"Coming  Up  on  Grace Street"
Sunday, March 1, 2020

www.stpaulsrva.org      
  Church Office:   (804) 643-3589  
For  Pastoral Care Emergencies:  (804) 349-3020  

*More information about this upcoming week's calendar, meetings and events, and save-the-dates may be located at the bottom of this email blast. 
Rector's Blog: To read this week's rector's blog, please click  here.
This Weekend/This Week
This Sunday, please join us in welcoming to the pulpit guest preacher 
the Rev. Dr. Dorothy White

Dorothy  was ordained in 2015 as a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of VA. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and an M.A. in Theological Historical Studies from Oral Roberts University (ORU) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as well as a D.Min. from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond.  

Dorothy formerly served as the School Chaplain at St. Catherine's Episcopal School as well as the chair of the Religion and Philosophy Department. Currently, Dorothy serves part-time in two Richmond parishes, St. John's Church as well as St. Mark's Episcopal Church.
Spong Lenten Forum Series: Creeds and Scriptures in the Medium of Time: A Forum Series taught by Bishop John Shelby "Jack" Spong. Sundays at 9 AM, March 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, and April 5th, in the Parish Hall. More info can be found on our Facebook event here  and our website event here.
Monthly Welcome Gathering:  Are you new, newish, or returning to St. Paul's? Save the date for our next Welcome Gathering on 
Sunday, March 1st. Over a light lunch, Charlie will share a bit about the spiritual life of St. Paul's and the Episcopal Church and you will have the opportunity to get to know many of our  staff members and the ministries they lead and support. RSVP's are not required, but are encouraged. 

If you plan to attend or need childcare, email Sarah Nolan at   snolan@stpaulsrva.org or call the church office to reserve a spot. Be on the lookout for web and Facebook events soon to share with friends or those who may be interested; all are welcome!  Other upcoming gatherings are  April 5th and  May 3rd.
Children's Choir Starting Up This Sunday:  Children's choir will begin again this Sunday, March 1, following the 10:00 a.m. worship service. We'll meet in the choir room for 30 - 35 minutes, ending no later than 12:10 p.m.  Rehearsal dates are: March 1, 15, 22, 29, April 26 and May 31.  The choir will sing at the 10 am services on May 3 and June 7. Choir call will be 9:30 a.m.
 
Children of all ages who like to sing and are fluent readers are welcome! Contact Karen Harris, Assistant Director of Music, at kjharris1@verizon.net for more information or to sign up. Current choir members do not need to sign up again. 
Community Lenten Series is Underway:  This year, our Lenten Series  will run on Wednesdays, from February 26 - April 1.  We will offer six Wednesday lunches and are  back to TWO lunch seatings this year! 
 
First Lunch Seating: 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall
Speaker and Service: 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the Church
Second Lunch Seating: 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall
Carryout lunches will be available from  11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. 

The Lenten series theme this year is Leaning Into Love: Building Unity in the Midst of Difference, with guest speakers, as listed:

March 4             The Rt. Reverend Jennifer Brooke-Davidson
March 11           Dr. Archana Pathak
March 18           Rabbi Michael Knopf
March 25          The Rev. Amy Starr Redwine
April 1              The Rt. Rev. Susan Goff

For more details and to volunteer, please click here for our web event and here for our Facebook event
  Coming Up... 
Pete Nunnally's Ordination: Saturday, March 7, at 10:30 a.m. Bishop Goff will ordain Pete Nunnally to the Sacred Order of Deacons at Epiphany, Herndon. Congratulations, Pete! St. Paul's supports you! 
Field Trip to the Black History Museum of Richmond:  St. Paul's is going to the BHMRVA at  10:00 a.m.  on March 7 to see the  Paradox of Liberty: Slavery at Jefferson's Monticello , an exhibition that uses Monticello, the home and plantation of Thomas Jefferson, as a lens through which to explore the dilemma of slavery and the lives of the enslaved families and their descendants. Reservations have been made for up to 20 people to get a guided tour at 10:00 a.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased when we get to the museum. If you're interested in going, please RSVP to Michelle Walker at  mjwsfca@gmail.com.
Habitat for Humanity Build:  Saturday, March 14. C ome join the fun and make a difference for a family in need!  For more information or to sign up for this Habitat for Humanity Build, please email Lynn Williams at lwilliams@stpaulsrva.org
Announcements + Ongoing Opportunities
HRI Book Launch: It's here! The vestry and the History and Reconciliation Initiative Steering Committee invite you to a festive book launch after the service on Sunday, March 15 of Blind Spots: Race and Identity in a Southern Church. Come to a celebratory reception and pick up your copy of Blind Spots, researched over nearly four years by many parishioners and written by parishioner and historian Chris Graham. Parish-wide discussions about the book and our history will be held later in the spring at a variety of locations, dates, and times.  

The publication of the book ends the first phase of the work of the History and Reconciliation Initiative, and begins the next period of exploration, prayer, and discernment about our next steps. An essay about St. Paul's memorials, written by Beth O'Leary, and a catalogue of St. Paul's plaques, written by Anne Hayes, also will be available in the spring. 

