Highlights of this issue include:
- A Word from Andy+
- Blessing of the Animals Sunday 4:00 to 5:30 pm
- Construction begins on Southgate II (Parish News & Updates)
- Last Call! Registration for Children's Formation and Youth Ministry
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The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost |
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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 the Facebook Watch Party for our Sunday Services. The Watch Party can be found on our Facebook Page Sunday mornings at 10:00 (though folks begin gathering and chatting around (9:50 a.m.) 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.
Our next in-person outdoor worship service is Sunday, October 11 at 11:15 a.m. Pre-register at [email protected].
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We are continuing 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 a.m.
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In-Person Outdoor Evening Prayer on Tuesdays |
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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. Following Evening Prayer, the Historic Church Nave is open until 7:00 pm for quiet prayer and reflection. Please read here for important information regarding the service.
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Sunday, October 4 - Saturday, October 10
Sunday, October 4:
Monday, October 5:
Tuesday, October 6:
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6:00 pm -- Evening Prayer LIVE on the South Lawn (also live streamed at www.facebook.com/thefallschurch) If it rains, worship will happen on Facebook but not in person. Following Evening Prayer, Historic Church Nave open until 7:00pm for quiet prayer and reflection
Wednesday, October 7:
Thursday, October 8:
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7:30 am -- Morning Prayer (www.facebook.com/thefallschurch)
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8:30 am -- Thursday Morning Fellowship (email Cleve for more information)
- 7:00 pm -- Outreach Committee Meeting
- *Quiet Prayer in the Main Sanctuary is suspended due to low attendance. We are exploring other times.
Friday, October 9:
- 5:00 pm -- Silent Witness Against Racial Injustice (on Broad Street outside TFCE)
Saturday, October 10:
- 9:00 am -11:00 am -- Historic Church open for quiet prayer
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The Wind of the Spirit and Our Ministry Together
Dear Falls Church Family,
The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
Jesus reminds us in John’s Gospel (3:8) that we are people of the Spirit. The Spirit infuses us with life and then sends us forth to do God’s work as we are able and as we are called.
A little more than five years ago, the gentle wind of the Spirit brought the Rev. Kelly Moughty into our harbor at The Falls Church Episcopal to work with us in this vineyard for a while. Now the wind of the Spirit is taking Kelly to new ministry at this time in her journey.
We pray for a gentle and smooth landing for her as she begins her new ministry at Holy Cross Dunn Loring on November 29, the First Sunday of Advent. Let’s surround Kelly with a large showing of TFCE love as we send her forth to do God’s will. Kelly’s last Sunday is October 18 and we will have a Spirit-infused, creative and fun way to celebrate her ministry with us. A team is working on how we might do that during this unusual time. Of course, we will keep her in our prayers for her transition even as we give thanks to God for her and Alex and the life and ministry we have shared.
A customary way of honoring our clergy as they move on to their next ministry in the church is to provide a financial purse as a love offering. If you would like to make a gift to Kelly’s purse, please link here for an on-line option https://onrealm.org/thefallschurch/give/kelly or you may mail a check to the church with “Kelly’s purse” in the memo line.
Our ministries and life together at The Falls Church continue to flourish and gain momentum through the power of the Spirit among us, even in these days of limited gathering. Our stride in ministry is strong and we do not want to miss a beat. The Holy Spirit has brought you here for this purpose, God’s mission at TFCE! Father Michael Hinson continues in his role as Priest Associate and we are grateful for his presence and gifts. I am in the prayerful discernment process of seeking an Interim Associate Rector to join us. The Diocese of Virginia is working to help the Vestry and me, with the Spirit’s guidance, to find the right person to help bridge this time until the new Rector is called and settled in ministry in 2021. Please keep all of these things in your prayers.
I am blessed to share this ministry with you! Thank you. Please let me know how I can support you. The Spirit indeed is blowing us in the direction God intends us to go!
