A Note from the University Fellowship Junior Warden | |
Dear St. Paul's,
As a brand-new first-year, I was in what I now know to be a classic Charlottesville predicament, looking for parking near the Corner. Through Peter and Caroline, who welcomed my mom and me in the parking lot, God opened up not only a parking place, but a road into a church community that has become a second home.
Since that first welcome, St. Paul’s has been a place for me to ask questions, grow, and discover what faith could be for me. The road led to baptism, and confirmation, and ECL Scholars, and Student Vestry, and Sunday mornings, and conversations over meals, and new friendships... and I’m hoping for a lot more ands to come.
Of all that I’ve learned here, it has become especially clear that God meets us in the most wonderful and wild places. James writes that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Looking back, I notice how many gifts have come through St. Paul’s and TUF, even in everyday encounters—in the parking lot, in a pew, or even on a walk to church. Whether you are a first-year, a fourth-year, or a longtime parishioner, I hope you’ll notice the many gifts around you. Ask the extra question, take the longer walk, sit with someone new, find a way to serve.
St. Paul’s has already blessed me in countless, unbidden ways. After all, I was only looking for parking! It took time to slow down enough to notice what I’d found. So if you see me on Grounds or at church, let’s slow down and walk for a while and notice God’s gifts. I’d love to say hi!
– Augusta
Augusta Halle
| | Sunday, August 30, at St. Paul's | | Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost | |
8 a.m. – Holy Eucharist in the Chapel
9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. – Nursery Care (infants through pre-K)
10 a.m. – Holy Eucharist with Parish Choir (also accessible via Zoom)
11:15 a.m. – Common Hour for Formation, Fellowship, and Service:
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Adults: Getting Connected and Finding Your Place at St. Paul’s
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Youth: Introduction to the Sacraments (middle and high school)
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Children: Painting Three-Legged Stools (grades 3+) and Episcopal Church 101 (grades K-2)
11:15 a.m. – Student Brunch (details below)
6:30 p.m. – Evening Worship, followed by food and fellowship
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Monday, August 31 - Friday, September 4, 8 a.m. – Weekday Virtual Morning Prayer
Monday, August 31, 4 p.m. – Virtual Lectionary Discussion Group
Monday, August 31, 8 p.m. – Compline (chancel)
Tuesday, September 1, 12:15 p.m. – Holy Eucharist (chapel)
Wednesday, September 2, 11 a.m. – Funeral for Helen Reynolds
Wednesday, September 2 – Thank God It's Wednesday!
- 4:15 p.m. – Junior Choir Rehearsal (grades 3-8)
- 4:45 p.m. – Primary Choir Rehearsal (grades K-2)
- 4:45 p.m. – Drop-in Playdate (infants through pre-K with their caregivers)
- 5:30 p.m. – Evening Prayer (chapel)
- 6 p.m. – Community Dinner (parish hall)
- 6:15 p.m. – Wee Music Time (2-year-olds through pre-K)
- 6:15 p.m. – Crafts and activities (grades K and up)
- 7 p.m. – Parish Choir Rehearsal (parish hall)
Thursday, September 3, 7:30 a.m. – Drop-in Bible Study
Friday, September 4 - Sunday, September 6 – Parish Weekend at Shrine Mont
Sunday, September 6 – Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (worship at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 6:30 p.m.)
| | To learn more about what's going on at St. Paul's this fall, check out our Fall 2026 brochure! | | The University Fellowship | | |
Welcome Back Students – UVA's first day of classes was on Tuesday and The University Fellowship (TUF) programming is well underway! Students are welcome at all three services and are invited to stay after the 6:30 p.m. service for food and fellowship. Learn more about our university ministries here. Questions? Contact Senior Associate Rector & University Chaplain Peter Kang at peter.kang@spmcuva.org.
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Sunday Student Brunch – Students are invited to stay after the 10 a.m. service for brunch outside the TUF Study Space (120 Chancellor Street – look for the tent). Students will have the opportunity to meet other student members of St. Paul's, to tour the TUF Study Space, and to get to know University Chaplain Peter Kang.
| | Children's, Youth & Family Ministries | | |
St. Paul's Families Email List – If you have children at home, be sure you are on our St. Paul’s families email list to receive news about children's and youth plans for the fall. Please contact the church office to add your email address to the list: office@spmcuva.org or 434-295-2156.
