February 2015
The Seasons of Epiphany and Lent
Sunday, February 22
The Reverend Dr. Brian K. Blount
President, Union Presbyterian Seminary
To Preach at St. Mary’s Church
Dr. Brian K. Blount, President and Professor of
New Testament at Union Presbyterian Seminary,
Richmond, VA, and Charlotte, NC, will preach at
the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services at St. Mary’s
on Sunday, February 22. Dr. Blount was called to
this leadership and academic position at Union
Seminary in 2007, after serving for 15 years as the
Richard J .Dearborn Professor of New Testament
Interpretation at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Dr. Blount received his B.A. from the College of
William and Mary in 1981, his M. Div. from
Princeton Seminary in 1981 and his Ph. D. from
Emory University in 1992.
Professor Blount’s primary work has been in the
Gospel of Mark, the Book of Revelation and in the
area of cultural studies and Biblical interpretation.
He is the author of numerous books and articles and lectures widely. He also preaches and directs adult education classes in local congregations. Dr. Blount and his wife Sharon have two
children, Joshua and Kaylin.
St. Mary’s Church welcomes Dr. Blount and we look forward to his preaching of the Gospel.
2●ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Dover Parish in the Diocese of Virginia
12291 River Road
Richmond, VA 23238
Telephone: (804)784-5678 Fax: (804) 784-1940
E-Mail Address: info@stmarysgoochland.org
Website: www.stmarysgoochland.org
St. Mary’s School Telephone: (804) 784-2049
Episcopal Leadership
The Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Rev. and Rt. Honorable Justin Welby
The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
The Bishop of Virginia
The Right Rev. Shannon Sherwood Johnston
The Bishop Suffragan
The Right Rev. Susan E. Goff
Assistant Bishop
The Right Rev. Edwin F. Gulick, Jr.
stmarysgoochland.org
From the
Parish Register:
Transfers In:
16 January 2015
Rebecca Johnson from
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA
Baptisms
11 January 2015
11 January 2015
Reid Coleman Ash
Chase Arey Houghtaling
As part of St. Mary's Outreach programs, we will again be hosting 40
Rector
The Rev. Dr. John E. Miller
men as our guests for CARITAS durAssociate Rector
The Rev. Eleanor L. Wellford
Interim Associate Rector
ing the week beginning January 31,
The Rev. Louise Browner Blanchard
2015 and continuing to February 7,
Minister to Children & Youth
The Rev. Kristopher D. Adams
2015. We will be responsible for housNursery Director
Meg Zehmer
ing, cooking a nourishing dinner and
Organist & Choirmaster W. Dwight Graham
providing bagged breakfasts and
Parish Administrator
Gina M. Alexander
Parish Secretary
Lori R. Smiley
lunches to be sent with our guests
Parish Sexton
Paul E. Pace
during the day. We will assist with
Assistant Sexton
Gersain Agudelo
personal laundry, provide transporThe Parish Vestry
tation for showers at the YMCA and
Senior Warden
Richard G. Lundvall
make our guests as comfortable as
Junior Warden
Jane DuFrane
Treasurer
Howard E. Cobb
possible. Your generosity over the
Register
Michelle D. Lewis
years has made this outreach project
Class of 2016
both meaningful and successful for
William Gooch
everyone involved. Thank You!
Michelle Lewis
The Parish Staff
Richard Lundvall
Benjamin Weimer, Jr.
Class of 2017
Scott Barton
Jane DuFrane
Steve Guza
Brantley Holmes
Class of 2018
Betsy Rawles
Bruin Richardson
David Rose
Charmaine Trice
Your CARITAS Committee
To see how CARITAS is changing lives, check
out this link: http://youtu.be/2lMPaLhQJok
stmarysgoochland.org
ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●3
Good Tidings for All
A Sermon for Christmas Day
25 December 2014
John Edward Miller
Rector
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus
that all the world should be registered. This was the first
registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of
Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph
also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to
the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be
registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was
expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for
her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn
son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a
manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the
Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone
around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to
them, “Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good
news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in
the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This
will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands
of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was
with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God
and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on
earth peace among those whom he favors!”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the
shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has
made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary
and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they
saw this, they made known what had been told them about
this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the
shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and
pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it
had been told them.
-Luke 2:1-20
The Collect
O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth
of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully
receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.
We retell the Nativity story year after year, and yet it
never fails to inspire us. From the pageants of our childhood
to the candlelight services that have made this night radiant
at every stage of our journey, the story of the Messiah’s birth
always finds room in the inn of our heart. As we hear it read,
or study its meaning, or teach it to our children, the story’s
great gift is that it touches us at many levels. There is always
more to understand, and more to digest in these majestic
words. That is good news for us who have gathered to praise
and thank God for the miracle of Christmas.
Our reading from Luke’s Gospel is the classic version of
the Nativity story. We connect to the text immediately because it is deeply etched on our memory. The story’s picturesque parts are so embedded in our Christian life that we can
mentally recite them as the gospel text is read on this holy
night. They compose a thoroughly familiar and comforting
narrative that smoothly flows, beginning with the decree
from Caesar Augustus, and proceeding with the trek to the
little town of Bethlehem, Joseph’s birthplace. We recall that
Mary, his betrothed, was great with child, and remember the
“no vacancy” sign in the inn, the make-do shelter of a stable,
the onset of labor and the birth of baby Jesus, the mother’s
improvised swaddling of her infant in bands of cloth, and her
fixing him a bed of straw in a manger, and the animals’ feeding trough. These are the essentials of the holy family’s sojourn in Bethlehem. We’ve known and cherished them from
childhood.
And we also know that there is more to the story. The
scene soon shifts to the Judean hill country, and we move
from the cozy crèche to a chilly pastoral setting. We see
shepherds huddled together for warmth in the night. They are
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(Continued from Page 3)
keeping watch over their flock, protecting them from marauding thieves and predatory animals. Suddenly, an angel of
God pierces the darkness with his luminous being. The shepherds are more than startled; they are terrified. Luke tells us
that the angel has to calm them before he delivers his earthshaking message, exclaiming, “Don’t be afraid!” And then
he declares, “Behold – I am bringing you good news of great
joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a
sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth
and lying in a manger.”
