Upcoming Events 

Sunday, May 13

Guest Preacher:  The Rev. Joel Atong.

Adult Forum: Anglican Ministry in Kenya, 12:00 Noon. 

Odeon Concert, 4 PM  

Tuesday, May 15

Commissions, 6:30 PM

Vestry, 7:30 PM  

Saturday, May 19

Activities for youth and children, 10 AM ~ 12 PM 

Sunday, May 20

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

Potluck after church. Please bring food. 

Sunday, May 27

Day of Pentecost.

Baptism of Matthew Minh Tran  

Sunday, June 3 

Last day of Sunday School

Sunday, June 10

Celebration of Sunday School.  Potluck after church 

Sunday, June 24

Pool Party at the Aulds, after church -- Potluck 

Birthdays

May

3   Carey Miga

3   Chris Nicholson

4   Ngoc Nguyen

8   Caroline Houston

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 Đo�n, 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 Hector

Hamilton, brother of our Maggie Spinelli. 

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

Address  

 3241 Brush Drive

Falls Church, VA 22042

USA 

Saint Patrick's

Website 

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 

-   Our condolences to the Benjamin Family on the death of Vivian's cousin, Mrs. Melrose Cole, 53, in Atlanta, GA, on April 27, 2012.     

-  On Sunday, May 13th, the Reverend Joel Atong will be guest preacher at Saint Patrick's.  Father Atong came from the Diocese of Mombasa, Kenya, and he is Rector of St. Paul's Kiembeni Parish, a community of about 1600 members.  A student of the Master of Arts program at the Virginia Theological Seminary, Fr. Atong looks forward to graduation on May 17th, and to going back to Kenya afterwards, to continue his ministry as Rector of St. Paul's and, God willing, serve as an adjunct lecturer at Bishop Hannington Seminary in Mombasa.  The Rev. Joel and Mrs. Atong have three children. 

-  The Commissions and the Vestry will meet on Tuesday, May 15, 2012.  Commissions, 6:30 PM;  Vestry, 7:30 PM.

 

-   On Saturday, May 19th, starting at 10 AM, St. Patrick's will have an event for children and youth to observe Rogation.  Activities of the day will include prayers, basic planting, flower arranging, a ladybug release, crafts and a labyrinth painting.   

 

-  On Sunday, May 20th, we will celebrate Christopher Miller's ministry at St. Patrick's as Young Priest Initiative Intern.  Christopher will preach on that Sunday, and there will be a potluck after church.  Christopher will begin his study at the Virginia Theological Seminary this fall. Please bring food for the potluck on May 20th. 

 

-  St. Patrick's Youth Group will be attending a Washington Nationals baseball game on Sunday, May 20th.   Please send Christopher Miller an email to let him know you are planning for your children to participate.  Christopher's email address is chmill8@gmail.com.   

 

-  Odeon Chamber Music Series:  Violinist Matthew Reichert and pianist Quynh Nguyen will perform at Saint Patrick's on Sunday, May 13, 2012, at 4 p.m. 

Program:  Violin sonata No. 7 in C minor / Beethoven

                 Violin sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78 /Brahms

                 La Valse for piano solo / Ravel

                 Sonata in A major for violin and piano / Franck

Admission: Free (Donation of $15 or more is appreciated.)
For more information, please call Mariko at 703-200-7489.  Email:  marikohiller@gmail.com.

-  Our Jay Parrotta, organist, will offer an organ recital at Christ Church, 601 Church Street, Cambridge, Maryland 21613, on Sunday, May 20, 2012, at 4 PM.   Tickets:  $10.00.  Students: free.  For more information, please call the church at 410-228-3161.

My wife died on November 5, which makes me now no longer a married man but a widower. The life of a widower is different from the life of a married person, or the life of a person who never married. The cooking at my house is definitely different now. The daytime sounds in the house are different, because my wife loved the company of Diane Roehm on National Public Radio and Jim Lehrer on Public Television, while I am a person who kind of likes quiet and thinking my own thoughts. Nighttime is different too. I still sleep in our double bed, but now I can sleep on the right, or on the left, or diagonally. While we were married, my wife never failed to read the Bible and to pray before getting into bed at night. I was more of a morning person, more ready to pray after I'm up and have had breakfast. But in a funny way, I have become a little more regular in the past five months about speaking to God for a minute on my knees before I get into bed at night. It's as if I have taken over where she had to leave off. I'm finding there is something important about bedtime praying.

