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In This Issue

Upcoming Events 

 

April 13-15

Spring PYM Sr. High Weekend at Shrine
Mont

Saturday, April 14

 

Car Trunk Sale & Car Show at St. Pat's (Rain date:  April 21st)  

 

Saturday, April 21

Election of Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia 

 

Sunday, April 22

 

Guest Preacher and Celebrant:  The Rev. Dr. Richard Jones.  

 

Youth & Children's Activity (4th Grade and Up)

 

Saturday, April 28

 

Memorial Service -- Bob Aronstein, 3 PM  

 

Sunday, April 29

 

Preacher: Toua Vang. Seminarian Committee meets after church.

 

Odeon Concert, 4 PM

 

Saturday, May 5

 

Altar Guild Meeting, 10 AM (Rain date: May 12) 

 

Trinity School Music Event, 6 PM - 9:30 PM 

 

Sunday, May 13

 

Odeon Concert, 4 PM 

 

Sunday, May 20

 

Preacher: Christopher Miller.  Christopher's last Sunday at St. Patrick's as Young Priest Initiative Intern. 

 

Youth Activity (7th Grade and Up)

 

Sunday, May 27

Day of Pentecost.

Holy Baptism 

 

 

Sunday, June 24

 

Pool Party at the Aulds, after church 

 

Birthdays

April

 

17   Hong Nguyen

17   Audette Frazer

19   Savannah Frizzell

21   Cheryl Gardner

22   Amy Phan

24   Lindsay Gardner

27   Pat Gardner

28   Carolyn Auld

30   Cate Johnson

 

May

1   Nancy Burch

2   Erin Marie Dubas

2   Gaohmong Vang

3   Carey Miga

3   Chris Nicholson

4   Ngoc Nguyen

5   Muachee Vang

8   Caroline Houston

9   Margaret Moreau

10   Steve Lebo

13   Alice King

15   Bi Phan

16   Tuyet Mai

16   Vivian Benjamin

17   Cuong Tran

27   Louise Gibney

28   Mouachee Vang

29   Ann Nelson

29   Christine Moya

30   Alex Benjamin

31   Brian Leonard

31   Kathleen Oliver

31   Janice Mills

 

Our Prayer List

We remember in our prayer:

 

Harry Babatunde Benson, Kari Boeskov, Mary Anne Bogie, Mary Carper, Thomas Cascella, Marie Cosimano, Jane Chapman, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, John Davis, Donald DeVaughn, Michael Dickinson, Laura Đoàn, Loretta Dougherty, The Edsall Family, Mary Farmer, The Faubion Family, Nance Finegan, Luis Garay, Thomas Garner, Anne Goodwin, Jean Graham, Katie Grosse, Nick Giuliani, Canedo Guillermo, Katherine Hafele, Anne & Thomas Edsall, Margaret Ellis Harris, Eldon Paul Henry, Betty and Bill Henderson, Alek Hensley, Bill Herbert, Leslie Hogan, Cindy Hogman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Michael Horn, Lindsay Johns, Gray and Bob Johnson, Jamie Kaplon, Robert Kelley, Quinn Kimball, Jeffry King, The Kontess Family, Susan Lawrence, Bau Le,  Joe Magrogan, Colleen Mavrikas, Margaret Mills, Michael Mills, Danielle Morgan, Evelyn Morgan, Que Nguyen, Chick Nixon, Keslie Nolan, Olive Oliver, Jim Owens, Gary Owens, Joann Piper, Faith Poole, William Ross, Molly Saviola, Nora Searle, Bill Sitler, Irene Skowron, Karine Simpkin, Brian Smith, Josh Smithers, Candi Stewart, Barbara Stefl, Art Stroud, Kara Stryker, Walter Sushko, Steven Talbert, George Thomas, Clara Torres, George Torres, Thelma Trout, Nhon Thanh Vo, Bryan Webber, Michael Weekes, The Westfall Family, Paula Wiech, Meredith Wiech, Donna Wolfe, Peter Kosutic, Chris, Tasha.

 

Please pray especially for Baby Harry Benson, Bill Herbert, Karine Simpkin, Pauline Leonard, Dien Nguyen and Alice King. 

    

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

 

We pray also for the orphans and those who care for them at Abba Home in Pakistan, and for all orphans in the world.  