As if this weren’t enough to comprehend, the birth announcement ends with a spectacular display of light, sound,
and a chorus of the heavenly host, whose song echoes from
the hillsides, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on
earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels
depart, the bewildered shepherds get their heads together and
decide to check this out for themselves. Hastily they scamper
back to Bethlehem, where they found the stable and the holy
family, whose baby was humbly wrapped in swathing bands,
lying in a manger. When they realized that they hadn’t been
hallucinating, but had
really been sought out
and addressed by an angel, the shepherds couldn’t stop talking about
what they had seen and
heard in the night. And
everyone who heard the
shepherds’ tale was
amazed – even mother
Mary, who quietly wondered at the message they
bore to Bethlehem.
As for the shepherds
themselves, that night changed their life. The impact of the
visit by the heavenly host was deep. They were transformed
by the angel’s message, lifted up from their lowly estate, and
empowered to respond courageously to what they had heard.
This was no small matter. The transformation of the shepherds is something that we often miss amidst the familiar
details of the Nativity. To us shepherds often seem to be romantic figures – pastoral poets like David, who writes
psalms of praise as he watches his sheep. Or perhaps we
think of divine metaphors, such as “the LORD is my shepherd,” and Jesus’ statement, “I am the Good Shepherd of the
sheep.” These images fill our vision when we imagine the
shepherds “abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their
flocks by night.” It is easy to view shepherds with admiring
contemporary eyes, rather than to dig into the pre-Christian
past when they were despised.
Luke’s story uses irony to illustrate Jesus’ teaching that
“the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.” At the time
of the Nativity shepherds were the very last; they were regarded as riffraff on the margins of society. One commentator notes that shepherds stood on the lowest rung of the
Judean social ladder: “They shared the same unenviable
status as tax collectors and dung sweepers.”1 The Jewish
Mishnah, the oral interpretation of the Law, refers to shepherds as “incompetent,” and not worthy to be rescued from
falling into a pit. Dr. Joachim Jeremias2 explained that shepherds were refused any civil rights; they were despised as
sinners, and thought to be untrustworthy, dishonest rogues.
How did it get that way? Why were they the butt of jokes
and the victims of discrimination? Some say that these attitudes arose during the Hebrews’ time in Egypt. There they
encountered a culture that thought sheep were only worthy of
sacrifice, and not as a food source. In addition, the smoothshaven Egyptians regarded the rough-hewn Hebrew shepherds as inferior beings. In the Jacob saga in Genesis, his
sons are advised to call themselves cattlemen, because
“every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” 3 That’s
a tough reputation to live with, and live down. Over time,
they seemed to become what bigots thought of them. Their
image was elevated briefly during King David’s rule, but it
did not stick. It’s important to remember that David himself
was the last of Jesse’s sons to be evaluated by the prophet
Nathan. Even someone
with his royal stature
could not resurrect the
status of shepherds. It
would take a Messiah to
restore their sense of
worth.
Thus it was a bold and
unique move for Luke to
introduce and feature
shepherds in the narrative
of the Messiah’s birth.
“In this social context of
religious snobbery and
class prejudice, God’s Son stepped forth,” said one interpreter of the event. “How surprising and significant [it was]
that God handpicked lowly, unpretentious shepherds to first
hear the joyous news: ‘It’s a boy, and He’s the Messiah!’” 4
But of course that’s precisely the point. Like every other
feature of the narrative, Luke’s Nativity underscores the virtues of lowliness, meekness, and humility with the choice of
shepherds as the first hearers of the news. Mary and Joseph
were in effect homeless for the night in Bethlehem. Their
baby was born in the earthiest of places – a stable, where
animal aromas and residue, rather than hygienically clean
conditions, prevailed. The baby, the Son of the Most High,
the King of kings and Lord of lords, was placed in an animal’s feeding trough. He was wrapped in strips of the poorest cloth instead of a fresh smelling swaddle from the hospital laundry. Moreover, his meek family was together, welcoming this little life as though they were married. But not
only had Mary “known not a man,” but she and Joseph were
yet to have the benefit of clergy to bless their union. All of
these essentials are opposite what Hollywood would write to
signal the birth of God’s Son. That’s a good thing, though,
God becomes human to
save all of us – from the
least to the greatest of
his precious creatures.
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ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●5
because there is no screenwriter who could have envisioned
what God was doing for the sake of all of us.
So the shepherds were a divine choice. They got the message because they had no pride to deflect it. Years of being
the object of prejudice had eliminated their ego, and that
made them perfectly receptive to what the angel had to say.
Shepherds had nothing to lose and everything to gain. They
who had been treated as the last became the first to hear: “Do
not be afraid,” said the angel to those lowly shepherds, “for
see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the
people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
The haughty would likely not have heard that. When
Herod later learned that the Messiah had been born, his first
reaction was to destroy rather than to celebrate. Pretension is
a shield – an attempt to keep anxiety at bay. However, believing that fervently in our own importance entails labeling
others insignificant, or odious. It is the pride that crushes
others in its path. That defensive shield has a high cost. It
treats people like things, and shuts out everything outside our
self, including the best of all possible gifts, the announcement of our salvation.
It takes openness to comprehend a message such as that.
Ironically, the humble and the lowly may have an advantage
over the proud and the privileged when it comes to being
open to the grace of God. They hear things that others don’t,
because they have no insulation.
Last week the students of Elk Hill convened in the bright,
open space of the chapel built as a place of peace and hope
for all people. The chapel building is an octagon of wood and
glass. Some of the windows are stained glass, representing
the seasons of the year, but others are clear portals for all to
see the beauty of Elk Hill’s Goochland campus. As the light
streams into the chapel, worshippers are invited to gaze out
into the pastureland that surrounds it. There are cattle there,
and no sheep, but it is an easy stretch of the imagination to
envision shepherds keeping watch over their flock.
