Join us for Worship this Sunday



8:00 a.m. Contemplative Holy Eucharist (spoken)

10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist followed by coffee hour and fellowship

Livestreamed on Facebook.

1:30 p.m. Iglesia de Cristo Rey, Holy Eucharist in Spanish

Update from the Rector

Dear St. Christopher’s Family,

As I write this, I am joyfully realizing that I have only three sessions of chemotherapy left. This wilderness time for me and for you as the church will end soon. Many of you have asked how I am feeling. Following my chemotherapy appointments, I have a week of difficult side effects. Once those lighten, I have about three good days until the next chemo round. All this care is designed to give me a life without recurrence of cancer, and so, I am grateful even for the rough days. 

Wilderness is a biblical theme that has deeply resonated with me in this time. In biblical accounts the wilderness is “trackless, filled with strangeness and risk” and yet is a place in which God is deeply present. It is a place theologian Ellen Davis notes, “of wondrous yet bare sufficiency,” a place where we are invited to see with changed eyes the new thing that God is doing (Isaiah 43:19).

I see that at St. Christopher’s. I am so heartened by all that you as a community are doing in my absence. Ministries have been strengthened and grown; people have been seen and cared for, fed and clothed. Groups that I used to convene, continue because they matter to the people who attend them, making the prayer of that assembly so much stronger!

I will return to St. Christopher’s as we begin a new church year and together, we will go into 2027 seeing all the new things God is doing in our midst and build on them. We will work to support the St. Christopher’s committee that is reimaging the roles children have in our worship. We will continue to meet our neighbors, housed and unhoused, to strengthen our work with our local schools, to pray together and to give voice to the ways God is working among us. See you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Rev. Carey

Welcome to Rev. Jo Belser

Rev. Jo Belser will be leading us in worship on Sundays in September. Please welcome her to St. Christopher’s!

Parish Retreat Shrine Mont Weekend – October 9-11

Join us for a casual getaway at Shrine Mont in the Shenandoah Valley. From Friday dinner to Sunday lunch, the weekend offers fun, fellowship, relaxation and renewal for families, couples, singles, newcomers, and everyone else. St. Christopher’s children ages 13 and under attend for free!! Once again, members of the Cristo Rey congregation will be joining us.

This year’s retreat includes a Friday night campfire, Saturday morning program, Saturday afternoon free time, and our infamous Saturday game night. NEW – St. George’s Church has invited our school-aged children to participate in their Saturday morning programs, providing age-appropriate activities for everyone. We wrap up the weekend Sunday morning with worship at the outdoor shrine. All scheduled activities are optional, and the weekend is yours to spend as you choose!

To reserve your spot, please register by the extended due date of Sunday, September 27. Scan the QR code or click here to register online or complete and return a hard copy form (on the table in Fellowship Hall). 



Registration 

You may pay via:

• Check payable to St. Christopher's Church, earmarked "Shrine Mont." 
• PayPal    
• Givelively
• Venmo 

Children’s Formation



At the start of most 10:30 a.m. services, the children will be invited to the atrium, located just outside of the sanctuary, for child-centered presentations and hands-on work to encounter their own relationship and experience with a loving, nurturing God. We will explore Jesus’ life, teachings, and parables, elements of Episcopal life and worship, the Eucharist, and much more! 

Please note that we have bags with children’s bulletins and pictures to color available as you enter the church and a couple of areas in the church for them to use during the service.

Grace Presbyterian Church invites our neighbors to a special series entitled "God and Country"

As the nation continues to commemorate its 250th-year anniversary, Grace invites the congregation and the community to join in conversation about what it means to love both God and country, without confusing the two or diminishing either.

• On September 29, 7:00-8:30 PM, the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins from the Office of Public Witness for the PCUSA will make a Zoom presentation and lead a discussion on his recently released book In God We Trust: The Origins of Christian Nationalism.
• Then starting in October, Grace will host a Book Club on the book How to Be a Patriotic Christian by Richard Mouw over 3 Zoom sessions: 10/13, 10/27, 11/10; 7:00-8:30pm.

