A Note from the Assistant Rector | | |
Dear St. Paul's,
This Sunday we will enter Holy Week with the Palm Sunday liturgy. This liturgy offers us a foretaste of the emotional rollercoaster that is Holy Week, as we move from waving our palms in celebration of Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem, to experiencing the Passion narrative and reliving the violence that humanity inflicted upon Him.
The stark contrast between celebration and betrayal is difficult to sit with, let alone participate in. Yet, embracing this discomfort is essential as we journey through Holy Week, as we remember Christ’s death and resurrection.
In our first Gospel reading for Palm Sunday, when the religious leaders complain that Jesus’s followers are too boisterous in their celebrations, Jesus responds by telling them, “If [my followers] were silent, the stones would shout out."
Later, we see in the passion narrative that those who were once celebrating Christ so joyfully were, in fact, silenced. Some even chose not just passive silence, but active denial in fear of being associated with Jesus.
And yet, the stones remained. The earth continued to shout and tremor as a witness to Christ’s pain and agony on the cross, right up until His last breath. Then, in one final shout, the curtain of the temple was torn with a loud ripping of the fabric.
As we enter into Holy week, let us hold this paradox—celebration and sorrow, joy and suffering—in our hearts. And when our voices falter, when we are silenced by fear, let us remember that Christ’s love will continue to demand our attention. Even in our world’s darkest hours, the hope of resurrection can never be silenced. Even the stones will continue to shout the good news of Christ.
Blessings,
– Caroline
The Rev. Caroline Carter
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Sunday, April 13
Palm Sunday
8 a.m. – Holy Eucharist with Liturgy of the Palms
10 a.m. – Holy Eucharist with Liturgy of the Palms
This service will begin with the Liturgy of the Palms in the grass near Brooks Hall, just across University Ave. The congregation will follow in procession to the church by way of the crosswalk at Chancellor St. Anyone who prefers to sit in the church and await the procession of the palms, or to watch from the front doors, is welcome to do so. Nursery care will be provided at this service and the service is also accessible via Zoom.
7:30 – Evening Prayer with Liturgy of the Palms, preceded by Sunday Supper for undergraduates at 6:30 p.m.
Monday, April 14, 8 p.m.
Chanted Compline
A brief, quiet, candlelit service of prayer, contemplation, and a few simple chants
Tuesday, April 15, 12:15 p.m.
Holy Eucharist
A simple midday Eucharist in the Chapel
Wednesday, April 16, 5:30 p.m.
Evening Prayer
A simple, brief service of Evening Prayer in the Chapel followed by a community dinner in the parish hall
Thursday, April 17, 6:30 p.m.
Maundy Thursday
Holy Eucharist with Foot Washing
On Maundy Thursday, Christ’s institution of the Eucharist – the Last Supper – is connected with his call to serve. At this service, the congregation is invited to participate in the ancient practice of foot washing. The service includes music with members of the Parish Choir and the Junior Choir.
Friday, April 18
Good Friday
Services at noon and 6:30 p.m.
Both services include the Solemn Collects for Good Friday, anthems, and hymns. At the 6:30 service, the Passion Gospel will be chanted by members of the Parish Choir.
Saturday, April 19, 7:30 p.m.
Great Vigil of Easter
The Great Vigil of Easter begins with the congregation gathered at the Memorial Garden for the lighting of the Paschal candle, and continues with a procession into the darkened church. Scripture, prayer, music, and Baptism by candlelight precede the proclamation of resurrection with lights, bells, flowers, and singing.
Reception following in the parish hall
Sunday, April 20
Easter Sunday
Holy Eucharist at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:15 a.m., and 7:30 p.m.
11:15 a.m. service also accessible via Zoom
Nursery care provided at the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services
Easter egg hunt on the front lawn following the 9 a.m. service
Morning Prayer in the Chapel and Morning Prayer on Zoom will both be held at 8 a.m. every weekday morning in Holy Week.
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Thanksgiving and Memorial Gifts for Easter – St. Paul’s is blessed by the ministry of our Flower Guild, parishioners who volunteer throughout the year to enhance our worship with beautiful floral arrangements. At Easter, the church is adorned with dozens of Easter lilies. Parishioners are encouraged to support the ministry of the Flower Guild by making thanksgiving and memorial gifts for Easter. The names of all who are remembered or honored will be printed in our Easter bulletins. You may add names to the Easter Lily list here, or by contacting Office Manager Alice Fitch: alice.fitch@spmcuva.org or 434-295-2156. The deadline to add names is next Monday, April 14, at noon.
