News & Announcements

St. Paul’s In the News

St. Paul's Searches for God, Believers in Shockoe Bottom

by Melissa Scott Sinclair
Style Weekly (June 15, 2011)

Seminarian Andrew Terry is leading a church's efforts to reach young people in Shockoe Bottom.

Say you’re out at Millie’s one Sunday morning, trying feebly to smother your hangover with a big ol’ devil’s mess.

You raise your heavy head and at the next table, you see a smiling, bright-eyed group from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Don’t worry. They’re not there to lecture you. “Christians have a bad rap for always wanting to talk at people,” says Andrew Terry, St. Paul’s seminarian in residence.

What the St. Paul’s group is doing is “hanging out with intention,” looking for God’s presence in the residents and business owners of Shockoe Bottom.

Terry is organizing a series of discussions on summer Sunday mornings in the Bottom, an unexpected frontier for the historic church near Capitol Square. He hopes to reach the 20- and 30-something young professionals who’ve flooded into Tobacco Row in recent years — not to proselytize, he says, but to be a welcoming presence: “We’re about just listening.”

The church, which long has been a force in downtown Richmond, is also trying to support local businesses and learn more about the Bottom, he says. That’s what the new series, called Views from the Bottom, is about.

On June 19, around 11:30, writers Bekah Holbrook and Shola Walker will join the group at Café Gutenberg to talk about their experiences living in the Bottom and Church Hill. On June 26, Style Weekly’s bar columnist Jack Lauterback will speak at Lulu’s. A third gathering is planned July 10 at Millie’s.

A blog also will be maintained to share updates from group discussions (more information is available at stpauls-episcopal.org).

You can join them — even if you are hungover. “I don’t think that our presence would guilt them,” Terry says. “I hope.”

Presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church leads worship services in Richmond

by Jeremy Slayton
Richmond Times-Dispatch (February 28, 2011)

A Christian's duty should not end with the weekly worship service, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church said Sunday.

Speaking at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in downtown Richmond, the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori said Christians must extend their efforts beyond the physical building to reach people in need within the community.

"The work we do on Sunday morning and inside what we traditionally call 'the church' ... is about supporting people for their lives outside of this place," she said. "Get lost in your involvement in the needs of the world and the opportunities to love your neighbor."

Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church to Visit Richmond

by Jeremy Slayton
Richmond Times-Dispatch (February 25, 2011)

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, who is the first woman to serve as the church's presiding bishop, will visit St. Paul's Episcopal Church in downtown Richmond on Sunday morning and then will spend the afternoon at St. John's Episcopal Church in Church Hill.

"In my time around her, I've been so impressed with her," said the Rev. Wallace Adams-Riley, rector of St. Paul's. "I'm proud to be a priest in the church that she leads. She is someone we can all admire."

Jefferts Schori is the 26th presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church and serves as chief pastor to about 2.4 million members in 16 countries and 110 dioceses. Previously the bishop of Nevada, she was elected at the 75th General Convention in June 2006 and invested at Washington National Cathedral in November 2006.

Adams-Riley said her appearance at St. Paul's is timely in that it comes in advance of the church's annual Lenten program that begins on Ash Wednesday, March 9. This daily ministry attracts thousands of Richmonders of different faiths. "We're on the cusp of Lent, one of the holiest seasons of the year. It's a natural time for people to be contemplating and reflecting."

Richmond-area homeless count helps shape service

by Kristen Green
Richmond Times-dispatch (January 28, 2011)

Homeless people's deaths in 2010 remembered

by Jeremy Slayton
Richmond Times-Dispatch (December 22, 2010)

Nearly 20 people gathered in the courtyard at St. Paul's, holding votive candles in memory of those who died. The Rev. Wallace Adams-Riley, rector at St. Paul's, and the Rev. Tyrone Nelson, pastor of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, read off the names of those who died.

Then the church bell tolled 17 times.

"We are diminished by the deaths of 17 members of humanity, 17 children of God," said Adams-Riley. "We grieve their loss, and we grieve the poverty and the injustices that contributed to their deaths."

Vigil held to remember the homeless

WWBT (NBC12) (December 21, 2010)

On this first day of winter, the longest night of the year, bells tolled in downtown Richmond and candles were lit to remember the many people in our community with no refuge from the cold, no permanent shelter, no place to call home.

At Tuesday night's 20th annual homeless memorial service the names of 17 people were called out who died homeless this year in Richmond.

"We want to honor those individuals, honor their worth and dignity as our neighbors and children of God. It's also an opportunity for us to raise awareness to raise consciousness in our city," said Rev. Wallace Adams-Riley.

"As we are in our homes warm and during this season to remember there are those who're not as fortunate as us, do the best that we can to try to give back and care for others," said Rev. Tyrone Nelson.

The homeless memorial at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond was one of hundreds that were held across the country Tuesday.

Chat: Christmas & Those Left Homeless for the Holidays

with Michael Paul Williams and Wallace Adams-Riley
Richmond Times-Dispatch Online Chat (December 20, 2010)

'A Ministry of Welcome'

"Rain doesn't dampen spirit at Court End Christmas" by Jeremy Slayton
Richmond Times-Dispatch (December 12, 2010)

"Christmas traditions were also on display. At St. Paul's, people viewed tabletop Nativity scenes, created homemade Christmas cards and decorated sugar cookies — a favorite among the children."

This was the second year the church participated in Court End Christmas, a way to let the community know St. Paul's is more than just a religious building downtown.

The Rev. Kate Jenkins referred to Court End Christmas as a ministry of welcoming.

"It's a way for us to welcome the community ... not only into the building but to meet the people who make the church what it is," said Jenkins, associate rector at St. Paul's.

St. Paul's Offers Eyes on Richmond

by John Ogle, Special Correspondent
WCVE News 88.9 FM (September 13, 2010)