Highlights of this issue include:
- No-Contact Food Drive for FCS this Saturday (Ways to Serve)
- Affirming that Black Lives Matter (A Word from Andy+)
- TFCE to be honored by New Hope Housing (Ways to Serve)
|
|
The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost |
|
Please join us for our e-service on Sunday morning at 10:00. A Zoom or Facebook account is not required to view the service.
If you are missing a sense of community while participating in our online worship, we invite you to try out the Facebook Watch Party for our Sunday Services. The Watch Party can be found on our Facebook Page on Sunday mornings at 10:00 (though folks begin gathering and chatting around 9:50 am). There you can watch the service with others in real time, greet each other and exchange the Peace, and know that though we are in different places, the Body of Christ
continues to gather as The Falls Church Episcopal.
|
|
During the summer season, we will continue to gather for an informal digital coffee hour. We'll have gathering time as a large group, and then split up into smaller groups for conversations on where we saw God this past week, and how we are cultivating practices of sabbath rest and renewal during these strange times. Join us on Zoom at
11:00 am
|
|
Sunday, August 30- Saturday, September 5
Sunday, August 30:
Monday, August 31:
Tuesday, September 1:
Wednesday, September 2:
Thursday, September 3:
-
7:30 am – Morning Prayer (www.facebook.com/thefallschurch)
-
8:30 am – Thursday Morning Fellowship (email Cleve for more information)
- 11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Main Sanctuary open for quiet prayer
-
8:00 pm – Mom’s Bible Study (email Kelly for more information)
Friday, September 4:
Saturday, September 5:
- 9:00 – 11:00 am – Historic Church open for quiet prayer
|
|
This week's Youth Forum activity is available here
|
|
We are taking a break from Children's Formation Lessons for the summer to have time to pray, plan and begin implementing programming for the Fall. |
|
Do Justice+Love Kindness+Walk Humbly With God
Striving for Racial Justice: Affirming that Black Lives Matter
|
Dear Falls Church Family,
I am pleased to let you know that your vestry leadership and I are fully committed to embracing the biblical principles of justice for all people that both Jesus and the prophets of Israel proclaimed. In our contemporary context and in our Episcopal understanding of the mission of the Church, we see the work of racial justice as one of the foundational pillars of the Episcopal Church today.
The Vestry is in the final steps of finalizing a Racial Justice Roadmap for our parish that affirms our commitment to racial justice and envisions how we will engage this transformational work. The Roadmap will be released quite soon. I share words from its introduction: Indeed, the normative statement of what it means to follow Christ is imbued within the words of our baptismal covenant “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?” (Book of Common Prayer, p 304-305). The vestry of TFCE is committed to ensuring the congregation of the Falls Church Episcopal honors our baptismal covenant by creating a Racial Justice Roadmap. This roadmap will ensure that the quest for racial justice is continuously upheld by our congregation and honors our commitment to living as Christians and serving the world as Christ’s body, with God’s help.
The vestry of the Falls Church Episcopal (TFCE) believes that racial justice is not a political or academic issue; there aren’t two sides. It is a fundamental disconnect in our society for which our religious beliefs and faith compel us to act. We wish to be long suffering with this issue; this should be a long term, steady stream effort that becomes a part of our DNA at TFCE. More here
|
|
Diocesan Gathering Sunday, September 6 |
|
On Sunday, September 6 (Labor Day Weekend), we will gather online, as the Diocese of Virginia, for a worship service led by our bishops. This bi-lingual (English and Spanish) Morning Prayer Service is pre-recorded and will be distributed via YouTube, Facebook and Dropbox. The videos will premiere on YouTube at 8 a.m. and Facebook at 8 and 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 6. The service will be available to view from either platform at any time following the 8 a.m. premiere time. The Dropbox file will be available for those churches that plan to hold service via Zoom.
Specific links to the service on each platform will be distributed by September 3, and will be posted on the diocesan website when it is available. A bilingual bulletin will also be available for use and will be posted online.
TFCE clergy and staff will take a break from putting a worship service together on Sunday, September 6.
|
|
TFCE Naves Open for Private Prayer Thursdays & Saturdays
The Historic Church is open for silent prayer each Saturday from 9:00 - 11:00 am. The Main Sanctuary is open on Thursdays from 11:00 am -
1:00 pm. We ask everyone to maintain six feet distance, wear a mask, and use hand sanitizer when entering and leaving the sanctuary. Please click here for rules and expectations. Questions? |
|
Flowers on the Altar: An Episcopal Tradition Worshiping in the Beauty of Holiness
In the Episcopal Church, we seek to worship “in the beauty of holiness,” through our senses by perceiving beauty in many forms, especially with flowers from creation placed on the altar. This also provides a way for parishioners to participate in our worship ministries by arranging flowers and by offering dedications, usually in memory of or in honor of someone. Now that we are recording more and more of our services in the church, flowers have been placed on the altar. This Sunday, the flowers are given in memory of Ben Morrison, Courtney Morrison's father, by members of the Mom's Bible Study Group. Look for information in upcoming E-News editions on how you can get involved!
