Youth News

St. George Chamber Orchestra to Perform Free Concert

November 11, 2019 by St. George's Leave a Comment

St. George’s Episcopal Church will host The St. George Chamber Orchestra on Sunday, November 17 at 3:00 pm as part of the church’s Chamber Concert Series. Selections for the concert include works by Russell Holsapple, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and J. S. Bach.

James Kazik, staff arranger at one of the premiere Washington D.C. service bands since 2001, will conduct the Chamber Orchestra. Kazik is a renowned composer and orchestrator, staff writer for Hal Leonard Corp, and the current composer-in-residence for the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic in Washington D.C.

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”.

The concert is free with donations accepted at the door. For more information, contact (540) 373-4133 or send an email. To learn more about St. George’s concert series, visit www.stgeorgesepiscopal.net/music/concerts.

Register for Youth and Children’s Formation and Choirs!

August 13, 2019 by St. George's Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year! Our formation program with Christian education for all ages begins on September 15. Register today for children (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd), youth programs (Journey to Adulthood, including Confirm Not Conform, and Youth Group), and Little Choristers and St. George’s Youth Choir. Got questions on how all this works? Contact Hecti Musa at the church office.

Sabbatical Letter from Pastor Joe

May 30, 2019 by St. George's Leave a Comment

Our rector, the Rev. Joe Hensley, will be on sabbatical June 3 – September 4, 2019. If you have a pastoral emergency (e.g. death, hospitalization, loss of job) and need to speak with a member of clergy, please call or text 540 361 8573. While Joe is away, our associate rector, the Rev. Areeta Bridgemohan will serve as acting rector. You can reach Pastor Areeta by calling the church office 540 373 4133 or via email.

If you have any questions, please contact our church office (540 373 4133).

Here is the letter Joe sent to the parish announcing his sabbatical.

April 8, 2019

Greetings beloved St. Georgians,

Grace to you and peace from God and our Savior Jesus Christ. I am writing to share more details about the announced sabbatical leaves for myself and our director of music ministries, John Vreeland. John’s last Sunday before leaving will be May 19. Mine will be Sunday, June 2. John will return August 18, and I will return September 4. This is an opportunity for reflection and renewal for us and for the parish as a whole.

The word, “sabbatical” comes from “sabbath,” times of rest commanded by God in scripture. St. George’s strives to exemplify sabbath practice by offering an extended time of rest every few years to full-time employees. This is time to truly unplug, which can be hard to do on days off or even on vacation. John and I wish to thank the congregation for your support as we receive this restful break.

Late last year, St. George’s applied for and received a generous congregational renewal grant from the Lilly Foundation. These grants are awarded for sabbatical renewal of both clergy and congregation. The grant will fund the expenses for me and my family to do some traveling, as well as some parish activities. The theme of the application was “wholeness,” which we have been exploring during this program year. I hope this period of rest can be a time to renew our connection with God through our bodies, the people we care about, and with all of creation. There will be more information coming about

the activities planned during the summer. Please mark your calendars for the first event, our spring outdoor service and picnic in Hurkamp Park on June 2.

The vestry has convened a sabbatical committee that is working to ensure the bases are covered while John and I are away. Life in the parish continues over the summer, and we will also need to be planning for fall. The committee is also considering how this time can be a renewal. With this letter is a list of the committee members and some frequently asked questions the committee has developed. Please contact the office if you have additional questions or concerns. Please join me in thanking our talented staff for their support and particularly to the Rev. Areeta Bridgemohan and Achim Loch for stepping in to key leadership roles.

I will close with a few words from author, Philip Shepherd, who is one of my inspirations for “wholeness.” He writes: “There is a gravity that is calling to your heart, and that loves you in all your brokenness. It is gently inviting you into a dance of surrender to your wholeness…When you take a chance on that dance, and venture even one step into its wild peace, you will be helping us all.” For us, that “gravity” is God. May we all know the grounding and grace of God’s gravitational love in this coming season.

Your rector and brother in Christ,

The Rev. Joseph H. Hensley, Jr.

Sabbatical FAQ’s

Who are the members of the sabbatical committee?

Marilyn Farrington, Russ Carter, Sheryl Stroud Bryant, Areeta Bridgemohan, Laurel Loch, Nick Cadwallender, Anne Beals, Hurley Bogardus, Ethel Hellman, and Joe Hensley.

What will Joe and John be doing on their sabbaticals?

Joe will begin and end the sabbatical with spiritual retreats at monasteries. He will also visit with family and friends that he does not get to see very often. The centerpiece of the sabbatical is a family trip to Hawaii where they will hike and camp, exploring God’s creation.

John’s sabbatical will include lots of rest time, a trip to Brazil with Mary to visit with their son and new granddaughter, a week or two working with Parsons organ builders for some hands on experience in organ construction and maintenance, and two composition projects: a new Brazilian Mass setting for the 9 am Eucharist, and composing a hymn tune to accompany a poem by Beth Spragins written for St. George’s 300th anniversary celebration.

Who will cover Joe and John’s responsibilities in their absence?

Areeta Bridgemohan, will serve as the clergy in charge of the church. Our priest associate, Bob Miller, will add hours to his schedule. Our young adult missioner, David Casey, will continue his work in the wider community and be available occasionally. Our assistant director of music ministries, Achim Loch, will oversee music ministries during John’s sabbatical. In addition, we are hiring Dr. Brooks Kuykendall, a fellow St. Georgian and head of the music department at UMW to play some Sundays as well as Dr. Kelly Kazik, our former assistant organist.

Who will cover the expenses of the sabbatical?

