Posted: October 17, 2024

News for Sunday, October 20, 2024

Upcoming Events

Sunday 10/20  12:00 p.m. Worship Committee Meeting (First Floor Classroom)
Friday 10/25   9:00 a.m. Holy Strollers (Meet in the rear parking lot)
Saturday 10/26  10:00 a.m. Men’s Group (Ellwood Thompson’s)
Sunday 10/27  10:30 a.m. Children & Youth Sunday (Church)
Sunday 10/27  11:45 a.m. Youth Sunday Funday with Grace & Holy-ween (Parish Hall)
Saturday 11/02  11:00 a.m. Bishop Sean Rowe Installation Service*
(Prelude begins at 10:00 a.m. | The Episcopal Church Center in New York City)
*There will be an extensive livestream production to support churchwide access and participation.
Sunday 11/03  9:00 a.m. All Saints’ Sunday with Baptism & Stewardship Commitment*
(Reception to follow worship in the Parish Hall. | Church)
*One service only. Daylight savings ends. Regularly scheduled ministries are off/closed this Sunday.
Sunday 11/03  4:00 p.m. Parish Oyster Roast
(All are welcome! | Sauer Family Home, 5999 River Rd, Richmond, VA 23226)

Save the Date

Sunday  11/24  9:00 a.m.   Confirmation Retreat: “What is Christianity?” (Church & Conference Room)
Tuesday 11/26  5:00 p.m. Thanksgiving Tuesday Worship (Chapel)
Friday    11/29  12:00 p.m. Red Door & Shood Thanksgiving with River City Wood Fired Pizza
(Youth Service Opportunity/Sunday Funday | 8 N. Laurel Street)
Sunday 12/01     9:30 a.m. Advent Wreath Making* (Parish Hall)
                          11:45 a.m. *Following both worship services.
Sunday 12/22     8:00 a.m. Advent 4 Service (One Holy Eucharist Service) (Chapel)
Sunday 12/22     9:00 a.m. Breakfast & Ministry Preparation for Christmas (Parish Hall)
Sunday 12/22     4:00 p.m. Lessons & Carols (Church)
Tuesday 12/24   4:00 p.m. Christmas Pageant (Church)
Tuesday 12/24   11:00 p.m. Midnight Holy Eucharist (Church)
Wednesday 12/25 10:00 a.m. Christmas Day (Chapel)

Sunday Bulletins are posted by Friday at ghtc.org/bulletin.

Highlights

Parish Forum: A Deacon’s Journey – Sunday, October 20 at 9:30 a.m.
The Parish Forum this Sunday, October 20th, will be with The Rev. Deacon Steve Pace in the Parish Hall at 9:30 a.m. He will speak about the ministry of a deacon and share some of his own journey. A deacon is similar to a priest but with a specific purpose of connecting with the needs of the community and helping the church discern how we can better reach out to serve the needs of our neighbors. A Deacon’s ordination vows states, “In the name of Jesus Christ, serving all people, particularly the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely. (BCP, page 543-544)” Come get to know Steve, hear his diaconal journey, and ask questions.

Children & Youth Sunday followed by Grace & Holy-Ween – Sunday, October 27
On Sunday, October 27th, children and youth will serve in leadership roles during the 10:30 a.m. worship service. Following worship around 11:45 a.m., we will have our annual celebration of “Grace and Holy-Ween!,” our Halloween fair and celebration for children and youth. Please join us in the Parish Hall for the Halloween party, including lunch, games, a costume contest, and pumpkin carving. Bring your costume to change into after the service! Register online at ghtc.org/holyween.

Holy Strollers – Friday, October 25 at 9:00 a.m.
We invite you to join the Holy Strollers’ next excursion as we journey to the country for an autumn stroll at Malvern Hill in eastern Henrico County. The route is three miles long and is rural. We will depart from the church parking lot on Friday, October 25th at 9:00 a.m. sharp, and plan on finishing the walk around 11:00 a.m. The group may stop for refreshments following the walk. You may want to layer comfortable clothes, wear walking shoes or boots, and bring water. If you have questions or would like to attend, please contact Susan Hankins at (804) 938-8440.