____ 

 

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.  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, Rector

 

Mr. Toua Vang,  

Seminarian Assistant  

 

Mr. Christopher Miller,

Young Priest Initiative Intern 

 

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 

 

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, a mission of the Diocese of Virginia, and has become more and more multicultural.  In January of 2012, Saint Patrick's full parish status was restored and recognized at the 217th Annual Council meeting of the Diocese.   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 if you wish to see the previous 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; Feed the Homeless:  Amelia Nicholson; 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; Flea Market: Chris Nicholson 



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 April 12, 2012

Photos    

Palm Sunday -- April 1, 2012
Acolytes on Palm Sunday

Liturgy of the Palms

Easter 2012
Church on Easter
The Sanctuary before the service 
easter egg preparation
Easter Egg Preparation -- Saturday, April 7, 2012 
    
Easter Egg Hunt 1
















Joseph Dubas


Rylton Thomas -- A Reading from the Book of Acts


Decoration of the Easter Cross


Children's Choir
Children's Choir by Oanh Kha

Alleluia Chorus
Alleluia Chorus



Many thanks to Vivian Benjamin and Oanh Kha for the pictures.

Easter Day Sermon     

Easter Day - Year B - April 8, 2012

Text: John 20:1-18                                     Tinh Huynh+ 

-------------------

 

          "Woman, why are you weeping?"

           In the Name of God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

-------

            The refrain of the sequence hymn that we sang this morning reads, "Love is come again like wheat that springeth green."

            Love is come again?

            Is that possible?

            Sounds unreal, doesn't it?

            Yesterday I was glad to hear the sound of the lawn mower on church grounds for the first time since last summer.   The green leaves have come back, and so have the robins and the bees.

            The coming back of the leaves and birds and animals in spring is natural.  But, what about the coming back of love?     

            If love has gone, or is lost, can love ever come again?

            ----------

            We are living in a weeping world.(1)    

            Many years ago, I saw on the Washington Post a picture of a young woman with her husband, a soldier, just before the time he left for Iraq. As he waited for the call to the bus, the couple sat on the ground, against a wall.

            Her arms were around him.

            Her eyes were swollen.

            -----------

            We all are weeping, for various reasons.

            We weep over our losses, mortality and imprisonment. 

            We weep over our brokenness -- broken relationships, war, poverty, failures and guilt.

            The whole world is weeping.  No tear is left. 

            We have been numb to human suffering.  Pain has been here for so long that you don't feel much of it. 

            We may have been oblivious to our own weeping.    

            ------------

            Love is come again?

            Can that happen?

            Sounds unnatural, doesn't it? 

            Do we believe in resurrection?

            -------------

            In the Easter story that we heard this morning,  Mary Magdalene encountered the angels and the Risen Lord when she was alone in that dark and spooky place, the empty tomb - distraught, frightened, and puzzled. Twice did she hear this question, "Woman, why are you weeping?"

            ------------

            Mary did not recognize the two men in the tomb as angels. Neither did she recognize Jesus.  She was very much focused on the loss of the body of the Master.  The dead body of Jesus was the only thing that occupied her mind.  She did not see Jesus standing next to her, until he called her by name.   

           She turned toward Him who called her, and she recognized Him.  She could have decided not to turn, but she made the right choice.   

           The moment she saw the Risen Lord was also the moment of her own resurrection.   Later, she said, "I have seen the Lord."
             Resurrection sounds unnatural, but it can be real for you and me.    

            -------------

            In his Letter to Christians in Corinth, Paul says that the Risen Lord appeared to the apostles and to him. Paul says, "He appeared also to me."  The appearance and call of the Risen Lord is not only for a few special persons. His appearance and call are for all. 

            Christ might have been appearing to us and calling us, in different ways and at different times, and yet we might not have recognized Him.  Perhaps we have too many "dead bodies" to worry about:  grudges that we don't want to let go;  things that someone did that we find impossible to forgive; things that we did, for which we are unable to forgive ourselves.  

            Mary turned to Jesus, and everything changed.

            Love is come again -- life has come back -- just because the Lord makes his presence known to us, and because we choose to listen to his voice and choose to turn to Him. 

            Verse 4 of the hymn that we sang reads,

            "When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,

           Thy touch can call us back to life again,

            Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have  been:

            "Love is come again like wheat that springeth green."

