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In This Issue
Parish Notes
The Propers
This Sunday's Altar Flowers
Sermon
Đại Ý Kinh Văn

Upcoming Events

 

 

 

Saturday, Nov. 2:

 

Bazaar, 9AM -3 PM  

 

Sunday, Nov. 3:

 

Confirmation Class, after church 

 

 

Nov. 8th-10th:

PYM Senior High Weekend @ Shrine Mont

 

Sunday, Nov. 10  

 

- FCS Crop Walk, 1-2 PM

 

 

Saturday, Nov. 16

 

- Funeral of Mark Houston, 10:30 AM 

 

 

Sunday, Nov. 17:

 

- Confirmation Class, after church

 

- Meeting of Sunday School children's parents, after church

 

- Odeon Concert, 4 PM 

 

- Youth at the Falls Church, 5-7 PM

 

Sunday, Nov. 24:

 

Stewardship Sunday

 

Confirmation Class to Evensong at the National Cathedral, 4 PM 

 

 

Sunday, Dec. 1:

(First Sunday of Advent)

 

ANNUAL MEETING

 

Tuesday, Dec. 3: 

 

5 PM-9 PM:  Potluck dinner to welcome back the Spinellis 

 

Thursday, Dec. 5:

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Friday, Dec. 6:

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM 

 

Sunday, Dec. 8:

 

Bishop Visitation, 2 PM  

 

Tuesday, Dec. 10:

 

Commissions, 6:30 PM

Vestry, 7:30 PM

 

Thursday, Dec. 12

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Friday, Dec. 13

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Wednesday, Dec. 18

 

Blue Christmas Service, 7:30 PM 

 

Thursday, Dec. 19

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Friday, Dec. 20

 

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM  

 

Sunday, Dec. 22

 

Greening of the Church

 

Wednesday, Dec. 24

 

Christmas Eve Worship, 7:30 PM 

 

Saturday, Dec. 28

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM

 

Sunday, Dec. 29

Hypothermia, 8:00 PM  

 

 

 

Altar at Easter 2013      

Birthdays

October

31   Margaret Mills (today!) 

 

November

 

1   Bennett Miller (tomorrow!) 

4   Brian Dubas

7   William Herbert

8   Katie Wright

9   Colby Leonard

10   Tom Auld

12   Nhung Dang

18   Nam-Tran Mai

24   Thomas H. Wetrich

25   Kiet Samuel Tran

 

December

 

 4    Irene Graham

 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:

 

Dee Bailey, Kari Boeskov, Brandon, Jane Chapman, Marie Cosimano, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, John Davis, Donald DeVaughn, Michael Dickinson,  Loretta Dougherty, The Edsall Family, Dotty Eisenhour, Nance Finegan, Luis Garay, Louise Gibney, Anne Goodwin, Jean Graham, Katie Grosse, Nick Giuliani, Katherine Hafele, Anne & Thomas Edsall, Margaret Ellis Harris, Alek Hensley, Leslie Hogan, Cindy Hogman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Michael Horn, Mary Isibel, Sarah Jackson, Lindsay Johns, Gray Johnson, Jamie Kaplon, Robert Kelley, Geoff Kent, Quinn Kimball, Jeffry King, Michael Knowles, Peter Kosutic, Susan Lawrence, Lois Magrogan, Colleen Mavrikas, Gregory McGinnis, Margaret Mills, Evelyn Morgan, Danielle Morgan, Ed+ and Margaret Morgan, Que Nguyen, Chick Nixon, Christine Nolan, Olive Oliver, Jim Owens, Gary Owens, Faith Poole, Mandy Rothenhoefer, William Ross, Bill Sitler,  Irene Skowron, Josh Smithers, Inez StantonCandi Stewart, Barbara Stefl, Kara Stryker, Walter Sushko, Steven Talbert, George Thomas, Clara Torres, George Torres, Elizabeth Trigg, Tammy Vanphung, Nhon Thanh Vo, Michael Weekes, Warren Weinstein, The Crowley Family, The Westfall Family, Paula Wiech, Meredith Wiech, Bernard Williams, Donna Wolfe, Rudy Zimple.