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Our Common Hour adult formation programs have resumed! Common Hour takes place immediately after the 10 a.m. service, and nursery care is available. Check out our Fall 2026 schedule here.
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Who Dunnit Book Club – Who Dunnit, the long-running mystery book club at St. Paul’s, will meet on Zoom on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m., beginning September 8. If you enjoy reading and discussing mystery novels, this group is for you! Nine novels have been picked out for this year, with a range of detectives from a housewife turned CIA operative to Scotland Yard’s Richard Jury to a flock of sheep. The first book is Faithful Place, by Tan French. For details and a copy of the booklist, contact Anne Ribble at anneribble47@gmail.com or 434-996-8663.
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Mses. & Moms Meetup – Please join the newly-formed St. Paul’s Mses. & Moms, a group of St. Paul’s women of all ages (with and without children) looking for friendship, solidarity, and a delicious treat. The group will have its first meeting Friday, September 18, from 5-7 p.m. at Cou Cou Rachou. Questions? Contact Erin Micheletti at emicheletti@gmail.com.
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Our next baptism date is Sunday, September 20. To learn more about baptism, whether for yourself or an infant or young child, contact the parish office to schedule a conversation with one of our clergy: 434-295-2156 or office@spmcuva.org.
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Talking About Israel and Palestine: The Challenge to the Churches in the Age of Gaza – On Sunday, September 27, Mark Braverman will deliver the 2026 Koinonia Lecture, Talking About Israel and Palestine: The Challenge to the Churches in the Age of Gaza, at 4:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s. The lecture will be followed by a reception in the parish hall. All are invited to attend our 6:30 p.m. evening worship service after the reception.
Dr. Mark Braverman was raised in the Jewish tradition, with deep family roots in the Holy Land. Since 2006 Dr. Braverman has devoted himself to the global church movement for Palestine, working with clergy, churches, and ecumenical bodies in the United States and internationally. He has published and lectured widely on Kairos theology, Christian Zionism, postHolocaust theology, Christian-Jewish relations, and the call of the Palestinian Christians. Dr. Braverman will discuss the background for the current crisis and bring key texts from scripture to bear on the question of the biblical promises, the challenge of Christian Zionism, the weaponization of antisemitism, and the historic role of the church as a moral compass and force for change.
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At the beginning of the fall semester, St. Paul’s loves to welcome back our wonderful neighbors who have been away for the summer... even if we’re a little less excited about all of their cars. As our neighborhood fills up, please keep in mind the following parking notes.
Parking Basics: What Every Parishioner Should Know
- St. Paul’s has exclusive use of the ENTIRE Chancellor Street lot behind Bank of America (including spaces marked “Bank Use Only”) after 4 p.m. on banking days, and all day on weekends and bank holidays.
- The Booker House lot on Madison Lane is St. Paul’s property. It is leased to the University weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., but otherwise belongs exclusively to us.
- Parking in the alley is strictly reserved for handicapped permits and loading and unloading at all times.
- You may not park at St. Paul’s when you are not at St. Paul’s. You may think “nothing is going on at church” at a given time, but you may be wrong. (And you may be towed).
Advanced Studies in Parking: Supporting Welcome and Growth
Anything we can do to maximize available parking in our lots for newcomers, visitors, and those with mobility limitations is an expression of welcome and hospitality. If you can’t get to church without a car, consider these strategies:
- If you happen upon street parking (on University Avenue, Madison Lane, or Chancellor Street), take it! That’s one more spot in our lot for someone else.
- Weekdays after 4 p.m., park in the “bank use” spots first; the ones marked “church use” are more attractive to newcomers … and less attractive to trespassers.
