Our recent annual Diocesan Synod was such an encouraging experience.

On Friday afternoon, we held our annual pre-Synod workshop, this year entitled, “Ministry in a Secular Age: Practices for Faith Formation and Evangelism.” Led by the Rev. Robert Cunningham and April Murrie, who are planting Church of the Good Shepherd in Charlottesville, it was a thoughtful, engaging and extremely well-received seminar. The audio recording and PowerPoint slides are found here.

The Synod itself…

• was blessed by wonderful worship and rich, challenging sermons by the Revs. Graedon Zorzi (Friday evening) and Mary Hays (Saturday morning);

• heard my final report as Bishop;

• heard our Bishop-Elect, Chris Warner, be interviewed by the Rev. Tom Herrick;

• heard encouraging reports on our church planting work from Tuck Bartholomew and leaders from our newest church starts: the Rev. Mike Koppola of Christ the Redeemer church plant in Dillsburg, PA; the Rev. Lewis Lovett of the planned Church of the Resurrection, Midlothian, VA; the Rev. Danny Hindman of All Souls Anglican Church, Richmond, which launched last Sunday; and the Rev. Robert Cunningham and April Murrie, Church of the Good Shepherd, Charlottesville, which launched on October 30.

• approved Church of the Good Shepherd, Charlottesville, VA as a mission church;

• approved Incarnation Anglican Church, Williamsburg, VA and Church of the Good Shepherd, Lynchburg, VA moving from mission status to being a congregation of our Diocese;

• heard a range of outstanding speakers during lunchtime and mid-afternoon breakout sessions; audio and some video recordings of their presentations are available here;

• heard a presentation from Treasurer Gary French, in which he reported on the blessing of our healthy diocesan finances and on the 2023 budget, which was adopted unanimously.

• adopted several amendments to our diocesan Canons, particularly regarding the bishop visiting each church and meeting with each Vestry;

• heard a report from the Rev. Jim Beavers, Canon for Ordinations, on the work of shepherding the numerous emerging leaders coming through our ordination process;

• elected members of the Standing Committee: John Palafoutas, Allan Sharrett, the Rev. Erin Bair and the Rev. Amy Rowe to three-year terms. By Canon, I am able to appoint annually one lay person and one member of the clergy to a one-year term. I have appointed Kevin Marshall and the Rev. Sharon Gustafson.

• elected members of the Constitution and Canons Committee: Susan Fertig-Dykes, Trevor McFadden and the Rev. Becki Neumann. I have also appointed Jim Coltharp.

 On our diocesan website, you’ll find audio recordings of the sermons, presentations, reports, and breakout sessions. I hope you’ll bookmark the page and return to it again and again to listen in on the wonderful array of resources you’ll find there. In addition, all the Synod materials distributed in advance are also posted.

Our great thanks to all those who helped to lead our Synod, to all who participated, to the gracious team from All Saints’ Church for hosting us, and to our amazing diocesan staff team, who made it such an encouraging experience for us all. Please mark your calendars for next year’s Annual Synod on November 17-18, 2023.

We have so much to be thankful for as a Diocese. It has been a tremendous joy to serve as your bishop, and I know that the Lord has great things in store under the leadership of our new Bishop. I hope you’ll join in praising God for his provision, and for his goodness and grace in blessing us to be part of such a Church. To God be the glory!

Faithfully yours in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. John A. M. Guernsey