News of The Church of the Holy Comforter in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia Richmond, March 2018 • The Rt. Rev. Robert Ihloff Called as Bishop Holy Week March 25 ~ April 1 Associate March 25, 10am • Electing a third bishop for Virginia Holy Eucharist with the Liturgy for Palm Sunday • A Message from Hilary+ March 26 through March 28, 12:15pm • Presenters for the Holy Eucharist Rite II remainder of Lent March 29, 7pm • “In Wine There’s Liturgy for Maundy Thursday Truth”- Pliny the Elder with Holy Eucharist and Foot Washing • March Book Club March 30, 12:15pm “Little Fires Stations of the Cross, with Homily Everywhere” March 30, 7pm • Passover Seder at HoCo March 28th Liturgy for Good Friday with communion from the Reserved Sacrament • Medical Drones heading for Tanzania March 31, 8pm • Episcopal Church The Great Vigil of Easter expands its stand with Sunday April 1, 10am refugees, immigrants and the undocumented Easter Day Holy Eucharist Rite II • The Rev Briggett Keith • Parishioner Nathan Douthit passed away February 17 • New Vestry members elected February 4th • Six Months in an English Country Parish • The Back Page The Rt. Rev. Robert Ihloff in Virginia,” said Bishop Ihloff. “Virginia is a Called as Bishop Associate very healthy diocese with fine leadership. Over my years in neighboring Maryland, I have come From Diocese of Va press release to appreciate the ways in which the Diocese of The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston Virginia models mission and ministry, and I feel is pleased to announce his appointment of the privileged to share a small role in that ministry as Rt. Rev. Robert Ihloff as Bishop Associate in your Bishop Associate.” the Diocese of Bishop Ihloff’s first day on the job is March 11. Virginia. Bishop Please join Bishop Shannon in welcoming him to Ihloff served as the the Diocese of Virginia! Bishop of Maryland from 1995 until his Electing a third bishop for retirement in 2007. Virginia He will provide By Bruce MacAlister key support to the Diocese during the Virginia has two elected bishops, transition between the Right Rev Shannon Johnston, the diocesan, Bishop Ted Gulick’s and the Right Rev Susan Ellyn Goff, the suffragan retirement at the (pronounced suff-fra-gan and often jokingly called end of 2017 and the the “sufferin’ bishop”). With over 180 churches, election of a second two bishops aren’t enough for even yearly visits Bishop Suffragan to every parish. So a part-time bishop retired later this year. from another diocese has been appointed as an [Read full biography at www.thediocese.net/ “assistant bishop” to help carry the load. news/the-rt-rev-robert-ihloff-called-as-bishop- “Nearly seven years ago, the Rt. Rev. Edwin associate-for-the-diocese-of-virginia/.] “Ted” Gulick returned to his native Virginia to “I have long admired Bishop Ihloff’s work become the Assistant Bishop of this Diocese,” in the Diocese of Maryland and in the broader wrote Bishop Johnston in an October 2017 Church,” said Bishop Johnston, “and I know letter to the church how valuable his skills and gifts will be to our members. Diocese during this time of transition. Bob is both “With Bishop a strong leader and a model of humility. Also, Gulick’s impending he is a compelling combination of optimism and retirement comes straight-talk, in which each of those qualities is the need to assess strengthened by the other one. He is eager to get our capacity in started, and I am eager to welcome him.” diocesan ministry Like Bishop Gulick, Bishop Ihloff and leadership. (pronounced Ee-loff) will work out of the After thoughtful diocesan office in Northern Virginia. He will make consideration, it has become clear to me that we Sunday visitations and provide support to clergy need to return to a third full-time bishop.” See and congregations across the Diocese. news/bishop-johnston-announces-call-for- second-bishop-suffragan/. “Because my favorite ministries are preaching, teaching, and working with parishes on issues The second suffragan bishop will be elected by of mission and congregational development, the next diocesan convention. In the interim, an and because I find it humbling and exciting to assisting bishop has been appointed. (See previous work with clergy on discerning their roles in article.) ministry, I am excited about assisting as a Bishop News of the Church of the Holy Comforter - Richmond, Virginia - 2 A Message from Hilary+ Resurrection; we remember and we embrace the grace of Resurrection in our lives. During our Dear