Posted: February 22, 2024

News for Sunday, February 25, 2024

Upcoming Events

02/25       9:30 a.m.    Adult Formation Sunday Series: William Tan Organ Concert (Chapel)
02/25       5:30 p.m.    Youth Service Project Planning Meeting and Dinner (Parish Hall)
03/02     10:00 a.m.   Men’s Group Coffee (Ellwood Thompson’s)
03/03     10:30 a.m.   Fauré Requiem Eucharist with Parish Choir and Chamber Ensemble (Church)
03/03                           Fauré Requiem Reception (Parish Hall)

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

Save The Date

03/24        1:30 p.m.   Youth Sunday Funday (Sky Zone Trampoline Park)
04/19         5:00 p.m.   Parents’ Night Out: Pentecost (Church)
04/28       10:30 a.m.   Bishop’s Visitation for Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation (Church)
06/02       10:30 a.m.  Centennial Celebration (Church)

Highlights

Guest Preacher this Sunday — The Rev. Katie Gooch
The Rev. Katie Gooch (she/her), Director and Campus Minister of The Pace Center, will be the preacher at both services this Sunday, February 25th. Rev. Gooch is an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church and has a passion for setting the stage for relationships and community to thrive. Before Pace, she served as the Executive Pastor of Reveille United Methodist Church. During seminary, she served as a hospital chaplain at Duke University and as a pastor in both Durham and Mamers, North Carolina. In an earlier life, Rev. Gooch was a communications consultant in Washington D.C., and a Division I field hockey player. She is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma but has grown to love Richmond! Join us for donuts and coffee in the Parish Hall for a chance to meet Katie and learn more about her ministry.

Adult Formation Sunday Series: Chapel Organ Concert – Sunday, February 25
As part of the Adult Formation Sunday Series, William Tan will perform an organ concert of works by Bach, Couperin, Lang, Langlais, and Mascagni, as well as several hymns on Sunday, February 25th at 9:30 a.m. in Gibson Memorial Chapel. William served as Organ Scholar at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Oregon Hill for eight months. He was awarded the 2023-2024 Richmond Chapter of the American Guild of Organists Scholarship and studies with Daniel Stipe, Principal Organist at All Saints Episcopal Church. Plan to attend this wonderful concert featuring our beautiful Chapel Organ!

Youth Service Project Planning Meeting this Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
This Sunday at 5:30 p.m., all high school youth are invited to a service project planning meeting led by Neely Dykshorn. The meeting will begin with Compline, led by the Rev. Bruce Birdsey, and dinner before making plans for their April 14th service project tending the gardens at Bellevue Elementary School in Church Hill. Please RSVP to Neely Dykshorn by the end of the day today so she can get a head count for dinner. Pick-up is at 7:30 p.m.

Fauré Requiem – Sunday, March 3
There will be a presentation of the “Requiem” by Gabriel Fauré within the liturgical context with the Parish Choir, Chamber Ensemble, Keely Borland, Soprano, Chase Peak, Bass, Stanley M. Baker, Organist, and conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis, on Sunday, March 3rd during the 10:30 a.m. worship service. There will be a reception in the Parish Hall, hosted by the Hospitality Committee, following the worship service. Please invite family and friends for this special worship service filled with beautiful music offered to the glory of God.

Lenten Morning Prayer – Weekdays at 8:30 a.m.
During Lent, a daily service of Morning Prayer with Holy Communion from the reserve sacrament is held on weekdays at 8:30 a.m. in the Chapel. Each service will be led by an officiant from the clergy or laity and a lector and chalice-bearer from the laity. If you would like to serve as an officiant or a lector/chalice-bearer, please sign up using the signup sheet located at the Connect Table. Training and support will be provided to all who sign up. For more information, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select The Rev. Gregory Bezilla from the drop down menu.

Holy Baptism, Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation Preparation for Adults
Adults who wish to be baptized, confirmed, or received and those who wish to reaffirm their Baptismal Vows are encouraged to speak with a member of our clergy. Adult baptism is particularly appropriate at the Easter Vigil, held this year on Saturday, March 30th at 7:30 p.m. Adult confirmation, reception into the Episcopal Church from another Christian denomination, and adult reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows will take place when Bishop Gayle Harris visits GHTC on Sunday, April 28th at our 10:30 a.m. service. We will present our youth candidates for confirmation on this same date and time.

Worship

A Word about the Change in Bulletin Format
During Lent, the worship bulletins will be simplified, including references to the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and The Hymnal 1982 instead of a full, comprehensive bulletin. The clergy invite you to engage in this Lenten practice as a way of becoming more familiar with the BCP and the Hymnal. We are also mindful of the environmental and financial benefits of using less paper. If you have questions about how to use the BCP or the Hymnal, please reach out to a member of the clergy.

