April 15, 2021

Beloved Church, 

I’m not quite sure what a regular Sunday morning is like at St. George’s. I’ve never seen the hustle and bustle, never had to dodge members of the altar guild hurriedly replacing oil in candles as I do my best attempt at pirouettes through the sacristy to get to the vestments. I’ve not yet enjoyed the looks of joy (and boredom) from kids on the rugs up front during a service. I certainly haven’t experienced the world-famous coffee hours. But one day, I will. We will. 

This past Sunday, we heard all about Thomas and trusting in things we haven’t yet seen. I’m not particularly good at that. You might think, priest that I am, and shiny new one at that, I might be a bit better at the whole trust and assurance thing, but alas, no. But of one thing I am sure: God is good, and God is with us. That’s what this whole Jesus thing is about, after all. For years God had sent messenger after messenger to the world to proclaim God’s faithfulness, until finally nothing would do but God coming in human form to tell us directly! 

Sometimes it might be hard to remember what Sundays used to look like. It might be hard to trust in something you haven’t seen recently (or, for our newcomers like me, ever seen). But as the hymn and St. Paul go, “we walk by faith and not by sight.” What does that faith look like? It’s reaching out to other parishioners to see how they’re doing, the ones you miss most. It’s remembering together all the work St. Georgians have done to witness to God’s mercy and love and how that work continues. It’s trusting that not for one moment have we ever been alone. It’s trusting that just like Jesus, church will return, in more jubilee than we’ve ever known. 

Although I have to say, I could really go for one of Jan’s cookies right about now. 

Yours in Christ, 

Fr. Will 

Please be aware that COVID-19 cases have been rising in our area. As of Thursday, April 15, the indicators are only slightly below the threshold set by the Diocese that would cause us to suspend in-person services.

We will proceed with our in-person services this Sunday, but please remember that any indoor gatherings carry some risk. Our decisions affect us personally but also impact all those with whom we come into contact. Use your best judgement when deciding whether to attend online and participate spiritually, attend online and then receive communion individually afterwards, or attend in-person.

 

Going forward, we will make the decision on Thursday, based on current data, whether or not to hold indoor, gathered services the following Sunday.

We are pleased to share our updated worship schedule with you. We look forward to safely gathering for worship and fellowship as a parish family, gradually implementing our regathering plan, approved by the Diocese.

Here is an overview of our worship schedule. We have plans for livestream and in-person worship offerings. Please stay tuned to our website and e-newsletter for more information on making reservations for in-person worship.

We will publish bulletins here on our website.

9 am: Rite II with Holy Communion - Worship in-person in our Nave. The service will also be livestreamed via YouTube Live. Reserve seats here.

10 am: Adult Formation via Zoom: www.zoom.us/join or call 929.205.6099

Webinar ID: 392 738 239; Password: 107758

11 am: Virtual Coffee Hour (same Zoom login as adult formation)

11 am - 12 pm: Distribution of Communion in the narthex for those who have participated in the prior online service.

5:30 pm: Celtic Evensong with Holy Communion in-person in our Nave. The service will also be livestreamed via YouTube Live. Reserve seats here. 

7:45 am: Rite I with Holy Communion - Worship in-person in our Nave. Reserve seats here.

9 am: Adult Formation via Zoom: www.zoom.us/join or call 929.205.6099

Webinar ID: 392 738 239; Password: 107758

10 am: Rite II with Holy Communion - Worship in-person in our Nave. The service will also be livestreamed via YouTube Live. Reserve seats here.

11 am: Virtual Coffee Hour (same Zoom login as adult formation)

11 am - 12 pm: Distribution of Communion in the narthex for those who have participated in the prior online service.

Our Celtic Evensong will be offered on the 3rd Sunday of the month at 5:30 pm. Reserve seats here.

We are planning to return to Shrine Mont for our annual parish fellowship weekend in the Shenandoah Valley, October 8 - 10.

Our theme is Reconnect to God’s Wonder – Cast Your Nets, as we hope to have a chance just to reconnect with each other and explore our common connections.

You can learn more about our Shrine Mont weekend and register here.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Your generous gifts help fund our ministries and serve the community. Thank you!

For example, this month your gifts helped us hold worship services in-person and online, including a funeral. These services are reaching people all over the world. Thank you to everyone who has begun their giving for 2021. If you haven’t gotten started yet, we hope you can make an offering this week.

You can make a one-time or recurring gift electronically or text to give (send a text message with the dollar amount [e.g. $50] to: 540.701.4133). You can also mail a check to the church office (P. O. Box 7127, Fredericksburg, VA 22404).

If you have any questions, please contact our Business Manager, Ben Hicks.

On April 30 and May 1, we will celebrate the anniversary when St. George’s parish was officially established. We will welcome the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry for two events. On April 30, from 7 - 8:30 pm, we will gather on Zoom for an interactive conversation with the Presiding Bishop. Register here. On May 1, at 11:00 a.m. we will unveil the new National Register of Historic Places plaque outside the church with a proclamation from the Mayor. We are postponing our commemoration Eucharist until a time when we can gather more fully in-person.

We are looking for ways to reduce paper and also make online worship easier. One way we are doing that is by publishing our weekly worship bulletins on our website. Each week, we will publish the service bulletins for the week to the same page on our website: www.stgeorgesepiscopal.net/bulletins. For in-person worship, we will have QR codes available that you can scan so we can easily view the bulletin on your smart phone or tablet. Thanks for helping us practice creation care!