"I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep;

For only you, LORD, make me dwell in safety"(Psalm 4).

I invite you to think with me this morning about bedtime, falling asleep, and living unafraid, even if we have to live alone. In one sense, each one of us does live alone. No other human being can live in my skin or live in my mind. No one else can fall asleep for me. How are we to make it through the dark hours, through the silences of the night, to a good getting up in the morning?

We have reasons for resisting stopping to rest. Our play is too much fun to stop now. The entertainment we have discovered is too engrossing to quit. My need to prove myself competent or indispensable drives me to keep going a little longer. But at some point even the workaholic and the insatiable reader or viewer or gamer runs out of steam. Sleep tugs. If you know the names of the ancient Greek gods, you may say that you are being drawn into the arms of Morpheus. If you pray the Hebrew Psalms, you may say: "I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; for only you, LORD, make me dwell in safety"(Psalm 4).

Another of the Hebrew Psalms gives voice to those of us who do not fall asleep at once: "I am wearied with groaning; all night long my pillow is wet with tears, I soak my bed with weeping. Grief dims my eyes; they are worn out with all my woes." (Psalm 6). Children sometimes fear the dark, they sense danger, they see scary things with their mind's eye. When the hubbub of our day is over, and our work is done, and quiet comes, our imagination may bring worries and fears back into our minds. After all, a sleeping person is a vulnerable person. Our dreams can be terrifying and disorienting. Or our dreams can be peaceful and delightful. After a good night's sleep you may wake up with some new idea of a way to move forward with your life. After a bad night's sleep you may wake up as if you had come through a grueling fight or a hideous torture.

"Do not go gentle into that good night", said Dylan Thomas,

"but rage, rage against the dying of the light."

So our body may compel us to sleep. Our mind may or may not rest. What about our spirit?

We say, "The Lord be with you", and the reply used to be, "And with your spirit." What is our spirit? Our spirit is the aspect of ourselves which is open to the Spirit of God. The human spirit, we might say, is the conversation partner of God the Holy Spirit. When we are baptized, God the Holy Spirit is connected with our individual spirit. When we remember to pray, it is God the Holy Spirit who is prompting and inclining us to pray. Can our spirits be in touch with God the Holy Spirit during our sleep?

People have always noticed that sleep resembles death. Sometimes you have to get very close before you sure whether a person is dead, or only sleeping. We sing about Jesus' three-day sleep in death. What was Jesus doing during those three days of sleep in death, before the disciples saw him alive again, in a new way and a changed body, risen from the dead? According to St. Peter, what Jesus was doing during those three days was preaching to the spirits of the departed. Before Jesus was seen alive again on earth in the spirit, he was heard by the spirits in the realm of the dead. He was announcing his completed work to those who had lived and died before his lifetime. Alive in the spirit, he was addressing the spirits of previous generations, so that they too could participate in the victory he was winning over death. Artists have tried to depict this idea by showing the risen Jesus reaching down into a dark tomb and pulling out Adam and all those who had been lying asleep in the realm of the dead, so that they could join him and all of us who are baptized into new life in Christ.

If God the Holy Spirit could empower Jesus to preach to the spirits in the realm of the dead, I believe that the Holy Spirit can also engage our spirits when we are not yet dead but only sleeping an ordinary night's sleep.

The power of God the Holy Spirit has made Jesus, crucified and dead, to be alive again and for ever. Because Jesus has died, is now alive, and will in due time come again in power and great glory, death and bedtime will never again be the same. Once we might have resisted naptime or bedtime, because we didn't want to stop and were afraid of the dark. Now we know that dark and light both belong to God.

Once we may have spent restless and fear-filled nights anxious about all we had left undone, all we had done wrong, and all the dangers we felt lurking. Now we know there is no dark place where Jesus Christ is unwilling to go. There are no sleepers Jesus the Christ is not able to reach.

