jill Y. Crainshaw
Acting Dean at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. This course will explore how throughout biblical history prayerfully listening to God changed the way leaders served in response to God’s call. The participant will learn ways a congregation can prepare and use their many differing personal and spiritual gifts for mission.
For more information on the ACTS Spring Course and to register,
click here.
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Roots & Wings Facebook Page
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We have recently launched our
Roots & Wings Facebook Page!
I'm excited to be "that place" where new ideas can be shared and culminated. Feel free to give the page a like, share the page, and post activities and encouragement to all of us who are involved in youth ministry!
Blessings,
The Rev. Suzanne M. Stierwalt
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The ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) application is now open!
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The Young Adults in Global Mission is a one-year, international service-learning and faith-formation opportunity in churches and social service ministries for young adults, ages 21-29. The application for the 2019-2020 program year closes
February 15th, 2019
. For more information and to apply,
click here.
Young adults serve alongside Lutheran companion church bodies and organizations in one of ten country programs around the world, being shaped by the witness of our global neighbors in a cross-cultural journey of faith. For the current program year, the country programs are: Argentina & Uruguay, Australia, Central Europe, Cambodia, Jerusalem/West Bank, Madagascar, Mexico, Rwanda, Senegal, and Southern Africa. Areas of service include, but are not limited to, health and development, congregational ministry, human rights, education, homelessness, addiction recovery, women’s issues and children and youth. All site placements provide opportunities for young adults to confront issues of wealth and poverty; racial privilege; economic disparity and globalization, all through the lens of faith.
Short-term recruiters will be headed around to ELCA Colleges and Universities, Lutheran Campus Ministries, ELCA Camps, and other young adults ministries throughout the fall speaking about their previous year of service and about the program as a whole! Be on the lookout for their upcoming visits!
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2019 Ignite the Church Conference
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The Ignite the Church Conference is an annual gathering on
February 19-21, 2019
that seeks to further Kingdom impacting conversation among leaders that will ignite the Church and help it live out its heritage of renewal in the years ahead! Speakers include Bishop Pedro Suarez, Florida Bahamas Synod, Rev. Dr. John Herman, and Beth Lewis, President and CEO Emeritus of 1517 Media. All proceeds from the event support the ELCA Fund for Leaders. For more information, check out their website:
ignitethechurch.net
.
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Many of us have questions about God and our faith, but don’t always know where to go with them. Many of us would love to talk about our faith, but there isn’t always an easy place to do that. You don’t exactly ask someone across the lunch table at school, “Someone told me ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ That would mean God planned all those school shootings. What do you think?” Bishops’ School is your opportunity to be with people like you – people who want to talk about God, to think theologically. In addition to interactive classroom times, small group gatherings, and service projects, there will be plenty of time for making new friends and having fun! Bishops’ School 2019 takes place at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
For more information and to submit a nomination for Bishop's School,
click here.
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Explore and apply for opportunities available with the churchwide organization or global service on the ELCA Job Board at
elca.atsondemand.com
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Chaplain Position at Greensville Correctional Center
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GraceInside (Virginia's State Prison Chaplain Service) has an immediate, part-time chaplaincy position opening at Greensville Correctional Center (GRCC) - near Emporia, VA. For more information and to apply,
click here.
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VP of External Affairs for Lutheran Family Services
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This position is responsible for the oversight of the agency’s marketing, resource development, and communication departments. The Vice President of External Relations will work in collaboration with the Senior Executive Team to build strong internal and external relationships with agency stakeholders, increase awareness of the agency in the communities in which we serve, and assist in the creation of clear and compelling communications that further the mission of Lutheran Family Services of Virginia. For more information and to apply,
click here.
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If you have a position opening you would like posted, please email Emily Pilat at
pilat@vasynod.org.
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Stay Connected with the Virginia Synod:
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