 

    

____ 

 

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

 

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. Susan Goff

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.

   

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 

 

SAINT PATRICK'S ORGANIZED

FOR MISSIONS AND MINISTRY

 
Vestry Committee:
Senior Warden: Tom Auld; Junior Warden:  Bill Houston;
Registrar: Winnie Lebo;
Treasurer:  Kathy Oliver; 

Other members of the Vestry:   Elisabeth Nguyen, Milton Thomas, Jocelyne Miller, Pierre Chanu, Chris Nicholson. 

 

GROUPS AND ACTIVITIES

 

Altar Guild:  Lois Cascella;  
Bell Choir:  Mariko Hiller; 
Sunday Service Bulletin:  Diem Nguyen, Steve Lebo;
Offering Counters:  Bob Cascella; Diocesan Council Delegate: Kathy Oliver (Amelia Nicholson, alternate delegate);
St. Margaret's Circle:  Ann Nelson; Telephone Chain:
Alice King; Feed the Homeless:  Elisabeth Nguyen;
Odeon Chamber Music Series:  Mariko Hiller;
Westlawn Elementary School:  Winnie Lebo;
Falls Church Community Services: Catherine Dubas;
Hypothermia Shelter Program:  Hao Nguyen; 
The Epistle Newsletter Editors: Winnie Lebo and Cindy Rhoad; Flea Market:
Chris Nicholson; Prison Ministry: Nancy Burch;
Meals-on-Wheels: Amelia Nicholson;Sunrise/Bluemont:
Michael Knowles   

Church

 

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October 31, 2013
Parish Notes
-  Our condolences to Carolyn and Steve Gawarecki on the passing of Carolyn's mother, beloved Katie Grossé, 103, on Monday, October 28, 2013.
      "Rest eternal grant to her, O Lord;
       and let light perpetual shine upon her."
                        (Book of Common Prayer, Page 502)

- From the Bazaar Group.   This coming Saturday, November 2, is our big Fall Bazaar.  As you know, the proceeds from the Bazaar will go to funding our outreach programs.  We are hoping to have a big, successful bake sale at the Bazaar and would appreciate any and all the wonderful, tasty treats you can provide for this event.  You can bring your baked goods to church that morning.  Someone will be there around 8:00a.m. and would be happy to accept your generous donations. Thank you so much!  The Bazaar Group.

Amelia -  Many thanks to Amelia Nicholson and those who assisted her for the delicious Harvest Day Thanksgiving meal, on Sunday, October 27th.  We thank also our parishioners and friends who helped moving the chairs and setting the table in the sanctuary for the event.  We had such a good time! 

-  This year's Stewardship Sunday will be Nov. 24th.  On each Sunday of November,  one of our parishioners will speak at announcement time about  what Saint Patrick's means to him or her.  Our speakers are:  My-Linh Tran, Cheryl Thomas, Rachel Burgess and Diem Nguyen.  A bi-lingual bookmark of the stewardship drive will be inserted in the service bulletin, and the Stewardship Letter will be sent to all church members.
 

  

-  A memorial service for beloved Mark Houston will be held at Saint Patrick's on Saturday, November 16th, at 10:30 AM.  Burial will be at our Memorial Garden on the same day.  

 

-  Happy Birthday to Margaret Mills (today) and to Bennett Miller (tomorrow)!!!  

  

Car Trunk Sale 2

-  This year's Fall Bazaar will be held on this Saturday, November 2nd, from 9 AM to 2 PM.  There will be food, a bake sale, white elephants, book and games, clothing, household items and small electronics.  Please, no large furniture.  You may start bringing donations to church today and tomorrow.  Led by our Kathy Oliver, Debbie Clark and Winnie Lebo, this year's Bazaar is intended for fundraising to support St. Pat's outreach. 


