May Fair House re-opens

The May Fair House re-opens September 14

In-person shopping available, volunteers needed

The May Fair House is a gift shop managed and staffed by the Women of St. Stephen’s. (If you’ve come to St. Stephen’s from another Episcopal church, you can think of the Women of St. Stephen’s as our parish chapter of the Episcopal Church Women, or ECW.) The shop not only has a wide-ranging selection of items for your home and garden, clothing, jewelry and accessories, books, picture frames, and baby gifts, it also carries a delectable selection of comfort foods. Casseroles, sides, breads and desserts are made by volunteer cooks using tried-and-true recipes that are favorites in Richmond—and not just among St. Stephen’s parishioners. The dishes—already frozen for your convenience— make wonderful gifts for new parents, new neighbors, hosts and hostesses, or someone who is recuperating from surgery or illness. Having them on hand in your own freezer for busy evenings when you’re too frazzled to cook, or to serve unexpected guests, is like money in the bank!

Last year, the shop’s leadership went all out to make it possible for you to continue to shop for May Fair House foods and gifts, providing phone-in ordering for food, and an e-commerce site for merchandise, both with curbside pick-up, and hosting outdoor shopping during the farmers market on Saturdays, as well as two outdoor bazaars. These efforts were spurred by their desire to continue to award grants to organizations and ministries that support vulnerable women and children in our community— because that’s what the proceeds from the May Fair House are for. Thank you to these indefatigable volunteers, and thanks to you for your ongoing support. The May Fair House, staffed almost entirely by volunteers (we have three part-time managers), closes in the summer. This summer, for the first time, customers could still shop for merchandise (though not food) on the e-commerce site. In the fall, however, the shop will again be open to the public for in-person shopping—and we are delighted. (At press time, masks are back in use for all.)

Here are some things to know:

•The shop will re-open Tuesday, September 14. • May Fair House will be open Tuesday through Sunday, and closed on Mondays: • Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. • Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon (during the farmers market, beginning September 18) • Sunday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. • The e-commerce site will continue, mayfairhouseonline.com. • Volunteers are needed!

To volunteer in the shop once a month (morning shift or afternoon shift), contact Darla Perry darla63@hotmail.com or 804.517.5608. You will always be working with a manager or one of the shop co-chairs, and you will not need to run the register. You may volunteer more than once a month if you wish.

To join a cook team, please contact Eileen Walker (804.359.2227) or JoAnn Pulliam (804.335.5529). As with shop volunteers, you may cook once a month or more frequently, if you wish. You do not have to be a gourmet cook! Teams work in the fully-equipped kitchen at St. Stephen’s under the supervision of a ServSafe-trained staff member or volunteer. Recipes, ingredients and utensils are provided.

February 1, 2022 (refreshments, 9:30 a.m., program, 10)

Lauren Zaller Moore

The president and CEO of the Childrens’ Hospital Foundation will discuss the status of health care for children. March 1, 2022 (refreshments, 9:30 a.m., program, 10)

Bill Lohmann

Several mornings each week, Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist Bill Lohmann lifts our spirits with stories of the people he meets. Hear some of Bill’s favorite memories. Copies of his book, Backroads and Byways of Virginia, will be available for purchase.

April 2022; date TBA Ladies Night Out

Our annual dinner program will be held in the spring this year, and we will welcome another outstanding woman as our speaker, super swimmer Courtney Paulk. She became the first marathon swimmer to claim a “Triple Triple,” swimming coast to coast through the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, and circumnavigating Manhattan—three times! Details of the program, including the date and how to reserve tickets, will be communicated in The Spirit, the eSpirit, and the Women of St. Stephen’s email newsletter. May 3, 2022; gather at St. Stephen’s (10:30 a.m.)

Closing service and lunch

We will gather in the church for a celebration of Holy Eucharist. Lunch will follow. Watch The Spirit, eSpirit, and the Women of St. Stephen’s email newsletter closer to the time for lunch details, including reservations. Don’t receive the Women of St. Stephen’s email newsletter or the eSpirit? Go to ststephensRVA.org/email to subscribe. Or call the parish office, 804.288.2867.

SPIRIT

PENTECOST | FALL 2021

Issue Number 40

ST. STEPHEN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

6000 Grove Avenue l Richmond, Virginia 23226

ststephensRVA.org

Presorted First Class Mail U.S. Postage PAID Richmond, VA Permit No. 320

Parish Staff

To reach a staff member, call 804.288.2867 or send an email using the initial and name provided in parentheses, with @ststephensRVA.org.

The Rev. Cate Anthony (canthony), Associate Priest Stan Barnett (sbarnett), Director of Kitchen Ministries Liz Bartenstein (lbartenstein), Hospitality and Pastoral Care Sarah R. Bartenstein (sbartenstein), Director of Communication Larry Bidwell (lbidwell), Sexton and Assistant Market Manager Ron Brown (rbrown), Director of Outreach Chris Edwards (cedwards), Director, St. Stephen’s Choir Dillon Gwaltney (dgwaltney), Communications Associate/Video Producer Claire Hackley, Sunday Community Supper Chef Melissa Hipes (mhipes), Finance Chris Holman (cholman), Sexton The Rev. John Jenkins (jjenkins), Associate Priest Anna F. Jones, (ajones), Farmers Market Manager The Rev. David Knight (dknight), Assisting Priest for Pastoral Care Betsy Lee (blee), Parish Administrator Christi McFadden (cmcfadden), Finance The Rev. Claudia W. Merritt (cmerritt), Associate Priest Coco Provance (cprovance), Membership Allison Seay (aseay), Associate for Religion & the Arts The Rev. William S. Stanley (wstanley), Vicar Brent te Velde (btevelde), Director of Music Betsy Tyson (btyson), Chaplain to Palmer Hall Greg Vick (gvick), Organist Tyronn Wilkins (twilkins), Sexton The Rev. Patrick J. Wingo (pwingo), Interim Rector

The Café @ St. Stephen’s 804.288.3318 Phin Generelly, head barista Annie Ward Love, barista Brianna Maurice, barista Aleho Zintseme, barista Bo Zintseme, barista Bou Zintseme, barista The mission of the church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.

AN OUTLINE OF THE FAITH, THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

St. Stephen’s Church is

A Village Green: Inviting Since ancient times, Benedictine communities and parish churches have served as centers of village life, embracing friend and stranger alike. We strive to be a beckoning, welcoming, and centering presence today, offering hospitality, belonging, and life-giving practices for all people.

A New Abbey: Grounding In a culture that can be overly distracted and enamored with the new, we are focused on preserving enduring wisdom, spiritual insights, and ancient liturgical practices of prayer and contemplation that nurture the soul and lead to eternal life. In an age of electronic engagement, virtual connections, and increasing loneliness, we continue ancient practices that attune human beings to the Divine, to one another, and to our own souls.

A Healing Community: Serving Though Jesus was known as a prophet, a rabbi, a teacher of wisdom, and the leader of a social movement, he was known primarily as a healer. As individuals and as a church community, we seek to incarnate the One who binds, heals, and nurtures, especially where forces in our society tear, wound, or divide. As Teresa of Avila put it, we seek to be Christ’s hands, feet, and eyes in the world; we are Christ’s body on earth.