Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Summer 2013 Issue | Page 9

Wine, Cheese & St. Andrew’s For the clergy and lay professionals who come to Shrine Mont for the Bishop’s Conference each spring, the welcome reception means one thing: cheese crackers and wine provided by the St. Andrew’s Guild of St. Andrew’s Church, Mt. Jackson. Church members have been providing hospitality to the attendees at the Bishop’s Conference since 1986, when they first hosted a reception to coincide with the dedication of Nellie’s Garden, a courtyard oasis in Maryland House honoring Nellie Stickley Moomaw. What not everyone might know about those cheese crackers, though, is that all the cooks use the same basic recipe – but each alters it to suit her tastes. Photo: Emily Cherry Some spice things up with paprika, while Members of St. Andrew’s, Mt. Jackson others add crunch with rice cereal or (above), have offered hospitality to pecans. For Nancy McCord, the 90-yearclergy and lay professionals at the old matriarch of the group, the key is to Bishop’s Spring Conference at Shrine use Extra Sharp Cracker Barrel cheese. Mont for over 25 years, since the group She prefers a thinner cracker, but others hosted a reception at the dedication of a contribute more biscuit-like concoctions. garden honoring Nellie Moomaw (right). Some call them crackers, some biscuits, some straws. Some gobble them by the plateful, while others practice more selective restraint. But all recognize those cheesy treats as a sign of springtime hospitality at Shrine Mont. t Transitional Diaconate Ordination Photo: Ken Dougherty The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston, center, ordained eight men and women to the transitional diaconate at Church of the Epiphany, Oak Hill, in June. Pictured (left to right) are: Grey Maggiano, Matthew Lukens, Christopher Hogin, Joe Cochran, Bernard Yung, Connor Newlun, Barbara Seward and Ann Truitt. Summer 2013 / Virginia Episcopalian 7