Hosting Amy Laura Hall

The Wesley Foundation at UVA is thrilled to announce Amy Laura Hall, Associate Professor of Christian Ethics at Duke University Divinity School, as our 2019 McDonald Lecture guest March 20-24th. Author of Laughing at the Devil: Seeing the World with Julian of Norwich, Amy Laura Hall invites you to see the world with a medieval visionary now known as Julian of Norwich, believed to be the first woman to have written a book in English. Julian “saw our Lord scorn [the Devil’s] wickedness” and noted that “he wants us to do the same.” In this impassioned, analytic, and irreverent book, Amy Laura Hall emphasizes Julian’s call to scorn the Devil. Julian of Norwich envisioned courage during a time of fear. Laughing at the Devil describes how a courageous woman transformed a setting of dread into hope, solidarity, and resistance.

Join us for one or more of events during her visit (3/20 at 2pm and 6pm, 3/21 at 4pm, 3/22 at 12pm), which is offered in partnership with the Virginia Festival of the Book and many other ministries and UVA groups, departments, and organizations.

Wed 3/20, 6-7pm @ Wesley Foundation:  Dinner and conversation with Wesley students & friends:  “What may a medieval, Catholic, woman visionary teach students about holiness today?”  

Thurs 3/21, 4-5:30pm @ Harrison Institute (Small Special Collections)

Festival of the Book Event:  “Laughing at the Devil—An Invitation to Look at Evil Through the Eyes of a Medieval Visionary”

Amy Laura Hall will give a short reading from her book, along with a few introductory remarks/questions, then opening up to a panel conversation. Book signing at the end.

Parking at Wesley Foundation/Wesley Memorial; 5 minute walk to Harrison.

Fri 3/22, 12 noon – 1pm @ The Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center

“Twenty Years as a Feminist at Duke or How I Learned to Laugh at the Devil”:  Lunch and Conversation with Amy Laura Hall

Lunch at the Women’s Center:  This event is geared towards students specifically, a short talk over lunch, including discussion. 

Park at Wesley Memorial/Wesley Foundation; 10-15 minute walk to the Women’s Center.

Sun 3/24, 11am @ Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church

Amy Laura Hall will join us for the 11 AM service at Wesley Memorial UMC. She will be preaching this Sunday, so come out and show her some support!

Open House – October 21

Wesley Open House

Homecoming Open House

Saturday, October 21

10:00 – 11:30 am

Lately, it seems that the Wesley Foundation building must have been working out, eating its vegetables, and test driving a new skincare regimen, because it looks about fifty years younger these days! In all seriousness, thank you to all who contributed and made these building renovations possible, and another thank you to all those who have been hard at work redesigning and reconstructing the home of Wesley at UVa. Study Camp, the kitchen, the upper room, and the Cottage in its entirety have been updated, beautified, and made more accessible thanks especially to your generosity.

We would love for you to come back by and celebrate the improvements made on our students’ spaces. And, fortunately for you, the chance to do exactly that is upcoming on Saturday, October 21st, 10:00-11:30 am, on which Wesley will be holding an Open House. Included on this day will be tours, joy, reunions, room dedications, celebration and Bodo’s. Y’all come by soon and get some hospitality from our brand new building! (And from your friends at Wesley, of course, because the church is not a building or a steeple or a resting place, but a people. These people will be standing in a brand new building, however, so you have to admit, that is pretty neat.)

WF Kitchen Reno   Cottage Reno

Pastoral letter about the events in Charlottesville on August 11-12

Thanks to alumna Jacqui Chiminello for the use of her photography.
Thanks to alumna Jacqui Chiminello for the use of her photography.

 

To those returning to school this week and especially to those who are venturing to UVA for your first semester, I want to welcome, challenge, and invite you. It may feel like a scary or unsettling time to be headed to Charlottesville, but you won’t be able to hide from what’s here by heading to another school or another town. The hate on display last weekend isn’t confined to this place and the malignancies of racism, white supremacy, sexism, and other forms of xenophobia infect people and communities all across our country.

 

First, what must be said, clearly and unequivocally: Racism and white supremacy are evil. There is no room for compromise or nuance in acknowledging this, speaking out against these plagues, and resisting their persistent insinuations into our lives and communities. Anti-Semitism is evil. Every attempt to separate and assign varying degrees of worth to people is evil. Christians believe in the sacred worth of each and every human being based solely on the fact that they are human beings, each one a child of God and made in the image of God.

