Announcements: Week of Sunday, August 19th 2018
All You Can Eat Crab Feast
Saturday, August 25th - 4pm - 7pm - Live Bluegrass “Reckless Brigade Bluegrass” - Adults = $35.00 - Ages 6 - 16 = $10.00 All you can eat crabs, steamed shrimp, fried cod, corn on the cob, coleslaw and hushpuppies. Lemonade, iced tea will be provided, BYOC (bring your own cooler or BYOB). Come to a great fun filled event, enjoy great music, great food and enjoy fellowship with your family and friends. Tickets are on sale now.
Back to School Supplies
Back To School supplies are on sale in local stores. When you are shopping for school items, consider picking up "extras" for our less fortunate children. No glue sticks or crayons, please! Collection for supplies will begin after August 3-5, which are Tax Exempt Days. Due date is August 26th giving Stafford Social Services time to allocate our items to families in need. Place your donations on the picnic table or back pew beginning August 5th. The Outreach Ministry thanks you for your generosity.
Save the Dates
Sunday, 9/2 we will offer a “blessing with the backpacks” at the end of each worship service. All students, teachers, and staff members heading back to school are encouraged to bring their backpacks or other school bags to church that day for a blessing and we will pray for all of these people as they start a new school year. Our regular Sunday school program will resume on Sunday, 9/9 from 9:00-9:45 am. We will have a Sunday school kick-off pancake breakfast on September 2 at 9am. All Sunday school students and families are invited to join us for pancakes and Sunday school registration in the Great Hall.
Current and Prospective Acolytes: This is an invitation for all students in grades 5 and above to consider becoming an acolyte, whether by joining our acolyte corps or by renewing your earlier commitment to serve. Our acolytes help set the tone for worship at the 10:00 a.m. worship service by leading the processions, assisting the clergy with communion, and enjoying some of the best seats in our historic church building. As one new acolyte recently observed: the worship service makes a lot more sense when you serve as an acolyte and follow what is going on. For more information about what is expected or in order to set up a training session, please e-mail Jennifer Stoltz at jentalley@hotmail.com.
Attention Teenagers and Parents: The clergy want to hear from teenagers who are entering grades 6-12 this fall and from their parents as we begin to plan the upcoming year for our youth group. The last of these brief Sunday meetings will be held on Sunday, August 19, at 9:00 a.m. in the downstairs conference room (during the new time for Morning Call but in a different location). We are working to build up our ministry among our teenagers, with your input and feedback being crucial for the success of our youth group. We also invite adults who want to be involved with our teenagers even if these adults will not have teenagers in the youth group this year.
Sunday School: Our Sunday school ministry is seeking volunteers to help our youngest members grow in their faith. No teaching experience is necessary and we have an easy to follow curriculum. Sunday school teachers are asked to lead approximately 2-3 times each month. If interested or for more information, please contact Kristen Morgan at christianed@aquiachurch.org
Choir Returns! The Adult Choir will return on Sunday, September 9th at the 10:00 AM service and rehearsals will resume on Thursday, September 6th at 7 PM in the Choir Room. The Aquia Choristers will resume rehearsal on September 23rd for 45 minutes in the choir room immediately following the conclusion of the 10:00 AM service. They will be singing at the 10:00 AM Service on October 14th.
October 14th will also mark the occasion of our first monthly Choral Evensong service, offered at 5:00 PM. This will be led by our Adult Choir and guest singers from the local area. Rehearsal will take place at 3:30 PM in the Historic Church.
We are currently recruiting for all three choirs (the Adult Choir for Sunday mornings, the Aquia Choristers children’s choir, and the Choral Evensong Choir) and are particularly in need of more male voices for our Adult Choir and children for our Choristers. The Aquia Choristers is open to children presently in the 3rd through 8th grade. If you are interested in singing in either group, we encourage you to get in touch with our Director of Music, Trystan Bennett at musicdirector@aquiachurch.org. We look forward to seeing everyone for another great year!