Save the date for Reconciliation Sunday, Sept. 27, featuring special liturgy, a commissioned hymn, and preaching by The Rev. Melanie Mullen.
Youngish Adult Lenten Study - March 11th, 18th, 25th and April 1st.  What is the relationship between religion and politics and the church? The role of faith is crucial to public policy. It can serve as a weapon to divide and create fear, or as an inclusive force to advance justice and equality. Join other young(ish) adults as we read articles and explore the role of faith in politics and public policy. This group will be led by Christopher West. Chris is a member of St. Paul's and works as a state government lobbyist in capitol square. Please join us for one, two, or all four sessions. E-mail Keli at kshipleycooper@stpaulsrva.org for Chris' address in Manchester, where the group will meet each week.
THANK YOU, BOMBAS!  Did you know that socks are the #1 requested item at our Emmaus program? This year, thanks to Bombas Sock Company, we will be able to give all of our guests socks. Bombas has once again agreed to give our Emmaus program socks, but this year they are donating 2,500 pairs! Thank you, Bombas, we are so GRATEFUL for your generosity!
Easter Egg Hunt: Help us Fill the Eggs!  We are getting ready for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt on the grounds of Capitol Square. All can help by bringing in wrapped candy, empty eggs, filled eggs, or you can take eggs home to fill that are in zip lock bags in the Gathering Space. (Please, no candy with peanuts!)
Help Support Woodville Elementary School  Through New 
Donors Choose Program:  Th ere is a great new way to support the Woodville Elementary school. Through an innovative, online program called  Donors Choose , you can choose a program at Woodville to support. Donors Choose lets you pick the program and the amount you want to donate. Approximately 10 teachers at Woodville have designated new programs that need funding. You can find them by clicking this link For more information, please contact Minister of Outreach, Lynn Williams at lwilliams@stpaulsrva.org
"Signs of Life: Why Church Matters":  This Lenten offering is provided in conjunction with Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) and the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE). From the website : "The season of Lent will soon be upon us. Sign up now for our 2020 offering - Signs of Life: Why Church Matters. This series comes right from the heart of our lives as monks at SSJE, as it takes up the signs and symbols of our shared Christian worship. We are excited to share with you an offering like none we've ever made before, with longer explorations of each weekly topic, featuring Brothers in conversation and illustrated by rich footage of life at the Monastery."
Extending a Warm Welcome...  Leaving the back pews in the Sanctuary available for those who are new or still getting to know St. Paul's is a simple and helpful way to keep our worship services and events in the church warm and inviting. For those who are able, we invite you to consider sitting closer to the front and middle, leaving those back pews open. Many thanks!
Children's Ministry: Seeking Volunteers!  Our Children's Ministry needs people who have a desire to direct the spiritual life of our young ones! If you're feeling led, please sign up here
Noon Weekday Services:  St. Paul's offers a daily service of prayer and stillness that holds our civic leadership, as well as all who work to make our world a better place, in prayer. These simple services, held in the beautifully renovated Sanctuary of St. Paul's, will call upon the God of all creation, asking for God's help and guidance as we seek to live together peaceably and with compassion toward all people.
 
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays - Prayers for the city of Richmond, self, neighbor, and world.
  Tuesdays/Thursdays  - Prayers and Holy Communion

All are welcome.
2020 Shrine Mont Parish Retreat AT CAPACITY, Wait List Still In Effect:  If you would like to be added to a wait list, please contact Keli Shipley Cooper at  kshipleycooper@stpaulsrva.org.  Thank you!
Environmental Sustainability Interest Group:  St. Paul's Stewardship ministry is currently in the process of developing an environmental sustainability/care of creation interest group. If you are interested in learning more, please email Minister for Stewardship, Sarah Nolan at  snolan@stpaulsrva.org.
 Save the Dates
Coming in April: Enneagram Small Group:  Monday Evenings, 6:30-8:00 p.m.,  April 20, 27, May 4, 11, and 18.  Over the course of five weeks, we will learn what the Enneagram is, explore each of the nine types, and process how to apply it to our lives. Local Enneagram teacher, Rose Estes, will facilitate the book study.  You can purchase the book we will be using,  The Road Back to You, as well as the  "The Road Back to You Study Guide" online, at a local bookstore, or from the church ($20 for one copy of each). 

Please sign up in the gathering area of the parish house or e-mail Keli Cooper at kshipleycooper@stpaulsrva.org . Please also indicate while signing up if you would like to purchase the books from the church. Registration ends Sunday, April 12 More info about this exciting offering will be posted soon to our website and social media.
St. Paul's Prayers
Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." (Matthew 11:4-5 NRSV)

We Pray for Health Care in Metropolitan Richmond: For persons living with terminal illnesses and for their families, friends, and communities; for persons working to find cures for diseases.

We pray for all the Baptized in their daily work, especially those of our congregation and community who are i n the radio and TV media including programmers, editors, camera men, technicians and writers.

We pray for those who are ill: for Carolyn Thomas, mother of Bill Thomas; John Greer;  John Barnes, grandfather of Maggy Barnes;  David Romaine; Mimi Murray; Robin Keene, niece of Mimi Murray; Sam Murray, son of Mimi Murray; and Barbara Chavatel. We also pray for those who are no longer with us: Herbert Claiborne, Jr. and Jody Sherman. May their souls be at peace.

Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to your never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

If you would like to add a name to the prayer list, please contact Administrative and Membership Associate, Carter Johann, at cjohann@stpaulsrva.org or (804) 643-3589 ext. 5501.

Our prayer chain offers daily confidential prayers and may be accessed by sending an email to stpprayers@aol.com. In addition to prayers, St. Paul's offers a variety of forms of compassionate care to individuals and families needing support in childbirth, illness, accidents, reduced mobility, and grief. 

Eucharistic Visitors take Holy Communion to persons who are homebound or unable to attend services because of illness or hospitalization. Other pastoral care services include transportation to church from several senior living facilities, cards and flowers at significant life events, and delivery of meals after childbirth or illness. Referrals and requests may be sent to Interim Associate Rector Rainey Dankel at rdankel@stpaulsrva.org. 
Communications Submissions

The deadline for submitting copy for Grace Notes (our weekly bulletin insert) and Coming Up on Grace Street (this weekly e-blast) is 
Tuesday evening at 5:00 p.m., but earlier is always appreciated. Please send your content through this form to  Sarah A. Foote , Director of Communications. Please note that content may be edited to accommodate space limitations and style guidelines. 

** If you would like to secure childcare for your evening/weekday meeting, group, or activity at the church, please let Linda Willis know (at lwillis@stpaulsrva.org3-5 days ahead of time and we will do our best to accommodate your request. ** 
Questions? Concerns? 
Our staff is here for you.

Worship & Music
Karen Harris: Children's Choir, music program assistance

Parish Life & Stewardship 
Sarah Nolan: Stewardship, Newcomers' ministry, pledging/giving

Community Partnerships and Outreach

Communications
Sarah A. Foote: Communications requests, calendar requests

For a list of full staff and leadership including our administrative and custodial teams, garage staff, nursery staff, and vestry, please click here.
Weekly Calendar 
(For more, please check out the calendar here  and our Facebook feed to respond to or invite friends to our  upcoming Events !)

Sunday, 3/1
  • Women's Retreat, Roslyn Center
  • 8:45 AM Nursery Available, Children's Room
  • 9 AM Choir Rehearsal, Choir Room
  • 9 AM Meditation/Contemplative Prayer, Palmore Room
  • 9 AM Faith Formation Forum (led by Bishop Spong), Parish Hall
  • 9 AM Family Group (Family Room, Room 220)
  • 9 AM Godly Play (Children's Sunday School), Children's Center
  • 10 AM Worship Service w/Holy Eucharist feat. Guest Preacher the Rev. Dr. Dorothy White, Church
  • 11:15 AM Post Service Sanctuary Tour
  • 11:15 AM Fellowship, Everyone Welcome, Gathering Space
  • 11:30 AM Monthly Welcome Gathering, Palmore Room
  • 11:30 AM Children's Choir, Choir Room

Monday, 3/2
  • 12:00 PM Daily Worship Service, Church

Tuesday, 3/3
  • 8 AM Reflections and Prayers (Library)
  • 10 AM Program Staff Meeting (Library)
  • 11 AM Staff Meeting, 207
  • 12:00 PM Daily Worship Service, Church
  • 12:30 PM Al-Anon (Youth Room)
  • 5:30 PM Education For Ministry, Library

Wednesday, 3/4
  • 11:30 AM Lenten Lunch Takeout Opens, Gathering Space
  • 11:45 AM First Lenten Lunch Seating, Parish Hall 
  • 12:30 PM Lenten Speaker (The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson), Church
  • 1:00 PM Second Lenten Lunch Seating, Parish Hall
  • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Pastoral Care Meeting, Library
  • 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM Search Team Meeting, Library

Thursday, 3/5
  • 10:30 AM Emmaus Lunch Program, Parish Hall and Atrium
  • Noon, AA, Youth Room
  • 12:00 PM Daily Worship Service, Church
  • 7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal, Choir Room

Friday, 3/6
  • 12:00 PM Daily Worship Service, Church

Saturday, 3/7: Church Closed, DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS - "Spring Forward" An Hour!
  • 10 AM Guided Tour at the Black History Museum of Richmond
  • 10:30 AM Pete Nunnally's Ordination, Epiphany Episcopal Church, Herndon, VA

Sunday, 3/8
  • 8:45 AM Nursery Available, Children's Room
  • 9 AM Choir Rehearsal, Choir Room
  • 9 AM Meditation/Contemplative Prayer, Palmore Room
  • 9 AM Faith Formation Forum led by Bishop Spong, Parish Hall
  • 9 AM Family Group (Family Room, Room 220)
  • 9 AM Godly Play (Children's Sunday School), Children's Center
  • 10 AM Worship Service w/Holy Eucharist, Church
  • 11:15 AM Post Service Sanctuary Tour
  • 11:15 AM Fellowship, Everyone Welcome, Gathering Space
  • 11:30 AM Children's Choir (Choir Room)
  • 11:30 AM Youth Group Meets, Youth Room
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