Once we might have felt only loneliness in the silences of the night. Now we know that in Christ all will be made alive, together, in a future glorious resurrection of all people, like his own glorious resurrection which has already happened.

Bedtime comes. Sleep comes. Death comes. Death has done its worst, in that Jesus the Anointed Son of God has died. But death's worst was not good enough. Death did not win. Christ is risen. Christ is the winner over death. And so, despite all our unfinished business, despite our cares and incompleteness, we can allow ourselves to rest. We can rest tonight, and we can rest at the hour of our death.

Now I will lie down in peace, and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me live unafraid.

Thanks be to God.

TO MY SONS

By Robert Aronstein

(1929-2012)

The reality of the present builds

Its own future

Like ripples on a cool lake.

It is useless to deny what is

Once it has become.

Like an airplane penetrating a layer

Of clouds,

Carried only by the authenticity

Of my feelings,

I long for the clear blue sky.

The commitment to my own

Sense of a shaky future

Cannot be altered by

Someone else's sense of values.

The breaking of patterns

Can perhaps be mended             

Like a broken vase

But what is a broken vase

Compared to the dream of

A beautiful new one.

Foolish romanticism

You say.

Not quite,

Because there is strength

In pointing in the direction

Of one's perceived destiny,

There is strength

Because there is fear,

And it is the fear

Which, carried on God's wings,

Gives the promise of

Redemption.

I might err in my goals

And I might very well

Fall flat on my face

But I will be living

My life,

Not someone else's idea

Of what my life should be.

And what is my life

But a reflection of God's will through me

And of my will through Him.

If I want to be remembered

For one single act,

Let it be this one, my sons,

To have let go of the past

Without having a future

And to have dared

While being frightened

By daring.

Those who cling to the past

And squeeze it out of a tube

And call it forever,

Those who do not see God's hand

Guiding our own free will

Through frightening paths of

Alternate Birth and Death,

Those are the dreamers.

I'd rather dream awake

Than sleep with the illusion

Of being real.

Go, my sons, and grow into manhood

The way you choose,

With God's help;

The way He chooses,

With your help.

Do never stop

To question the mystery

Of existence

And marvel at

Your own potential,

And as you find yourselves

And turn back

From time to time

To measure the distance

Travelled,

Have a kind word

For your father:

He wanted to be

Himself.

Ch�a Nhật Thứ Ba của M�a Phục Sinh, April 22, 2012 

Kinh Văn: C�ng Vụ C�c Sứ Đồ 3:12-19, Th�nh Vịnh 4, Luca 24:36b-48 

V�o Ch�a Nhật thứ ba của M�a Phục Sinh, lời cầu nguyện của ch�ng ta l� xin Ch�a mở mắt thi�ng li�ng để ch�ng ta c� thể thấy Ch�a hiện diện v� đang cư� gi�p m�nh. N�i c�ch kh�c, trong c�i đời đầy đau khổ ch�ng ta mong thấy được sự vui mừng m� Ch�a đ� hứa. Sự vui mừng c� thực sự hiện hữu chăng? C� những người mất hết hy vọng, v� họ nghĩ rằng sự vui mừng sẽ chẳng bao giờ đến với họ.

            Năm 2009, sau ng�y Phục Sinh, gia đ�nh ch�ng t�i đi thăm b� con ở Toronto, nơi ch�ng t�i từng sống c�ch đ�y hơn 29 năm. Khi đến khu vực ch�ng t�i đ� cư ngụ, ch�ng t�i thử gh� v�o văn ph�ng b�c sĩ gia đ�nh khi xưa, để xem �ng ấy c� c�n l�m việc ở đ� hay kh�ng. �ng l� một b�c sĩ người Trung Hoa, v� đ� gi�p đỡ khi hai con ch�ng t�i ra đời. T�i nghĩ chắc l� �ng đ� về hưu, hoặc l� đ� qua đời, v� l�u qu� kh�ng gặp. L�c đ� v�o khoảng 12 giờ hơn, v� người thư k� kh�ng c� tại ph�ng đợi, chắc l� họ đ� đi ăn trưa. Đang tần ngần, ch�ng t�i thấy �ng b�c sĩ từ ph�ng kh�m bệnh bước ra. �, vui qu�. Ch�ng t�i ch�o vui vẻ, song �ng ngạc nhi�n v� kh�ng nhận ra ch�ng t�i l� ai. Sau đ� ch�ng t�i xin chụp một tấm h�nh với �ng. Nỗi vui vẫn c�n trong l�ng t�i. Sự vui mừng c� thể l�m ch�ng ta ngạc nhi�n, khi m�nh thường bi quan về cuộc đời. C� khi chỉ một c�u n�i kh�ch lệ l�m ch�ng ta l�n tinh thần. Niềm vui bất ngờ cho thấy Ch�a hiện hữu.

