Aquia Church Weekly Announcements
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR WEEK OF JULY 28, 2024
SUMMER YOUTH SUNDAYS
SUMMER YOUTH SUNDAYS: This Sunday, July 28th, is the second of our summer youth Sundays. The next will be August 18th. We will plan to have youth read the lessons and the prayers at the 10:30am service that Sunday. We will also have a youth sermon at the 10:30 service each of these Sundays.
KICKOFF SUNDAY AND SUNDAE SUNDAY
KICKOFF SUNDAY AND SUNDAE SUNDAY: Our Sunday school year will kick off on Sunday, August 18th. We will celebrate this with ice cream sundaes following the 10:30am service (hence the Sundae Sunday). K-12 Sunday school sign-up is available at the following link: [vbspro.events/p/fdd9b5]vbspro.events/p/fdd9b5/. Please get your children (K-12) registered as soon as possible! The grade levels are labelled K-5. Youth in grades 6-12 will go under the category “Youth.”
SEAFOOD FEAST
SEAFOOD FEAST: On Saturday, August 24th, we will have our annual seafood feast at Aquia Church. Please mark your calendars to join us that day for some good food, fellowship, and music. More details will be forthcoming in the next couple weeks. Tickets will go on sale on Sunday, August 4th.
MORNING CALL
MORNING CALL: On Sunday, Fr. Rickenbaker will host a second session of “Stump the Priest” at 9:30am during our Morning Call time. We will plan to begin another, short-term Morning Call series next week. If you have ideas for a series, please get in touch with Fr. Rickenbaker at rickenbaker@aquiachurch.org.
MORNING CALL
MORNING CALL: On July 11 at 6pm, Fr. Rickenbaker began a new series on “The Bible and the Book of Common Prayer.” The series is going to cover 1) how the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) uses the Bible, 2) how the BCP forms us Biblically, and 3) why we say what we say in worship, especially on Sunday mornings. We hope you can join us in-person. If not, the broadcasts are available online at our 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. Simply scroll down to find the broadcast for which you are looking (each one is labeled), then begin to play the recording.
FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST
FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: There are plenty of Sundays this summer awaiting folks to offer to serve as hosts. 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.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS
OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS: With the recent Trinity Sunday, we began the season of the church year called ‘the season after Pentecost,’ which runs until the start of Advent (which this year begins on Sunday, Dec. 1). This season is also called ‘ordinary time’ because its Sundays are counted in sequence with ordinal numbers (such as the second Sunday after Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Pentecost, and so forth). (The phrase ‘ordinary time’ has nothing to do with the time being ‘ordinary’ in the sense of ‘average,’ ‘routine,’ or ‘boring.’) During the long period from early June through late November this year, most of our Old Testament lessons will focus on the historical narratives and the poetic wisdom of ancient Israel. Here we meet figures like Eli and Samuel, David and those around him (including Goliath, Saul, Nathan, Bathsheba, and Solomon), Esther, Job, and Ruth. These readings will not be linked to the Epistle or Gospel lessons for the given Sunday; instead, the Old Testament lessons will be somewhat linked to each other week after week, as though we shall hear and read something like a semi-continuous story flowing throughout the summer and the autumn. With these Old Testament lessons, be on the lookout for ways in which they indicate the work of the Lord in the lives of his people, in the history of the world, and in the wisdom of his faithful followers. Also be on the lookout for ways in which these Old Testament lessons point ultimately toward Jesus.
JULY NEWSLETTER
JULY NEWSLETTER: There is not a newsletter during the month of July. Please see the letter posted on the newsletter page on the website at <https://aquiachurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2024-JULY-FINAL-Letter.pdf>.
RETIRING OUR MORTGAGE DEBT
RETIRING OUR MORTGAGE DEBT: Aquia Church has received a commitment for a new matching challenge to help us retire the mortgage debt for the Christian Formation and Fellowship Building. Every donation received for the new building throughout this calendar year will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000.00, so that we can continue to pay off the mortgage ahead of schedule, with reduced interest payments and reduced overall expense. This challenge is retroactive to January 1, 2024, so that any donation for this purpose made earlier this year can be counted toward the match alongside any contribution made after this announcement. In order to ensure that your tax-deductible donation is credited properly, please make sure that your gift is clearly marked with something like “new building” on the memo line of your check or on the envelope.
ATTENTION GARDENERS AND FLOWER-LOVERS
ATTENTION GARDENERS AND FLOWER-LOVERS: Although “April showers bring May flowers,” the work to upgrade and beautify your garden really starts in the fall, when you plant your spring flowering bulbs and plants. Aquia Church is now a participant in the fundraising program sponsored by Brent and Becky’s, a premier family-owned-and-operated horticultural business based in Gloucester, Virginia. Simply put, go to this link <https://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/bloomin-bucks/>, select Aquia Episcopal Church from the drop-down menu, follow the instructions, and Aquia Church will receive a donation equal to 25% of your purchase.
AQUIA’S PANTRY JULY UPDATES
AQUIA’S PANTRY JULY UPDATES: Once again, the Pantry has so many blessings for which to thank God. One parishioner brought us 60 boxes of cereal and another family dropped off several bags of groceries containing soups, peanut butter, and mac-and-cheese. A number of friends of our volunteers sent in brown paper grocery bags, and the Starbucks at Stafford Market Place gave us 1200 grocery bags after seeing our plea for bags on Facebook. Our volunteers have been bringing their grandchildren, nieces, and house guests to help on Wednesdays, and we are delighted to have these extra hands.
Despite these blessings, we still have some urgent needs. The food bank has not been able to supply many of our staple items, so the Pantry is almost out of spaghetti sauce/tomato sauce, canned vegetables, and canned beans. We would be grateful if you would add some of these basic items to your shopping list for this ministry. Store brands are most welcome.
We remain grateful to God for all the resources and gifts which have sustained this ministry. If you are interested in seeing how the Pantry puts together and delivers groceries to the vehicles of 120 to 140 families every Wednesday evening, feel free to stop by the great hall to see us in action. If you would like to learn more about the Pantry, please speak to 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 most Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. (During Fr. Morris’ sabbatical, the Wednesday evening broadcasts will be on hiatus). These broadcasts are particularly helpful for those who are unable to attend in-person due to illness, travel, or work. We do hope though that you will join us in-person for worship on Sundays.
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).
