Dear St. Aidan’s family,
“On the seventh day, God rested….”
Even as some of us are shopping for school supplies or plotting our re-entry into the world of commuting and office wardrobes, some are still planning a long-awaited vacation. Some are revisiting their travel photos and cataloging their adventures. Some are doing all three at once (typical in our multi-tasking culture!)
As human beings, we are bound by time. In the words of Andrew Lester, in a book called Hope, we are “multi-tensed.” That means, not that we’re especially stressed (although we might be, this time of year!), but that we have a past tense, a present tense and a future tense, and they’re woven together like a braid. At any present moment—like right now—you and I are influenced by a past that we can remember and interpret, and by a future we can anticipate and invest with meaning. That ability to project ourselves into the future through our imagination is part of the way we’re made, and it’s that gift of seeking . . . searching . . . desiring . . . expecting, that we need in order to respond to the God who loves us and calls us. Whether we look ahead with hope or dread depends on the future story we construct. And that has something to do with who is in the story with us.
Sometimes we can’t know who is in the story with us unless we take the time to notice. If we just keep plowing ahead, we can’t see the rows behind in which seeds will soon start sprouting. Sometimes, we just have to pause, to notice the people in our stories and, above all, to notice God in our midst.
Even God rested, and so God gave us the gift of a day (a week, a season) to rest. As you’ll notice in next week’s Epistle, this space will be empty because I’ll be resting (a little) but, more importantly, building future memories in the present with my grandchildren, who are gifts from my past. May you, too, find refreshment and joy in a time of sabbath, and return to our new program year September 12 refreshed and ready for the your future story.
The Rev. Dr. Rosemary Beales
Interim Rector
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No doubt you have heard sobering updates from the CDC and other sources about the continued rise of the Delta variant of Covid-19. We have never stopped masking in worship, but we encourage you each to 1) get vaccinated, if you are not; and 2) continue to mask in indoor public places, whatever your vaccination status. Please read the wise words of the
Rt. Rev. Susan Goff, our diocesan bishop, to keep yourself,
and our community, safe.
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We are excited that the new
St. Aidan’s cross is complete.
To make our new cross a focal point of our property, we will surround it with personalized bricks, similar to the bricks located around the fire pit area.
If you would like to sponsor a brick for your family or a loved one, fill out the postcard that you have received in the mail. We also have extra forms available in the Narthex. The cost per brick is $100 and it allows up to 3 lines per brick (16 characters maximum per line). Orders are due by Sunday, Aug. 15th. A dedication ceremony will be scheduled once our brick circle is complete.
Thank you!
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This Sunday, August 1, join us for a reception following the morning service for Ted Renaud, who will begin classes soon at Virginia Theological Seminary. We will continue to be Ted's “home parish” and support him in his journey toward ordination. We are happy to say that Ellen, Kyra and Chloe will continue as active members here.
Ted will be preaching at both services that day.
Contact Kathy Seikel or Carol Horn with any questions about the reception.
We will also be collecting funds to give Ted a head start on the books and supplies he'll need in seminary and beyond. Checks should be made out to St Aidan's with "Ted Renaud" in the memo line. Thank you.
Godly Play Training August 28, 9 a.m. - noon. If you want to know what your children will experience in Godly Play, if you plan to teach, or even if you're just curious, this session is for you. Please let Rebecca Troutman know you're coming.
Starting Sept 12th we will be returning to our Fall schedule with an 8:30 am service (no zoom), a 10:30 am service (with zoom) and our 5:30 pm Celtic service (with zoom). Starting Sept. 19, we will also return to formation for children and adults at 9:30 am. Youth events will begin in October.
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Crabfest, Saturday, Sept 4th from 6-8pm.
Stay tuned for more details.
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Oktoberfest, Saturday,
Oct 2nd from 4-7pm.
More details to follow.
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Here is the link to tell us where and when YOU can help get St. Aidan's buildings and grounds ready for our next chapter. Thank you.
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The Women’s Book Circle is starting a new book this coming
Tuesday, Aug 3rd.
Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women’s Olympic Team, by Elise Hooper.
If you'd like to join them, they meet at 9:30 Tuesday mornings in the
Little Chapel in Fellowship Hall. Thank you
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Please join in donating school supplies for Creekside Community Center! Creekside serves 120 families, and partners with Mt. Vernon Woods Elementary and Walt Whitman Middle School to provide supplies to students at the beginning of and throughout the school year.
