Tapestry Team
Tapestry’s mission is to empower congregations in the Virginia Synod to be boldly inclusive in matters of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility while walking with God and guided by the Holy Spirit to bring healing, reconciliation, and justice. Tapestry provides resources, facilitates conversations, and fosters networking across the Virginia Synod in order to advocate for God’s desire to weave a rich and diverse Body of Christ!
Racial Justice
Coordinators
Pastor Harry Griffith
Maurice Gallimore
Pastor Paul Pingel
- Racial Justice Movie Night – February 24, 2025
- Black History Month Bulletin Inserts
- Black History Month Resources by Rev. Carla S. Christopher Wilson
- ELCA Racial Justice Ministries
- ELCA Racial Justice Blog
- African Descent Ministries of the ELCA is celebrated Black History Month with Talks at the Desk, a video series that will explore diverse expressions of the church. YouTube Playlist all episodes and shorts.
See Tab below for Additional Resources
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion
Coordinators
George Donovan
- 2024 Pride Worship
- 2023 Pride Worship
- LGBTQIA+ Resources and Information
- Looking to Love: LGBTQIA+ Conversations with Our Church
- Transgender Day of Visibility 2023 – Bishop Strickland and Bishop Bos
- Reconciling Works
- Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries
- Out in Scripture: A collection of over 175 conversations about the Bible, for each Sunday of the Revised Common Lectionary. From 100 diverse scholars and pastors, from over 11 different denominations. This Human Rights Campaign resource places comments about the Bible alongside the real-life experiences and concerns of LGBTQIA+ people of faith and our allies.
- Straight for Equality Ally Calendar
- Queer Confirmation
- Augsburg Fortress LGBTQIA+ Book List
Additional resources below.
Care of Creation
Coordinators
Sister Phyllis Cox
Bill Franz
- Season of Creation Worship Resources: Year B 2024 (Resources for congregational use between September 1 and November 3, 2024)
- Not Too Late Book Study: October 2024
- You’re invited to join the Care for Creation Tapestry Thread in reading and discussing Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility in October 2024. Use the link above for more information and to register.
- Season of Creation 2023 Invitation
- Season of Creation Worship Resources: Year A
- Tree Planting Liturgy
See Tab below for Additional Resources
Justice for Women
Coordinators
Sylvia Vick-Eley
Pastor Kayla Keilholtz
Tapestry Resources
Resources are grouped by Thread focus, however we recognize that justice ministries are intersectional.
Resources are grouped for ease of access, however we recognize that justice ministries are intersectional.
Do Justice is a bi-monthly newsletter of the Virginia Synod, lifting up God’s call and command that we, God’s people, do justice. You will find helpful info about justice ministries in congregations, around Virginia, and through the ELCA. If you have stories of justice to share from your congregation, please share those with The Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick, Assistant to the Bishop at bayerderrick@vasynod.org so we share them with others in the synod!
For a full archive of Do Justice newsletters, visit www.vasynod.org/do-justice
Tapestry Team Co-Chairs
Email: tapestry@vasynod.org
The Rev. Colleen Hetrick
Staff Support
Email: hetrick@vasynod.org
Phone: 540-389-1000