Posted: November 30, 2023

News for Sunday, December 3, 2023

Upcoming Events

12/02        10:00 a.m.   Men’s Group (Ellwood Thompson’s)
12/03        9:30 a.m.     Pageant Costume Fitting (Room 2B)
12/03        4:30 p.m.    Caroling in Monroe Park* (Monroe Park)
*Caroling in Monroe Park will replace the 5:30 p.m. Dinner Church.
12/10       9:30 a.m.    Adult Formation Sunday Series:
                                       Priest as Pastor – Ministries, Boundaries, and Blessings (First Floor Classroom)
12/10       9:30 a.m.    Pageant Rehearsal: Speaking Roles (Parish Hall)
12/10      10:30 a.m.   Dedication of the Bells (Church)
12/11       5:30 p.m.    Spirited Sisters (Burger Bach)
12/17      12:00 p.m.   Pageant Dress Rehearsal (Church)
12/19       9:00 a.m.    Holy Strollers Holiday Lights Walk (One Monument Avenue)
12/24       8:00 a.m.   Holy Eucharist – Advent IV (Chapel)

Christmas Schedule

12/24       8:00 a.m.   Holy Eucharist (Spoken | Chapel)
12/24       3:00 p.m.    Christmas Pageant & Holy Eucharist (Choral | Church)
12/24       5:00 p.m.    Festival of Christmas Lessons & Carols (Choral | Church)
12/24     11:00 p.m.   Holy Eucharist (Choral | Church)
12/25     10:00 a.m.   Christmas Day: Holy Eucharist* (Choral | Church)
12/31     10:00 a.m.   New Year’s Eve: Holy Eucharist* (Choral | Church)
*One service only.
*On Christmas Eve, childcare will be provided up to age 7 will be available from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. There will not be childcare on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. The church offices will be closed from December 26th, 2023 – January 2nd, 2024.

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

Highlights

Caroling in Monroe Park & Holiday Market – This Sunday, December 3
Our third annual Caroling in Monroe Park and Holiday Market is this Sunday, December 3rd. There will be food trucks, homemade gifts by over 10 vendors, and plenty of activities for the kids such as ornament painting and a photo opportunity with Santa in his Model T. In the event of inclement weather, Caroling in Monroe Park will be held inside of Grace & Holy Trinity Church. Vendors and food trucks open at 3:00 p.m., the brass quintet begins at 4:15 p.m., followed by Caroling beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Priest as Pastor: Ministries, Boundaries, and Blessings – Sunday, December 10
What is the role of a parish priest? What are the blessings, boundaries, and parameters for shared ministry within the parish? Next Sunday, December 10th at 9:30 a.m. in the First Floor Classroom, parish clergy will lead a conversation that explores the role of a priest as pastor.

Christmas Pageant – Registration
It’s that time of year again: our Christmas Pageant is just around the corner. We welcome children as young as age three and up through high school to join our cast of angels, shepherds, and sheep. Costume fitting will take place on December 3rd, a rehearsal for those with speaking parts on December 10th, a dress rehearsal on December 17th, and the pageant itself at our 3:00 p.m. service on Christmas Eve. Sign up online by this Sunday, December 3rd. Questions? Contact Mr. Nick Sollog or Mrs. Kate Given.

Christmas Pageant – Volunteers
At the Christmas pageant, the Holy Family and all the angels and shepherds need a little guidance. If you would like to volunteer to direct the groups of children during the pageant (to shepherd the shepherds, so to speak), we would love your help. We would ask that you attend rehearsal after church on December 17th and to arrive to church by 1:30 p.m. on December 24th. Please contact Mr. Nick Sollog or Mrs. Kate Given directly to volunteer.

Pledge Drive Recap
Thank you to those who have submitted a pledge towards the 2024 parish budget. To date, you all have made 138 pledges totaling $619,535. If you have not yet made your pledge, there is still time. You can make your pledge one of the following ways:

• Mail your pledge card to Judy Bowman in the parish office
• Drop your pledge card in the offering plate on Sunday morning
• Make your pledge online at ghtc.org/pledge

Visit our website at ghtc.org/pledge to watch pledge talks from this year’s drive.

If you have any questions about your pledge, please contact Judy Bowman in the church office at (804) 359-5628 x14.

Distributing the Remaining Books for Ukraine at Front Office – Sunday, December 3
As part of the Hope for Ukraine Concert Tour, Music Mission Kiev assisted in the distribution of the book “Relentless Courage: Ukraine and the World at War”. This Pulitzer Prize winner captures the first six months of the conflict through the eyes of photojournalists and Ukranians. The books were distributed at the concert to sponsors and people wishing to purchase them. If you sponsored the event, but have not received your copy, please send a message by visiting our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Parish Volunteer Coordinator by Saturday, December 2nd so we can set a copy aside. On Sunday, December 3rd, we will distribute the remaining copies in the front office before and after the service. The books are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Are You Called to Serve Our Belize Mission?
For almost 15 years, GHTC missioners have been serving children in Cayo, Belize (along the Guatemalan border) in several different ways. In April of 2024, GHTC’s mission team will return to Belize to provide Dental Hygiene Education, Dental Care, and Vision Screening to more than 1,200 children over one week.  Please consider joining the Belize Mission Team for this amazing week – opportunities are available for parishioners of all skill levels and experience. For more information about GHTC’s work in Belize and plans for April 20-27, 2024, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Missionary Society from the drop down menu.

Worship

Adult Formation Sunday Series: Spiritual Practices for Advent – Sunday, December 3
The Rev. Charles Joy will outline spiritual practices from our tradition that you might incorporate into your spirituality during this Advent season. Join us at 9:30 a.m. in the First Floor Classroom as we expand our faith.

Christmas Memorial Poinsettias
As we prepare for Christmas, we invite you to donate one or more poinsettias in memory of someone deceased. Please visit our website at ghtc.org/give, select the “Altar Guild” fund, and enter your loved one’s name in the “note” section. The cost is whatever you would like to contribute, and the memorial names will be printed in the Christmas Eve bulletins. The deadline to submit is December 10th.  Your donations support the work of the Altar Guild. You may also contact Judy Bowman in the church office at (804) 359-5628 x14.

Midweek Eucharist – Continues Wednesday, December 6
A Wednesday morning celebration of the Holy Eucharist is held each week at 8:00 a.m. in the Chapel. This weekly service is intended to deepen our fellowship and to provide the parish with another touchpoint with parish clergy. Immediately following the service, the presiding priest will host a coffee hour in the Parish Hall. For more information, visit ghtc.org/contact and select The Rev. Paul Evans from the drop down menu.

Dedication of the Bells – Sunday, December 10
On Sunday, December 10th, during the 10:30 a.m. service, we will be dedicating the Tower Bells graciously donated by a parishioner. Mark your calendars for this joyous moment in our common life and worship. A short reception will follow in the Parish Hall.

Parish Life

Men’s Group Coffee – Saturday, December 2
The Men’s Group will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 2nd at Ellwood Thompson’s in Carytown. A variety of coffee options, bagels, and pastries are available for purchase at the cafe.

Spirited Sisters – Monday, December 11
Spirited Sisters, a women’s group of the parish, will meet next on Monday, December 11th at 5:30 p.m. at Burger Bach in Carytown for lively conversation and a meal. If you have questions or would like to attend, please visit ghtc.org/contact and select Spirited Sisters from the drop-down menu.

Education

Episcopal Church Women’s Diocesan Meeting – Saturday, November 11
The Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Virginia will have their Fall Meeting on Saturday, November 11th at St. Mary’s Church in Colonial Beach, VA. The meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. and wrap up by 2:00 p.m. Speakers include The Rt. Rev. E. Mark Stevenson and The Rev. Dr. J. Lee Hill Jr. The registration fee is $25 and the deadline to register is November 1st. Click to find the registration form and for more details. Contact Catherine Perrin or Jodie Pully with questions.

Outreach

Christmas Ministry for Dumbarton Elementary Students
We are joyful to report that all 25 children from Dumbarton Elementary School have been sponsored. Monetary donations are still very much appreciated and will be used to purchase grocery store cards to assist families and teachers. These donations can be sent to Judy Bowman with the Christmas Ministry noted. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please visit our website at ghtc.org/give. Questions? Please contact Nancy Smith.

Other Communications

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.

Do you have a Will? Have you remembered the Church?
“The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well-being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses.” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 445) Your Will is an opportunity to leave a legacy, which will benefit the life and ministry of this Parish for years to come. A variety of forms of planned giving are available. For more information, please speak with a member of the clergy.

Update Your Information in Shelby (Church Directory)
Please take a moment to log into the church’s database and confirm or update your contact information. The church utilizes the address on file to mail parish communications such as newsletters, postcards, and financial statements. Visit our website at ghtc.org/member to log in. Questions? Please contact Kyle Reed at ghtc.org/contact. If you need assistance with your password, please contact Judy Bowman at ghtc.org/contact.

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, ghtc.org/contact.

For more information, visit the News page.