LENT IS HERE

LENT IS HERE, so consider these opportunities:

 

• GROUNDS CLEAN-UP FOR EASTER will take place on this Saturday, Mar. 21 (8:00—11:00 a.m.), with rain date on the following Saturday, Mar. 28. Please bring your work gloves, rakes, and leaf-blowers as we prepare the grounds and cemetery for our celebration of Easter. For more information, please contact Ron Korth (rakorth@aol.com).
• THE LENTEN CROSSmakes opportunities for Lenten almsgiving and service to others available at your discretion. Simply take a card—or take more than one!—and complete the request for donations of time, talent, gift cards, or materials that our ministries can use. The Lenten cross stands at the back of the historic church.
• THURSDAY EVENING LENTEN SERIES: Concludes on Thursday, Mar. 26.
• MORNING CALL: Morning Call is our Sunday morning forum for adult formation and discussion, held in the great hall (9:30—10:15 a.m.). On this coming Sunday, Father Jay Morris will continue his new series about the New Testament’s various uses of the Old Testament.
• COMMUNION ENRICHMENT CLASS:Our children’s ministry is offering a communion enrichment class on the Sunday mornings in Lent from 9:00 till 9:30, immediately before Sunday school begins.
• CHOCOLATE-COVERED EASTER EGGS FOR SALE: On Palm Sunday (Mar. 29), Lilchy Huffman will be in the CFFB lobby during 8:15—10:20 a.m. and from after the end of the 10:30 a.m. worship service till around 12:30 p.m. selling her scrumptious handmade 3-oz. butter-cream-filled chocolate-covered Easter eggs for $5 each, with proceeds going to the clergy discretionary funds. Available flavors are vanilla, chocolate, coconut, and fruit & nut.
• EASTER LILIES: If you want to donate to the Easter lilies that will adorn our historic church for Easter Sunday (Apr. 5), please complete a contribution form available from the back of the church, or contact parish administrator Sue Selz in the church office (selz@aquiachurch.orgor 540-659-4007) by the end of Palm Sunday (Mar. 29).
• GETHSSEMANE WATCH PRAYER VIGIL: Sign up for an hour or two of prayer at this overnight vigil in the great hall, running from the end of the 7:00 p.m. service on Maundy Thursday (Apr. 2) through the start of the 12;00 noon service on Good Friday (Apr. 3). The sign-up sheet is available at the back of the historic church.
• Our CHILDREN’S EASTER EGG HUNT will be held on Easter Sunday (Apr. 5) as soon as the 9:00 a.m. service has ended. We are receiving plastic eggs filled with candy or other treats for distribution at the egg hunt. You may provide your own eggs that you have filled yourself or that you have purchased already filled, or you may pick up empty eggs from the bin in the CFFB lobby and return them (filled) to the same location. Filled eggs should be returned there by Good Friday (Apr. 3).
• SPECIAL BROADCASTS DURING HOLY WEEK: Evening Prayer on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in Holy Week (Mar. 30-31 & Apr. 1-2) at 7:00 p.m. over Facebook Live (facebook.com/AquiaEpiscopalChurch).
• SPECIAL IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICES: Maundy Thursday (Aor. 2) at 7:00 p.m., Good Friday (Apr. 3) at 12:00 noon & 7:00 p.m., and Easter Sunday (Apr. 5) at 6:30 a.m. (sunrise service in the cemetery, weather permitting, or indoors otherwise), 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., & 4:00 p.m.

TEA TOWELS

TEA TOWELS: The Saints Mary and Martha Guild is selling spring-themed tea towels. Do you need a sweet gift for a teacher, coach, or music teacher? Between the 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services, you are  invited to browse and purchase these hand-made tea towels. They are festive, and $5 will secure your purchase of this textile art. The booth is currently located in the CFFB foyer. Come one, come all!

AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT 2026

AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT 2026: Monday, May 18, at Augustine Golf Club in Stafford. Mark your calendars, practice your driving and putting, and recruit your fellow golfers to join in the fun. Registration and sponsorship information is now available at the tall table at the back of the historic church: one flyer has a registration form for golfers, a different flyer has a form for those who want to be a sponsor for the tournament, and both flyers have important details about the day.

OPTIONS FOR DONATING ELECTRONICALLY

OPTIONS FOR DONATING ELECTRONICALLY: The use of electronic contributions to Aquia Church is a convenient blessing. For your information, this is how they are handled. Contributions made through Realm are processed by VANCO, a third-party firm. We are assessed a 3% fee for this service, and many of you pay an additional 3% of your donation to cover that fee—thank you for doing so! By contrast, we are charged only a 1% fee for contributions made with Zelle; simply send funds to <treasurer@aquiachurch.org>. As a third option, you may be able to use a bill-pay function provided by your financial institution, wherein the institution sends a paper check to the church, for which normally there is no fee at all. For more details on this third option, please consult your financial institution directly.

