News & Announcements

Upcoming Events

Friday 01/09 12:40 p.m. Red Door Prayer Service Begins (Chapel)

Friday 01/09 5:00 p.m. Parents’ Night Out (Drop-off at 5:00 p.m. with Pick-up at 9:30 p.m. | Bar Solita)

Sunday 01/11 9:30 a.m. Intergenerational Formation: Bound Together in Baptism led by Madeleine Preston (First Floor Classroom)

Sunday 01/11 10:30 a.m. Children & Youth Sunday with Holy Eucharist and Baptism* (Livestream Available | Church)

*Acolyte Recognition Sunday. 8:00 a.m. worship is regularly scheduled.

Sunday 01/11 11:45 a.m. Usher Training with Refreshments (First Floor Classroom)

Tuesday 01/13 9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer Begins New Tuesday Time (Chapel)

Wednesday 01/14 10:00 a.m. Bible Study Begins New Time* (Library) *Healing Service is regularly scheduled.

Wednesday 01/14 10:30 a.m. Stories & Lunch hosted by GHTC (Lunch Begins at Noon | The Pace Center)

Thursday 01/15 9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer Begins New Thursday Time (Chapel)

Saturday 01/17 5:00 p.m. Front Porch Forum Dinner (Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. | Parish Hall)

Sunday 01/18 9:30 a.m. Inquirers’ Class Session 4 (Second Floor Conference Room)

Sunday 01/25 12:00 p.m. Red Door Clothes Closet Interest Meeting (First Floor Classroom)

Saturday 01/31 7:00 a.m. Youth Ski Trip (Day Trip | Meet at GHTC Parking Lot)

Saturday 01/31 1:30 p.m. Holy Strollers (Meet at 746 Merry Go Round Road, Manakin-Sabot, VA 23103)

Sunday 02/01 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Greater Richmond Children’s Choir (Livestream Available | Church)

*8:00 a.m. worship is regularly scheduled.

Sunday 02/08 9:00 a.m. Annual Parish Meeting* (Church) *No parish breakfast or formation. Worship is regularly scheduled.

Sunday 02/08 11:45 a.m. Annual Meeting Reception with Questions (Following 10:30 a.m. Worship | Parish Hall)

Wednesday 02/18 12:00 p.m. Ashes-To-Go (Monroe Park)

Wednesday 02/18 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday (Church)

Saturday 02/21 5:00 p.m. Front Porch Forum Dinner (Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. | Parish Hall)

Highlights

Parents’ Night Out – Friday, January 9 at 5:00 p.m.

Our first Parents’ Night Out of the program year will be on Friday, January 9th from 5:00 p.m.–9:30 p.m. All children and youth are invited to the church for dinner, games, and a movie. The parents’ meeting location is Bar Solita (123 W. Broad Street).

Cherry Street & Cathedral Place Implement Pay-to-Park

The City of Richmond has installed paid parking signs along North Cherry Street and Floyd Avenue/South Cathedral Place. The parking regulations include paying for parking by phone from 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Cathedral Place will be affected Monday–Sunday, while Cherry remains open to free parking on weekends. To pay for parking, download an app at rvapark.online or text the zone number to (866) 888-7275.

Intergenerational Formation Event: Bound Together in Baptism – Sunday, January 11 at 9:30 a.m.

What does baptism mean for us individually and as a community? Join us in the First Floor Classroom on Sunday, January 11th at 9:30 a.m. for this event for all ages. All will be invited to share stories and photos from their own baptism or their children’s baptisms.

Children & Youth Sunday with Holy Eucharist and Baptism – Sunday, January 11 at 10:30 a.m.

All children and youth are invited to share their gifts with the congregation during our Children and Youth Sunday the first Sunday after Epiphany! The worship service will be Holy Eucharist and Baptism. There are opportunities to serve as lectors, ushers, chalice bearers, and/or musicians. 

Usher Training & Refreshments – Sunday, January 11 at 11:45 a.m. 

An Usher Training session will take place on Sunday, January 11th at 11:45 in the First Floor Classroom. Please make plans to attend a fairly brief meeting to assure all are aware of the usher’s duties, positioning of CPR and defibrillator equipment, and safety procedures should disturbances arise in Monroe Park. Refreshments will be served!