Morning Call: On this Sunday, August 19, the clergy will continue our new summer series about preaching. Offered most Sundays of the year, starting at the new time of 9:00 a.m., Morning Call is our Sunday morning forum for adult formation and discussion. Those already in the great hall for the breakfast fellowship following the 7:30 a.m. service are welcomed to remain there for Morning Call, which will meet on the historic church end of that room. Refreshments for those arriving for Morning Call will be provided on the historic church end of the great hall.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study: Father Rickenbaker will begin a new Wednesday morning series that will survey the Old and New Testaments throughout the coming program year, using the Discovering the Bible: A New Generation workbook from the Kerygma group. This series will begin on Wednesday, September 5, from 10:30 a.m. till 12:00 noon, in the conference room downstairs in the new building. The workbook provides a timeline of biblical history, a glossary of important names and terms, some helpful background information, and the set of Scripture passages for each week’s study, and this workbook is an excellent resource for those who are very experienced in Bible study or for those who are just getting started. In order to reserve your copy of this workbook, please make your payment to Aquia Church in the amount of $35.00 (cash or check with “adult education” marked on the envelope or in the memo line of your check), or you may use a Kerygma workbook from a previous series. Scholarships are available for those who cannot afford a workbook; please contact Father Rickenbaker about that privately. We welcome newcomers, drop-ins, and guests alongside those who participate regularly.
Wednesday Evening Bible Study: Father Morris will begin a new Wednesday evening series for the fall semester on “The Parables of Jesus,” in order to explore some of the most important passages in the Gospels of the New Testament. Jesus frequently taught in parables, with some of them being quite clear in their meaning and with others requiring further consideration. This series will begin on Wednesday, September 5, from 7:00 p.m. till 8:30 p.m., in the conference room downstairs in the new building; consider arriving from 6:00 p.m. onward and enjoying a meal and fellowship at Aquia’s Table in the great hall upstairs before the study begins downstairs at 7:00 p.m. There are no workbooks or other materials to purchase for this series, and we welcome newcomers, drop-ins, and guests alongside those who participate regularly.
Homecoming: Fellowship, great food and memories are just a few of the highlights of Aquia's Annual Homecoming–September 16. The ECW will host the annual event with a buffet brunch/luncheon immediately following the 10:00 am service, in The Great Hall. Mark your calendar for September 16th, we hope to see you there.
Fall Fest Action Updates: Wonderful news! We have a fabulous new addition to our Fall Fest Auction:
A magnificent Grandfather Clock! Given by Wendy and Mark Osborn, made by Howard Miller Clock Company, brand new and coming soon to Great Hall for your preview! Must see to appreciate!
Please remember that it is not too late to donate something to the auction. If you have an idea, suggestion or gift, please contact Shields Jones, Becky Monger, Brenda Monger or Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz). Help us keep the momentum going. Follow us on Facebook: Fall Fest at Aquia Church. “Like” us and “Share” to help get the word out!
Outreach: The response to Outreach's Cash for Cows and Change for Chickens campaign was awesome. Thanks to your generous donations totaling $1,350.50, a cow, 2 pigs, 3 goats, bees and honey, and 2 flocks of chickens were purchased. We were disappointed to find out from Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) that the donkey, cart, and plow we planned to purchase were no longer available; however, we feel that what we did purchase from ERD will be a blessing to a family or community in a struggling country. We appreciate your support of our ministry.
Do You Receive Our Newsletter? Aquia Church publishes The Cross Section as a monthly newsletter (except for January) that gives members and friends of Aquia Church advance notice about upcoming events, news from vestry meetings, spiritual guidance from our clergy, and other information that you may find helpful. Under the leadership of editors Carol Bailey and Mary Karcher, The Cross Section offers news you can use for special occasions and for keeping up-to-date about our parish life together. Subscribing is easy: simply contact the church office (540-659-4007 or office@aquiachurch.org) in order to express your interest. You can receive the newsletter in easy-to-read electronic form each month, or you may request that a printed copy be mailed to you.
Have To Miss A Sunday? When you have to miss a Sunday during the summer or anytime of year, you can still keep up with what is happening at Aquia Church through our Website (www.AquiaChurch.org). Audio recordings of most Sunday sermons are posted there, as are weekly bulletin announcements and other news. Stay informed and spiritually nourished even when illness or travel prevent your attendance at church.
