Posted: June 20, 2024

News for Sunday, June 23, 2024

Upcoming Events

06/23       4:00 p.m.    Evensong Priory of St. John (Church)
06/27     10:30 a.m.   Westminster Canterbury Worship & Lunch (All Are Welcome)
                                   (Westminster Canterbury)
06/28        5:00 p.m.   Parents’ Night Out (Truckle Cheesemongers)
06/30       12:00 p.m.  Celebration of Ministry for The Rev. Paul Evans & The Rev. Stephen Y. McGehee                                        (Parish Hall)
07/04                          Office Closed (Church)
07/05       12:00 p.m.  Red Door Closed (Returns to Regular Schedule on 07/12)
07/07       10:30 a.m.  Independence Day Worship (Church)
07/07       12:00 p.m.  Independence Day Picnic with Patriotic Music (Parish Hall, RSVP Required)

Save The Date

07/08       5:30 p.m.    Spirited Sisters (Mosaic Restaurant, River Road Shopping Center)
07/11       4:00 p.m.    ECW Tea with the Rev. Brent Melton (Parish Hall, RSVP required)
07/22       4:00 p.m.    Westminster Canterbury Happy Hour with The Rev. Dr. Brent Melton,                                                            Priest-in-Charge (Westminster Canterbury)

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

Highlights

Order of St. John Evensong – Sunday, June 23
GHTC and the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem will jointly celebrate a special Evensong at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 23rd. St. John is a Crown Order of Chivalry associated with the Church of England and Anglican churches around the world. In cooperation with the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel, it supports an eye hospital in Jerusalem and clinics on the West Bank and in Gaza. The Order has 23,500 members worldwide and more than 200,000 volunteers. It dates back to the Hospital’s founding by Dominican Lay Brother The Blessed Gerard during the First Crusade. Its members in the United States provide extensive voluntary service in hospitals, food banks, and other institutions as well as providing financial support for the Hospital and clinics. The service will feature a solemn procession of Order members, vocal music, and a subsequent reception in the Parish Hall. It will also recall and commend GHTC’s numerous opportunities for charitable volunteering.

Celebration of Ministry for the Rev. Paul Evans and the Rev. Steve McGehee – June 30
On Sunday, June 30th, there will be a reception to celebrate the ministries of the Rev. Paul Evans and the Rev. Steve McGehee as they conclude their time serving as priests to Grace & Holy Trinity. The Rev. Paul Evans, who has served as Associate Rector since June of 2022, will begin serving as the Upper School Chaplain at St. Christopher’s School this fall. The Rev. Steve McGehee, who has served two times as Priest Associate for Pastoral Care since January of 2023, will depart to resume an active retirement with his family and friends. We are grateful to both Paul and Steve for their leadership during our transition, and we send our blessings with them on their new adventures! 

One Service and Parish Picnic on July 7 – Please RSVP by Wednesday, July 3
There will be one service only at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 7th, as we welcome our new Priest-in-Charge, the Rev. Dr. Brent Melton. The parish picnic, featuring good food and patriotic music, will immediately follow worship and be held in the parish hall. Please RSVP here by Wednesday, July 3rd.

Worship & Lunch at Westminster Canterbury – Thursday, June 27
All are invited to join together at Westminster Canterbury on Thursday, June 27th at 10:30 a.m. for worship with a lunch after. 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 with Lauren Frazier.

Parents’ Night Out is Friday, June 28 – Please RSVP by Wednesday, June 26
Children and parents, we invite you to join us for our next upcoming Parents’ Night Out on Friday, June 28th! Children will enjoy fun and fellowship and work with volunteers to paint flower pots for the Pace Center. The location for parents’ happy hour will be Truckle Cheesemongers located at 714 North Sheppard Street. 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 sign up online here by Wednesday, June 26th. Questions? Visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Children’s Ministry from the drop down menu.

Episcopal Church Women to host Tea for the Rev. Dr. Brent Melton – Thursday, July 11
The Episcopal Church Women invite you to an Afternoon Tea with the Rev. Dr. Brent Melton on Thursday, July 11th at 4:00 p.m. in the parish hall. All are welcome to attend. Please RSVP online here by Monday, July 8th.