Come to either the speaker session OR the Book Club, or come to both! Zoom information can be obtained by contacting katie@gracepresby.org.

Bible Study on Sunday mornings

9 AM - 9:45 AM in the Fellowship Hall of the Church

Join the preacher of that day for a conversation about the lectionary scriptures. We look at alternate translations and consult multiple commentaries that open perspectives for us. 

Morning Prayer – Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom

All are invited to morning prayer and conversation on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. The invitation with the Zoom link is sent out in an email early Wednesday.  You can sign up to be on our mailing list at the bottom of the main page on our website at https://www.saintchristophers.net/.

Centering Prayer – Wednesdays at 4 p.m.

Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer in which we experience God's presence within us. Please join us at 4 p.m. for twenty-five minutes of centering prayer together. Fellowship Hall

Prayer Shawls – September 26 at 11 a.m.

The Prayer Shawl ministry will meet again on September 26 at 11 a.m. in the library. The Prayer Shawl ministry usually meets on the last Saturday of the month. The shawls and other items are usually blessed on the first Sunday of the month. Please come, show what you are working on and enjoy the fellowship with our group. All are welcome! Please contact Chriss Foster @ ladybug6116@verizon.net for more information.

Holy Hike 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at Lorton’s Mason Neck State Park



We hope you can join us for our next Holy Hike at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at Mason Neck State Park near Lorton. We'll meet at the visitor center located on a bluff with a sweeping view of beautiful Belmont Bay. From there we’ll walk 2-3 miles on a path that borders the bay, then drops to a boardwalk through a wetlands, followed by a trail through the woods and back to the visitor center. The visitor center has rest rooms, exhibits and a small gift shop. Most of the path is flat, although a few spots have steps.

Admission to the park is $10 per car. For your convenience, we’ll car pool from St. Christopher’s lower lot at 9 a.m. Should be a lot of fun. See you there! Questions: contact Jim Bradshaw at jim.bradshaw@cox.net. 

River Crossing Café – Sunday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m.



Please join us Sunday Evening on October 4 from 7 to 9 at the monthly River Crossing Cafe! Come and listen or share a song, story, rap or poem. Engage creatively with colors on paper. Sample our homemade snacks and try one of Carroll’s fabulous custom coffees or egg cream drinks. Everyone is encouraged to come and bring their friends! We hope to see you there!

The Rt. Rev. Rowan Williams – at Georgetown University on October 20



The Rt. Rev Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, will deliver the 2026 Constan Lecture on Early Christianity and will be awarded an honorary degree at Georgetown University on October 20 at 4 p.m. This event is completely free and open to the public.

Link to register: https://events.georgetown.edu/event/rowan-williams

FACETS Meal Prep – October 22, 2026

Save the date! Our next FACETS Meal Prep is on Thursday, October 22. There will be a SignUp Genius available soon.

Chair Yoga - Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. 

Chair Yoga led by Ruth Meagher gives a gentle but meaningful time to center in our bodies.  This activity will occur on most Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. Check our website calendar for the most up to date information.

Auditorium or Fellowship Hall

Breakfast Bunch - Sunday between Services

Come Eat with Us! Join a group of St. Christopher's folks for a fun, informal breakfast most Sundays at Delia's about 9 a.m. Delia's 6715-F Backlick Rd., Springfield.

Hypothermia Prevention Week – Save the Date!

The next Hypothermia Prevention Week at St. Christopher’s will be from the evening of January 17, 2027 through the morning of January 24, 2027. Please mark your calendar and start thinking about how you want to participate this time.

American Legion Post 176 Blood Drive – Tuesday, Oct 13



There is a shortage of blood in the area, and St. Christopher's can help. American Legion Post 176 sponsors a blood bank every other month.  Please join them in this effort. You can sign up at Red Cross Blood Drive or by calling 1-800-733-2767 to speak with a representative. Use sponsor code AMERICANLEGION176. Please email Blooddrive@post176.org with any questions.

