Announcements

Aquia Church Weekly Announcements


ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MARCH 17, 2024 

WORSHIP FOR HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SUNDAY

WORSHIP FOR HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SUNDAY

Mar. 24:  PALM SUNDAY

7:30am, 10:30am, and 4:00pm as usual in person

Morning Prayer broadcast online, starting at 7:30am as usual

 

Mar. 25-28:  MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY IN HOLY WEEK

Evening Prayer broadcasts online, starting at 7:00pm

 

Mar. 28:  MAUNDY THURSDAY (7:00pm)

Holy Eucharist with Foot-Washing and Stripping of the Altar, followed by the Gethsemane Watch Prayer Vigil

Reserve an hour of prayer in the Gethsemane Watch (in the great hall, beginning after the Eucharist and continuing until noon on Good Friday).

Evening Prayer broadcast online, starting at 7:00pm

 

Mar. 29:  GOOD FRIDAY (12:00noon & 7:00pm)

Stations of the Cross & Holy Communion

Good Friday broadcast online, starting at 12:00noon

 

Mar. 31:  EASTER SUNDAY

6:30am (note the special time!!!) Holy Eucharist outdoors for a traditional sunrise service

9:00am Holy Eucharist (note the time!) with childcare available in the nursery

10:15am Children’s Easter Egg Hunt

11:00am Holy Eucharist (note the time!) with childcare available in the nursery

4:00pm Holy Eucharist

Morning Prayer broadcast online, starting at 7:30am as usual

 

MARCH NEWSLETTER

MARCH NEWSLETTER: The most recent issue of our Cross Section newsletter is available electronically here:

< https://aquiachurch.org/connect/e-newsletter/ >.

FATHER RICKENBAKER RETURNS

FATHER RICKENBAKER RETURNS: Our assistant rector, Father James Rickenbaker, has returned from his two-month sabbatical for personal rest and reflection and professional renewal. His time away was fruitful for himself and for his family, and we are glad to welcome him back. He begins a new morning Bible series on this Thursday, Mar. 14 (see details below under “Weekday Bible Studies”).

THE LENTEN CROSS

THE LENTEN CROSS in the back pew of the historic church offers opportunities for Lenten almsgiving and service to others at your discretion. Simply take a card—or take more than one!—from the Lenten cross and complete the request for donations of time, talent, gift cards, or materials that Aquia Church ministries can use.

SPRING CLEANUP

SPRING CLEANUP: The annual spring cleanup of our grounds and cemetery will take place on this Saturday, Mar. 16 (8:00 a.m.—12:00 noon), with the following Saturday the 23rd as the backup date in case of inclement weather. Please bring your work gloves, yard rakes, pruning shears, leaf blowers, and other garden tools as we spruce up our grounds and cemetery for our celebration of Easter. For more information, please contact junior warden Brad Hammer (bkhammer88@icloud.com) or any member of the buildings and grounds committee.

GETHSEMANE WATCH PRAYER VIGIL

GETHSEMANE WATCH PRAYER VIGIL: Sign up at the back of the church for an hour of prayer during the vigil that takes place in the great hall from the end of the Maundy Thursday service on Mar. 28 (7:00 p.m.) through the start of the 12:00 noon service on Good Friday. Mark the time during which our Lord was under arrest, being put on trial, and preparing to be crucified for the sins of the whole world.

EASTER LILIES

EASTER LILIES: If you want to contribute to the Easter lilies and other floral arrangements that will adorn our church on Easter Sunday, forms for that purpose are available on the tall table at the back of the church. You may also contact our parish administrator, Sue Selz, in the church office (sue.selz@aquiachurch.org or 540-659-4007) with information about the dedication of your gift. The amount requested for each lily is $20, and payment should accompany your order. Dedications and donations must be received by Thursday, Mar. 28.

EASTER EGG HUNT

EASTER EGG HUNT: Our annual children’s Easter egg hunt will take place at 10:15 a.m. on Easter Sunday, March 31 in the church cemetery. Plastic eggs filled with wrapped candy, treats, or toys are needed for this event. Bags of empty eggs are available in a large bin in the CFFB foyer. Please return filled eggs to the bin in the foyer or to the church office by Thursday, Mar. 28.

LENTEN DINNER-AND-DISCUSSION SERIES: LENTEN DINNER-AND-DISCUSSION SERIES

LENTEN DINNER-AND-DISCUSSION SERIES: LENTEN DINNER-AND-DISCUSSION SERIES: Our annual Lenten series continues on Thursdays through Mar. 21. We offer a soup-and-salad meal starting at 6:00 p.m., with discussion ending around 8:00 p.m. This year’s book is Life Together (Reader’s Edition; Fortress Press, 2015) by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The cost of the paperback book is $12.00 (cash or check payable to Jay Morris); the book is also available in Kindle format that you may purchase on your own. In order to reserve your space for dinner and in order to secure a copy of the book, please use the sign-up sheet at the back of the church, or contact Father Jay Morris (morris@aquiachurch.org or 540-659-4007 at the church office).  If you cannot attend the series but want to do the reading on your own, Father Morris has extra copies of the book available.

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.). This Sunday, we continue our Morning Call series for Lent about “The Devil in Various Forms.”

AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT

AQUIA’S TABLE GOLF TOURNAMENT! Calling all golfers to this year’s main fundraiser for Aquia’s Table on Friday, May 10 (shotgun start at 9:00 a.m.) at Augustine Golf Club, 76 Monument Drive, Stafford. Cost is $125/person or $500/foursome, with carts and lunch provided—all for a most worthy cause. Sponsorship opportunities are available, too, at a variety of levels. Brochures for registration and for sponsorships are available at the back of the church and from the church office, so get yourself signed up! You are encouraged to recruit individual golfers and foursomes to play for this important charitable event.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Please save the dates of June 10-14 for “SCUBA VBS” as we dive into friendship with God. Registration details will be available soon. Volunteers are also needed to dive in, in order to make VBS a success. For more information, please contact our director of Christian education, Kimberly Bamber (christianed@aquiachurch.org).

OCCASIONAL DRIVERS NEEDED

OCCASIONAL DRIVERS NEEDED: From time to time, some parishioners who have difficulty driving would welcome assistance in getting to a doctor’s appointment, running errands, or completing tasks around town. If you are willing and able to provide an occasional ride for these parishioners, please contact parish administrator Sue Selz in the church office (540-659-4007 or sue.selz@aquiachurch.org).

SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Classes take place most Sundays of the school year 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, with youth group for 6th through 12th graders. Sunday school classes will NOT meet on Easter Sunday, Mar. 31.

YOUTH GROUP

YOUTH GROUP: Our youth group for teens in grades 6-12 meets most Sunday mornings of the school year during the Sunday school period (9:30—10:15 a.m.). Our next evening meeting will take place on this Sunday, Mar. 17, following our every-other-Sunday-evening schedule (5:00—6:00 p.m., unless exceptions are announced in advance). The youth group will NOT meet on Easter Sunday, Mar. 31. In April our meeting dates are the 14th and the 28th.

WEEKDAY BIBLE STUDIES

WEEKDAY BIBLE STUDIES: Our Wednesday evening Bible study for Lent focuses on the New Testament book of Hebrews, starting electronically at 7:00 p.m. The broadcasts are available online at our Facebook page <www.facebook.om/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. Father Rickenbaker’s Thursday morning group will resume meeting on this Thursday, Mar. 14, with a new series on the Gospel of Mark (starting at 11:00 a.m. in person in the CFFB downstairs conference room and simultaneously over Facebook).

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: There are plenty of Sundays in 2024 awaiting folks to offer to serve as hosts, starting with this coming Sunday, Mar. 17. 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. The fellowship breakfast will NOT be held on Easter Sunday, Mar. 31.

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

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

Jan. 24: Aquia’s Table served 464 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 140 households.

Jan. 31: Aquia’s Table served 450 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 147 households.

Feb. 7: Aquia’s Table served 453 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 149 households.

Feb. 14: Aquia’s Table served 330 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 112 households.

Feb. 21: Aquia’s Table served 450 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 144 households.

Feb. 28: Aquia’s Table served 407 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 122 households.

Mar. 6: Aquia’s Table served 447 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 125 households.

Mar. 13: Aquia’s Table served 301 meals, Aquia’s Pantry gave groceries to 97 households.

8-WEEK AVERAGE: 413 meals served and groceries given to 130 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 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.

Also, as part of our ongoing effort for good stewardship at various levels, Aquia’s Table will prepare a maximum of 425 meals for our guests each week, and Aquia’s Pantry will distribute groceries to a maximum of 140 households each week.

AQUIA’S PANTRY MID-MARCH UPDATES

AQUIA’S PANTRY MID-MARCH UPDATES: The Pantry has been blessed with donations from multiple sources this month. On the third Sunday in Lent, the children of Aquia’s Christian education ministry presented Aquia’s Pantry with 3 boxes of cereal, 12 jars of peanut butter, and 66 cans of vegetables and soups! The children had set a goal for themselves to collect 40 items for the Pantry during Lent; obviously, they far exceeded their goal and delivered the food early. We are indeed grateful for their gifts. In addition, the Pantry received several Walmart gift cards and enough monetary donations to cover our membership dues to the Food Bank plus other monthly expenses. All these donations are greatly appreciated and have been put to good use.

Statistics show that over the past eight months, the Pantry has received 210,000 pounds of food from the Food Bank and our partner retail stores, most of which has already gone directly to the families we are helping. Did you know that if we receive any item that is no longer fresh enough to share with our patrons, we give it to a farm? Pigs and goats enjoy mushy bananas, and chickens really like stale bread and sushi.

We are grateful for the several new volunteers who have joined us, including a senior from Brooke Point High School who brought his equally energetic grandmother to help. Other volunteers from our parish family have stepped in to fill the voids caused by family needs and medical challenges. We are so thankful for all our volunteers and for all the donations and gifts of food from our parish family. We thank God for all these gifts of time, talent, and treasure.

The Pantry would appreciate jars of peanut butter, cans of soup, boxes of mac-and-cheese, and brown paper bags from grocery stores to help us continue with His work. If you would like to learn more about how the Pantry works and how you can help, please speak to Barb Bingay, Ron Korth or Mary Jane Cole (maryjane@cfsw.biz). We have an ongoing opportunity to serve: for someone willing to pick up breakfast sandwiches from two nearby Wawas on Tuesday afternoons.

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 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 Lent or Advent, 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 our midweek Bible studies on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and most Thursday mornings at 11:00 a.m. Also, special broadcasts for worship during Holy Week will be available as noted above. 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.

 

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).