As the 175th celebration of St. John’s Episcopal Church in City Point approaches, preparations have been underway for the past year to celebrate its ministry since 1840. “This is a wonderful time in the history of the Episcopal Church at City point,” says the Rev. William B. Taylor, present Rector of the church. He says, “In a hundred seventy five years a whole lot of ministry has happened at St. John’s, and through that history there has been both hope and despair. We want to celebrate the times that we as a faith community have been good and faithful as well as to reflect on and learn from the times when we as God’s people have not been as responsive to the needs of others, but concentrating on our own political and social agendas. It is in the latter that we need to especially re- center ourselves in God’s loving agenda in Christ. Our theme is ‘Remembrance and Renewal.’”
The Protestant Episcopal Church at City Point was begun with a dream in George Moody’s Tavern near Nunnelly’s Point on April 13, 1840 when a number of Subscribers were gathered to organize what would become St. John’s Episcopal Church. A vestry was formed, a building committee established and bids were to be received after placing a classified in several Petersburg papers.
A businessman, state delegate, turn seminary student, the Honorable Malcolm MacFarland from Lunenburg County read morning and evening prayers in the absence of a priest at Merchant’s Hope, Prince George County and St. Paul’s, Petersburg. By the time the Rev. Mr. MacFarland was ordained to holy orders, on his own accord financed the building of the first Episcopal Church at City Point and put in the first organ for church worship. Mr. MacFarland was to preach and officiate once a fortnight (every other week) at the new church along with other pastoral responsibilities such as baptism, marriage, and burial. On Sunday evenings Mr. MacFarland preached to the slaves from the surrounding plantations, especially those on the Eppes Plantations in and around City Point.
The church was closed at the beginning of the Civil War. Confederate troops occupied the building using it as a signal tower, a jail to hold Union Prisoners of War to be exchanged. As early as 1862, with the shelling of City Point by gunboats in the James River, the Post Office close to the wharf, used as the telegraph office was destroyed and so moved to the church vestry room. Services resumed at the end of June 1867 after the church was repaired with the help of “friends from the North.”
The church was built in a Plain Greek Revival Style and served in that style until 1894 when the roof was raised and built to reflect a Gothic Revival Style. The transepts (wings) were added between 1918 and 1919 and the Apse with memorial windows was added in 1925. In 1933 a parish hall was added and named in honor of a beloved minister, The Rev. Fredrick Deane Gibson Ribble. For many years a bell tower was envisioned but the structure would not support the weight of the bell so finally from a variety of memorial gifts, a Celtic cross of copper was placed on the front pinnacle. A church education building was dedicated for use in the early 1960’s .
St. John’s has served the community of City Point, Hopewell, and the surrounding County offering spiritual opportunities in worship, study, pastoral counselling and service. The church has supported the youth in the area through scouting, a Girls Friendly Society, meeting spaces for community organizations such as the women’s club, historical groups, theater groups, and the neighborhood watch program. The congregation supports prayerfully and financially the James House, the Hopewell and Prince George Food Pantries, The Shepherd’s Place and various other community, provincial, and global projects .
As we take this time to celebrate so that we might remember our church history through many generations; we take time as well to renew and dedicate that continuing spirit with the same message of hope, redemption, and new life as it has since 1840. Our celebration will begin on April 12 at 10:30 A.M with the communion liturgy that would have been used in 1840. The congregation is invited wear period clothing to this service. At 3 P.M. the choir will present a choral and instrumental concert with light refreshments served afterwards.
At 5:30 P.M. on April 15, a program and service to honor ex-slave Paulina Epps by the laying of a headstone on her grave. The new columbarium will be dedicated and consecrated for the disposition of ash remains. On Sunday morning we will culminate our anniversary week with a service of rededication and renewal with Bishop Hollerith. All are invited to attend all or any of the event listed.
Please join the James Solomon Russell Commemoration Committee at the
RZUA Conference Center in Lacrosse, Virginia for the celebration of the
life and legacy of Archdeacon James Solomon Russell. This festive
Evening Prayer service will take place on March 29 at 3:00 pm and a
reception will follow in the parish hall of Trinity, South Hill. Bishop
Hollerith will officiate. The Rev. Dr. John L. Ghee, Presiding Bishop
of Reformed Zion Union Apostolic Churches of America will preach. Music
by Sharon Baptist Church Choir. Please invite and encourage your clergy,
parishioners, and friends to attend. You may also bring your church
banners and flags. (Episcopal Clergy: Full Choir Vestments) We bid your prayers for us, for this celebration and for our future endeavors. Contact: Mrs. Annie F. Walker, 434-447-4097
A new global movement - 
Cursillo is an adult retreat held at Chanco three times annually and the Men's Weekend is coming up April 9-12, 2015.