 

It is very hard for me to discern the image of God in the hateful, violent, murderous faces of the modern Klan and Nazis who terrorized Charlottesville last weekend. I stand in opposition to everything they represent and I am grateful to my clergy colleagues, students, friends, and neighbors who put their bodies and their lives on the line to stand up against them. My hope, always, is in the One who put his body and life in the way of hate and state-sanctioned violence. My hope is in the One who always chose the side of the oppressed, marginalized, powerless, and poor. My hope is that this One, whom Christians know in Jesus, can give me eyes to see what is hard to see, in others and in myself. My hope is not in my own resolve or strength but in the power and grace of God to transform me and each one of us, breaking our hard hearts.

 

Hope is not enough, if it means “nice, well-intentioned white folks” offer prayers and then go on about business as usual. Hope is trusting the vision we can’t quite see clearly and working towards that and walking towards that, no matter how long or hard the path.

 

I admit that I am tired of having to write statements like this when our Black and Jewish and Muslim and LGBTQ brothers and sisters are terrorized. But Christians are called to be tired of this – and to change it. We signed onto this commitment and way of life in our baptismal vows.

 

Wesley is not a perfect community and we are not perfect Christians. We are simply a group of people trying to answer God’s call and live lives that look more like the life of Jesus. We have a long way to go, but our life together changes the way I see and hear things like the terrorism of last weekend. It is impossible for me to hear chants like “Jew will not replace us” without thinking of specific Jewish friends we know and love at The Brody Jewish Center-Hillel at UVA. We have traveled together over spring break on interfaith service trips and joined one another for meals and religious celebrations. So when I hear that chant, it is not a hollow threat to people “out there” – it’s a threat to my friend Jake and his students who walk the same paths through Grounds. And it’s a challenge to Wesley and me to stand with them.

 

When I see terrorists lionizing a confederate general and beating a Black man in a parking garage five feet from the police station as its officers stand outside, I do not see an unfortunate stranger but, rather, a brother. I see the faces of students I have coffee with and the one we baptized last fall. None of this is OK. Being tired is not an option.

 

At Wesley, we focus on what it means to love our neighbors. We try to reach out beyond our usual circle to meet and work with UVA groups and organizations we don’t know. In March, Wesley will host culinary anthropologist Michael Twitty and we are honored to list among our co-sponsors the Black Student Alliance and the Minority Rights Coalition. We have some great plans for the year and, I suspect, we will be surprised by some of the directions God guides our ministry and life together.

 

I often say, “All are welcome,” when inviting folks to the Communion table at worship, our dinner tables, or any number of other Wesley gatherings. Let me be abundantly clear about what that means. It means all who want to live in love and peace with all of their neighbors. There is no room here for hate or white supremacy or anti-Semitism or anti-Muslim hate or misogyny or homophobia.

 

If you are brave enough to lean into hope and you are willing to choose love over fear, we hope you will consider checking out Wesley this semester. It takes a lot of effort and support to live a radically loving life and we need your help. As I said, we are not perfect. We know we need help and our doors are open.

 

Peace,

 

Rev. Deborah Lewis

Wesley Foundation at UVA

 

#LoveOverFear #Charlottesville #BlackLivesMatter #UMC #LoveYourNeighbor

Thanks to alumna Jacqui Chiminello for the use of her photography.
Thanks to alumna Jacqui Chiminello for the use of her photography.

Stand up to hate and bear witness to Love – August 12

As we prepare to welcome students in just a couple more weeks, UVA and Cville are also preparing to encounter a large gathering of white supremacist hate groups meeting here on August 12th. It’s a scary time and we are called to stand up against hate and bear witness to another Way.BishopLewisAug12letter

Bishop Sharma Lewis has written a letter encouraging clergy and laity alike to join in protest and prayer. She writes, “At Annual Conference, I announced my vision for the clergy and laity of our conference to be disciples of Jesus Christ who are lifelong learners who influence others to serve. The opportunity before us is one of influence; the influence to join together in holy resistance to groups who support white supremacy.”

I hope you will pray for the Charlottesville community now, and on August 12th. Whether you will be in town or not, whether you will be able to join in the counter-protests or not, please lift your prayers with us.

Another wonderful and creative way to get involved, whether or not you can be here physically, is to pledge to donate a certain amount to a local charity for each white supremacist that shows up on the 12th. Here’s how to turn their numbers into massive wins for our community.

If you plan to be in town or come to town to protest, here are some events and resources. Any of these folks will welcome your presence, so feel free to join in with one of these established groups, especially if you are coming to the protest on your own.

Thursday August 10 – Prepare

6:30-8:30pm – Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is hosting a non-violent direct action training at the downtown branch of the library. Anyone participating in protest and counter-protests is encouraged to be trained before showing up to those events. This training is that opportunity!

Friday August 11 – Pray

8pm – Mass Prayer Meeting (interfaith) at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on the Corner. Get your head and heart right before the day arrives. Join with others from the local and national community to center yourself in God as you answer the call.