That’s because Elk Hill has many able pastors tending
the sheep – counselors, mentors, teachers, cooks, farmers,
industrial arts workers, and administrators that oversee the
care of young men and women who come to Elk Hill’s programs from desperate settings in Virginia’s cities and small
towns. The students are one step away from incarceration or
admission to hospitals for the mentally ill. Throughout the
years I have served on the board of Elk Hill, I have become a
chaplain to the students and their shepherds. I have watched
the profile of those we serve move from the slightly misguided youth to the emotionally damaged and abused. That
downward trend in the profile means that the children and
youth are more and more the “last” in our culture’s social
order. Consequently, it takes increasing ingenuity and intensive care to get to them before they go over the edge.
When we came together in the chapel it was to celebrate
Christmas, emphasizing the gifts of friendship, family, and
faith – in God and in oneself. My role was to summarize all
of the parts of the service – the songs, the poems, the skits,
and their Christmas wishes with a prayer. There is always
something profound about the simplicity of what the students
offer. This year it was the Christmas wish of a young man
from Charlottesville. His name is David, and he is a sensitive
soul that has been hurt deeply by tormenting cruelty. Elk
Hill’s leaders selected him to be one of three to share a wish
for the season. His testimony quieted a chapel full of hungry,
rambunctious youth, and it strongly affected me with its innocent candor.
David stood at the lectern, slightly bent over to come
within the range of the microphone. He is over six feet tall,
but his meekness is reflected in his slouch. Standing there,
dressed in black slacks and vest, a black tie knotted at the
neck of his clean white shirt, and sporting a pair of back
sneakers, David fiddled with a paper, and mumbled that he
was just going to speak off the top of his head. He started to
talk, then choked up, and paused for several seconds. He put
his hand over his face, covering his black horn rim glasses. A
voice from the crowd said, “Take your time.” Then someone
else said, “Breathe.” That may have been the turn of the tide
of his emotion, because David looked out at us and said, “I
want to thank Elk Hill for believing in me, and helping me
overcome a lot of problems.” There was a sound of approval
from his peers and his caregivers. Then he proceeded, “My
Christmas wish is this: that everyone could have someone
that he can be himself with, and not be afraid.” He returned
to his seat with tears and a smile amidst a standing ovation.
Like young David from Elk Hill, the shepherds sorely
wished that someone would take them seriously. And God
did. Christmas is the story of God’s love seeking out and
saving lost causes. The Nativity makes real God’s possibilities offered to all people in terms that seem impossible on the
face of it. The shepherds were the first to get the Word, and
that is the greatest good news for the rest of us. God’s choice
to greet them with the news of the Messiah’s birth means
that no one needs to be qualified to receive God’s love. In
fact God goes the ultimate distance to love and redeem us all.
Jesus became a shepherd to save the lot – which is the way
God’s love works: God becomes human to save all of us –
from the least to the greatest of his precious creatures.
All we have to do is to listen, and to trust the angel who
said, “Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good
news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in
the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Dear friends, let us go unto Bethlehem, and stand with
the shepherds at the manger of Christ, and see this thing
which is come to pass. Merry Christmas to all! Amen.
_____________
1
http://www.epm.org/resources/2008/Mar/11/shepherds-status/
Joachim Jeremias, who died on September 6, 1979, was a German
Lutheran theologian, who specialized in Near Eastern studies and
New Testament.
3
Genesis 46:34.
4
http://www.epm.org/resources/2008/Mar/11/shepherds-status/
2
6●ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015
stmarysgoochland.org
Knowing and Being Known
A Sermon for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany
John 1:43-51
18 January 2015
Louise Browner Blanchard
Interim Associate Rector
LORD, you have searched me out and known me;
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You trace my journeys and my resting places
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Indeed, there is not a word on my lips,
but you, O LORD, know it altogether.
Psalm 139
Good morning. First of all, thank you all for welcoming
me so warmly to St. Mary’s. I can’t tell you how happy I am
to be here over the next several months and what an honor it
is to work with John and Eleanor and all of you. I look forward to getting to know you all better.
And there are a few things that you should probably
know about me. You may have heard that I’m married to a
great guy named Buck. He’s the Director of Mission and
Outreach for the Diocese of Virginia, and we have four children who are in college or beyond. In addition to being a
priest, I’m a former lawyer and even know a few of you from
that time. Let’s see...years ago, I was a docent at the Virginia
Museum of Fine Arts, and it’s still one of my favorite things
I’ve ever done. And there are a couple of other things that I
might as well admit to you up front: I’m an avid reader of
People magazine AND my ideal Sunday afternoon includes
reading the Styles section of the New York Times.
Now that I’ve admitted that, let me tell you a bit about an
essay in last Sunday’s Style section. It was entitled “To Fall
in Love with Anyone, Do This,”1 and it recounted two people’s experience of asking each other 36 questions2 that a
psychologist had designed to make people fall in love. All of
the questions were relatively straightforward; the first one
was “Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would
you want as a dinner guest?” But they were organized in
increasing order of intimacy, sometimes disarmingly so. For
example, one of the last questions was “If you were to become a close friend with your partner, please share what
would be important for him or her to know.”
Well, clearly this column struck a chord with more peo-
ple than me because it’s been on the New York Times list of
most emailed articles all week and remains there today. Articles on the economy, global warming, the Supreme Court,
and terrorism have come and gone, but this essay about how
we might fall in love continues to pique the interest of a lot
of people. And why not? Nearly all of us yearn for love. As
the author herself concludes, the story is about “what it
means to bother to know someone, which is really a story
about what it means to be known.” In other words, when two
people make the choice to love one another by knowing one
another, by being vulnerable to and with one another - not
just by riding the wave of attraction or enchantment or infatuation - it is thrilling and terrifying...and also life-giving
and sustaining.
Which is, after all, the story of our faith, as well. To be
sure, there are many aspects of it, but the Christian faith is
ultimately about Love with a capital “L”...We are called by a
God who made himself known not just by lovingly creating
this world, but by turning over its stewardship to us; a God
who made himself known not just by revealing himself in the
person of Jesus, but by entrusting that person to us; a God
who, despite the messes we have made of the gifts of creation and his son, continues to beckon us into relationship and
redeem us through his unfailing love. Ultimately, and at its
best, our faith is the story of the relationship between a God
who knows each of us and wants to be known by us...It is
also, importantly, about a God who repeatedly shows us that,
just as it is between two people who love one another, vulnerability is as essential to that relationship as power and
strength.