Parish Life

Holy Strollers Hike Pony Pasture – Friday, February 23
The next Holy Strollers’ walk is Friday, February 23rd at Pony Pasture. Another part of Richmond’s James River Park system, the 3.3 mile Pony Pasture Trail features woodland terrain, glimpses of the river, marsh, and wetlands. Look for signs of spring, wildlife, and perhaps some early blooms. The group will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Stratford Hills Shopping Center parking to the left of Eat 66. The walk will take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. The group may stop for lunch following the walk. You may want to layer comfortable clothes, wear sturdy shoes or boots, hiking poles if you have them, and bring water and a snack. The trail is mostly flat, but there may be spots with rocks, roots, and mud. If you are interested in attending, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Holy Strollers from the drop down menu.

Prayer Shawls & Needlers Group – Shawls Available
On a recent clergy visit to a parishioner recovering from a hospital stay, a prayer shawl was lovingly presented as a gift from all of us at Grace & Holy Trinity. In a prayer shawl, each stitch symbolizes a single prayer of hope for the recipient, and when you put all the stitches together, you have a tangible sign of the kind of pastoral care that all of us wish for when we face challenges. Under the leadership of Betsy Featherstone, the Prayer Shawls and Needlers Group has built a wonderful inventory of prayer shawls, which are available for distribution to anyone in need of support and prayer from GHTC. If you know someone who would benefit from a prayer shawl, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select The Rev. Steve McGehee from the drop down menu.

Men’s Group Coffee – Saturday, March 2
The Men’s Group will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 2nd, at Ellwood Thompson’s in Carytown. For more information, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Men’s Group from the drop down menu.

Youth Sunday Funday – Sunday, March 24
Middle and high schoolers are invited to gather at Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Bon Air for a fun afternoon of fellowship! Our reservation is for 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 24th. Join us for Palms in the Park that morning, and that afternoon gather together to jump into Holy Week. Contact Laura Lee with questions. Please scan the QR code or click here to register by Wednesday, March 20th.

Parents’ Night Out – Friday, April 19
Children and parents, we invite you to join us for our next upcoming Parents’ Night Out on April 19! Children will enjoy fun and fellowship based around the theme of Pentecost. The location for parents’ happy hour will be provided in the coming weeks. You are invited to drop off your children at the church at 5:00 p.m. and pick them up by 9:30 p.m. We hope to see you there! Please scan the QR code or click here to register by Wednesday, April 17th. Questions? Visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Kate Given from the drop down menu.

Education

Lenten Book Discussions – Weekly on Wednesdays
For our Lenten observance, you are invited to join the Rev. Greg Bezilla and Mrs. Kate Given in reading “Meeting Jesus At The Table: A Lenten Study” by Cynthia M. Campbell and Christine Coy Fohr. This book takes a look at the meals Jesus shared with others in the Gospels, and provides a chance to think about the importance of hospitality and community around our own tables. Copies are available for $5 and may be purchased at any point throughout Lent. On Wednesdays in Lent, we will gather from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. following Morning Prayer to discuss the ideas presented in the book. Hope to see you there!

Lectio Divina – Weekly on Wednesdays
Lectio Divina is a ministry group that originally started as a Bible study and has shifted focus to reading and reflecting on the upcoming Sunday gospel. They meet by Zoom on Wednesdays from 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. and all are welcome. If you are interested in Lectio Divina, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Lectio Divina from the drop down menu.

Lenten Offerings
Join us for a series of rich programs and events during Lent as we journey together towards Easter. Explore the richness of this season through our Lenten study groups, engaging discussions, and daily worship services. Together, let’s embrace this time of reflection, repentance, and renewal as we walk the path toward resurrection. Visit ghtc.org/lent2024 or pick up a brochure at the Connect Table for more details on offerings such as Daily Morning Prayer, weekly book discussion, Lectio Divina, Lent in a Bag, Reconciliation of a Penitent, and more.

Other Communications

Reconciliation of a Penitent
The clergy are available for spiritual counseling and for the rite of Reconciliation. In the Episcopal tradition, Reconciliation of a Penitent (as defined in the Book of Common Prayer) “is the rite in which those who repent of their sins may confess them to God in the presence of a priest, and receive the assurance of pardon and the grace of absolution.” It is often referred to as “private confession.” If you are interested in Reconciliation, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select a member of the clergy from the drop down menu.

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.

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.