Dear St. Aidan’s family,
EYE ON THE SPARROW
Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home?
When Jesus is my portion,
My constant friend is he,
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me….
I think of sparrows often. That’s because from where my easy chair sits, I can see my apartment patio, where I have hung a tiny tire swing, about 6 inches in diameter. Twice a day, the swing is full of life, as tiny sparrows flutter in and out, fussing and squabbling over whose turn it is. Usually only one tiny bird can fit in the swing’s center at a time. Occasionally they flit up to the finch feeder for a snack. I take pleasure in putting out Deluxe Blend bird food every day, and provide a hanging, sunflower-shaped bird bath (that, honestly, I’ve never seen any bird approach, but I remain hopeful). I also protect my feathered friends because, after a few months of frustrated attempts, some clever squirrels have figured out how to steal the goodies meant for the sparrows. If I am alert enough, I pound on the glass door until the furry burglars are scared off.
If I can feed, water, admire, and protect the little birds in my tiny patch of Earth, how much more does God, who created us all, care for the sparrows and for each of us?
This hymn and the truth that it conveys have been in my head since the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the worsening political crosswinds ever since. Her contributions to justice and freedom are immeasurable, so I won’t repeat them here. But her example gives me heart as we endure what often seems unendurable. Those things, too, don’t have to be enumerated.
Things will get better. Things will change. I saw the first changing leaves on one of our campus maples this week, and remembered that each season brings its own joys as the world keeps turning. We do not give up hope. We persist, because God’s eye is on the sparrow, and I know God watches us.
Faithfully,
Rosemary+
The Rev. Dr. Rosemary Beales
Interim Rector
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SIGN UP GENIUS LINK
This Sunday, we will hold two services. Our weekly Online service
will still happen at 9:30 via Zoom followed by a short Coffee Hour.
We will also have our Outdoor Service held at
11:00 am on the front lawn of the grounds.
Please note: to attend the Outdoor Service we ask that you add your name to the Sign Up Genius HERE. We need to keep track of who will be attending since we can only have a group size of 75 people as per the Diocese regulations. If you sign up and then your plans change please go back into Sign Up Genius and change your status so another parishioner can fill your spot. Thank you.
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Shrine Mont Masks for sale |
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Shrine Mont masks have arrived and will be for sale at the Welcome table this Sunday at the 11:00 am service. The cost is $6.50 per mask and your checks should be filled out beforehand, made out to St Aidan’s and "mask" written
in the memo line. Thank you!
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Children and Youth Formation |
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It has been great to see family and youth in our first weeks of regathering! By popular demand, the youth will be having a bonfire on October 30. If you have firewood from fall yard clean-ups that can be donated, please leave it in the box outside White Hall labeled "Firewood." Thank you!
Children and Families
Family Prayer Service: Wednesdays at 5:30. A short prayer service for families of preschool and elementary age children. Come as you are (no sign up required) and bring your own blanket for the lawn and shaker for music!
EYC
SECOND SUNDAYS: EYC Game Nights. Next gathering Oct 11. Come find out what Human Foosball and Sundaes from Heaven look like!
Middle School/Grade 6-8: 5-6pm
High School/Grade 9-12: 6:30-7:30pm
FOURTH SUNDAYS: *Zoom EYC. Next gathering Sept 27.
Middle School/Grade 6-8: 6:00-6:45
High School/Grade 9-12: 6:45-7:30
All events are outdoors on St. Aidan's lawn; masks and physical distancing
required at all times; bathrooms available for emergency use only.
Occasional volunteers needed! Detailed information, including zoom links,
are sent in a separate monthly email to families and texted to youth.
If you or your student are not included and wish to be, contact
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Adult Formation
ADULT FORMATION is taking place via Zoom (see details below) on Wednesday evenings, at 7:30 (after Compline). We keep meetings to one hour (7:30-8:30). Rev. Rosemary and Ted Renaud are leading the study, focusing on inclusion, welcome, and the Christian practice of hospitality. This week we are discussing Chapter 2 of Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition, by Christine Pohl. Come even if you have not read or even acquired the book yet; you have a lot to offer to the conversation. All are welcome!
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files
to your calendar system.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 876 0541 0530
Passcode: welcome
Dial by your location
Meeting ID: 876 0541 0530
Passcode: 4395517
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Center for Spiritual Deepening
Quiet Day
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October 3,
8:45 am - 12:00 pm
Rain date October 10
It was easy to love God in all
that was beautiful.
The lessons of deeper knowledge, though, instructed me
to embrace God in all things.
- St. Francis of Assisi
Join us for a “mini-retreat” on St. Aidan's beautiful grounds,
where we are surrounded by reminders that God is in everything.
We'll come together to frame the day and set intentions for our time,
then find space for walking prayer, meditation, and reflection.
