^{Dear St. Aidan's family,}

The 2023 St. Aidan's Vestry has started meeting with much excitement and optimism for the year. We gathered together for a visioning retreat and identified some of the many unique strengths of St. Aidan's, from our beautiful grounds to our peaceful sanctuary to our welcoming social events and worship, and identified where we feel called to build on those as we move forward as a parish.

One theme that stayed with us throughout our discussion was the fact that St. Aidan's is not just a building, it is our community and our people that make this place special. I've started reading the St. Aidan's history and about our first Rector, Embry Rucker, who "as a man new to the priesthood, and who had not been much involved in the Church when he was young...had few ingrained views about how Episcopalians always did things." I had to chuckle. Having come to St. Aidan's much later, that spirit of meeting people where they are and building our faith together is alive and well and continues to attract spiritual leaders who love to roll up their sleeves and work through life and faith together with us. It confirmed for me that St. Aidan's has always been the unique and welcoming place it is today and, more importantly, continues to be built and shaped by the people who call St. Aidan's their spiritual home. St. Aidan's is not a separate place we go on Sundays, it is what we make it.

With this rich history in mind, the Vestry feels called to look at our invitation--inviting those who worship with us now to become more involved and strengthening our invitation to the community outside our walls. As you may have noticed, the Vestry photos are now displayed in the Narthex. This is an invitation for anyone who has an idea, a question, or a comment to talk with one of us. We are in this together and I can't think of a place I'd rather be!

With joy,

Nancy Hammer

Senior Warden

Wednesday, March 15

 • Snacks at the Swings at 4:00 p.m.

 • Lenten series at 6:00 p.m. (in-person only)...Registration is not required, but if you are interested in participating, please let Laura+ know so we have an idea of how much to prepare for dinner. More details below.

 • Compline (online via Zoom) at 8:00 p.m. *Special Time*

Thursday, March 16

 • Gospel of Thomas group at 7:30 p.m. (online via Zoom)

Friday, March 17

 • Silent Prayer at 8:00 a.m. (online only via Zoom)

 • Compline (online via Zoom) at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 19

 • Worship at 8:30 a.m.

 • Formation for All Ages at 9:30 a.m. 

 • Choir practice in Church at 9:30 a.m.

 • Worship at 10:30 a.m. (in-person and online via Zoom)

 • Nibbles in the Narthex (host needed)

 • Celtic Worship at 5:30 p.m. (in-person only this week)

Monday, March 20

 • Compline (online via Zoom) at 7:00 p.m.

 • Al-Anon meeting (in-person and online via Zoom) at 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 21

 • Silent Prayer at 8:00 a.m. (in person only)

 • Woman's Reading Circle at 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday, March 22

 • Lenten series at 6:00 p.m. (in-person only)...Registration is not required, but if you are interested in participating, please let Laura+ know so we have an idea of how much to prepare for dinner. More details below.

 • Compline (online via Zoom) at 8:00 p.m. *Special Time*

Upcoming Formation



• This Sunday, March 19, 9:30 a.m.: Formation for All Ages

This Sunday Formation for All Ages and Adult Formation will explore the spiritual practice of praying with Anglican Prayer Beads. Everyone will be invited to make their own set of prayer beads. 

• Next Sunday, March 26, 12-1:30p.m.: EYC with St. Luke's

Meet at St. Luke's for games and activity; lunch will be provided.

Formation at St. Aidan's

• For ages PreK-1st Grade, Godly Play is a Montessori-based curriculum which introduces children to the stories and themes of the Christian tradition. This class meets on Sundays from 9:30-10:20 in the Godly Play room off of the Narthex.
• Grades 2-5 meet for Episcopal Youth of Alexandria (EYOA) in the corner classroom in White Hall from 9:30-10:20. This group uses a lectionary-based curriculum to increase Bible literacy and familiarize students with the Church year.
• Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) is for 6th-12th graders. During the school year, EYC will meet on the second Sunday of each month from 5:30-7p.m. at St. Aidan's for dinner and activities; and the fourth Sunday with the youth of St. Luke's for various activities (schedule dependent on each month's activity.) 
• Formation for all Ages welcomes kids and kids at heart! This intergenerational formation hour is the third and fifth Sunday of each month from 9:30-10:20 in the corner classroom in White Hall (in the place of Godly Play or EYOA.) We will do an activity or lesson together, while also learning from and about one another.



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Adult Formation

Adult Formation • March Schedule

Adult formation sessions on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in Lent will focus on spiritual practices including the Ignatian Examen, Journaling, Praying in Color, Anglican Prayer Beads, and more. This Sunday, March 19, we will explore the practice of praying with Anglican Prayer Beads, and every participant will have a chance to make and keep their own set.

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Silent Prayer & Meditation

In the Sanctuary at 8:00 on Tuesday mornings

via Zoom at 8:00 on Friday mornings

Those who seek to include meditation in their weekly practice often find it easier to do so in the company of others. We light a candle and spend 20 minutes in silence. If you are interested in this shared prayer practice, email Lisa Richard at LJRRichard@gmail.com to receive the link for Zoom or to let us know to expect you on a Tuesday, in person. Come regularly, or come from time to time. All are welcome!

