Posted: January 25, 2024

News for Sunday, January 28, 2024

Upcoming Events

01/27     10:00 a.m.   Men’s Group Coffee (Ellwood Thompson’s)
01/27       3:00 p.m.    Three Sopranos in Concert (Church)
02/04       1:00 p.m.    Confirmation Retreat #3: What does it mean to be an Episcopalian? (Church)
02/05       4:00 p.m.    Westminster Canterbury Happy Hour (Westminster Canterbury Richmond’s Courtyard 5th Floor Lounge)
02/11       9:30 a.m.    Annual Parish Meeting (Church)
                 10:30 a.m.  One worship service at 10:30 a.m.
                 11:45 a.m.   Mardi Gras Celebration (Parish Hall)
02/12                             Office Closed
02/14     12:00 p.m.   Ash Wednesday (Traditional Language | Spoken | Church)
02/14       7:00 p.m.   Ash Wednesday (Contemporary Language | Choral | Church)

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

Highlights

Vestry Meeting Highlights – January Meeting
The vestry met for its regular meeting on Wednesday, January 17th. Highlights from the meeting include:

• Discernment Process: The committee has begun its work and is receiving applications. See the website for additional information.
• Budget Adoption: Upon recommendation from the Finance Committee, the Vestry adopted the 2024 budget to be shared at the Annual Meeting.
• Vestry Elections: The Nominating Committee has received eight nominees for election to the Vestry, with nominations open until January 27th.
• New Committees: The Vestry is forming two new committees to support ministries in the areas of worship and parish life.
• Thanks: Special thanks go to outgoing Vestry members and their families for their sacrificial work this year: Brad Davenport, Mike Hale, Terry Hathaway, Clay Hilbert, and Senior Warden David Lewis.

Vestry Election Nominations – Submit Nominees by Saturday, January 27
The parish will vote to elect the new Vestry Class of 2027 at our Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, February 11th, 2024. The Vestry nominating committee has identified an initial slate of eight nominees who will appear on the ballot, but there is still time to submit the names of additional nominees. A full slate of nominees will be announced in the eNews on Friday, February 2nd, and in the bulletin announcements on Sunday, February 4th.

Members of the parish may submit nominations to Chair of the Nominating Committee Mike Hale; no later than this Saturday, January 27th, 15 days prior to the Annual Parish Meeting. Please make sure that anyone you wish to nominate has agreed to run before submitting their name.

Discernment Committee Survey – Submit Feedback by Sunday, February 18
The Discernment Committee seeks input from the parish, asking what characteristics are most important in a Priest-in-Charge. The committee will use the survey responses to inform their evaluation of candidates. All are encouraged to participate. Please fill out the form by Sunday, February 18th »

First Floor HVAC Update
Last week it was undeniably cool in the Nave of the Church. While the Holy Spirit warmed our souls, many needed to keep on their coats as it was a brisk 60 degrees indoors. Many people are aware that the downstairs HVAC system in the Parish House has not been operational for over a year and that Old Dominion Mechanical has been working on a new system for over a month. They intend to have the work completed by early March.

Annual Parish Meeting and Mardi Gras Celebration – Sunday, February 11
The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on February 11th, at 9:30 a.m. in the church. Printed copies of the Annual Report will be available at the meeting and online at ghtc.org/annualreport. There will be one service at 10:30 a.m. on this day.  Following 10:30 a.m. worship, don your purple, green, and gold beads and stay for a reception full of New Orleans Jazz and King Cake!

Three Sopranos in Concert – Saturday, January 27
On Saturday, January 27th at 3:00 p.m., join well-known and loved Richmond soprano Sarah Kate Walston, along with GHTC’s internationally acclaimed soprano Caroline Whisnant, and up-and-coming mezzo-soprano Abigail Stinnett in a concert of outstandingly beautiful works. The program will range from the virtuosity of Verdi to the frivolity of Bacharach. The singers will be accompanied by Daniel Stipe, a virtuoso keyboard artist on both organ and piano who is regarded as one of Richmond’s most outstanding performers. Childcare is available from 2:45 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. There will be a reception hosted by the Concert Series Committee following the free concert.

Adult Formation Sunday Series Offerings
Discover meaningful insights and deepen your faith with engaging presentations and conversations as part of the Adult Formation Sunday Series. This Sunday, the forum led by The Rev. Charles Joy will explore church history. In February, the forum will explore the following topics:

02/04   “What is Lent?” led by Parish Clergy
02/11    Annual Meeting – No Adult Formation
02/18    “What is Ash Wednesday?” led by Parish Clergy
02/25   William Tan: Chapel Organ Concert

Worship

Lenten Morning Prayer – Weekdays at 8:30 a.m.
Starting Monday, February 19th, a daily service of Morning Prayer with Holy Communion from the reserve sacrament will be held on weekdays at 8:30 a.m. in the Chapel.

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. The current session will continue through February 7th, with another session beginning on February 21st. If you are interested in Lectio Divina, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Lectio Divina from the drop down menu.

Parish Life

Men’s Group Coffee – Saturday, January 27
The Men’s Group will meet at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 27th, at Ellwood Thompson’s in Carytown. A variety of coffee options, bagels, and pastries are available for purchase at the cafe. For more information, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Men’s Group from the drop down menu.

Westminster Canterbury Happy Hour – Monday, February 5
We invite parishioners of a certain age to join us at Westminster Canterbury on Monday, February 5th at 4:00 p.m. for drinks and conversation with The Rev. Greg Bezilla and The Rev. Paul Evans. If you would like to attend, please sign up at the round table outside the church doors. You can also register by calling the Parish Office at (804) 359-5628 x23 and speaking to Lauren Frazier.

Youth Orchestra Rehearsals – Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
The Youth Orchestra will be rehearsing each Sunday from January 7th through February 11th at 9:30 a.m. in the Children’s Choir Room on the second floor. The rehearsal on February 11th will take place in the choir room before playing the prelude for the 10:30 a.m. service. The Youth Orchestra is open to children in 4th grade and up who play any musical instrument, band or orchestral, keyboards, guitar, etc. If your child is interested in joining the Youth Orchestra, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact  and select Stanley Baker from the drop down menu.

Woodcutters Weekend at Shrine Mont – Friday, February 2
Embrace the beauty of God’s creation while cutting trees and splitting wood during Woodcutters Weekend at Shrine Mont. No experience with chainsaws or tractors is necessary, work alongside staff to contribute to Shrine Mont and take home some wood for yourself. Interested or want to attend? Visit shrinemont.com/event to learn more.

Education

Confirmation Retreat – Sunday, February 4
On Sunday, February 4th from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., we will hold our next Confirmation Retreat at the Church. The candidates for confirmation will be exploring what it means to be an Episcopalian. As we have previously communicated, we are repeating the same four retreats held last year in anticipation of a Bishop’s visit on Sunday, April 28th at the 10:30 a.m. service to confirm our candidates. Please register online here by Wednesday, January 31st. To learn more about confirmation, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Associate Rector Paul Evans from the drop down menu.

Mission

The Pace Center Walk Your Dog
The Pace Center, our Covenant Partner for Campus Ministry with Virginia Commonwealth University, hosts dog walks every Friday from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. If you are interested in joining Campus Ministry for a walk around Richmond with your dog, please consider signing up! Not only is it a good opportunity to show off how cute your dog is, it is also a chance to meet students and make connections. All we ask is that you arrive a few minutes prior to the start time so we can begin as scheduled and that your pup is up to date on all shots. To sign up or find more information on The Pace Center, visit thepacecenter.com.

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.

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.