CropWalk - FCS CROP Walk -- Sunday November 10th, 1-2 PM.   The Falls Church Community Service, Inc. (FCS) will be holding its very first "CROP Walk" for hunger relief.  Participants in the 2-mile walk in the Falls Church area will work to raise pledges and donations to fund world hunger program administered by Church World Service, with 25% remaining for the FCS food pantry.  All are invited to participate.
 
Bishop JohnstonBishop Shannon will visit Saint Patrick's on Sunday, December 8, 2013. The service on that day will be held in the afternoon.  This will be an opportunity for baptism, confirmation, reception and affirmation of faith.  Fr. Tinh+ will teach a confirmation class on every Sunday after church from October 13 to November 24.  Parents and Sponsors of the confirmands are invited to join the class.

-   Christmas Flowers. You are invited to offer flowers at Christmas, in thanksgiving for God's blessings or in memory of your loved ones.  Please send $10.00 to St. Pat's Altar Guild with a note stating your name, the names of those remembered, and/or the blessings to be mentioned.   

       The address of the church is: 

St. Patrick's Church, 3241 Brush Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042.  

 

       Deadline: Monday, December 16, 2013.      

      You may also call and leave your message at 703-532-5656, or email your request to Tinh+ at stpats3241@gmail.com, or to Ann Nelson at ann_garrard@msn.com, and put your check in the mail.   

  

-  Please pray for Marie Van Beek, Alex Benjamin, Rylton Thomas and Kate Burgess, who will be confirmed when Bishop Shannon visits Saint Patrick's on Sunday, December 8, 2013. The service on that day will be held in the afternoon.

 

-  Please pray for Anna Chanu, Matthew Pizzola and Jonathan Burgess, who will attend the PYM Senior High Weekend at Shrine Mont on November 8-10.  Our Bill Houston will be the driver and chaperon. 

 

- On every Sunday we need people to serve coffee hour.  Please sign up to help! The sign-up sheet is in the kitchen. Everyone is invited to stay after church for the time to visit with our friends and catch up on what has been going on in each others lives. 

 

-  Many thanks to Diem Nguyen and Steve Lebo, who make the Sunday service bulletin for us!

 

 

The Propers 

Sunday, November 3, 2013
This Sunday is the Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost     
(Proper 26)

Texts:     

Isaiah 1:10-18
Psalm 32:1-7
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10
 
Collect:    Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service:  Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

This Sunday's Altar Flowers  


The flowers on the altar this Sunday
are to the glory of God,
and are given by Oanh Phan
in loving memory of her mother, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Loi,
and of her sister, Ms. Kha Kim Hue.

Last Sunday's Sermon   

Proper 25 -- Year C -- Oct. 27, 2007

Texts: Jeremiah 14:7-10:19-22; Ps 84:1-6; Luke 18:9-14

 

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

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

On October 22, 2010,

the chapel of the Seminary in Alexandria was destroyed by fire.

I happened to be at the Seminary when the fire happened.

A lot of memories went away with the fire.

The church building was the house of prayer of the community.

Within only 15 minutes, all the beautiful musical instruments,

the pulpit, the lectern, the pews, hymnals, prayer books, bibles were turned into ashes.

The loss was not only of the physical building.

When you speak about a place of worship,

you think of a dwelling place for the soul.

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

In the First Reading, Jeremiah describes a terrible drought that affected Israel.

Jeremiah laments over the hardship of his people --

all the water cisterns, to collect rain water, were empty.

Even the wild animals suffered.

Jeremiah asks why the LORD is so slow in acting for Israel.

The LORD refuses to act because Israel continues to sin.

God does not accept any excuse.

The people have made their own choice.

They have been looking for dwelling places

far away from home.

--------------------- 

Psalm 84 speaks of the true dwelling place.

He says, "How dear to me is your dwelling,

O LORD of hosts!

