News
Posted: January 26, 2025
News for Sunday, March 9, 2025
Upcoming Events
Saturday 03/08 4:00 p.m. A Musical Offering: A Lenten Recital in the Gibson Memorial Chapel* (Reception to Follow | Chapel) *Free Admission
Monday 03/10 5:30 p.m. Spirited Sisters (Mosaic Restaurant)
Saturday 03/15 9:00 a.m. Holy Strollers (Meet at GHTC)
Wednesday 03/19 9:00 a.m. Episcopal Church Women present Lenten Retreat with Bishop Goff* (Church) *Livestream Available during Worship Service & Reflection
Thursday 03/20 10:30 a.m. Westminster Canterbury Worship & Lunch
(Westminster Canterbury Richmond)
Friday 03/21 5:30 p.m. Parish-wide Spaghetti Dinner (Prior to Vision Summit | Parish Hall)
Friday 03/21 6:30 p.m. Vision Summit lead by Ministry Architects: Session 1 (Parish Hall)
Saturday 03/22 9:00 a.m. Vision Summit lead by Ministry Architects: Session 2 (Parish Hall)
Saturday 03/22 12:30 p.m. Vision Summit lead by Ministry Architects: Session 3 (Parish Hall)
Sunday 04/13 10:30 a.m. Palm Sunday (Following 10:00 a.m. Procession in Monroe Park | Church)
Sunday 04/13 1:15 p.m. Youth Sunday Funday (University of Richmond Challenge Discovery
Ropes Course)
Save the Date
Thursday 4/17 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday (Church)
Friday 4/18 12:00 p.m. Good Friday (Followed by Stations of the Cross in
Monroe Park | Church)
Saturday 04/19 7:00 p.m. The Great Vigil of Easter with Baptism (Church)
Sunday 04/20 9:00 a.m. Easter Day (Church)
Sunday 04/20 11:00 a.m. Easter Day (Family Service with Children’s Sermon | Church)
Sunday 04/20 12:00 p.m. Easter Egg Hunt (Following 11:00 a.m. Worship | Monroe Park)
Sunday 05/04 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion with Gloria by John Rutter & I Was Glad by C. Burbert H. Parry (Parish Choir, Brass, Percussion & Organ | Church)
Saturday 05/10 5:00 p.m. unBelizable Dinner hosted by Belize Mission Team (Silent Auction, Dinner & Bingo | Parish House)
Sunday Bulletins are posted by Friday at ghtc.org/bulletin.
Highlights
A Musical Offering: A Lenten Recital in Gibson Memorial Chapel – Saturday, March 8 at 4:00 pm
Featuring the beautiful sounds of the new Chapel organ, three well-known Richmond musicians will join together to perform solo and ensemble works by Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, Franck, Phillips, and Hustad. Cheryl Van Ornam, organist, Christine Ertell, flutist, and Jacquelin Spears, cellist, have performed frequently in Richmond and also at Bruton Parish Church in Historic Williamsburg. There will be a reception following the recital. Admission is free.
Free on-street parking is available between W. Main Street and S. Cathedral Place on both sides of N. Laurel Street and N. Cherry Street, and between N. Laurel and Cherry Street on both sides of S. Cathedral Plaza by using the parking permit available here. Permits will also be available from Greeters and our Connect Table once you arrive.
Reminder for Sunday, March 9 – Lent I, Daylight Savings, and Event in Monroe Park
In addition to the start of Lent on Sunday, March 9th, the observation of Daylight Savings Time begins, in which the clocks will jump forward an hour. The event Mobile Soul Sunday by Richmond Black Restaurant Experience will be held in Monroe Park from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and the setup and guests may affect the availability of on-street parking.
Children’s Chapel on Sundays, March 9 and March 16
Due to the spring break schedule of local private schools, Sunday School will be replaced with Children’s Chapel for Sunday, March 9th, and Sunday, March 16th. Sunday School will resume at its regular time on Sunday, March 23rd.
Vision Summit led by Ministry Architects with Spaghetti Dinner – Friday, March 21 & Saturday, March 22
At the Vision Summit led by Ministry Architects (MA), we will work to create a vision for what we want our children and youth ministry to be in the future and consider how to make that happen. If you are passionate about our children, and creating a healthy and sustainable Christian formation program, we invite you to attend the session designed for you. To help us plan, we ask that you complete the GHTC Vision Summit Survey (RSVP) by Friday March 14th.
When: Friday, March 21 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Dinner at 5:30 p.m.)
Where: Parish Hall
We will kick off the event with a homemade spaghetti dinner. Everyone is invited – parents, teens, children, grandparents, parish and ministry leaders, volunteers, staff, and clergy. Following dinner, adults will meet with the MA consultants in the Parish Hall. Children will gather upstairs with our VCU staff for a spring-themed evening filled with games, activities, and crafts.
Easter Lily Memorials Now Available – Submission Deadline: Sunday, March 30 (Lent IV)
If you would like to order a lily for Easter Sunday in memory of a beloved family member or friend, GHTC offers a few different ways to submit. To submit in-person, please fill out the Easter Lily Memorial envelopes found on either Connect Table, with the names of those you are remembering, and place it in the offering plate or give it to clergy. You may also pay digitally in two ways; by calling Kathy Schultheis in the Parish Office at (804) 359-5628 x14 or by visiting us online at ghtc.org/give. The cost is whatever you would like to contribute. The deadline to submit is Sunday, March 30th at the end of the day. The memorials will be printed in the Easter Sunday bulletins for both services.
