Posted: March 14, 2024

News for Sunday, March 17, 2024

Upcoming Events

03/16         9:00 a.m.   Holy Strollers Walk (Eco-Trail at the University of Richmond)
03/24        3:00 p.m.   Youth Sunday Funday (Sky Zone Trampoline Park)
03/26        9:00 a.m.   Easter Egg Preparation (Parish Hall)

Holy Week & Easter Schedule

03/24    10:30 a.m.     Palm Sunday* (Modern Language | Choral | Church)
03/28     7:00 p.m.      Maundy Thursday* (Modern Language | Choral | Church)
03/29    12:00 p.m.     Stations of the Cross (Monroe Park)
03/29     3:00 p.m.      Good Friday* (Modern Language | Choral | Church)
03/30     7:30 p.m.      The Great Vigil of Easter* (Modern Language | Choral | Church)
03/31      9:00 a.m.      Easter Sunday (Traditional Language | Choral | Church)
03/31     10:30 a.m.     Easter Sunday (Modern Language | Choral | Church)

*One Service Only

Save The Date

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)

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

Highlights

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 p.m. 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 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 19th. 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 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.

The Wren Masters Baroque Quartet Concert
On Saturday, April 13th, GHTC will host The Wren Masters Baroque Quartet in concert beginning at 3:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. The Wren Masters specialize in the historical performance of 17th and 18th century music on period instruments; recorder, baroque violin, viola da gamba, and harpsichord. The concert is free and will be followed by a reception.

The Wren Masters will feature a program called “The European Union,” performing music spanning the entire baroque era.  Beginning with dazzling new inventions from an early baroque composer, Salomone Rossi, the program includes string virtuosity by Jean-Marie LeClair, mature baroque music by Handel, and late baroque stylishness of the mid-1700s represented by quartets of Rameau and Telemann (“Paris” Quartet no.12) , ending with a chaconne of breathtaking loveliness.

This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Adult Formation Sunday Series – March 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 parish clergy, will explore Holy Week. Please note that there is no adult formation on Palm Sunday or Easter Sunday.

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.

Update on Funds Raised by the Ukraine Concert
The updated total on funds raised through the Hope for Ukraine concert is $143,596. Thank you to all for your generosity and compassion for the people of Ukraine. If you wish to contribute further, please give directly to Music Mission Kiev by visiting their website at musicmissionkiev.org/give.

Filling Easter Eggs – Tuesday, March 26
On Tuesday, March 26th, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., we are seeking volunteers to assist with filling the Easter Eggs for our Easter Sunday Egg Hunt following 10:30 a.m. worship. Donuts will be provided for the helpful Easter Bunnies. You are welcome to come for Morning Prayer at 8:30, if you like, or to simply come at 9:00 to join Director of Formation Kate Given in the Parish Hall to stuff the eggs. If you are interested in attending, please visit our website at ghtc.org/contact and select Kate Given from the drop down menu.

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

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.

Holy Strollers – Saturday, March 16
The next Holy Strollers’ walk is on Saturday, March 16th. This stroll will explore the University of Richmond’s Eco-Corridor and surrounding areas, including retail, residential, burial grounds, battlefields, and historic preservation sites. The group will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the River Road Shopping Center parking lot behind Starbucks. The route is about four miles round trip and will take approximately 2 to 3 hours. You may want to layer comfortable clothes, wear sturdy shoes or boots, and bring a hat, sunscreen, water, and a snack. If you have hiking poles or a walking stick, you may want to bring those as well. 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.

Education

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.

Children Fasting from Art Supplies
In our children’s Godly Play Sunday School classroom, the children are living into the Christian practice of sacrifice during Lent. Usually, the children sit in a circle to hear a Bible story. Then they have time to think, and then respond to the story in their own ways. They may retell the story, read a book, or make art. Art is always a favorite, but for this Lent, they are fasting from all of the art supplies. This Lenten devotion is encouraging the children to better understand the books and stories we keep in our room. As the season progresses, art supplies will be slowly reintroduced, with encouragement to use the returned materials in thoughtful and creative ways.

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.

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) & Mission Questions | The Rev. Greg Bezilla, gbezilla@ghtc.org
• Communications Questions | The Rev. Paul Evans
• Adult Formation Questions | The Rev. Paul Evans
• Children and Youth Formation Questions | Kate Given
• Pastoral Care Questions (Including the Rite of Reconciliation) | The Rev. Stephen McGeheeMusic 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 visit ghtc.org/contact or call the Parish Office at (804) 359-5628.

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 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 at 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.

The Rev. Greg Bezilla Available for Appointments
The Rev. Greg Bezilla is available to meet with you by appointment. Greg can be reached at (804) 359-5628 x17 or at ghtc.org/contact.

For more information, visit the News page.