Wednesday 07/08 6:00 p.m. Autism Society of Central Virginia Cooking Class (Parish Hall & Kitchen)

Saturday 07/11 Belize Summer Camp Begins (Returns on Saturday, July 18th)

Saturday 07/18 8:30 a.m. Walking With the Enslaved with Holy Strollers (Register Here for Address)

Saturday 08/29 9:00 a.m. Invite Welcome Connect Workshop (Parish Hall)

Sunday 08/30 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Sermon from Invite Welcome Connect’s Mary Foster Parmer (Livestream Available | Church)

Donate to the Belize Summer Camp

The Belize Summer Camp (BSC) Mission Team is heading to Belize on Saturday, July 11th. Our youth will be leading this mission by offering a week of camp for 100 Belizean children. We are bringing pens, pencils, markers, and paint sticks to give to Holy Cross and Mount Carmel schools in Cayo. Please donate as you are able to help support the schools we serve.

Every donation made in the next two weeks through ghtc.org/give will go directly toward these supplies. Every contribution makes a difference. Select “Belize Summer Camp” from the form’s drop-down menu and enter your donation amount. Thank you for your support. We look forward to staying in touch and sharing updates with the GHTC community during our time in Belize.

Hospitality Committee Leaders Needed

After several years of serving our community with excellent receptions, Sandie Hale and Karin Walker, co-chairs of the Hospitality Committee, are ready to pass the torch. As this is a big task, we are splitting up the role and looking for people who would like to run point on 1–2 of the following receptions. Sandie and Karin will provide written instructions and be available to consult. 

• • Program Year Kickoff Sunday Cookout on September 13th: An outdoor event to celebrate the beginning of the program year. A large grill has been arranged for cooking hamburgers and hotdogs.

• • All Saints’ Sunday Reception on November 1st

• • Lessons & Carols on Sunday, December 20th & Annual Spring Eucharist with Special Music on Sunday, April 25th, 2027: Our two most formal receptions in celebration of the Music Ministry. 
  • Annual Meeting/Mardi Gras Reception on Sunday, February 7th, 2027

• • End of the Program Year Cookout on Sunday, May 23rd, 2027

If you love to host and want to create meaningful fellowship experiences for our community, please contact Madeleine Preston at (804) 359-5628 x15, or by using the contact form at ghtc.org/contact and selecting her name.

Try Out a New Worship Role this Summer!

Summer is a great time to try out new ways to serve in worship. If you or your kids are interested in serving as an acolyte, lay reader, or chalice bearer, please reach out! We’ll schedule a time for one-on-one training with our worship leaders at 9:30 a.m. on a Sunday, and you can try it out that same day at the 10:30 a.m. service with in-service support. You do not need to put on vestments to serve as a chalice bearer or lay reader. The Summer Choir is also looking for singers. Rehearsal for the Summer Choir is on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. in the choir room. 

Joining these ministries is like a no-cut sport: anyone is welcome! Thank you for considering trying out one of these fulfilling worship ministries. Please contact Madeleine Preston for worship roles at (804) 359-5628 x15, or by using the contact form at ghtc.org/contact and selecting her name. Contact Beth Davis for summer choir at (804) 359-5628 x18, or by using the contact form at ghtc.org/contact and selecting her name.

Holy Strollers invites you to “Walking With the Enslaved” – Saturday, July 18 at 8:30 a.m.

Pastor Marissa and Susan Hankins invite you to join them on Saturday, July 18th, for a day-long pilgrimage exploring Richmond’s history of enslavement and resistance beginning at 8:30 a.m. Called “Walking With the Enslaved,” the program examines Richmond’s role in the slave trade and the resistance efforts. It is a joint effort of St. Philip’s and St. Paul’s Episcopal Churches, and will be fascinating and thought provoking. The cost is $35 per person and lunch is included. The group will  both walk and take a bus to various sites. The afternoon is devoted to rest and reflection. This event takes place regularly throughout the year. Please sign up for July 18th here and then contact Susan or Marissa by visiting ghtc.org/contact and selecting either “Marissa Sotos” or “Holy Strollers” from the form’s drop-down menu.

Invite Welcome Connect Workshop – Save the Date, August 28–30

We are excited to invite you to a workshop with Mary Foster Parmer of Invite Welcome Connect on Friday, August 28th–Sunday, August 30th. Invite Welcome Connect equips congregations to practice evangelism, hospitality, and connection in their ministry contexts. GHTC will be hosting and has invited several other Episcopal parishes to attend. During the workshop, each congregation will be given tools and resources to create and implement a plan for outreach and connection that meets the needs of their parish. The workshop will begin with dinner on Friday and continue on Saturday with a day of training and brainstorming from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Mary will be with us on Sunday morning to preach. Click here to register. If you have any questions, please contact Madeleine Preston by calling (804) 359-5628 x15 or by visiting ghtc.org/contact and selecting her from the form’s drop-down menu. 

VCU Continues Replacing Elevators at Main Street Deck

VCU continues replacing elevators in the Main Street Deck. Once the elevator at the corner of Main and Laurel (their most heavily used) is finished, they will close the elevator at the corner of the deck at Main and Cherry. One elevator will remain functional at a time. This work should be finished by the end of September.

Scaffolding in Sanctuary

An investigation began on Wednesday, May 20th to explore our sanctuary’s roof. There are no structural issues with the joists. The scaffolding will remain in place while the roofers continue their work to reinforce the ribbed wooden ceiling. Thank you.

Pastoral Care Phone Number
A Pastoral Care Line is 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. If you would like to email with the clergy, please use pastoralcare@ghtc.org.

Whom do I contact for…?

If you have a question or need to contact GHTC, please use the list of staff members and their respective subjects below to help direct you.

Worship Questions | The Rev. Dr. Brent A. Melton
Mission Questions | Chuck Bleick & The Rev. Steve Pace
Communications Questions | The Rev. Marissa Sotos
Formation Questions | The Rev. Dr. Brent A. Melton & Madeleine Preston
Pastoral Care Questions | The Rev. Dr. Brent A. Melton
Music Questions | Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis
Paying Your Pledge | Jane Coffey
Administration & Facilities Questions | Coco Provance
Vestry Questions | Lisa Dawson
Campus Ministry Questions | The Rev. Russ Kerr

For questions outside of these subjects, please see the full listings in the form dropdown below or call (804) 359-5268. Please do not send any financial information or sensitive personal data using this form. Contact Jane Coffey at (804) 359-5628 x14 to discuss financial gifts.

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.

Get Involved with 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. 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. If you have questions, please contact the Rev. Russ Kerr by visiting ghtc.org/contact and selecting “Campus Minister” from the drop-down menu.