ANNUAL PLEDGE CAMPAIGN 

ANNUAL PLEDGE CAMPAIGN: If you have not yet submitted your financial pledge to God’s mission and ministry here in 2026, extra blank pledge cards are available at the back of the church on the tall table. If you have any concerns or questions about pledging, please speak confidentially with our treasurer, Chris Arey (treasurer@aquiachurch.org), or with Father Morris.

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, Nov. 23, Father Morris will report to the parish about his recent illness, surgery, and bereavement, and how those things are affecting our ministry together with new perspective. On Nov. 30 and Dec. 7, Morning Call will address some themes appropriate to Advent on the first two Sundays of that season.

THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE

THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE: We will hold our Thanksgiving Eve service on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 7:00 p.m., with music selected especially for the occasion.

SPECIAL SERVICES DURING ADVENT

SPECIAL SERVICES DURING ADVENT: Advent begins on Sunday, Nov. 30. Our service of Advent Lessons & Carols will be held on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 4:00 p.m. in place of the usual evening Eucharist. Our children’s Christmas pageant with Holy Communion will be held in the great hall on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 10:30 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.

ANNUAL LEAF REMOVAL

ANNUAL LEAF REMOVAL: Our Buildings & Grounds teem needs your help on Saturday, Dec. 6 (9:00 a.m.—12:00noon) to clean up leaves around our buildings and driveways. Bring rakes and leaf blowers if you have them, along with gloves and tarps. For more information, contact Bill Hoffman (wmhoffman@verizon.net).

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.

VESTRY NOMINATION FORMS

VESTRY NOMINATION FORMS: Members who want to be considered as candidates for election to our vestry, or local governing board, will find the self-nomination forms on the tall table at the back of church office. In order to be considered, applicants must be a confirmed member of Aquia Church (or must be in the process of being confirmed), must be receiving communion regularly, must be fulfilling a financial pledge to Aquia Church for 2025, and must make a financial pledge for 2026. For more information about the responsibilities of being a vestry member, please consult Father Morris or senior warden Bill Hoffman. Completed forms are due by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, December 12.

YOUTH GROUP 

YOUTH GROUP: We continue our weekly morning meetings for teens in grades 6-12 (9:30—10:15 a.m.).

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: There are plenty of Sundays awaiting folks to serve as breakfast hosts, starting with Nov. 30 and most Sundays in December. 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 James concludes on this Thursday, Nov. 20, and will take Thanksgiving Day off, but then will resume on Thursday, Dec. 4 with a new series on the Book of Habbakuk in the Old Testament. 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: 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 on most Sundays.

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL: 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 NOVEMBER UPDATE

AQUIA'S PANTRY NOVEMBER UPDATE: Aquia’s Pantry continues to thank God for the generosity of so many parishioners and friends of the parish. We have recently received several generous gifts of cereal, a large donation of canned vegetables, and several bales of bags, as well as donations of turkeys and monetary gifts needed to buy more turkeys. All these wonderful gifts enable us to do the work that God has entrusted us to do, giving groceries to 157 families on November 5 and to 150 families on November 12. The greatest gifts of all are the gifts of time offered by our volunteers, and we still need more help on Tuesday mornings and any time on Wednesdays. If you have the time to spare, contact Barb Bingay, Ron Korth, or Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz). Along with volunteers, our current needs include cans of vegetables, boxes of pasta and cereal, and eggs cartons.

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).

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.

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).