Church ShieldEpistle Header

In This Issue
Parish Notes
In Memoriam
A Prayer Request
A Report from My-Linh Tran
Last Sunday's Sermon
Community News
Tin Tức Sinh Hoạt
Bài Giảng Chúa Nhật Qua

Upcoming Events 

Friday, Nov. 11
Presentation of St. Pat's at diocesan Executive Board meeting, 10 AM

 

Nov. 11-13

6th & 7th Grade Weekend at Shrine Mont 

 

Sunday, Nov 13

Odeon Concert, 4 PM

 

Friday, Nov 18

Meeting on Children's Christmas Event, 5 PM

 

Vicar/Parents' meeting on baptism, 8 PM 

 

Saturday, Nov 19

Food for the Homeless, 12 Noon  

 

Sunday, Nov 27

(1 Advent)

Stewardship Sunday  

 

Inquirer's Class, after church (last session)   

 

Sunday, Dec 4  

 Bishop Visitation, 3 PM

 

Saturday, Dec 10

Vietnamese Christmas Star making, 10 AM 

 

Sunday, Dec. 11

Annual Meeting after church

 

Friday, Dec. 16

 

Girlscouts lock-in/ Erin Dubas' Troop 

 

Wednesday, Dec 14

Blue Christmas Service, 7:30 PM  

 

Sunday, Dec 18

Greening the church 

 

Saturday, Dec 24

Christmas Eve

Children's service,  

6:30 PM 

Music, 7:00 PM

Holy Eucharist, 7:30 PM 

    

Sunday, Dec 25

Christmas Day Service, 10:30 AM 

 

Sunday, Jan 1

New Year's Day Celebration after church, potluck.

 

Sunday, Jan 8

Degreen the church 

 

Saturday, Jan 14

Vestry Retreat (snow day: Jan 21) at Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, Alexandria, 9 AM -2 PM 

 

Sunday, Jan 22

Tết Celebration, after church, potluck & talent show!   

 

Friday, Jan 27 

 Children of Uganda event, 7:30 PM

 

Sunday, Jan 29 

 Odeon Concert, 4 PM 

 

 

 

Birthdays

 

November

 

10   Tom Auld (today!) 

12   Nhung Dang

18   Nam-Tran Mai

24   Thomas H. Wetrich

25   Kiet Samuel Tran


December

 

4   Irene Graham

5   Robert Aronstein

5   Jennifer Moya

6   Jean Pierre Chanu

10   Winnie Lebo

11   Graham     Parvinkarimi

14   Lois Cascella

15   Laurie Los

15   Moi Phan

16   Jean DuBro

18   Jackson DuBro

25   Amelia Nicholson

28   Paul Los

30   Patricia Phan

31   Trang Diep

31   Chon Kim Huynh

 

 

 

Our Prayer List

We remember in our prayer:

 

Margaret Mills, Jim Owens, William Yale, Laura Đo�n, Bob Aronstein, Kari Boeskov, Mary Anne Bogie, Mary Carper, Thomas Cascella, Marie Cosimano, Hai Dang Do,  Jane Chapman, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, John Davis, Donald DeVaughn, Michael Dickinson, Loretta Dougherty, Ingrid Eckstrand, The Edsall Family, Archie Ellis, Mary Farmer, The Faubion Family, Nance Finegan, 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, Leslie Hogan, 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, Susan Lawrence, Bau Le, Timothy Livingood, Joe Magrogan, Colleen Mavrikas, Michael Mills, Evelyn Morgan, 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,  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 for all US personnel serving overseas, especially 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

[email protected]  or call him at 703-405-9571.  Also, should a name need be removed from the list, please let Tinh+ know promptly, and give the reason. 

 

 

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

Mr. Toua Vang,  

Seminarian Assistant 

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 1995, Saint Patrick's became an 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."

Saint Patrick's

Website 

 

You are invited to visit our website.  Please click here .
Previous Issues of the Epistle
Please click here to read the archived issues of the Epistle.

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; 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. The Epistle Newsletter Editors: Winnie Lebo and Cindy Rhoad. 



Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List

 

November 10, 2011

Parish Notes  


-  Tomorrow, November 11, representatives of Saint Patrick's will meet with the diocesan Executive Board at 10:00 AM, to present our petition for parish status.  

 

-  Fr. Tinh will give a children's sermon at the 10:30 AM service this Sunday.   

 

-  Our Maggie Spinelli is organizing a meeting with parents to plan a children's Christmas event.  The meeting will be held at church on Friday, November 18, at 5 PM.  All parents are invited to participate. 