            Trong những năm nh� thờ ch�ng ta c�n l� một "mission" của Gi�o Phận Virginia, hưởng trợ cấp của Gi�o Phận, B� Barbara Levy l� li�n lạc vi�n giữa nh� thờ v� Gi�o Phận. V�o năm 2009, B� Levy, 82 tuổi, qua đời.

            Suốt 10 năm, b� lu�n lu�n cổ động việc trợ gi�p t�i ch�nh cho Saint Patrick's v� g�p � về c�c sinh hoạt v� mục vụ. B� v� t�i gặp nhau thường xuy�n. B� kh�ng bao giờ bỏ qua việc đọc tờ b�o Building Saint Patrick's của nh� thờ; b� n�i b� đọc từng tiết mục.  B� cu~ng đọc tất cả c�c bi�n bản của c�c buổi họp Ban Chấp H�nh. Mỗi lần gặp, b� cho t�i những lời khuy�n v� � kiến x�y dựng, lu�n lu�n khuyến kh�ch t�i trong mục vụ. Qua đời sống của b� t�i cảm nhận sự hiện diện của Ch�a.  B� đ� mang đến cho nhiều người niềm vui của Ch�a.

            Niềm vui của Ch�a l� điều ai cu~ng cần biết. Niềm vui ấy kh�ng phải l� tạm trong chốc l�t. Ch�a c� l�c dường như vắng mặt. �ng m�y đen c� thể l�m cho cảnh vật tối sầm, song mặt trời l�c n�o cu~ng ch�i s�ng. C� nhiều người qu�n mất � đ�. Tại buổi họp của Uỷ Ban về Sức Khoẻ Tinh Thần của Gi�o Phận, họp ở Fredericksburg, Virginia, ch�ng t�i b�n vấn đề phổ biến kiến thức về sự ngăn chận nạn tự tử. Sự kh� khăn của cuộc sống hiện nay khiến nhiều người mất hết hy vọng.

            C� lẽ kh�ng ai mất hy vọng bằng những m�n đệ Đức Gi�su trước khi họ gặp Ch�a phục sinh. Kh�ng ai c� thể giải th�ch thỏa đ�ng về sự sống lại của Ch�a. Chắc chắn l� c�c m�n đệ mục k�ch Ch�a sống kh�ng th�u dệt c�u chuyện, song l�m sao c� thể cắt nghĩa chuyện Ch�a ăn c� như người b�nh thường, song lại hiện ra th�nh l�nh v� thoạt biến? C�c t�n hữu của thế kỷ thứ nhất cu~ng kh�ng c� thể giải th�ch. Song họ nhờ đọc Kinh Th�nh Cựu Ước m� hiểu được rằng Ch�a lu�n lu�n c� mặt, d� c� l�c họ chẳng th�� Ng�i.

            T�c giả Thi Thi�n 30 n�i: "Than kh�c c� thể k�o d�i trong đ�m; nhưng vui mừng đến khi rạng đ�ng l� dạng... Ng�i l�nh mặt, t�i bị bối rối...Ng�i đ� đổi lời than kh�c của t�i ra nhảy m�a; Ng�i cởi �o tang chế khỏi t�i, v� mặc cho t�i sự vui mừng... cơn giận của Ng�i chỉ trong chốc l�t, c�n ơn của Ng�i th� suốt cả một đời."

