How happy are the feet...

Members of St. Mark Lutheran in Yorktown led by their pastor, The Rev. Rachel Manke, participated in a "Pew to 5K" program this fall. The group began a training schedule 6 weeks earlier in September that included an increasing number of minutes walking or jogging together. Every week had a prayer focus for participants to pray around before beginning their training. Prayers were for various aspects of the community and the world. 

The goal was to enjoy fellowship, be good stewards of healthy bodies, and to manage to walk or jog a full 5K (3.2) course. The "All Saints 5K" took place on the morning of November 2nd in historic Yorktown Village. Thrivent sponsored the event, providing t-shirts, refreshment and funds to provide each finisher with a special finisher medal. Young and old came out to walk or help and the weather was gorgeous! 

Ray Farr, one of the participants, said, "I believe this is the first annual..." implying a desire that this be an annual event. Participants enthusiastically wore their medals (containing an All Saints icon on each) to worship the next morning over their Thrivent t-shirts or choir robes. What fun!

The Office of the Bishop continues to lift up our partnership with our global companion Synod the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea (PNG) this month! We have recently shared with our partners in the New Guinea Islands District of PNG a video of greeting from our recent Gathering of the Ministerium, as well as have been sharing the Papua New Guinea flag at numerous synod gatherings. It is a wonderful time to be church together and we celebrate our relationship, which is rooted in accompaniment, with our PNG siblings and the many ways we together build up the body of Christ.

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.

Lost and Found is our annual weekend retreat for youth in 7th and 8th grade and their adult advisors. We have Large Group gatherings that consist of singing, energy, comedy, worship and a presentation on our event theme. After each Large Group gathering each person is part of a Small Group made up of about 8 youth and a couple adult leaders where participants will get to know other Lutheran youth from Virginia and discuss life, faith and other topics that arise throughout the weekend. On Saturday afternoon there is large chunk of Free Time during which we will also hold out annual Talent Show. In the evenings you will relax in your Cottage and talk with other youth and adults from your congregation and other congregations about how the weekend is going.

For more information on Lost and Found and to register for the event, click here .

Choose from 50 charitable gifts to give in honor of friends or loved ones this Christmas. New gifts include  seeds and gardening tools, a Sunday school start-up kit and manure  to help a farmer increase yields from his or her crops. Each gift makes a difference in the world and shares the love of Christ with our neighbors in need.

See what's new, at  goodgifts.elca.org

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran in Newport News are pleased to present Dr. John Schwandt, Professor and Chair of Organ at the University of Oklahoma School of Music in a special hymn festival celebrating the 50th Anniversary of our organ on Sunday, December 1 at 4 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church, 6812 River Road, Newport News, VA.

For an informational flyer for this event, click here.

Wild Women Wine and Craft Retreat, December 6-8

Join us for a weekend of fellowship and renewal! Feel free to bring a book, your latest crafting project, and your favorite snacks/drinks to share. We'll share some of our favorites too - transportation is provided to a local winery, and we'll lead the group in a craft. (Craft details TBD - stay tuned)​Retreat cost includes modern-rustic lodging, scratch-made meals, and transportation to a local winery.

For more information and to register for any of the above events, click here.

Holy Listening – We believe holy listening is at the core of spiritual direction. It’s listening to one another, and most attentively to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The real and most genuine spiritual director is always the Holy Spirit.

Everyone is Welcome to Apply – Our primary purpose is to train people who feel called to be such spiritual friends, spiritual companions; however, we welcome those whose main interest is to deepen their own spiritual practices.

Within the Christian Tradition – Ours is an experience in spiritual direction grounded in Trinitarian faith. However, we recognize that there is deep spiritual wisdom that can be found in other faith traditions. We will draw on those traditions and will integrate them from a Christian perspective.

The application deadline is November 15. For more information on the program, click here.

Sister Joan Chittister will present the James H. Taylor Memorial Lecture at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lynchburg (1000 Langhorne Rd, Lynchburg, VA 24503), Friday, November 15, at 7:00 PM Her topic is "Radical Spirit." The event is free. Tickets are not required, but first come, first seated.

Chittister is one of the more influential religious and social leaders of our time. For forty years, she has passionately advocated on behalf of peace, human rights, women’s issues, and church renewal. A much sought-after speaker and clear voice that bridges across all religions, she is also a best-selling author of more than fifty books and hundreds of articles. She has received numerous writing awards and honors for her work, and is a noted international lecturer as well as a former fellow at St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge University, England.

Sister Joan is a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania, and served as prioress for twelve years. She also served as president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an organization of the leaders of Catholic religious women in the United States, and president of the Conference of American Benedictine Prioresses. She received her doctorate in speech communications from Penn State University.

Get inspired, encouraged, challenged and warmed up at the Ignite the Church Conference in Orlando, Florida, February 11-13. In addition to large group gatherings on Congregational Vitality, there will be electives on Reaching Younger Generations, Expanding Kingdom Impact, Church Renewal and Discipleship, Renewing Music, Vitality through Mission, Engaging Your Neighborhood, Evangelism, Social Justice, and Raising Up Leaders along with a visit to Orlando’s Castle Church Brewing Community. A $99 discounted rate, including 2 meals and snacks, is available until November 30th. All proceeds benefit the ELCA Fund for Leaders. For more information go to www.IgniteTheChurch.net.

Christ The King Lutheran Church is seeking an experienced Christian musician who will encourage others in their faith through musical leadership and by example.

For a complete position description, click here.

Interested candidates send cv and salary requirements to jaimeecbernard@gmail.com.

Grace Lutheran Church, Chesapeake is seeking a part time Minister of Music. The position is currently an average of 10 hours per week—including time for planning, practice, rehearsal, Sunday morning worship, and occasional holiday/special services. We are a liturgical church with both contemporary and traditional worship services. The Minister of Music is responsible for choosing (in partnership with the Pastor) appropriate music for all worship services and directing the praise team, hand bell choir, and possibly a traditional choir. The Minister of Music must be a professional musician who is proficient on the piano (preferably also proficient on the organ) and in leading congregational singing in a variety of styles. Some administration and computer skills are needed to coordinate with office staff when working off-site (ex: Google Drive, Sundays & Seasons website, etc.), submit reports to the Church Council, prepare newsletter/bulletin articles/announcements, and ensure copyright compliance. Above all, we are looking for a leader who loves God and God’s people, and who is willing to share their God-given musical gifts with the congregation and encourage others to do the same.

Visit www.gracelutheranchesapeake.org/minister-of-music-search for full job description.

To apply, please submit your cover letter, resume, and references electronically to: Pastor Leslie Weber at PastorLeslie@GraceLutheranChesapeake.org.

College Evangelical Lutheran Church (Salem, Virginia) seeks applications for a part-time Coordinator of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. The weekly working hours will average 20 hours per week with the understanding that some weeks may require more than 25 hours and some weeks fewer than 20 hours. Scheduling will be determined by the Coordinator of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries in consultation with the Pastor.

For a complete position description, click here.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, résumé, and names and contact information of three (3) references to LuAnn Yates electronically to: LuAnn Yates, Personnel Ministry Team Chair yateslax@comcast.net. Applications are currently being reviewed. For additional information about College Lutheran Church, go to www.collegelutheran.org.

This position is located in Fredericksburg VA. It would work for a student who is participating in distance learning at your campus and looking for a field education site or a place to explore youth and family ministry. This part-time position/internship offers $1000 per month stipend. We are equidistant between Alexandria VA and Richmond VA – about 50 miles.

For a complete position description, and application information, click here.