VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (JUNE 15-19)

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (JUNE 15-19): Children in preschool through 5^th grade are invited to join us for our VBS week (9:00 a.m.—12:00 noon) with the theme “Rainforest Falls: Exploring the Nature of God.” Online registration is available at our church Website <www.AquiaChurch.org> or at <vbspro.events/p/c905d9>. Please get your child or grandchild registered right away, so that we can plan adequately.

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY:  Father Jay Morris will continue his series on the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament on this Wednesday (7:00 p.m.) over Facebook Live <www.facebook.com/AquiaEpiscopalChurch>. On May 20, we’ll discuss penitential psalms (including both psalms of repentance and psalms of trust), including Psalms 51, 32, 38, 6, 102, 130, and 143. On May 27 we’ll discuss the Psalms of Ascent (Psalms 120-134)

NEW EVENING BIBLE STUDY

NEW EVENING BIBLE STUDY: Father Morris is offering to lead a 14-week-long survey of the Old Testament, meeting on Monday evenings (7:00—8:30 p.m.) and tentatively starting on Aug. 10, using the very helpful resource book Discovering the Bible: A New Generation published by the Kerygma Program. The resource book actually covers both the Old Testament and the New Testament, but our current idea is to cover only the Old Testament starting in August and finishing around Thanksgiving, thus leaving the New Testament portion for a future study in 2027. The homework will typically involve reading eight to ten chapters from the Old Testament each week; that’s roughly a chapter a day, which is a manageable length while providing a rich and comprehensive overview of the Old Testament. The course will be offered on a hybrid basis meeting simultaneously in person and over Zoom. If you want to ask Father Jay Morris any questions about this course, peruse the resource book, or commit to attending a majority of the sessions, please contact him directly (morris@aquiachurch.org). In order to reserve your book, please make payment of $47.00 directly to Father Jay Morris (NOT to the church) by July 20, when he will order books for the group.

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: On this Thursday, May 21, Father James Rickenbaker’s series on the Acts of the Apostles will have an online presentation but will NOT meet in person. Then after a two-week break while Father Rickenbaker is away, the group will resume both in person and online on June 11.

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, May 24, Father Morris will take questions from the floor on any topic. On May 31, Father Morris will begin a new Morning Call series on the parables of Jesus.

THANK YOU, FROM THE E.C.W.

THANK YOU, FROM THE E.C.W.: The Episcopal Church Women of Aquia Church would like to thank parishioners for their support during our Heritage Sunday celebration. From donated food items, to sharing time and talents, our celebration of our heritage was heartfelt and convivial. Visitors from outside our church were grateful for the celebration, and they remarked about the bountiful food and our fun spirit. Thank you for your continued support of ECW.

ATTENTION GRADUATES! 

ATTENTION GRADUATES! All members of Aquia Church who are graduating from high school, college, graduate school, or professional training programs are invited to submit a brief summary of their scholastic accomplishments and future plans, along with a head-shot photo, for publication in June, when we will honor all of our graduates. Please send your submissions to Father Jay Morris <morris@aquiachurch.org>.

ANNE E. MONCURE SCHOLARSHIP

ANNE E. MONCURE SCHOLARSHIP: A friendly reminder to graduating high school seniors who are attending a college program or trade school/culinary school in the fall: applications for the Anne E. Moncure Scholarship are due on Sunday, May 31 to the church office. There are some application forms on the tall table at the back of the church. Please contact the church office (540-659-4007) and speak with Mrs. Selz if you have any questions.  Congratulations in advance for reaching high school graduation!

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.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Our last day for this school year was May 17.

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.

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 MID-MAY UPDATE

AQUIA'S PANTRY MID-MAY UPDATE: God continues to bless the Pantry and entrust us with wonderful gifts of food for our guests. We are very grateful for the eggs that SERVE gave us throughout the winter and spring. The Pantry is once again the recipient of the Farm-to-Pantry grant through Virginia Community Food Connections. Because of this grant, we are now receiving 12 crates of beautiful greens and more from C & A Produce of Montross, Va., each week. Through the work of our diligent volunteers, the Pantry was able to give groceries to 129 families on April 29 and 132 families on May 5. However, with summer vacations beginning, the Pantry needs more folks who can come on Wednesday evenings to help distribute the groceries to families as they drive up to the CFFB. We also would appreciate gifts of cereal, pasta, and tomato sauce. Please look into your heart and consider how you can help this ministry. If you would like to learn more about Aquia’s Pantry, drop by anytime on Tuesdays between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. or on Wednesdays 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., or 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).

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).