The 213th Annual Council - Diocese of Virginia

Annual Reports
2007 Committee Activities
Regional Meetings for Christian Educators – The Committee meets with directors of
Christian Education and others responsible for Christian Education (all ages) throughout
the Diocese to establish contacts, assess wants and needs and provide resources. In 2007
we met with Christian Educators in the Richmond area on Wednesday, October 10.
The Committee held a retreat at Mayo House in September. We spent time discussing
our summer reading, Teaching with the Brain in Mind by Eric Jensen and Being Dead is No
Excuse: The Official Southern Lady’s Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral by Charlotte Hays
and Gaydon Metcalfe. We have the beginnings of a resource notebook for educators that
we hope to finalize in 2008.
Simply Education Day – This one-day event took place at Immanuel on-the-Hill,
Alexandria and its focus was practical help for Christian educators through resources
and sharing of ideas. Educators came to this retreat for practical help in training and
resources in the field of Christian Education – and all in an environment of prayer and
fellowship. Workshop leaders include:
• Adult Education: The Rev. Susan E. Goff
• New DCEs: Kellee Wattenbarger
• Volunteers: The Rev. Anne West
• VBS: Lori Daniels
• Christian Education for Youth: Mary Beth Emerson
2008 Plans
We will continue to interact with educators around the Diocese by continuing regional
meetings in Northern Virginia and the Northern Neck. Simply Education Day will be
offered on Saturday, April 12 at St. Christopher’s, Springfield for educators in our Diocese.
We will continue to refine a resource notebook for educators for distribution in 2008.
Su b m i t t e d b y Vi c k y W. Ko c h, Ch a i r, Co m m i t t e e o n Ed u c at i o n
Education for Ministry
Education for Ministry (EfM) is a thriving program of lay theological education in the
Diocese of Virginia. In 2007 there were 49 groups enrolling 367 active students with
65 active mentors. To date 995 persons have completed all four years of EfM. Because
Virginia is a sponsoring diocese, students here receive a reduced tuition rate.
EfM mentor training was held in Alexandria in March and at the Roslyn Conference
Center in Richmond in July 2007. In July, six mentor training groups were offered (four
basic/in-service and two formation groups). Over 50 people from several dioceses
participated. Additional trainings are scheduled as requested. The next scheduled
training will be in July 2008, again at Roslyn in Richmond. Possibly we will offer a basic/
in-service training in Northern Virginia in the spring.
As diocesan coordinator I can put prospective students in touch with mentors and
groups, help churches in forming EfM groups and aid mentors in locating participants.
Please let me know if I can assist you in any way.
Su b m i t t e d b y Th e Re v. Dr. Jo-An n R. Mu r p h y, Di o c e s a n Co o r d i n at o r
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The Diocese of Virginia t Journal of the the 213 th Annual Council