That knowing and being known, and that vulnerability,
are important themes of today’s scripture readings. God entrusts Samuel, who is merely a boy, to be a prophet; God
calls Samuel by name until he answers. The psalmist speaks
wondrously of a God who knows everything about us – our
thoughts, words, and actions - a God who created us and
knows our bodies better than we ourselves. How marvelous...and scary! Like love itself.
That knowing and being known, and the inherent vulnerability of that knowledge, are essential components of
today’s Gospel reading, as well. After last week’s dramatic
story of Jesus’ baptism by John in the river Jordan and the
voice from heaven, today’s Gospel is decidedly less spec-
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ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●7
tacular. Jesus understands that he is God’s beloved son, but
what does that mean? Even Jesus doesn’t get explicit instructions from God, so, relying on what he does know, Jesus
makes the decision to go to Galilee.
He has already been joined by Andrew and Philip, who
were witnesses to the earlier voice of God, which is bound to
be mighty persuasive. But not many of us actually hear a
voice that we are sure belongs to God. Philip, for example,
seemingly accepts Jesus‘s invitation to follow him on a
hunch, an intuition, which is still pretty amazing. Philip, in
turn, finds Nathanael and urges him to follow Jesus, but Nathanael is not so easily convinced. Now, that’s something
that most of us can relate to. But as Nathanael walks toward
Jesus, Jesus greets him in a way that somehow resonates
with Nathanael. Nathanael asks very specifically, “Where
did you know me?” and Jesus makes clear that he remembers
seeing Nathanael under the fig tree. It is that combination of
knowing and being known that convinces Nathanael to join
Philip, Andrew, and Peter on the path of discipleship. Based
on some combination of knowing and being known by God,
by Jesus, and by each other, they take a chance and step into
a future they cannot possibly predict. Talk about vulnerability! Talk about love...
And now, 2,000 years later, each of us is part of the tapestry of faith in a God who knows us intimately and invites
us to reciprocate. It’s not a relationship built on factual
knowledge; even the Gospel writers don’t agree on all the
facts. It’s not a relationship built on how we behave, for the
worst among us sometimes profit, and the best of us sometimes face immeasurable obstacles. Faith can come alive in
an instant - for instance, when a child is born - and yet it asks
us to be so vulnerable as to entrust that child to God. Not
surprisingly, for many of us, it’s sometimes a relationship of
one step forward and two steps back...If God created this
beautiful earth, how can such awful things happen on it? And
yet - sometimes in awesome revelation, but often in bits and
pieces - through prayer and revelation and trust - through
love - God somehow makes himself known to us and sustains us.
The role of the community of faith is essential for most
of us in this journey of knowing and being known. Just as
Philip encouraged Nathanael in today’s Gospel, we encourage each other. Look at St. Mary’s...built by a grief stricken
mother who had lost her baby girl, dedicated originally to the
welfare of local coal miners, this church has a history of
hearing God’s call, stepping forth to meet it and ultimately
thriving in the process.
There are countless examples, I’m sure. One that I
learned about this week is Goochland Free Clinic & Family
Services. Seventy-five years after the founding of St. Mary’s,
parishioners were instrumental in founding Goochland Fellowship and Family Services, which was committed to providing assistance to individuals and families who were not
eligible for state or federal aid. The founding women were so
committed that they originally operated out of their own
kitchens. In 1998, St. Mary’s parishioners founded the Free
Clinic of Goochland in response to the heath care crisis that
still exists for many individuals who cannot obtain health
insurance. Not long after, parishioner Sally Graham,
strengthened and encouraged by her Education for Ministry
group here at St. Mary’s, went to work at the Clinic and now
serves as the Executive Director of the combined organizations. Several others of you serve on its board or volunteer
your services, and I have no doubt that your service is enhanced and perhaps even sustained by your faith and the life
of this community.
We don’t have to look beyond the walls of St. Mary’s,
though to see the love of God at work. Each of us who are
here this morning is here, at least in part, in response to some
call to know and be known by God. Whether we realize it or
not, we are being fed by the prayers that we say, the scripture
that we hear, and the communion that we take. In ways that
we cannot begin to predict, we are being strengthened and
prepared for whatever comes our way. When we can’t do it
individually, we can do it together. We are known, and
somehow we know it. We are loved.
I look forward to being on the journey of knowing and
being known with you.
_______________
1
Mandy Len Catron, “To Fall in Love with Anyone, Do This,” New
York Times, posted January 9, 2015; http://
www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/fashion/modern-love-to-fall-in-lovewith-anyone-do-this.html.
2
See Daniel Jones, “No. 37: Big Wedding or Small,” New York
Times, posted January 9, 2015; http://
www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/fashion/no-37-big-wedding-orsmall.html.
The St. Mary’s NEWSLETTER is published monthly from September through May, with one summer edition, as a ministry to
the members and friends of Dover Parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. The views and information expressed herein are guided by
the mission statement of our parish:
We are a community of faith that worships and learns together, welcomes all people, and serves the needs of others in gratefulness for
God’s love and grace revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Editor-in-Chief
The Reverend John Edward Miller, Ph.D., Rector
Managing Editor
Mrs. Lori Remington Smiley, Parish Secretary
Staff Photographers
The Parish Staff
Contributors
The Lay Leadership and Professional Staff of Dover Parish
The regular deadline for submission of articles for publication is the fifteenth day of each month.
