Announcements

Aquia Church Weekly Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

 

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: We do not have breakfast hosts for most of the Sundays between now and mid-December; only October 1 has been reserved so far, with no other Sunday claimed yet. If you want to host this coming Sunday’s fellowship breakfast on September 24, please notify Sue Selz in the church office right away (sue.selz@aquiachurch.org or 540-659-4007). If you want to serve as a breakfast host for any other Sunday, simply use the signup sheet at the back of the church, or contact Sue Selz. Please consider taking a turn in promoting fellowship within our parish through this weekly breakfast, which is available on Sundays 8:30—9:30 a.m. The breakfast can be as simple or elaborate as you wish to provide; the main idea is to offer some food for folks to enjoy over good conversation with fellow Christians.

THE CHOIR IS BACK

THE CHOIR IS BACK! Choir rehearsals have returned on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. in preparation for our 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship services. Whether you have a strong singing background or are just beginning to explore your musical talents, there's a place for you in our choir! If you want to join, or if you need more information, contact our organist and director of music, Trystan Bennett (musicdirector@aquiachurch.org).

MAUI RELIEF

MAUI RELIEF: Those who want to contribute to the relief efforts after the devastating wildfires in Maui are encouraged to donate cash or checks to Aquia Church in the small envelopes with “MAUI” marked in pink that are available on the tall table at the back of the church. If you want to receive credit on your financial contribution statement, please make sure that your name is marked on the envelope for a cash donation, or mark “MAUI” on the memo line of your check. We will collect these donations and send them to the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii. As of September 19, we have received $1,829.00. We hope to receive contributions for Maui relief by the end of this month.

DONATING TO FALL FEST KITCHEN

DONATING TO FALL FEST KITCHEN: A sign-up sheet will be on the picnic table outside of church on Sunday; you may sign up to bring a food item or volunteer to work in the kitchen on Saturday, Oct, 7. Items needed for a successful day are the following: canned drinks (soda), personal-sized bottles of water, CapriSun drink pouches, individual bags of chips, hamburger buns, green beans, baked beans, and bacon; these food items should be brought to the great hall by Friday, Oct. 6 and marked for the Fall Fest kitchen.

FALL FEST 2023 LIVE AUCTION

FALL FEST 2023 LIVE AUCTION (SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 AT 11:00 a.m. IN THE GREAT HALL): Some awesome items have just been added to the auction! Here are the latest additions and more:

  • Mouth-Watering Pies: a pie a month for 4 months baked by Pat Moncure
  • Tour of Washington National Cathedral for three or four people, plus lunch or dinner nearby, offered by Father Jay Morris
  • Gauntlet Golf Club: Four VIP passes (weekdays and after 1:00 p.m. weekends and holidays)
  • Forest Greens Golf Club: Foursome of Complimentary Greens Fees (weekdays and after 1:00 p.m. weekends and holidays)
  • Aquia Harbour Golf Club: Four 18-hole rounds of golf plus cart (weekdays only)
  • Gari Melchers Home and Studio: 2 guest passes to Belmont plus the book Selected Works by Gari Melchers
  • A Beautiful Lap Quilt handmade by Patricia Springer
  • Happy Halloween! A basket featuring PartyLite Pumpkin Cottage House Tealight Candle Holder, a happy large ceramic pumpkin, and three hand-strung gumball garlands
  • Chocolate Lover’s Basket given by the Altar Guild

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

DONATING ITEMS TO FALL FEST

DONATING ITEMS TO FALL FEST: Our temporary storage unit for receiving furniture and other large-item donations for Fall Fest has arrived, and you may begin to drop them off or to arrange for our crew to pick them up (as indicated on the Fall Fest trifold brochure available on the tall table at the back of the church). Smaller items to be donated for departments like the flea market, book nook, used clothing, and so forth can be dropped off at the upper level of the 1960 parish house starting on this coming Wednesday, Sept. 27, or else by appointment with Jennifer Stoltz (jentalley@hotmail.com) or Briget Kane (bkwings_n_things@yahoo.com).

YOUTH GROUP

YOUTH GROUP: Our youth group for teens in grades 6-12 will hold its next evening meeting on Sunday, Oct. 1 (5:00—6:00 p.m., right after the evening worship service), with refreshments served in the youth room; our evening meetings follow an every-other-Sunday schedule. The group also meets most Sunday mornings of the school year during the Sunday school period (9:30—10:15 a.m.). In addition, the youth group hopes to arrange for a trip to Halloween Haunt at Kings Dominion and/or some other spooky-fun place this fall; please notify Father Jay Morris if your teen is interested in participating.

