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St. Christopher's
Weekly Newsletter
October 27, 2022
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Join us for Worship on Sunday
8 A.M. Indoor is a spoken Eucharist with no singing.
10:30 A.M. Indoor and Interactive service on Facebook with music, followed by coffee hour.
Given our local spread, masking indoors is optional right now. Masks are available should you need or want one. We do ask that if you are feeling ill please stay home and follow along with our online services at 10:30.
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The Celebration of New Ministry with Holy Eucharist welcoming The Rev. Carey Connors as Eighth Rector of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church.
What a celebration for Carey it was, surrounded with the love of close friends, relatives and two congregations. She received keys to the church and then joyfully sprinkled the entire congregation with blessed baptismal water! Beautiful music filled the church and Carey was gifted a Bible, celebrated communion and received gifts including a stole, oils and more.
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Stewardship Prayer
During this stewardship season, join the community in prayer.
Almighty God, we thank you for all the gifts You have given us: our lives, our loved ones, all that we have and all that we are. Most of all, we thank You for Jesus, your Son and our Redeemer, who came among us to show us the way to eternal life. Jesus was the perfect steward of your gifts, showing that complete trust in You is necessary, and that giving of self is a most important part of following Him. May the offerings of our time, our talents, and our material resources be made in the same spirit of sacrifice that Jesus taught us by His life and death for us. Amen
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In November the Vestry will be shaping the first draft of St. Christopher’s 2023 budget.
Having an estimate of what you will be giving this year will help the Vestry plan ministry growth for 2023.
The Vestry thankfully receives all pledges that have come in and gives thanks for those still being prayed over.
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If you have any questions about stocks or other dividend disbursements coming to the church as your pledge, please ask Rev. Carey Connors or Deb Frear, our Treasurer.
Though we will officially bless all the pledges we have received on Sunday, November 13, pledges can and will continue to come in at any time after that as well.
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Connecting the Dots, Sundays at 9:15 a.m.
Join Mother Carey in the Education Building auditorium for a conversation about this week's Gospel lesson and a reflection on how it informs our daily life. Come with your newspaper or favorite blog post in hand and let's explore our questions about how we connect what's happening in the world and in our lives to our understanding of God and what God is doing in the world.
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Interest Meeting for New Sacred Ground Group - Sunday, October 30 after the 10:30 a.m. service
Elvira Beracochea, our student Deacon, is beginning a new Sacred Ground group and will host a 30-minute introductory meeting after the 10:30 service today October 30 in the Meditation Chapel. The Sacred Ground curriculum includes 11 sessions of videos that tell stories about race and faith in the US, and a number of readings to deepen the themes and stories presented in the videos. The videos tell the stories of Americans from several different perspectives.
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Hypothermia Prevention Program Kickoff Meeting - October 30 at Noon
St. Christopher's will shelter and feed homeless persons on January 7th through the 14th, 2023. This is our largest outreach program of the year, with over 70 volunteer shifts during the week. There will be a kickoff meeting at 12:00 noon on Sunday October 30th to begin preparations for our next hosting. If you have ideas and/or would like to learn more about this important ministry please come to the meeting in person or attend via Zoom.
The link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6043614732
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Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)
Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!
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Join the Greeters Team!
Greeters Ministry is looking for those who would like to be greeters. This ministry is not hard to do. Greet those as they arrive and give them a bulletin. New visitors need to be especially made welcome and answer their questions. Introduce them to anyone who may be there. Several of our greeters are moving on to different ministries. Please see, call or email Virginia Clark if this ministry would be a fit for you. jwvmclark@aol.com
703-451-4054 or 202-768-1851
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Trunk-or-Treat, Monday, October 31 at 4:30 pm.
What is a trunk-or-treat? Volunteers decorate the back of their vehicles (trunks, hatchbacks, truck beds), park in the lower Monticello parking lot and hand out candy to our neighborhood kids as they trick-or-treat around the parking lot. It's a safe, fun way for kids (and adults) to celebrate the kookiest of holidays. We do need volunteers to decorate their vehicles or simply donate candy. The more trunks the merrier! Of course, all of St. Christopher's children (including pre-school) are encouraged to participate.
E-mail Margaret Kirk at margaret.kirk@verizon.net if you would like to know more.
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Holy Hike
Saturday, November 5
10:00 a.m.
Dear St. Christopher’s friends,
After several out-of-town treks, we’re happy to announce that our next monthly hike – our “Holy Hike” series – will be local. It’ll be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 at Burke Lake in Fairfax Station.
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This was our most popular trek last year. It’s virtually flat with gorgeous views. Burke Lake is Fairfax County’s most-visited park, a nearby playground that weekly draws scores of walkers, joggers and others. The accompanying picture was taken during our hike last year on a stunning day near Burke Lake dam.
We’ll meet at the boat launch ramp at the marina. From there, we’ll walk casually about 4 1/2 miles around the lake on a wide, mostly smooth gravel trail. It’ll be a lot of fun. Questions? Please contact me. See you there!
Jim Bradshaw
Jim.Bradshaw@cox.net | 703-994-8203.
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On November 6, All Saint’s Day,
we remember loved ones who have died in the past year by reading aloud their names. As we do so, we hold them in our prayers and we give thanks for their lives. We find strength in their faith and the faith of all the saints, those known to us and those known only to God. You are invited to add the names of persons who have died in the past year by emailing Office Administrator at sccparisha@gmail.com by Tuesday, October 25, 2022. Please place on the subject line All Saints’ Request.
