HOMECOMING ON THIS SUNDAY, SEPT. 14

 HOMECOMING ON THIS SUNDAY, SEPT. 14: Aquia Church’s annual Homecoming will be held on this Sunday, Sept. 14, with a delicious luncheon after the end of the 10:30 worship service. We hope that you will join us for this luncheon, especially if you are fairly new to Aquia Church and are beginning to make this your church home. Members and newcomers will have the opportunity to bring some food to share. At Homecoming you may also preview some of the items donated to the Fall Fest live auction; these items will be on display in the great hall throughout the day.

YOUNG ADULTS MINISTRY

YOUNG ADULTS MINISTRY: Our September WWJB (What Would Jesus Brew?) meeting will be held on this coming Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 6:00 p.m. at Aquia, with dinner and childcare provided. We will be talking about the sacrament of Baptism. Please RSVP with Fr. James (rickenbaker@aquiachurch.org) no later than the close of business on this Friday, September 12. We hope that you can join us!

TRIP TO THE MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE

TRIP TO THE MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE: We are organizing a trip to the Museum of the Bible on Monday, Oct. 13 (Columbus Day federal holiday, when many people here will have the day off from work or school). We plan to leave on a chartered bus at 8:30 a.m. and return at 3:30 p.m. The museum offers a restaurant with a sit-down lunch plus a grab-and-go café; you may also bring snacks for the bus, but the museum does not allow any outside food. The cost for admission plus bus transportation is $30/adult, $15/student age 5-18, and free for children under age 5; friends from outside our membership are welcomed to join us. You may pay by cash or check (payable to Aquia Church, with “Fellowship Events” on your envelope or on the memo line of your check) up to the day of the trip, but you need to sign up by Monday, Sept. 29 so that we can reserve enough tickets. Sign up at the back of the historic church or by contacting Sue Selz in the church office (sue.selz@aquiachurch.org or 540-659-4007).

ATTENTION E.C.W. MEMBERS 

ATTENTION E.C.W. MEMBERS: At the back of the church, you will find registration forms for the annual fall meeting of the diocesan ECW, to be held Saturday, Oct. 11, at Pohick Church, Lorton. Please return the completed form to the church office no later than Monday, Sept. 22.

FALL FEST IS SATURDAY, OCT. 4

FALL FEST IS SATURDAY, OCT. 4 (8:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.). Mark your calendars, and invite your friends and neighbors! Brochures about this event are available on the tall table in the back of the church. Those who want to donate gently used items to the Fall Fest flea market may start bringing them to the 1960 parish house on Monday, Sept. 22; if you want to arrange for earlier drop-off, please contact Jennifer Stoltz (jentalley@hotmail.com).

ATTENTION COOKS, BAKERS, AND CANDY-MAKERS

ATTENTION COOKS, BAKERS, AND CANDY-MAKERS: One of Fall Fest’s fun and delicious venues is the Country Kitchen. Please donate any of your recently canned preserves or jellies to be sold in the Country Kitchen. Bakers and candy-makers, we need your talent too with your delectable recipes! Contact Rick or Cheryl Bradley with any questions. We can smell the pies as we speak!

FALL FEST LIVE AUCTION

FALL FEST LIVE AUCTION (Saturday, Oct. 4, 11:00 a.m.): Our auction is blossoming! Listed here are more gifts from members of our parish family:

 

• Washington Commanders Seattle Seahawks on November 2, 2025.

4 tickets offered by Marion Wall 

• Stay at the Historic Powhattan Resort in Williamsburg: two-bedroom ground floor unit

December 17-21, 2025. This stay will occur during the Grand Illumination event in Williamsburg. Offered by Pat Quinn.

• A Delightful Collection of Dessert Wines and Cordial Glasses

given by the Bittners and the Bingays

• A Gift of Live Theatre at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts:

2 tickets for dinner and a fabulous mainstage theatre performance

given by Wendy and Mark Osborn

• COMPLETE huge set of Pfaltzgraff dishes given by Rick Bryant
• The cutest Halloween Theme Peanuts Lap Quilt sewn by Patricia Springer
• Pelican Argo 100X Kayak, oars, and woman’s life vest given by Lisa and Arnie Schwartz
• A "Seafood Soirée" Dinner Party for 8 Guests

prepared and served by the Reverend Jay Morris at his home

• Rock Jam 61 Key Music Keyboard given by Lisa and Arnie Schwartz

 

To learn more about the auction and all the happenings at Fall Fest, follow our group on Facebook “Fall Fest at Aquia Church.” “Like” and “share” our posts to spread the news. Check out a few of the items on display in the great hall this Sunday during Homecoming.

ADULT CHOIR HAS RESUMED!

