Dear Friends in Christ, 

The coming week carries significant importance in our lives. Yes, it is Spring Break for all of Fairfax County. It is also Holy Week which begins this Sunday with Palm Sunday. We ride, liturgically, into Jerusalem (with our donkey) shouting, “Hosanna!” as we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry. This Sunday, we read the Passion Gospel recounting the events of the week to come. 

This is the height of our worshipping season and one of the holiest times of the year. I encourage you to worship in the full array of liturgies. Our bodies, enacting the liturgy, live into the passion of Christ and rise again with Christ. 

Along with our liturgies, how might you prepare your heart, your mind, and your soul for this week? With the myriad of wonderful distractions, how might we walk with Jesus this week to discover the empty tomb anew? 

I look forward to seeing you this weekend, with the donkey, and through each day of Holy Week. 

Faithfully yours,

Saturday, March 23th

@ 6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Sunday, March 24th

@ 8:00 a.m. - Holy Eucharist: Rite I

@ 9:00 a.m. - Bible Study

@ 10:00 a.m. - Holy Eucharist: Rite II

@ 11:30 a.m. - Coffee Hour

Wednesday, March 27th

@ 9:30 a.m. - Holy Eucharist: Rite II

@ 10:30 a.m. - Bible Study

Links to our online services and Bible Studies are available on our website.

Opening - All glory, laud, and honor (Hymn 154)

Offertory Anthem - Ride on, ride on in majesty (Graham George, 1912-93)

Communion - O sacred head, sore wounded (Hymn 168)

Communion - There is a green hill far away (Hymn 167)

Closing - Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow (Hymn 160)

Be sure to join us in the front parking lot for the 10:00 a.m. service on Palm Sunday, March 24th. We will, once again, have our guest donkey (Dandelion or Daisy) lead us in our procession into the church (weather permitting). Everyone is invited to arrive a little early for a meet and greet with our fuzzy buddy before the service begins.

The Easter Flower envelopes are now available on the bulletin board next to the Church Office. Please fill out your envelope and return it, with your donation ($25 requested), to Emily’s desk (look for the ducks) in the office by Sunday, March 24th. Flowers will be available for pick up after the 10:00 a.m. service on Sunday, April 7th.

We are preparing for our Easter Egg Hunt, set to take place on Easter Sunday between our 9:00 and 11:15 a.m. service (10:30ish)! If you would like to help, please donate individually wrapped candy (no nuts or peanut butter) and/or small toys that can fit inside plastic Easter eggs. There is a box across from the church office where you can drop off your donations.

You can also help by volunteering to stuff eggs on Thursday, March 28th, at 10:00 a.m. Go here (http://tiny.cc/egghunt24) to sign up to stuff eggs, hide eggs, or donate candy/toys.

Palm Sunday, March 24th

@ 8:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist: Rite I

@ 10:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist: Rite II

Wednesday in Holy Week, March 27th

@ 9:30 a.m. – Holy Communion: Rite II

Maundy Thursday, March 28th

@ 7:00 p.m. – Holy Communion: Rite II w/ Foot Washing

Good Friday, March 29th

@ 12:00 p.m. – Stations of the Cross

@ 7:00 p.m. – Good Friday Service

Holy Saturday, March 30th

@ 7:30 p.m. – Easter Vigil Service

Easter, March 31st

@ 7:30 a.m. – Holy Eucharist: Rite I

@ 9:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist: Rite II

@ 10:30 a.m. – Easter Egg Hunt

@ 11:15 a.m. – Holy Eucharist: Rite II

During our 9:00 and 11:15 a.m. Easter services, the Parish Hall will be set up as a play area for younger children. We will have one paid staff member overseeing the room, but parents need to stay with their children while there. Children are welcome in the Nave, but this is an alternative if they need to get the wiggles out.

We will livestream the service to the Parish Hall so folks can still follow along.

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Our Pre-K and Nursery classes, which watch our youngest members from 10:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Sundays, need helpers for each classroom. Each class has a paid staff member, but for the safety of everyone, we need at least one helper with them throughout the morning.

Our Nursery needs an adult helper each week, and our Pre-K class needs an adult or teen helper each week. Teen volunteers (14+) can earn service hours for their work.