8●ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015
stmarysgoochland.org
CHILDREN & YOUTH MINISTRIES
The Rev. Kristopher D. Adams
Minister to Children and Youth
CALENDAR AT A GLANCE
Sunday, February 1
Children Sing “CARITAS Song” in New St. Mary’s (11:00am)
Youth Super Bowl Party for CARITAS Guests (5:30-8:00pm)
Friday, February 6
Youth Game Night for CARITAS Guests (5:30-8:00pm)
Saturday, February 7
CARITAS Take Down (9:00am)
Sunday, February 8
Children’s Lesson in New St. Mary’s (11:00am)
Wednesday, February 11
Callen Tyson Blood Drive (9:00am-3:00pm)
Tuesday, February 17
Mardi Gras Pancake Supper (5:30-7:00pm)
Saturday, February 21
Youth Food Packing (3:00-6:00pm)
Sunday, February 22
Winter Picnic—benefitting Summer Youth Mission Work
Wednesday, February 25
Lenten Parish Supper with Children’s Movie (5:30-7:00pm)
WINTER PICNIC FOR YOUTH MISSION WORK UPDATE
Thank you to everyone who
came out to our Winter Picnic
in support of our summer
youth mission work! Through
your generous donations, we
raised $200 to put towards
our mission projects! Special
thanks go the Parish Advisory
Council for their help!
OUR NEXT
WINTER PICNIC
WILL BE HELD
ON SUNDAY,
FEBRUARY 22
following the 11:00am service
stmarysgoochland.org
ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●9
CHILDREN’S CARITAS SONG
Sunday, February 1, 11:00am
To mark the start of our CARITAS week, our children (age 3—grade 5) will share a special
song during the 11:00am service in New St. Mary’s. We will be singing our “Caritas Song”
based on Matthew 25:31-46. If you would like to listen to the CARITAS song so that your children can sing along at home, please watch our video from last year:
CARITAS SONG: http://youtu.be/wAHX0EacQb0
CARITAS YOUTH EVENTS
Super Bowl Party
Sunday, February 1, 5:30-8:00pm
Friday, February 6, 5:30-8:00pm
Super Bowl Party (Sunday, February 1) – St. Mary’s youth will serve and clean up from supper, watch the Super Bowl, and meet and greet our CARITAS guests. Games (checkers, chess,
cards, etc.) will also be on hand for those who may not wish to watch the game. Please note
that the youth will not be doing any food preparation on this evening, and supper will be
provided. Please RSVP using the link below.
Game Night (Friday, February 6) – St. Mary’s youth will gather together and pack breakfast
and lunch bags for our CARITAS guests, eat supper, and then play various games with our CARITAS guests – including bingo! Parents are needed to sign up to bring food items for packing
breakfasts and lunches. Please RSVP using the link below.
YOUTH CARITAS EVENTS: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48acaa29aafe3-caritas3
CARITAS TAKE DOWN
Saturday, February 7, 9:00am
We need some strong arms and sturdy backs to help us take-down some large, heavy items
after our CARITAS guests leave. If you would be willing to lend a hand, please plan on joining
us on Saturday, February 7, at 9:00am for us to take down all of our CARITAS items. Please
note that this event is open to all youth and adults, just let us know if you plan on joining us
using the link below.
CARITAS TAKE DOWN:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48acaa29aafe3-caritas2
10●ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015
stmarysgoochland.org
CHILDREN’S LESSON IN NEW ST. MARY’S
Sunday, February 8, 11:00am
Join us Sunday, February 8, for our children's sermon during the
11:00am service in New St. Mary's. Rather than having our lesson in
the Block Room, we will share our lesson together in the front of
New St. Mary's before our dismissal! Children in grades 1-5 should
go with their parents into worship as they usually do. Children ages
3-6 should go by their classrooms to sign in first, and then go with
their parents into worship. After the children's lesson, all children
(age 3-grade 5) will be dismissed to the Block Room.
CALLEN TYSON BLOOD DRIVE (PART II)
Wednesday, February 11, 9:00am-3:00pm
Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Callen Tyson Blood
Drive! Your support was overwhelming, with 55 individuals who registered
online to donate and a total of 40 successful donations! For most of the
day, the drive operated at full capacity, and we were so pleased to see
many walk-ins join us as well.
Our second Callen Tyson Blood Drive will take place on Wednesday, February
11, from 9:00am-3:00pm. We need at least 45 individuals willing to donate
their blood again, so please prayerfully consider supporting this important
cause. If you donated in the last drive, there is enough time before this second drive for you to be eligible to donate again.
Sign Up Today:
http://www.stmarysgoochland.org/event/callen-tyson-blood-drive-2/
MARDI GRAS PANCAKE SUPPER
Tuesday, February 17, 5:30-7:00pm
Make sure that you save the date for our annual Mardi Gras Pancake Supper
on Tuesday, February 17, from 5:30-7:00pm. St. Mary's children's ministries
will provide lots of fun activities for the children as families enjoy a delicious pancake supper! Youth (Grades 6-12) are encouraged to help with the
games and activities, especially running bingo for our little ones. This supper
offers a festive pause before our Lenten prayer and reflection, and we hope
to see you there! A sign up for those interested in helping with our Mardi
Gras children’s activities, will be available shortly!
stmarysgoochland.org
ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●11
YOUTH FOOD PACKING
for Goochland Family Services
Saturday, February 21, 3:00-6:00pm
We hope you will plan to join us for a pioneer outreach opportunity in cooperation with
Goochland Family Services, St. Mary's Outreach Committee, and St. Mary's Youth! Please join
us on Saturday, February 21, from 3:00-6:00pm as we pack 150 pounds of flour for distribution through Goochland's food pantry. A pizza dinner will be provided for all youth who attend, and we will be playing MANHUNT with any time left over after our food packing. Please note that for our first attempt at food packing, we are limiting our sign up to
the first twelve youth who RSVP!
Sign Up for Food Packing: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48acaa29aafe3-youth2
CHILDREN’S LENTEN MOVIE NIGHTS
FOLLOWING LENTEN PARISH SUPPERS
Wednesdays, February 25, March 4, 18, & 25, 5:30-7:00pm
Throughout Lent, St. Mary's hosts several parish suppers from 5:30
-7:00pm. On these evenings, we are encouraging families with
children to share their supper together from 5:30-6:15pm. At
6:15pm after eating their dinner, the children (kindergarten grade 5) will be dismissed for our Lenten Movie Nights. Our
Lenten movies will feature the Veggie Tales as they retell some
of the great biblical stories in fun ways for our little ones.