Pax,
Andy+
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This week's Youth Forum activity is available here
As we prepare to start our program year for youth ministry, we need to make sure that your youth are registered! Please fill out the attached form and send it to [email protected]
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Last Week to Register your Child(ren) for Sunday Formation!
YOU CAN REGISTER CHILDREN FROM 3 YEARS OLD TO 5TH GRADERS. This year we are taking a virtual adventure into scripture, using a hands-on approach to virtual learning. All of our grades will receive a take-home bag and a flexible curriculum that can be done at a family's own pace. Similar to our Hogwarts Virtual VBS, the program will have Zoom lessons, weekly lesson videos, and fun projects the whole family can enjoy.
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Annual Giving Campaign 2021 |
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Resilience and Gratitude: The Path to Generosity is the theme of the 2021 Annual Giving Campaign.
Larry Rice offers this week's testimonial. Read it here.
Check the weekly eNews, TFCE social media and your mailbox for the latest information!
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Southgate II Update from Paul Allvin
With a mix of gratitude and excitement, I am very pleased to share that the Southgate II development proposal is officially under construction. Ground has broken on the construction of the building in the current parking lot across Fairfax Street from our church for the indoor children’s play facility called “Go Scramble.” For The Falls Church Episcopal, of course, it represents more than the addition of this fantastic play facility. Through a sequence of agreements with the developer, our master tenant, and neighboring property owners, it will result in:
- More parking spaces when construction is finished, from 79 to 103
- 12 reserved spaces for our Falls Church Day School from 8:30 to 9:30 for student drop-offs
- Access to the “Go Scramble” facilities from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sundays (the facility will not open until 12:30 on Sundays)
- Additional rent revenue to support church operations for decades to come
- Improvements in storm water management to better remove pollutants from parking lot drain-off before they enter the Potomac watershed
- Solar power generating capacity that will have the initial capability to supply a guaranteed minimum of 25 percent of the building’s power needs, with a possible capacity of 33 percent. Read more
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The Falls Church Episcopal’s Commitment to Racial Justice
Striving toward racial justice is one of the foundational pillars of the Episcopal Church. 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 faith compels 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. The majority of our current efforts don’t address racial injustice specifically. Instead our current efforts deal with the intersectional issues of poverty, homelessness, and incarceration that disproportionally affect People of Color. We reach out locally because there is so much need but we should look to broaden our relationships beyond our own locality. Advocacy at the state and national levels will ultimately be the force that re-aligns our society toward equality for all.
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TFCE Nave Open for Private Prayer Saturdays;
Thursday prayer time suspended
The Historic Church is open for silent prayer each Saturday from 9:00 - 11:00 am. (Due to low attendance, prayer in the Main Sanctuary is suspended; we are exploring an alternate time.) 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? E-mail Parish Administrator D'O Dillard.
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Adult Christian Formation 2020-2021
This year we will focus on three simple and purposeful Adult Christian Formation opportunities that will hopefully provide a place of grounding and connection to The Falls Church Episcopal during these socially distant times. Our options are:
- Foyer Groups: a small group gathering for fellowship, book study or Bible study;
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Sacred Ground: a film based dialogue series on race;
- Adult Forum and Coffee Hour: large group instruction and discussion on Sunday mornings.
We look forward to joining you on your spiritual journey, no matter where you are. We're leaving the light on for you at The Falls Church Episcopal and we hope you'll join us in whatever way you can.
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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
Friday, October 9th,
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Members and friends of The Falls Church Episcopal are invited to join Falls Church Presbyterian
Church for the next Silent Witness protest. Participants are asked to wear masks and maintain social distancing. Protests are held every other Friday, rain or shine.
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Drivers and Paper Bags Needed for Meal Deliveries
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. There is also a need for brown paper bags for food deliveries; bags may be dropped off at TFCE. If you are interested, please email [email protected]
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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 on line 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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