Renowned author Phyllis Tickle will be the guest of Chatham Hall for an afternoon of conversation about the

future of Christianity.

“Phyllis Tickle offers a creative and provocative overview of multiple social and cultural changes in our era, their relation to previous major paradigm shifts, and their particular impact on North American Christianity”  -  The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church.

Phyllis Tickle, founding editor of the Religion Department of Publishers Weekly, the international journal of the book industry, is frequently quoted in print sources like USA Today, Christian Science Monitor, NY Times as well as in electronic media like PBS, NPR, The Hallmark Channel and innumerable blogs and Web sites.  Tickle is an authority on religion in America and a much sought after lecturer on the subject.

Please join us for this exciting opportunity to meet Mrs. Tickle.  All are encouraged to join us for any (or all) of the following meeting times.

4:30 p.m. – Round table discussion/Q&A open to public

5:30 – 6:15 – Dinner RSVP*

6:30-7:30 – Presentation/Q&A open to public

*Please contact Tammy Waters (434-432-5612 / twaters@chathamhall.org) to make  reservations to join us for dinner.

In recent years, however, questions have been posed about whether this format works as well as it once did, given the changing realities of clergy and their families. Many of you are unable to attend because of your spouse’s work schedule or your children’s full sports or academic calendars. Fewer of you have extended families or others to look after your children while you are out of town during the week. Many of you and your spouses find that the format no longer meets your needs.

In addition, some of you have indicated that Nag’s Head is just too far away from the western part of the diocese to make the effort worthwhile. Others have commented that the hotel is a bit dated and may not be adequate for requirements of today’s conference.

Therefore, after consultation with Canon Lewis, the Executive Staff, and the Deans, I have decided to give this spring’s Nag’s Head Conference a year’s sabbatical in order to explore the needs of clergy and their families for a time of gathering, rest, fun, and support. I have also appointed Mrs. Chris Butterworth to chair a task force of spouses and clergy, single and married, to study the needs and the format that could best address these needs.

It is possible that the present format, with some tinkering, could prove to be the best model. However, without a breathing space, it will be hard to discern.

I will request that some of the money designated for the Nag’s Head Conference be designated for the work of the task force.  I will also write your senior wardens to suggest that any funds in your parish’s budget already designated for your Nag’s Head Conference expenses be re-designated to provide you (and your spouse) with the gift of a two-day holiday.

You and I will still get together for a day-long spring Clergy Conference at Chanco on Tuesday, May 4, 2010, from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. Registration information will be sent to you within the next week.

Lizzie and I look forward to seeing you all at Council.

Faithfully yours,

+ Herman Hollerith IV

Mark your calendar!

Bishop’s Days West:  Saturday, March 6: Powhatan High School, Powhatan (registration deadline:  Noon, March 1)

Bishop’s Days East:  Saturday, March 13: Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Virginia Beach (registration deadline:  Noon, March 8 )

Theme:   Framing the Future in Exciting New Ways  “New Every Morning”

With the Rt. Rev. Holly Hollerith    

Saturdays 8:15 a.m. Registration and coffee; 9:00 am – 3:00 pm program

What you can do:   

• Plan to attend
• Bring your whole vestry
• Bring other parish leaders
• Great workshops to choose from
• Opportunities to share experiences
• Spend time with your Bishop
• Resource Fair  - great source of information
• Trading Board – do you have expertise to share?
• Resource Fair- great information to see and take back to your parish
• Bishop Day’s website -

Cost:  $15 per person (Non-refundable but transferable) MUST pre-register.

Information on workshops will be emailed/mailed to all parishes shortly.  

Register on line (will be available by February 6) by mail (see the brochure that is linked) or by fax.  For more information call (800) 582-8292

To learn more click here:  Bishop Days brochure; Bishop Days introduction letter.

The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia’s Annual Council will take place from Friday, February 12 through Sunday, February 14, 2010.  The schedule of events, published elsewhere in this Jamestown Cross edition, will include something new this year….an Open Budget Review Q & A.