- On Sunday mornings, park for free in the Elliewood Avenue lot (“under the deck”) until 2 p.m., or in the Corner Parking Lot (enter by the alleyway next to Finch). At the Corner Parking Lot, your Sunday service bulletin gets you out free of charge.
| | Holding each other's joys, sorrows, and concerns before God in prayer is a spiritual practice that characterizes our life together at St. Paul's. In our worship services we pray each other's prayers together. Outside of our time together many parishioners make it part of their daily lives to pray the prayers of the parish community. You are invited to participate in your own way. | |
Thanks be to God
for all the blessings of our lives, and for the faith, fellowship, and ministries of this parish community.
for Shrine Mont, its ministry of hospitality, and our upcoming parish retreat.
for the dedication and service of our children's and youth formation leaders for the coming year: E.D. Rambo, Suzannah Spaar, Ellen Tully (grades K-2); Sophie Gibson, Samantha Kang, Frank Rambo (grades 3-5); Barry Keith, Reilly Uiterwyk (middle school); Winn Philpott, Bess von der Heydt (high school).
for the ministry and vocation of Matthew Carter, sponsored for ordination by St. Paul's, who was recommended for candidacy this month by the Diocesan Committee on Priesthood.
for the faithful generosity of the St. Paul’s parishioners and friends who support our life and ministries.
Your prayers are requested
by members and friends of St. Paul’s for David, Pierce, Bob, Helen, John & Virginia Ritchie, Marianne Story, Kathy & Brett Blizzard, C.W. & Bill, Emily Merkel, David Lee, N., Chuck, Mo Lowdon, Logan Strzepek, Karl, Joe Piorkowski, Jean, Whit Worman, Jimmy White, Hunter, Virgil Corbin, Barbara & Paul Estes, Fouad Fadil, Sarah Donaldson, Lynne, Elizabeth, Brant Hopper, Betsy, Dianne Sprouse Mills, Ann, Ed & Lila, Aimee & Jeff, Rhonda Corbin, Charlotte, Ken Moulton, Philip Pretzinger, Troost Parker, Winston & Marisa, Mark C., Mehmet Argon, John, Will Kennedy, Laura Duran Martinez, George Gilliam, Katherine & Thomas, David, Sally, Terence, Lee Allen, Jason Corbin, Rebecca, Jessreal, Michelle Creasy, Helen Harris, Lucille Fillingame, Ruth and Adrian Harvey, the Shah family, Sherlene, Marjorie W., Carolyn Midgley, Charles Midgley, Tim Thomas, Nancy O'Brien, Adam Marrs, Ashley Marrs, Lawrence, Beth G., Georgie Kettler, Lydia Engelhardt, Suzanne, Tony Piacentino, Joan Werner, Martha, C.H., Greg Alexander, Jeanette, Declan, Anna, Annie, Steve, Nancy Gilman, David Willey, Winnie, Nancy Mayer, Joe, Anne, Fred, Ernestine, Betty.
for St. Paul's this Pentecost season, that by the promised gift of the Holy Spirit we may be empowered to proclaim the Gospel with grace and power in word and deed.
for those preparing for marriage, including Isabel Bleicken & Marshall Flagg, to be married at St. Paul's on September 12; and Elizabeth Eareckson & Reed Curtin, to be married at St. Paul's on September 19.
for those preparing for baptism, including Quincy Watson, to be baptized at St. Paul's on September 20.
for all students starting a new school year, including members of The University Fellowship, who began classes this week.
for Charlottesville and the University of Virginia, and for all our neighbors, including students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
for the work of Habitat for Humanity, for our renewed partnership, and for the residents of Southwood Redevelopment Project.
for Diocesan Campus Ministries: The University Fellowship at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville; Pace Center at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond; the House at the University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg; Canterbury at James Madison University, Bridgewater College, and Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg; and Arise at George Mason University, Fairfax, according to the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer.
for the Church in the Province of the West Indies, according to the Anglican Cycle of Prayer.
for the nation and the world, for an end to violence, hunger, injustice, and oppression.
We commend to God’s never-failing care
the faithful departed throughout the world, and all those known to God alone.
all those we love but see no more, including John Gergen; Kyle Rabkin; Helen Reynolds, whose funeral will take place at St. Paul's next Wednesday, September 2, at 11 a.m.; and Carol Sims.
Jim & Shelah Scott, in whose loving memory this Sunday's flowers are given.
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