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Welcome to
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Bailey's Crossroads
Sunday Worship in person
in our sanctuary
and also livestreamed on Facebook
September 26th at 10:30am
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Click here for virtual service |
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Hello
Most of us can remember high school angst. It's that rather unnerving time in our lives when the adults in our life have less to do with our daily activities and comings and goings as they did when we were little. By the time we reach middle school, we are striking out on our own socially and we are trying to figure out where we fit socially. It's a task we continue to do all our lives, but as we get older, we get more experienced and we are better able to discover which group of people are 'our' folks and the ones we feel comfortable with and at home with. They are the ones who have similar values and see the world much the same way we do. High school and college seems to be the times when we are most focused on where we fit in and which people are 'our' people. Sometimes, the ones we want don't necessarily want us, so it's a matter of trying things out to find out where we fit. It's always a blessed relief to find our group and to settle in to a situation where we feel like we belong. Jesus is creating just such a group in gathering his disciples together and they are sometimes much more inclined than Jesus to rule someone 'out.' Luckily, for us, Jesus is still in charge of who's 'in' and who's 'out.' Jesus doesn't seem to be quite as 'picky' as we are. He's not too worried about who's 'in' and who's 'out.'
Rev. Liz Tomlinson
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Anyone not against us
Identifying allies
Who's in and who's out? Trying to figure out who is within the Christian community and who is outside the Christian community tends to be an ongoing debate even now in the twenty-first century. Jesus' disciples are a bit offended that people they don't know and people that aren't travelling with them and people that are not sitting at Jesus' feet being taught by him, have the unmitigated audacity to cast out demons in Jesus' name!! Are the disciples jealous because they weren't able to cast out demons in Jesus' name? Are they protecting the little fledgling group of disciples following Jesus? Are they trying to determine who is "in" Jesus' chosen entourage and who is "out"? Jesus doesn't seem to care much about who is "in" and who is "out." Rather than being scandalized by the outsiders as his disciples are, Jesus reminds them that "whoever is not against us is for us." This is a phrase we've heard before in 'turned around' fashion: whoever is not for us is against us. That's a completely different meaning. You can be cheering someone on and be actually doing nothing. If you aren't interfering with them, then you are allowing them to proceed. If you're against them, in all likelihood, you're going to try to stop them one way or another. The early church, which is Mark's audience, is trying to figure out the boundaries for the burgeoning little Christian community. And they're trying to figure out how to preserve what they have within the confines of their church community without turning people away who may wish to join them. It's a dilemma that the church still wrestles with today.
Come join us on Sunday morning at 10:30am
in our sanctuary or tune in to our livestream broadcast on Facebook
and marvel at the power of God in the lives of believers and
what Jesus teaches us about the nature of God.
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Bible Study
A Study of the Acts of the Apostles
Bible Study for this fall began last night, Wednesday September 22 at 7:00pm. The first session covered the first four chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. The study will be completed on October 20. Led by our own parishioner, David Wright, this Bible Study is held on ZOOM, so contact our Parish Administrator, Linda Green at green@stpaulsbxr.org to get the information to access the ZOOM meeting. You do not have to be a member of St. Paul's to be part of this Bible Study. Everybody is welcome!!
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Church of the Resurrection
Tour on October 2 at 11:00am
The Rev. Jo Belser has graciously offered to give us a tour of the new buildings and grounds of the Church of the Resurrection in Alexandria. This visit is a follow-up to the Forum we had several weeks ago with Dick Juergens of Virginia Diocesan Homes. If you would like to be part of the tour, you can meet in the parking lot at St. Paul's at 10:45am to get a ride to Church of the Resurrection or you can meet us there at 11:00am to be part of the tour. The address is 2280 N Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA.
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Parish Picnic
Sunday, October 17
After our worship service on Sunday, October 17 we will gather on the lawn next to the playground for a Parish Picnic in lieu of Coffee Hour. We can use a few strong backs for set-up of tables and chairs and a grill master to fire up the grill. If you have lawn games, please bring them. This is potluck, so everyone, please bring your favorite picnic food to share and the beverage of your choice. And please pray for good weather!! This is probably the last hurrah for summer!! Everybody is welcome!!
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Holy Eucharist returns in full
Other COVID-19 restrictions back in place
While the pandemic has certainly altered many of the ways we worship we have resumed celebrating the Holy Eucharist in both the consecrated bread and wine. While the Bishop's Office has advised us to keep track of the transmission rates in our community on the CDC Guidelines website and the daily new cases per 100K on a 7 day moving average as we make our decisions about worshipping, our ability to consume the Holy Eucharist in both kinds continues. The transmission rate for us right now is in the 'HIGH' red range as is most of the state of Virginia. The Bishop has asked us to go back to the precaution of wearing masks indoors and during our worship services. We can sing with our masks on (even though it's hard!) and we will be encouraging everyone to keep a respectful three feet safe distance from one another. Hopefully, this will last only a short time, but we will continue to monitor both the rate of new cases and the transmission rate provided by the CDC. Each church will make its own decisions about worshipping according to what seems safe and appropriate for its congregation. This Sunday, September 12, we will once again have both bread and wine. We will not be drinking from a common cup. The wine will be consecrated in a carafe and a small drop or two will be added to the consecrated wafer presented to each parishioner in a plastic cup. It will be much like intinction which most of us enjoy at St. Paul's and it will be Holy Eucharist in both kinds. It shall surely be a satisfying day and also respectful of the pandemic threats. If you've missed the full celebration of the Holy Eucharist, please join us for this joyful 'one step closer to our usual' liturgical practice. If you forget your mask, you can get a disposable one from our usher.
