BURIAL OF CHRISTOPHER JONES

BURIAL OF CHRISTOPHER JONES: The burial office for Joy and Shields Jones’s son Christopher will be held at Aquia on this Saturday, Sept. 12, at 2:00 p.m., with reception following in the great hall.

THE Men's Breakfast

THE Men's Breakfast has been moved to Saturday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 a.m.

HOMECOMING SUNDAY, SEPT. 13 

HOMECOMING SUNDAY, SEPT. 13: Our annual celebration of Homecoming will be held on this coming Sunday, Sept. 13, with a scrumptious luncheon after the end of the 10:30 service. This event welcomes former parishioners back to Aquia and encourages new members to consider Aquia as their church home. We look forward to seeing you!

ORGAN CONCERT

ORGAN CONCERT: On Thursday, Sept. 17 at 12:00 p.m., we will have a pop-up concert by organist Aaron Shows, who is a brother-in-law of Father James Rickenbaker and an accomplished organist and Hollywood musician. Some of his recent work includes performing portions of the score in movies like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024), Haunted Mansion (2023), and both of the animated Addams Family films (2019 & 2021). Aaron is excited to offer this half-hour lunch performance for any and all who can attend. Bring friends to join us.

Fall Fest Auction Action

Fall Fest Auction Action: In case you missed our latest updates, we have received more wonderful gifts from our fellow parishioners:

• Beautiful Framed Portrait of Your Home in Watercolors from your photograph, painted by Cheryl Saggers, retired art teacher (and mother of Casey Hughes)
• Four Tickets for the UVA vs. University of California Football Game on Nov. 14 (excellent seats), given by Marion Wall
• Beautiful Autumn Quilt pieced and sewn by Patricia Springer
• “Baking Spirits Bright”: holiday baking basket given by Heera Kamboj
• Potomac Point Winery & Vineyard: Beautiful Wine and Gift Basket with a Wine Tasting Certificate for 4 given by Cindy and Skip Causey
• Riverside Center for the Performing Arts: a gift certificate for dinner and a show for two given by Wendy and Mark Osborn
• An Excellent Port Served Elegantly: Quinta das Carvalhas, a 30-year-old tawny Port, presented with a crystal decanter and 8 Waterford Crystal glasses, and served on a silver tray, offered by the Bittners and the
• Beautiful Brass and Crystal Chandelier: offered by Barb and Charlie Bingay
• Spring Break in Orlando: a 7-day stay at Aqua Sol Phase 2, a Hilton Vacation Club in Winter Garden, Fla., March 20-27, 2027 (Stafford County Schools’ spring break). Two bedrooms, two baths, sleeps 6. Heated pools, waterslides, fitness center, mini golf, paddle boats, fishing, playground, and more. Fifteen minutes from Disneyworld and half an hour from Universal, offered by Pat Quinn
• FOUR Commanders Football Tickets for the Washington Commanders vs LA Rams game on Nov. 8, given by Marion Wall
• A lovely Sunset Cruise for Four on beautiful Aquia Creek, piloted by Captain Dale Hendon, Sunset Cruises of Stafford

A huge “thank you” for all these awesome gifts! Please join us on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 11:00 a.m. in the great hall for the live Fall Fest 2026 Auction. If you have any questions or suggestions, reach out to our award-winning auctioneer Shields Jones, or his helpers Wendy Osborn and Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz). You can also follow our Facebook page, “Fall Fest at Aquia Church,” for the latest gifts to the Auction and other news. Please “like” and “share” our posts to help spread the word.

FALL FEST VOLUNTEERS

FALL FEST VOLUNTEERS: Many opportunities to volunteer for Fall Fest 2026 remain available. Help is needed with most venues, and additional help is needed with the Country Store. We are grateful to Andrew Albers for taking on the role of department chairperson for this popular event. Please consider helping Andrew as we offer our baking and treat-making talents to our visitors. For volunteering at Fall Fest, contact Mary Jane Cole or Carol Korth with any questions.

Fall Fest Country Store

Fall Fest Country Store: One of the fun venues during Fall Fest is the Country Store. We need your baking talent to stock the shelves with baked goods to sell on Saturday, Oct. 3. Keep the Country Store in mind as you plan autumn baking and treat-making. Contact Andrew Albers (albers99@gmail.com) or Carol Korth (caakorth@gmail.com) with any questions.

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.

NEW DOUBLE-DOOR FREEZER

NEW DOUBLE-DOOR FREEZER: Thanks to the generosity of some anonymous individuals and families, our CFFB kitchen has just received a brand-new double-door freezer to replace the old one that was failing. The new freezer has even more storage capacity than our previous one, and various church groups will find the new freezer useful. Thanks to everyone involved who made this gift possible.

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: Father James Rickenbaker’s series on the Book of Acts continues 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.

KERYGMA OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY

KERYGMA OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY: This Monday evening series continues to meet at 7:00 p.m. in the great hall and electronically over Zoom. Participants should bring their Kerymga workbook and a copy of the Bible.

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: We recently concluded our Wednesday Bible study program for the next few months, as our attention has now turned to the Kerygma Old Testament series that began on Aug. 10. The Wednesday evening programs will return in the future.

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.). Morning Call will not be held on this coming Sunday, Sept. 13 (Homecoming). Father Morris invites you to offer your suggestions about what our next Morning Call series will cover, beginning later this month.

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.

YOUTH GROUP

YOUTH GROUP: Our youth group for teens in grades 6-12 will continue their morning meetings on this coming Sunday. Our first evening meeting of the new school year will be held on this coming Sunday, Sept. 13 (5:00—6:00 p.m.) in the youth room; teens are invited to bring their friends, along with any board games or card games that the group will enjoy.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Our Sunday school classes for elementary students continues to meet on the lower level of the CFFB (9:30—10:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings).

SUNDAY SCHOOL

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY UPDATE: Evelyn Amador, Lesley Bourne, Carole Stadnyk, Patricia Springer, and Carol Korth have begun to plan and create prayer shawls. With this ministry group, people working independently or in small groups knit, crochet, and/or sew prayer shawls, small lap blankets and prayer pockets that our clergy will bless at the altar, then these items will be distributed to parishioners as a gesture of healing and comfort. You are cordially invited to take part in this ministry as it moves forward. Contact Carol Korth (caakorth@gmail.com) with any questions.

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 EARLY SEPTEMBER UPDATES

AQUIA'S PANTRY EARLY SEPTEMBER UPDATES: On Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 our volunteers handed out groceries to 142 and 133 families, respectively. The Pantry received several extra blessings as well: 40 pounds of canned goods from a parishioner, 144 cans of soup from our friend of the parish we call the “Super Shopper,” and 12 bags of popcorn from Scout Troop 121. Plus, we are so grateful to have a new, larger, reliable freezer in the kitchen! We are very thankful for all these blessings.

With several of our volunteers out on vacation, and some who are out for other reasons, we continue to ask our fellow parishioners to give a few hours of their time once or twice a month to help keep the Pantry going. If you have time to spare on Tuesdays between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. or Wednesdays between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., we would greatly appreciate your gift of time. We also need volunteers who can give 90 minutes of their time Monday or Tuesday evening to pick up Panera donations at 9:00 p.m. once or twice a month. If you can help with any of these requests, please speak to Barb Bingay, Ron Korth, or Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz). We are also seeking donations of cereal, pasta, and canned vegetables. Please leave these gifts in the foyer of the great hall anytime.

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).

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).