            ------------

              

            "Why are you weeping?"   

All we have to do is turn to Jesus.               

 

------------

             

Alleluia! Christ is risen.

            The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

            Amen.

__________

(1) Romans 8:22: We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now..  


Easter Flower Dedications   

Easter Flowers 

The flowers on the altar and throughout the church are given to the Glory of God  

 

In Loving Memory of:

 

Sheila Henderson and Bob Aronstein

by Tinh+ and Kim-Anh Huynh

 

My Dad, Edward F. Oliver; and my Grandparents

by Kathy Oliver

 

Lyman Morgan, Floyd and Grace Dubas

by Catherine and Brian Dubas

 

Phi Pham  

by Moi Phan and Family

 

Hugh and Andrew Nicholson, for their Love and Lives

by Anita Nicholson

 

Family and Friends by Pat Gardner

Shirley Nindel and Gertrude McWilliams

by Ben Nindel and Family

 

Mary Ardai  

by Ann Boswell

 

Howard William Trout Jr and Howard William Trout III

by The Trout Family

 

Phung's Parents  

by Dat and Phung Nguyen

 

Wardell and Doris Thomas  

by Doug and Grace Payne and Family

 

Edwards and Edna Rhoad  

by Cindy Rhoad

 

Charles Grossé, Bertha and Stefan Gawarecki

by Carolyn and Stephan Gawarecki

 

My Mother-in-law  

by Phung Nguyen

 

David Frizzell

by Judy, Mickie and Savannah Frizzell

 

Ace and Betty Marsteller, Joe Mills,  

Col William Henderson, Helen Terrill

by The Mark Mills Family

 

Family and Friends  

by Alice King

 

Nguyen Duc Tran  

byThanh Chi Nguyen

 

Tan Diep, Buoi Tran, Hong Nguyen, Ly Nguyen

by Julie, Kevin, Kiet Samuel, Minh Matthew Tran  

and Tuyet Diep

 

 

Alexis Jackson

 

 

Robert G. Isibel  

by Mary K. Isibel

 

My Grandparents  

by Kathy Oliver

 

Valerian Kochuba

by Valerie Dexter and Francine Oliver

 

Hugh T. Nicholson, Andrew Nicholson,  

Ian Fisher, Lucinda Fisher,

by Amelia and Chris Nicholson

 

My Family Members.

Sheila Henderson and Friends

by Nancy Burch

 

Nhuong Nguyen  

by Chon Kim Huynh

 

Tran Khiet and Huynh Thi Ca  

by Tran Thi Cuong

 

 Edward Spinelli and Rosalie Spinelli

by Margaret and Felix Spinelli

 

Catherine Huynh, Anh-Tuan Chau, and Nguyen T. Ty

by Jean Pierre Chanu

 

Akira and Keiko Nishihata; Joseph Hiller

by Joe and Mariko Hiller

 

Pembroke Howe, Margaret Moreau, Dusty Rhoad

by Paul and Shirley Arey

 

Phan Kim Le  

by Tinh Huynh+

 

________

 

In Thanksgiving for...

 

Saint Patrick's Church

by Tinh+ and Kim-Anh Huynh

 

God's Blessings  

by Nhung Dang and Family

 

Kylee and Family; Richard and Sarah

by Lois M. Cascella

 

God's Blessings  

by Le Thi Cao

 

Family and Friends  

by Alice P. King

 

Many Blessings  

by Wanda Nolan

 

Evelyn Morgan, Our Children, and All Our Family

by Catherine and Brian Dubas

 

All God's Blessings  

by Chon Kim Huynh

 

Arrival of our Seventh Gread Grandchild, Maxwell James McCall;

and Bill Herbert's surgery

by Tom and Jean Wetrich

 

God's Gift of Life

by Tuyet Diep, and Kiet Samuel and Minh Matthew Tran

 

 My Children and Grandchildren  

by Kathleen Oliver

 

God's blessings upon our family  

by Nghia Dao

 

For the Glory of God  

by Phung Nguyen

 

The Isibel Family  

by Mary Isibel

 

My Family and Friends  

by Ann Nelson

 

My Sister, My Brother, My Friends

God Blessings

by Nancy Burch

 

 

 

Parish Notes    

 

Car Trunk SaleSt. Pat's Car Trunk Sale & Car Show, this Saturday, April 14th, 9 am - 12 pm.   Rent a space ($15), clean out the basement, sell your possessions out of your car, and keep all the money you make!

