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Visit from Bishop Goff and Confirmations

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On Sunday, March 24, we welcomed the Rt. Rev. Susan E. Goff. Bishop Goff preached at the 7:45 am, 9 am, and 11:15 am services. She also led a discussion at our morning Adult Forum. Additionally, she presided over confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmations at our 11:15 am service. Overall, we had 26 confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmations. We closed out the celebration with a reception lovingly prepared by last year’s confirmation class. The reception also featured special flower arrangements by our flower guild.

Thank you to everyone who made this wonderful day possible!

If you would like a high resolution version of any of the images, please contact the office.

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Worship with Us – Holy Week and Easter 2019 Schedule

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During Easter we celebrate and worship together in a spirit of joyful fellowship.

There’s a place for you here and we invite you to join us at any or all of our Holy Week and Easter services.

 

Palm Sunday: April 14

Services at 7:45 am, 9 am, 11:15 am, 5:30 pm,
8 pm Compline, (Nave)

Taize Service: April 16

Service at 7 pm, (Nave)
This service gently opens our hearts for Holy Week through the repetition of Taize hymns along with readings from scripture and prayers.

Wednesday: April 17

At 6:30 pm, we offer Stations of the Cross in the Nave, a series of 8 meditations on the last day of Jesus’ life as we move around the nave. The service takes about 20 minutes.

Maundy Thursday: April 18

Service at 7 pm, (Nave)
We enter into the experience of the disciples stunned by Jesus’ insistence that he would take on the role of a servant and wash the feet of the others.  Anyone who wishes will be able to have their feet washed – and wash the feet of others.  The service will continue with Eucharist followed by the stripping of the altar.  Stripping the church of every bit of decoration, we go to dark Gethsemane with the disciples, where they struggled to stay awake as Jesus prayed.

Good Friday: April 19

Services at Noon and 7 pm
On Good Friday, we meet in a church that is so bare it even sounds different.  We read the account of the Crucifixion according to the Gospel of John, following the traditional Prayer Book Good Friday service.

Walk the Labyrinth
1 – 7 pm, Sydnor Hall
The labyrinth is an ancient spiritual tool.  Its winding path becomes a mirror of the way we live our lives. It touches our sorrows and releases our joys. Please join us to walk, search, and follow with an open mind and an open heart.

Downtown Stations of the Cross
1:45 pm, Meet at Micah Ecumenical Ministries, 1013 Princess Anne St.
For hundreds of years, the Stations have been a way to make a virtual pilgrimage in the spirit of pilgrims to Jerusalem walking the Via Dolorosa. We will walk in procession, stopping fourteen times at different sites in downtown Fredericksburg to pray and mark moments in Jesus’ journey to the cross and tomb.

Holy Saturday: April 20

Morning Prayer, 8:30 am

Liturgy of the Light, 5 pm
For children age 3 and above
The Liturgy of the Light is one of the beautiful experiences Catechesis of the Good Shepherd gives us. It is a children’s Easter Vigil service, and adults are welcome as well. Each child receives their own “light of Christ,” and we conclude with a simple Eucharist prepared by the children. We will celebrate the Liturgy of the Light in Sydnor Hall. Nursery provided for toddlers and babies.

Great Vigil of Easter, 8 pm
Followed by the Paschal Party in Sydnor Hall
At the Easter Vigil, we gather in a darkened church. We light the Paschal (Easter) candle, and we are warmed by the candlelight retelling of stories from the Hebrew Scriptures. We sing our Alleluias for the first time in forty days! And we proceed with a celebration of the first Eucharist of Easter. Afterward, the celebration continues with festive food and drink at the Paschal Party in Sydnor Hall. In all, it is a powerful and dramatic celebration of Easter.

Easter Sunday: April 21

Sunrise Easter Service at 6:30 am
Outside The Presbyterian Church
Our ministry partners from Micah Ecumenical Ministries gather for a joint service. Together, we greet the sunrise, share joy with each other, and begin our Easter celebrations in community.

Easter Eucharist at 7:45 am, 9 am, 11:15 am

Easter Egg Hunt: 10:15 am

Celtic Evensong + Communion at 5:30 pm

Compline at 8 pm

Lent 2019 – Group and Individual Practices

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A Time for Reflection and Renewal.

Lent is a 40-day season prior to Easter during which we are invited to restoration and returning to God through special practices of devotion, prayer, scripture study, and gentle self-examination and self-discipline.
Here is a list of a wide variety of ways to explore Lent through personal and group activities and events in addition to our usual schedule of worship and formation on Sundays.

.Click here to download a pdf version

Individual Practices

Rite of Reconciliation:
By appointment with clergy, schedule a conversation about making a private confession of sins using the Book of Common Prayer.

Explore the Way of Love:
Personal daily devotions: www.episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love.

Fasting as a Spiritual Discipline:
Contact clergy if you would like to discuss fasting.

