Epistle Header

In This Issue
Parish Notes
Photos -- Food For the Homeless
Vacation Bible School
This Sunday's Readings
Those Who Serve This Sunday
Mark Your Calendar
Our Sunrise Ministry
Music Notes
Our Prayer List
Birthdays
More Photos

Saint Patrick's Ministers 

The Ministers of Saint Patrick's Church are the People of this Parish

 

supported by

 

The Reverend  

Tinh Trang Huynh, Vicar

Ms. Mariko Hiller,  

Music Director

Ms. Rachel Burgess,

Nursery Care

 

We serve our Lord as part of the Diocese of Virginia

 

led by

our chief pastors

 

The Rt. Rev. Shannon Sherwood Johnston, Bishop 

 

The Rt. Rev.  

David Colin Jones, 

Bishop Suffragan

 

and  

The Rt. Rev. Ted Gulick,

Assistant Bishop 

The Vision of St. Patrick's

Saint Patrick's Episcopal Church is a community of care, called to be Christ-centered and multicultural in worship, Christian education and action to proclaim Christ's love to the world.

About St. Patrick's Church

Saint Patrick's was founded in 1953 as a mission church from the Falls Church.  The congregation met for the first time on January 3, 1954 in the cafeteria of the Graham Road School.  The building was completed in 1956.  Members of St. Pat's have been known for their involvement in outreach ministries since the very early days of the parish.  In 1955, Saint Patrick's became and Anglo-Vietnamese church, and has become more and more multicultural.  Some of us say that St. Pat's is like a window through which we can see God's love.  Other parishioners suggest St. Pat's is a "safe haven" for all who seek peace, a quiet place for those who want to find rest.  Many in the congregation mention caring is what makes St. Patrick's special to them.  Our vision statement reflects what we are in our hearts:  St. Patrick's Episcopal Church is a community of care called to be Christ-centered and multicultural in worship, Christian education and action to proclaim Christ's love to the world."


About St. Patrick

Saint Patrick is remembered as a missionary to Ireland, the first person to bring Christianity to the Irish people.  When he was 16 years old, Patrick was captured by Irish raiders on the shore of England, and was taken to Ireland, to shepherd a flock as a slave.  Six years later, Patrick left the flock as he heard a voice from God telling him to do so.  He fled to a port and found his way aboard a ship back home in England.  Patrick hoped never to return to Ireland.  But later, after receiving his education and ordination, he heard a voice from God telling him to go back to Ireland to preach the Good News to the Irish people.  Seeing himself as "a slave of Christ," Patrick went back as Bishop of Ireland, preaching Christ and calling the people of Ireland to believe in the Savior.  His ministry made a great impact on the Irish society, and since then Patrick has been Ireland's national saint.  As we think of the saint whom our church is named after, we are reminded of our mission of proclaiming Christ's love to the world.

St. Patrick's Organized for Missions and Ministry 

 

Vestry Committee:  Senior Warden:  Tom Auld;  Junior Warden:  Vivian Benjamin; Registrar:  Winnie Lebo; Treasurer:  Kathy Oliver;  Other members of the Vestry:   Victoria Kennedy, Jocelyne Miller, Pierre Chanu, Chris Nicholson.

 

GROUPS AND ACTIVITIES

 

Altar Guild:  Lucille Selby;  Bell Choir: Mariko Hiller; Children's Chapel:  Catherine Dubas;  Church Office:  Lois Cascella;  Offering Counters: Bob Cascella; Youth Ministry:  Maggie Spinelli; Region VIII Representative: Felix Spinelli;  Diocesan Council Delegate: Amelia Nicholson; St. Margaret's Circle:  Ann Nelson;  Telephone Chain: Alice King; Ushers: Bill Houston; Odeon Chamber Music Series:  Mariko Hiller; Westlawn Elementary School:  Winnie Lebo; Falls Church Community Services: Catherine Dubas; Hypothermia Shelter Program:  Felix Spinelli;  Church Women United:  Amelia Nicholson.



