Highlights of this issue include:
- Diocesan Worship Service Premieres Sunday, April 11, 8:00 a.m.
- In-person Worship on the South Lawn, Sunday, April 11, 11:15 a.m.
- Protecting Our Kids In An Online World, Sunday, April 11, 3:30 p.m.
- Important Children's Formation Update
- A Word from Andy+ and Re-gathering Update
- Ways to Serve: No-Contact Food Drive, Bailey's Dinner Prep
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The Second Sunday of Easter
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Diocesan-wide worship Service of Morning Prayer premieres Sunday at 8:00 a.m.
The Diocese of Virginia and our Bishops host this pre-recorded worship service for the Second Sunday of Easter. The service premieres on the Diocesan YouTube page at 8:00 a.m. and you may watch it anytime after that. You may follow the service with the bulletin. (This service is in lieu of our 9:00 livestreamed service.)
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Join us for our in-person, outdoor service of Holy Communion Sunday, 11:15 a.m.
Our service of Holy Communion is held on the South Lawn of the Historic Church. Please bring a chair, wear a mask and maintain social distance from those outside your group.
Space is limited: sign up here and check in with one of the ushers upon arrival.
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This week's Youth Forum activity is available here
Youth Groups meet Sunday, April 11 in person. High School Youth meet at 1:00 p.m.; Middle School Youth meet at 2:00 p.m.
We are meeting outdoors in small groups. If you are not sure you are registered for a group, please email John to confirm registration.
Youth are expected to maintain proper social distancing AND wear a mask at all times while at Youth Group. Youth are also encouraged to bring their own foldable lawn/outdoor chair (rather than using a chair from the church).
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Sunday, April 11 – Sunday, April 18
Sunday, April 11:
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8:00 a.m. – Diocesan-wide worship service (on YouTube)
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10:00 -11:00 a.m. – Coffee Hour with Adult Forum
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10:15 a.m. – Children's Formation (email Lauren for information)
- 11:15 a.m. – In-Person Worship, South Lawn of the Historic Church
- 1:00 p.m. – High School Youth Group meets in-person (email John for information)
- 2:00 p.m. – Middle School Youth Group meets in-person (email John for information)
- 2:00 p.m.– Prepare dinner for Bailey's Crossroads Shelter residents
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6:00 p.m. – Youth Confirmation Class on Acorn Island (contact John for more information)
Monday, April 12:
- 6:30 p.m. – EfM Seminar
- 7:00 p.m. – Youth Leadership Committee
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8:00 p.m. – Compline
Tuesday, April 13:
- 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Staff & Liturgy Planning Meetings
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6:00 p.m. – Evening Prayer
Wednesday, April 14:
- (No Bible Study this morning; Father Andy is away)
Thursday, April 15:
- 7:30 a.m. – Morning Prayer
- 5:00 p.m. – Finance Committee
- 7:00 p.m. – Foyer Group studying I Heard the Owl Call My Name led by Tiffany Smith
Friday, April 16:
Saturday, April 17:
- 1100 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Historic Church open for quiet prayer
Sunday, April 18:
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9:00 a.m. – Live-streamed Service of the Word
- 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. – Coffee Hour with Adult Forum
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10:15 a.m. – Children's Formation (email Lauren for information)
- 11:15 a.m. – In-Person Worship, South Lawn of Historic Church
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1:00 p.m. – High School Youth Group meets in-person (email John for information)
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2:00 p.m. – Middle School Youth Group meets in-person (email John for information)
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…LET US WALK THROUGH THE DOOR
‘These words from John Updike’s poem “Seven Stanzas at Easter” compel us to take Easter Resurrection life to heart and leave our tombs just as Jesus left his. As beautiful and joyful as our glorious Easter celebration was, the hope we live into at Easter is more than beauty. Updike writes, Let us not mock God with a metaphor, analogy, sidestepping transcendence, making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded credulity of earlier ages: let us walk through the door.
In my Easter homily I asked, “What will it take for you to walk through the door of the tomb, of death itself, and into life?” There are many closed doors we need to walk through. What will it take for you, not only to say Christ is risen and Jesus is Lord, but to live it in every aspect of your life? What will it take for Easter Sunday to be more than a lovely metaphor? Read more
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Exciting News from the
Regathering Task Force
Dear Falls Church Family,
Greetings! It is an absolute pleasure to write about our Regathering efforts! We have an amazing team from all the different ministries at TFCE and we have made great strides. We have already restarted our outdoor services; make sure to keep an eye out for weekly sign ups sent via Realm. In terms of gathering inside, our plan has been approved by the Diocese and we have determined through an extensive air flow study that we can very safely have a total of 100 people, masked and no singing, in the Contemporary Church. We are planning to hold our first indoor service on Sunday, April 25 at 9:00 a.m. (we will continue to livestream this service). Please look for more news about this on the web site and on our Facebook Page as we finetune our plans so that you will know all you need to know about regathering. Our task force is also working on a comprehensive plan that will detail a timeline for when other ministries will resume their indoor activities and the specific safety guidelines around each activity. Between the vaccine roll out and numbers continuing to drop, there is definitely hope for regathering indoors on the horizon! If you have questions, please email me.