Forward Day by Day:
Daily devotional booklets are available in the Narthex tract rack.

For Households

Build a Lenten Cross:
Similar to an Advent wreath, line up 5 candles in the shape of a cross. Light one or more candles each night before dinner for the entire Lenten season.

Bake pretzels:
Pretzels were first baked during Lent because they can be made with only water, fl our, and salt. The shape came from a posture of prayer, with arms crossed and hands on opposite shoulders.

Daily Prayer Time:
Gather the household over a meal or at bedtime, spend time in prayer on a certain topic of your choosing, (e.g., the health of loved ones, members of your church, people groups close to your
heart, etc.)

Find Something to Give Away:
As a family, go through your possessions and find gently used (or well loved but still good quality) items, then pray about how you can bless others with those things.

Good Deeds Bracelet:
The good deeds bracelet is a tangible way to remember the importance of making sacrifices every day. The beads on the bracelet begin in one position and, as the person wearing it performs a work of mercy, s/he moves one bead on the bracelet to the other side.

Lenten Challenge:
For the entire Lenten season, challenge yourself to do something new and different that opens our heart, mind, or body.

Spiritual Practices in Community

Stations of the Cross at St. George’s:
Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Led by Melissa Mooney in the nave.

Stations of the Cross for Youth:
Sunday, April 14th 5 – 7 pm during Youth Group.

Drum Circle:
Wednesday, April 3, 7:00 pm in Faulkner Hall

Pray the Labyrinth for Lent:
Labyrinths have been used for centuries as meditation and prayer aides. The labyrinth can represent the journey of life and our walk with God. You are invited to pray the labyrinth as part of your spiritual practice this Lent, every Sunday evening in Lent from 2 – 5 pm, in Sydnor Hall and from 1 – 7 pm on Good Friday (April 19). Volunteers will be there to assist and pray with you, and there will be resources to help you pray the labyrinth. For more information, please contact the Rev. Areeta Bridgemohan.

Study

Stations of The Cross Study and Planning:
Spend Lent meeting regularly with members of St. George’s and other churches learning about and planning our downtown Stations of the Cross Walk on Good Friday. Dates TBA. Contact the Rev. Joe Hensley by March 10 if you are interested.

Lenten Bible Studies:
The Rev. David Casey, O.P. will facilitate a Bible study and discussion on the Epistle readings Thursday evenings at 7 pm, as well as Friday mornings at 7 am and 10 am in Elsie Lewis. There will be a different passage each week. You are invited to attend as many sessions as you would like, and St. Georgians are also invited to lead a session. Please contact the Rev. David Casey, Young Adult Missioner, for more information.

The Red Door Fellowship:
(Our 18 – 35+ group) will be a hosting a series, “Open Conversations of Faith” on select Saturdays in Lent at 820 College Avenue. Please contact the Rev. David Casey, Young Adult Missioner, for more information or follow “The Red Door Fellowship” on Facebook.

Exploring Congregational Song:
Great Hymns of the Church March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9 7:30-8:30 pm. Do you have a favorite hymn? Where do our hymns come from? What is a hymn anyway? Come meet to explore the rich history and theology of congregational song. No training in music is necessary! For space reasons, participation is limited to 8 persons meeting on the above dates at the home of Shirley and Susan Onderdonk, 1209 Rappahannock Ave. 22401. Contact Susan to sign up.

Quiet Circle:
Reflect using poetry, art, and silence the first Thursday of the month, 9:30 am – 12 pm in Sydnor Hall.

Book Study Group:
Tuesdays, 7:15 pm beginning March 12, on the Youth Floor. Selected book is The Divine Dance by Richard Rohr. Contact Nanette Lofaro with questions.

Worship Services:

Ash Wednesday services:
March 6, 7 am (Imposition of Ashes); Ash Wednesday Services at 12 pm and 7 pm.

Wednesday Micah Churches Services and Luncheons:
Click here to view the complete schedule.

Sunday, March 31: “Laetare” Sunday:
Wear pink to church on this fourth Sunday in Lent and celebrate a break in the Lenten solemnity.

Holy Week services:
Tuesday, April 16: Taize Service at 7 pm.

Thursday, April 18: Maundy Thursday Service with Footwashing at 7 pm.

Friday, April 19: Good Friday Services at 12 pm and 7 pm.

Saturday, April 20: Holy Saturday Service at 8:30 am; Liturgy of the Light, 5 pm; Great Easter Vigil with Holy Baptism at 8 pm (Reception following service).

Sunday, April 21: Easter Sunday Services at 7:45 am, 9 am, 11:15 am, 5:30 pm, and 8 pm. Easter Egg Hunt at 10 am.

Noonday prayer: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Events:

Diocesan Quiet Day ECW March 13:
The Lenten Quiet Day is Wednesday, March 13 from 9:30 am – 2:30 pm at the Roslyn Conference and Retreat Center in Richmond. Register online at: www.ecw.thediocese.net.