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June 23, 2001

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,


Welcome to the Epistle, St. Patrick's new online newsletter. The Epistle is meant to keep you informed of the many opportunities at St. Patrick's to worship the Lord, serve His people, and grow in the Faith.

 

The Epistle draws its name from St. Patrick himself, who left behind two verifiable writings, the Confessio (Declaration) and the Epistola ad Coroticum (Letter to Coroticus). The Confessio gives a short description of his life, and the Epistola is a letter admonishing a military general for taking as slaves several of Patrick's converts.


In the spirit of St. Patrick writing in support of his people, we offer the Epistle, which we pray will support and uphold the people of St. Patrick's and further our mission for Christ in Falls Church and beyond.

 

Parish Notes


 
The funeral of our beloved Edna Rhoad will be held at St. Patrick's this Saturday, June 25th, at 11 AM.  Interment  will be in the Memorial Garden, immediately following the service. Your presence and prayers are requested.

This Sunday, June 26th, we will celebrate our Children's Sunday School program, with special gifts for the rising fourth graders (can you guess who these five young people are?), our high school graduates (hats off to NamTran Mai and Jennifer Moya!), and our college graduate who earned a master degree in education (way to go, Jessica Mills!). 
           There will be a potluck lunch following the service, so please bring a dish to share.  We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of these young people!
 
- A Reminder:  This Sunday, during lunch there will be a meeting for adults who have had a child in Sunday School and/or who have participated in teaching (the meeting is rescheduled from last Sunday).  We will be looking for feedback from you (and your child/children!), and for ideas about how to grow our Sunday School program.
  
A Thank You Note to our Sunday School teachers and to those who assisted them for their wonderful ministry of this year.  Special thanks to Catherine Dubas, who took care of Children's Chapel time following Doan Huynh's departure,  and to Maggie Spinelli, whose work helped Sunday School to restart this year. 
  
-  Last Saturday's Feeding The Homeless was a fruitful event.  Sixteen members of St. Patrick's, including several youths, worke  d in the kitchen of the church, and eleven people wereat Bailey's Crossroads shelter to serve the meals.  Many thanks to all of you for your generosity and participation in this ministry.

-  The Diocese of Virginia requires that all our Sunday School teachers, nursery staff and youth leaders attend a 90-minute training on prevention of child sexual abuse.  Also, our lay eucharistic visitors must attend a class on prevention of abuse of the elderly.   The dates and places of the training will be announced.

-  Our Seminarian Toua Vang has finished his first year at the Seminary and has been in training for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), in Minneapolis, MN.  His family has left Virginia yesterday, to join him and visit with other Hmong members of Church of the Holy Apostles in Minneapolis, for the rest of the summer.  The Vangs will come back in September for Toua's second year at VTS, when Toua's field education at St. Patrick's begins.  God willing, in two years Toua will become the first Hmong Episcopal priest.

-  A clergy stole was dedicated in memory of Olivejean Patterson on the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, June 12th.  Toni Dungan, daughter of the late Olivejean and Pat Patterson, and her husband Ronnie presented the stole during worship, a beautiful red stole for Tinh+'s use at Pentecost.  We are grateful to the Patterson-Dungan family for the gift, and we join them in thanksgiving for the lives of their parents.

-  Our Cate Johnson is living and working in Islamabad, Pakistan. She is doing well.  She has just sent us a letter to tell us about life over there, and the letter will be posted next week's issue of this newsletter.

-   Thank you to all who participated in Falls Church Community Service Sunday on June 19th.  We hope to make this event an annual one, and very much appreciate your support!  We continue to accept monetary donations.  If you have a check for FCS, you can make the check out directly to FCS, with St. Patrick's in the memo line.  You can place your offering to FCS in the collection plate on Sunday morning, or mail it to the church, if you prefer:  St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, 3241 Brush Dr., Falls Church, VA   22042.

 

- Interested in seeing and learning about the Monarch Butterflies?  If so, please speak with Lois Cascella.  Lois works at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, and she and her son John have been raising monarch catepillars.  There is an entrance fee to the exhibition, and Lois can arrange for group registration.  She is thinking about organizing a small group to go after church on Sunday, August 21st.  Since this is a popular program, early registration is preferred.  If you would like to accompany Lois and John, and the other folks from church, please drop Lois a line at loiscascella@hotmail.com or see her at church. 