St. George’s puts aside funds each year into a sabbatical fund, which will pay for the additional compensation needed. Joe and John will receive their usual compensation during the sabbatical period. A grant from the Lilly Foundation will cover all Joe’s sabbatical activities. There should be no need to go into the general operating budget for any sabbatical expenses, and it should not impact the church budget.

Whom do I call for pastoral care?

During the sabbatical, you may contact either Areeta or Bob. Our pastoral care ministries, particularly One Body Response Team and Stephen Ministers will also be responding to needs as they arise. Contact the church office or the pastoral emergency phone (540-361-8573) if you have an urgent pastoral need. Clergy will be available to conduct baptisms or funerals as needed. If you need to plan a wedding, please be in touch with Areeta.

Will Joe or John be in contact with St. George’s during the sabbatical?

An important part of a sabbatical is to make a complete break from things. In the unlikely event that some extraordinary news absolutely must be communicated to them, Areeta or Laurel Loch, our parish administrator, will know how to contact them. They will look forward to catching up with everyone on their return. If you happen to see them around town, it’s only natural to wave and say “hello”. Please do help them maintain the spirit of their sabbaticals, though, by providing separation from their duties and parish life.

What if I have other questions?

Please contact a member of our Vestry or reach out to Areeta or Laurel. If they cannot answer your question immediately, they will communicate it with our sabbatical planning committee so it can be addressed.

Hazel Run to Perform for Youth in Global Fundraiser

January 23, 2019 by St. George's Leave a Comment

Join us on Friday, February 1 in Sydnor Hall for an Acoustic Showcase Fundraiser to Benefit Youth in Global Community.

Come enjoy some of St. George’s finest acoustic musicians performing to benefit our Youth in Global Community mission trip to New York City!

Your donations will go toward travel and lodging costs while our girls represent the Anglican Church at UNCSW63.

7:00 pm Come early to socialize and enjoy refreshments provided by the Youth in Global Community mission team!

Music starts at 7:30 p.m. in Sydnor Hall.

Youth Winter Trip Information

December 6, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Help us to keep this event affordable
We have purposefully kept the cost very affordable for this full weekend of events to allow all youth the opportunity to join us in this very popular weekend. This is a tall order, as there many costs that go into making this event a successful one.

To help the youth group fund not become depleted before the end of this year, we are asking families to assist with meals. We will soon have a sign-up which Emily Hoell and Hecti Musa will disseminate. The sign-up list will provide the needed items, which will be easy ones, such as chili, spaghetti, taco ingredients, soda, juice, etc. Please consider assisting with this. If everyone donates a mere couple of items, we would have all major meals covered. This then frees up money for other events while there. Thank you so much!

Youth Registration and Cost
Registration: Deadline is Dec 31 and deposit is $100

Total Cost: $155, remainder to be provided prior to departure.

House Information
Good news! We have acquired the St. Andrews House after seven years of trying. We will no longer be in the Hillside House, which is far smaller. This new house is gigantic!

High School House

House: St. Andrews house

Youth Capacity: 18

House Youth Leaders: Two Youth Leaders

Middle School House

House: Meade house

Youth Capacity: 18

House Youth Leaders: Three Youth Leaders

Lodging Details
Bedrooms have two beds, some queen, double and twin. Youth will be sharing rooms. All youth need to bring a sleeping bag, however, as some will be in beds and some will be on mattresses on the floor. All rooms are arranged appropriately by gender. There will be some overflow as necessary in large living spaces with mattresses.

Overall Rules and Boundaries
Specialized dietary requirements or allergies must be sent in advance. There is nowhere to get them once there, so please let me know soonest.
There will be a zero tolerance level for all unchristian type behavior. This includes rudeness, bullying, inappropriate language, conversations or gestures and anything else deemed unchristian by leadership. If the behavior of any youth becomes an issue, parents will be called and they will have to come and retrieve their child.
There will be no pranks or loud activity after midnight. This is lights out and all activity will be contained within the cabin and within individual rooms.
There will be no fraternizing with others in a promiscuous manner while on the trip.

Offered Activities while at Shrine Mont
This is a Winter Retreat, not a ski trip, so please do not think that because your youth does not ski that they should not come. We have enough leaders to accommodate several winter activities as described here.
Hiking to North Mountain, the Cross, Big Schloss Mountain
Shenandoah Caverns
Movie in Woodstock, Va
Hanging out reading and playing games
Bonfire and Marshmallows
Skiing
Snow Tubing
Bryce Lodge for live music Saturday night
Sledding
Movie Night
Other

Snow Tubing and Skiing
The cost of skiing is an additional expense over and above the cost of the trip. Please check the resort website for cost details. It is cheaper to purchase tickets online as well, but you can also purchase them there.
Those who do not wish to snow tube need to let me know in advance of the trip so I know how many tickets to purchase, as this event is paid for by the church.
All youth must purchase a lesson with their lift ticket unless a parent note is received to state that they do not require a lesson. A package with lesson and day lift pass is pretty reasonable.
All skiers must rent a helmet or bring their own.
Skiers may bring their own equipment.

What to Bring
Every year, this does not get read by some and youth come unprepared. Please read and ask any questions you may have.
Sleeping bag, pajamas
Pillow
Winter clothing
Bathroom bag
Book
Spending money
Personal snacks
Hiking shoes

Ski equipment – Limited space

Itinerary

Friday Jan 18
5pm (Faulkner Hall): High School Scout Party will go up in the evening to do groceries, stock houses and prep houses for guests. This is purely voluntary and the rest of the high school youth will come up on Saturday with the rest.

Saturday Jan 19
7am – 8am (Faulkner Hall): Pack Van and Leadership/Parent/Youth Review of all contained within this email

8am – 11am: Travel to Shrinemont

Rest of Day: Events begin

Sunday Jan 20
Myriad of events

Monday Jan 21
Return to Faulkner by 2pm