The Pastoral

The 144th Annual Assembly of the West Virginia Council of Churches will take up 1975's This Land is Home to Me: A Pastoral Letter on Powerlessness in Appalachia by the Catholic Bishops of the Region.

Per e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia Online:

"This Land is Home to Me," a pastoral letter issued by the Catholic bishops of Appalachia in 1975, was written in response to the concerns raised by the Catholic Committee of Appalachia in 1974 regarding the economic and political inequalities that characterized the Appalachian region. Over the course of the following year, members of the committee traveled throughout Appalachia, listening to individuals, community groups, and church workers. The stories that came out of these visits were then incorporated into the writing of the pastoral, which was grounded in Scripture and the teachings of the Catholic Church on social justice. The pastoral is unusual for its poetic language and the free verse style in which it is written (click here for full article).

Three Roman Catholic presenters will be joined by ecumenical respondents in discussion of the letter.

• Download: To download a copy of This Land Is Home to Me, click here.

• Agenda: To download the assembly agenda, click here.
  

Jeff Allen

We will also be honoring The Rev. Jeffrey Allen, the recently retired Executive Director of the West Virginia Council of Churches, with the Mary Virginia DeRoo Award and the title Executive Director Emeritus.

The Basics & Registration

• Where: St. John XXIII Pastoral Center, 100 Hodges Road, Charleston, WV 25314 (map)

• When: October 27, 2025, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (registration opens at 8:30 a.m.)
  

• Cost: There is no registration fee for this program

• Luncheon: There is also no charge for lunch, but lunch reservations must be submitted (through the registration link) by October 13 (see below for details)

• Lodging: Lodging at St. John XXIII is limited and on a first-registered, first-lodged basis (see below for details)

• CEUs: Continuing Education Units are available for this event (see below for details)

• Registration Deadline: October 22

Luncheon Details

A free luncheon will be served in the St. John XXIII dining hall. Registration for the luncheon is required by October 13, as we need to provide a meal count to St. John XXIII. We cannot accommodate dietary restrictions. The menu is as follows:

• Pasta primavera (vegetarian) — squash, zucchini, peppers, carrots, sautéed in a light sauce served over fettuccine pasta.
• St. John XXIII chicken — the pride of St. John XXIII's kitchen: tender chicken breast dredged in select seasonings and Panko breadcrumbs.
• Green beans almandine
• Wild rice
• Salad bar
• Cake
  

There are multiple dining options in the area; attendees are not required to dine with the assembly.

Lodging

Lodging at St. John XXIII is limited and on a first-registered, first-lodged basis. Lodging must be paid by cash, check, or credit card upon arrival. If the lodging you requested is not available, you will be notified. Lodging requests are submitted through the registration form. Deadline for lodging requests is October 13.

Rates per night:

• $61 — Single Room (private bath)
  
• $51 — Double Room (private bath; this is per person, and you have to tell us who your roommate is)
• $65 — Studio (private bath; recliner)
• $27 — Dorm Bunk (separate men's and women's dormitories with separate men's and women's shower and bath facilities)

Attendees are welcome to secure off-site lodging on their own.

CEUs