 

Meals-on-Wheels.  Fairfax County needs volunteers to deliver Vietnamese-style meals to older adults who speak Vietnamese and live in the Falls Church and Annandale areas.  Fluency in Vietnamese is helpful but not required.
Volunteering is flexible and easy.  A few hours a month contribute to the health and happiness of our older neighbors.  If you can help, please contact our Catherine Dubas, at catherinedubas@cox.net

 

Photos -- Food For The Homeless  


  Feed the Homeless 1

 

Kathy
Kathy Oliver

Vacation Bible School at St. Barnabas this summer 


This summer St. Patrick's children will join the children of St. Barnabas', Annandale, in the Vacation Bible School program, 6 PM to 8:30 PM,  July 17-21.  For information please speak with Maggie Spinelli

magspinelli@gmail.com 

.

This Sunday's Readings

 
- Genesis 22:1-18
-
Psalm 13
- Romans 6:13-23
-
Matthew 10:37-42

 

Those Who Serve This Sunday

 

Chalice:           Le Cao (Prayers, Crucifer)

 

Lector:            TBD (OT);  (Ps and NT) Liz Nguyen

 

Acolytes           Christine Moya, TBA

 

Altar Guild:     Mary Isibel, Nhung Dang, Pauline Thomas, Phung  Nguyen

 

Counters:        Milton Thomas and Liz Nguyen

 

Ushers:            Bill Houston, Lucille Selby, Moi Phan

 

Coffee hour:    (Potluck)

 

Mark Your Calendar 


Pool party at the home of
Jane, Caroline and Tom Aulds'
Sunday, July 24th
, after church. 
Potluck.  Please bring food.

 

Our Sunrise Ministry

  On every first and second Sundays of the month our lay eucharistic ministers -- Nancy Burch, Michael Knowles and Catherine Dubas (and occasionally some of our youths)  -- lead worship service at Sunrise/Bluemont.  The ministers bring reserved sacraments to a small group of residents who gather at 1:00 PM.  This ministry has brought blessing and inspiration to the participants.  Recently, Tinh+ asked Nancy Burch to tell how this wonderful ministry began, and here is her response:

 

I'm not sure of the exact date but I believe I began reading to Verna McFeaters in 1994 and it was at that time she asked if I could bring communion to her, which I did.   She did ask that I vest (made her feel more like she was actually in church), and I have continued to do this, even thought technically it's not required.   She then felt that it would be a good idea if we could make it available to others at Sunrise, asked me if I would be willing to undertake this activity, and then approached the folks at Sunrise about making it a formal event.   Thus began the monthly ritual.   Until that time there had been no "organized" worship services - although individuals did receive the euchrist privately - especially those of of the RC faith!  Much later we expanded our efforts to two Sundays a month and then with the aid of St. George's, Arlington we now have most Sundays covered.   I think this is an incredible achievement  - something to do with mustard seeds - but continue to wish that these types of facilities would set aside a dedicated "sacred space" for use by all faiths, rather than relegating these important services to any space that is available.   I guess places like Sunrise are more interested in the financial aspects and don't want to give up valuable rental space for something as "insignificant" as God-related topics!!!

 

I continue to thank St. Pat's, and you, for your continued support of this important aspect of our ministry.

Music Notes  

 

-  The performance of Dr. Vanessa Sheldon, harpist, on Sunday, May 22nd, concluded the 2010-2011 season of our  

Odeon Chamber Music Series.  The Series has brought to St. Pat's professional musicians and the great music that they play.  Most remarkable was the April 10th's concert to benefit Japan Tsunami victims, which collected over $8000.00.   Many thanks to our Mariko Hiller for her wonderful work and ministry among us.

 

-  Our Joe Dubas and his friends of the Brass of Peace gave a concert at Peace Lutheran Church, Alexandria, last Sunday afternoon.  We are grateful to Joe and his father Brian for the beautiful trombone music they play at St. Patrick's on most Sundays.

