April 4, 2024

View our Sunday 9 am livestream worship service on our YouTube channel here.

Easter is a Great Season 

Although we say it every year, it bears repeating: Easter is not just a Sunday; it is a season! For these Great Fifty Days the Church celebrates that Christ is risen and the implications this incredible news has for our lives.  

We spent forty days in a Holy Lent. We were called to self-examination and repentance, fasting, prayer, and self-denial, and reading and meditating on God’s Holy Word. We took a deep dive into our Baptismal Covenant as well. How was your Lent? 

The Great Fifty Days of Easter are holy too! While the Book of Common Prayer has a clear invitation to Lent, there is scant guidance on how to observe the Easter season other than to make sure we include lots of “Alleluias.” I wonder if we might flow from repentance into sustenance and from self-denial to fulfillment? Having turned again to Christ in repentance, how might we explore what we need individually and collectively to sustain that faith? Having gone through a season of abstaining in Lent, how could Easter be a time not merely to indulge ourselves but live more fully in joy?  

I encourage you to explore intentional observances during this season to bless one another and explore such questions. May these Great Fifty Days live up to their name. Christ is risen! Alleluia, alleluia!

Your rector and brother in Christ, 

Joe+

• 7:45 am: Holy Eucharist Rite I spoken worship
• 9:00 am: Holy Eucharist Rite II with Jazz Band and Choir. Also on YouTube Live.
• 11:15 am: Holy Eucharist Rite II with Organ and Choir
• 5:30 pm: Celtic Evensong with Holy Communion and Celtic Ensemble

YogaVoice Workshop with Mark Moliterno

During the month of April, St. George’s is offering the YogaVoice wellness program to the St. George’s community at no charge. No experience in Yoga is required, and all techniques are adaptable to ensure individual comfort and success. There will be three 1-hour introductory sessions led by Director of Music Ministries John Vreeland on April 8th, 15th, and 22nd at 7 pm in the choir room. The YogaVoice workshop, led by founder Mark Moliterno, will take place on April 26 – 28. You can find more information on our website or you can sign up here.

Pray for Haiti

In this time of further political instability, our partners at Notre Dame Parish and School in Port Au Prince need our prayers. The school and parish (Pere Geffrard Ricot, rector) remain open by the grace of God, a beacon of hope in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city as well as for the teachers and staff who remain employed there. St. George’s has continued to help fund the operations of the school. As always, if you would like to contribute to our Haiti funds, click here (and select the Haiti option in the giving menu) or send a check to St. George’s designated for Haiti mission. Our Easter Outreach Offering will benefit Notre Dame Parish (see below).

• Daily Office on Zoom: Join a group of St. Georgians praying Morning and Evening Prayer, Monday-Friday at 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. The service only takes about 20 minutes. Click here to join.
• Meeting ID: 890 4918 9545
• Passcode: 638538
• Dial in: +1 301 715 8592
• Wednesday Worship: Join us in the nave for the Holy Eucharist and optional healing prayers and anointing at noon.
• Centering Prayer: Our rector leads this simple and profound meditation practice, Thursday mornings at 8 am in Faulkner Hall. It Includes a short scripture reflection and some basic instruction about Centering Prayer. All are welcome.
• Friday Morning Bible Study: Explore the readings for the following Sunday. All are welcome! Bring your Bible, or we have plenty to share. Meets at 9:30 am in Faulkner Hall.
• Rector’s Daily Office Lectionary On-your-own Bible Study: Individuals read short passages on their own according to the daily schedule in the Prayer Book. Our rector sends a weekly email with the readings. reflection, resources, and encouragement to make Bible reading a regular habit. To sign up, please contact the rector.

Nursery:

• For our youngest St. Georgians, we offer nursery during the formation hour (and 9 am and 11:15 am worship services). Nursery caregivers Amy and Meredith welcome all babies, infants, and toddlers to the nursery for playtime.

Children (age 3 - 11): 

• age 3 – 2nd grade: Godly Play in the Preschool (lower level of McGuire) 
• 3rd – 5th grade: SPLASH (Spirit, Play, Love all spoken here), using a curriculum designed by the Episcopal Church, on the Youth Floor (3rd Floor of McGuire) Register your child here. 

