This Sunday’s Gospel • Matthew 9:35-10:8-23
Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them...[ continue reading ]. Lectionary scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible. Note: We will continue with virtual worship this Sunday, June 14.
Worship Service
Did you miss a worship service? You can catch up online .  If you need to contact any member of the church staff or clergy, you can call or email .
When Will We Regather for Worship?
Teams of clergy and lay people, from all parts of our diocese, urban and rural alike, have carefully prepared guidelines and checklists for how we may regather for in-person worship when it becomes safe to do so. We have not yet met the required safety metrics, so we do not have a date for regathering. Even when it will be possible to regather, strict safety restrictions will result in worship that will not look or feel like what we have been used to. Your staff and Vestry are reviewing the guidelines and are assessing, thoughtfully and prayerfully, how we will proceed. We will keep you updated.
What Can I Do?
As the pandemic has exposed, in a new light, longstanding inequities and injustices in our society, many have asked what they can do, personally, to help right the wrongs in our community. Participation in the Sacred Ground discussions is one option. Another is to become involved in our ongoing ministry of empowerment, economic, and relationship-building that bridges race: CirclesRVA . It is doing long-term work that directly addresses reversing inequity in our community. Volunteers are needed. Want to know more? Contact CirclesRVA Coordinator  Kristin Blalock or our Vestry liaison Glenn Moore .
Race @ Grace
Some folks have asked for resources about what The Episcopal Church thinks about racism and white supremacy. This is not the kind of thing that can be answered in an email or text message. If you are interested in delving deeper into your understanding of these topics please consider joining the Sacred Ground Circle which will meet for its first of 10 sessions on Thursday, June 25 at 7:30 pm. If you would like to learn more about the program check out the overview here . Mother Kim will be facilitating the conversation. 

There will also be an opportunity to expand the conversation and include your children, grandchildren or younger members in your circle by reading children’s books that corresponds to the weekly discussion topics. If you’d like to be part of this group, please contact Aaron Davis .
Responses to COVID-19 and Racial Unrest Across The Episcopal Church
The Presiding Bishop’s office and clergy around the nation had planned for a time to mourn the lives of the over 100,000 individuals who have died of COVID-19. However, after the deaths of most recently George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, cities across the nation were thrown into another kind of mourning. In RVA, we have seen protests in Monroe Park, on Broad Street, and down Monument Avenue to name a few. Below are some links to help us to keep these events in a Christian understanding—based on the promises we make in baptism—which we renewed on Pentecost Sunday.  