Friends and Companions in lives, we have those resurrection moments of new Ministry, life coming from brokenness and loss, and we We are encouraged during Lent to do or not embrace the promise and our hope of everlasting do those things that lead to God’s deepening life life--our life in Christ that overcomes death. We in us. Lent gives us a time to focus on our lives are invited into Holy Week to experience the with God as we prepare for our great celebration love of God in ways that help us see as God sees. of Easter. During this month of March, we We are invited into the life of Christ through the might want to find some time events of Holy Week—a week that can lead to for more reflection than we God’s deepening life in us. normally do in a week, or Wishing you every blessing as we continue to perhaps more silence, as we journey through Lent, look and listen for God. Joan Chittister writes in her Lenten Hilary+ booklet Cry Out: “We look for God in so many places. Unfortunately, most of them Presenters for the remainder are in the places where we of Lent want to see God. When we begin to see God Reported by Peggy Hombs everywhere, in everyone, then we have come to be with God.” When will we see as God sees and Each evening schedule: love as God loves? Each day is an opportunity to • 6:00 to 6:30pm - Soup and bread meal open ourselves to the grace that makes such vision • 6:30 to 7:30pm - Program and such compassion possible. • 7:30 to 7:45pm - Compline The last week of March provides a special Below the topics and presenters for the time to open ourselves to the grace that helps Wednesday Lenten Program. us see as God sees and love as God loves. The • Mar 7th The Last Supper - Kirsten dramatic events of the final week of Jesus’ life with his friends, as they had known him, gives us • Mar 14th The Betrayal and Arrest - Hilary entry into the heart of God. On Palm Sunday, we • Mar 21st The Crucifixion - Christopher are with Jesus as he enters Jerusalem knowing that he does so at great personal risk. He gives us a different way of understanding kingship and strength through his humility. On Maundy Thursday, we see God’s love in the way that Jesus cares for his friends by washing their feet and giving them instructions to share the bread and wine when he is gone, letting them know that he will never be far from them when they remember him. On Good Friday, we see God’s love in the complete devotion of Jesus, as he is willing to die to share in all that we suffer. The Great Vigil of Easter on Saturday evening, shows us the sweep of history, God’s great love through the ages, leading to the life of Christ. The Easter Vigil is also the first Eucharist of Easter, when we remember and celebrate the News of the Church of the Holy Comforter - Richmond, Virginia - 3 “In Wine There’s Truth”- Pliny the Elder By Steve Van Voorhees Merlot is a big, robust, handsome, likable grape that blends well with others and has a universal and flexible appeal. Pinot Noir, on the other hand, is a thin-skinned, difficult to handle grape that doesn’t go well with others and is almost always vinified alone. Does either of these descriptions sound like anyone you know or maybe even you? the best human comedy of the year—comedy, because it is funny, and human, because it is surprisingly moving.” Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 96 out 100% rating. Our Men at the Movies night is Tuesday, this month on March 20th. As always, we will gather for fellowship at 6:00pm; viewing and discussion begin at 6:30pm. Bring your dinner, if you want; popcorn and beverages will be available. For more information, contact me. Our March Madness Movie, Sideways, is one March Book Club “Little of the four films Men at the Movies voted into a Fires Everywhere” tie. This movie captured the Academy Award for By Stephanie Roberts-Turner Best Adapted Screenplay and won awards from critics everywhere for its director, actors and Ths month’s meeting is Tuesday, March 13, writer. This movie also seriously influenced the 6:30pm – 8:00pm wine market by depressing Merlot sales from 20% The brilliant new novel from the author of the to 7% and increasing Pinot Noir sales from 1% to New York Times bestseller, Everything I Never 8%. Don’t feel sorry for Merlot producers; Merlot Told You. sales have slowly come back to their 2004 levels Everyone in Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer: how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down. In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead.