Announcements

Aquia Church Weekly Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2024 

U.T.O. SPRING INGATHERING

U.T.O. SPRING INGATHERING: The United Thank Offering (UTO) is a long-standing ministry of the nationwide Episcopal Church Women, and gifts for this offering provide funding for an array of ministries. The spring ingathering for our UTO will be held on this coming Sunday, Apr. 21, with donations received in the blue-and-white boxes and envelopes that are available around the pews. In order to be counted properly, please make sure that your contributions for this worthy cause are marked “UTO” on the memo line of your check or on the envelope.

YOUTH GROUP

YOUTH GROUP: Our youth group for teens in grades 6-12 meets most Sunday mornings of the school year during the Sunday school period (9:30—10:15 a.m.). Our next evening dates are April 28 and May 5 (5:00—6:00 p.m. on consecutive Sundays). Our final meeting date of this school year will be a special occasion: Saturday, May 18, starting at 4:00 p.m., when we will place flags on the graves of military veterans buried in our cemetery; afterwards, teens and their friends and families are welcomed to join us as Father Jay Morris treats us to dinner nearby at El Gran Charro Mexican restaurant (2834 Richmond Hwy, Stafford) in Aquia Town Center.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Please save the dates of June 10-14 for “SCUBA VBS” as we dive into friendship with God. Registration is available online now at our Website <www.aquiachurch.org>. Volunteers are also needed to dive in, in order to make VBS a success. For more information, please contact our director of Christian education, Kimberly Bamber (christianed@aquiachurch.org).

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Sunday school classes take place most Sundays of the school year 9:30—10:15 a.m. downstairs in the Christian Formation and Fellowship Building (CFFB). Sunday school is open for students in grades pre-K through 5th grade, with youth group for 6th through 12th graders. The final date of Sunday school for this school year is May 19.

NEW DATE FOR AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT

NEW DATE FOR AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT! Calling all golfers to this year’s main fundraiser for Aquia’s Table on its changed, warmer-weather date of Monday, May 20 (shotgun start at 9:00 a.m.) at Augustine Golf Club, 76 Monument Drive, Stafford. Cost is $125/person or $500/foursome, with carts and lunch provided—all for a most worthy cause. Sponsorship opportunities are available, too, at a variety of levels. Brochures for registration and for sponsorships are available at the back of the church and from the church office, so get yourself signed up! You are encouraged to recruit individual golfers and foursomes to play for this important charitable event.

INTERESTED IN C.P.R./A.E.D. TRAINING?

INTERESTED IN C.P.R./A.E.D. TRAINING? Parishioners who want to receive training in the use of Aquia’s AED (automated external defibrillator) equipment and in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) from an experienced instructor certified by the American Red Cross, should contact Dina Stanford (jjanddina@comcast.net) in order to express their interest and begin setting a date for the workshop. The training you receive could help save a life!

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, we continue our new series about the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel according to Matthew (chs. 5—7).

WEEKDAY BIBLE STUDIES

WEEKDAY BIBLE STUDIES: A new Wednesday evening series began on Apr. 3, starting electronically at 7:00 p.m, with a focus on the brief but remarkable New Testament letters of Jude and II Peter, and it’s certainly not too late to join in. On this Thursday, Father Rickenbaker’s Thursday morning group will continue its series on the Gospel of Mark (starting at 11:00 a.m. in person in the CFFB downstairs conference room and simultaneously over Facebook Live). The broadcasts are available online at our Facebook page <www.facebook.om/AquiaEpiscopalChurch>. Even if you do not have a Facebook account, you can still 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 at any time.

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: There are plenty of Sundays in 2024 awaiting folks to offer to serve as hosts, starting with this coming Sunday (Apr. 21), plus May 5 and May 12. If you want to serve as a breakfast host for any Sunday in the months ahead, 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.

HIGH NUMBERS OF GUESTS AT AQUIA’S TABLE AND AQUIA’S PANTRY

HIGH NUMBERS OF GUESTS AT AQUIA’S TABLE AND AQUIA’S PANTRY:

Feb. 28: Aquia’s Table served 407 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 122 households.

Mar. 6: Aquia’s Table served 447 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 125 households.

Mar. 13: Aquia’s Table served 301 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 97 households.

Mar. 20: Aquia’s Table served 338 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 101 households.

Mar. 27: Aquia’s Table served 416 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 128 households.

Apr. 3: Aquia’s Table served 400 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 124 households.

Apr. 10: Aquia’s Table served 397 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 114 households.

Apr. 17: Aquia’s Table served 380 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 130 households.

8-WEEK AVERAGE: 386 meals served and groceries given to 118 households

The long lines of guests coming for food 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.

Also, as part of our ongoing effort for good stewardship at various levels, Aquia’s Table will prepare a maximum total of 400 meals each week, and Aquia’s Pantry will distribute groceries to a maximum of 140 households each week.

AQUIA’S PANTRY EARLY APRIL UPDATES 

AQUIA’S PANTRY EARLY APRIL UPDATES: April has just begun, and the Pantry volunteers are already busy counting our blessings! One of our parish families reached out to the Stafford Weis Markets manager and received two very generous gift cards for us to use. We were able to share these with our sister ministry, Aquia’s Table. Another parishioner brought 50 boxes of cereal, and yet another family brought 60 boxes of mac-and-cheese. We also received over 600 pounds of frozen and refrigerated food from the Stafford Panera as they changed their seasonal menu. Again, we were able to share some of these gifts with the Table, allowing our guests to receive the nutrition God provided.

We are so grateful for the volunteers who drove their vehicles to the local grocery stores to pick up food donations despite the sheets of rain that poured two Wednesdays in a row, and we are also grateful that a parishioner took a card from the Lenten cross and offered her time to volunteer. We rejoice and thank God for all these gifts which enable the Pantry to serve our neighbors struggling with food insecurity.

To help us continue our mission of feeding our neighbors in need, the Pantry would appreciate jars of peanut butter, cans of soup, boxes of mac-and-cheese, brown paper bags from grocery stores, and empty egg cartons to help us continue with His work. If you would like to learn more about how the Pantry works and how you can help, please speak with Barb Bingay, Ron Korth, or Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz).

INVITATION FROM AQUIA’S TABLE

INVITATION FROM AQUIA’S TABLE: Aquia’s Table is recruiting volunteers to assist with baking or preparing desserts (either at home or at the church kitchen on Tuesdays: cookies, brownies, crispy rice treats, cakes, etc.) and to assist occasionally with preparing meals when others might be unable to serve. In recent weeks, we have been serving around 400 guests, and some extra help with fixing desserts and meals from time to time would be welcomed. In order to offer your hands-on help, please contact Briget Kane (bkwings_n_things@yahoo.com).

ALTAR FLOWERS

ALTAR FLOWERS: Those who want to donate flowers during 2024 in memory of someone or in thanksgiving for someone or something may contact Sue Selz in the church office (sue.selz@aquiachurch.org or 540-659-4007) and select a particular Sunday; the signup sheet is also available on the short table 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 such arrangements during Advent or Lent, but most other Sundays during the year remain available.

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.

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.

ELECTRONIC BROADCASTS

ELECTRONIC BROADCASTS: We continue to 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 on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and most Thursday mornings at 11:00 a.m. 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 still 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 at any time convenient for you.

 

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).