Lately I feel like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland — never quite catching up with the things I need to do — always certain there are items that need my full attention. Despite this feeling, things have been happening and I hope that you all have been able to take part in our Diocesan ECW events and will continue to do so.
Tea Time
September 26, 2026, was our third annual Gifts and Scholarship Tea. This is just a fun event that gives those so inclined the excuse to dress up, wear hats, and even wear gloves (though no one opted to wear them this year). While fellowship, good food, and plenty of laughter is the order of the day, this event raises funds for our scholarship program. Every year in August we award scholarships to young adults in the Diocese of Virginia who are attending or going to attend a university as undergraduates, a community college, or a technical school. This year’s event raised approximately $2500. A big thank you goes to Kathy Jimerson, the Chair of the Gifts and Scholarship Committee, for organizing this event.
The Altar at Grace and Holy Trinity Church
Our Fall Meeting on October 17, 2026, was at Grace and Holy Trinity Church in Richmond. The day outside was dreary, but inside was full of sunshine. It started with breakfast in the Parish Hall, then moved into the Sanctuary for the speaker Lisa Kimball’s talk on “Baptized for Life,” and the Eucharist celebrated by the Rev. Dr. Jenny Montgomery. We finished with a wonderful lunch by Chef Sylvia May.
I could try to describe this event, but our Province III Representative to the National ECW Board, Beblon Parks, has done it so much better than I could:
Baptized for Life
When you hear the words, “Number your paper from one to twenty,” after the teacher/leader hands out paper and pens, you know you are in trouble. Visions of classroom days and pop quizzes begin to swirl in one’s head. Fortunately, the quiz we had to take had answers that were easy to fill. A simple “yes” or “no” would do.
That was how Dr. Lisa Kimball, Retired Professor of Christian Education and Pastoral Theology, captured our attention and kept it as she peppered us with questions we were eager to answer. In so doing, she made clear what it means to be “Baptized for Life.”
The questions we were to answer are below. How would you answer them?
Do you play Mahjong?
Are you a cradle Episcopalian?
Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?
Was there a family Bible in your home growing up?
Was the Bible read?
Are you Happy?
Were you baptized as an infant?
Do you listen to podcasts?
Are you lonely?
Is there a time when you had to be brave?
Do you have godchildren?
Is your family ethnically diverse?
Is there a time when you wrestled with God?
Do you regularly use AI Chat GPT or other such platforms?
Do you pray alone regularly?
Do you serve in a congregation that is dependent on Supply clergy?
Have you ever witnessed a miracle?
Is there someone in your extended family living with mental illness?
Do you know someone that is over one hundred?
Do you have a spiritual mentor?
In addition to the question-and-answer section, Dr. Kimball reminded us that we should “live our lives as if someone is watching because someone is.” She also admonished us to “Honor Sabbath” and to help people take time to slow down. “Rest and Sabbath are necessary to be attentive to our wellbeing.” She said we should “be an authentic human being; so, people are seeing our whole selves.” We were told to “be brave and be strong.” As Christians, we might not get it right, but we show up. We should “show up, listen and tell the truth.”
Later, we were asked to share if we had ever “witnessed a miracle” and to share how God became real. Participants shared their “miracle stories.” As baptized Christians, we are asked to do three things: Connect, Help Others, and Share God‘s Love. We do this when we “treat our neighbors as the guardians of the Holy Spirit.” In serving, we are giving ourselves in love. Dr. Kimball went on to say that “We should respect the dignity of all human beings and share our fruits with others.” We help others by giving our testimony. We should “give hope.” Giving hope enables others to be someone they do not know they could be.
We were then asked to fill in the blank following the sentence stem, “As a baptized Christian, I believe _________.” Many shared their response aloud. How would you “fill in the blank?”
As she began her closing, Dr. Kimball stated that, “The Church must invite people to be in relationship with God. Then, they will ‘want to go to lunch.’ (Not the other way around.) We should treat our neighbors as the guardians of the Holy Spirit. Everybody has the responsibility of carrying out our Christian values and sharing the power of prayer. This calls for a deeper commitment to be brave and committed to living as a Witness.”
Dr. Kimball ended her enthralling presentation with the awarding of colorful pins identifying those who received them as being “Baptized for Life.”
Submitted by Beblon G. Parks,
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
In closing, let me leave you with the dates and locations of our 2027 events:
The Peace of the Lord Be with You,
Catherine Ogle Perrin
October 27, 2026