Blessings,
Krista Gauthier
Chair, Regathering Task Force
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Parish Prayer List: Prayers & Transitions
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Please use the Prayer List in your prayers for each other and the world.
Praying for each other and the needs of the world is a powerful way to love our neighbors as ourselves! THIS WEEK’S PRAYER LIST
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Steve Busch's Ordination Scheduled for Monday, April 19
Steve Busch, TFCE's former Ministries Coordinator (and former Director of Operations) will be ordained to the Vocational Diaconate on Monday, April 19 at 1:00 p.m.
Due to COVID restrictions, a limited number of guests is allowed at the ceremony. TFCE is Steve's presenting parish and he hopes we can support him by watching the ordination online. View the invitation here. Steve preached at our Maundy Thursday service on April 1.
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Updated Information on vaccine availability from The City of Falls Church (current as of April 8)
- Essential Worker Group 1c is now open to register for the vaccine through Fairfax Health or the federal program through retail pharmacies.
- Group 1c joins Group 1b, adults ages 65+, and anyone ages 16 to 64 who has a high risk medical condition.
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More info about the qualified groups here.
- Registration will open by April 18 for those 16 years and older who want to get the vaccine!
More People Can Register for the Vaccine through Fairfax Health. The list now includes:
- Officials needed to maintain continuity of government
- Clergy and faith leaders
- Janitorial and cleaning staff
- Public Transit Workers (not airline)
- Mail Carriers (USPS and private)
- Grocery store workers
- Food and Agriculture (including veterinarians and farmers market vendors)
- Manufacturing
- Police, fire, and hazmat
- Corrections and homeless shelter workers
- Childcare/K-12 Teachers or Staff
Register through Fairfax Health (which includes City of Falls Church residents and workers) here
Vaccines at Retail Pharmacies through the Federal Program and VaccineFinder.org Select locations of CVS, Safeway, Harris Teeter and others receive a vaccine supply through the federal government. Residents and workers who are eligible can use the VaccineFinder.org website to find availability. This is not managed by Fairfax Health or the Virginia Department of Health, neither of which is using the Virginia Department of Health's registration system. Please do not register through that system.
If you are registered with Fairfax Health but get the vaccine through a retail location, make sure you contact Fairfax Health so you are one less person on their list.
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Please do not donate expired, opened or industrial-sized items.
We cannot accept them.
We are also looking for volunteers to help staff the food drive. We have one hour shifts from 9 to 10 a.m., 10 to 11 a.m., and 11 a.m. to Noon, plus a shift at Noon to take the food to FCS on Rt. 50. Sign up here
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Prepare dinner for Bailey's Crossroads Shelter on Sunday, April 11, 2:00 p.m.
For several years, the Falls Church Episcopal has been preparing dinner for the people staying at the Bailey's Crossroads Community Shelter on the second Sunday of each month. We are cooking the meal for the shelter in a responsible and safe manner. Here's the game plan--we need volunteers to:
* Make cupcakes at home and bring to the church
* Cook the beans at home and bring to the church
* Cut up the onions and peppers at home and bring to the church
* Cook the meat and rice at church and assemble the burritos and put them into trays. Put the beans, onions and peppers, and rice into large trays to delivery. Masks and gloves are mandatory at all times and we will use both the kitchen and Fellowship Hall to help socially distance.
* Deliver the trays and cupcakes to the shelter
* Clean up the kitchen and Fellowship Hall afterwards
If you have any questions, please email David Raglin (or call him at 703-835-1198) or call Barb Mantegani at 703-835-1194.
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Silent Witness against Racial Injustice on Saturday, April 10 from Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Members and friends of The Falls Church Episcopal are invited to join Falls Church Presbyterian Church for the next Silent Witness protest on Broad Street. Participants are asked to wear masks and maintain social distancing. Protests are held alternate Saturdays, rain or shine.
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Make sandwiches for those in need
Make sandwiches or bag lunches for drop-off at the Bailey's Crossroads Shelter or New Hope Housing's Eleanor Kennedy Shelter near Ft. Belvoir.. Please see the attached flyer and contact Bianca Clark via email for more information.
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The Little Free Food Pantry
On Fairfax Street near the church’s Thrift Shop is a small “take some food, leave some food” pantry (like the “little libraries” where people can take or leave a book). We are definitely seeing people use that pantry to supplement their groceries, and you can drop off non-perishable food items there at any time.
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TFCE Nave Open for Private Prayer Saturdays
The Historic Church is open for silent prayer each Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We ask everyone to wear a mask, and use hand sanitizer when entering and leaving the Sanctuary. Please click here for rules and expectations. Questions? E-mail Parish Administrator D'O Dillard.
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We are still checking the mail and depositing checks!
Please mail your check to:
115 E. Fairfax Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
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Donate safely and securely through our website.
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Text “TFCE” and the amount to 73256.
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If you have any questions about Realm or eGiving, please reach out to
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Are you shopping more online these days? If you’re buying more items from Amazon, please consider adding The Falls Church Episcopal to your AmazonSmile account. With every purchase you make, the church earns a small percentage. Simply click here to
add us to your account!
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Here are some ways to enhance your spiritual journey at home as suggested by the Washington National Cathedral.
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