The meeting will be held on Friday, February 12, 2010 from 5 until 6 p.m. in the Tidewater Room in the Williamsburg Lodge.  The purpose is to allow delegates, interested parishioners, clergy and others to ask the treasurer  both general questions about the budget and specific questions relating to finance-related matters  regarding such issues as employee benefit plans, pensions and clergy compensation.  Understanding the budgeting process and the decisions relating to how pledge monies are allocated (priorities) is an important topic and this meeting should allow for open conversation and better understanding of financial decisions that impact all parishes. Read more

I am sure that you are aware of the horrific devastation and loss of life in Haiti following the earthquakes that occurred in that country last week.  We are pleased that our own Episcopal Relief and Development is fully engaged and providing support to the people.  Given the nature and intensity of compassion within the diocese we are aware that even at this initial stage of relief work some of you may be developing plans for a mission trip to Haiti.  If you are, please send me an email (jmagness@diosova.org) with a synopsis of your intentions, general information about the people who will be involved and the basics of your proposed time-line.  While we have no desire to control the mission outreach to Haiti, we also realize that there may be opportunities for a synergistic approach when some of you may have similar plans. In that case we may be able to provide some coordination. Thanks for your attention to our request and for your passion to live out the calling of Christ upon your lives.

Rev. Canon Jay Magness, Canon for Mission and Administration

By now I am sure you know of the terrible earthquake in Haiti.  Not only is there great loss of life, but the damage and destruction will even further stress a nation that is already in the grip of tremendous poverty.  It is our understanding that the cathedral, offices, bishop’s residence, Convent for the Sisters of St. Margaret and three churches in the area have all been destroyed.  In an effort to respond to the needs in that country, my office is collecting funds from parishes to be sent to Episcopal Relief and Development.  Please encourage the members of your congregation to give to this most immediate need.  Checks may be made out to the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia.  Art Spooner, the diocesan treasurer, will make sure the funds are sent to ERD.

To encourage donations through your parish, below are links to bulletin inserts that you may you use:   

Half page – http://www.er-d.org/userfiles/haiti_insert_halfpage.pdf

Full page - http://www.er-d.org/userfiles/haiti_insert_fullpage.pdf

To make a donation online directly to the Episcopal Relief & Development click here.

To view the press release from ERD click here:  www.er-d.org/HaitiEarthquakeResponse

Above all, keep the people of Haiti in your prayers.

 +Holly

Information for individuals: All clergy, delegates, alternates, and visitors attending Annual Council need to register. (If you are an alternate who is not planning to attend Council there is no need to register.) You may register by contacting your parish administrator. All registrations must be coordinated and submitted through the parish office. The registration fee  should accompany your request to be registered.
Information for parish administrators: Please use the registration form. Registration forms are due by January 22, 2010. The registration form should be accompanied by a check covering the registration fee for all registrants.

A letter and registration form was sent to each church via “snail mail” but in an effort to be more efficient, we are providing the registration online for your convenience.

If you have changes in your delegation after January 22 just bring your letter directly to the credentials table which is located in the administration office.

Youth Registration for Council

Click this link for the application for youth presence at the 2010 Annual Council.  The deadline to apply was January 22, 2010.  Parish leaders are encouraged to identify youth leaders in your parish who would benefit from this great opportunity to serve, learn and experience our diocese at work.  For more information, please contact Ashley Scruggs at ascruggs@olddonation.org

ATTENTION CLERGY:  During Sunday Eucharist service the clergy should wear festival stoles.

I’m pleased to announce the addition of the Reverend Canon James B. “Jay” Magness to our diocesan staff.  Jay began his duties as of December 1.

In his new role in Southern Virginia, Jay’s title will be that of Canon for Mission and Diocesan Administration.  His duties will include:

• Acting as diocesan staff person for the Department of Missions.
• Overseeing committee and commissions for congregational development and church planting.
• Assisting the bishop by providing oversight of all diocesan support staff and facilities. 
• Assisting the bishop by providing oversight of diocesan communications.
• Administrating and coordinating all regular diocesan events including Annual Council and convocational meetings, etc.

Prior to joining the bishop’s office, Jay served as Rector Interim of Galilee Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach. While at Galilee he provided pastoral and transitional leadership to a parish of more than1200 members, rebuilt ordained and lay staff, sought out and trained new lay leadership and reestablished relationships with the diocesan leaders.  Jay completed his work at Galilee in the fall of 2009.

Prior to his arrival in Southern Virginia, Jay served the Diocese of Kentucky as its chief administrator with the title of Canon to the Ordinary.  His work had wide reaching influence in the diocese positively affecting its organization and functioning. 

