St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church

OUR WORSHIP
Sunday Services: 8:30 AM: Holy Eucharist, Rite I without music
10:30 AM: Holy Eucharist, Rite II with music

Special services occur during Advent, Christmas, Holy Week, Easter, Thanksgiving, All Saints Day, St. Bartholomew’s Day, and more as occasions arise.

The Holy Eucharist focuses our worship. We invite all baptized Christians to celebrate Communion with Christ and one another with bread and wine. All may come to the altar for a blessing. We share gifts of prayer, ceremony, song, communion, and love, to grow in relationship with Christ and each other.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Adults and children enjoy spiritual growth, exploration, and reflection, to empower them in their journey with Christ.

Adult Christian Education includes Sunday classes and weekday programs addressing varied topics such as: Science & Christianity … Individual Gospels … World Religions … Revelations … Women in the Bible … Gospel Parallels … and many are taking the challenge to read the entire Bible and participate in discussions.

Children’s Sunday School includes two levels of classes that meet each Sunday during the school year.

Two Youth Groups, one for Middle School and one for High School, enjoy discussions, trips to places such as the Holocaust Museum, the National Cathedral, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, outreach projects, and fun.

MUSIC AT ST. BART’S
With leadership of Music Director Kathleen Gambill Hennessey, adult and youth choirs enhance our parish life. “The Spirits” play along with the choirs for a mixture of traditional and contemporary music. Our choirs offer gifts of music to other groups such as the Friends of L’Arche community. Our music director holds choir camps for Peter Paul Development Center and for St. Bart’s youth and friends.

OUTREACH
We serve Christ through programs and activities that promote social justice and meet needs in Richmond and the world. With at least one outreach program each month, members can choose programs to which they feel called. Examples include outreach for Peter Paul Development Center, Friends of L’Arche Central Virginia, Heifer International, Boaz and Ruth, Central Virginia Food Bank, and Angel Tree.

PARISH LIFE
Fellowship binds our parish. Below are descriptions of annual events which we punctuate with special celebrations of the moment.

Early Each Year: We host and join a celebration of Epiphany with Friends of L’Arche Central Virginia. Later in January, we heat things up with our Chili Cook-Off (donating proceeds to the Food Bank). And, on the Tuesday before Lent, we enjoy our traditional Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper.

Spring: We open our doors to family and friends for Cuban Night. Then, in early June, we gather for our Parish Picnic, celebrating the Eucharist outside with contemporary music from The Spirits, and feast on a potluck picnic lunch.

Summer: On a Sunday in July, we indulge in an Ice Cream Social after the 10:30 service. In August, we celebrate Saint Bartholomew’s Day which includes a visit from a bishop from the Diocese of Virginia.

Fall: Our retreat to Shrine Mont lets us escape to the mountains of the Shenandoah Valley for quiet contemplation, Bible study, family activities, community meals, and group discussions - a time to find a sense of balance in our lives. Then, in October, we enjoy the St. Bart’s Harvest Event with a Brunswick Stew sale, arts, crafts, and talents from many.