Donated items should be left in the "school supply" bin in our breezeway prior to August 15. Items needed:
Pre-sharpened #2 pencils
Large pink erasers
Boxes of colored pencils
Boxes of skinny markers
Boxes of thick, washable markers (8-pack)
Post-its
Pencil boxes/pouches
Scissors (blunt-tip)
Plastic folders (primary colors) with pockets and prongs
Marble composition books, wide-ruled, 100-page
Binders (1/2" and 2")
Highlighters
Thank you!
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Links for Birthdays and Anniversaries |
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If you are not yet attending morning worship in person and would like your birthdays &/or anniversaries to be remembered, please use this link to let us know.
Send your requests to the office by Friday morning. Thank you!
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Have you signed up yet?
We invite you to join in Sacred Ground, a curriculum that calls us to read, watch and learn about the history of race and racism in America. In six sessions two weeks apart this fall, we will explore together an online curriculum that focuses on Indigenous, Black, Latino and Asian/Pacific Americans as their histories intersect with European American history, and the impact of it all on our world today.
At home, we will watch documentaries and read articles to help inform us. We will then gather in person for conversations that help us peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day—all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love.
The Episcopal Church and Katrina Browne (the director of the documentary Traces of the Trade ) have developed this amazing series, which has been especially designed to help white people talk with other white people about the history of race in America. The series is part of The Episcopal Church’s Becoming Beloved Community which is its long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation and justice.
BEGINNING SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
At St. Aidan’s Sanctuary
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Sept. 12, 26
October 10, 24
November 7, 21
8 of our 20 slots are filled
Sponsored by the Social Justice committee and the Center for Spiritual Deepening
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Children and Youth Formation |
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We Need YOU!
Youth and family programming is planned to resume its normal schedule after Labor Day (Godly Play for ages 3-1st grade and EYOA for 2nd-5th grades on Sundays at 9:30; EYC for 6th-12th grade twice a month on Sunday evenings.) Volunteers are vital to maintaining programming each week. No experience? No problem! No time to prep? No problem! We will provide training and lesson plans each week. Contact Rebecca if you are interested in helping with any of these groups. rbtroutman@gmail.com
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Youth and Family events are offered once a month during the summer. Come out and celebrate summer with warm weather games and activities! All events are planned to take place outdoors. In the case of inclement weather, they will be moved indoors and notification of a change will be via Facebook and email.
Family Game Days (PreK-5th Gr., parents encouraged to attend): 12-1pm
Sunday, August 15
EYC (Gr. 6-12): 7-8:30pm
Friday, August 13 - Wear clothes that can get dirty
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Providing floral arrangements or donations for flowers is a generous way to remember a loved one or give thanks for a blessing.
Your dedication will be noted in the bulletin. You are welcome to either create an arrangement or donate money for purchased flowers. Only through your generosity will we have flowers on the altar. Thank you.
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED OUTREACH! The Outreach Committee greatly appreciates the ongoing efforts of the St. Aidan’s community to provide food for those in need. As food is collected, volunteers will take it to Rising Hope which serves many families along the Route 1 corridor in our area. They have asked for canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruit, cereal and diapers in all sizes. *Besides the non perishables they have also requested the need for toiletries and feminine products (specifically deodorant, tooth brushes, toothpaste & sanitary napkins).
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Thanks to all who support St. Aidan's in so many ways! Here is our Pledge Link if you would still like to donate
Your support makes so many good things happen at St. Aidan's and beyond.
Total annual pledge budget through end of June - $131,550
Received through June 17 - $91,463
Thank You for your support of this amazing community!
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the Giving page under the Pledge button.
We still encourage parishioners to Pledge so our budget
can be planned in advance but this new format gives us all options.
Thank you.
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We worship in person and virtually on Sundays at 9:30 am and
5:30 pm (Celtic style). We also offer evening prayer at 7:00 pm
Monday, Wednesday and Friday during July & August (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
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St. Aidan's has been serving the Stratford Landing area & beyond since 1963.
We worship in person and virtually on Sundays at 9:30 am and 5:30 pm (Celtic). We also offer evening prayer every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:00 pm (virtual only) in July and August. 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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