Jay retired from the Navy on Dec. 31, 2003 at the rank of captain, serving as fleet chaplain for the U.S. Fleet Forces Command and command chaplain of the U.S. Joint Forces Command.  During his 24 years of active duty as a Navy chaplain he also participated in an exchange program with the British Royal Navy, working as a priest for the Church of England.  Earlier in his ministry he served parishes in Edneyville and Flat Rock, N.C., while he was also a Naval Reserve chaplain.

Originally from Hendersonville, N.C., Jay is a graduate of Western Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and sociology.  He attended seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas and received a Master of Divinity degree in 1977.  He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree with a concentration in Christian leadership from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in 1997.  

 Jay and his wife Carolyn have two daughters, Laurel and Rebekah and live in Virginia Beach.

I am excited and pleased to have someone of Jay’s caliber and experience assisting me in Southern Virginia and joining our diocesan team.  Please make every effort to support him in his new ministry.

In Christ,

+Holly

 The Rt. Rev. Herman Hollerith IV

 [November 19, 2009]  DVDs featuring all the sermons and daily highlights of The Episcopal Church’s General Convention 2009 are now available through Episcopal Books and Resources.

The DVDs are ideal for adult forums, Sunday school classes, evangelism, Advent or Lenten reflections, Bible study, discussion groups, or as a commemorative item.

The content of the DVDs originally appeared on the Media Hub, the innovative technology system by the Office of Communications which delivered the full story of the two weeks of General Convention (GC09) through videos, blogging, twitter, flickr, and live webcasting.

GC09 was held July 8 to July 17 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. General Convention, held every three years, is the bicameral governing body of the church and is comprised of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies, with clergy and lay representatives from the 110 dioceses. 

Sermons from Daily Eucharists

The videos of all the sermons from the daily Eucharists are contained on three DVDs.

“We’ve had hundreds of people ask about the sermons and how they may be able to view them,” explained Mike Collins, director of digital media. “Each preacher was powerful and delivered relevant messages, and we felt it was important to provide a means for sharing these messages.”

The eight preachers ranged from Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams to a popular TV correspondent and an internationally-known activist. The sermons were centered on a designated theme for the day.

The preachers, themes and days were:

Wednesday, July 8: preacher was Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori.

Thursday, July 9: theme was God’s People; preacher was the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Friday, July 10: theme was Unity; preacher was President of the House of Deputies Bonnie Anderson.

Saturday, July 11: theme was Hospitality; preacher was Ray Suarez, senior correspondent for PBS’s NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and formerly of NPR’s Talk of the Nation. 

Sunday, July 12 was the main General Convention Eucharist and the Ingathering for the United Thank Offering (UTO), a mission and grant-awarding program of The Episcopal Church. Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori preached.

Monday, July 13: theme was Domestic Poverty; preacher was Courtney Cowart, Director of Advocacy and Community Affairs for the Office of Disaster Response in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.

Tuesday, July 14:  theme was the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); preacher was Abagail Nelson, Senior Vice President of Programs for Episcopal Relief and Development.

Wednesday, July 15: theme was Creation and Environment; preacher was Bishop Steve Charleston, former Dean of Episcopal Divinity School.

Thursday, July 16: theme was Evangelism; preacher was Brian D. McLaren, internationally known speaker and activist and author of important works including Finding Our Way Again, and Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crisis, and a Revolution of Hope.

Friday, July 17: Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori preached at the closing Eucharist.

Daily Video News Wrap-ups

The Daily Wrap DVD features the daily video news wrap-ups produced by The Episcopal Church’s Office of Communication, providing an overview of General Convention from start to finish.  The wrap-ups were written and presented by Heidi Shott, Canon for Communications and Social Justice for the Diocese of Maine and a member of the GC09 digital team.

“Each wrap-up told the stories, the news, the highlights and the impacts of that day’s actions,” Collins explained.  “The wrap-ups provided the feel and offered the viewers a complete understanding of what it was like to be at GC09 without going to California.”

To purchase

The three-DVD set of Sermons is $20.00.  The Daily Wrap DVD is $17.00. A 20% discount is available when buying both or two or more of each. Shipping and handling charges will apply.

To order, contact Episcopal Books and Resources via email at ebr@episcopalchurch.org, phone 800 903-5544, or www.episcopalbookstore.org.

The Episcopal Church welcomes all who worship Jesus Christ in 109 dioceses and three regional areas in 16 nations.  The Episcopal Church is a member province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org

IamEpiscopalian: http://www.iamepiscopalian.org/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/episcopalian

Twitter: http://twitter.com/iamepiscopalian

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/TECtube