Highlights of this issue include:
- A Word from Andy+: Hope for Re-Gathering
- TFCE Youth host No-Contact Food Drive Saturday, February 20
- Children's Ministry Celebrates Black Stories
- Lenten Adult Forum Series begins this Sunday: Being Christian
- Information about COVID-19 Vaccines
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Please join us for our digital, live-streamed worship service of Spiritual Communion on YouTube, Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
If you cannot join us for the live streaming at 9:00, you may watch the service on your own schedule. If you are not watching live, fast forward through the first five minutes to the start of the service.
To get notifications of our services and other posts to our YouTube channel, go to our page and click the red Subscribe button .
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Our five-part series on Being Christian begins Sunday at 10:10 a.m.
The Season of Lent centers around 40 days of sharing in the sufferings of Christ. Practically, this means we meditate upon our sin and sadness, but only in a way that cracks open our hearts to the great love of God (Rom. 5:8). We find our life not in the practicing of Lent but in putting our gaze on our Savior (John 5:39).
It is that same gazing upon the Lord Christ that became the focus for catechumens since the early days of the Church. In these 40 days, all inquirers into the Christian faith would be introduced to our theology and the common life of faith. Through instruction, fellowship, reading Scriptures, and service to the community, all catechumens would begin to model their lives on Jesus and his good news. In our "lenting,” we are tapping into the mystery of seeing Christ step into our lives and stories. In our intentional Lenten encounter with God, we rediscover the light, hope and love that Jesus Christ continually invites us to share.
This year, we invite you to join this ancient tradition of the Church by opening your hearts and minds to once again go deeper. Like the catechumens of ages past, this Lent we will come together, this time on Zoom, for a series of lessons that will enable us to revisit the fundamentals of our Christian faith. Our discussions will be grounded by the writings of the Rt Rev’d Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury. To help us explore Being Christian together, we will be joined by four amazing scholars and Christian leaders. Let us come together this Lent to learn more about Baptism, Bible, Eucharist, and Prayer.
Our series begins this Sunday with a conversation on baptism and the ancient practice of catechumenate. There’s no better person to introduce us to our baptismal tradition than Dr. Lisa Kimball and we hope you can join us.
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Love is the Way by Bp. Michael Curry begins Sunday, February 28
As we intentionally enter into a partnership with The Church of the Epiphany, an urban parish in downtown Washington, the Rector, the Rev'd Glenna Huber, invites us to take part in Epiphany's Lenten series based on Bishop Curry's latest book, Sundays 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
"The way of love is essential for addressing the seemingly insurmountable challenges facing the world today: poverty, racism, selfishness, deep ideological divisions, competing claims to speak for God. This book will lead readers to discover the gifts they need in order to live the way of love: deep reservoirs of hope and resilience, simple wisdom, the discipline of nonviolence, and unshakable regard for human dignity."
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This week's Youth Forum activity is available here
Youth Groups meet Sunday, February 21, on Zoom
High School group meets at 1:00 p.m.; Middle School group at 2:00 p.m. Please email John for the link or to register your youth.
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Sunday, February 21 – Sunday, February 28
Sunday, February 21
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9:00 a.m. – Live-streamed Service of the Word with the Great Litany
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9:45 a.m. – Children's Formation (email Lauren for more information)
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10:00 a.m. – Coffee Hour/Adult Formation (click here to join)
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1:00 p.m. – High School Zoom (email John for link)
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2:00 p.m. – Middle School Zoom (email John for link)
Monday, February 22:
- 6:30 p.m. – EfM Seminar
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8:00 p.m. – Compline
Tuesday, February 23:
- 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Staff & Liturgy Planning Meetings
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6:00 p.m. – Evening Prayer
Wednesday, February 24:
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10:00-11:00 a.m.– Foyer Group – Interim Rector’s Bible Study (email Andy for more information or to join)
- 12 noon - 1:00 p.m. – Historic Church open for Quiet Prayer
- 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. – Historic Church open for Quiet Prayer
Thursday, February 25:
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7:30 a.m. – Morning Prayer
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7:00 p.m. – Foyer Group studying Being Christian led by Tiffany Smith
Friday, February 26:
Saturday, February 27:
- 9:00 a.m. – Vestry Retreat on Zoom
- 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Historic Church open for Quiet Prayer
- Noon - 1:00 p.m. – Silent Witness against Racial Injustice (Broad St.)
Sunday, February 28:
- 9:00 a.m. – Live-streamed Service of the Word with the Decalogue and Penitential Order
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9:45 a.m. – Children's Formation (email Lauren for more information)
- 10:00 a.m. – Coffee Hour/Adult Formation
- 1:00 p.m. – Vestry Retreat on Zoom
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1:00 p.m. – High School Zoom (email John for link)
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2:00 p.m. – Middle School Zoom (email John for link)
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Hope for Re-gathering…We are putting our plans together!