NEW MATCHING CHALLENGE OPPORTUNITY

NEW MATCHING CHALLENGE OPPORTUNITY: Aquia Church has received a commitment for a matching challenge to help us retire the debt on the construction loan for the CFFB. Every donation received for the new building this year will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000.00, so that we can continue to pay off the construction loan ahead of schedule, with reduced interest payments and reduced overall expense. Please note that the deadline for this opportunity has recently been extended to cover the entire calendar year 2023. As of 19 September, we have received $35,405.00 toward this matching challenge.

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.). Our current Morning Call series concerns discipleship and is available for all adults in the parish while being aimed especially for those preparing for confirmation, reception, and reaffirmation.

WEEKDAY BIBLE STUDIES

WEEKDAY BIBLE STUDIES: Father Morris has concluded his Wednesday evening series on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. After a one-week break on Sept. 27, the Wednesday evening group’s attention will turn to the much-neglected Book of Numbers in the Old Testament, starting electronically at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Also, Father Rickenbaker’s Thursday morning group has just begun to study the New Testament letters of Colossians and Ephesians, starting electronically at 11:00 a.m. and offered in-person simultaneously in the CFFB downstairs conference room; it’s certainly not too late to join in! 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.

SUNDAY SCHOOL IS BACK

SUNDAY SCHOOL IS BACK! Classes take place 9:30—10:15 a.m. downstairs in the Christian Formation and Fellowship Building (CFFB). Sunday school is open for students in grades pre-K through 5th grade and youth group for 6th through 12th graders. Registration is now available on the church Website (www.aquiachurch.org). For more information or for interest in volunteering with our Sunday school team, please send an e-mail to our new director of Christian education, Kimberly Bamber (ChristianEd@aquiachurch.org).

THANK-YOU FOR HOMECOMING

THANK-YOU FOR HOMECOMING: Our thanks to everyone in the ECW and to other helpful folks who made Sunday’s Homecoming celebration such a success. Thank you especially to those who helped in some way with the set-up, food, and clean-up for the scrumptious luncheon!

HIGH NUMBERS OF GUESTS AT AQUIA’S TABLE AND AQUIA’S PANTRY

HIGH NUMBERS OF GUESTS AT AQUIA’S TABLE AND AQUIA’S PANTRY:

July 12: Aquia’s Table served 465 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 127 households.

July 19: Aquia’s Table served 459 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 134 households.

July 26: Aquia’s Table served 447 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 118 households.

Aug. 2: Aquia’s Table served 425 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 123 households.

Aug. 9: Aquia’s Table served 365 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 108 households.

Aug. 16: Aquia’s Table served 404 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 120 households.

Aug. 30: Aquia’s Table served 462 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 131 households.

Sept. 6: Aquia’s Table served 451 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 120 households.

Sept. 13: Aquia’s Table served 397 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 113 households.

Sept. 20: Aquia’s Table served 402 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 118 households.

TEN-WEEK AVERAGE: 428 meals served and groceries given to 121 households

The long lines of guests coming for food likely reflect the ongoing financial need among so many neighbors around us. This level of outreach was 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), then please see the announcements from Aquia’s Table and Aquia’s Pantry as posted below. Your hands-on help will be particularly appreciated during the summer, when some of our regular volunteers are away with vacations and other commitments.

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 400-450 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 in memory of someone or in thanksgiving for someone or something may contact Sue Selz in the church office (sue.selz@aquiachurch.orgor 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.

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 our midweek Bible studies on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and most Thursday mornings at 11:00 a.m. 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 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.

ELECTRONIC GIVING

ELECTRONIC GIVING: When making contributions through electronic giving, when you can absorb the nominal transaction cost, that is very helpful, so that the church will receive the full amount of your intended contribution. Please note to use the correct category of contribution: if you submitted a pledge card and make a donation online, then please use that category. If you did not submit a pledge card, then please use the non-pledged category—just as important and helpful. Be mindful that you can make an electronic contribution and apportion your gifts between multiple purposes, e.g., pledge, flowers, outreach, etc. You can give electronically through Realm—the link is <https://onrealm.org/AquiaEpiscopalC/-/form/give/now>, and there is a “GIVE” link on the church website <https://www.AquiaChurch.org>. Also, you can give via text-message: text AQUIA to 73256. If you have questions, please feel free to contact treasurer Chris Arey (treasurer@aquiachurch.org).

 

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).