 

-  The Christian Classical Singers will perform at the Harris Theatre of George Mason University on Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 6 p.m.  Ticket: $20.00.  The group donated a superb performance for the Odeon sponsored Benefit Concert for the Relief of Japanese Tsunami Victims in April  at St. Patrick's.  Christian Classical Singers consists of 10 professional male opera singers.  Some of them are members of the Washington National Opera Chorus, and all are graduates of prestigious music schools. For more information and/or ticket reservation, please contact Ms. Anna Ko, at thepipeorganist@gmail.com 

Our Prayer List   

 

We remember in our prayer:


Bob Aronstein, Kari Boeskov, Mary Anne Bogie, Mary Carper, Marie Cosimano, Hai Dang Do,  Jane Chapman, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, John Davis, Donald DeVaughn, Michael Dickinson, Loretta Dougherty, The Edsall Family, Archie Ellis, Mary Farmer, The Faubion Family, Nance Finegan, Nic Franca, Luis Garay, Thomas Garner, Anne Goodwin, Jean Graham, Nick Giuliani, Canedo Guillermo, Katherine Hafele, Anne & Thomas Edsall, Margaret Ellis Harris, Bill and Betty Henderson, Sheila Henderson, Eldon Paul Henry,  Alek Hensley, Cindy Hogman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Michael Horn, Virginia Hughes, Angelina Jansen, Lindsay Johns, Gray and Bob Johnson, Jamie Kaplon, Robert Kelley, Quinn Kimball, Jeffry King, The Kontess Family, Wayne Langley, Susan Lawrence, Bau Le, Mary Catherine Luke, Joe Magrogan, Colleen Mavrikas, Michael Mills, Mary Monroe, Evelyn Morgan, Chester Hillis Patton,  Que Nguyen, Chick Nixon, Keslie Nolan, Olive Oliver, Gary Owens, Irene Pierce, Joann Piper, Faith Poole, William Ross,  Molly Saviola, Nora Searle, Bill Sitler, Irene Skowron, Karine Simpkin, Brian Smith, Josh Smithers, Candi Stewart, Heather Stefl, Barbara Stefl, Kara Stryker, The Strysko Family, Walter Sushko, Steven Talbert, George Thomas, Clara Torres, George Torres, Michael Weekes, The Westfall Family, Paula Wiech, Meredith Wiech, Donna Wolfe, Peter Kosutic, Chris, Tasha, Mark Zimpel.

 

We pray especially for Sheila Henderson, Bob Aronstein and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

 

We pray for all US personnel serving overseas, especially Galway Thomas, Garway Thomas and Cate Johnson.

 

Note: If you have a loved one or friend who needs prayer please call the church and leave a message at 703-532-5656, or write to Tinh+ at

stpats3241@gmail.com  or call him at 703-405-9571.

Birthdays

 

-June

 

24    Vashti Leonard Curtis

25    Ruth Spinelli

25    Claire Dubas

25    Reed Dexter

25    Mariko Hiller

26    Le Cao

26    Tuyet Mai

27    Jessica Mills

28    Asa Mills

28    Catherine Dubas

28    Melissa Burris

30    Cindy Rhoad

 

 

July

 2    John Cascella

 5    Hannah Burris

 9    Lillian Berg

10    Lucinda Downing

11    Timothy Dang

12    Mickie Frizzell

13    Tom Wetrich

13    Louis Spinelli

13    Tina VanPhung

15    Mary Anne Grant

17    Tuyet Diep

19    Jonathan Huynh

20    Frankie Haan

20    Toua Vang

22    Ngoc-Diem Dao Nguyen

24    Richard Mills

24    Matthew Mills

27    My Linh Tran

31    Stephen Gawarecki

 


More Photos 

 
Maggie
Maggie Spinelli
Amelia
Amelia Nicholson
Felix and Peyton
Felix and Peyton
catherine
Bill, Catherine and Kathy
claire
Claire Dubas
lois and kim anh
Lois and Kim-Anh