On this icy and snowy Thursday, I want you to claim the hope that we can soon gather again for worship outdoors, AND we are making our plans for indoor worship in the Contemporary Church as the virus numbers go down. I shared Emily Dickenson’s words about hope a couple of weeks ago… “Hope” is the thing with feathers…and in my own poetic grasp of her lovely metaphor, let me say this bird is going to fly soon!
I share the good and hopeful news that our Bishops shared with the clergy Tuesday afternoon: The metrics are indicating that we can again safely gather outdoors for worship like we jubilantly did in the fall! Your parish leaders, staff and clergy are opening this conversation this week and we are excited that we can do this with limited numbers soon (also considering the Governor of Virginia’s guidelines). We are looking at March 7 for the possible date we can begin worshipping outdoors together again.
We are learning so much about the virus as we move through these days and so the Bishop has also let us know that she is recommending a more “liberal” metric in determining when we can once again gather indoors for worship. Last summer we put together a comprehensive Re-Gathering Task Force for Worship and that group did the groundwork for putting together a plan for regathering indoors for worship. This plan is just about ready to present to the Diocesan Advisory Council on Re-gathering for their approval. Our task force is now headed by vestry member Krista Gauthier and will also be working on when and how we can start re-gathering for Christian Formation and fellowship. This is exciting!
We are also at the point again where our adult and youth groups, following masking and distancing protocols, may meet in groups of 10 or less outdoors.
I wish I could share more with you, but this is a “work in progress.” More to come and please know that we will be communicating about this regularly going forward now. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, thanks be to God!
So friends, let’s claim hope and pray this prayer from Paul found in our Prayer Book,
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Information on vaccine availability (current as of February 18):
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The Fairfax County Health District includes Fairfax County, the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church and the Towns of Herndon and Vienna. Residents of these locations can get their vaccine through the Fairfax County Health Department. Federal and state first responders should see their agencies for details.
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You may also call 703-324-7404 from Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., or Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Online registration is preferred, but phone registration is available.
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Silent Witness against Racial Injustice on Saturday, February 27 from Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Members and friends of The Falls Church Episcopal ae 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 Sami Smyth at 703-799-2293 x11 or [email protected] 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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Organ Stewardship Reflection
Much has been made in recent weeks about the continuing work of this church during a pandemic. We have been able to serve, and to worship, continuously. We had to change the way we meet, but we are meeting. We had to change the way we worship, but we are worshiping. One important aspect of our worship, especially in the Anglican tradition that is our heritage, is raising our voices to God through music. The music program at the Falls Church Episcopal is still going strong, taking our music making to a virtual platform, and recently, back in the sanctuary.
But it is our hope in a faithful God that one day soon we will be able to worship together again as a whole community in person. That day will be one of celebration and triumph. It will be filled with the essential tool of our worship - music. But to get to that day, we have to be prepared. And one of the preparations that we find ourselves in need of undertaking is the necessary restoration of the bedrock of our musical worship in the Historic Church, the Shantz Organ. This magnificent and essential instrument of our worship is in need of updating and repair, so that it can continue to be the centerpiece of our musical life in the Historic Church.
And so it is with a spirit of gratitude for the opportunity to worship with the music that is part of our spiritual life, that we come to you, the parish, to ask for your help in preparing us all for our return to the physical church. We have announced a campaign for the restoration of the Shantz Organ (click link for video) in the Historic Church. This is an undertaking that will cost the church $30,000. The repairs will start very soon, taking advantage of the fact that we are not currently using the space. However, we ask the parish to consider what the musical tradition of this church, and of our faith, mean to each of you, and we ask for your financial help to achieve this goal.
We will be announcing further details of the campaign in the days to come, but in the meantime, the church has set up an “Organ Donation” fund that you may contribute to, either on Realm, or by sending a check to the church with “Organ Donation” written on the memo line. We do this because although we have never stopped worshiping, we look forward to the day when we can worship together, singing and praising God, and doing so with glorious music.
Geoff Kannan
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The Falls Church Episcopal historic church is more than 250 years old, and the grounds on which it stands carry vestiges of the entire sweep of American history.
The Falls Church Episcopal welcomes you to our church grounds to “Hunt for History,” a scavenger hunt list that offers you, family, friends, and neighbors a way to get fresh air while maintaining vital social distance. You can:
· Spend time together as a family or friends, or or visit in contemplative solitude on the picturesque and historic grounds of The Falls Church Episcopal.
· Learn American history, and pass it on it to children and newcomers in our community.
“Hunt for History” features 19 items that mark the life of the church and the nation, from their beginnings in colonial America to the pre-revolutionary era, to the building’s 250th birthday that was just celebrated in 2019.
The brochure is available in three locations around the church grounds. Thanks to Paul Allvin for his wonderful work on this project!
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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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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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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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Weekly meditations by our Bishops. This week's mediation is by Bishop Jennifer: Water in the Desert
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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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