Highlights of this issue include:
- Matthew Dumont-Machowski called as Associate Rector
- AFAC Food Packing & Celebration of Giving on Saturday
- Outdoor service canceled following Governor's proclamation
- Advent Wreaths (Parish News & Updates)
- Boxwood Wreaths & 250th Christmas Ornaments for Sale (Parish News & Updates)
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Last Sunday after Pentecost - Christ the King
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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.
Following Governor Northam's proclamation limiting all gatherings to 25 people, our in-person worship service originally scheduled for Sunday the 22nd has been canceled. Check our social media for updates on possible future in-person services.
To get notifications of our services and other posts to our YouTube platform, go to our page and click the red Subscribe button.
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Digital Coffee Hour at 10:00 a.m.
Following the live streamed service, we'll have gathering time as a large group, and then split 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 unusual times. Join us on Zoom at 10:00 a.m.
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The Rev’d Matthew Dumont-Machowski called by Father Anderson to serve as Associate Rector during this period of transition
I am delighted to let you know that I have called The Rev’d Matthew Dumont-Machowski as our Associate Rector. The Vestry has met Matthew, and the Bishop and I along with the Vestry believe his gifts for ministry will be a great resource for us in our parish mission during this time of transition. Matthew will help provide leadership for our Children and Families, Youth, and Adult Formation Ministries, as well as with Outreach. Matthew also brings wonderful social media skills and knowledge which will be another great resource. I have found him to be a delightful, deeply spiritual, caring, mature and faithful young priest. The people shepherding him through the ordination process have offered their highest support and encouragement. Because I am your Interim Rector and cannot call a permanent Associate Rector, Matthew will serve for a time-certain period for the next nine months which will bridge the time between my departure as your Interim Rector and your welcoming the new Rector. Your new Rector will then discern the makeup of the continuing pastoral team at that time, which could include calling Matthew as the Associate Rector going forward.
Matthew is a recent graduate of the Virginia Theological Seminary and joins the Falls Church Episcopal after two-and-a-half-year service as deacon and seminarian at Grace Church in Alexandria, Va. Polish-German by birth, Matthew speaks four languages and has lived his entire adult life as an immigrant on three continents. Traveling is one of his life’s passions that led him to visit over 50 countries worldwide. In April 2017, Matthew moved to the United States from the United Kingdom with his American husband Bryan, who is a senior public affairs consultant. They live together with their three dogs in Alexandria.
Matthew lived in London for more than 10 years, studying international politics at the University of London and King’s College London and then serving as a Research Fellow and Lecturer in Middle Eastern Politics and Nuclear Security at Queen Mary, University of London. Matthew worked for the UK Houses of Parliament and other political and defense think-tanks in the UK and the Middle East. Matthew is passionate about the intersection of religion and politics, interfaith relations, reconciliation, peace-making, and the refugee crisis around the world.
He is a former Roman Catholic and his early journey to the priesthood started at the age of 19 when he joined a religious order of White Fathers Missionaries of Africa and entered seminary. Having left the order after one year of studies, Matthew eventually came across the Anglican tradition during his time in Qatar. Matthew and Bryan were the first gay couple to have their civil marriage blessed at their parish church of St. Alfege in Greenwich, London. Over the years, Matthew came to develop a deep appreciation for Anglican theology, liturgy and spirituality. In 2017, Matthew was sponsored by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Alexandria, VA to enter the seminary and was eventually ordained a priest in the Diocese of Virginia in September 2020. Being an academic at heart, Matthew still intends to pursue a doctorate in theology in the future.
Matthew writes about his call to our parish: “The Falls Church Episcopal is a welcoming community, called to be an enduring beacon of faith, hope, and love to all. Being both gay and immigrant, I am motivated by my lived experience of Christ’s radical welcome and God’s abiding love that sees no boundaries. I am excited to be joining a vibrant, young congregation that aims to be the source of transformation in ourselves and the world. Having a deeply missional and social justice orientated approach to the priesthood, I am also thrilled to be called to provide pastoral leadership to our outreach and formation ministries."
Please join me in welcoming Matthew to our parish life and ministry! His first Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, November 29, when he will preach.
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Sunday, November 22 - Saturday, November 28
Sunday, November 22:
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8:30 a.m. – Rain date for AFAC Packing Event/Celebration of Giving in Upper Parking Lot
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9:00 am – Live-streamed Service of the Word and Spiritual Communion (www.thefallschurch.org/e-services)
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10:00 am – Coffee Hour (click here to join)
Monday, November 23:
Tuesday, November 24:
Wednesday, November 25:
Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27:
Saturday, November 28:
- 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. – Foyer Group led by Christine Cordes
- 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Historic Church open for quiet prayer
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We take steps forward, and then must pause and sometimes take steps backwards:
Governor's new order limiting gatherings to 25 impacts our outdoor worship
Dear Falls Church Family,
What we are learning with our journey through this Covid-19 Pandemic (as with many difficult journeys we undertake in life) is that we take three or four steps forward and then we must pause and take a step or two backwards or even sideways. Receiving the news that in six days last week the number of Coronavirus cases grew from 10,000,000 to 11,000,000 in our nation, that the number of persons hospitalized with Coronavirus has spiked to its highest level, and now knowing more than 250,000 people in our nation have died from Coronavirus complications, we must pause and take stock of where we are and what we do next.