  

St. Patrick's Youth Group will be attending a Washington Nationals baseball game on Sunday, April 22.   Please send Christopher an email to let him know you are planning for your children to participate.  Christopher's email address is chmill8@gmail.com 

 
- The memorial service for our Bob Aronstein will be held at Saint Patrick's on Saturday, April 28th, at 3 PM. There will be a reception following the service.

Khoa Tang, a member of Boy Scout Troup 612 will be building a gate for the entrance to the dumpster area of the church.  On April 10th, the vestry voted to approve his eagle scout project.


Đại Ư Kinh Văn Chúa Nhật Vừa Qua         

Chuyện người chết sống lại chỉ có trong Kitô-giáo.  Trong xă hội Do Thái thời Đức Giêsu có người tin và có người quả quyết không có sự sống lại.   Sự sống lại của Đức Giêsu là một việc âm thầm. Chúa không xuất hiện ở Giêrusalem để cho cả quần chúng trông thấy, và cu~ng không trả thù những người đă giết Ngài. Thiên sứ cu~ng chỉ cho ba người phụ nữ biết mà thôi, và họ quá sợ hăi nên không dám nói cho ai biết Chúa đă sống lại.

            Sự sống lại của Đức Giêsu là nền tảng của niềm tin Kitô Giáo. Đạo của Chúa là đạo về sự phục sinh. Chính v́ sự phục sinh của Đức Giêsu mà chúng ta mới họp nhau lại để thờ phượng, v́ sự phục sinh của Chúa khiến chúng ta hy vọng. Chúng ta hy vọng như thế nào?

            Đời là một cơi gian ác, đầy đau thương, và kết cuộc của đời người là sự chết. Đối diện với cái chết, người ta đi t́m ư nghĩa cho cuộc đời, hầu như không có lối thoát. Những môn đệ của Đức Giêsu đă gặp Chúa Phục Sinh.   Đời không phải là vô nghĩa, v́ Chúa sống. Có thể tin Chúa sống lại hay chăng? Có thể tin rằng ḿnh sẽ sống lại chăng?

            Tin hay không tin về sự sống lại là vấn đề của con người. Có một cơi thiêng liêng mà chúng ta không thể biết hết được. Sự sống lại của Đức Giêsu là một sự huyền bí.

            Khi đặt câu hỏi, "Ta có thể tin có sự sống lại?", th́ quư vị và tôi có thể hỏi thêm, "Lúc nào?" Nếu bảo rằng phải tin rằng ở ngày cuối cùng sẽ có sự sống lại, th́ điều đó có ảnh hưởng ǵ cho cuộc đời hôm nay? Thiết nghĩ nó chẳng có ảnh hưởng ǵ hết, ngoại trừ cái sợ bị Chúa phạt lúc đó, nếu hôm nay sống không đẹp ḷng Chúa.

            Nhưng nếu ta tin quyết rằng sự phục sinh có thể đến với ḿnh ngay hôm nay, không phải đợi đến lúc thân thể đă chết, th́ điều đó ảnh hưởng rất nhiều đến cái tâm của ḿnh. Ḿnh sẽ không c̣n tuyệt vọng mà đầy hy vọng. Ḿnh có thể ăn năn khi lỡ bước. Ḿnh có thể tha thứ khi bị xúc phạm. Như thế , ngày Phục Sinh có thể nhắc ta hai điều: Thứ nhất, v́ thân xác và đời nầy sẽ đến lúc chấm dứt và ta không c̣n có mặt trên đất, ta phải dẹp bỏ những giận hờn và thôi không c̣n chạy theo tiếng tăm tiền của -- ta phải t́m nơi an trú cho tâm hồn. Thứ hai, ta nắm lấy hy vọng rằng ta sẽ được tái tạo và đổi mới, để kinh nghiệm sự vui mừng của thiên đàng, v́ Chúa đă sống lại và Ngài c̣n đang sống bên ḿnh.



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

 

The Rev. Tinh T. Huynh

Rector of Saint Patrick's Church