My soul has a desire and longing for the court of the LORD;

my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God."

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

Imagine a homeless person

wandering the streets at night,

and looking at houses with lights inside,

with heavy hearts.

Imagine those in their own dwelling places,

with lights and the heater on at night,

but with hearts that are equally heavy. 

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

In today's Gospel, Jesus tells a parable.

Both of the two men in the story are Jews,

who find themselves in the same place,

which is the Temple.

One of them is a Pharisee,

and the other is a tax collector.

--------------- 

The Pharisee,

well respected in his society,

well known for his piety, 

is a spiritual leader

with the "look-at-me" mindset.

The tax collector, on the contrary,

is despised and hated by the people.

He works for the Romans,  

and he cheats  

in order to get rich.

The Pharisee sees himself as an insider;

The tax collector sees himself an outsider.

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

The prayer of the Pharisee in the Temple is self-justifying.

The prayer of the tax collector is a confession of sins.

He is an outcast who comes before God just as he is.

Jesus said that people like the tax collector in the story belong to the Kingdom of God,

and that those like the Pharisees are obviously out of the Kingdom.

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

In our Confession of Sins there is a phrase that reads,

"Thing done and left undone."

There can be many things that we have not yet got done.

To Jesus, for instance, reconciliation  

is a must for entering the Kingdom.  

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

On the deathbed,

when the film of the life journey runs quickly backward,

many of us say they forgive everyone.

That is the moment of liberation.

That is wonderful --

late, but better than never.

Would it be much more wonderful

 if those words were uttered

a long time before death? 

A word of apology?

A word of forgiveness?

A hand shake or a hug?

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

A few years ago,

Fr. Valentine Han,

the priest of Holy Cross Korean Episcopal Church,

invited me to go with him

to visit a Vietnamese lady

who was dying with cancer.

 

She was a Buddhist,

but she wanted a priest to come and say blessing for her.

When I came to the house,

I met with a very thin woman,

who sat on her bed.

She was smiling,

and her eyes were bright.

She said she had been practicing forgiving and trust,

in order to be set free.

She asked me to pray for her.

And so I prayed and blessed her

in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

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

No matter how wayward we are,

deep inside there is always the longing for the true dwelling place.

We are like those wandering the streets day and night,

yearning for rest.

We are like those going through the desolate valley,

thirsty,

wearied,

and hungry.

We long for a place of springs.

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

God has always been offering us the dwelling place.

Yet God cannot force us into it.

God can do many things for us,

yet God cannot control our heart.

We have the freedom to make our choices.

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

To enter the Kingdom, one must

confess,

forgive

and reconcile with his or her neighbor.

Following Jesus, we set your heart on the pilgrim's way.

We determine to walk toward where true joy is to be found.

-------------- 

"Happy are the people who strength is in God!

whose hearts are set on the pilgrim's way."

Amen.

Đại Ý Kinh Văn  

Chúa Nhật, 20 tháng 10, 2013

 

Kinh Văn: Sáng Thế Ký 32:3-8, 22-30; Thi Thiên 121; Luca 18:1-8a

 

            Đoạn Kinh Thánh Thứ Nhất, trích trong Sách Giêrêmi, là lời cầu nguyện có tính cách than van về hoàn cảnh, vừa thú tội cùng Chúa, vừa xin Chúa cứu giúp.  Giêrêmi khóc rất nhiều vì người Do Thái lúc đó quay lưng đối với Đức Chúa Trời.  Thay vì thờ Chúa, họ thờ thần tượng và sống gian ác.  Ông cảnh cáo người Do Thái. Họ đã không nghe mà còn bắt bớ và bỏ tù Giêrêmi.  Vào năm 588 trước công nguyên, Vua Nê Bu Cát Nết Xa của xứ Babylon (tức là vùng Iraq thời nay) xâm chiếm Palestine, thả Giêrêmi ra khỏi tù, song bắt người Do Thái làm nô lệ tại xứ Babylon. 