Over this past weekend, our Governor issued new safety precaution orders, including limiting all gatherings, whether indoor or outdoor, to 25 or fewer people to help us mitigate the surging numbers in our state which are increasing rapidly (but not as badly as in other areas). His proactive position has led our Bishop and the clergy in our Diocese to do all that we can to comply and help keep the numbers down, particularly as we move into the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season. MORE
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T his week's Youth Forum activity is available here
Youth Group is now meeting in small groups, masked and outdoors. If you would like to make sure your youth get registered for youth groups, please contact John Wunderlich at [email protected]
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Sundays, November 22nd and 29th, we will not have Formation Classes. Instead we encourage you to spend time giving back at the November 21st AFAC Food Packing & Celebration of Giving Event, and spend time with your loved ones giving thanks on November 29th.
To learn more about Children's Virtual Sunday Formation Classes, e-mail: [email protected]
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AFAC Food Packing & Celebration of Giving Saturday, November 21
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Please join us for the Celebration of Giving to wrap up our Annual Giving Campaign and give thanks to God by packing 8,000 pounds of produce for our partners at Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). Thank you so very much to those who have signed up to volunteer for Saturday morning. Governor Northam has issued an order limiting any gathering (indoor or outdoor) to 25 participants. The Bishop has concurred that we must do our part to keep our people and those they share life with safe during these days that the Coronavirus is spiking.
With these guidelines we must now limit each shift for packing this Saturday to 25 people. To accommodate more volunteers, we have added a 3rd shift from Noon to 1 p.m.
We still need five people for set up from 11:30 a.m. to noon, and 10 people to sign up for the third packing shift from noon to 1:00 p.m. We also need seven people for the clean-up shift from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. If you can volunteer, please sign up here.
Thank you so very much for your flexibility! The changing world of Covid sure does keep us on our toes! We are so thankful for your volunteer help this Saturday. The event will be held outside in the upper parking lot with households split up and working at different tables. Please park on Fairfax Street and walk up to the upper parking lot. All are required to wear masks. (Rain date Sunday, November 22nd, same time slots). Questions? Contact [email protected]
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TFCE Day School Wreath Fundraiser Underway, Orders due by Monday
Support the Day School’s Scholarship Fund
by purchasing a beautiful fresh boxwood wreath this holiday season. Wreaths are $40 each with an optional festive red bow for an additional $5. The deadline for all orders is Monday, November 23. Supplies are limited. You can order online at https://www.thefallschurch.org/thedayschool or email your completed order form. You may also drop off payments by check in the Narthex adjacent to the upper parking lot. We will not accept cash payments this year. Please email order forms or questions to Kristin Ascunce at [email protected]. Thank you!
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Angel Tree for Shelter House & NVFS
Believe it or not, it's that time of year again! Advent is a time of hope, love, joy and peace. As we prepare our hearts to receive Christ, let’s remember our neighbors at Shelter House and Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS) who are not able to purchase gifts for their loved ones.
This year, our Angel Tree project will be handled entirely virtually. Shelter House has requested gift cards so that parents may use them to shop for their children themselves. NVFS has created wish lists at both Amazon and Target. All gifts purchased through these sites will be shipped directly to the NVFS gift collection site. We recommend spending around $25 for each gift card or gift.
Our neighbors at Shelter House are in the greatest need of assistance from The Falls Church Episcopal, and we are hoping to provide 65 gift cards for them this holiday season. If you wish to purchase a gift card (Amazon, Visa, and Walmart cards preferred), please sign up here and make sure to mail your gift card no later than Friday, December 4. (The address will be emailed to you after you sign up.)
If you purchase a gift from the Amazon or Target wish lists for NVFS, please add your name AND the gift you purchased to this SignUpGenius AFTER you submit your order. You must submit your order by NOON on Friday, December 4 to ensure it reaches the gift collection site in time. (Please do NOT select the gift wrap option, as gifts must be unwrapped to be sorted properly.)
Thank you in advance for your help and generosity this holiday season! If you have any questions, please contact Carla Wilson at [email protected].
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PLEASE NOTICE EVENT CHANGE: Advent Wreath-Making Event Wednesday, December 2nd HAS CHANGED!! IN PERSON EVENT CANCELLED. We Will Be a Pick-Up, Take Home Event.
Hello, everyone! Because of Governor Northam's announcement reducing group gatherings from 250 to 25, we are no longer able to hold the Advent Wreath Making Event on December 2nd. Instead, we will bag the materials and distribute them that day via a drive-by pick up. We ask that you come during the time slot that you selected in the sign-up genius. Also, if you volunteered for set up it would be really great if you could join us at that same time to pack the bags. And let's still share our creations! Once you have made your wreath, take a picture of it and tag us on Facebook! PLEASE SIGN-UP BY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH TO INSURE WE CAN GET ALL THE SUPPLIES WE NEED FOR EVERYONE.
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Wreaths & Poinsettias for the Christmas Season
Contributions to help decorate our sanctuaries with wreaths and poinsettias for the Christmas season are welcome. The suggested donation of $20 may be paid in Realm or by check to the attention of the Altar Guild. If you'd like your donation to be in memory or celebration of a loved one, please email your dedication to Terri no later than December 14. We will acknowledge dedications in the service bulletin on Christmas Eve.
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TFCE Christmas Ornaments Available
Be sure to get the perfect addition to your Christmas tree as well as buy the perfect gift for friends or family! There are a limited number of these beautiful brass Christmas ornaments celebrating The Falls Church Episcopal’s 250th Anniversary available for a suggested donation of $5.00 each. If you wish to reserve an ornament, email Barb Mantegani or Nancy Councilor to make arrangements for pick up. All proceeds benefit Outreach programs at The Falls Church.
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TFCE Nave Open for Private Prayer Saturdays
The Historic Church is open for silent prayer each Saturday at a new time: 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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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 a.m. 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!
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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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Silent Witness Against Racial Injustice
New day & time: Saturday, December 5, Noon - 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 on 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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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.
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There are 3 easy ways to give to the church:
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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
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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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