Saturday Church
5:00 p.m. (Chapel)
Join us for a service of Holy Eucharist. The service includes readings, prayers, sermon, and communion.
Sunday Church
9:30 a.m. (Sanctuary)
10:00 a.m. (Sanctuary)
Join us for a service of Holy Eucharist. The service includes hymns, readings, prayers, sermon, and communion. This service is also livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook. Recorded services and service bulletins are available HERE.
11:15 a.m. (Chapel)
Children’s Chapel
During the 10:00 a.m. service, before the gospel, children who would like to go are invited to follow the acolyte with the dove cross to the Chapel, where a children’s book about faith is read and time for conversation, prayer, and response is given. Children are returned to the Sanctuary for the Peace.
Childcare
On Sunday, childcare for children through age 4 is available 9:30 a.m.–noon in the Nursery, located on the lower level.
Communion at Home
If you would like a pair of Eucharistic Visitors to bring Communion to your home once a month or once every other month, please contact the Church Office.
Drive-Thru Communion
If you are unable to come to church on Sunday, and would still like to receive Drive-Thru Communion in your car, please contact the Church Office at 703-938-6521 by Friday the week before.
Christmas at Holy Comforter
Christmas Eve – Tuesday, December 24
Come at 11:00 a.m. or 4:00 p.m. for a child-friendly service, the Children’s Living Crèche. Join the children of Holy Comforter as they retell the story of the birth of Jesus. Childcare will be available in the Nursery for ages 4 and under!
All children are welcome to participate or watch the Children’s Living Crèche! Costumes available for all. If you would like a lead role (all are non-speaking), please sign up below. No rehearsals! Lead roles include Mary, Joseph, three kings (both girls and boys are welcome to take these roles), and the lead angel. We also need many “friendly beasts,” shepherds and angels whose roles DO NOT require signup.
11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Children’s Living Crèche*
4:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist with Children’s Living Crèche* (Livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook)
7:00 p.m. Festival Choral Eucharist with Brass Quintet (Livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook)
9:30 p.m. Festival Choral Eucharist with Brass Quintet (incense)
* childcare available for ages 4 and under
Christmas Day – Wednesday, December 25
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Organ Music and Carols
Sunday, December 29
10:00 a.m. Christmas Lessons and Carols and Holy Eucharist – Extend your Christmas Season with more chances to sing some favorite carols. *
* childcare available for ages 4 and under
2nd Saturday Church & Dinner
Saturday, January 11 at 5:00 p.m. in the Chapel
All are invited to our first 2nd Saturday Church of the new year! Our intergenerational Eucharist will celebrate the Epiphany season with lively guitar music, a “chalking of the door” blessing, and dinner afterwards in the Ministry Center. There will be opportunities for kids to participate by ushering, greeting, lighting the candles, and more.
RSVP for dinner HERE. Questions? Please contact Susan McGuire.
Centering Prayer
Mondays at 1:30 p.m. on Zoom
Please join us for Centering Prayer, a means of Christian meditation that uses a single word for us to rest our attention while we come before the presence of God. This will include a brief check-in, an opening prayer, brief instruction, 20 minutes of silence and then a brief closing prayer.
Got Kids?
Sunday School happens Sundays, 11:10 a.m. to Noon.
Pre-K–6th Grade Learn more.
7th–12th Grade Learn more.
Learn more about our Children’s Ministries HERE. Learn more about our Youth Ministries HERE.
Sunday Education & Fellowship:
Sunday School for Pre-K through 12th Grade takes place from 11:10 a.m. to Noon.
Sunday Bible Study: Feasting on the Word
Sunday Forums following the 10:00 a.m. service
Sunday Forums address a wide variety of subjects—all intended to deepen our relationships with one another and with God.
Coffee and Fellowship Hour following the 10:00 a.m. service
Join us in the church Narthex for coffee and conversation. All are welcome for an informal fellowship hour—a chance to see one another and chat.
Summer Sunday Forum
Worship is at the heart of our community. Our experience of God creates a sacred life which changes the way we live, treating ourselves and others with dignity. Fed at Christ’s table, we take that deep nourishment out into the world, recognizing Christ’s presence everywhere. All of our ministries are a response to the love of God we experience around the table. It is a profound claim on our hearts, minds and bodies.
Tuesday Education & Fellowship:
Men’s Bible Study 6:45–7:45 a.m. on Zoom
Join us on Zoom early for coffee followed by our Bible study. Please contact the Rev. Jon Strand or Ray Wadlow to RSVP. We are using the Bible study guide from St. Stephen’s Richmond—found below—to start out. We will generally meet weekly, taking breaks for holidays and the summer.
Women’s Bible Study 6:45–7:45 a.m. on Zoom
Bible women, especially those who speak, are surprisingly bold! Join us as we explore their voices, many of whom have been silenced or forgotten. Please contact the Rev. Ann Gillespie for the Zoom link.
Learn More
Worship Ministry
Helping our community prepare for and celebrate all the services of our liturgical life.
Acolytes & Vergers:
All youth in grades 7 through 12 are encouraged to serve in the Acolyte Ministry. Acolytes not only grow spiritually by playing an active, meaningful role in the liturgies, but also develop tremendous leadership skills as they grow from being a young torch bearer to captain of their own team. School volunteer hours can also be earned. Vergers are committed lay people who assist the clergy in the conduct of public worship. Their varied tasks include recruiting, training and directing the acolytes, physical preparation of the worship space, coordination of lay ministers, ordering and marshaling of processions, as well as general safekeeping of the church building. Vergers are selected by the rector.
Digital Ministry:
Run the audio and video for services in the Sanctuary and help live stream and record services—which involves monitoring the sound and video systems to ensure proper volumes, camera coverage, recording and troubleshooting and possible video editing for recorded services. An important part of the ministry is facilitating holiday services which expand the audio and video capabilities throughout the church building to accommodate the increased number of parishioners attending those services.
Eucharistic Ministers:
As Eucharistic Minister, you will serve the chalice of consecrated wine at the altar during Holy Eucharist at Sunday and special services. Lead Eucharistic Ministers assist the Priest in the preparation and serving of the Holy Eucharist, lead the procession, and perform other duties during Saturday services.
Greeters:
Greet people as they arrive at the services and assist any newcomers to find what they might need after the service—an excellent way to help with a person’s journey of faith. All that is needed is a welcoming attitude and every other talent and essential knowledge will develop on its own.
Lectors & Intercessors:
Read the lessons and/or psalm for the day and offer the prayers of the people as assigned for each service.
Manna Makers:
Music Ministry:
The Adult Choir and Choristers serve on Sunday mornings and at other special services or events. The Chorister program uses the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) training curriculum called Voice for Life.
St. Mary’s Altar Guild:
Members prepare the worship spaces for the gatherings of God’s people: Holy Eucharist, Evensong, Baptism, Weddings, Funerals, Taize, and special liturgies. We take care of the sacred vessels, linens, and vestments working in teams that rotate weekly. At Christmas and Easter we decorate the church in celebration of our lives together in Christ. The Altar Guild is open to all parishioners ages 14 and up. We will train you!
Ushers:
Provide assistance in seating, handing out bulletins, and other logistics for services.