Diocese of Virginia
A Message on Today’s Shooting In Richmond (June 6, 2023)
A Message From Bishop E. Mark Stevenson Click here for video. June 6, 2023 My siblings in Christ, Earlier this evening, we learned that an act of unspeakable violence was committed in Richmond today. As the students, parents, and staff of Huguenot High School gathered to celebrate their graduating seniors, two persons – at least one with a gun – broke onto the scene, shooting a number of those present. Suddenly, a day that should have been nothing but a joyful time…
A Message and Prayer from Bishop Goff
“A Message And Prayer In The Wake of the UVA Shooting” by Susan E. Goff Dear People of the Diocese of Virginia, As we continue to hear news about the shooting at the University of Virginia last night, we lament. We cry with broken hearts for those who have died and those who are injured, for the students, faculty and staff of UVA who remain in lockdown at this hour. We cry that gun violence continues in our communities and…
Evening Meditation from Bishop Porter Taylor (4th Sunday in Lent)
The Gospel as Fairy tale from The Rt. Rev. Porter Taylor, Assisting Bishop In 1977, Frederick Buechner wrote a book entitled Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale. I came across it this week and was especially drawn to the gospel as fairy tale. Buechner writes: “There is no less danger and darkness in the Gospel as there is in the Brothers Grimm, but beyond and above there is the joy of it, this tale of…
“Joy Comes In The Morning” – A Message from Bishop Goff
Above: “Joy Comes in the Morning” – Acrylic on Canvas by Susan E. Goff Your sister in Christ,
Saints: “I mean to be one too”
Bishop Porter Taylor’s Meditation for All Saints Day Saints: “I mean to be one too” Who are the people who saved your life? When you think of the turns your life has taken – the times when you could have gone one way or another – who helped you find your way? Let me ask this in another way. When you think of situations that you don’t think you can handle, when you need to ask for help, what faces come…
God Does The Heavy Lifting: Bishop Taylor’s Meditation
Bishop Porter Taylor’s Meditation for the 17th Week of Pentecost Saturday, I had the privilege to confirm, receive, or reaffirm 70 people at Falls Church. I admit I was a little nervous about being around so many people because of Covid 19 protocols. In addition, I never had this many candidates at one time in Western North Carolina. However, I remembered that early in my episcopacy in Western North Carolina I was preparing to be with a congregation deep into…
Six Days of Prayer As We Approach the Inauguration
From the Diocese of Virginia: http://www.thediocese.net/news/love-guides-us-six-days-of-prayer/ January 15-20, 2021 Recent days have been difficult, and many are anxious in these days leading up to the transition between Presidential administrations. Please join us as we pray for our nation, for each other and for ourselves. May we follow the wisdom found in I Corinthians 13 and be guided by the transforming power of love in the coming days. I Corinthians 13:1-13 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do…
A Meditation on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
from Bishop Susan Goff “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. From the speech, “Where do we go from here?” 1967 The long arc of the universe bends toward justice. Justice is the goal, God’s justice is the purpose. Justice. Fairness. Impartiality. Equity. It makes things right. It restores the balance that God intends between people and God, people and other people, people and all creation. “Justice,…
Bishop’s Meditation 12/28/20
A Meditation for the First Monday after Christmas 2020 It is good to be human. It is good to be a creature. It is good to have a body. God said so, decisively, when the Divine became human, when the Creator became a creature, when God lived on earth in a body. From the deepest depths of Love, the Infinite chose limitations, the Omnipotent chose weakness, the Immortal chose mortality. God…
A Christmas Message from Bishop Goff
Nativity New and sure Again tonight, this shining night This holy night, Is the silken, silver Voice of an angel Insisting yet once more That Christ is born in You So do not be afraid! Emmanuel, God-with-us, is with you always. Merry Christmas Your sister in Christ,
Meditation for the 22nd Week after Pentecost
Who Will We Be On Wednesday? from Bishop Jennifer Brooke-Davidson Today is All Souls Day, Dia de los Muertos, a moment spent between the worlds, which feels eerily fitting, because Election Day is tomorrow. This week feels like we are careening from an unnerving present into an unknown and frightening future — whatever the outcome of the election. There are dire predictions everywhere — again, whatever the outcome. And there’s the distinct possibility that we will be stuck for a time in another,…
Meditation for the 20th Week after Pentecost
Resetting a Body of Broken Bones from The Rt. Rev. Porter Taylor, Assisting Bishop In New Seeds of Contemplation, Thomas Merton writes: “As long as we are on earth the love that unites us will bring us suffering by our very contact with one another, because this love is the resetting of a Body of broken bones….There are two things which [people]…can do about the pain of disunion with other [people]. They can love or they can hate.” Our country is…
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