7th Day, the Virginia Synod youth event for 5th and 6th-grades was held this past weekend, March 7-8 at Eagle Eyrie Baptist Convention Center in Lynchburg. Over 150 youth and adults made up Shepard Groups that together joined in the fun and faith-filled weekend learning new songs, making crafts, listening to stories, and playing plenty of exciting games.
The focus for the weekend was set by this year’s planning group youth-
Jeffery Berry,
Hannah Bishop,
Kat Kolodinsky,
Patrick Reiter,
Rachel Romano, event chaplains-
Pastor Heidi Moore and
Pastor Suzanne Stierwalt, and planning group advisor-
Celeste Wilson. The planning group set the theme for the weekend, "Ordinary to Extraordinary" based on the Miracle of Water to Wine in John 2:1-11.
|
|
ELCA Church Council votes to remove "Visions and Expectations"
|
The ELCA Church Council voted March 9 to remove “Vision and Expectations” from use in the ELCA. Disciplinary standards for rostered ministers are outlined in
“Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline.” The council encourages people to read the document, which states: “As an expression of its life in the gospel of Jesus Christ, this church embraces disciplinary processes of counseling, admonition and correction, with the objective of forgiveness, reconciliation and healing. Simultaneously, out of deep concern for effective extension of the gospel, this church remains alert to the high calling of discipleship in Jesus Christ.”
|
|
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
|
|
Synod Assembly 2020: General Arrangements and Registration
|
Synod Assembly is here!
June 12-13 will be our time to get together as the Virginia Synod to fellowship, learn about the wider church, do business, and worship. Our ELCA representative this year will be Dr. Mary Streufert, Director for Justice for Women, ELCA.
|
|
The Virginia Synod has created a webpage at
vasynod.org/covid-19
with information from the ELCA, CDC, and covering a number of
prepardness resources
, as well as
liturgical resources
.
|
|
"Getting Started with Church Online"
|
PRC-Practical Resources for Churches knows that the challenge of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to be fluid, requiring our congregations to be both adaptive and creative in our ministry. Regardless of how you view this current challenge, there will be folks who choose to be cautious. How might we be creative in our response? Is your church wondering how to begin to do church online?
Join us for a free webinar on
Wednesday, March 11, to get started. We will cover online worship, Bible studies, and meetings. We'll talk about the basics of Zoom, helpful tips for equipment and set up, how to help folks without computers phone in. We'll even help you find simple tutorials for your members new to the online world.
Register for the webinar today. The webinar will also be recorded, and we will share information on how to access this recording as soon as we are able to.
|
|
Roots & Wings One Day Extravaganza
March 28, 2020 10 AM - 3 PM Grace, Waynesboro
|
Whether age-appropriate or an intergenerational setting, what tools do we use and what steps can we take to encourage faith talk beyond the walls of the church building? At the
Roots & Wings One Day Extravaganza on
March 28, 2020 10 AM - 3 PM Grace in Waynesboro we will discuss resources, both material and people, being used in our own congregations and others. We will process and determine concrete, realistic steps to take in our own settings to encourage faith talk in daily life between all ages. Participants will be given opportunities to get to know one another and tell about their own ministries in the context of how we walk alongside others and support them in their faith journey. The One Day Extravaganza will be led by Debbie Streicher.
|
|
Region 9 Rostered Women's Gathering
|
- Imagine a place where your stories are shared and believed.
- Imagine a community where pain is expressed and hands join together to hold it in the light.
- Imagine conversation with coaches, counselors, and spiritual directors helping you to discern and do the next right things.
- Imagine investing in your vocation not because you are deficient but because you are uniquely gifted to carry out ministry as a leader in your place.
Now don’t imagine it, join us for such a time together all for the sake of building up women leaders who build up the body of Christ.