            Ch�ng ta c� thấy sự hiện diện của Ch�a chăng? Sự cảm nhận về sự c� mặt ấy sẽ khiến thay đổi cả đời sống.  Trong đoạn Kinh Th�nh thứ nh�, th�nh Giăng n�i rằng khi Ch�a hiện đến ch�ng ta sẽ được giống như Ng�i, v� �ng n�i th�m rằng ai c� hy vọng nầy nơi Ng�i th� phải sống thanh sạch v� c�ng ch�nh, như Ng�i l� thanh sạch v� c�ng ch�nh.

            Ch�a đ� phục sinh, v� sự phục sinh ấy c� thể được thể hiện ngay trong đơ� sống của những người tin v� quyết t�m theo Đức Kit�.

-  Thiếu ni�n v� nhi đồng St. Patrick'ssẽ đi xem baseball ở Hoa Thịnh Đốn v�o ng�y Ch�a Nhật, May 20th.   Nếu qu� vị v� c�c em muốn tham dự, xin gởi email cho anh Christopher Miller, địa chỉ: chmill8@gmail.com 

- Em Khoa Tăng, hướng đạo sinh troup 612 sẽ l�m một c�i cổng che khu vực b�n h�ng nh� thờ. Bắt đầu thực hiện v�o ng�y 5 th�ng 5, c�ng tr�nh nầy sẽ gi�p Khoa được giải Đại B�ng của Hướng Đạo.

- Mục Sư Joel Atong, người Kenya, sẽ giảng tại Saint Patrick's v�o Ch�a Nhật, 13 th�ng 5, 2012. Mục Sư Atong quản nhiệm Nh� Thờ St. Paul's Kiembeni, một nh� thờ c� khoảng 1600 t�n hữu. �ng sẽ tốt nghiệp Cao Học tại Chủng Viện Virginia v�o ng�y 17 th�ng 5 sắp tới, v� sẽ trở về Kenya ngay sau đ�. Mục Sư v� B� Atong c� 3 người con.

- Ban Chấp H�nh nh� thờ sẽ họp v�o tối thứ ba, ng�y 15 th�ng 5, l�c 7 giờ 30.

- Hội Th�nh chia buồn c�ng �ng B� Benjamin về sự qua đời của người em họ của �ng Vivian, b� Melrose Cole, 53 tuổi, ở Atlanta, Georgia, v�o ng�y 27 th�ng 4 vừa qua.

- V�o ng�y thứ bảy, 19 th�ng 5, l�c 10 giờ s�ng sẽ c� sinh hoạt đặc biệt cho thiếu ni�n v� thiếu nhi tại nh� thờ, trong dịp lễ "Rogation."  

- Nhạc Sĩ dương cầm Quỳnh Nguyễn v� Nhạc Sĩ  vĩ cầm Matthew Reichert sẽ tr�nh diễn tại Saint Patrick's v�o ng�y Ch�a Nhật, 13 th�ng 5, 2012, l�c 4 giờ chiều. Buổi tr�nh diễn nầy sẽ kết th�c chương tr�nh Odeon Chamber Music Series của nh� thờ cho năm 2011-2012. Chương tr�nh gồm c� nhạc của Beethoven, Brahms, Ravel v� Franck.

- V�o ng�y Ch�a Nhật, 20 th�ng 5, Hội Th�nh sẽ c� một bữa tiệc potluck sau lễ để c�m ơn anh Christopher Miller, "Young Priest Initiative Intern" vừa ho�n tất chương tr�nh tập sự tại Saint Patrick's.   Christopher đ� quyết định đi theo tiếng gọi trở th�nh Mục Sư, v� sẽ bắt đầu học tại Chủng Viện Virginia v�o th�ng 9, 2012. Christopher sẽ giảng h�m đ�, v� sẽ hướng dẫn thiếu ni�n đi xem baseball v�o buổi chiều. Xin qu� vị mang theo thức ăn cho bữa tiệc potluck.

- Nhạc Sĩ Jay Parrotta, 22 tuổi, sinh trưởng tại Saint Patrick's, sẽ tr�nh tấu phong cầm tại nh� thờ Christ Church, Cambridge, Maryland, l�c 4 giờ chiều, Ch�a Nhật, 20 th�ng 5, 2012.