 

-  Thanksgiving service at St. Patrick's will be held on Thursday, November 24th, at 10:30 AM.  There will be a potluck after the service.  Please join us.
 
- Stewardship Sunday will be November 27th.  The Stewardship Letter and 2012 Pledge Card  will be mailed during the week that follows Stewardship Sunday.  Speakers on Saint Patrick's ministries, on the four Sundays of November, are Nancy Burch, Winnie Lebo, Elisabeth Nguyen and Bobby Dubas.  

   

In Memoriam 


Margaret Myers
Beloved Mother of Gladys Myers Van Beek
September, 2011
 
Hue Kim Kha
Beloved Sister of Oanh Phan
November 4, 2011
 
Jody Jones
Beloved Wife of the Rev. Dr. Richard Jones
November 5, 2011
 
Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord:
And let light perpetual shine upon them.

 (Book of Common Prayer, Page 486)
 

A Prayer Request 


Dear all:
 
I request your prayer for Leslie Hogan, 35, cousin of our Jonathan Miller, who will undergo major surgery on November 23rd.
 
Leslie is a mother of three children, and is very dear to Jocelyne and Jonathan.  Tinh+ 
 
 
"Almighty God our heavenly Father, graciously comfort your servant Leslie Hogan in her suffering, and bless the means made use for her cure.  Fill her heart with confidence that, though at times she may be afraid, she yet may put her trust in you;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen."   (BCP, page 459)
  

A Report from our My-Linh Tran, DDS� �


Mylinh1On October 22nd, I had the privilege to be a part of the Virginia Dental Hygienists' Association Rappahannock Dental Project serving the people of the Rappahannock Indian tribe and surrounding tribal communities. There has been no dental care in this reservation for more than ten years. I must admit that when I first heard the term "Indian reservation" I immediately thought of somewhere else far away.� Who could have thought that we have Indian reservations right in our Virginia backyard?� In fact, there are 11 tribal groups recognized in Virginia.

������ So early, at 5:30am in the morning, after kissing my mylinh 2babies goodbye, I headed south to the site. Anticipating that it might be hard to find the place, I had equipped myself with two different GPS. After many turns and U-turns, the GPS dropped me off in the middle of nowhere. They both kept saying that "you have arrived at your destination". I pulled to the side and started to call Carrie Simpson, RDH - the project coordinator,for directions. And thank God, another car pulled up aside me and a young lady hollered out, "Are you looking for the tribal center?" It turns out that Lisa is also a volunteer, and she took me Mylinh 3directly to the tribal center which is another mile up from where I was. We have volunteers as far away as Roanoke, Charlottesville, Williamsburg, Richmond... One doctor even enlisted her daughter and her boyfriend (who all have been in about 11 or 12 M.O.M projects).

����� Extractions, Basic restorative procedures, and Preventive hygiene services were performed. We also partnered with a student of Gerontology at Virginia Commonwealth University to gather data for an IRB grant proposal Mylinh 4already in the works, to sustain this event for years to come, �since the need is great. �

����� My favorite patient of the day was a gentleman who had both speech and hearing impediments. �We communicated on a clip board.� Despite the discomfort of the portable chair and the bad taste of the local anesthetic, he always had a big smile on his face. He said that he was really appreciative of our service. I want to thank him and the tribal people for placing their trust in us for their oral health care. We are honored. And we are once again, being reminded how blessed we are.

O God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties
���� or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of
���� ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly
���� and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me
� �� or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good
���� in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
���� and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
���� in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord
���� and Savior, Jesus Christ.� Amen.

(From the back cover of Forward Day by Day)

Last Sunday's Sermon �


All Saints' Sunday -- Year A -- November 6, 2011 -- Text: Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 3:1-7, Matthew 5:1-12

General QwanWhen you enter a Chinese restaurant or grocery store, chances are that you see a small altar with incense and the statue of a man with a stern and frightening appearance. His face is red, his beard is long, and he holds a sharp and weighty weapon. The man was General Qwan -- an ancient Chinese warrior.�� Now a "saint," General Qwan occupies temples and altars in many places.�� He rewards people for good behavior, and punishes those who are bad. Children would stop whining or throwing tantrums upon hearing his name.� In most Asian cultures, heroes of old became deities when they died, and they are called "saints."

����������� How do we Christians define a saint?

����������� Several years ago I asked our children in church what they thought saints are like.

����������� They said: Saints are good people.