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The Altar Flowers this Sunday are given to the glory of God by the Olsen family in
loving memory of Deborah Sebastian Olsen.
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The Flower Guild would love donations of fresh cut of any kind of evergreens that you have available – fir, cedar, yew, rosemary, holly – in your yard.
Please contact Richard Sellers or Liz Zubriskty if you have questions
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The Book Discussion Group will meet on Tuesday- November 15 at 7 pm
to discuss Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. "Of all the stories that argue and speculate about Shakespeare's life... here is a novel ... so gorgeously written that it transports you." - The Boston Globe. Rides will be available for any attendees who prefer not to drive after dark. For questions or to rsvp, contact Christine Meloni at cfmeloni@hotmail.com.
Newcomers Welcome!
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Ritorno a Musica’s Fall Concert for a Cause - November 19th
Directed by St. Christopher’s own Ruth Erbe, this family friendly chamber concert will be held at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Annandale at 3:00 pm. Concert goers are asked to bring canned/non-perishable food donations to help support ECHO's holiday programs.
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Make your own Advent Wreath, Sunday, November 27th
Join us for a fun Advent tradition of decorating an Advent wreath for your home on Sunday, November 27th after each service. You will have the ability to create a beautiful Advent wreath to take home with you to celebrate the season. The church will provide the greens, candle rings and candles.
Don’t forget to bring your pruning shears or a sturdy scissor to prune your greens.
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Flower & Candle Dedication | |
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Every week, the flower guild provides arrangements for the altar, the chapel, and the St. Francis statue just inside the front door. Our big events are Easter and Christmas, when we come together to decorate the church inside and out. These are wonderfully social times, and extra helping hands are especially welcome then.
If you’ve been curious about flower guild, come join us! Give this wonderfully rewarding form of worship and community at St. Christopher’s a try. Talk to Richard Sellers or me if you have questions.
And all parishioners are welcome to sign up for a flower dedication below.
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Ways to Celebrate Bishop Goff
Letters of Appreciation
Many people wish to share words of appreciation for Bishop Goff’s ministry among us. The Transition Committee will be collecting your writings, printing them, and collating them in a book that she can enjoy and revisit often in the years ahead. You may choose your personal or congregational stationery. Feel free to contribute brief cards or longer letters. These letters of memories and expressions of care can be sent via email to bishoptransitionva@gmail.com or by post (in a flat envelope, letter unfolded), to: Cindi Bartol, 3709 Fort Worth Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304. Please send your contributions by November 8, so we have sufficient time to print, collate, and assemble the book.
Gifts to Bishop Goff’s Retirement and Travel Fund
When ordained clergy retire, it is traditional to gather financial gifts, known as a "purse," from grateful disciples among us. Bishop Goff has expressed an interest in travel following her retirement, so her "purse" would support this well-deserved interest. These gifts may be made using the diocesan online giving portal or by check, made out to the Diocese of Virginia, memo line "Bishop Goff's purse," and mailed to The Diocese of Virginia, 110 W. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23220.
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Next Week at St. Christopher’s
Click here to view St. Christopher's Church Calendar
Monday, October 31
Mother Carey’s Sabbath day
4:30 p.m. Trunk or Treat Monticello Parking lot
Tuesday, November 1
7:00 p.m. Preschool Board Meeting
Wednesday, November 2
9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer to be followed by Conversation. All are welcomed!
7:00 p.m. G.A. Anonymous
7:30 p.m. Adult Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, November 3
Friday, November 4
Saturday, November 5
9:30 a.m. Frazelle Violin Lessons, Education Building Auditorium
10:00 a.m. Holy Hike Burke Lake
All Saints’ Sunday; The Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost,
November 6
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II & Baptism/ Indoor and Virtual Service
11:45 a.m. Fellowship & Refreshments
1:30 p.m. Iglesias de Cristo Rey Holy Eucharist
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Newsletter Article Submission
With the shift in the publication schedule, items to be included in the newsletter are now due on Tuesday. If you have any questions, please email office administrator at sccparisha@gmail.com
Thank you
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LISTED BELOW ARE WAYS TO DONATE AND KEEP UP WITH PLEDGES
1. Mail in checks to St. Christopher’s at 6320 Hanover Ave, Springfield VA 22150
2. Set up electronic bill pay through your bank. You only need the Church's name and address.
3. Set up a bank-to-bank transfer. Contact the St. C’s Treasurer if you want to do this.
4. Via PayPal - Donate with PayPal Giving Fund. This is a no fee service, but donations will be delayed getting to the church for up to 45 days.
Thank you for your generosity and keeping up with your pledge. If you have other questions, please email Debbie Frear at StChristophersTreasurer@gmail.com. Thank you.
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The Vestry
Mary Johnson, Sr. Warden
Bill Price, Jr Warden and Grounds
Richard Sellers, Buildings
Carroll Hill, Stewardship
John Quinn, Outreach
Deb Kim, Communications
Meredith Carlton, Innovation in Connection and Membership
Niki Purkoski, Register
Margaret Kirk, Parish Life
Gail Ritchie, Christian Formation
The Finance Team
Debbie Frear, Treasurer
Alice Mary Hymel, Asst. Treasurer
Marifran Bustion, Pledge Monitor
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