ASCENSION DAY (THIS THURSDAY, MAY 14)

ASCENSION DAY (THIS THURSDAY, MAY 14): We shall celebrate the Feast of the Ascension with a special worship service at 7:00 p.m., featuring music chosen especially for the occasion.

HERITAGE SUNDAY (MAY 17)

HERITAGE SUNDAY (MAY 17): Following this coming Sunday’s 10:30 morning worship service, everyone is invited to a scrumptious luncheon in the great hall hosted by the Episcopal Church Women. Look for ways to assist with the set-up and clean-up for this event. Contact Carol Korth (caakorth@gmail.com) with any questions.

AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT 2026

AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT 2026: Monday, May 18, at Augustine Golf Club in Stafford. It’s not too late to register to play! 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. Both forms are also available on our Website <www.AquiaChurch.org>. Also, as an incentive for recruiting golfers who are new to the tournament, a donor will contribute $50 for every golfer who plays this year but did not play last year, up to $1,000; and of course we always welcome returning golfers, too.

ATTENTION YOUNG ADULTS

ATTENTION YOUNG ADULTS: Our May WWJB (What Would Jesus Brew?) meeting will be held on this coming Tuesday, May 19, at 6:00 p.m. at Aquia, with dinner and childcare provided. The topic of conversation will be “Why do Christians need church?” Please RSVP to Father James Rickenbaker no later than the close of business on Monday, May 18 (so we know how much pizza to get). We hope you can join us!

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 13, we’ll discuss psalms of imprecation (or psalms with curses), such as Psalms 35, 69, and 109 (also Psalms 55, 59, 79, and 137). 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.

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.) starting in August and 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 meet either in person or over Zoom so as to be fully interactive. In order for this course to succeed effectively, it would be most helpful to have at least ten participants for our learning together. The cost of a resource book is approximately $45 (with scholarships available in any case of need), and book orders will be placed for the group in July. If you want to ask Father Jay Morris any questions about this course, peruse the resource book, indicate your preference for in-person or Zoom format, or make a tentative commitment to attending a majority of the sessions, please contact him directly (morris@aquiachurch.org).

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: Father James Rickenbaker’s series on the Acts of the Apostles will NOT meet on May 14 because of the Ascension Day worship service that evening, but will resume on May 21 with an online presentation (though not 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.). Our series about the various uses of the Old Testament in the New Testament ended on May 10. Morning Call will not be held on May 17 while the great hall is being prepared for the Heritage Sunday luncheon. On 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.

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 wil honor all of our graduates. Please send your submissions to Father Jay Morris <morris@aquiachurch.org>.

ANNE E. MONCURE SCHOLARSHIP

ANNE E. MONCURE SCHOLARSHIP: The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of Aquia Church are honored to offer the Anne E. Moncure Scholarship to graduating high school seniors. A lifelong parishioner at Aquia Church, Miss Moncure was a staunch defender of education who worked to support literacy skills in students of our area. Each year before graduation, ECW invites graduating seniors of both public and private high school programs to apply for the scholarship. Copies of the application, with instructions for its completion, are available at the tall table at the back of the church. The scholarship application is due by May 31. Contact Carol Korth (caakorth@gmail.com) with any questions.

YOUTH GROUP

YOUTH GROUP: Our youth group for teens in grades 6-12 will conclude their morning meetings on this coming Sunday, May 17. Their final evening meeting will involve planting flags on the graves of military veterans buried in our cemetery on this coming Sunday, May 17, starting at 5:00 p.m., with dinner provided afterward at El Gran Charro in Aquia Town Center for all teens, siblings, friends, and parents who participate in the flag-planting; in case of rain that evening, the event will be postponed, not cancelled.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Our last day for this school year is this coming Sunday, 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).