Introduction

A hallmark of our community is the organization of events that bring us together ouside the church service. These are gathered under our Parish Life pillar but occasionally, social events happen which are related to other pillars: we mark Maundy Thursday with a tenebrae service preceded by a wonderful pot-luck supper.

We have committees which organize special events such as dinners, dances, the annual Crab Feast, Mardi Gras, and the picnic, the newest addition to our list.

One of our most unusual institutions is the Winged Lion Pub which is open nearly every Sunday after the 11:15 service. Each week volunteers prepare lunch for those wishing to stay, often as many as 80-100 folks. Wine, juices, iced tea and other beverages are available but the unique item is our very own Winged Lion Beer, brewed locally and prepared by a group volunteers. Our brew-meister often prepares special beers for the holidays or special events. “Pub Lunch” has become an important opportunity for us to gather and enjoy one another’s company.

We have social groups for people with common interests: The Literary Lions (our monthly reading group), Lion’s Pride (men’s group), The Celluloid Lions (film group), The Third Ager’s (our seniors), The Lavender Lions (for gays and lesbians), and the 20’s & 30’s Group. Each group determines its own activities: Woman to Woman, for example, our parish women’s organization, meets 4 times a year: one gathering is a Thanksgiving potluck, and the March gathering is a lovely catered dinner with a well-known speaker (Diane Rehm, The Rt. Rev. Jane Dixon, Ysaye Barnwell, and Eleanor Clift are the caliber of our guests). There are also a significant number of “private” groups...men’s, women’s, couple’s, book, travel...made up of parishioners.

Once a year, in early, June about 150-200 of us travel to ShrineMont, the conference center for the Diocese of Virginia located in Orkney Springs. Not only is it a chance for the community to get away and to renew old acquaintances, but to meet new friends, and most importantly, to wrestle with timely themes in a series of large and small group settings. It is a gathering intended to renew the spiritual and social fabric of the parish.