ADULT CHOIR HAS RESUMED! The adult choir, which sings at our 10:30 worship service most Sundays throughout the year, has resumed rehearsals in the historic church on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Please join us as we make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

HIRING A BOOKKEEPER

HIRING A BOOKKEEPER: Aquia Church seeks to hire a part-time bookkeeper to manage our accounts payable and receivable, to prepare checks for payment, to accomplish reconciliation of bank statements, and to manage other financial records and procedures. Approximately 8 hrs/wk, with flexibility about days/times, with some telework possible, and with competitive compensation appropriate to experience. If you know someone who might be qualified, please encourage that person to contact Father Morris for a job description and for application right away (morris@aquiachurch.org or 540-659-4007).

YOUTH GROUP HAS RESUMED

YOUTH GROUP HAS RESUMED: We have resumed weekly morning meetings for teens in grades 6-12 (9:30—10:15 a.m.), and our next every-other-week evening meeting will take place on Sunday, Sept. 21 (5:00—6:00 p.m.). We meet in the youth group room on the lower level of the CFFB. Refreshments will be served.

CONFIRMATION CLASSES

CONFIRMATION CLASSES: Our Morning Call themes have now shifted to topics about Christian discipleship for all adults but geared especially for those who want to be confirmed or received into The Episcopal Church or to reaffirm their faith. Confirmation or the equivalent is something expected for all mature Christians (BCP 412). Those preparing for confirmation, reception, or reaffirmation should be high school students or adults. Most (but not all) of the instruction will take place during Morning Call from mid-August through mid-November, with Bishop Mark Stevenson arriving on Sunday, Nov. 16. For more information, or in order to register for confirmation classes, please contact Father Jay Morris (morris@aquiachurch.org).

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: There are plenty of Sundays awaiting folks to serve as breakfast hosts, starting with September 28. 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.

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, Father Jay Morris will continue a series on Christian discipleship that welcomes all adults but is geared especially toward those who are aged high school and above who are preparing to be confirmed or received into The Episcopal Church or who want to reaffirm their faith. This series will run through mid-November.

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: Father Jay Morris will continue a new series on the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah on this coming Wednesday, Sept. 17 (starting electronically at 7:00 p.m.); for this session, please read through Jeremiah ch. 30. The series is available at our Facebook page <www.facebook.com/AquiaEpiscopalChurch>. Even if you do not have a Facebook account, you can access this series simply by clicking on the given occasion. Also, you do not have to watch the broadcasts live; recent videos are stored there for your viewing. 

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY:  Father James Rickenbaker’s series on the Gospel according to Luke continues to meet. We hope you can join us in person (starting at 6:00 p.m.); if not, the broadcasts are available online at our Facebook page, which is <www.facebook.com/AquiaEpiscopalChurch>. Broadcasts of recent sessions are available there too.

SUNDAY SCHOOL HAS RESUMED

SUNDAY SCHOOL HAS RESUMED: 9:30—10:15 a.m. on the lower level of the Christian Formation & Fellowship Building for students of all ages from pre-K through 12th grade. Simultaneously, adult Christian formation is available upstairs in the great hall. Here is the link for getting your child or grandchild registered <vbspro.events/p/abc294>.

GUILD OF ALL SOULS

GUILD OF ALL SOULS: The Guild of All Souls is an Anglican devotional society whose members commit themselves to praying for the faithful departed. Among those with ties to Aquia Church for whom guild members are praying in the months ahead are: Venessa Bomar, Lionel Sentell, Rosa Edmond. Patti Kalbaugh, Walter Yager, Susan Bohannan, Michael Lewis, John Meadows, Louis Husser, and Patricia Ann Markley. For more information about this guild and its ministry, please contact parishioner William Johnston (johnstonw942@gmail.com).

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 UPDATE

AQUIA'S PANTRY EARLY SEPTEMBER UPDATE: The Pantry volunteers give thanks for the beautiful weather we have had these past few Wednesdays and for two new volunteers! We also give thanks for a very generous check from the Fraternal Order of Eagles of Stafford. This gift, along with that of another anonymous donor, will enable the Pantry to give cereal to each of our households twice during the month of September. On August 20 we helped 147 families, and on August 27 we helped 142 families. Our needs this week include cans of vegetables, boxes of pasta and brown paper grocery bags. The Pantry is still short-handed on Wednesday evenings. Could you help 5:30—7:30 p.m.? If so, contact Barb Bingay, Ron Korth, or Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz).

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).

AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT 2026

AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT 2026: Monday, May 18, at Augustine Golf Club in Stafford. Mark your calendars, practice your driving and putting, and invite your fellow golfers to join in the fun.

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.

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 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).