|
|
TFCE Shares Stories of Hope |
|
During these difficult times, it's uplifting to hear stories about parishioners taking action to improve the lives of people in this community, this nation, and the world. Click here to visit the Stories of Hope web page. E-mail Andy, Kelly, or Casie with stories that you'd like to share.
|
|
In-Person Outdoor Evening Prayer on Tuesdays |
|
Tuesday Outdoor Evening Prayer at 6:00 pm. In lieu of Centering Prayer, join Father Andy+ on the South Lawn of the Historic Church for in-person Evening Prayer. Please read here for important information regarding the service.
|
|
TFCE-sponsored EfM seminar begins this Fall
Education for Ministry (EfM) is a premier lay theological education class offered through The University of the South at Sewanee. This four-year class provides a solid understanding and grounding in scripture, history, and the theology of the church through small group learning. We have nine TFCE members and friends who have expressed interest in an evening seminar sponsored by our church this fall. Please e-mail Mary Cushing or Janice Scharre if you are interested in the Falls Church evening EfM class. For more information about EfM click here
|
|
Thursday Morning Fellowship Via Zoom! The Men’s Monthly Bible Study has morphed into a weekly fellowship group gathering via Zoom on Thursday mornings at 8:30 am. This group is open to all, men and women, we are gender inclusive! Go to Realm for more information or contact Cleve Johnson. Hope you’ll join the group!
|
|
Parish Prayer List: Prayers & Transitions |
|
Please use the Prayer List below 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! CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK’S PRAYER LIST.
|
|
Silent Witness Against Racial Injustice
Friday, August 28th,
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Members and friends of The Falls Church Episcopal are invited to join Falls Church Presbyterian
Church for the next Silent Witness protest. Participants are asked to wear masks and maintain social distancing. The protests are held every other Friday,rain or shine.
|
|
Falls Church Community Services Food Drive this Saturday, August 29th
After a very successful food drive in June, we are holding another food drive this Saturday, August 29th. There is a great need for paper towels and laundry detergent. We are looking for volunteers to help staff the drive. One-hour shifts are available from 9:00 -10:00 am; 10:00 - 11:00 am and 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, plus a shift at 12:00 pm to take donations to FCS on Route 50. To sign up please go to Sign-Up Genius
|
|
New Hope Housing Honors TFCE at Awards Breakfast on Saturday, August 29th
New Hope Housing has chosen TFCE as an Outstanding Volunteer Group for 2020. The award will be presented at the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast and acknowledges our support for the Bailey's Crossroads Community Shelter through our monthly dinner ministry. It also recognizes the many individuals and families from the church who have made sandwiches and helped out in other ways during the pandemic.
The theme of this year's breakfast is "You're the Jam! A Toast to Volunteers." The virtual event will be held on Zoom on Saturday, August 29th from
10:00 - 11:00 am, so grab your favorite breakfast beverage and connect with New Hope Housing's leadership as they honor volunteers and share ways our community has helped to end homelessness. All members and friends of TFCE are invited to attend. RSVP for the virtual breakfast here.
|
|
Drivers for Meal Delivery Needed
Our ministry partners at FCS have seen a significant increase in their requests for grocery drop-offs at people’s homes. They are looking for drivers to pick-up groceries from their food bank and no-contact drop them off at people’s doors. If you are interested, please email [email protected]
|
|
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.
|
|
Are you doing any online shopping 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!
|
We ask that during this time you please continue to make an effort to contribute to the Church as you normally would. Although we are not having in-person services, the work of our parish, staff, and clergy continues. Fulfilling our mission and our vision to be an enduring beacon of faith, hope, and love is crucial during these days.
|
There are 3 easy ways to give to the church: |
|
We are still checking the mail and depositing checks!
Please mail your check to:
115 E. Fairfax Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
|
|
Donate safely and securely through our website.
|
|
Text “TFCE” and the amount to 73256.
|
|
Our regular corporate worship opportunities have been suspended until further notice. But there are still lots of ways you can worship or reflect on God. Here are some suggestions of resources that might help. |
|
 |
St. Phoebe's Virtual Chapel i s a great resource to explore with musical resources, sermons and reflections, and digital opportunities to pray the Daily Office.
|
|
|
|
This Sunday, livestream the worship service from the National Cathedral at 11:15 am - more info here.
|
|
|
|
Here are some ways to enhance your spiritual journey at home as suggested by the Washington National Cathedral.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
