NOTES FROM OUR TREASURER

NOTES FROM OUR TREASURER: Monetary contributions intended for 2025 must be received by the church by 31 December 2025 or be postmarked by 31 December 2025. Contributions such as checks which are dated in 2025 but which are received after 31 December 2025 or postmarked after 31 December 2025 will be counted towards 2026. Electronic contributions must be made by the end of 31 December 2025 in order to count towards 2025.

After 31 December 2025, for in-kind donations made during this year which have not previously been identified, parishioners are asked to provide the receipts to the office as soon as possible. In the event that in-kind receipts are not received by the church office before end-of-year statements are produced, the Treasurer will provide a separate statement for these in-kind donations.

End-of-year contribution statements for 2025 will be available at church on 18 January 2025. Any discrepancies should be referred to Sue Selz, our parish administrator, for resolution.

ANNUAL PLEDGE CAMPAIGN

ANNUAL PLEDGE CAMPAIGN: Aquia Church can make its best plans for God’s mission and ministry here in 2026 when everyone supports this important work as generously as possible. This campaign has started strong but is not finished. Currently, we have received considerably fewer dollars pledged than we anticipate needing for next year’s expenses. So if you have not yet submitted your financial pledge for next year, extra blank pledge cards are available on the tall table at the back of the church or from the church office. If you have any concerns or questions about pledging, please speak confidentially with our treasurer, Chris Arey (treasurer@aquiachurch.org), or with Father Morris.

POINSETTIAS

POINSETTIAS: If you want to contribute toward the festive poinsettias, wreaths, and garland that will adorn our church at Christmas, pick up the contribution form and return it with your $20 donation. In order to have your dedications listed in the bulletins for Christmas Eve and Day, forms and donations must be received by this Friday, Dec. 19, at 3:00 p.m.

DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS

DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS: The flower guild invites you to help decorate the historic church for Christmas on this Saturday, Dec. 20, starting at 10:00 a.m.

CHRISTMAS EVE AND DAY SERVICES

CHRISTMAS EVE AND DAY SERVICES: Our Christmas Eve services will be held at 4:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m., with Christmas music beginning 30 minutes before each service. Our Christmas Day service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Please invite your relatives, friends, and neighbors.

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 Dec. 21 & 28, Morning Call will offer some opportunity for informal conversation with the rector and fellow parishioners. Morning Call will not be held on Jan. 4 because of the parish’s annual meeting that morning. A new Morning Call series will begin on Jan. 11.

ECW’s ADVENT GIFT SHOP

ECW’s ADVENT GIFT SHOP: There is only one Sunday left (this coming Sunday, Dec. 21) to visit our shop, located at the tables on the west side of the great hall; and we’ll be open all morning. There are taper candles for your Advent wreath, in case you need replacements. We have beautiful gold Aquia Church ornaments and notecards, and church members recipe books available as well. Of course, we still have the popular sock monkeys. We also have Christmas trees made out of buttons on a stand-up picture frame. For further information please contact Carolyn Hendrickson (docnpch@gmail.com).

OFFERING ENVELOPES

OFFERING ENVELOPES: If you usually receive offering envelopes, the 2026 packets are available for pickup at church. If you no longer want envelopes, or if you would like to start using envelopes, simply contact parish administrator Sue Selz (sue.selz@aquiachurch.org or 540-659-4007).

DONATING THROUGH ZELLE

DONATING THROUGH ZELLE: You may now contribute to Aquia Church with this convenient electronic service. Simply send funds to <treasurer@aquiachurch.org>.

NUT/CANDY SALE

NUT/CANDY SALE: Back by popular demand, the Vestry is selling nuts/candy. You may purchase them in the great hall after the morning services.

YOUTH GROUP

YOUTH GROUP: Our youth group morning meetings and evening meetings will resume in the new year.

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: There are plenty of Sundays awaiting folks to serve as breakfast hosts, starting with Dec. 28 and Jan. 11. 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.

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY: Postponed until further notice.

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

THURSDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY:  Father James Rickenbaker’s series on the Book of Habbakuk in the Old Testament concluded on Dec. 18, and a new series on a new topic will begin on Thursday, Jan. 8. 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

SUNDAY SCHOOL: There will be no Sunday school classes on this coming Sunday (Dec. 21) nor on Dec. 28, but they will resume with activities for children during our parish’s annual meeting on Sunday, Jan. 4. Our regular schedule for Sunday school (9:30-10:15 a.m.) will resume on Jan. 11.

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.

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. Please note: when Stafford County Public Schools are closed for inclement weather, our food ministries do not operate that day.

AQUIA'S PANTRY MID-DECEMBER UPDATE

AQUIA'S PANTRY MID-DECEMBER UPDATE: Aquia’s Pantry is so grateful to God for all the gifts we received during December! These gifts included over 300 pounds of canned foods from an anonymous source, five bales of grocery bags and generous donations from two parishioners’ book clubs.  With these donations, plus those of other parishioners and friends of the parish, the Pantry was able to purchase 100 hams to offer to our guests on December 17. The Pantry is also grateful to God for the cheerful volunteers He sends each week to pick up, pack and pass out the bags of food.  We will get the week of December 24 off (our only planned closing of the year) as our pantry date falls on Christmas Eve; however, we will be back on December 31 to offer one more pantry in 2025.  Thank you, Aquia Church, for your unfailing support this year. If you have students who would like earn service hours over their winter break, please have them reach out to 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). Please note: Aquia’s Table will resume service on Jan. 7, 2026.

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).