Your help is needed to take care of our campus as springtime and Holy Week and Easter arrive. There are projects in both the outdoor and indoor spaces at St. Aidan's. Lunch will be provided. Contact Brian Dilley with any questions at b.r.dilley@gmail.com

There are a few opportunities for camps and conferences this summer. Contact Rebecca if your student is interested or needs more information.

Shrine Mont camp registration is open! This year's camps include traditional St. George's, a new Lil's Camp for first-time younger campers, and All Saints, where kids choose a specialty area like sports or art. Register here. 

Triangle of Hope Youth Pilgrimage to Liverpool, England is planned for late June-early July 2023; current eighth graders and high schoolers are invited to apply. Triangle of Hope is a covenantal community between the dioceses of Liverpool (England), Kumasi (Ghana), and Virginia, dedicated to transforming the long history, ongoing effects, and continuing presence of slavery in our world through repentance, reconciliation, and mission. 

#EYE23 will take place July 4-8. 2023 at the University of Maryland and is open to youth ages 15-19 (as of July 4, 2023.) This is the "single greatest and second largest event the Episcopal Church does" and only happens once every 3 years. More info here, please contact Rebecca immediately if your student is interested in attending.

We'd like to also note that the Parish Retreat to Shrine Mont is scheduled for August 4 - 6, 2023. More information to follow.

EASTER FLOWERS

For those wishing to make a monetary contribution to the Easter flowers, please make a check payable to St Aidan’s with “flowers” in the memo field of the check. A suggested donation is $30.00.

We have a sign up sheet in the Narthex as well. Please give us your dedication/s if you wish to note one. The dedications will be listed in the Easter Sunday bulletins.

**Questions.....please contact Eileen Myers at (703) 360-4220.

St. Aidan's is now on Instagram! Follow us at staidansalexandria and don't forget to use #staidansalexandria when posting images from events at St. Aidan's.  

Birthday and Anniversary Prayers

We list the Birthday and Anniversary Prayers on the first of the month in our bulletins. Our next time to note names and dates will be Sunday, April 2, 2023. Please send in your March birthdays and anniversaries no later than Thursday, March 30 via email the office at: staidansalexandria@gmail.com Thank you.

Prayer List

If you would like to add someone to our Sunday worship bulletin prayer list, please send an email to the office staidansalexandria@gmail.com or call us at 703-360-4220. Prayers will be listed for 30 days unless requested to be continued beyond that length of time. 



VICHOP

St. Aidan's continues to support the local homeless community with meals for the Ventures in Community - Hypothermia Outreach Program (VICHOP). We were assigned four Sundays in February and March to provide a hot meal (main dish, side dish and a dessert) for their participants as well as a bagged breakfast/lunch for guests to take as they depart on Monday mornings. Our final date is March 26, 2023.

Thank you to all who have signed up for the dinners.

We are still in need of 2 servers for our final Sunday on

March 26, to bring the meal to the shelter and help their

staff with serving.

We are instructed to deliver the meal by 6:30 p.m. and serving begins at 7:00 p.m. If you are available to help with this piece please sign up with this Sign-up Genius link for dinners and servers:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e48adae28a7ff2-vichop#/

Please contact Patrick Kilbride

(pjkilbride@verizon.net) or Eileen in the office with any questions.

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Rising Hope: 

 A special thank you to all who have continued to add food items to the Food Bin located in the Breezeway and the Food Basket in the Narthex. Rising Hope depends on our contributions and is very grateful for the generosity of our parishioners.

Requested items include: 

• canned meat
• canned vegetables
• canned fruit
• cereal and diapers in all sizes
• deodorant
• toothbrushes
• toothpaste
• sanitary napkins
• any size children's diapers

Our Diocesan Bishop Mark Stevenson recently recorded a conversation with our soon-to-be Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Virginia, the Rt. Rev. Gayle Harris. Watch the conversation here to learn more about both of our bishops: https://www.facebook.com/emarkstevenson/videos/998363881547523

Update from our Treasurer:

Feb Income: $15,282 

Feb Budgeted Income: $25,291

YTD Income: $90,061 (Note that $52,000 represents prepaid pledges)

Capital Campaign Contributions Feb: $543.50

Thank You for your support of this amazing community!



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Your support makes so many good things happen at St. Aidan's and beyond.

Thanks to all who support St. Aidan's in so many ways!

You may easily make a contribution to St. Aidan's

using this button on the St. Aidan's website: 

Make a Recurring or One-Time Contribution Here.

It is located on the Giving page below the 2023 Pledge Form button.

Your financial gift of any size supports the mission and ministries of

St. Aidan's. Thank you.

Service Times

Sunday, 8:30 am (in person ONLY)

Sunday, 10:30 am (virtual & in person)

Sunday, 5:30 pm Celtic (virtual & in person)

Compline, 7:00 pm Mon., Weds., Fri. (virtual only)

You are always welcome at St. Aidan's,

wherever you may be on your faith journey.

Service Links

If you are not receiving our 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