Parish Clean Up Day March 23:
8:30 am – 12:30 pm. Come help do some spring cleaning in and out of the church buildings before Bishop Goff visits on March 24. The morning will also include optional pauses for prayer and the option of working in silence for those who wish to use their work as a time of meditation. All ages are welcome. Sign up at coffee hour on Sundays or by contacting the church office.

Movie – Traces of the Trade:
As we explore the Lenten call to repentance and reconciliation, join us for a showing of this powerful documentary followed by discussion. Filmmaker Katrina Browne (an Episcopalian) discovers that her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. She and nine cousins retrace the Triangle Trade and gain powerful new perspectives on the black/white divide. April 6, 10 am in Sydnor Hall.

Parish Prayer Partners in Lent

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Prayer is the glue that binds our community together! It’s time for “3P in L,” the lent edition of our semi-annual parish-wide prayer activity. Sign up–alone or with members of your household, including children–to pray for another member or household of the parish during the time of Lent. Your name will be given to someone else for prayer. Every week you will receive a message of encouragement and instruction about ways to pray. During the time of Easter, we’ll meet up for a fun event to “reveal” who’s praying for whom! Deadline to sign up is February 27.

If you cannot see the form below (as on some mobile devices), please click here to register.

 

 

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Lenten Weekend 2019

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The_Rev_Ōshin_Jennings
The Rev. Liam Ōshin Jennings

Rooted in Wholeness: Contemplative Prayer and Mindfulness

March 8 – 10, 2019. Featuring the Rev. Ōshin Jennings, leader of No Barriers Zen in Washington, D.C.

Online registration is now closed. Please register when you check-in at the door.

How do we remove barriers to nurture our inner selves? This year’s Lenten Weekend invites participants to let go of their thinking and surrender to God’s wholeness through practices of meditation and contemplative prayer. Our keynote speaker is The Rev. Ōshin Jennings. Rev. Ōshin is a Soto Zen Buddhist priest, a trained psychotherapist, and multi-media artist. He is the first known Deaf Buddhist monk and leads No Barriers Zen, a meditation community based in Washington, DC. The aim of No Barriers Zen is to make meditation practice accessible to people of all abilities and disabilities.

This weekend is accessible to all Deaf, hearing, and ASL communities and is made possible in part by a grant from the Episcopal Conference of the Deaf (ECD).

 

Schedule of Events

Friday – March 8
Sydnor Hall
6 pm: Potluck dinner – bring a dish to share!
Nave (note location change)
7 – 9 pm: Introduction to Meditation by The Rev. Ōshin Jennings

Seats and a limited number of cushions will be available. Please feel free to bring your own meditation cushion.

Saturday – March 9
10 am: Tour of St. George’s facilities
Nave (note location change)
7 – 9 pm: Expanding Our Practice by The Rev. Ōshin Jennings

Seats and a limited number of cushions will be available. Please feel free to bring your own meditation cushion.

Sunday – March 10
Nave
9 am: Worship Service with Homily by The Rev. Ōshin Jennings

Sydnor Hall
10 am: Adult Forum discussion “The Embodied Buddhist Journey” led by The Rev. Ōshin Jennings

Youth Floor
12:30 pm: Lunch with Youth

Nave
2 pm: Interfaith Panel Discussion: How do different faith communities participate in meditation?
Panelists:

Rev. Ōshin Jennings, our keynoter for the weekend
Seham El-Ansary, Islamic and inter-faith scholar and community leader, Fredericksburg-area resident. She is the founder and director of WAH- Women Alliance For Humanity, self-prosperity coach, former education and management consultant, and a lifelong community activist who has dedicated her efforts to civic empowerment, women & youth training, interfaith outreach, and the betterment of the community. She holds an MBA and a BA in Social Sciences and Education, with a minor in Psychology. She lectured in many universities, churches and synagogues. Her community work has been featured in various local newspapers, TV & Radio shows, in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Education and empowerment work is her paramount focus and passion in life.
Dr. John McLaughlin, M.D. physician and mindfulness based stress reduction instructor. John has been involved in meditation and contemplative practices since his late teens. He started with TM (Transcendental Meditation) and currently practices in the Non Dual tradition in the Ramana Maharshi and Sri Nisargadatta lineage. His root teacher in Adyashanti. John is a cofounder of the Yoga Foundation of Fredericksburg which is a nonprofit organization which offers yoga, mindfulness and wellness workshops with a focus on the underserved in our community.  He teaches Mindfulness Bases Stress Reduction (MBSR) after having finished his teacher training with the founder Jon Kabat Zinn at the University of Massachusetts. He has a strong science background having trained as a MD and now combines his passion for the Body with that of the Mind and Spirit.
The Rev. Joe Hensley, rector of St. George’s.
The Rev. Ed Jones, Episcopal deacon and former editor of the Free Lance Star will serve as the moderator for the panel discussion

 

Online registration is now closed but you are welcome to attend! Please register at the door when you check-in.