Confirmation Retreat – November 24 at 9:00 a.m.
On November 24th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., we will have our next Confirmation Retreat at the church. The confirmands will be exploring what it means to be a Christian. As we have previously communicated, we will be repeating the same four retreats held last year in anticipation of a Bishop’s visit to confirm everyone who has participated in all four retreats. To learn more about confirmation, please contact Billy McGuire by visiting our website at ghtc.org/contact and select “Confirmation” from the drop down menu.

Episcopal Relief & Development – Hurricane Relief Fund
Support those impacted by recent storms by donating to the Hurricane Relief Fund, helping communities rebuild and recover. Your gift will provide Episcopal Relief & Development partners on the ground with critical supplies, such as food and water, pastoral care, and other urgent needs. You’ll also help with the long-term rebuilding and healing efforts. Click here to donate and learn more. 

All Saints’ Sunday with Baptism & Stewardship Commitment – Sunday, November 3
Join us on Sunday, November 3rd, at 9:00 a.m. for a special All Saints’ Sunday worship service for Stewardship Sunday with baptism. There will be a reception following the service in the Parish Hall to celebrate the end of the Embracing Joy Stewardship Campaign. There will only be one service and there will be no breakfast or formation offerings so we can come together to celebrate as a parish family.

Thanksgiving Service – Tuesday, November 26 at 5:00 p.m.
Join us for our Thanksgiving service on Tuesday, November 26th at 5:00 p.m. All are welcome as we come together in gratitude and reflection.

Announcing our new Interim Assistant Priest: The Rev. Jon Scarffe
Great news! The Rev. Jon Scarffe will be joining us as a part-time Interim Assistant Priest for Pastoral Care for the next six months. Jon will increase our current pastoral care visits, preach, teach, and help us address ongoing organizational needs in our pastoral care. Jon has impressive experience from parish to cathedral size churches and speaks four languages in addition to an abundance of pastoral care experience. In his own words: “I believe that the Ministry of Pastoral Care in all its forms is at the heart of the life of the church as we respond to human needs.” Jon’s first Sunday will be October 27th. We will be so blessed to receive his gifts during this time. – In Peace, Fr. Brent

Upcoming Events at The Pace Center
The Pace Center, our covenant partner for campus ministry, is an inclusive, multicultural community at VCU where students’ unique stories and gifts are valued. As a collaborative ministry of several Christian denominations, it emphasizes the importance of deep relationships and the inherent value of each individual. Please visit thepacecenter.com for more information on Pace’s upcoming events and how you can support students in our community.

Walk-A-Dog Fridays at 12:00 p.m., meet in front of The Pace Center
Food Donation Sign Up Sign Up to Donate on The Pace Center Website

Thank You’s From the Community
St. Andrew’s School sends their heartfelt thanks for the school supply donation last month.
Judy Bowman sends her thank you for her celebration of ministry and the many kind messages in her cards.

Stewardship Campaign Continues through November 3
The Stewardship Campaign began September 29th at the Parish Forum Kick-Off with Father Brent and Nick Sollog introducing this year’s goals and theme, “Embracing Joy.” If you would like to make a pledge during the stewardship season you can mail a pledge card to the Financial Secretary in the parish office, drop your pledge card in the offering plate on Sunday morning, or make your pledge online here. Pledge cards are located at the Connect Tables outside of each of our church doors. Thank you to those who have submitted a pledge towards the 2025 parish budget.

Outreach Grant Applications Open – Deadline to Submit is Friday, November 1, 2024
Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church is accepting applications from individuals and community organizations to support outreach projects. The Outreach Grant Program provides financial support to non-profit organizations that promote Christian beliefs and principles through their services or programs. Please visit ghtc.org/grants to learn more and apply.

