2020 Convention

2020 CONVENTION NOMINEE PROFILES

Laura Beth Weaver, Christ, Blacksburg Over the past three years, I have served our parish as a member of the Vestry, including Senior Warden for 2019. It may put me in the minority, but I have enjoyed my time in Vestry meetings, enjoying the opportunity to learn more about the skills and talents of my neighbors in the pews. I work with our staff and volunteers to offer a children's ministry within our parish. It has been an honor to live into the center of our collective Venn Diagram - where theology and worship intersect with administration. I work at a local non-profit and work daily to reconcile a vision of heaven among us with the current reality of some of our darkest corners of humanity. I have held various Board appointments and volunteer positions, always with an eye toward social justice and especially the rights and safety of those marginalized and oppressed.

Tim Buchholtz, St. James, Roanoke I am a cradle Episcopalian and a baptized member of St. James in Roanoke for the past 54 years and if elected to this post, I would bring my over 30 years of service and experience as Vestry person, Junior Warden, and Lay Eucharistic Minister at my Parish and my service as Delegate to Convention.

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The Rev. Benjamin Badgett, St. John, Waynesboro If elected as General Convention 2020 Clergy Alternate delegate, I would bring the gifts of listening ears, a discerning mind, and willingness to prioritize the Gospel message of loving God and neighbor, as the foundation and compass for decision-making, should I be called upon at the General Convention.

The Very Rev. Alan Cowart, Grace Memorial, Lynchburg I've had the privilege and pleasure of serving alongside the people of Grace Memorial, Lynchburg, as Rector VLQFH 2017. , KDYH D EDFKHORU¶V GHJUHH LQ GHRJUDSK\ DQG D 0DVWHU RI DLYLQLW\ IURP 9LUJLQLD 7KHRORJLFDO Seminary. I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church at the age of 31. I had found my spiritual home and fell in love with the way we gather. I strive to discover daily how to listen deeply, and I continue to learn how our stories are shaped by our experience. I am passionate about this intersection of experience, story, and sharing. I love how we come together as a church to worship, work, and govern ourselves. We're grounded in the sharing of these stories of our places and our hearts. The rapid change in the church and world demands a faithful response that will depend heartily on how we share our stories, and how we listen.

The Rev. Jon Greene, Non-Parochial Jon was ordained as a vocational deacon on October 7, 2018. Since then he has been serving most of his time at Grace Episcopal Church, Radford Virginia and periodically at Christ Church Pearisburg and Christ Church Pulaski. Jon served as an intern at Christ Church Blacksburg and was raised up for ordination from St. Thomas Christiansburg. Thus, Jon has a close relationship with five of the seven parishes in the New River Convocation (and would like to get to know the folks from St. John Wytheville and Church of the Good Shepherd Galax better!). Jon is still discerning what it means to be a deacon in the New River Convocation, but he is convinced that the Spirit is calling us to bring a new church into existence²just not exactly clear what that looks like yet! 22