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Easter Window Baskets – The Flower Guild invites parishioners of all ages to join in beautifying the church for Easter by helping to create the floral window baskets on Saturday, April 19, at 9 a.m. No experience needed; all are welcome. Whether or not you wish to help with arranging, please bring any flowering blossoms, branches, or greenery that you may have in your garden to the church by Saturday morning at 9 a.m. Cuttings from parishioners' gardens are much appreciated. We will have a short service of prayer in the Chapel at 9 a.m. to kick off our flowering event. Questions? Contact Carol Vincel at 434-962-7378.
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Easter Vigil Bells – The first proclamation of Easter happens every year partway through the Easter Vigil. It is a moment that is both solemnly joyous and raucously loud. Please come prepared to make some noise! Bells, car keys, rattles, and all festive noisemakers are welcome.
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Easter Egg Hunt – Our annual Easter egg hunt will take place on the front lawn immediately following the 9 a.m. service on Easter Sunday. Kids through grade 5 are invited to bring their own basket or bag and gather on the front steps. All candy is gluten-free and nut-free, and we'll have fruit snacks available if parents would like to execute a surreptitious swap!
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A Letter from the Presiding Bishop | |
The Good Friday Offering for the Church in the Middle East – Our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Sean Rowe, has again asked the whole Church to direct Good Friday offerings to the ministries of the Church in the Holy Land. The initial Good Friday Offering was the Episcopal Church's response to the devastation of World War I, the Spanish flu pandemic, and social and political unrest in the Middle East. Today the Good Friday Offering continues to support churches, medical facilities, and schools that provide essential material, medical, and spiritual services in a region riven by conflict. Donations to the Good Friday Offering may be offered at our Good Friday services or online.
| | Confirmation, Hospitality, and Ice Cream | | |
Confirmation – On Sunday, April 27, at the 10 a.m. service, St. Paul’s will welcome the Rt. Rev. Gayle Harris, Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia, for a pastoral visit at which she will preach, celebrate the Eucharist, baptize, and administer the sacraments of Confirmation and Reception. There will be one baptism, and fifteen St. Paul's parishioners – including teenagers, undergraduates, and other adults – are preparing to be confirmed or received.
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Welcoming guests from “the other” St. Paul’s – Dozens of our neighbors from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Ivy, including their rector the Rev. Justin McIntosh, will join us on April 27 to celebrate the Bishop’s visit and the thirteen SPI parishioners who will be confirmed or received in addition to our own.
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Ben & Jerry’s – Parishioners, visitors, and guests of all ages are invited to celebrate the Bishop and confirmands with refreshments on our front steps and lawn following the service. Our friends from Ben & Jerry’s will even be on hand to scoop ice cream from their mobile ice-cream cart!
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Baptism with water in the name of the Triune God is the essential, universal sign of Christian identity in all times and places and denominations. This spring, St. Paul’s offers baptism (for infants, children, and adults) at the Easter Vigil on the evening of Saturday, April 19; at the Bishop’s visit on Sunday, April 27; and at our Pentecost celebration on Sunday, June 8. If you have questions about baptism for yourself or for an infant or young child, please contact the church office (434-295-2156 or office@spmcuva.org).
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Diaconal Ordination of Judi Thomas – The Rt. Rev. E. Mark Stevenson, Bishop of Virginia, will ordain Judi Thomas to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Saturday, April 26, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s, Goochland (12291 River Road, Richmond). Judi was sponsored for ordination by Christ Church, Glen Allen, and served an academic-year internship at St. Paul’s in 2022-2023 as part of her training at the St. Phoebe School for Deacons. At St. Paul’s, she helped with pastoral care, worship leadership, and parish programming, and quickly became a beloved member of the parish community. All are invited to celebrate Judi and her ministry in person at St. Mary’s or online.