Saturday August 12 – Protest (and pray and make art)

How and where to protest and bear witness against hate and white supremacy: Specifics related to protesting on August 12 are fluid and evolving. Stay tuned to both the Charlottesville Clergy Collective and Congregate Cville as plans emerge. You can find out more about both of these groups and sign up to receive updates by clicking on their links. People of all faiths (and of none) are welcome to join in with these groups.

11am-6pm – First UMC (directly adjacent to the gathering and protest at Emancipation Park) will open its doors to provide our community with a safe space during the anticipated “Unite the Right” rally. During this time, different clergy members from the Charlottesville Clergy Collective and faith leaders from around town will lead our community in prayer and facilitate opportunities for witness. Please contact Pastor Phil Woodson for more information.

11am-7pm – Black Lives Matter Cville, in an effort to protect our community, and being committed to community growth and support, has partnered with Champion Brewery for a day of “Art in Action” at Champion Brewery (near the Downtown Mall). Whether you sing, dance, drum, sculpt, rap, or play an instrument, come for a beer and some camaraderie with other artists and friends.Sign up for a performance slot here.

Sunday August 13 – Pray and Process

Sunday morning worship. So many opportunities here, in many denominations and faith traditions, to restock your well, find bread for the journey, and rest in the sure presence of God and the embrace of sisters and brothers. UMC churches in Cville include: Wesley Memorial UMC, First UMC, and Hinton Ave UMC.

5:30-7pm – Together Cville Potluck at IX Art Park. Join together to hear and share stories from the August 12th events. What are the next steps in converting social passion to political power? Please bring a dish or drink to share. Invite friends, family, and colleagues!

However you participate and from wherever you pray, thank you for raising up your voice and spirit with those who are putting their bodies in dangerous places to stand up to hate and to stand for Love.

 

#LoveYourNeighbor #loveoverfear #cvilleclergycall #nonewKKK #DefendCville #blacklivesmatter

New students and Wesley’s fall kick-off

New to UVA or to Wesley?  Send us an email or provide your contact info here.  We’d love to reach out and tell you more about Wesley and how you can be involved this year.  (Parents, clergy, friends, alumni, and others:  if you know someone headed to UVA please help us welcome them by making sure we know they are coming.  You may use the links above for connecting us with students, too.)

Not new? Welcome (back to) Wesley!  Whether it’s your first year or fourth, it’s never too late to give Wesley a try.

Here are a few things to look forward to as fall kicks off.  Hope to see YOU at Wesley this fall!

 

Saturday, August 19, 2-4 pm             

Open House @ Wesley – Come by to say “hi,” grab a cold drink, and meet some folks. Stay for a few minutes or the whole time. Come on your own, with your folks, or bring your hall!

 

Sunday, August 20, 5 pm                   

Our first Wesley Worship of the semester, followed by dinner on the town. Dress is casual; bring a few bucks for your dinner. We’ll have rides back to dorms afterwards.

 

Monday, August 21, 11 am- 2pm      

Come by the UVA Activities Fair and look for the Wesley table. We’ll have info on upcoming opportunities, along with some cool swag.

 

Tuesday, August 22, 6pm                  

Our first Tuesday dinner of the semester! Free food and a lot of fun.

 

Sunday, August 27

11 am             Worship at Wesley Memorial – Campus Minister Deborah Lewis preaching

5 pm               Worship at Wesley Foundation

 

Small groups for first-year students and others will begin in the second or third week of classes. Join the email list and like the Facebook page for more info as it is available.

 

Friday, September 8

Afternoon service project TBA.

 

Friday – Saturday, September 22-23

24-hour spiritual life retreat. Spend some time in the mountains with God and some great Wesley people! Details TBA.

Mental Health: Sue Klebold and the Family Aftermath – March 26, 2017

 

Sue Klebold - CopyMental Health: Sue Klebold and the Family Aftermath
Sue Klebold is the author of A Mother’s Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy, and is a staunch advocate for mental health awareness, research, and suicide prevention. Sue is the mother of Dylan Klebold, one of the shooters in the attack on Columbine High School in 1999. With her story, Sue wrestles with questions surrounding a mother trying to comprehend the incomprehensible, and aims to make others aware of signs of distressed mental health, hoping that her advocacy will one day prevent similar tragedy. Dr. Richard Bonnie will join Sue on stage for discussions and questions.

Date: Sunday, March 26th
Time: 1pm
Location: UVa’s Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Road, Charlottesville, 22903

** Tickets to Sue Klebold’s discussion are free, but MUST be reserved at vabook.org.

Sponsored by The Wesley Foundation at UVa as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book and The Wesley Foundation at UVa McDonald Lecture Series. Co-hosted by Partner for Mental Health; UVA Health Systems; UVA Institute of Law; Psychiatry and Public Policy; and Virginia Foundation for the Humanities