Youth (6th - 12th Grade): 

• Youth Group meets 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings from 5 - 7 pm on the Youth Floor (accessed by the door to the church office off of the graveyard). All are warmly welcome; please contact Kate Long or Amy Bogardus for more information. 

Adults and Youth: 

• Adult Forum (Sydnor Hall) – This Sunday, we will kick off our next series, Life Together, which is all about relationships, with sessions on friendship, sex, parenting, and what Scripture has to say about each (it’s probably different than what you think!).

ECW Spring Meeting

The ECW (Episcopal Church Women) of the Diocese of Virginia will hold their Spring Meeting on Saturday, April 20 at St. Philip’s in Richmond. This event is open to all. The theme is “Created in Christ Jesus for Good Work, with keynote speaker the Rev. Canon Chanta Bhan, the Canon for Discipleship. Continental breakfast and buffet lunch will be provided. Fill out and mail in this form to register. All questions can be directed to the ECW President, Ericka Masias.

Over 80’s Luncheon – April 17 

We are celebrating our young at heart senior parishioners on Wednesday, April 17 at the Fall Over 80's Luncheon following the noonday Eucharist in Sydnor Hall. If you or someone you know at St. George's is over 80 years old and has not received an invitation to this event and wishes to attend, please reach out to Sheryl Stroud Bryant to RSVP by April 12. 

Upcoming Baptism Dates 

This Sunday we will baptize three new members into the body of Christ during the 11:15 service. Please pray for Imogene Rose Finn, Maeve Antonia Finn, and William Christopher Hinkebein. Our next baptism dates are May 19 (Pentecost), August 11 (note a change from our usual late summer date), and November 3 (All Saints Sunday). Please contact the Rev. Will Dickinson if you are interested in baptism. 

Are You Graduating in May? 

Please let our office know so that we can be sure to include all those completing high school, college, and graduate programs for a special blessing. 

Tuesday Evening Book Group at 7:15 pm via Zoom 

The Tuesday evening book group will be reading The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. The discussions will span six weeks beginning on April 9th (with the three introductory sections preceding “Day 1”) and ending on May 14th. Please contact John Graham (540.907.6521) or Dennis Hardy (540.548.4575) for more details, and to be added to the group email list and receive a weekly Zoom link to the meeting. All are welcome! 

Staff Update 

Our Chief of Staff, Laurel Loch, will be on sabbatical April 14 – July 6. While she is away, please contact the church office for assistance (540.373.4133 or by email). 

Concert Series Continues - April 21 

Our monthly concert series continues Sunday, April 21 at 3 pm with The Portland Guitar Duo. Don't miss this afternoon of classical guitar music. The concert is free with donations accepted at the door. 

Shrine Mont Sunday - April 28 

Join us at the Adult Forum on Sunday, April 30 at 10:15 am as we unveil the theme for this year's Parish Weekend, Oct. 11 - 13 at Shrine Mont! Registrations open that day. Any questions, please contact Danielle Davis. 

JaM Concert – Friday, April 26 

JaM (Jazz and a Mission) has their next concert Friday, April 26 at 7 pm at Fredericksburg Presbyterian Church. The concert features St. Georgians David Bronston and Malanna Henderson. Proceeds from the concert benefit Loisann's Hope House. 

Community Dinner 

On Monday nights we share a meal and a time of fellowship with our neighbors in need. Please consider joining us! We are looking for volunteers to assist on the second and third Monday each month. We are also looking for donations of desserts to share with our neighbors. You can sign up here. For more information or assistance signing up, please contact Diane Young. 

Our Holy Week and Easter services were especially meaningful and joyful this year. Thank you to everyone who made these services so special through their offerings of time and skill. Special gratitude goes to our Flower Guild, Altar Guild, Musicians, our clergy and staff, ushers, greeters, readers, acolytes, Eucharistic ministers, livestream technicians, and “Hilda” (our copier, who produced over 1600 bulletins!).  

You can follow the links below to the picture albums published on our Facebook. You do not need a Facebook account to view the photos.

Palm Sunday

Maundy Thursday

Liturgy of the Light

Easter Egg Hunt

Easter Flowers

Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday