 Welcome to St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Bailey's Crossroads
Sunday worship and Holy Eucharist at 10:30am
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For most of my life I heard that New York City was the kind of place where nobody ever noticed anybody else. Nobody knew anybody and nobody talked to anybody and everybody just tended to mind their own business. New York City is still a very crowded place and it's still very busy and there are still people who walk around with blinders on minding their own business, but it's not quite the same now. It hasn't been quite the same since 9-11. Everything changed for all of us then, but the change for New Yorkers was pretty drastic. There's just a different feeling there now. Even though it's still busy and crowded, it doesn't feel as impersonal as it once did. All of us saw on television what happened on 9-11-2001 and none of us will ever be quite the same. The heroics of the people living in New York at the time and caring for one another in the midst of horror and catastrophe changed New Yorkers and it changed New York's City's reputation and it changed all of us who watched. It wasn't just the first responders, who were outstanding, it was the average man or woman on the street helping the person standing right there in front of them or beside them. We often wonder at a time of catastrophe just where God is. Well, Mr. Rogers told us all...children and adults alike...to look for the 'helpers.' That's always where God is. And we don't have to be thrust into the middle of a catastrophe to love and help our neighbor. There are needs all around us every day. We just need to step into the world and not worry so much about whether or not we're crossing a boundary into someone else's business and just reach out a hand to help. There are daily opportunities if we're looking for them. Sometimes the smallest and most insignificant act of kindness can change another person's whole day or get them through a rough patch!
The Rev. Liz Tomlinson
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Showdown
Jesus challenged one more time
For the last several weeks, we've watched the Temple authorities try to trip Jesus up to get him to say something so that he can be incriminated for blasphemy with his own words. This time the first string steps up. It's a lawyer who is a Pharisee and he wants to know what the greatest of the Ten Commandments is. Now Jesus has already demonstrated his thorough and faithful understanding of the Torah, but the lawyer thinks this may be the question that trips Jesus up. Without blinking an eye, Jesus answers that the greatest commandment is that you love the Lord your God with all your heart. But he adds that there's a second one equally important: love your neighbor as yourself. The rationale is that if you love God then you love everything that God created and not only did God create your neighbor, God created your neighbor in God's image, so loving your neighbor falls under the heading of loving God. The entrapment attempts come to an end when Jesus silences the Pharisee in much the same way he silenced the Sadduccee...by asking a question of his own that they could not answer.
Come join us on Facebook Sunday morning at 10:30am for Virtual Church and find out what things Jesus is talking about that we need to know and practice. To access the service just CLICK HERE
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No Gathering indoors this Sunday!!
All Saints Day Service will be in the sanctuary
We haven't been together in person for Holy Eucharist worship since October 4, so we are all missing one another. It was both a joy and a thrill to be with other parishioners for worship and to be gathered together in our sanctuary. It was a joy just being present with others in our church family, so we are looking forward to gathering once again in our sanctuary on Sunday, November 1 which is also All Saints Day. This will be a very special service indeed. We will be all together again and we are looking forward to seeing all those smiling eyes as we gather together for worship. That Sunday marks the end of Day Light Savings time, so set those clocks back an hour on Saturday night, grab an extra hour of sleep and you can still get to church on time! We will continue to gather for ZOOM Coffee Hour Sunday at 12:00noon. Every Sunday our Virtual Worship service is posted on our Facebook page at 10:30am and can be viewed then or at any time later in the day for those who are unable or are not ready to worship in the sanctuary in person. We can't wait to see you...one way or another...or both!!!
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Bible Study
Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00pm
We are studying the Gospel of Luke as we move into the fall. This six-week study is being lay led by Vestry member, Dave Wright and will be completed on November 18. We will hold the study on ZOOM, so you can pull up a chair wherever you are. If you'd like to sign up, please contact Dave by e-mail at dfwinva@gmail.com. He will give you information about the upcoming session and will also give you the ZOOM invitation you will need to join the study. We're looking forward to seeing you!
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Virtual Church
The Season of COVID-19
We are still using ZOOM to conduct our worship service each week online. The service is Antecommunion and is recorded from the Rectory and the sacred spaces and homes of the Virtual Church Ministry team of Caroline Kruger, Dave Wright, Markeeta Belmar, Tam Mehuron, Michael Dunn, Sarah Dunn, and Abraham and June Jallah with the beautiful music provided by our Music Director, Anna Ko. You can view the pre-recorded worship service on Facebook on Sunday morning at 10:30am. You can participate in all the liturgy, congregational responses and hymns right from your own home. It will enable us to 'be together' for worship and to enjoy Anna's music. We will be able to see and hear multiple people read, but we will not be able to hear a congregation responding during the course of the service. It will be different, but while our building will be closed, we are still the church and are still open to others. You will be able to access our Sunday morning service on Facebook if you CLICK HERE at 10:30am or later in the day if you wish.
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 Virtual Coffee Hour Face-to-Face...almost...at 12:00pm One of the things we miss most about not being able to gather together on Sunday morning for worship is the fellowship that we enjoy afterwards over a hot cup of coffee. We can still have the coffee...and we can still 'see' each other. It will just be on ZOOM. So grab your coffee after our worship service and climb into a comfy chair in your own living room and get caught up with your church family. Just send your RSVP to Linda at green@stpaulsbxr.org to reserve your spot! 'See' you there!! If you need some help with ZOOM just let Linda know when you RSVP. One of us will be happy to walk you through it. If you worship with us regularly, you will receive a ZOOM invitation and link through Constant Contact on Saturday afternoon. |
All Saints Day Service 
November 1, 2020
We are people of the resurrection and we celebrate what we envision will be our reunion with those we love who have gone ahead of us to the Kingdom of God. They are the Communion of Saints. We will light a candle for each person we wish to remember and their name will be printed in the bulletin and read aloud during the service. If you would like for us to remember someone you love during the service, please get in touch with Linda Green at Green@stpaulsbxr.org and let her know. She will be sure that it's in the bulletin for our worship service. We are also watching the local metrics for COVID-19 very closely to be sure it is safe enough for us to gather on that first Sunday in November. If you have any doubts about whether or not the service will take place, just check the website at the top of the home page. If you regularly attend Sunday worship services with us watch your e-mail for an announcement.
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Personal Note Ministry 
Staying in touch the old fashion way
Handwritten notes and cards are fast becoming a lost art. Telephone calls are good and e-mail is great, but nothing takes the place of a handwritten note from one friend to another. So many people relish and treasure them. Now that the pandemic has slowed our lives down a bit, we have time to resurrect this kind of communication. It's warm. It's personal. It's not intrusive. And it can be read and re-read as many times as the recipient wants. And it carries the distinct penmanship of the person who wrote it. Sometimes people would prefer a card rather than a phone call. If you have the time and the willingness to begin writing notes to your fellow parishioners to let them know that they are loved and that you miss them, please e-mail Rev. Liz at tomlinson@stpaulsbxr.org...or send her a handwritten note! If you need a directory, we'll get one to you!
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The Food Pantry
Fall is here!!
St. Paul's continues to be both faithful and generous in supporting the ACCA Food Pantry. Your generosity is inspiring. If you have food to donate, please contact our Parish Administrator, Linda Green by e-mail at green@stpsbxr.org to make arrangements with her to drop off your donation. She is at the church on Tuesdays and Fridays to pick up the mail and keep the office running. She will be glad to arrange a time to let you in the building with your donation. Please continue to bring nonperishable foodstuffs for ACCA and place them in the wicker basket at the rear of the Sanctuary. We need a volunteer to deliver our donations to the ACCA Food Pantry where they will be shared with those in need. If you feel called to take care of this ministry, let Rev. Liz know. In the middle of this pandemic when many people are without incomes, the need for food is even greater. Please contribute all that you can!
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Homeless Shelter
 Volunteer Opportunities
The next meeting of the Advisory Committee will be on Wednesday, November 4 and at 7:00pm. It will be conducted on ZOOM.
Please let Rev. Liz know if you are interested in shelter operations or volunteer opportunities and she will give you information about how to access this meeting. In the meantime, if you would like to make donations to the shelter, New Hope Housing has provided a Wish List (on Amazon) for the homeless who are moving into housing of their own which is SUCCESS! To access that list, please CLICK HERE. New Hope Housing manages a number of shelters around the county, so be sure to specify to New Hope that you want your donation to go to the Bailey's Crossroads Shelter. You can reach New Hope Housing at the Bailey's Shelter by calling 703-820-7621. You are helping to ease the way for our neighbors to get back on their feet! What an act of love!!
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