welcome

For more than one hundred years, the churches of McIlhany Parish, Good Shepherd and Grace, have welcomed people from across Albemarle County and the Charlotteville area for worship and fellowship. McIlhany parish has also served the larger community with gifts of financial support and outreach, thanks to a generous bequest given specifically for parish outreach. McIlhany continues to give about $14,000 annually to local agencies and schools such as the Red Hill Elementary School, the North Garden Food Bank and the Jefferson Area Board of Aging. This ongoing attention to outreach reflects the fact that Good Shepherd and Grace churches were originally founded as missions, part of the Diocese of Virginia's broader, turn-of-the century effort to strengthen the presence of the Episcopal Church in the foothills of the Blue Ridge.

Historically McIlhany Parish has emphasized Christian education in its outreach. In fact, in 1898 the Good Shepherd sanctuary was originally constructed as a school on land donated by Matthew Fontaine Maury. Worship at both churches is friendly, informal, and traditional, following the Book of Common Prayer. All services include music, and children may attend worship with their parents. All children are encouraged to play an active role in the service: reading the lessons and serving on the altar as acolytes. In addition, all parishioners may participate in worship by serving as lay readers and lay Eucharistic ministers, serving on the altar guild,providing flowers for worship, or serving as a greeters or usher.

Because we are a small parish, both Good Shepherd and Grace church provide members with a sense of community and offer many opportunities for leadership, whether for a single person or a young family.

Please join us for worship, fellowship and study. We look forward to meeting you!