Morning Prayer Tuesdays & Thursdays Changes to 9:00 a.m. – Begins Tuesday, January 13

The staff prays Morning Prayer together on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Chapel and all are invited. The time has changed from 8:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer is a simple and reflective service which is part of the Daily Office.

Bible Study Wednesdays Changes to 10:00 a.m. – Begins Wednesday, January 14

Bible Study on Wednesdays has resumed. The time has changed from 9:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. This is a no homework or prior Biblical knowledge type of study, and is designed to help us listen to what scripture and God might be calling us to be or do. An added bonus is the option to stay for A Service of Holy Eucharist with Healing at 11:00 a.m., two doors down in the Chapel.

Stories & Lunch hosted by GHTC at The Pace Center – Wednesday, January 14 with Cooking at 10:30 a.m. 

Members of GHTC are invited to prepare lunch for the students at The Pace Center (700 W. Franklin Street), our campus ministry partner at Virginia Commonwealth University. We are seeking volunteers to help plan the menu and prepare the food. Volunteers are also invited to have lunch with the students. The Pace Center has shared that the students get the most joy from conversations with non-students, like the GHTC volunteers. If you are interested, the time commitment begins with cooking at 10:30 a.m. and lunch with students beginning at noon. If you have questions, please visit ghtc.org/contact and select “Senior Warden” from the form’s drop-down menu.

Wednesday Evening Lectio Divina Group Resumes – Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. on Zoom

Lectio divina (“divine reading”) is a traditional format of prayerful reflection on scripture. GHTC’s lectio divina group meets weekly on Zoom from 7:15 p.m.–8:15 p.m. every Wednesday and you are invited to join. The goal is to read and reflect on the Gospel for the next Sunday and no preparation is needed. We only ask that you attend as many sessions as you can. If you are interested in joining our group, please feel free to contact either Beth McClelland (804-304-8823) or Mary Ann Blankenship (804-334-8922) by phone or visit ghtc.org/contact and select “Lectio Divina” from the form’s drop-down menu.

Front Porch Forum Dinners – Begins Saturday, January 17, 2026

Our community will be offering a full course dinner before the Richmond Forum events in 2026. Sylvia May, a parishioner, choir member, and chef, along with Father Brent have planned this community building idea for utilizing our proximity to Altria Theatre. The four-course dinner will be in the Parish Hall on forum nights beginning on January 17th, 2026. The cost is $110 per person, which will include parking, drinks, and the meal. Seating will be limited to 35–40 people. Guests will arrive at GHTC after 5:00 p.m. and dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. Richmond Forum doors open at 7:00 p.m., so dinner will end by 7:15 p.m. We are advertising this invitation to area Episcopalians as we all tend to enjoy the forum, so invite widely.  Click here to view the menu, and here to make your reservations. Please note: Menu includes gluten, lactose, nuts, and meat.

Leading Together – Vestry Nominating Committee Accepting Nominations Open through January 18, 2026

The Vestry and clergy create a shared vision for the life of GHTC. The Vestry Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations of members to serve a three-year term on the Vestry. All nominations must be submitted no later than Sunday, January 18th. Elections will be held at the Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, February 8th, with terms to begin immediately after the election. The new members of the Vestry will be elected by secret ballot, with the five candidates receiving the most votes being elected from among at least eight nominees. To submit the name of a member for consideration, please contact Jane Carlson, Nominating Committee Chair by visiting ghtc.org/contact and selecting “Nominating Committee Chair” from the drop-down menu or call (804) 358-4369.

Red Door Clothes Closet Interest Meeting – Sunday, January 25 at 12:00 p.m.

The Red Door Ministry team will provide an introduction to the Clothes Closet, which is offered intermittently on Fridays during the Red Door community meal from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Clothes are a consistent need for our guests and GHTC needs more hands to keep this ministry running smoothly. Come find out what’s needed and how to get involved!

Vestry Highlights – December 2025

• Nick Sollog was commended for his work on the 2026 Stewards of Hope stewardship campaign. The campaign has reached 138 pledges, over $725,000 offered to date.
• Adoption of plan developed by Rev. Brent Melton to distribute the responsibilities for membership development and communications among the current members of the church staff.
• Mike Joyce, Treasurer, reported on the church’s strong financial position at the end of November with income from 2025 pledges totaling $723,000 and expenses running $135,000 under budget. 
• Introduction of proposal to contract out the responsibilities for assessing future maintenance and upgrade needs for the building.

