Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Fall 2013 Issue | Page 16

Coming Together for Mission
Kendall Martin

The landscape of what a mission trip looks like
is continually evolving in the Diocese of Virginia.
Four unique trips organized by our churches this
summer inspire new and creative ways of looking
at how we can participate in mission.

Holy Cross, Dunn Loring
A group of three teenagers and their mothers from Holy
Cross, Dunn Loring, traveled to St. Augustine’s English
Medium Primary School in Tanzania, taking with them 12
donated laptops, a printer and a digital camera. The group
used a Mustard Seed grant from the Diocese to provide
computer training to both the students and the staff of the school, many of whom had
never touched a computer before. “This was one of the most amazing experiences of
my life,” said Brianna Elder, one of three teenagers who planned and led the lessons. Her
mother, Cheryl Elder, one of the adult chaperones, spoke of the youth-led component of
the trip: “In my opinion, there is great value in a youth-driven mission. The youth are able
to take charge and take the lead and are given the opportunity to develop leadership
skills. They begin to appreciate and realize what they are truly capable of.”

Grace and St. Mary’s, Berryville
Grace, Berryville, and St. Mary’s, Berryville, partnered
together with the Diocese of New York’s Disaster
Response and Recovery Team of Staten Island, N.Y., to
rebuild homes for those affected by Hurricane Sandy.
The two churches share the same clergy leader, the Rev.
Dwight Brown, and participate in many activities together,
including a joint fish fry to raise funds in preparation for
the trip to New York. The group spent their time helping a
policeman whose house was devastated by the hurricane.

“[The group from Berryville] gave a sense of hope and that somebody cares,” said
Lee McGuigan, one of the organizers of the trip. “Together we formed committees and
participated in fundraising that involved a lot of people from both churches– a lot of
community building in each church and between the two churches. There was real love,
support, charity and boosting of spirits in the process for the people that we met and
worked with.”

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Virginia Episcopalian / Fall 2013