Join us for Joyful Noise!

Last September we started a new worship service for kids and kids-at-heart -- called "Joyful Noise." We hold it in the Lounge at 10 am for songs, prayers and a story. Then everyone in Joyful Noise joins the bigger worship service for Holy Communion at about 10:40 am. Above is a wonderful photo taken today of Pastor Heather Warren leading Joyful Noise this morning. The turnout was smaller than usual, but no less joyful.

Tuesday in Holy Week: Healing

The theme for today is healing. At our 12:15 pm Holy Eucharist, Pastor Heather Warren preached a wonderful homily about how God turns our expectations upside down so that we might experience the indwelling of God. We had prayers for healing, and I could use some of that now. I've been fighting off a throat infection since Saturday that is stealing my voice.

I went to the doc this afternoon; he said the bug is floating around Charlottesville and he's had it too. So he fixed me up with a few drugs and sent me home for rest, plenty of water and all that.

So dear readers, I am resting up. Please have a very blessed Holy Week!

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Prayer for the sick

O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servants (NAMES) the help of your power, that their sickness may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

By James Richardson, Fiat Lux

Heather Warren and her hip groovy cool class

Our very own Pastor Heather Warren is featured in UVA Today. She doubles as a professor at the University of Virginia. Here is the top of the story:

J-term Course Digs into Religious Inheritance of the 1960s and '70s

January 12, 2012 — "Cool." "Groovy." "Hip." "Heavy." "Square." Such words are among the better-known legacies of the 1960s and '70s that today we take for granted (along with things like civil rights and women's equality).

But the era also created a number of other, less obvious, legacies, as students learned in a University of Virginia January Term course on "Religion in the 60's and 70's," taught by religious studies professor Heather Warren of the College of Arts & Sciences.

For instance, the "centering prayer groups" at many American churches, as well as the  "mindfulness" classes offered at the U.Va. Medical Center, come right out of Asian practices of meditation, primarily Buddhist and Hindu, first popularized in America in the 1960s, Warren explained in an interview. The turn toward Asian religion often came in reaction to Protestant traditions feeling too dogmatic, she said.

To read the rest of the story, clicking HERE.

Blessing of stole for Heather

Today at the 10 am worship, members of our Integrity Chapter of Charlottesville presented a priest's stole to the Rev. Dr. Heather Warren, our ministry associate for adult education who was ordained earlier this year. Integrity is the organization in the Episcopal Church working for full inclusion of all God's people in the life of the church especially LGBT people.

It was my privilege to bless the stole, and then Wayne Nolen vested Heather. Here is a brief video by Lori:

One more photo from Heather Warren's ordination

I just found this in my email -- a photo of Danny Dean and Heather Warren at her ordination to the priesthood on Saturday. The photo was taken by Jane Rotch. Thanks Jane!

Photos of Heather Warren's ordination

Much is going on at St. Paul's -- no slowing down with us. Our own Heather Warren was ordained a priest on Saturday in her home diocese of North Carolina by Bishop Michael Curry.

Heather is a professor at the University of Virginia, and her path to becoming an Episcopal priest was long and with many twists. She will be serving at St. Paul's and exploring new avenues for ministry with us in the months ahead. I am very proud of Heather and very proud of St. Paul's support.

Here are some photos taken by Diane Wakat at Heather's ordination in North Carolina; and a photo of her as a priest the next day serving for the first time as celebrant at St. Paul's.