����������� I then asked them if they would regard their parents as saints.� Many said yes, but some seemed a little pensive -- saints do not yell.� Asked if their pets behaved saintly, all said of course. �

����������� Originally, All Saints' Day is a day to commemorate
Christian martyrs of the early centuries.� Now All Saints' Day is a day of remembrance, to celebrate the blessedness of all who die in the Lord -- those who are convinced of their basic dependence on God.� Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."�� �

����������� The Church has a list of those recognized as saints.� Yet all are called to be saints, no matter how imperfect we are.�� �

����������� Sainthood is about being set apart from the world; you live in the world, but you do not belong to the world. John, in his Letter, speaks about self-purifying Christians; those keenly aware of being God's beloved, who would watch their steps as they walk their earthly journey.� In our Baptismal Covenant, we promise to renounce evil and follow Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

����������� The last verse of the passage from the Book of Revelation is familiar to many of us.� We often hear it at funerals: "... and he will guide them to springs of water of life, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."�������� Saints have the courage to embrace pain and sorrow.� Although sad and painful things happen so often in life, they never give up, because their hope is in the risen Lord.� Saints are those in whom we see the portrait of Jesus.
����������� Can we be saints to each other?

����������� Our challenge is to put into practice what we say in the Baptismal Covenant.� Do we renounce evil? Are we striving for peace and justice for all in the world? �

����������� Above all, there is something without which no sainthood is possible.��It is forgiveness.� An unforgiving person cannot be called a saint, even when he or she gains the recognition and praise of the community.��The call to sainthood is embedded in the Lord's Prayer: �We must forgive those who trespass against us, and this is the very challenge of the All Saints' Day's message.

������������God is calling us to set ourselves apart for Him, to taste and see His goodness.�For the kingdom of heaven is supposed to be ours,�here and now.

Community News
Tin Tức Sinh Hoạt

    

- B� Kha Kim Hu�, ch ca C� Oanh Phan đ� v vi Ch�a ng�y 4 th�ng 11, năm 2011 ti Virginia. Mục Sư Tỉnh cử h�nh lễ an t�ng cho B� h�m Thứ Hai vừa qua. Nh� Thờ xin ph�n ưu c�ng C� Oanh v� qu� quyến.  

 

- Ng�y mai, 11 th�ng 11, c�c đại diện Ban Chấp H�nh Nh� Thờ Th�nh Patrick sẽ họp với Ban Chấp H�nh của Gi�o Phận về việc Nh� Thờ ch�ng ta xin trở th�nh một Hội Th�nh tự trị.

 

- Mục Sư Tỉnh sẽ giảng cho thiếu nhi v�o Ch�a Nhật tuần nầy.

 

- Lễ Cảm Tạ sẽ được cử h�nh v�o ng�y Thứ Năm, 24 th�ng 11, l�c 10 giờ 30 s�ng. K�nh mời qu� anh chị em tham dự đ�ng đủ, v� xin mang theo thức ăn để chia xẻ với nhau.

 

- Năm nay, ng�y 27 th�ng 11 s l� Ch�a Nht D�ng Hiến ti Nh� Th ch�ng ta. V�o mi s�ng Ch�a Nht, ti gi th�ng c�o, mt t�n hu s l�n tr�nh by trước Hi Th�nh v mt mc v ca nh� th, đ mi người đu biết trong năm qua nh� th đ� thc hin được nhng điu g�. Nh� Th sẽ gởi thư c đng d�ng hiến đến gia đ�nh c�c t�n hu trong tun l sau ng�y n�i tr�n.

 

- V�o ng�y Th By, 19 th�ng 11, ch�ng ta s li l�m thc ăn cho người homeless. Ch�ng ta s bt đu nu v�o l�c 1 gi trưa, trong bếp ca nh� th, v� ph�n phi c�c phn ăn ti Bailey's Crossroads Community Center l�c 5 gi chiu. K�nh mi qu� anh ch em tham d v�o mc v ny. Nh� th cn người volunteer. T ghi danh s được đt ph�ng narthex. Đ biết th�m, xin qu� v li�n lc vi b� Amelia Nicholson, 703-519-1811, hoc vi Mc Sư.

  

- Bui hp thường ni�n ca nh� th ch�ng ta s được t chc sau l, ng�y Ch�a Nht, 11 th�ng 12. Năm nay ch�ng ta s kh�ng c� phn bu c�c th�nh vi�n mi v�o Ban Chp H�nh, v� kh�ng c� qu� v n�o trong Ban Chp H�nh m�n nhim năm nay.

