Valeria D. Dove

My name is Valeria D. Dove and I became chairwoman of the Winston-Salem Convocation ECW at the diocese-wide ECW Annual Meeting in November of 2011. I am the mother of two wonderful daughters and the grandmother of an astounding 3-year old. I work full -time for Cardinal Health, a pharmaceutical wholesaler in Greensboro, commuting everyday from Winston-Salem.

I attend St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem, where I have been a member for over 50 years. I served as the church secretary for more than 30 years and I am currently active as a licensed Lay Eucharistic Minister, the Altar Guild chair and Acolyte Warden as well as member of the choir, member of the ECW, and president of  the ECW’s St. Cecilia’s Guild.

To God be the glory, I am able to write this brief bio as I was diagnosed with breast cancer in May of 2011. I had surgery in June and chemo therapy ended last August. Recently, a routine visit with my oncologist showed I am cancer free! Thanks be to God.

I feel serving as the Winston-Salem Convocation chair is just one of the things God has in store for me to still do before I finally go home.

Lenten Women's Retreat at St. Paul's, Winston-Salem

Please join us for a day of spiritual renewal on Saturday, March 2, as we explore how to mindfully construct space for God in our lives during this Lenten season. We are excited to have author and priest, Dr. Lauren Winner, as the speaker at our Eighth Lenten Women’s Retreat. New this year is a parallel Children’s Retreat for children ages 4-10 (see below).

The registration form can be downloaded here, and is also available on the St. Paul’s website. Please feel free to forward this information to family and friends! Women of all ages and stages are welcome!

Blessings,
The Lenten Women’s Retreat Committee

The Children’s’ Retreat - just plain fun:

Adults and teens will lead us through a variety of workshops during our morning together. Our anchor story is that of Jesus as a boy visiting the Temple with his family during the Feast of the Passover. With this story, we will focus on worship and prayer - then and now. We will be cooking, storytelling, crafting and going on a scavenger hunt in our sanctuary. We will end our time together with a pizza lunch and then return to the adults for worship in the nave. Please consider giving us the joy of spending time with your children, grandchildren and young friends. Open to all who attend the Women’s Retreat.

Lifting Women’s Voices

The 10th Annual Women’s Lenten Retreat

Co-sponsored by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Centenary United Methodist Church

Register now at http://stpaulswinstonsalem.org/retreat-registration/

Download a printable registration form at http://stpaulswinstonsalem.org/retreat/

Lifting Women’s Voices, the 10th annual Women’s Lenten Retreat co-sponsored by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, will be held at St. Paul’s on Saturday, March 21 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The featured speaker will be the Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. She will present “Building a Rule of Life from the Holy Family of Bethany,” based on stories from Luke and John about Mary, Martha and Lazarus. It was their household to which Jesus retreated during the days leading up to the crucifixion. The three will serve as models for developing a life balanced among action, contemplation and transformation.

During the Women’s Retreat, children’s ministers from both churches will lead a separate retreat for children from ages 4 through 12. Child care will be available for children three years old and younger.

The cost of the retreat, which includes a light breakfast, lunch and retreat materials, will be $30 for adults and an additional $10 for all accompanying children from the same household attending the Children’s Retreat. Child care will be available at no additional charge.

Please feel free to invite family members and friends who may be interested in this year’s Women’s Lenten Retreat. All are welcome!

Convocation Co-Chairs Elnora Gore and Gertrude Murchison: In Their Own Words

Elnora Gore

I have attended and been active in the life of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem since 1968. My service to the Church includes being Senior Warden and Clerk of the Vestry. I serve as chairperson of the Worship Committee and as president of the Adult Choir. I serve on the Education Committee and on the Altar Guild, having served as chairperson. My ECW commitments include a term as president of the parish’s ECW. I’m now a member of the Amenities Committee of our ECW branch. On the diocesan level, I was chairperson of the Lex Mathews Scholarship Committee.

I am a retired educator. During my years as a teacher I was president and treasurer of the local unit of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE). In addition, I served as vice-president and then president of the Davie County chapter of NC Retired School Personnel, a division of the NCAE. I dearly love birding and traveling around God’s vast creation. My husband and I have two sons and four wonderful grandchildren.

Gertrude Murchison

I am a member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem, where I’ve served as Senior Warden and Clerk of the Vestry. My place of birth was Galveston, Texas, though I’ve lived in the Diocese of North Carolina for 35 years. My immediate family includes my husband and an adult son.

I appreciate the organization we call Episcopal Church Women because it does work. There are many opportunities to get involved. I’ve served in numerous positions on both the branch/chapter and diocesan levels:

Branch - president, secretary, assistant treasurer, delegate to Annual Meeting since 1981, and United Thank Offering secretary

Diocesan - Winston-Salem Convocation ECW Chairwoman, United Thank Offering Coordinator, delegate to the 1997 national ECW Triennial Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, named “Honored Woman” of the Diocese of NC ECW at the 2006 national ECW Triennial Meeting in Columbus, OH

Within the Diocese of North Carolina I have served the Church as a delegate and alternate delegate to several conventions of the diocese. In addition, I: chaired the 1996 diocesan convention; was a Registration Committee chairperson for the 2006 diocesan convention; served as a member of the Board of the Summit Camp & Conference Center; served as a member of the Visioning Committee; served as past director of the NC Episcopal Church Foundation; was a member of the Bishop Search Committee (2000); chaired the Absalom Jones Celebration (2005); was elected an alternate delegate to the 2003 General Convention in Minneapolis, MN.