 Trong đoạn nầy, Giêrêmi tả cảnh hạn hán, xin Chúa thương và cứu giúp.  Vì tội lỗi của dân Ít Ra En, Chúa sẽ chẳng ra tay.  Giêrêmi thưa rằng những tiên tri giả đã dẫn dân Chúa đi lạc, song Chúa không nghe lời biện hộ đó, vì người ta phải chịu trách nhiệm và hậu quả cuả việc mình làm.  Chúa tha thứ cho mình về điều sai quấy, khi mình ăn năn, song mình phải chịu hậu quả.  Giêrêmi nhấn mạnh về sự khôn ngoan.  Sự khôn ngoan giúp ta tránh điều sai quấy, và do đó giảm bớt cho mình những cái khổ. Thi Thiên 84 nói lên lòng yêu mến của tác giả đối với nhà Chúa: "Phúc thay cho người được ở trong nhà Chúa, họ sẽ luôn luôn ca tụng Ngài." 

          Đây là điều chúng ta có thể suy nghĩ về đời mình.  Có chỗ nào quý hơn là nhà Chúa?  Thì giờ đẹp nhất cho mình là thì giờ thờ phượng.  Nếu mỗi ngày chúng ta có được giây phút yên tĩnh cầu nguyện, thì chúng ta đã ở trong nhà Chúa.  Mỗi tuần chúng ta đến thờ phượng một lần trong nhà Chúa.  Tất cả những gì chúng ta có trên đời chỉ là tạm.  Tác giả Thi Thiên đã tìm ra bí quyết hạnh phúc, đó là nhà Chúa trong lòng.

          Phúc Âm Luca 18:9-14 là một dụ ngôn Chúa kể.  Đây là chuyện Đức Giêsu kể để người nghe thoáng thấy về thiên đàng, thấy cái nhìn của Thiên Chúa trong lòng người và sự phán đoán của Ngài.  Cái nhìn nầy trái ngược với cái nhìn của loài người.

             Loài người nhìn bề ngoài, nhưng Thiên Chúa nhìn bề trong.  Chính vì chăm nhìn bề ngoài mà con người thường chú trọng về quần áo, tiền của, danh vọng. Nếu để ý, chúng ta sẽ thấy mình rất lo người khác nghĩ gì về mình.  Cái lo lắng ấy sinh ra ganh tị, giận hờn về những chuyện tạm thời của đời.  Thiếu ý thức phản tỉnh, không tập tự đối chất, chúng ta sinh ra tính phê bình chỉ trích, hoặc cảm thấy thích thú khi bàn chuyện của người khác (tiếng Anh dùng chữ gossip để tả việc nầy).  Mình gossip chuyện người khác để quên đi chuyện của mình.  Mình phàn nàn đổ lỗi cho người khác để khỏi phải đối diện với cái sai lầm của mình.

           Người Pharisi trong thời Đức Giêsu chăm nhìn bề ngoài.  Chúa dạy rằng mình phải chú tâm về bề trong.  Khi chú tâm về bề trong thì mình sẽ nhận ra những lỗi lầm và tâm linh nghèo nàn tan vỡ của mình.  Chúa nhìn thấy trong lòng và tha thứ cho người ăn năn.  Ngài xóa bỏ tất cả tội lỗi và khiến họ nên công chính.  Khi nhìn thấy được bề trong của chính mình, chúng ta nhận ra được rằng Chúa nhìn mình thế nào thì Ngài cu~ng nhìn ngươi khác thể ấy -- Chúa thương mình thế nào thì Chúa cu~ng thương mọi người khác thể ấy, bất kể màu da, tôn giáo hay địa vị trên đời. Đó là cái nhìn của Giê rê mi, và là cái nhìn khôn ngoan.

 

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

 

The Rev. Tinh T. Huynh

Rector of Saint Patrick's Church