 

 

B�i Giảng Ch�a Nhật Vừa Qua

  

Ng�y C�c Th�nh -- November 6, 2011 - Kinh Văn: Khải Huyền 7:9-17, 1 Giăng 3:1-7, Ma Thi Ơ 5:1-12

 

General QwanBước v�o một tiệm bu�n hay qu�n ăn người Hoa qu� vị thường thấy một c�i am thờ, trong đ� c� nhang đ�n, v� tượng một người h�nh dạng quắc thước lẫm liệt, mặt đỏ r�u d�i. Đ� l� �ng Quan V�n Trường, vị anh h�ng Trung Quốc thời cổ, nay đ� hiển th�nh, v� �ng c� mặt khắp nơi trong c�c đến miếu lớn nhỏ: thưởng cho ai ngoan hiền, phạt ai quấy. Trẻ con la kh�c im bặt khi nghe t�n �ng. Trong văn h�a � Ch�u, th�nh l� những anh h�ng xa xưa đ� trở th�nh thần linh khi vi�n tịch.

            Ki T� Gi�o phong th�nh cho ai?

            V�i năm trước đ�y t�i hỏi c�c em thiếu nhi: c�c em nghĩ c�c vị th�nh như thế n�o? C�c em trả lời rằng họ l� những người tốt.

            T�i hỏi th�m: c�c em c� thể gọi cha mẹ l� "th�nh" kh�ng? Hầu hết trả lời l� c�. Song c� v�i em c� vẻ lưỡng lự -- th�nh kh�ng lớn tiếng la rầy. Được hỏi con ch� con m�o trong nh� c� n�n gọi l� th�nh kh�ng, c�c em trả lời l� đương nhi�n.

            Ng�y C�c Th�nh l� ng�y đặc biệt trong truyền thống gi�o hội, ti�n khởi l� để tưởng nhớ những th�nh tử đạo thời xưa. H�m nay, Ng�y C�c Th�nh l� ng�y tưởng niệm v� tạ ơn về phước hạnh của những người chết trong Ch�a -- tức l� những người tin đời m�nh ho�n to�n lệ thuộc Ch�a. Đức Gi�su ph�n, "Phước cho ai ngh�o khổ về t�m linh, v� Nước Thi�n Đ�ng l� của họ."

            Hội Th�nh c�ng nhận một số người l� th�nh. Song  tất cả mọi người đều được gọi trở n�n th�nh, mặc d� ch�ng ta bất to�n.

            Th�nh c� nghĩa l� t�ch biệt với thế gian - sống trong đời, song kh�ng thuộc về đời. Th�nh Giăng, trong thơ gởi cho c�c t�n hữu thuở xưa, viết rằng người theo Ch�a phải l�m m�nh n�n tinh sạch: con c�i Ch�a biết m�nh thuộc về Ch�a th� phải cẩn thận trong lối sống, để kh�ng phạm tội.   Trong giao ước b�p tem ch�ng ta đ� khấn hứa sẽ chống trả điều �c, v� theo con đường của Đức Gi�su.

            C�u ch�t của đoạn kinh văn Khải Huyền ch�ng ta đọc s�ng nay rất quen thuộc v� nghe trong tang lễ: "... ch�nh Đức Ch�a Trời sẽ lau r�o nước mắt của họ, từng giọt." Th�nh l� những người c� c�i du~ng chịu đựng đau khổ. Họ từng trải biết bao đau thương trong đời, song họ kh�ng chịu thua. Họ can đảm nắm chặt niềm hy vọng nơi Ch�a Phục Sinh. Th�nh l� những người biểu lộ h�nh ảnh Đức Gi�su trong c�ch xử thế của họ.            

            Ch�ng ta c� thể l� th�nh nh�n cho nhau chăng?  

            Sự th�ch thức l� thực h�nh giao ước b�p tem. M�nh c� chống cự điều �c kh�ng? M�nh c� cố gắng hết sức theo đuổi h�a b�nh v� c�ng l� cho mọi người?

            C� một điều m� kh�ng ai được coi l� th�nh nếu thiếu, cho d� người đ� được Hội Th�nh hay cộng đo�n ngưỡng mộ đến đ�u: đ� l� sự tha thứ. Điều nầy nằm trong b�i cầu nguyện Ch�a dạy: tha thứ cho người mắc lỗi với m�nh, như Ch�a đ� tha cho m�nh. Đ�y ch�nh l� sứ điệp đầy th�ch thức của Ng�y C�c Th�nh.

            Ch�a gọi ch�ng ta biệt m�nh ri�ng ra cho Ng�i, để nếm biết sự tốt l�nh của Ch�a, v� Nước Thi�n Đ�ng đ� d�nh sẵn cho ch�ng ta, ngay h�m nay trong đời m�nh.

  

  

 

  

 

May God bless and keep you, and may God grant us peace. 

 

The Rev. Tinh T. Huynh

Vicar of Saint Patrick's Church