Posted: December 19, 2024

News for Sunday, December 22, 2024

Upcoming Parish Forums

“Conversations on Chapel Changes”
Jan. 12 (First Floor Classroom)

Childcare Information
There will be no Sunday School on 12/22/2024, 12/29/2024, and 01/05/2025. Sunday School will resume on 01/12/2025. The Nursery will not be available for either Christmas Eve Service. The Nursery will be available on January 5th, 2025.

Christmas Schedule

Sunday, December 22

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite One (Spoken | Chapel)
9:00 a.m.   Parish Breakfast* (Parish Hall) *Last Parish Breakfast of 2024. Returns in 2025.
9:45 a.m.   Children’s Choir Rehearsal (Church)
10:00 a.m.  Christmas Pageant Rehearsal (Church)
10:30 a.m.  Parish Workday (Church)
3:30 p.m.   Prelude Music Begins (Church)
4:00 p.m.   Festival of Lessons & Carols (Church)
5:00 p.m.   Reception (Following Festival of Lessons & Carols | Parish Hall)

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

3:30 p.m.   Prelude Music Begins (Church)
4:00 p.m.   Christmas Children’s Pageant (Church)
10:30 p.m.  Prelude Music Begins (Church)
11:00 p.m.  Christmas Eve Worship (Church)

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

10:00 a.m.   Christmas Day Worship* (Chapel)

Sunday, December 29, 2024

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite One
9:30 a.m.   Lectionary Group (Library)
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite Two
11:45 a.m.  Coffee Hour with Refreshments (Parish Hall)

*The Parish Office will be closed from 12/25/2024 to 01/01/2025 in observance of Christmas and New Years.

Sunday, January 5, 2025

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite One (Spoken | Chapel)
9:30 a.m.   Lectionary Group (Library)
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Baptism, Rite Two (Choral | Church)
11:45 a.m.  Coffee Hour with Refreshments (Parish Hall)

Upcoming Events

Friday 12/20 12:00 p.m. Red Door Holiday with River City Wood Fired Pizza* (8 N. Laurel Street) *Red Door Lunch will not be open for service on 12/27/2024 and will return on 01/03/2025.)

Friday 12/20 4:30 p.m. Holy Strollers Holiday Lights Walk (One Monument Avenue)

Save the Date

Sunday 01/05 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Baptism (Church)

Sunday 01/05 3:00 p.m. Youth Sunday Funday Christmas Party (Lee Family Home)

Sunday 01/05 4:00 p.m. Parish-wide Twelfth Night Tea (Parish Hall)

Wednesday 01/08 11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist & Healing Service Resumes (Chapel)

Sunday 01/12 11:45 a.m. Youth Instrumental Ensemble Resumes (Children’s Choir Room)

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

Highlights

Holy Strollers Holiday Lights Walk – Friday, December 20 at 4:30 p.m.
Everyone is invited – children, families, grown-ups, and friends – for an evening holiday walk on Monument Avenue. Meet at 4:30 p.m., Friday, December 20th, in front of the One Monument Avenue condominiums. The address is 413 Stuart Circle, which is at the southeast corner of Monument Avenue and Stuart Circle. Afterward, enjoy light refreshments at the One Monument Avenue condominium building, our starting point.

Sunset is at 4:55 p.m. It’s wonderful to walk along Monument Avenue in the evening during this season, marveling at the beautiful holiday decorations and lights. Dress for the weather – meaning warm clothes, walking shoes, hats and gloves. A flashlight is a good idea. Also, an important reminder that we’ll be walking along a main thoroughfare so we need to be careful at all intersections and be alert for uneven sidewalks.

Complimentary parking is available in the parking garage across Lombardy Street from the One Monument Avenue building. Enter the alley behind First English Lutheran Church, which is across the street from One Monument Avenue. A few parking spaces are available on the right behind the church, or drive about 15 feet farther and turn left at the second garage entrance and park on the right, first floor, in any spaces marked for First English Lutheran Church (“and thank Cathy Saunders for arranging all of this!” – Susan Hankins).

