SEAFOOD FEAST—GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! 

SEAFOOD FEAST—GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! Our fellowship events group will hold a seafood feast on Saturday, Aug. 29 (4:00—7:00 p.m.) in the great hall. Food available includes crabs, shrimp, fish, hush puppies, hot dogs, corn on the cob, coleslaw, iced tea, and lemonade. Invite your friends, neighbors, and relatives to join in the fun! This coming Sunday, Aug. 2, is the first Sunday for purchasing tickets. Tickets are $50/adult (age 16 and older) or $30/students age 6-15 (children ages 5 and under are free).

FALL FEST AUCTION ACTION

FALL FEST AUCTION ACTION: Good news! We have started to receive more offers from fellow parishioners for gifts for the auction! This week we are spotlighting:

• Four Hours of Tutoring! Offered by Michael Ferrantino, recently retired from the World Bank. Subjects available include Math, Statistics, Economics, World History, World Geography, or (by arrangement) other high school level courses, starting in late October.
• Hiker’s Hideaway Romantic Cabin, a two-night stay for 2 to 4 guests in a studio cabin Airbnb near Shenandoah National Park. The perfect spot for a romantic getaway or the ideal place for hiking adventures! Pet friendly! Offered by Caroline and Dale Hendon.
• A Superb Dinner Party for 8 Guests prepared and served by The Reverend Jay Morris at his home.

Many thanks to these donors! This is a great start to the 2026 Fall Fest auction. We look forward to hearing from more parishioners soon. Please reach out to Mary Jane Cole about your gifts or suggestions (maryjane@cfsw.biz).

DONATING ITEMS FOR FALL FEST

DONATING ITEMS FOR FALL FEST: It is not too early to set aside items for the flea market for Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 3 (first Saturday in October). While items cannot be delivered to the church until Monday, Sept. 21, it is not too early for you to consider donating any gently used household item, toy, or clothing for the flea market. The summer is in full swing, and if you are organizing or downsizing, please consider saving your no-longer-needed items for donation. Please contact Jennifer Stoltz (jentalley@hotmail.com), Carol Korth (caakorth@gmail.com), or the church office (540-659-4007 or sue.selz@aquiachurch.org) with any questions.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL: The first day for the new year of Sunday school will be Aug. 16, which will be our “Sundae Sunday” with ice cream to celebrate the occasion. Come to the great hall when the 10:30 service ends, and make your own ice cream sundae. Also, parents and grandparents should register their children ASAP for Sunday school at the following Website < vbspro.events/p/7417e6 >, so that we can plan ahead for a successful year.

REACTIVATING THE PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY??

REACTIVATING THE PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY?? Some time ago, Aquia Church had an active group known as the prayer shawl ministry. People working independently or in small groups knitted, crocheted, and/or sewed prayer shawls and small lap blankets that our clergy blessed at the altar, then the shawls and slap blankets were distributed to parishioners as a gesture of healing and comfort. Additionally, the handmade goods were distributed to community partners.

This announcement serves as an invitation to help reactivate the ministry. Do you knit, crochet, or sew? Are you able to work from home at your own pace? This is an opportunity to partake in a ministry which was comforting to many people and helped advance the church’s mission for our Lord. This is a good opportunity for parishioners who might be unable to be active in other church ministries due to work schedules or other considerations. The shawls and small blankets can be as simple or elaborate as you please.

Please contact Carol Korth (caakorth@gmail.com) with any interest. There are no age restrictions or gender qualifications; just your time and talent needed. Please note that anyone wishing to help lead this ministry is more than welcome to step forward!

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: On this Wednesday, July 29, we’ll continue a new short-term series on the apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians. We meet on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. over Facebook Live <www.facebook.com/AquiaEpiscopalChurch>, and anyone is welcomed to join in.

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: Father James Rickenbaker’s series on the Book of Acts will continue both in person and online on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. in the conference room downstairs in the CFFB and simultaneously over Facebook Live <www.facebook.com/AquiaEpiscopalChurch>, and anyone is welcomed to participate. The group will not meet on Thursday, Aug. 6 but otherwise will continue to meet on Thursdays until completing this important book of the New Testament.

MORNING CALL

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, Aug. 2, Father Morris will continue a new Morning Call series on the parables of Jesus.

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.

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.

AQUIA'S PANTRY UPDATES

AQUIA'S PANTRY UPDATES: We are having a bountiful summer! We have been receiving wonderful fresh produce for our guests from several sources, including our assigned grocery stores, the Aquia Harbour Community Garden, our own parishioners’ gardens, and SERVE. We have also been able to purchase extra produce from C & A Produce of Montross as needed. Plus, we have been able to give eggs each week to all our guests because SERVE has generously shared any extra eggs they receive from a grant. We are indeed blessed and entrusted with plenty.

The only things we are short on are EGG CARTONS and VOLUNTEERS. Please leave your empty egg cartons in the foyer of the great hall. If you can join us Tuesday mornings or on Wednesdays anytime 8:00 a.m.—8:00 p.m., please let us know. The most critical need for volunteers is 5:30—7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. If you can help, please speak to Barb Bingay, Ron Korth, or Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz).

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.

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).

YOUTH GROUP

YOUTH GROUP: Our youth group for teens in grades 6-12 has ended their morning meetings and their evening meetings for this school year. Stay tuned for the possibility of a fun activity we might organize later in the summer before resuming in August.

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.

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).