Cursillo is an adult retreat designed to help us discover ways we can
live our faith more intentionally and connect with Christian friends
from throughout our diocese. The Men's Weekend is seeking participants
for their retreat. If you are a Cursillista, please consider who you can
invite to the weekend. "It's too good not to share!" If you are someone
interested in attending the weekend, please contact the Rector Richard
Haus of Christ the King, Tabb at 
Have
you wondered what all the "buzz" is about for Chanco on the James?
Have you heard kids talking about amazing summer camp experiences but
your own child is hesitant? Do you have a first time camper who would
like to visit and see where they would be staying before they are
dropped off for overnight camp in June? Then we have the event for you!
On March 22 from 1 to 5 pm, Chanco will be open to
welcome you! Come meet our Executive Director and camp staff while
taking a tour of the facility, flying along a zip line, climbing our
rock wall, and enjoying face painting, hayrides, and refreshments. Join
us for a fun day of festivities and an opportunity to introduce your
child to our summer camp, voted "Best of Virginia" in 2014 by Virginia
Living magazine. To learn more, visit our website at 
Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church will hold its national
conference, The Gathering 2015, at St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle, WA,
October 29-31. Guest speakers will be Anne Lamott and the Rev. Becca
Stevens. Registration opens March 1. 
On Wednesday, February 25, a group of students and staff from Boys Home
of Virginia will assist at the Greater Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity
ReStore location. This project called Light the Way is a show of
gratitude to the many area supporters and groups who have helped Boys
Home through the years. Named to honor Bishop Heath A. Light, retired
bishop for the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, the Boys Home group
will provide lunches for the construction manager, building crew and
volunteers.
In a three-day session at the 4-H center in Wakefield, 120 high school
students recently met for the 2015 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)
program held by Rotary District 7600. RYLA is a leadership development
program run by Rotary International.
Healing is the primary work of people of faith and the communities of
which they are a part. Christians, as disciples of One who came to save
(rescue, heal, make whole) the world and its inhabitants, seek to heal
their relationships with one another and with all that is.
The snow blankets Chanco grounds and covers the stunning cross at the
bluff. But while white blankets Chanco's grounds, we are still thinking
of sunshine and summer camp! Home from work and school today? It's a
great day to get on line and get that camp registration done! With
specialty sessions such as Ropes Camp and Mariner's Camp filling fast,
and First Session historically filling to capacity, now is the perfect
time to ensure the Camp Chanco session of your choice! Visit 
The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians will hold
its annual Absalom Jones Day Celebration on Sunday, February 22 at
Tabernacle Christian Church (2500 East Washington Street, Suffolk),
hosted by St. Mark's, Suffolk. The celebration starts at 4 p.m. and will
be followed by light refreshments. The Very Rev. Phoebe Roaf, rector of
St. Philip's, Richmond, will preach.
The Very Rev. Phoebe Roaf, the rector of St. Philip's Episcopal Church
in Richmond, will preach. Roaf is a graduate of Virginia Theological
Seminary and is the first African-American woman to be ordained as an
Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Louisiana. She is the first woman to
serve as rector of St. Philip's in its 150 year history. 
Lent is about to begin. That word in English comes from an Old English
word that means "to lengthen," and it's a reminder of the days getting
longer as we move toward summer out of the dark of winter. But in a
number of other languages, particularly Spanish and French, the word for
"Lent" reflects "forty days," "cuaresma." Forty days of wandering in
the desert, forty days of Jesus out in the desert. It's also about a
journey. And it's a journey that is about enlightenment if we're
willing to think about it that way. 
The Leadership Program for Musicians' annual Spring workshop will take
place March 14 at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, 4819 Monument Avenue
in Richmond. The workshop topic for the morning session is "Discovering
Hidden Gems: Mining the 1982 and ELW Hymnals." Ellen Johnston and Martha
Burford will lead an exploration of the 1982 hymnal, and Kevin Barger
will discuss the ELW hymnal. The presentations will run simultaneously,
and participants may attend either
one. 
St. Paul's, Norfolk, will be the host of the Ultreya on February 20
(201 St. Paul's Blvd., Norfolk, 23510). There will be a potluck shared
meal from 6 to 6:45 p.m. A sandwich meal will be provided. Please bring a
salad-type side dish or a dessert and beverage to share. The Ultreya
will begin at 6:55 p.m. and end at 8:15 p.m. Come and enjoy seeing
friends from our area Episcopal Churches. Please pray about attending,
talk it up, invite and offer a friend a ride. Make it part of your plan
for the week. Any questions or need a ride? Contact Bruce Comfort, 
Venture Mattress, headquartered in Franklin VA, recently donated 50
brand new mattresses to Jackson-Feild Homes to improve the bedding and
sleeping conditions of its residents. Working with their manufacturer,
Mattress Tech, Venture developed the new mattresses and they in turn
worked with their suppliers to produce them. Everyone along the way took
a personal interest in this project and wanted to ensure the comfort of
the children served by Jackson-Feild.