Summer Camp Care Packages for Children & Youth
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, GHTC swag, and sweet treats! You can sign up to receive a care package at ghtc.org/summercamp, or contact Lauren Frazier in the Parish Office at (804) 359-5628 x23.

Worship

Call for Livestream Volunteers
Like many other churches, our livestream began during the pandemic when we were unable to safely worship together as a congregation. Since the return to regular worship in church after the pandemic, the livestream has become an important ministry to many parishioners and friends of the parish who are unable to come to church for worship. If you feel called to support this ministry as a volunteer, the vestry and staff encourages and welcomes your support. Training will be provided. For more information, contact the Communications team by visiting our website at ghtc.org/contact and selecting “Communications” in the drop down menu.

Parish Life

Fauré Requiem Album Release
On Sunday, March 3rd, 2024, a presentation of the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré within the liturgical context was integrated into the 10:30 a.m. worship service by the Parish Choir, Chamber Ensemble, Keely Borland (Soprano), Chase Peak (Bass), Stanley M. Baker (Organist), and conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis. Listen to Requiem here.

All music and words are used with permission. CCLI copyright license # 2473646. Permission to podcast stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license # A-701571. All rights reserved.

New Issue of The Anchor – June 2024
A new issue of GHTC’s newsletter The Anchor has been mailed to those on our mailing list. Copies can be found at both Connect Tables near the entrances to the church. If you have questions, would like any previous issues of the newsletter, or would like to be added to the mailing list, please contact the Communications Team by visiting our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Communications Team from the drop down menu.

Education

The Rev. Julia Whitworth Elected Bishop of Massachusetts
The Rev. Julia E. Whitworth, who grew up attending Grace & Holy Trinity Church, has been elected as the 17th Bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts, becoming the first woman elected to lead the Diocese of Massachusetts as Diocesan Bishop. For more details, read the full article here.

A Message from former Director of Formation Mrs. Kate Given – Thank You, Children!
Dear GHTC Children,

Thank you for the lovely card you all signed for me, and for the excellent parenting advice you included within it! Mr. Theo and I had a really fun time looking through all the advice and we took it all to heart. We even kept the piece of paper with the advice in the baby’s nursery so we can refer back to it when we are taking care of him. I have loved getting to know you all over the last three years and I treasure the keepsake you left me. Have a wonderful summer!

Love, Mrs. Kate

Children’s Chapel Seeking Storytellers
We are looking for adult volunteers to read stories and help supervise children during Children’s Chapel during the 10:30 a.m. service. If you enjoy storytelling and have a heart for inspiring young minds, we would love to have you join us! Sign up to volunteer during July and August online here. Questions? Contact Terry Hathaway by visiting our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Children’s Ministry from the drop down menu.

Mission

Red Door Ministry Seeking Summer Volunteers
With the VCU students away for the summer, Red Door Ministry is seeking volunteers to support this vital community ministry. Volunteers can choose between two shifts, with some working both. Tasks vary widely, including food prep, serving, and clean-up. Youth over age 16 can volunteer, preferably with a parent, but have restrictions on cooking. Interested in volunteering or have questions? Visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Red Door Volunteer Coordinator from the drop down menu.

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. Many VCU students may be away for the summer, but there are still opportunities to get involved! Please visit thepacecenter.com for more information on Pace’s upcoming events and how you can support students in our community.

Walk-A-Dog – Fridays at 12:00 p.m. (700 W. Franklin Street)
Paint Flower Pots – Visit The Pace Center website for more information
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. Paul Evans
Mission Questions | Chuck Bleick
Communications Questions | The Rev. Paul Evans
Formation Questions | The Rev. Paul Evans
Pastoral Care Questions (Including the Rite of Reconciliation) | The Rev. Stephen McGehee
Music Questions | Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis
Paying Your Pledge | Judy Bowman
Property & Church Records Questions | Lauren Frazier
Vestry Questions | Meredith McGuire

For questions outside of these subjects please visit ghtc.org/contact or call (804) 359-5268.

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.

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.

For more information, visit the News page.