This year, we have a special gift for you and your family. Since we can’t gather in person, we wanted to capture the spirit of Christmas in a meaningful way, so your church leadership has worked hard to produce a beautiful Christmas Eve film that will be released on Christmas Eve. It was filmed on location at St. Paul’s and includes a special story for children read by Linda Willis, favorite hymns, choral selections by the choir, organ music from Chris, lovely floral works from our Flower Guild, readings, a sermon by Charlie, prayers, and, of course, the beautiful backdrop of St. Paul’s. It lasts approximately 45 minutes. We hope that the film will allow you the flexibility to gather with friends and family at your convenience to pray, worship, sing and see some familiar faces from your St. Paul’s family.

To watch, you have several options:

• Participate with the St. Paul’s family! Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24th, 4:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. / Christmas Day at 10:00 a.m. – On Facebook, we will host a viewing or “Watch” party. This option allows you to watch this pre-recorded video in real-time with others from St. Paul’s and wish one another a Merry Christmas: www.facebook.com/stpaulsrva.
• Watch anytime! The Christmas video will be accessible on our website on Christmas Eve, as well as, shared through our weekly e-news for you to watch at any time that works for you. Pop popcorn, mull some cider or make a little hot cocoa and gather around the Christmas tree to watch.
• DVDs are available! If you don’t have access to a computer or the internet, you can request a DVD from Carter. We’ll send you one so that you can have it available to watch. Email or call our Administrative and Membership Associate Carter Johann by December 20th to place your DVD order. E-mail Carter HERE or call 804-545-5401. DVDs are limited, and we ask for only those with technology access issues to request one.

Repeat the Sounding Joy! Let others know that the film is available for everyone to enjoy. We hope that it will be a gift to the community and a sign of God’s love and care for all.

Liturgy of the Longest Night, Live-streamed Holy Eucharist | Monday, December 21st @ 7 p.m.

This year, we will experience the Advent-Christmas season like no other as the covid-19 pandemic continues, disrupting our traditions and limiting our ability to travel and gather with our families and loved ones. For those for whom Christmas is already a painful, difficult and lonely time of year, this will be an especially hard Christmas. The Liturgy of the Longest Night, also known as “Blue Christmas,” is symbolically held on the Winter Solstice (December 21st or thereabouts), coinciding with the Feast Day for St. Thomas the Apostle (“Doubting Thomas”). This service creates a space to recognize and hold space for our own Thomist-like struggles of doubt during the darkness before Christmas faced by those living with loss and grief as we together wait in hope and longing for the Eternal Word Made Flesh to be born anew in our weary hearts and world. Please join us for this special live-streamed service (link to the video and live stream will be posted here on the day of service).

Introducing Compline to our daily prayer services for Advent! During Advent we will offer the following daily prayer services on weeknights on Facebook Live:

• Evening Prayer with Rev. Charlie on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 6 p.m.
• Compline with Rev. Gwynn on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 p.m.

Compline is the last of the Book of Common Prayer’s four services in the Daily Office that includes Morning and Evening Prayer. It is descended from the night prayers said before bed at the end of the monastic round of daily prayer. It is an intimate and peaceful prayer service for turning our bodies, hearts and minds toward Christ as we prepare to rest as we wait and watch in hope for the Light of the World.

Please note that we will not offer the Morning Prayer Podcast during Advent.

Please join us, Saturday, December 5th at 10:00 a.m., as we walk, watch and wait, witness and pray to God for Christ to be born anew into our hearts, our community, and all creation this Advent season. We will meet in St. Paul’s Memorial Garden, and we will walk quietly together to and around Capitol Square, stopping at designated prayer stations to read poems and prayers, concluding on the front steps of St. Paul’s. The walk will be easy with some hills and about 1.25 miles in length.

Prayer Walk Route Map | Prayer Walk Booklet w/Prayers

Limit 15 people and reservation required. You can reserve your spot HERE.

*Note change of location from the location named in Advent Calendar.

In the case of inclement weather, alternative date will be Saturday, December 12th at 10 a.m. Contact Rev. Gwynn for additional information HERE.

Sunday Mornings during Advent at 9:15 a.m.

This is an online offering where we will gather together, read a brief reflection, and enter into 20 minutes of silent meditation. There will be an optional time of reflection after the meditation. We will conclude in time for the 10:00 a.m. worship service.

Zoom Login: https://zoom.us/j/99873322667?pwd=cnFUYzlwYXBmSVY2ZEp1Uzc3VzEzUT09

Meeting ID: 998 7332 2667 | Passcode: 471801

Join by phone: +1 301 715 8592 US | Meeting ID: 998 7332 2667 | Passcode: 471801

For questions contact Minister of Adult Faith Formation, Keli Shipley Cooper, HERE.

We also have meditation on Wednesday Mornings at 10:00 a.m. For more info on the Wednesday morning mediation, CLICK HERE.