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Donate glasses you don't use
Help others to see
Take a look in all your drawers, coat pockets, handbags (if you use one) and see if you can find old glasses that you no longer use...that includes those cute little reading glasses we can buy at the local CVS or Target or several other places. Wash each pair well and bring them with you to church on Sunday. We are having a "Used Glasses Drive" at St. Paul's to benefit the Lions (Club) Eyeglass Recycling Center. Our next door neighbor, Pam Martinov, is now the Operations Manager for the Center and she tells us that they need all the glasses they can get. Look for a basket on the shelf under the bulletin board in the hall across from the Parish Office. It is labeled "GLASSES." Leave yours there. More than one pair would be great...so that others may see! And thank you!! We will be delivering the glasses we get each week, so don't worry if you come in the next Sunday and the basket is empty. Just fill it up again! Ask your friends to give your their old eyeglasses to bring to church. And thank you!!
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A Prayer for the People of Afghanistan
As we watch the news of the recent events in Afghanistan, we can see the desperation and fear that has descended on its people. We call upon the Lord God to be with these people in their hour of greatest need. We add our own prayers to the many being lifted up for them. For a prayer from our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, CLICK HERE
For information about Episcopal Migration Ministries, (specifically Afghan Refugees) please CLICK HERE If you are feeling called to be personally involved in helping an Afghan family settle in northern Virginia, please let your clergy know.
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Prayers for Disasters in the U.S.
Fires and Hurricanes
As our attention and requests for prayers from all over the world pour in, we need also to remember our fellow citizens in this country who are battling the ravages of flood damage perpetrated by hurricanes along the Gulf coast and in the northeast; areas that are not equipped to deal with the aftermath of a hurricane. The storms just keep coming..one after another...before people have a chance to clean up after the last one. Please pray for them and for the first responders. Pray, too, for those whose lives and property are being ravaged by the massive Dixie fires on the west coast. You can send your financial aid to Episcopal Relief and Development and you can learn more about these natural disasters on their website by CLICKING HERE
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A Book for our Time and Place
St. Paul's has much to offer
If you haven't yet discovered this marvelous and insightful book by Stephanie Spellers, please do yourself a favor and put it on your reading list ASAP. It's a slim book, but a powerful roadmap for the path ahead for all of us. Because of our composition and history, St. Paul's is in a unique position to share with other churches finding their way through and out of this pandemic just as we are and altering our future to more closely resemble what Bishop Curry refers to as Beloved Community...the community that Jesus instituted and wants us to be. If you can't find the book or can't afford it, please let Rev. Liz know. She will be sure to put a copy in your hands! Every single one of us at St. Paul's needs to read this book!! And away we go.....................
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Coffee Hour is back!
Come enjoy us.
We're back in Fleming Hall and it is SO nice, but we won't be there this week. We have a Vestry meeting after church this Sunday and we need to have it on ZOOM, so we'll skip Coffee Hour this week to let people get home and get settled on their computers for the meeting for Vestry. !! We do need hosts and hostesses. If you would like to coordinate Coffee Hour for next Sunday...or a Sunday in the near future...please contact Linda Green at 703-820-2625 or green@stpaulsbxr.org. She'll get you on the schedule and let you know who's serving with you. It doesn't happen without you!! Our thanks to recent hosts Tam Mehuron, Dave Wright, Mary Lou Runyon, June and Abraham Jallah and Averill Springer. We need you, too!!!
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The food pantry
Urgent calls have come from ACCA this month for donations to the food pantry. We have hungry people around us all year long, but especially now in this season of COVID-19 when so many sources of income have disappeared. St. Paul's continues to be both faithful and generous in supporting the ACCA Food Pantry and they need our help now more than ever. Your generosity is inspiring. If you have food to donate, please contact our Parish Administrator, Linda Green by e-mail at green@stpaulsbxr.org to make arrangements with her to drop off your donation. She is at the church several times a week 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 have a volunteer to deliver our donations to the ACCA Food Pantry!!
Thank you, Tam Mehuron!
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Bailey's Shelter & Supportive Housing
Volunteer Opportunities
The next meeting of the Advisory Committee will be Wednesday, November 10 at 7:00pm 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. David Wright has been representing St. Paul's as a volunteer at the shelter. He would be happy to share his experiences with you if you are interested. If you would like to contact the Volunteer Coordinator Bianca Clark, directly, you can reach her by phone or e-mail.
Community & Volunteer Coordinator - Bailey's Shelter and Supportive Housing
New Hope Housing
5914 Seminary Rd
Fairfax, VA 22041
Tel: 703-578-8852
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. Please designate Bailey's Shelter and Supportive Housing, 5914 Seminary Rd., Falls Church, VA. 22041 when you place your order if you want your donation to go to this shelter. 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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The Rev. Elizabeth W. Tomlinson
Priest in Charge
3439 Payne Street,
Falls Church, VA. 22041
703-820-2625
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