Youth Ski Trip – Saturday, January 31

Middle and high school students are invited to go snow skiing and tubing on Saturday, January 31st at Massanutten Ski Resort. We will leave from the church at 7:00 a.m. and return by 6:00 p.m. The cost to attend is $50/person, and one friend is permitted per GHTC youth. Please register your child here by Monday, January 26th.

Holy Strollers – Saturday, January 31 at 1:30 p.m.
The first stroll of 2026 will be amongst horses, quiet roads, pretty houses, a lake, and winter-time woods as Meredith and Billy McGuire kindly welcome the group to their neighborhood. We will start at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 31st, at their home, 746 Merry Go Round Road, Manakin-Sabot, VA 23103. The walk is five miles, and it will take about two hours. If you have hiking poles, you may want to bring them, due to uneven terrain. Shoes that can stand up to mud and muck are also a good idea. If you plan to attend, please RSVP with Susan Hankins by visiting ghtc.org/contact and selecting “Holy Strollers” from the drop-down menu or call (804) 938-8440.

Youth Instrumental Ensemble 2026 Rehearsal Schedule – Returns Sunday, February 8

The Youth Instrumental Ensemble rehearsals return Sunday, February 8th. All youth musicians (orchestral instruments, keyboards, guitars, and singers) from 4th grade through high school are invited to join the ensemble, and we also welcome solo performances. We will be preparing a musical piece to present on Children & Youth Sunday, March 22nd, 2026, at the 10:30 a.m. service.

Rehearsal Dates: February 8 | February 22 | March 1 | March 15

If your youth is interested, please contact Luke Brennan by visiting ghtc.org/contact and selecting “Youth Instrumental Ensemble” from the drop-down menu or call (804) 358-4369 x21.

Intinction Behind the Altar Rail
Intinction (dipping the wafer in wine) during communion now takes place behind both communion rails. After you receive the wafer, simply pinch the wafer between your thumb and index finger and hold it up near your face. This will signal for the intinction cup to be brought to you. You will dip the wafer yourself and then receive. Please refrain from intincting in the regular chalice (common cup). A regular communion station will be located in the rear of the Church for your convenience.

2026 “Stewards of Hope” Update & Ongoing Pledges
As Stewards of Hope, we invite you to prayerfully consider a gift and return your pledge by mail or through online giving. Our 2026 goal is $800,000, which will support the four pillars of our shared ministry — Worship, Education, Parish Life, and Mission. After Sunday, January 4th our total amount pledged is $725,520.80 and our total number of those pledged is 138.

Other Communications

Pastoral Care Phone Number 
A Pastoral Care Line is now active for parishioners experiencing a pastoral emergency when the church office is closed. The on-call number is (804) 322-3758. Please save this number to your phone’s contact list. Voice and text messages can be left at this number. The pastoral care team is comprised of our clergy and two staff members. We want to make sure we can connect to support our parishioners in any time of need.

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 & Pastor Marissa
Formation Questions | Father Brent & Madeleine Preston
Pastoral Care Questions | Father Brent
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@ghtc.org or call the Parish Office at (804) 359-5628.

Get Involved with The Pace Center this Semester
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. Please visit thepacecenter.com for more information on Pace’s upcoming events and how you can support students in our community.

The Pace Center appreciates donations of snacks, baked goods, and soup. You can sign up here. In addition to food donations, The Pace Center welcomes and invites GHTC parishioners to participate in any (or all) of the following:

• Stories & Lunch | Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m.; Share in a meal and a common
  story theme.
• Volunteer at Belmont Community Resource Services | Fridays from 9:00 p.m.–
  12:00 p.m.; Meet at Pace (700 W. Franklin Street) and join a group of students volunteering at BCRS (a 17-minute drive from campus). Belmont serves over 500 families on Friday mornings. Please note that this event takes place outdoors (rain or shine!); dress accordingly.
• Walk A Dog | Fridays at 2:00 p.m.; Make new friends while walking dogs together. Bring your dog with you, or just show up for a nice walk with college-aged students
• Strings N Things (Crochet & Knitting) | Fridays from 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.; Bring your fiber arts project, or learn a new craft. Beginners (and experts willing to teach) welcome!

All events take place at Pace. If you have questions, please contact the Rev. Russ Kerr by visiting ghtc.org/contact and selecting “Campus Minister” from the drop-down menu.