Posted: November 16, 2023

News for Sunday, November 19, 2023

Upcoming Events

11/23        9:00 a.m.   Thanksgiving Day Worship (Traditional Language | Spoken | Chapel)
11/24        9:00 a.m.    Holy Strollers Walk (Downtown)
11/24       12:00 p.m.   Red Door Thanksgiving with Shood (Laurel Street)
11/26        9:00 a.m.    Advent Wreath Making (Parish Hall)
12/03        9:30 a.m.     Pageant Costume Fitting (TBD)
12/03        4:30 p.m.    Caroling in Monroe Park* (Monroe Park)
*Caroling in Monroe Park will replace the 5:30 p.m. Dinner Church.

Save the Date

12/10       9:30 a.m.    Pageant Rehearsal: Speaking Roles (Parish Hall)
12/10      10:30 a.m.   Dedication of the Bells (Church)
12/17      12:00 p.m.   Pageant Dress Rehearsal & Parents’ Luncheon (Church)
12/19       9:00 a.m.    Holy Strollers Holiday Lights Walk (One Monument Avenue)

Christmas Schedule

12/24       3:00 p.m.    Christmas Pageant & Holy Eucharist (Choral | Church)
12/24       5:00 p.m.    Festival of Christmas Lessons & Carols (Choral | Church)
12/24     11:00 p.m.   Holy Eucharist (Choral | Church)
12/25     10:00 a.m.   Christmas Day: Holy Eucharist* (Choral | Church)
12/31     10:00 a.m.   New Year’s Eve: Holy Eucharist* (Choral | Church)
*One service only.

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

Highlights

Honoring the Ministry of Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis – Sunday, November 19
This Sunday, November 19th, following the 10:30 a.m. service, we will honor the ministry of Beth Davis, GHTC’s Choirmaster & Organist. Together we will celebrate Beth and her twenty years of service to the parish as we look forward to her continued ministry during the years that are ahead. Congratulations, and thank you, Beth!

Adult Formation Sunday Series: Who are Episcopalians? People of the Book. – Sunday, November 19
Join us this Sunday, November 19th, at 9:30 a.m. in the First Floor Classroom for Adult Formation: Sunday Series. The Rev. Charles Joy will present “Who are Episcopalians? People of the Book.” Explore our faith together and deepen your understanding of Episcopal traditions.

Sunday Funday – Sunday, November 19
Join us for a swingin’ time at Topgolf! All ages are welcome to tee off this Sunday, November 19th at 2:30 p.m. Register here to secure your spot for a day of fun, food, and friendly competition. Questions? Contact Associate Rector Paul Evans.

Advent Wreath Making: Bring Your Greens – Sunday, November 26
On Sunday, November 26th, in between morning services, the whole parish is invited to join Mrs. Kate Given in making Advent wreaths. Please bring plenty of clippings of greens (boxwood, holly, evergreens, etc.) from your yard to share, and bring your own clippers, too. We will provide wreath forms, candles, instruction, and encouragement.

Caroling in Monroe Park & Holiday Market – Sunday, December 3
What do the RVA Street Singers, Greater Richmond Children’s Choir, Hood Temple Music Ministry, and Grace & Holy Trinity have in common? A love of great music! The four groups will be accompanied by a brass quintet. We hope to bring joy to the community once again during the third annual Caroling in Monroe Park and Holiday Market on Sunday, December 3rd. There will be food trucks, homemade gifts by over ten vendors, and plenty of activities for the kids such as ornament painting and a photo opportunity with Santa in his Model T. Vendors and food trucks open at 3:00 p.m., the brass quintet begins at 4:15 p.m, followed by Caroling beginning at 4:30 p.m. The program will feature sounds of the season from traditional hymns to popular carols.

Christmas Pageant – Registration
It’s that time of year again: our Christmas Pageant is just around the corner. We welcome children as young as age three and up through high school to join our cast of angels, shepherds, and sheep. Costume fitting will take place on December 3rd, a rehearsal for those with speaking parts on December 10th, a dress rehearsal on December 17th, and the pageant itself at our 3:00 p.m. service on Christmas Eve. Sign up online here as soon as you are able. Questions? Contact Mr. Nick Sollog or Mrs. Kate Given.