YOUTH GROUP

YOUTH GROUP: Our youth group for teens in grades 6-12 will have their weekly morning meeting during the Sunday school hour (9:30—10:15 a.m.) on this coming Sunday in the youth group room, with our next every-other-week evening meeting on this coming Sunday, Mar. 22 at the special time of 6:00 p.m.—7:00 p.m. at Round1 Arcade & Bowling, 2700 Potomac Mills Circle, Unit 882 in Woodbridge (both of our clergy can offer rides from the church parking lot on Sunday at 5:15 p.m. for any teens not being dropped off at the activity site—please reserve your seat in advance!—and teens should bring enough money for some bowling and/or arcade games, plus any food they might want to eat onsite—more details are available at www.round1usa.com). On Easter Sunday (Apr. 5) the youth group will not meet at all, but will resume their morning meetings on Apr. 12 and their evening meetings on Apr. 19.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Our regular schedule for Sunday school classes (9:30—10:15 a.m.) has resumed. Sunday school classes will not be held on Easter Sunday (Apr. 5) but will resume the following week.

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: Wil resume in early April, so stay tuned for details.

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY will not meet during the season of Lent but will resume in early April.

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: There are plenty of Sundays awaiting folks to serve as breakfast hosts. If you want to serve as a breakfast host for any Sunday, please use the signup sheet at the back of the church, or contact Sue Selz in the church office (sue.selz@aquiachurch.org or 540-659-4007). Please consider taking a turn in promoting fellowship within our parish through this weekly breakfast. The breakfast can be as simple or elaborate as you wish to provide.

HERITAGE SUNDAY

HERITAGE SUNDAY: Aquia Church will celebrate our rich heritage on Sunday, May 17, with a delicious luncheon sponsored by the ECW after the end of the 10:30 a.m. worship service. Mark your calendar, and stay tuned for more details.

ALTAR FLOWERS

ALTAR FLOWERS: Those who want to donate flowers in memory of someone or in thanksgiving for someone or something for most any Sunday of the year may contact parish administrator Sue  Selz in the church office and select a particular Sunday; the signup sheet is also available at the back of the church. The cost is $50/week. Even if a given Sunday has already been claimed, you may add your name and dedication for that same Sunday. Traditionally, we do not have flower arrangements during Lent or Advent, but most other Sundays during the year remain available.

FROM OUR FOOD MINISTRIES

FROM OUR FOOD MINISTRIES: The long lines of guests coming on Wednesdays for food from Aquia’s Pantry and Aquia’s Table likely reflect the ongoing financial need among so many neighbors around us. This level of outreach is possible because of the generosity of support from faithful volunteers and donations from many different people and groups—from among our parishioners and beyond our church membership. If you can offer some support to these ministries (especially with your time on Tuesday mornings and during the day and early evening on Wednesdays or with financial contributions), your help will be deeply appreciated. Aquia’s Table prepares a maximum total of 400 meals on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, and Aquia’s Pantry distributes groceries to a maximum of 140 households each week.

AQUIA'S PANTRY INVITATIONS

AQUIA'S PANTRY INVITATIONS: Aquia’s Pantry would appreciate any donations of hams or frozen roaster chickens (5-6 pounds) to offer to our guests on the Wednesday before Easter (Apr. 1). Please bring your gifts to the CFFB on or before that day.

Also, we have opportunities for volunteering: Tuesdays 10:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m., and Wednesdays 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. or 5:00—7:00 p.m. If you have an hour or two to offer, we would welcome your help. If you would like to learn more about the Pantry, drop in anytime on a Wednesday or speak with Barb Bingay, Ron Korth, or Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz).

NEWS FROM AQUIA’S TABLE

NEWS FROM AQUIA’S TABLE: Aquia’s Table serves meals on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. There are opportunities for folks to join in the work of this important ministry, whether as a new volunteer or whether returning to involvement—we welcome assistance with food preparation during the day on Wednesdays, with plating the meals on Wednesday evenings, and with baking desserts on your own schedule at home or at church. For more information about how you might support Aquia’s Table, please contact Dina Stanford (jjanddina@comcast.net).

NURSERY AVAILABLE

NURSERY AVAILABLE: Our nursery, located on the lower level of the Christian Formation and Fellowship Building (just across the hallway from the elevator), is available for the 10:30 a.m. worship service, with coverage provided by caring, trained, and experienced staff—plus lots of toys, diapers and wipes, a pack-and-play, and whatever else your child or grandchild might need.

BUSY BAGS

BUSY BAGS: Busy bags are available in the historic church for our youngest members. A child’s Bible, activity pages, drawing paper, and crayons are available in canvas bags when you enter the church. Please take one bag per family and return it after the service ends.

ELECTRONIC BROADCASTS

ELECTRONIC BROADCASTS: We offer broadcasts of Sunday morning worship at 7:30 a.m., Morning Prayer on most weekdays at 8:00 a.m., and our midweek Bible studies as well. These broadcasts are particularly helpful for those who are unable to attend in person due to illness, travel, or work. The broadcasts are available online at our church’s Facebook page <www.facebook.com/AquiaEpiscopalChurch>. Even if you do not have a Facebook account, you can access the broadcasts simply by clicking on the given occasion. Also, you do not have to watch the event live; the videos are stored there for your viewing later on.

 

If you want to be added to our e-mail distribution list for weekly announcements and special updates or for the monthly Cross Section newsletter, simply notify Sue Selz in the church office (sue.selz@aquiachurch.org or 540-659-4007).