Highlights of this issue include:
- A Word from Andy+: Diocesan Communications
- Children's Ministry Hogwarts Vacation Bible School Preview Sunday (Registration For Hogwarts VBS Opens This Sunday)
- Lenten Adult Forum Series: Being Christian, Part 2 this Sunday
- Information about COVID-19 Vaccines
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The Second Sunday in Lent
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Please join us for our digital, live-streamed service 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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Part Two of our five-part series on Being Christian, Sunday at 10:10 a.m.
Our Lenten series continues this Sunday with a conversation on the Bible and is led by the Rev. Dr. Kathy Grieb. Rowan Williams argues that “the Bible is not intended to be a mere chronicle of past events, but a living communication from God.” In her presentation, Kathy is keen to introduce us to the Gospel of Mark, that is the focus of our Lectionary readings this year, and the way in which Mark points us in the direction of our tangible participation in the mission of God in the world today. As Christians, we “are people who expect to be spoken to by God,” let us then come together on Zoom to listen to God’s word and to rediscover the Biblical rationale for our mission.
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Love is the Way by Bishop 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 28, 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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Children's Ministry Presents
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Sunday, February 28 – Sunday, March 7
Sunday, February 28
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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)
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10:00 a.m. – Coffee Hour/Adult Formation (click here to join)
- 12:30 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)
Monday, March 1:
- 6:30 p.m. – EfM Seminar
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8:00 p.m. – Compline
Tuesday, March 2:
- 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Staff & Liturgy Planning Meetings
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6:00 p.m. – Evening Prayer
Wednesday, March 3:
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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, March 4:
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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, March 5:
Saturday, March 6:
- 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Historic Church open for Quiet Prayer
Sunday, March 7:
- 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
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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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3:30 p.m. – Workshop with Dr. Carla Messenger (email Lauren for link)
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Keeping us informed with our Diocese of Virginia news, especially COVID-19 guidelines from the Bishop’s Office, and other News from our Brothers and Sisters in the Diocese
Dear Friends,
In our continually evolving circumstances, we've all been anxious to have the most current status updates, especially the status of worship protocols and regathering for public worship. As I've explained, many of our policies are guided by the Office of the Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia.
And while The Falls Church Episcopal will always communicate the latest information from the Bishop's office, you are eligible to get these updates directly from the Bishop's office by subscribing to the diocesan e-news service.
There's another important reason you should subscribe. Last year, the Diocese made the difficult decision to discontinue printing of the quarterly magazine, the Virginia Episcopalian. In a time of decreasing budgets, a costly magazine was simply not a luxury that our church or the Diocese could afford to continue.
The good news is that the monthly diocesan newsletter, the e-Communiqué, will now be incorporating some of the great storytelling and features you enjoyed in the Virginia Episcopalian, but without the lag time and hefty price tag of a traditional print publication. By subscribing to the diocesan news service, you will receive the monthly e-Communiqué plus announcements from your Bishops as they happen. Rest assured that the diocesan offices will never share your information with any other parties.
Pax,
Andy+
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Lilies for Easter
Contributions to help decorate our sanctuaries with Easter Lilies for Easter are welcome. Any amount is appreciated, but the cost to TFCE is usually about $20 each. If you'd like your donation to be in memory of or in celebration of a loved one, please add this information to your memo line of the check - and we will post it in the service bulletin for Easter Day. Please submit your dedication to the front office no later than Sunday, March 21.
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Information on vaccine availability (current as of February 25):
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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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Here are some ways to enhance your spiritual journey at home as suggested by the Washington National Cathedral.
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