One of the things I have missed so much has been connecting with parishioners, one-on-one, in all the small ways we normally have around church. It could be a conversation after a committee meeting in the parking lot or with an altar guild member setting up for Sunday or with a cup of coffee at Starbucks with someone new to St. Mary’s. So, I’d like to offer times to just catch up. It will be a Zoom call which isn’t nearly as much fun as standing around in the parking lot! If you would like to have a chat by Zoom, follow this sign up genius link to sign up for a twenty minutes time slot. The first dates are Thursday, January 21 with time slots from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday, January 22 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Please keep an eye out for more dates and time slots to become available in the coming weeks.

To support our outreach partners, we've created a beautiful 2021 St. Mary's Church Wall Calendar. Without our typical annual fundraisers, the Outreach Committee is re-imagining how to support St. Mary's Outreach Partners in this coming year. The price of the calendar is completely donation based. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, 100% of the proceeds go toward St. Mary's Outreach Ministries. Order today because we have a limit of 200 copies!

Follow this link to the Order Form on St. Mary's website. You will be able to choose to donate by check or by credit card. Once you order, you can come pick up your calendar at St. Mary’s Church Office. If you have any questions, please contact the Church Office via email or call (804) 784-5678.

St. Mary's Fellowship Committee is continuing monthly to provide Parish Take Home Suppers. Sign up for a delicious take home meal on Wednesday, January 20 for you or your entire household. The menu includes: pulled pork bbq with rolls, coleslaw, collard greens, apple/pear sauce, and a dessert.

From 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 20, you can drive up wearing a mask, a volunteer will load it into your car, and you drive away with a little taste of St. Mary's! If you would like to leave a donation, please feel free to do so. If you have any questions, please contact the Church Office via email or call (804) 784-5678.

Our parish Vestry has approved on a motion that enables us to hold a virtual Annual Parish Meeting and Vestry Election on Sunday, February 28, at 10 a.m. The Chancellor of the Diocese, J. P. Causey of St. John’s, West Point, has approved of a set of guidelines and instruction for holding virtual parish meetings in this most unusual time consistent with our diocesan canons. Normally, our Annual Parish Meeting would be held the last Sunday in January or the first Sunday in February. The Vestry motion recognizes the significant preparations we will need to make to prepare the technical aspects to support this meeting and to communicate with and educate our congregation for a successful virtual meeting. Please make a note in your calendars for our Annual Parish Meeting, Sunday, February 28 at 10 a.m. We anticipate the meeting will take 30 minutes.

Bishop Porter Taylor’s online classes continue with a new course beginning this month. It is titled "Mystics and Poetry: Doorways to the Spiritual Path." There are three day and time options: Mondays, 4 p.m.; Tuesdays, 1 p.m.; or Thursdays, 1 p.m. (choose best time for you) 

The description is: "We live in a time of disorientation. However, in times of turmoil, we must remember who we are, why we are here, and what we are called to do by looking at the core writings of several spiritual teachers as well as a broad exposure to mystical poetry. In times of confusion, we need reorientation. We need a different metaphor or way of mapping our world. The mystics we will encounter include St. Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, Simone Weil, John of the Cross, Howard Thurman and Thomas Merton. The mystics will enable us to go deeper in our connection to God by describing their spiritual path. In essence, they will offer different maps to approach the holy. "

Learn more about this class. To register, contact Anita Lisk with your name, the name of this parish

It is the practice of St. Mary’s Church to nominate four persons for election to the Vestry each year at the Annual Parish Meeting. The four nominees when elected by the parish succeed the four current Vestry members who are completing their three-year term of ministry. The Nominating Committee is charged with prayerfully discerning who may be called to serve on the Vestry. Typically, this includes a member of the Nominating Committee contacting parishioners and asking them to take time to think and especially pray about whether they may be called to this ministry. Election of new Vestry members is a process anchored in prayer.

This year, the Nominating Committee includes the four out-going Vestry members: Anne McCoy, Seth Schaeffer, Patsy Simril and Scott Stephens. If you have a name to suggest for consideration, please contact a member of the Nominating Committee or David May. All nominees need to qualify first to stand for election. According to the Diocesan Canons of the Church (our formal rules for ordering our common life in Christ) those who qualify are confirmed adult (16 years or older) communicants in good standing of this church. ‘In good standing’ is defined by our National Church Canons in this way, “All communicants of this Church who for the previous year have been faithful in corporate worship, unless for good cause prevented, and have been faithful in working, praying, and giving for the spread of the Kingdom of God, are to be considered communicants in good standing.”  

We thank everyone who counted their blessings and sent in a pledge for 2021. Currently, 298 households have pledged totaling is $1,028,834 towards the $1.2 million goal. It's never too late to turn in your pledge card for 2021. We have every reason to look forward with faith, with hope, and with confidence.

There are a number of ways to pledge:

If you have any questions, call the Carl Hayslett at (804) 784-5678.

St. Mary's continues to offer Virtual Sunday Services in 2021 as we stay connected even though we are obligated to stay apart. Each week, a pre-recorded worship video featuring different Clergy and lay leaders that consists of prayers, readings, a homily, and some music will post on Facebook at 10 a.m. and YouTube at 8 a.m. on Sunday mornings. And a weekly email with links to the service bulletin and videos will be sent. We believe this is an important offering for the spiritual health of our church family.

Amelia and others continue to bring Online Children's Chapel into your home on Saturday mornings. We hope you enjoyed watching Amelia share the story of The Epiphany through reading "Home by Another Way."

From now until Lent, we are reintroducing Storytime for Children's Chapel. Amelia will read a wonderful illustrated children's book and talk about how the story relates to that Sunday's Bible readings.

Also, if you and your family would like to participate in the future, email Amelia McDaniel. Check out all the previous videos on St. Mary's YouTube channel.

Today, David May leads Noonday Prayer via Facebook Live Stream from Little St. Mary's. Please follow along with the service on page 103 of the Book of Common Prayer or visit BCPonline.org.

We understand that not everyone is connected to Facebook but even if you don't have an account, go to www.facebook.com/St.MarysGoochland to watch.