Childcare will be available upon request, so please contact Kris
Adams (kadams@stmarysgoochland.org) at least one week in advance if you have a child who will need nursery care (birth - age
6).
Please RSVP if your child(ren) will share in this fun and exciting
time with us using the sign up below! Also, parent volunteers are
needed to help host these children’s movie nights,
so please let us know if you can help using the same RSVP sign up
below. We hope to see you there!
Children’s Lenten Movie Nights Sign Up:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48acaa29aafe3-childrens
For more information about our children and youth ministries, including additional details
for events or signing up as an adult volunteer, please contact our Minister to Children and
Youth, Rev. Kristopher Adams, at kadams@stmarysgoochland.org, or the Chair of the
Children and Youth Committee, Mrs. Brantley Holmes, at holmesby@comcast.net.
12●ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015
stmarysgoochland.org
PARISH●NEWS●IN●BRIEF
Rector’s Weekly Bible Study
The Bible Study meets every Wednesday in the Library from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Led
by Rector John E. Miller, each Bible study session focuses on the Lectionary readings assigned for the succeeding Sunday. Members are encouraged to bring a Bible in a translation
or version that they enjoy reading. All members and friends are cordially invited to attend
and participate. While no prior biblical training is required of group members, an open mind
and readiness to learn and share insights are always welcome!
Education for Ministry
This small group co-mentored by Associate Rector Eleanor Wellford and Cabell Jones meets
every Tuesday afternoon from 3:30-6:00 p.m. in the Library of the Education Building. The
group spends its time in theological reflection and review of specific reading assignments.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
This group of spirited knitters meets in the Associate Rector’s office every third Thursday of
the month at 10:00 a.m. Its purpose is to knit, weave, or crochet shawls as the ministry’s participants pray for God’s blessing on those in need of pastoral care. The end product is not only
a lovely source of warmth, but it is also a tangible means of comfort. Each shawl represents
the loving witness of prayer offered by a community knit together by the Spirit of God .
Announcing a Spring 2015 Support Group for Widowed Persons
A new 9-week support group for widowed men and women will be held on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9 pm, beginning in
mid-March (exact date to be announced later). It will be held in Bon Air off Buford Road. Topics and discussions include
normal grieving behaviors and feelings, loss of identity and changed roles, setting goals for the future, and addressing social needs and relationships.
Those who are interested or wish to know more should contact the facilitator, Dr. Elaine Nowinski, by February 25. There
is a registration fee of $25 to cover books and materials. Contact information:
emnowinski@fastmail.us or WidowedGriefGroup@nowinski.com; 804/272-7787 (Please leave a message.)
Additional Information:
This group is unique in the Richmond area. Elaine Nowinski has a Ph.D. in Urban Services, a program that focused on
prevention in mental health, family communication, and self-help groups and workshops. She held the first group in 1987,
several years after she lost her husband, with the idea of helping others better manage this difficult path.
Dr. Nowinski created a curriculum to address the specific challenges of losing a spouse, such as coping with the feelings
and behaviors of the grief period, understanding the loss of identity and changes in roles, and re-creating one’s life path.
These topics are addressed in a small group setting that allows ample time for group members to participate and share their
own experiences. This support group is held twice a year, facilitated in the spring by Elaine and in the fall by Belinda
Early, who holds a B.A. and M.S. in psychology and is also a widow.
stmarysgoochland.org
ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●13
Our next World Pediatric Project child to arrive in February!
St. Mary's is excited to welcome Giselle, who is tentatively scheduled to arrive in
Richmond on February 14th. Giselle is a vivacious 11 year old girl from the
country of Grenada, who is traveling to Richmond with her mother Naudia.
She is suffering from a cardiac condition which requires life saving surgery
scheduled for March 4th. Giselle and her mother will be staying at the Hospital
Hospitality House and are expected to be in Richmond 6-8 weeks after surgery.
We look forward to welcoming her to Richmond and making her part of the
St. Mary's family while she's here in town. There will be numerous
opportunities to volunteer, provide support, and help out during Giselle's
stay in Richmond. More details to follow in the weekly email updates.
If you are interested in volunteering or becoming involved with our
WPP child, you MUST attend a WPP volunteer training session.
The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11th from
3-5 pm at the WPP office - perfect timing for Giselle's arrival!
If you have any questions about volunteering or how to get involved, please contact Joanne Miller at joannekmiller@yahoo.com.
**If you are interested in picking Giselle and her mother up from the airport and being part of her 'official' welcome to
Richmond, please let me know as transport from the airport to HHH is needed. Exact time/details to follow**
By Susan Rawls, Director
St. Mary’s Preschool is sponsoring a Red Cross Blood Drive in honor of Callen Tyson
(school and parish family) on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 from 9 to 3. Please consider being a donor for this very important event. You may contact us at 784-2049 or by
e-mail at stmdover.school@comcast.net to sign up for a time slot.
We invite you to attend our
“Kindergarten, Ready or Not?”
Program on February 10, 2015 from
7- 8 p.m. We have a panel of 3 experts, a parent, an Henrico County
teacher and our junior kindergarten
teacher presenting on this very important topic. To make a reservation
(especially if you need childcare)
contact our school office at 7842049.
We continue to take applications for
2015-2016. We are filling up
quickly for the upcoming school
year. Please call to schedule your
tour if you have an interest in enrolling your child or children in our
program. We take children as young
as two years old by December 31st.
Look forward to hearing from you!
14●ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015
HAVE YOU MADE YOUR
PLEDGE FOR 2015?