Register today, there's early bird pricing until April 1. All the details are on the website, but if you have additional questions email
Pastor Kelly Bayer Derrick.
|
|
Virginia Lutheran Men in Mission 2020 Gathering: “Growing in Faith Through Hardship”
|
Join us
March 21-22 at the Roslyn Retreat Center in Richmond for the Virginia Lutheran Men in Mission Gathering. This year's theme "Growing in Faith Through Hardship" will be led by presenters Pastor Ted Edwards and Pastor Carl Troast, with Chaplain Pastor Patrick Freund.
The deadline for Registering is March 4, 2020. For more information,
click here. To register for the gathering,
click here.
|
|
Christ Lutheran Sponsors Bach Around the Clock
|
Christ Lutheran Church, Staunton–Pastor Rob McCarty, Dean of the Southern Valley Conference, and Music Director Florence Jowers–will again sponsor the popular Bach Around the Clock on Bach’s birthday,
March 21st, from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. The church will join forces with the Heifetz Institute, Nicholas Kitchen, Artistic Director, to feature the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, the greatest Lutheran church musician, composer, and organist. Throughout the day individuals or ensembles will play and sing the music of Bach, who wrote over 300 sacred cantatas, hundreds of works for organ, many string compositions, and elaborate pieces for various instruments. The event is free, though a “Bach’s Lunch” may be purchased for $10, and donations are especially encouraged for the evening organ recital and choral program.
|
|
James R. Crumley Jr Friends of the Archives Banquet
|
You are cordially invited to celebrate with this year's honorees at the James R. Crumley, Jr. Archives "Friends of the Archives Banquet." This year's banquet will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2020 in the Lenoir-Rhyne University Cromer Banquet Room in Hickory, NC. Our honorees include the Rev. Don Poole and Mrs. Brenta Poole, Lutheridge-Novus Way Ministries, and the N.C. Synod, ELCA
Please RSVP to the Archives by April 10th. For more information on RSVPing and to register for the event,
click here.
|
|
Lenoir-Rhyne University A Cappella Choir and Brass Ensemble Spring Tour
|
The Lenoir-Rhyne University A Cappella Choir and Brass Ensemble Spring Tour is coming to
Muhlenberg Lutheran Church 281 E Market St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
on Sunday March 22, at 7 PM. The performance is free and open to the public with no ticket required. A free-will offering will be recieved. For an event flyer, click here.
|
|
Updates and Upcoming Events at Caroline Furnace
|
Summer Camp 2020
Good indeed is the Lord, whose steadfast love endures forever. God's faithfulness continues for all generations. -Psalm 100:5 Get ready for another amazing summer! Registration is now open for Summer 2020 camps at Caroline Furnace. Campers who are 16 & 17 years old are eligible for the LIT! Program (Leaders in Training). Are you (or someone you know) interested in serving as a Camp Counselor this summer? Every week is a new adventure! Paid academic internships are available.
Learn More and Register
Family Nights
Join us for an evening of fun! We're bringing dinner, games, and a campfire for s'mores to a church near you. Bring your questions about Summer Camp and Retreats. All are welcome - invite your friends! RSVP on the Facebook event (Caroline Furnace page), sign-up sheet at your church, or by emailing
julie@carolinefurnace.org. RSVP requested but not required; there is no cost to attend. Learn more and get flyers and Facebook events here:
Family Nights schedule
March 15 at 5pm - Epiphany Lutheran Church, Richmond VA
March 22 at 5pm - College Lutheran Church, Salem VA
April 5 at 5pm - St. Mark Lutheran Church, Charlottesville VA
NEW! Spring Break Work Weeks: March 9-13, March 16-20
Spring Work Weekend: March 20-22
Grab your work gloves and come spend Spring Break at camp; we need your help with the Moyer Lodge and Farmhouse upgrades! This is a large-scale project and many hands make light(er) work. Lodging and meals are provided for the length of your stay - come for a day or stay for both weeks. There is no cost to participate, but an option is available during registration to help fund the project. No skill required. Spring Break Work Weeks are for all ages, not just college students. Bring your mission group! Invite your friends!
Sign up now.
|
|
Stay Connected with the Virginia Synod:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