Sign up here to volunteer: http://tiny.cc/babywatch-spr24.

Relay for Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. This year’s Relay for Life is on Saturday, May 18th at Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA. Team Believe is a team of amazing, St. Andrew’s women who have all had our lives touched by cancer ourselves or someone close to us. If you are a cancer survivor and you wish to walk the survivor lap with us, or if you would like to become a member, we would love for you to attend! To join us or donate please check out this link.

DONATIONS:

We are looking for donations of gently used purses, jewelry, scarves, and ties for our Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society! If you have any items in good condition to donate, you can drop them off at the church in the donation box right outside the church office, or contact us and we will arrange to pick up your items. Please consider donating items and/or plan to purchase some great items at our sale on April 13th at the church. All proceeds go directly to cancer research and education and the donations are tax deductible.

The Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) needs 2-4 volunteers (outside of the Vestry) to help run some testing procedures over controls at the church (annual audit). There is a step-by-step checklist of all the audit procedures that is easy to follow. We are looking for people with a high attention to detail, but no accounting background or experience is required (though it wouldn't hurt). The FAC will offer guidance if/when needed. The plan is to start the audit process by late May/early June. Please contact Jack if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.

ECHO has a few volunteer positions open. If you are looking for a great way to use your time and talent, one of these areas might appeal to you: working directly with clients to determine their needs, administrative support, food distribution, clothing assessment, grant writing, and housewares assessment if you are interested in finding out more, contact volunteercoordinator@echo-inc.org by email.

ECHO’s popular Spring Yard Sale is Saturday, April 6th, at St. Bernadette’s School Gym, 7602 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield. Proceeds from the sale benefit ECHO, which makes shopping a good deed! It is fun to browse through a gymnasium filled with electronics, fashion accessories, holiday decorations, toys, games, home accessories, and more, to search for bargains at bargain prices. Mark your calendar now!

Please join us for some multi-generational fellowship and refreshments immediately following the 10:00 a.m. service each Sunday! There will be time to enjoy conversation, a cup of coffee, and a snack before Sunday School and Adult Formation begin.

Fellowship will provide coffee, tea, and cold beverages; we need volunteers to provide the snacks (for children and adults). You can use this link to sign up: http://tiny.cc/h4apwz.

Also, we are always looking for more coffee hosts - if you think you might enjoy being a part of our coffee ministry, contact Lori Foster.

Our next coffee chat date is Thursday, April 11th, at 9:30 a.m. at West Springfield Panera. Stop by to catch up with current friends, and to meet new ones! Here's hoping the weather will be warm enough to sit outside! No RSVP required.

Join us for a fun evening of casual conversation and dinner at Giardino's Restaurant at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16th. The restaurant is located at 8944 Burke Lake Road, in the King's Park Shopping Center. RSVP by Sunday, April 14th. Attendees are responsible for their own checks. Hope to see you there!

We are now implementing a sign-in/sign-out policy for our Sunday School classes. Children (K-5th grade) must be taken to class after the bell rings (after the 10:00 a.m. service) and signed in by their parents/guardians. After Formation Hour when the bell rings again, parents must pick up their kids and sign them out. Children will not be allowed to leave without a parent/guardian present.

Youth in 6th-8th grade can sign themselves in and out but will need a parent to come get them if they need to leave early. Nursery/Pre-K will continue their sign-in and sign-out procedures as normal.

Your financial gifts to St. Andrew’s are of vital importance to support our ongoing ministries and our outreach to the most vulnerable among us. Please continue to offer your faithful gifts by:

• Mailing your check to our church office (6509 Sydenstricker Rd, Burke, VA 22015)
• Hand delivering cash or checks to the church mailbox (cash or check should be sealed in an envelope marked with your name)
• Using your bank’s online bill-pay feature
• Using St. Andrew’s online giving feature. You will be asked to provide your email address, an amount, date of gift, whether it is one-time or recurring, and a fund. In the fund box, you can click the arrow at the right-hand side to see the drop-down menu (the current options are Pledge and Plate Offering). The next page will give you the option of paying via your bank or debit/credit card. Please note that St. Andrew’s will pay fees on these transactions and you will be asked if you would like to increase your donation to offset these fees.

emily@standrews.net | www.standrews.net

(703) 455-2500