From the Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

From the Diocese of Virginia

From other Bishops around The Episcopal Church 
Vestry Videos Inspire Discernment Committee
For our parish feast day on June 7, Trinity Sunday, several Vestry members created videos addressing a trinity of questions about hope and the church. The Discernment Committee has chosen to feature these videos online as the search for a new Rector of Grace and Holy Trinity continues. If you missed them, check out the YouTube playlist . Interested candidates should apply through the Diocese of Virginia’s Office of Transition Management .
Building Update from Peter Knecht
To our family at Grace & Holy Trinity, we are happy to report that the church building has remained in good shape throughout recent events. No graffiti or damage has been done to church property. In addition, Peter and Roland have been on site regularly during the weeks, maintaining contact with the VCU police and continuing to monitor the security system. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to GHTC once allowed to do so!
Update Your Birthday
As we prepare to return to in-person worship we ask that you ensure we have your birthday on file. The more accurate our information the better we can prepare to re-open the church, as certain requirements for re-opening are dependent on the age demographics of the parish. You are also welcome to send us the decade of your birth if you are not comfortable with us knowing your exact birthday. If you would like to update your file please contact Judy or Shelby .
Youth Meditations
This is the second week of Youth Meditations. We need to hear from you! If you are in grades 6-12, or are parenting someone in this age range, or if you are interested in the work of youth, please make sure you share your thoughts and reflections. If you haven’t been getting the emails please contact Aaron Davis .
Learning Lectio Divina
One of the ECM students expressed an interest in learning a new way to meditate or pray during this Summer. In an “ordinary time” which is anything but ordinary, maybe you have a little more time on your hands (or maybe you don’t) and you’d like to be more intentional with your prayer time. One option is to practice Lectio Divina. Lectio is a four part practice to connect your mind, body and spirit. By focusing on scripture as the starting point we can expand our experience of the Holy, and connect with God at the foundational level. For a short introduction to this style of prayer see this video . If there is interest Mother Kim will lead a zoom call on Lectio Divina next week—email her to express your interest.
From Children, Youth, and Family Ministries: Scavenger Hunt and More
Next week, starting June 15, children and youth are invited to take part in a photo scavenger hunt. Each day families will get a message listing an object drawn from the Scripture readings for that day to photograph, and at the end of the hunt everyone's photographs will be compiled into a collage for us all to enjoy. Want to know more about the scavenger hunt? Or are you curious about Sacred Ground for Children and Youth, or Youth Compline? If you want to know more about everything going on in Children, Youth, and Family Ministries be sure to check out our June newsletter , and if you have any questions about content there or here just ask Aaron Davis .
Spread Positivity During Pandemic
We’re collecting video clips from parishioners about how life has changed during COVID-19 to include on our website each week. You can watch them on the home page of the website or see archived GHTC@Home videos on the church’s YouTube channel. Interested in sharing your story? Contact Barb Dodd or Shelby Scattergood to learn more or submit your video.
Congratulations!
Leo James McNevin was born late afternoon June 4, to Nick and Ellie Somerville McNevin. He is the great grandson of Lu Treadwell. Everyone is doing well and happy, happy, happy!
Thank You Larry!
Thank you very much to Lawrence Heath who has served as our wonderful Assistant Organist for the past two and a half years. Larry has concluded his ministry as Assistant Organist at Grace & Holy Trinity. His musical gifts of playing the organ for preludes, postludes, hymns, and service music, accompanying, and directing have truly enriched our music ministry. We look forward to thanking Larry and to celebrating his excellent music ministry in the near future. Thank you Larry for sharing your musical gifts and wonderful spirit with us!
Pastoral Care or Mental Healthcare?
You are not alone. Even if you are by yourself. There is no shame in asking for help. If you are struggling right now, Bill and Kim are here for you to support you in the way that is most appropriate. Clergy are not therapists or counselors but we can lend an ear and make professional recommendations where they are appropriate. Resources around issues like grief, depression, and anxiety abound; if you aren’t sure where to turn— this might be a good place to start. 
Psalm 23 and other Choices: Plan your Memorial Service
It may seem morbid, but in this time of the global pandemic, many of us are thinking of our own mortality. If you are considering what you would want your funeral to be like you can view materials on our website at your leisure. It is helpful if we know what you like, what you expect, and what you don’t expect for your funeral. Don’t assume that your family will know your favorite hymn or that you don’t want “that” reading. Contact the clergy for questions.
Participating in Online Worship
You can light candles, carry a cross, submit flower photos, or maybe even become a reader. Interested?  Send your photo, audio, or video files to  Shelby Scattergood ,  or contact her to learn more.
Books for Red Door Ministry
Aisha Huertas has been collecting good books to be shared with our Red Door Congregation. If you or someone you know would like to thin out your bookshelf and spread the wealth please email her to arrange a porch pick up. With the Libraries closed our book table gets cleared out every week!
Red Door T-shirt Sales Continue
The Red Door Ministry at GHTC is a space of healing, hospitality, and wholeness. This year we are holding a T-shirt fundraiser to support our ministry. The shirts are embroidered over your heart with the red door logo (use as the image, please). We are selling both adult and youth sizes. To place your order, visit this website . If you have questions regarding the sale, contact Andrew Peacock and see the shirts by watching this video .

If you’d like to make a donation directly without purchasing a t-shirt you can do so by writing a check to GHTC with “Red Door Donation” on the memo line or making a donation online.
Volunteering with Red Door Roadside
We are continuing our brown bag lunches at Red Door Ministry every Friday for the foreseeable future. To reduce risk and exposure, we ask that no more than 6-8 people are in the building over the course of the day. To volunteer, please contact our coordinator Isaiah King at 540.476.2325. Volunteers, please certify you are under the age of 65, in good physical health, and haven’t been exposed to anyone with COVID-19. At this point, we are keeping a social distance of 6 feet between volunteers and disinfecting food prep stations individually followed by a complete deep clean afterward by our sexton.