2015 Annual Giving Campaign
stmarysgoochland.org
Cards Sent
553
Cards Returned
333
% of Cards Returned 60%
Pledges to Date $870,690
SCHEDULE FOR LAY WORSHIP ASSISTANTS
9:00 a.m. Service—Little St. Mary’s—February 2015
Date
Service
Ushers
LEM
Feb 1
Holy Eucharist I
Barbara & Mac McCarthy
Joan Wilkins
Feb 8
Holy Eucharist I
Ellen & Pettus LeCompte
Margaret
Mickel
Feb 15
Holy Eucharist I
Bill Gooch & Ralph Fisher
Robin Lind
Pam Loree
Feb 22
Holy Eucharist I
Pat & Andrew Gibb
Jackie Mason
Elizabeth
Baskin
March 1 Holy Eucharist I
Lay Reader Prayer Leader
Betsy Rawles
Elizabeth & Lloyd Johannessen Cabell Jones
Kitty Williams
Cabell Jones
11:00 a.m. Service—New St. Mary’s—February 2015
Date
Service
Ushers
LEM
Lay Reader
Prayer Leader
Feb 1
Holy Eucharist I
Susan Stevens &
Temple Cabell Team
Cabell Jones Burke McCormick Cabell Jones
Feb 8
Morning Prayer
Mary & David Campbell
Tami & Clyde Toms
Feb 15
Holy Eucharist II Burke McCormick, Kim &
Scott MacMillan, Cabell
Jones
Feb 22
Morning Prayer
March 1
Holy Eucharist I
Patricia Plaisted
Fay Lohr
Pam Loree, Joe & Margaret
Currence
Marilynn
Ware
Liza Bance
Martha Rhodes
Marshall Bowden
Brenda Johnson
Ros Bowers
Tracey Ragsdale
stmarysgoochland.org
ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●15
St. Mary’s Seniors—Wednesday, February 11
Superseniors Jane and Sam Graham
To Offer a Personal View of “A Life Well Lived”
by Robin Lind
Fans of the popular PBS television series Downton Abbey
are very familiar with Lord and Lady Grantham, but few
recognize that ‘Grantham’ is simply the archaic English
pronunciation of the popular American name “Graham.”
St. Mary’s Seniors are proud to welcome ‘Lord and Lady’
Graham (a.k.a. Super-seniors Sam and Jane Graham) as
their luncheon speakers on Wednesday February 11, talking
about the very serious business of “Lives Well Lived” from
the vantage of venerable age.
The Grahams, both of whom are in their 94th year, have
been married for 68 years, and members of St. Mary’s since
1997. Jane is a lifelong Episcopalian; Sam only saw the
light after he met Jane. Both are natives of Virginia. Both
are graduates of the University of Virginia. They are the
proud parents of Sam Jr., Richard and Sally, and grandparents of 11 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
St. Mary’s Seniors gather at forenoon, lunch is served at
12:15 pm. The speakers will begin at 12:45 and we promise you may depart by 2 pm after ample
time for questions.
We deeply regret having to cancel the January luncheon because of the ice but, mindful of Genesis
32:32, we did not want any to develop a limp after being “touched” on the thigh — by slipping and
falling or — wrestling with an angel. Similar wisdom will
guide us in February: please call the church office if you
Menu:
are worried about the weather.
Mom's Pot Roast
(Slowly Roasted Chuck Roast
Potatoes, Carrots, Onions,
and Celery with Gravy)
Rolls
Peach Cobbler
All members of St. Mary’s are invited to attend, especially
those juniors who are only postulants to the order of seniority. Please call the church office at 804-784-5678 or
email info@stmarysgoochland.org for a lunch reservation
which helps so much in our meal planning. Suggested donation is $5. We look forward to seeing you.
16●ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015
stmarysgoochland.org
Lenten Retreat
Embracing Life’s Transitions with Grace
“How strange that the nature of life is change, yet the nature of
human beings is to resist change. And how ironic that the difficult
times we fear might ruin us are the very ones that can break us open
and help us blossom into who we were meant to be.”
― Elizabeth Lesser
prayer * music * meditation * reading
quiet reflection * discussion * fellowship
When: Saturday, March 7th, 9:30 ~ Noon
Registration: The church office, 784-5678 (space limited to 24)
Facilitator: Mimi Weaver, Life Transition Coach, gracemoves.com
Where: The Old Parish Hall
Cost: $10.00
stmarysgoochland.org
ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●17
See Mary in Washington!
On Thursday, February 26, Interim Associate Rector Weezie Blanchard, a former docent at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, will lead a group to see the landmark exhibition, Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea, at the National Museum of Women in the
Arts in Washington, DC. Picturing Mary presents images of Mary as a daughter,
cousin, and wife; a mother of an infant; a bereaved parent; a protagonist in a rich life
story developed through the centuries; a link between heaven and earth; and an active
participant in the lives of those who revere her. In more than 60 Renaissance- and Baroque-era masterworks by male and female artists, the exhibition explores the concepts of womanhood that Mary represents, as well as the social and sacred functions
her image has served through time.
We anticipate leaving Richmond in time to arrive at the exhibition by 11:00 a.m. and
return by 6:00 p.m. Tickets to Picturing Mary are $10, and people may choose to drive
or take the train. We plan to have lunch at the Mezzanine Café in the museum.
If you are interested, please contact Weezie at wblanchard@stmarysgoochland.org or
call 784-5678, ext. 25 by February 12 .
18●ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015
stmarysgoochland.org
LENTEN OFFERINGS
Ash Wednesday Services
February 18, 2014
Celebrant—The Reverend Louise Browner Blanchard
Homilist– The Reverend Dr. John Edward Miller
12:00 O’clock Noon
Little St. Mary’s
The Liturgy for Ash Wednesday and
The Holy Eucharist , Rite I
5:30 O’clock, P.M.
Little St. Mary’s
The Liturgy for Ash Wednesday and
The Holy Eucharist, Rite II
(with optional Imposition of Ashes)
Observing Lent in
a Multicultural and Secular World
Lenten Study led by the Rev. Louise Browner Blanchard
February 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 Noon
Education Building Library
Lent, the six weeks leading up to Good Friday and Easter, is one of the most ancient and important
seasons in the Christian calendar. But how do we observe a holy Lent, as the Book of Common
Prayer invites us to do, in a world of many religions, in a world where many people have given up
on religion, and a world where the rest of struggle to make sense of it all?
If you are interested in exploring these questions and more, please join Interim Associate Rector
Weezie Blanchard on Mondays during Lent (February 23 and March 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30) from
10:30-noon in the Library of the Education Building. To sign up, please contact Weezie at
wblanchard@stmarysgoochland.org, Lori Smiley at lsmiley@stmarygoochland.org or call the
church office at 784-5678.
stmarysgoochland.org
ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●19
Wednesday Evening Lenten Series
“Will the True Jesus Stand Up?”
Speaker: Dr. Frank E. Eakin, Jr.
Professor of Religion at The University of Richmond
February 25, March 4, March 18, and March 25
6:45 p.m.—7:30 p.m. following the Lenten Parish Supper
Professor Frank E. Eakin, Jr., Professor of Religion at the University of Richmond
and chair of St. Mary’s Adult Ministries Committee, will present a Wednesday
Evening Lecture and discussion series during Lent. The series, which is entitled “Will the True Jesus Stand Up?”
will examine the biblical and theological roots of the Church’s view of the nature and meaning ot the life of Jesus.
Over the four sessions we will begin with the orthodox statement, i.e., the Nicene Creed, and then we will discuss
some of the differing perspectives for understanding Jesus as found in the New Testament. The sessions will be
divided as follows:
February 25: The Nicene Creed and Jesus. After setting some presuppositions for our study together, we will
focus on how and why the Nicene Creed was formulated, some of the issues both precipitating the formulation of
the Creed, and some theological issues associated with the Creed’s formulation.
March 4: The Contributions of Paul. How does Paul understand the Christ and what does he tell us about Jesus. We will discuss some of the Pauline passages (as Galatians 4:4) as well as a confessional passage Paul borrowed (Philippians 2:1-11) but apparently embraced.
March 11: No session.
March 18: The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) and their perceptions of Jesus of Nazareth. How do their views of Jesus correspond to diverse messianic views among the Jews? We will refer to numerous passages but read few in larger context.
March 25: The Book of Revelation and the Gospel of John and their unique views of Jesus. We will discuss
the nature of the Book of Revelation and its militant Christ. In addition we will focus on the special Christology
of the Fourth Gospel, which understanding equates Jesus clearly with God. We will focus on the Prologue to the
Fourth Gospel (1:1-18), the unique “I am” passages in John, as
well as the use of “Signs” in the Fourth Gospel. The study of
LENTEN PARISH SUPPERS
John will naturally lead us back to the Nicene Creed.
FEBRUARY 25
March 4, 18 & 25
New Parish Hall
5:30 p.m.—6:30 p.m.
Requested Donation: $8 per Adult,
$5.00 per child 9-14,
Family Maximum of $25
Dr. Eakins has held the Weinstein and Rosenthal Jewish and
Christian Studies Chair since 1988. He holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of Richmond, a Bachelor of Divinity
degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D.
degree from Duke University. Professor Eakin's research interests
are in Old Testament history and thought; American Judaism; and
the Jewish-Christian relationship and the impact of religion on
cultural expression. He and his wife Frances are active members
of our parish. Both serve on the Adult Ministries Committee
20●ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015
stmarysgoochland.org
PARISH BREAKFAST
PANCAKE SUPPER
Sunday, February 8
10:00 a.m.
New Parish Hall
Tuesday, February 17
5:30 p.m.– 7:00 p.m.
New Parish Hall
Menu:
Scrambled Eggs
Bacon
Hash Brown Casserole
Hot Biscuits, Butter, Jam
Cinnamon Rolls
New York Style Crumb Cake
Fresh Fruit
Come celebrate this
traditional time of
preparation for Lent
Feasting, Fellowship,
Festivity, Fun!
Mardi Gras Activities
for Children
Cost: $6.00 per person
Family maximum $22.00
Cost: $8.00 per Adult,
$5.00 per child age 9 to 14, Family Maximum $25
If you would like to help, please contact
Karen Stephens at 514-4769 or
kstephens@stmarysgoochland.org
Please call 784.5678 for reservations, or email
info@stmarysgoochland.org
.
5 PM Vestry
24
3:30 PM EfM
5:30-7PM Pancake
Supper
3:30 PM EfM
17
11 AM Calendar
Meeting
10
3:30 PM EfM
3
3:30 PM EfM
Tue
Phone 784-5678
23
10:30 AM
Lenten Study led
by the Rev.
Weezie Blanchard—Education
Building Library
16
Office and
School Closed
9
2
Mon
School Phone: 784-2049
5:30 PM Lenten Supper and
Program with Children’s
Activies and Movie
25
10 AM Bible Study
5:30 PM Holy Eucharist II
Ash Wednesday Services
12 Noon Holy Eucharist I
Little St. Mary’s
18
10 AM Bible Study
11
9:30 AM—3 PM Callen Tyson
Blood Drive
10 AM Bible Study
12 PM Seniors
CARITAS
10 AM Bible Study
4
9 AM Fellowship Committee
Wed
Fax: 784-1940
7:30 PM Adult
26
Trip to Washington D.C. Picturing Mary
Exhibit
7:30 PM Adult
Choir
19
10 AM Prayer
Shawl
7:30 PM Adult
Choir
12
5
7:30 PM Adult
Choir
Thu
27
20
13
28
10 AM A.A.
3-6 PM Youth Food
Packing
21
10 AM A.A.
14
10 AM A.A.
6 PM Wedding
10 AM A.A.
7
9 AM CARITAS take
down
Sat
Email: info@stmarysgoochland.org
5:30-8 PM Youth
and CARITAS
game night
6
5 PM Wedding
Rehearsal
Fri
ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH NEWSLETTER●FEBRUARY 2015●21
12291 River Road, Richmond, VA 23238
12 Noon Winter Picnic
11 AM Morning Prayer I
22
9 AM Holy Eucharist I
11 AM Holy Eucharist II
15
9 AM Holy Eucharist I
11 AM Holy Baptism—
10 AM Parish Breakfast
8
9 AM Holy Eucharist I
5:30 PM Superbowl Party with
Youth and CARITAS Guests
11 AM Holy Eucharist I Children’s CARITAS song
1
9 AM Holy Eucharist I
Sun
February 2015
stmarysgoochland.org