Announcements: Week of Sunday, April 8th 2018
Capital Campaign for New Building
We have received an offer to help us reach our one-million-dollar goal for this capital campaign. Can you help us reach this major milestone? The offer is this: if we get within $5,000.00 of our goal by this campaign's last day (Apr. 14), then this anonymous donor will make up the difference! You can make a tax-deductible gift regardless whether you have made a pledge for this campaign. As of 1 April, there are over $60,000 dollars pledged but not yet paid. Also, as of 1 April, we have received $874,848.61 from donors making pledges and $109,896.93 from donors who have not made a pledge but have contributed nonetheless, for a combined total of $984,745.54. We are so close to reaching our goal, and you can help us with your gift. Any gifts received in the church office through Saturday, Apr. 14 can be counted toward this offer.
Register for Golf Tournament!
The Aquia's Table Golf Tournament will be held on the morning of Friday, May 11, at Augustine Golf Club in Stafford. Golfers are encouraged to start gathering groups of friends to play and support this major fundraiser for this life-giving ministry. This is an excellent opportunity to invite golfing friends from outside our membership to join us for a day of fun that supports a major service for our community. Opportunities for individual sponsorships and corporate sponsorships are available for showing your support. You will find several flyers about the golf tournament—one flyer for basic information, another flyer for registration details, another flyer for sponsorship levels—in the tract rack on the tall table in the back of the church, or you may obtain them by contacting the church office (540-659-4007 or office@aquiachurch.com). Please share this information with your friends who play golf, so that they will learn about this vital ministry and about their chances to support it.
Easter Thank You
So many people had a major part to play in preparing for the success of our celebration of Easter and of our Holy Week observances during the week prior, and we are very grateful for each person’s ministry in that time. The list of groups and individuals involved includes (in no particular order): Jean and Michael Golas and Cookie and Joe Howard and others involved with the Christian Seder Meal, the altar guild, the flower guild, the lay Eucharistic ministers, musical leadership and organization by director of music Trystan Bennett and Caitlin Bennett, the adult choirs, the Aquia Choristers, the guest musicians, the ushers and greeters, the buildings and grounds committee and others who cleaned the cemetery and church grounds in advance, director of Christian education Kristen Morgan and others who brought Easter eggs or hid Easter eggs for the children’s Easter egg hunt, those who set up folding chairs for the sunrise service and those who took them down afterwards, the office staff, and others who quietly but faithfully lent a hand in our observances of Holy Week and Easter. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Sunday School: Preschool - 5th grade classes will meet together this Sunday, 4/8, in the 2nd/3rd grade classroom.
Morning Call: On this Sunday, Apr. 8, our Sunday morning forum for adult formation and discussion will offer another opportunity to play “Stump the Priest!” when you can ask the clergy any question on your mind. Morning Call meets in the great hall of the new building, starting around 10:20am, with light refreshments provided to enhance our fellowship together. Consider signing up to break some refreshments for an upcoming Sunday.
Youth Group: On this Sunday, Apr. 8, the youth group for students in grades 6-12 is scheduled to have its next evening meeting from 4pm till 6pm. Since no parents have signed up to provide any of the evening meeting meals for the rest of this semester, it is important for parents who have not yet signed up to provide a meal during this semester to contact Father Morris right away (morris@aquiachurch.com or 540-659-4007) in order to schedule their turn.
Wednesday Bible Studies: On this Wednesday morning (10:30am--12:00noon), both of our clergy will lead together a new Wednesday morning series on "The Ten Commandments for Today." On this Wednesday evening, (7:00pm--8:30pm), Father Rickenbaker will continue a new Wednesday evening series on the Book of Revelation. Both of these new Bible study series have begun only recently, so it is certainly not too late to join in the fun. Both of these new Bible study series (Ten Commandments in the morning, Revelation in the evening) will meet in the downstairs conference room of the new building; you are encouraged to bring relatives, friends, and neighbors, and no previous experience in Bible study is needed.
UTO: United Thank Offering (UTO) Spring Ingathering is Sunday, May 6th. Look for the blue and white boxes or the envelopes in the pews. UTO is a ministry of the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Virginia for the mission of the whole church. Your loose change, cash and checks are used in missionary work, training, pension funds, building loans, scholarships and overseas development. UTO is based on the theological premise that it is good to give thanks to God.
May Concert: Several of you will remember that Aquia Church hosted the Concert Choir & Jazz Band from Elizabethtown College five years ago. They will be traveling to Florida in May and would love to visit and perform at Aquia Church again. They would like to visit on Monday, May 21st. If you can volunteer as a host family for 2-4 students, to defray their lodging costs, please contact Kristen Morgan at christianed@aquiachurch.com as soon as possible. You would be asked to provide a place to sleep, breakfast, and then a ride back to church the next morning. Thank you!
Historic Church Renovation: The Vestry has recently voted to contract with Habalis Construction of Fredericksburg, a highly regarded firm with impressive credentials and extensive experience for work with historic properties, to begin a major renovation project in our historic church building. The box pews, pulpit, sounding board above the pulpit, and most other woodwork that you see will be repaired as needed and repainted. They plan to work section by section around the building, with as little disruption to our worship as possible; but on occasion, you may find that your favorite area is not available for sitting. Please pardon that temporary inconvenience. The total project, which should begin on Monday, April 9, is expected to take around six weeks for completion.
First Quarter Statements: If you would like a printed copy of your first quarter statement, contact Sue Selz (sue.selz@aquiachurch.com) or the church office. Otherwise, the next printed statement will be the 2nd quarter, (end of June).