This gathering will conform with guidelines for physical distancing.
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Helping Those in Need
We are no longer be collecting food at St. Aidan’s. Instead we are asking parishioners, who want to help those in need of food, to sign up for a program called Food for Neighbors. This group delivers a Red Bag to donors that includes a specific list of items they need. They collect the bags from your home bi-monthly on a Saturday and distribute the food to families in need. For additional information on the program and to sign up please visit the following website: https://www.foodforneighbors.org.
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If you would like to continue to donate food to United Community and Rising Hope, you may take food to them directly. Both organizations have food pantries and are located just off Route One. Information regarding drop off times and items needed is on their websites:
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Rising Hope's Christmas Angels |
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The project will officially kick off in early November when Angel requests are posted online, but anyone can send a check early to be credited toward the project. We are also seeking new volunteers for this project so it can be passed on to a new group for 2021 when we can hopefully work in person again! Please email Nancy Hammer at NBHammer@icloud.com with questions or if you are interested in helping out this year & then to leading the project in 2021.
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Community of Hope International
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This fall, St Aidan’s Circle of Care team is partnering with St. Luke’s and St Paul’s to offer the pastoral care training course developed by Community of Hope International. We invite you to learn what pastoral care is, discover Benedictine Spirituality and explore how it can strengthen your relationship to God, and hone skills that will help you care for your needs as well as the needs of your family and the community. The course of 12 weekly sessions on Sunday evenings will begin on September 27 and will conclude on December 13. It will be conducted through Zoom. If you are interested in signing up for this training or learning more, please contact either Carol Horn at horn.carol71@gmail.com or Kathy Seikel at seikel.kathy@gmail.com
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Anxiety Reducing Labyrinth Needs You |
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A study conducted at Oklahoma State University Department of Psychology reports that labyrinth walking, a form of meditative movement, reduces symptoms of anxiety, and increases a person's level of self-compassion. Isn't it great that St. Aidan's offers such a beautiful, outdoor path, freely available, during these Covid times? Our 1509 Boy Scout troop and John Baker brought this gift to us. Its many walkers often are loving stewards who will stop and put an errant stone back into place, or remove a fallen branch from the pathway.
A designated caretaker is sought for our St. Aidan's Community Labyrinth, especially in the fall to occasionally blow leaves off the labyrinth, remove twigs/weeds, and adjust stones into alignment. It is a peaceful mission, which serves the greater St Aidan's community. Working on the labyrinth exposes the caretaker to aromatherapeutic pine scent, Vitamin D-immune strengthening sunshine, moderate exercise and lower anxiety levels. Doing a kind service for others also increases oxytocin levels (the "love" hormone). There is no copay for these immune boosting benefits you can receive. Any interested stewards of this sacred space, please contact Karen Costantino, karenmarioand3@aol.com
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FOCUS Concert on Fri, Sept 25th at 7:30 pm |
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Webcasting Live at www.focusmusic.org, we ask that you donate generously to the performer at www.focusmusic.org/donate/ and treat it as if you were purchasing a ticket to the event! Thank you in advance!
Blend a powerful, passionate singer, a crisp, acoustic guitar player and a warm heart and you will have singer-songwriter Lynn Hollyfield. Hollyfield's roots hail from Staten Island, NY when she picked up the guitar at age 10 and ran with musical influences she experienced from home. From great jazz artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to the Beatles, Cream and CSNY, Hollyfield launched into her own songwriting infusing these influences to create a diverse repertoire of contemporary folk, pop, blues and jazz.
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A very important election is approaching this November 3rd. You can see Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's comment below. For more information on voting, you can visit one of the these sites -
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Thanks to all who support St. Aidan's in so many ways!
Your support makes so many good things happen
at St. Aidan's and beyond.
Received to date (as of 9.6) 172,983
Budgeted to date (as of 9.6) 205,067
Thanks for your support of this amazing community!
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Update on White Hall
White Hall is closed to all during our shut down for safety and health reasons. The Day School will be using the space for their students to have more room to spread out during the school year and our main priority is to keep the Children & Day School Staff safe. We have wiped all the codes to the panel door for now.
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Service Links
If you are not receiving a separate mailing each week with links for worship gatherings and would like to be added to that list, simply reach out to the office and let us know. Those links are sent out on Saturday. staidansalexandria@gmail.com
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St. Aidan's has been serving the Stratford Landing area & beyond since 1963.
We worship virtually on Sunday at 9:30 am & every evening at 7pm. You are always welcome at St. Aidan's, wherever you may be on your faith journey.
Some Helpful Links:
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The Center for Spiritual Deepening at St. Aidan's supports the soul and heart work of those seeking a deeper sense of God's presence in their lives. Check out the Center and its offerings Here.
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