Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Summer 2013 Issue | Page 32

Q&A

Diocesan staff provide answers to frequently
asked questions about life in the Diocese.
Amy Williams, Bishop’s Assistant
How is my church’s date on the bishop’s visitation schedule
determined?
A: Well beyond canonical requirements, the tradition in the
Diocese of Virginia is for a bishop to visit every parish every
year, and for the diocesan bishop to visit every parish at least
once every three years. Available dates for visitations are
determined by review of the diocesan calendar of events,
House of Bishops schedules and other meetings, when
Easter falls, and vacation plans for the bishops. Placement of
churches on open dates depends upon a number of factors,
including the most recent visitation by the diocesan bishop,
the other churches in geographical proximity, the number of
rites typically performed during visitations, and the time of
the previous year’s visit.

Can special requests for certain dates be made?
A: Yes, the bishops are happy to consider requests for them
to join you for significant anniversary celebrations. It is also
helpful to know dates that are not feasible for the parish to
host a bishop, such as an annual service held in an atypical
situation. The earlier this information is received, the better
the request can be accommodated, though no guarantees can
be made.
When and where is the schedule published?
A: The goal is to have the schedule completed by early
September. Its publication is announced in the e-Communiqué
newsletter and the schedule can be found on the diocesan
homepage at thediocese.net as one of the “Quick Links.”

Did You Know?

Appreciated stock donations and parish giving
Michael Kerr, Treasurer
The standard for church giving has
been, traditionally, through “pledge
and plate,” most often associated with
written checks or cash. It is only in
the last 10 years or so that electronic
pledging – making scheduled payments
from a donor’s bank directly
to the church – has increased
in use. I applaud that
transition, as it can often
mean more regular cash flow
for a church, particularly in
the summer months.

Where donors may
see a bigger bang for their
proverbial buck is through
the donation of long-term
appreciated securities to
their church. In doing so,
the donors may obtain
greater potential tax-savings
beyond what they would enjoy through
the standard gift of making a cash
donation, as long as the appreciated
stocks or mutual fund shares ha