New Weekly Service – Holy Eucharist & Healing Service on Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m.
A Service of Holy Eucharist with Healing continues every Wednesday morning at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel. This service is open to anyone who desires prayers, healing and/or the Eucharist during the week. Sometimes the healing prayer requests are for medical illnesses, broken relationships, or seeking God’s guidance in one’s life. Knowing the hurt in the church over the last few years, this could be practice towards healing. Any prayer is welcomed by God. I hope you will consider coming and bringing someone too.

Seeking Volunteers for Making Red Door Staff Lunch
Red Door Ministry needs your help. Not only do we make a good lunch for around 150 guests every Friday, but we also need a lunch for the volunteers, too. We are seeking volunteers who would fix a simple (i.e. sandwiches) lunch on a Friday for around 15 Red Door volunteers before Red Door Lunch begins at 12:00 p.m. Red Door especially asks for your help through October. Please sign up for one or more Fridays by calling Betsy Featherstone at (804) 353-9760.

Remaining Communications

Investiture in Presiding Bishop-Elect – November 2, 2024
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry issues a churchwide invitation to the November 2nd investiture service of Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe. The planning committee for the investiture of Presiding Bishop-elect Sean Rowe has released a batch of resources to aid Episcopalians in hosting local watch parties during the churchwide virtual event at 11:00 a.m. (ET) on Saturday, November 2nd. The service will be livestreamed on the event webpage as well as The Episcopal Church’s Facebook page.

Clothes Closet Temporarily Suspending Donations
Thank you for your generous donations to the Clothes Closet! Donations are being processed, and we are blessed to be at capacity. We ask that you hold off on bringing additional items until further notice. Please keep an eye out for upcoming communications regarding the Winter Gear Drive beginning in late October.

Other Communications

Whom do I contact for…?
If you have a question or need to contact GHTC, please use the following email addresses and their respective subjects to help direct you to the correct staff member(s):

Worship (including Holy Baptism and Marriage) | The Rev. Dr. Brent Melton
Mission Questions | Chuck Bleick
Communications Questions | Communications Team
Formation Questions | The Rev. Dr. Brent Melton
Pastoral Care Questions | The Rev. Dr. Brent Melton
Music Questions | Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis
Paying Your Pledge | Kathy Schultheis
Property & Church Records Questions | Lauren Frazier
Vestry Questions | Meredith McGuire

For questions outside of these subjects please visit ghtc.org/contact or call (804) 359-5268.

Sign Up for Music eNews
Sign up for the Music eNews to stay connected with the vibrant musical life of our congregation. By signing up, you’ll receive exclusive updates on concerts, music-centered worship services, and other exciting music-related activities at GHTC. Visit our website at ghtc.org/music to subscribe. The sign-up form will appear on mobile devices at the bottom of the page.

Prayer Request – Online Form
If you or someone you know is in need of prayer, please visit our website at ghtc.org/prayer and fill out the form. Your requests are confidential and will be shared with Parish Administrator and clergy.

Please Wear Your Name Tags
This is a gentle reminder to please wear your name tags when you come to church. Grace & Holy Trinity is fortunate to have visitors and new parishioners joining us each week. Wearing your nametag is an important part of our hospitality to all and a visible reminder to newcomers and lifelong members alike that we are an open and welcoming community. Please pick up your name tags along the wall in the hallway as you enter from the Cherry Street parking lot, and please leave them there when you leave church. If you need a name tag for the first time or if you have misplaced yours, please contact Communications Associate Tyler Brady by visiting ghtc.org/contact.

Beware of Phishing & Other Scams
Please beware of any communication (email, phone calls, texts) purporting to be from members of our clergy, staff, or someone communicating on our behalf. No member of the Grace & Holy Trinity clergy or staff will ever contact you asking you “for a favor,” such as purchasing gift cards. Scammers use these tactics and are more common than you might think. Please be cautious and use good judgment.

Pastoral Care
Grace & Holy Trinity is committed to providing spiritual guidance, support, and a compassionate presence to all in times of need or spiritual growth. If you would like to speak with the clergy, please email pastoralcare [at] ghtc.org or call the Parish Office at (804) 359-5628.

For more information, visit the News page.