Worship indoors, at least until the pandemic subsides significantly, will be different than we are used to. We will still glorify God, hear God’s word proclaimed and preached, pray for ourselves and the world, make offerings, participate in the mystery of the sacrament of Christ’s body, and be sent forth in the name of Christ. We wanted to share a little bit more about what the experience might be like. Imagine…

Green George, Green George, what do you see? I see little Dragons blooming in front of me! Please join us in supporting our little Dragons’ scholarship fund by sponsoring our flower garden this year. Our preschool families, both current and alumni, are busy creating art flowers for us to turn into an art collage. Large flowers can be sponsored for $100, small flowers for $25 and leaves for $10. Our fundraiser will run through April 20 and donations can be made to St. George’s Preschool by check mailed to St. George’s Episcopal Church, PO Box 7127, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 or online. All proceeds will benefit the preschool’s scholarship fund. For more information and to take a virtual tour of our preschool, please visit https://sgpreschool.wordpress.com.

We are so happy to announce that, as of May 4th, The Table will be back in person. We will gather in Market Square for one session each Tuesday 12 pm – 2 pm. If you’ve been missing volunteering and missing our shoppers, please fill out this survey and let us know how you can help. More info to come, but spread the word!

The Avis Harris ECW meets Wednesday, April 28 at 7 pm via Zoom. We invite current and prospective members to join in for a fun presentation on decluttering and downsizing by Mike D’Ostilio from the AARP Speakers Bureau. ECW membership is open to women of all ages, and we look forward to welcoming new members. Join the Zoom meeting via the link: Meeting ID: 836 5735 5799, Passcode: 233316. Or dial in using +1 301 715 8592.For inquiries, contact Vicki Lewis at vlewis007@verizon.net.

Join us for an engaging 6-week bible study on the Gospel of Mark with the Rev. David Casey. Mark invites us to explore themes of grace, suffering, judgment and more! We'll meet on Mondays for 1 hour either online (zoom meeting id: 452 387 1016) or in person on the picnic tables at 820 College Ave (the campus ministry house) at 6 pm starting on April 19 (ending May 24). For more information, please contact David.

Join St. Georgian’s praying the Daily Office (Morning and Evening Prayer) each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8 am and 5:30 pm. This is a great way to get into a habit of prayer, or to read more scripture and, in the words of Fr. Will, “the Daily Office will change your life.” All are welcome, no experience required. The Zoom information is below, and please contact Fr. Will with any questions.

Meeting ID: 890 4918 9545 Passcode: 638538 Dial in: +1 301 715 8592

If you would like to receive our parish prayer list via email, please sign up here. If you don't sign-up, we will not send it to you. The prayer list will continue to be included in our weekly service bulletin as well. We hope this will help create an intentional opportunity to reflect on the prayers and thanksgivings of those in our parish family. If you would like to request prayer for yourself or a loved one, please click here. You can also contact the church office directly.

Everyone is invited to request prayers from the prayer chain for immediate or ongoing concerns. Prayer chain participants will receive an email with requests for prayer. You can pray for that person in whatever way you feel called. No responses to the recipient are required. To join the prayer chain, email Ann Tebbutt who will add you to the list of those who are praying (you are also welcome to leave the prayer chain at any point). To submit a prayer for the prayer chain, also email Ann Tebbutt. You can include as little or as much information as you feel comfortable. Please feel free to contact Ann or Rev. Areeta for more information.

Please contact the office if you are a health care worker or first responder or if you are related to one. We would like to include names in a special section of our parish prayer list during this pandemic crisis.

St. George's has information and funds to help in a time of need. Please contact the church office or clergy for more information.

In preparation for Presiding Bishop Curry's visit with St. George's at the end of this month, join us to reflect on his latest book, 'Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times', a memoir and testimony to the power of Divine love in our world. This is part 1 of a two-part series.

To join, visit https://zoom.us/join and enter Meeting ID: 392 738 239 Password: 107758. To call in, dial 929.205.6099 and then enter Meeting ID: 392 738 239 Password: 107758 when prompted.

RBG is reading and learning with the understanding that reconciliation can only occur with shared truths. We welcome all to read and participate with an open mind and heart. Contact Marcia Russell or Anne Beals if you are not already on our email list and wish to participate. Our remaining schedule:

April 27: (Note date change!) Film: Selma, Directed by Ava DuVernay, facilitated by Malanna Henderson

May 18  Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabelle Wilkinson, facilitated by Suzanne Willis

June 15 Beyond a Binary God: A Theology for Trans Allies by Tara Soughers

July 20  Film: Malcolm X, Directed by Spike Lee

August 17 On Wings Of Freedom by Malanna Henderson, presented by Malanna Henderson

September 21 Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

St. George's second Racial Reconciliation Book Group has begun a new year of books, films and discussion. The next meeting is Tuesday, April 27 at 2 pm and they will be discussing Steve McQueen's 2013 film Twelve Years a Slave. The book group meets virtually (via Zoom) Contact Pam Jewett-Bullock or Anne Beals for information about the group.

The St. George's Book Group started their next book, The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind by Cynthia Beaugeault on Tuesday, April 13. It's not too late to join the conversation!

If you put aside what you think you know about Jesus and approach the Gospels as though for the first time, something remarkable happens: Jesus emerges as a teacher of the transformation of consciousness. Cynthia Bourgeault is a masterful guide to Jesus's vision and to the traditional contemplative practices you can use to experience the heart of his teachings for yourself. We meet weekly, virtually, on Tuesday evenings, from 7:15 - 8:30 pm. Contact Nanette Lofaro or Norah Hooper.

The Daughters of the King (DoK) are a community of women and girls, lay and ordained, joined together by a rule of life, which involves a commitment to service and prayer. They have an exciting year planned. For more information, please contact Candace Allshouse (dominiceltic@aol.com).