 Deacon’s Corner

October is near! The church year is coming to an end soon. And that means we are getting close to the narrative of the passion in Matthew's Gospel. In the next few Sundays, we will see how the grumbling and resistance against Jesus' teaching increases and voices for his arrest start to emerge. Last Sunday we learned that Jesus' teaching of loving God and everyone, of serving those in need and expecting only our daily bread in return is hard for those that do not like to be equal to others, and who love status and wealth more than God. God calls us to be generous, merciful and not to envy or grumble against others. In short, we are called to follow Jesus and live in God's kingdom.

God's kingdom is very different from the world we live in. We practice living in God's kingdom at church so we can then do it in the world. To help us with kingdom living, we will be studying and meditating on the Letter to the Philippians. This letter will show us how the people of Philippi responded to similar challenges we have now. You will realize that the world has not really changed in the past 2000 years! I invite you to meditate on this letter with me. It is not long, just four chapters that will help you discern what the Holy Spirit in you is calling you to be and do in our time. I look forward to seeing what God does in your life and the life of our church at St. Christopher's, at this special time. God's peace that surpasses all understanding be with you. (Philippians 4:7)

Creation Care News – The Season of Creation

Each year beginning on September 1 and ending on October 4, Christian churches from many denominations celebrate the beauty and splendor of God's creation and recognize our role in caring for it. The national Episcopal Church and Episcopal Diocese of Virginia have embraced this celebration. This year's theme is "Living Water.”  Elaine Sevy is our Creation Care Ministry Chair and serves on the DOV’s Creation Care Committee. She has created a Book Nook and provided updated materials in our Fellowship Hall for our parishioners related to caring for God’s glorious Creation. Contact Elaine at yorkiemum.sevy95@gmail if you have questions, want to learn more or volunteer.

ECHO News



Please help ECHO keep its pantry stocked. ECHO can use most kitchen staples sized for a household of 4-5. ECHO cannot use opened, expired or re-packaged products. Please consider donating some of these important items: brown paper grocery bags and reusable grocery bags, spaghetti sauce and pasta, canned fruit, peanut butter and jam, cereal, lemon juice, dry beans, masa flour, rice, toilet paper, adult toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo.

ECHO’s Housewares Department would very much appreciate donations of 3-quart pots, bathmats, silverware, towels (bath, hand and facecloths). Also, the Clothing Room is distributing fall and winter clothing now, so ECHO welcomes donations that will keep their clients warm. As school starts back, please remember that ECHO always needs new or gently used sneakers for children.  

Thank you so much for supporting ECHO! Items can be left in the ECHO chest in the fellowship area of St. Christopher's and will be taken to ECHO.

ECHO’s Fall Yard Sale – October 31 from 8 a.m. to Noon



Please Mark Your Calendar and Spend a Spooky Halloween Morning at the ECHO Yard Sale.

Treat yourself on Halloween by searching for treasures at ECHO’s famous Fall Yard Sale. Join the fun on Saturday, October 31, 8:00 am to noon in the gym at St. Bernadette’s School, 7600 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, for a massive sale of home accessories, fashion items, collectibles, toys, electronics, and more. You will have all afternoon to prepare your home and family for Trick or Treating! ECHO’s semi-annual yard sales support our mission of helping people in our community.

Firewood Available



There is some firewood available from the tree that fell into the Memorial Garden. It will be over by the shed in the Hanover parking lot. First come, first served.  

Cards for Rev. Carey and Hap Connors



We are setting up a basket in the Church Narthex (fellowship area outside the Sanctuary) to receive cards and notes for Carey and Hap as she continues her chemotherapy treatment. Please bring or mail your cards and notes to the Church. We will also have cards, blank note cards and writing implements by the basket for anyone to use. It’s also fine to send a note that will make Carey and Hap laugh. And it’s a great opportunity for children to send hand-made cards and pictures. We will arrange to deliver the cards to Carey and Hap each week until she returns to St. Christopher’s. Please contact Deb Frear, deb.frear@gmail.com, if you have any questions.