| | Holding each other's joys, sorrows, and concerns before God in prayer is a spiritual practice that characterizes our life together at St. Paul's. In our worship services we pray each other's prayers together. Outside of our time together many parishioners make it part of their daily lives to pray the prayers of the parish community. You are invited to participate in your own way. | |
Thanks be to God
for all the blessings of our lives, and for the faith, fellowship, and ministries of this parish community.
for the birth on April 9 in Washington, D.C., of Ario Aram Locke Najafi, grandson of Jack & Wendy Brown.
for the gracious hospitality of the parishioners who prepared and served soup for our Lenten Common Hour series: Winston Barham, Kirk Bigger, Jane Butler, Pam Dennison, Peggy Galloway, Rebecca Girvin-Argon, Vickie Gottlob, Lara Hall, Betsy Poist, Marty Sayler, DeeDee Slezak, Lloyd Snook, Kevin Warren, and Edwina Webster.
for the commitment of the 79 parishioners who attended IMPACT's Nehemiah Action this week, as we continue to strive for justice in our community.
for the faithful generosity of the St. Paul’s parishioners and friends who support our life and ministries.
Your prayers are requested
by members and friends of St. Paul’s for David, Pierce, Jim, Bob, Helen, John & Virginia Ritchie, Marianne Story, Kathy & Brett Blizzard, C.W. & Bill, Emily Merkel, David Lee, Keith, N., Chuck, Sharon, Mo Lowdon, Margaret, Logan Strzepek, Lucy Everett, Helen Reynolds, Townson, Karl, Joe Piorkowski, E., Jean, the McCullough family, Whit Worman, Jimmy White, Audi, Hunter, Virgil Corbin, Barbara & Paul Estes, Arlo, Clive & Wilma, M.C. & family, Paula, Fouad Fadil, Carrie, Grace, Sarah Donaldson, Kim, Katharine Scott, Joy, Lynne, Elizabeth, Hoy, Greg Alexander, Brant Hopper, Betsy, Jay, Catherine, Dianne Sprouse Mills, Ann, Leslie & her family, Lila, Aimee & Jeff, Neel, Holly & her family, Alise Martinez, Anne, Mary Brenda, John Gergen, Rhonda Corbin, Mildred Robinson, Charlotte, Ken Moulton, Angela Corbin, Mary Jane, Sammy, Philip Pretzinger, Alice Bijou, Steve, Marco, Vincent, Sonja, Wayne Cordani.
for St. Paul's this Holy Week, that our worship and prayers would prepare us to be faithful witnesses to God’s transforming love.
for Judi Thomas as she prepares for her ordination to the diaconate on Saturday, April 26, at St. Mary's, Goochland.
for those preparing for marriage, including Annabelle Gould & Kevin Schoelzel, to be married at St. Paul's on April 26.
for those preparing for baptism, including Augusta Halle, Makafui Vogel, and Selasi Vogel, to be baptized at St. Paul's on April 19; and Henry Smith, to be baptized at St. Paul's on April 27.
for those preparing for confirmation, including Winston Barham, Shannon Bittner, Katie Hall, Augusta Halle, Avery Hoppe, Vaino Judson, Sophia Kawecki, Langston Kerner, Taro Matsuno, Morgan-Elizabeth McKnight, Tomoya Nishira, and Margaret Viccellio, to be confirmed at St. Paul's on April 27; and for those preparing for reception, including Virginia Garey, Jack Martinez, and Evaline Mitchell, to be received at St. Paul's on April 27.
for the Rev. Elaine Ellis Thomas, former Associate Rector, who has been called to serve as Rector at St. John's, Essex, Connecticut.
for the people of Haiti, and especially for our partners at the Episcopal parish and school of Legliz Kris Roi (The Church of Christ the King) in Léger.
for Charlottesville and the University of Virginia, and for all our neighbors, including students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
for peace throughout the world, and for all who are threatened, injured, and bereaved by violence.
for Grace Church, Alexandria, and St. Luke's, Alexandria, according to the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer.
for the Church of England, according to the Anglican Cycle of Prayer.
for the nation and the world, for an end to violence, hunger, injustice, and oppression.
We commend to God’s never-failing care
the faithful departed throughout the world, and all those known to God alone.
all those we love but see no more, including Quick Carlson (Sarah Beth Holles' great grandfather), Ramon Kerk (Kirk Bigger's uncle), and Gregory B. Taylor.
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