We are happy to share two exciting announcements for our Open to All in Love Capital Campaign.
Our Detail Brochure is now available. You can read it here. This brochure includes details about the project, including scope, drawings, and more.
Thanks to St. Georgian Joe Di Lauro, we now have a video to share. In the video, our rector Rev. Joe Hensley shares about the project and what this means for our community.
Our Open to All in Love Capital Campaign is getting started! We are excited to share with you our Vision Brochure, which provides an overview and summary of the project. More detailed information will follow soon.
We are proceeding with this project now because, in the words of our rector, the Rev. Joe Hensley, “It is high time that we make our buildings and grounds better reflect who we are: open to all in love.”
Our Open to All in Love campaign addresses urgent and future maintenance needs, improves accessibility to our worship space, and builds a columbarium in our graveyard. Our current estimate for these projects is $4 million. As approved by our vestry, the project includes four main areas of focus: maintenance, endowment, accessibility, and columbarium. Look for more details about our plan in a follow-up mailing in early October.
Greetings St. George’s,
One of the invitations of Christian living is that we are made to look outside of ourselves. We put our trust in God; we lean on others in the church; and we seek to ever widen the circle of belonging and grace. Fundamental to this is to be in service of Christ on behalf of one another.
Each year we are reminded of this constitutive act of discipleship when we gather in the Nave for Rally for Service Sunday (September 8). I’d like to invite you to join a project team by registering here. So that we can plan for and accommodate everyone, please sign up by Friday, August 30. You can learn more about the projects we will be working on and the organizations we’ll be supporting below. Please sign-up to join us for this annual day of deepening our faith and friendships in service!
Project: “Welcome Packs”
Volunteers will sort and assemble kits of household and hygiene essentials for newly arriving Afghan refugee families. Catholic Charities, the regions recognized resettlement agency, continues to resettle over 200 refugees annually. fleeing the ongoing political oppression in Afghanistan. With our help, these families who arrive with nothing, are able to transition immediately into housing with the supplies they need to get started.Healthy
Project: Baby Supplies Gift Baskets
It takes a village to raise a child is more than just an adage at Healthy Families of the Rappahannock Area. And, as they often remind folks, babies don’t come with a how-to guide! This program is the region’s perinatal home visitation program that helps new parents connect with resources; build positive parent-child relationships; understand their child’s development; and have that village. Volunteers will assemble gift baskets for new mothers to have what they need to care for their babies. We will be collecting DONATIONS of diapers, wipes, and bottles to assemble gift baskets for the parents in this program! (you can bring items to donate to the church in advance or on Rally for Service Sunday)
Project: prepare and serve lunch
Following work at our various service sites around the area St. Georgians will return to Sydnor Hall to enjoy lunch and fellowship.
Project: Accessibility ramp pre-build
Incubated right here at St. George’s, SAWs Virginia is a nonprofit that builds custom designed, ADA standard wheelchair ramps for people of all ages with long-term, ambulatory disabilities who cannot afford one on their own. Through these no cost ramps, SAWs seeks to help clients restore their freedom, independence, and dignity allowing them to access medical services more easily, improve the safety of their home, reconnect with their community and age-in-place. We will support this work by preparing the materials for a site build. This will include manufacturing the wood to size, pre-drilling, and loading materials with the assistance of SAWs build team. No prior construction experience is required.
Project: Facilities cleaning and organizing
Micah Ecumenical Ministries is an integral part our lived Christian identity at St. George’s. This cooperative ministry is the primary way our community cares for our neighbors who are living on the streets. Part of our care for our neighbors includes care for the facilities that support their wellbeing. This team will divide our efforts to deep clean and organize the Hospitality Center and the Respite House. The Hospitality Center (sometimes called the “Day Center”) is the primary point of connection for Micah’s clients. There they receive basic services, check their mailbox, and even get a shower or haircut. Respite House provides a place of short-term healing and recovery for residents who have been recently hospitalized and need extra medical attention. Here they can receive treatment like medication management and visits from a home health aide in a safe and supportive environment to reduce the risk of rehospitalization. With your care these facilities can remain clean, comfortable, and hospitable spaces.
Project: Furniture Donation Moving
Since 2021 St George’s has collected and stored furniture items to deliver to arriving refugee families in our area. As social services organizations transition to voucher programs with local non-profit resale stores we no longer have need for the items and can transition them to a partnering retailer. The voucher program allows recipients to exercise greater autonomy as they have choice over which furniture items best suit their family’s needs and tastes. It is a great way to get people the furniture they need while increasing the dignity of the shopping experience. We’ve got the truck, but we need your help to haul these heavy items!
Project: Residential Housekeeping
Healthy Generations provides home and community based services to support the continued independence, safety, and health and wellness of our senior population. Among their many programs (which also include Senior Café, Long-term care ombudsman, and emergency assistance) Healthy Generations coordinates homemaker support for seniors to remain in their homes and age in place. Based on the needs of a client St Georgians will tend to the residence of a senior with light housekeeping and yard work. Each year 4.1 million Americans turn 65 in what has been referred to as the “silver tsunami”. The shadow side of this aging boom is that senior citizens are the fastest growing demographic of persons experiencing homelessness. Partnering with Healthy Generations is one way that we are ensuring our seniors can age with safety and dignity in their homes.
View a transcript of the video here.
We’re so excited to go on this formation journey together exploring the Baptismal Covenant beginning this Sunday and running through March 17. A schedule follows below. If you are ready for baptism, confirmation, or reception, simply contact the church office. If you’re curious, or not sure what any of those mean or where you fit, that’s great! Everyone is a part of this journey. Please contact Fr. Will with any questions or to sit down and talk. We ask that those seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or Reception contact the office by March 1.
St. George’s Episcopal Church will offer the first concert of the 2023-2024 season on Sunday, September 17 at 3 pm. The concert features Washington D.C. vocalist Don Dillingham with members of the St. George Jazz Ensemble in a program of standards from the American Songbook.
Don’s voice resembles the crooners of the past, but with a sound uniquely his own. His passion for singing jazz has led to acclaimed performances throughout the metro D.C. area.
The concert is free with donations accepted at the door.
Located at 905 Princess Anne Street in historic downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia, St. George’s Episcopal Church offers a wide range of concerts throughout the year featuring local and out of town musicians. The nave’s lush acoustics provide the perfect backdrop for “beautiful music in a beautiful space”.
For more information, contact (540) 373-4133 or music@stgeorgesepiscopal.net. To learn more about St. George’s concert series, visit www.stgeorgesepiscopal.net/music/concerts.
You are welcome at St. George’s, an historic Episcopal Church in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia. No matter who you are, whom you love, or where you’ve been, there’s a place for you here. St. George’s offers services with diverse music and styles of worship based in sacred story and traditions. We have hearts for service and advocate for justice and peace in our local and global communities. We work to help the entire family of God thrive by giving of our time, talent, and treasure. We invite you to join us or to come for a visit. For more information, visit StGeorgesEpiscopal.net.