Christmas Pageant – Volunteers
At the Christmas pageant, the Holy Family and all the angels and shepherds need a little guidance. If you would like to volunteer to direct the groups of children during the pageant (to shepherd the shepherds, so to speak), we would love your help. We would ask that you attend rehearsal after church on December 17th and to arrive to church by 1:30 p.m. on December 24th. Please contact Mr. Nick Sollog or Mrs. Kate Given directly to volunteer.

Christmas Memorial Poinsettias
As we prepare for Christmas, we invite you to donate one or more poinsettias in memory of someone deceased. Please visit our website at ghtc.org/give, select the “Altar Guild” fund, and enter your loved one’s name in the “note” section. The cost is whatever you would like to contribute, and the memorial names will be printed in the Christmas Eve bulletins. The deadline to submit is December 10th.  Your donations support the work of the Altar Guild. You may also contact Judy Bowman in the church office at (804) 359-5628 x14.

Worship

Midweek Eucharist – Returns Wednesday, November 29
The Wednesday morning celebration of the Holy Eucharist is canceled on November 22nd due to Thanksgiving. For more information, contact Associate Rector Paul Evans.

Baptism Opportunity – Sunday, December 10
The sacrament of Holy Baptism will be offered on Sunday, December 10th. If you would like to receive the sacrament of Holy Baptism for yourself or your child(ren), please contact The Rev. Greg Bezilla.

Dedication of the Bells – Sunday, December 10
On Sunday, December 10th, we will be dedicating the Tower Bells graciously donated by a parishioner. Mark your calendars for this joyous moment in our common life and worship.

Dinner Church – Sundays at 5:30 p.m.
Join us for Dinner Church this Sunday, November 19th at 5:30 p.m. Just as the early church gathered together in worship and to share a meal, so will we. Our shared meal will be accompanied by liturgy and singing to foster connection and community. Let’s come together, break bread, and build relationships that transcend generations.

Parish Life

Holy Strollers – Friday, November 24
Walk off the holiday calories with a loop around downtown Richmond – Colonial era, Revolutionary War, and Civil War history, all along the way. We will depart from the church parking lot on Friday, November 24^th at 9:00 a.m. sharp. You may want to layer comfortable clothes, wear walking shoes or boots, and bring water. If you have questions or would like to attend, please visit ghtc.org/contact and select Holy Strollers from the drop-down menu.

Conversation With Clergy – Sunday, November 26
Following 10:30 a.m. worship, both of our priests will host “Conversations with Clergy” from 11:45 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. in the First Floor Classroom just off the Parish Hall. Coffee and donuts will be provided. This is an opportunity for you to spend time with our clergy to discuss our worship, formation, and other topics relevant to the parish.

Education

Episcopal Church Women’s Diocesan Meeting – Saturday, November 11
The Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Virginia will have their Fall Meeting on Saturday, November 11th at St. Mary’s Church in Colonial Beach, VA. The meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. and wrap up by 2:00 p.m. Speakers include The Rt. Rev. E. Mark Stevenson and The Rev. Dr. J. Lee Hill Jr. The registration fee is $25 and the deadline to register is November 1st. Click to find the registration form and for more details. Contact Catherine Perrin or Jodie Pully with questions.

Outreach

Christmas Ministry for Dumbarton Elementary Students
Grace & Holy Trinity will be sponsoring 25 children from Dumbarton Elementary School for Christmas this year. Each family consists of one to four children. Detailed instructions will be provided to each sponsor. Unwrapped gifts can be picked up from your home or brought to the church parking lot on Saturday, December 9th. Monetary donations are very much appreciated and will be used to purchase grocery store cards to assist families and teachers. These donations can be sent to Judy Bowman with the Christmas Ministry noted. If you would like to sponsor a family, make a monetary donation, or have any questions please contact Nancy Smith.

Other Communications

Do you have a Will? Have you remembered the Church?
“The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well-being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses.” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 445) Your Will is an opportunity to leave a legacy, which will benefit the life and ministry of this Parish for years to come. A variety of forms of planned giving are available. For more information, please speak with a member of the clergy.

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 call the church 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 our website at 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, 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 they 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 by email at ghtc.org/contact.

For more information, visit the News page.