Posted: June 8, 2023

News for Sunday, June 11, 2023

Upcoming Events

07/02     10:30 a.m.    Independence Day Service & Picnic (Church & Monroe Park)
07/09     10:30 a.m.    Hymn Sing During Worship (Church)
07/21      5:00 p.m.     Parents Night Out (Parish Hall | Parents gathering TBD)
07/23      1:30 p.m.     Youth Sunday Funday (Kanawha Pool)

Save the Date
08/06                          School Supply Drive Begins
08/13     12:00 p.m.    Senior Brunch (Following Worship | Parish Hall)
08/18       5:00 p.m.    Parents Night Out (Parish Hall | Parents gathering TBD)
08/20       5:30 p.m.    Sunday Evening Prayer Begins
08/27       4:00 p.m.    Worship, Picnic, & Pool Party with Blessing of the Backpacks (McGuire Home)
08/27                          School Supply Drive Ends
09/10      9:00 a.m.     Parish Forum: TBA
09/10                          Fall Schedule Begins
09/17     11:45 a.m.    Parish Ministry Fair (Following Worship | Parish Hall)
09/23      3:00 p.m.    Ukrainian Benefit Concert (Church)
09/24                          Youth Sunday Funday (Busch Gardens Williamsburg)

Join the 10:30 a.m. service livestream via YouTube.
Sunday Bulletins are posted by Friday at ghtc.org/bulletin.

Highlights

Prayer Vigil for the Victims of the Monroe Park Shooting
Last night at 7:00 p.m., Bishop Gayle Harris presided and preached during a prayer vigil for the victims of the Monroe Park shooting. The service was live-streamed and available on the Grace & Holy Trinity Youtube Channel.

Following the Peace, the ministers lit candles from the Paschal Candle and moved towards the exit on N. Laurel Street, where they lit candles as visitors entered Monroe Park together for the remainder of the service. We continue to prayer for the victims, Shawn Jackson and Renzo Smith, as well as their families, friends, and all victims of gun violence.

Host families needed for Ukrainian Symphony and Choir
On Saturday, September 23rd, the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will perform at Grace & Holy Trinity, a benefit concert for the people of Ukraine. We are seeking parishioners who might volunteer to host two members of the ensemble overnight following the concert. The performers are grouped in pairs of two, where one speaks English more fluently than the other. Hosts are invited to join the performers for a dinner in the parish hall following the concert, and are asked to bring their guests back to the church on Sunday morning for their departure. If you can host a pair of these performers, please contact Suzanne Williams.

Summer Worship at Grace & Holy Trinity
During the summer, our Sunday services will be held at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The 8:00 a.m. service of Holy Communion with traditional language will continue in the chapel. The 10:30 a.m. service will be held in the church, and will alternate on a weekly basis between Holy Communion with modern language and Morning Prayer. The Sunday evening 5:00 p.m. service is on pause for the summer and will resume in the fall.

Going away this summer? Look for the Sunday 10:30 a.m. service livestream link in the “Preparing for Worship” email sent out each Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. For more information about worship and other summer events at Grace & Holy Trinity, contact Associate Rector Paul Evans by calling the parish office at (804) 359-5628 x16.

Children’s Chapel continues during 10:30 a.m. service
Over the summer months, Sunday School carries on as Children’s Chapel during the 10:30 a.m. service. The Children’s Breakfast and Children’s Choir are both on pause for the summer. Parents and children alike will gather in the church to begin worship together, and then children are invited to head up to Children’s Chapel with their teachers. This summer we will follow a child-led curriculum as we explore the questions they have about the faith. A snack will be provided each morning – let Mrs. Kate Given know if your child has any dietary restrictions. We ask that a parent of each Sunday School child come up to the Sunday School room to pick up their child(ren) following the service.

Parish Prayer List Now Available in Sunday Worship Bulletin
Thanks to the ministry of The Rev. Stephen McGehee, a carefully curated and regularly updated parish prayer list is now being printed in the Sunday morning worship bulletin. In order to keep the Prayer List current and to facilitate the intentionality and mindfulness with which we pray, we print names on the Prayer List for three months or less. If you would like to add a name to the Prayer List, please contact Lauren Frazier in the parish office. Please be sure to ask the person you would like to add to the list for their consent.

A word about Parish Communications
If you have an announcement that you would like to share in our parish communications, please contact Associate Rector Paul Evans directly by calling the parish office at (804) 359-5628 x16.

Education

Looking Ahead: Sunday Children and Youth Programming Fall 2023
On Sunday, September 10th, our full model of Sunday morning programming for Children and Youth will resume. Children Pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade will continue with a full morning of Children’s Choir, Children’s Breakfast, and Sunday School, led by Mrs. Kate Given and her staff. Students in 5th through 8th grade will have their own Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. in the Library led by parish clergy, Alison Martin, and a team of parent volunteers. This program will follow the Feasting on the Word curriculum, a high-quality curriculum that centers upon the lectionary texts appointed for each Sunday morning. Students in 9th through 12th grade will meet in the first floor education room for a program focused upon lectionary study and local and international mission planning. All programs will conclude in time for children and youth to receive communion with their families in church. For more information, contact Associate Rector Paul Evans.

Parish Life

Prayer Shawl knitters’ summer project
Looking for a fun and prayerful summertime project? Join parishioner Betsy Featherstone as she continues to knit prayer shawls for members of our community in need of prayer and comfort. Betsy has many delicious colors of yarn to share and a pattern to follow, and she promises that the shawls are very easy to knit. If you would like to join this prayerful project, contact Betsy.

Spirited Sisters will meet June 12
The next Spirited Sisters get together will be held on Monday, June 12th at 5:30 pm at Burger Bach on Cary Street.  All are welcome to join us for conversation, dinner and drinks.  Please contact Cathy Saunders with any questions and if you are interested in attending.  

Spirited Readers Book Club
You are invited to join the Spirited Readers Book Club, which meets on Monday afternoons once a month at a parishioner’s home. Upcoming books include Demon Cooperhead (Barbara Kingsolver), Hold Still (Sally Mann), This is Happiness (Niall Williams) and Trust (Herman Diaz). For more information, contact Mary Ann Blankenship.

Youth Summer Camp Care Packages
Do you have a child or grandchild who is attending sleepaway summer camp? The Children & Youth Ministry would love to send your special young person a care package to let them know how loved they are while they are away. These packages will include notes from church staff, Grace & Holy Trinity swag, and sweet treats! You can sign up to receive a care package at ghtc.org/youth, or contact Lauren Frazier in the parish office at (804) 359-5628 x23.

Banns of Marriage
I publish the Banns of Marriage between Barclay Jumet of Richmond, Virginia and Shannon Springstead of Athens, Georgia. If any of you know just cause why they may not be joined together in Holy Matrimony, you are bidden to declare it. This is the second time of asking. – Book of Common Prayer (BCP)  p. 437

-The Rev. Paul Evans, Associate Rector for formation & Communications

Outreach

Save the Date: Ukrainian Benefit Concert – September 23
Our 2023-2024 Concert Series will open with Music for a Cause presenting instrumentalists and singers of the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in a special Benefit Event at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, September 23rd, 2023. All funds raised at this concert go directly to Ukraine toward meeting needs of the homeless, widows, wounded soldiers, orphaned and needy children, and all who require hope and healing.

Other Communications

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

Help Us Share Your News

We invite you to share your announcements about ministries of the parish by visiting our website and submitting the communications request form no later than the Monday two weeks before you want your announcement to run in the weekly eNews and the bulletin announcements.

For more information, visit the News page or call (804) 359-5628.