ADULT CHOIR RESUMES!

ADULT CHOIR RESUMES! The adult choir, which sings at our 10:30 worship service most Sundays throughout the year, will resume rehearsals in the historic church on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 7:00 p.m. Please join us as we make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

CHECK FRAUD

CHECK FRAUD: We regret to inform you that recently Aquia Church suffered two instances of check fraud involving an out-of-state financial institution. Our local bank, the Stafford County sheriff’s department, and The Church Insurance Companies were notified right away; we are working with these partners to resolve this matter quickly and appropriately. Meanwhile, our treasurer, Chris Arey, is working diligently with the finance committee to reduce our risk of exposure to such fraud in the future, and we are reviewing our policies about preparing and distributing payments by check. UPDATE: We have already been compensated for one forged check and await settlement on the other check.

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).

CLERGY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS

CLERGY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS: Both of our priests maintain a clergy discretionary fund that supports parishioners and neighbors in need (Galatians 6:10)—say, for assisting with mortgage/rent, preventing utility cut-offs, covering medical bills, and other emergency or unexpected situations. The clergy discretionary funds do not receive any money from our operating budget—relying instead on voluntary contributions—and Father Jay Morris’s discretionary fund is particularly low. If you want to make a tax-deductible contribution to this clergy discretionary fund, please make your check payable to Aquia Church and mark “RDF” (for Rector’s Discretionary Fund) on the memo line of your check or on the envelope. Your gift will be very helpful and deeply appreciated.

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 (this is one week earlier than was previously announced). For more information, or in order to register for confirmation classes, please contact Father Jay Morris (morris@aquiachurch.org).

HOMECOMING ON SUNDAY, SEPT. 14

HOMECOMING ON SUNDAY, SEPT. 14: Aquia Church’s annual Homecoming will be held on 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; please see the sign-up sheet at church on Sunday for how you can support this meal.

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).

FALL FEST LIVE AUCTION

FALL FEST LIVE AUCTION (Saturday, Oct. 4, 11:00 a.m.): Our auction is looking great! Listed here are the gifts we have received to date from local restaurants:

Outback Steakhouse of Stafford: $150 in gift cards

El Jimador: $50 gift certificate

Basilico New York Deli: $50 gift card

El Gran Charro: $25 gift card

Mi Rancho: $25 gift Certificate

Sake Thai & Sushi Bar: $25 gift certificate

Chick-fil-A on Garrisonville Road:  10 gift cards

Another tasty gift includes a slow-roasted pork butt from the Fall Fest kitchen.

Also, for that to-do list:

            Publix Super Markets, Inc.: $200 gift card

            610 Car Wash: 2 books of deluxe car wash tickets

For a complete list of items in the auction, see the poster on the church’s front gate next week, or reach out to Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz) for a copy. To learn more about the auction and all the happenings at Fall Fest, follow our group on Facebook: “Fall Fest at Aquia Church.” Please “like” and “share” our posts to spread the news.

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: There are plenty of Sundays awaiting folks to serve as breakfast hosts, starting with September 21. 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. 3 (starting electronically at 7:00 p.m.); for this session, please read through Jeremiah ch. 20. 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.

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.), with our every-other-week evening meetings resuming on Sunday, Sept. 7 (5:00—6:00 p.m.), all in the youth group room on the lower level of the CFFB.

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 MID-AUGUST UPDATE

AQUIA'S PANTRY MID-AUGUST UPDATE: Good news! Many of our guests have started to return their brown paper grocery bags for reuse. This means we are having to purchase fewer bags. More good news! We received an extra 240 boxes of cereal gratis from the D.C. Bishop’s Storehouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This gift enabled us to give out cereal each week a meal was not offered by Aquia’s Table during July and into August. With this great running start, we plan to continue this trend through the fall months. The Pantry still needs a few more volunteers to help fill in during vacations and medical leaves. We have folks out on both Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Let us know if you can help, or come by any Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon or any Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Pantry continues to need boxes of cereal and pasta, cans of vegetables, and brown paper grocery bags. For more information, 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).