Youth Sunday Funday Christmas Party – January 5, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.
Middle school and high school students are invited to a white elephant regifting exchange and tacky sweater contest at the Lee Family Home, 312 Ralston Road. Parents are welcome to drop off or join in some holiday cheer and NFL viewing. Please RSVP with Laura Lee at (850) 266-3996.

Parish-Wide Twelfth Night Tea – Sunday, January 5 at 4:00 p.m.
The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of GHTC invites the parish, family, and friends to a typical London Hotel Afternoon Tea on the Twelfth Day of Christmas. ECW hopes to build friendships and community while celebrating the last day of Christmas together. The Afternoon Tea will begin at 4:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall and end around 6:00 p.m. If you would like to attend, please email Catherine Perrin at robertperrin@acm.org or call (804) 402-1179.

Vestry Nominating Committee Accepting Nominations – Submission Deadline is January 24
The Vestry Nominating Committee is accepting nominations of GHTC members to serve a three-year term on the Vestry. All nominations must be submitted no later than January 24th, 2025, and no nominations will be accepted from the floor. Elections will be held at the annual congregational meeting on February 9th, with terms to begin immediately after the election. Vestry members will be elected by secret ballot, with the four candidates receiving the most votes being elected from among at least seven nominees. To submit the name of a member for consideration, please contact Mary Ann Blankenship at mablankenship625@gmail.com or (804) 334-8922. For more information about the qualifications to serve on the Vestry and the election process, please visit ghtc.org/vestry or contact a member of the Nominating Committee: Meredith McGuire, Mary Ann Blankenship, Dan McNamara, and Fielding Williams. Their contact information can be found in the online Membership Directory.

Parish Forum: Conversations on Chapel Changes – January 12 at 9:30 a.m.
A conversation for a couple of chapel changes began in 2024. Why? To create handicap accessibility in this sacred space as well as highlight the significant relevance of the baptismal font in the Chapel. The conversation started with some committees and different groups. The proposed changes and reasoning behind will be the topic of the January 12th Parish Forum at 9:30 a.m. in the First Floor Classroom. Click here to view the blueprints to see the proposed changes and then join us for the first Parish Forum in 2025. Contact Father Brent for any questions at bmelton@ghtc.org.

Stewardship Update
“We are grateful for the 118 pledges that have already been offered for our ongoing ministries in 2025. This amounts to $691,812. Our pledge goal is $750,000. We hope the remaining 30 plus pledging units will come in soon as we plan ahead. This year’s theme was Embracing Joy. This has helped to acknowledge the joy in the fullness of being a community. If you are still considering your 2025 pledge, please ask how God is calling you to share in this joy. Sharing in the incredible moments, like a wedding, baptism, funerals and weekly worship, we celebrate life and God. I am both thankful for GHTC and have great hope for our future together. Blessings! 

In Peace, Brent
P.S. If you need a pledge card, please contact Lauren during the week or ask an usher to show you the Connect Tables on Sunday to find a pledge card.”

Annual Meeting – Sunday, February 9
The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on February 9th, at 9:00 a.m. in the church. Printed copies of the Annual Report will be available at the meeting and online at ghtc.org/publications. Worship services will be regularly scheduled on this day.

Remaining Communications

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.

Holy Eucharist & Healing Wednesdays beginning at 11:00 a.m. (GHTC Chapel)
Stories & Lunch Wednesdays from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Arts & Faith Circle Wednesdays from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Movement in Grace Wednesdays beginning at 7:00 p.m. (GHTC Church)
Walk-A-Dog Fridays from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Food Donation Sign Up Sign Up to Donate on The Pace Center Website

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 or The Rev. Steve Pace
Communications Questions | Communications Team
Formation Questions | The Rev. Dr. Brent Melton
Pastoral Care Questions | The Rev. Dr. Brent Melton or The Rev. Jon Scarffe
Music Questions | Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis
Paying Your Pledge | Kathy Schultheis
Property & Church Records Questions | Lauren Frazier
Vestry Questions | Meredith McGuire
Campus Ministry Questions | The Rev. Russ Kerr

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.