MEVO Announcement

Over 7,000 people interacted with our Facebook Services online last year. If you are interested in volunteering to support this ministry, please contact the church office at sccparisha@gmail.com or 703-451-1088.

Clean out your closets and help our Tuesday Cafe guests



We need some clothing for the men we serve on Tuesdays. If you can, please donate tennis shoes (sizes 8 and 9), t-shirts (small and medium) and new underwear. A bin is set up by the Echo box in Fellowship Hall for this collection. 

Coffee Hour – Help Needed

We all enjoy snacking and chatting during coffee hour after the 10:30 service on Sundays. Please consider helping with this so we can all enjoy this time together. The signup sheets and Coffee Hour Instructions are available on the kitchen ledge. Contact Christina Leuthy at oriwhitedeer@gmail.com with any questions.

Flower Guild

If you like to find out more about the flower guild, please contact Liz Zubritsky ezubritsky@gmail.com. Everyone is welcome to participate in this ministry to decorate our worship space. 

All parishioners are welcome to sign up for a flower dedication for any specific Sunday at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C49ACAD22A31-61733351-stchristophers#/

Online Security Reminder!

Please be careful with any requests for gift cards or parishioner contact information. These emails can look very realistic. Some requests are made to look like discrete requests from Rev. Carey for gift cards. Another frequent one is a request for parishioner contact information. 

Please do not respond to these requests. They often “appear” to come from someone you know and trust, but that’s part of the scam. Some clues to cause you to be suspicious include requests that are odd, urgent, or from an unknown email address that does not match the name they are using. Call the church office if you have any questions.

Sharing Our Spaces

As our church activities and space rentals increase, our spaces are getting very busy and shared by various different groups. Please be mindful of the other groups that might be using the same areas as your group. Label your items, keep your storage organized and tidy, and don’t throw away something unless you have checked with the possible owner/user.

If you want to have a meeting on campus, be sure to check the church calendar at https://www.saintchristophers.net/calendar and check with our parish administrator, Jane Hinson. She can be contacted at sccparisha@gmail.com or 703-451-1088.

Church Office Hours

The Church office is usually staffed by our part time Parish Administrator Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The office will be staffed on Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon by parish volunteers when the preschool is in session.

Newsletter and Bulletin Announcements

Please provide any items to be included in the weekly newsletter or bulletin by noon on Tuesday. Please include how long you want your announcement to run. If you have any questions, please email Jane Hinson at sccparisha@gmail.com.  

Contact Information for Pastoral Care

While Reverend Carey Connors is out on medical leave, Rev. David Crosby and Deacon Elvira Beracochea will be handling requests for pastoral care until her return.

Reverend David Crosby can be reached at therevdmc@gmail.com. 

Deacon Elvira Beracochea can be reached at deaconelvira1@gmail.com.

You can also call the church office at 703-451-1088 or send an email to sccparisha@gmail.com.

This Week at St. Christopher’s

Monday, September 28

1:30 p.m. Preschool Extended Hour

7:30 p.m. S.A.

Tuesday, September 29

Wednesday, September 30

9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer and Conversation (Zoom)

4:00 p.m. Centering Prayer (Fellowship Hall)

7:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal

7:30 p.m. G.A.

Thursday, October 1

7:30 p.m. S.A.

Friday, October 2

Saturday, October 3

10:00 a.m. Holy Hike

10:00 a.m. Chair Yoga (Auditorium)

8:30 p.m. A.A. 

The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, October 4

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist/Rite II

9:00 a.m. Bible Study (Fellowship Hall)

10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist/Rite II and Virtual Service

11:45 a.m. Fellowship Coffee Hour

1:30 p.m. Cristo Rey Service 

7:00 p.m. River Crossing Cafe (Auditorium)