“The Desert Shall Rejoice: Hope in Troubling Times” – Episcopal Church Women present Lenten Retreat with Bishop Goff – Wednesday, March 19 at 9:00 a.m.
On Wednesday, March 19th, the Diocese of Virginia Episcopal Church Women (ECW) will host a diocese-wide Lenten Retreat with Bishop Susan Goff at Grace & Holy Trinity Church (GHTC). This gender inclusive retreat begins with a fellowship hour at 9:00 a.m. The full agenda can be found below.
To attend this event, either in-person or via livestream, register by emailing Catherine Perrin at catherineperrin@comcast.net with the names of those attending, your church’s name, and your email address. The deadline to register is Friday, March 14th, 2025. Indicate if you will be attending in-person or watching via livestream. Those who are attending via livestream will be sent the link prior to the event. While this event is being offered without charge, donations are greatly appreciated to defray its cost and add to the ECW Gifts and Scholarship Fund. Please mail all donations to Kaaron Austin, 7319 Willson Road, Henrico, VA 23231.
Gather in the Parish Hall to Register 9:00 a.m.
Reflection by Bishop Goff in the Sanctuary 10:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist with Healing Service 11:00 a.m.
Lunch & Discussion in the Parish Hall 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Three Search Updates
Formation Position: Ministry Architects, our consulting group, is helping us progress well for the Director of Youth and Children Formation Search. On Friday, March 21st we will hold a Vision Summit here at the church around dinner time, please plan to attend. This search and the ones for the Assistant Organist & Priest Positions have all entered the Zoom phase. Once the Zoom interviews begin, the committees will decide the onsite visits, while continuing with Zooms. We anticipate onsite visits in March and April. Please keep the three searches in your prayers.
Holy Strollers: In the Footsteps of George Wythe – Saturday, March 15 at 9:00 a.m
Please join fellow walkers to explore a bit of Richmond’s past. Suzanne Munson, the author of “Jefferson’s Godfather, the Man Behind the Man: George Wythe, Mentor to the Founding Fathers” will meet the Holy Strollers at the start of the walk to introduce us to George Wythe, his work, and his legacy. Click here for more information.
We’ll begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 15th, in the parking lot of GHTC, 8 N. Laurel Street. The walk will head east to Capitol Square, but we may meander a bit. This walk should be no longer than three miles. On the way back, we can stop at Mudhouse Specialty Coffee Roasters on W. Broad Street, if the group agrees. The walking pace will be about three miles an hour. Since this excursion is through downtown however, we’ll navigate traffic, stoplights at many intersections, and pause at interesting sites. Be prepared for uneven walking surfaces.
Please let Susan Hankins know if you plan to attend via email, or by phone/text, 804-938-8440.
Westminster Canterbury Worship & Lunch – Thursday, March 20
GHTC invites all generations to join together at Westminster Canterbury Richmond on Thursday, March 20th for worship and lunch. Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. and lunch will follow. If you would like to join us for lunch, please sign up at the round table outside the Parish Hall church doors. You can also register by calling the Parish Office at (804) 359-5628 x23 and speaking with Lauren Frazier.
Monday & Tuesday Reception Volunteers
We are seeking volunteers to share in our ministry support on Mondays and Tuesdays in two time slots: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (noon) and 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Volunteers are crucial to the sustainability of any church. Might you consider volunteering during the week in any of these two-to-three hour blocks of time, you would help to answer the phone and the front door by welcoming those who visit us. When the phone and door traffic is slow, there are other tasks to support the staff weekly church work. These tasks, with staff support, will be very helpful in our overall ministry and save us the costs of paying someone to cover these welcoming hours. Please consider this volunteer opportunity and contact Parish Administrator Lauren Frazier at (804) 359-5628 x23 or by visiting ghtc.org/contact and selecting Parish Administrator from the drop-down menu.
Vestry Meeting Highlights – February 19, 2025
- Installation of the Four New Members: Susan Hankins, Thomas Bradshaw, Chase Peak & Suzanne Williams
- Election of the New Officers: Chuck Bleick, Senior Warden, Lisa Dawson, Junior Warden, Mason New, Register & Mike Joyce, Treasurer
- Approval of the 2024 Parochial Report
- Creation of a Safety Committee to Assess Preparedness for Unexpected Events
- Lenten Parish Forums
- Plan to Post Monthly Vestry Minutes
- Belize Mission Trip
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) | Father Brent
Mission Questions | Chuck Bleick or The Rev. Steve Pace
Communications Questions | Father Brent or Tyler Brady
Formation Questions | Father Brent
Pastoral Care Questions | Father Brent or The Rev. Jon Scarffe
Music Questions | Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis
Paying Your Pledge | Kathy Schultheis
Property & Church Records Questions | Lauren Frazier
Vestry Questions | Chuck Bleick
Campus Ministry Questions | The Rev. Russ Kerr
For questions outside of these subjects please visit ghtc.org/contact or call (804) 359-5268.
Sign Up for Music eNews
Sign up for the Music eNews to stay connected with the vibrant musical life of our congregation. By signing up, you’ll receive exclusive updates on concerts, music-centered worship services, and other exciting music-related activities at GHTC. Visit our website at ghtc.org/music to subscribe. The sign-up form will appear on mobile devices at the bottom of the page.
Prayer Request – Online Form
If you or someone you know is in need of prayer, please visit our website at ghtc.org/prayer and fill out the form. Your requests are confidential and will be shared with Parish Administrator and clergy.
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.
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.
For more information, visit the News page.