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In This Issue
Parish Notes
Altar Flowers
The Propers
Sermons
Đại Ý Kinh Văn

Upcoming Events

Jan 23-25

Diocesan Council Meeting in Richmond, VA

 

Sunday, Feb. 2

 

TET Celebration, after church -- Potluck 

 

Saturday, Feb. 8

 

Vestry Retreat, 9 AM - 2 PM, at The Falls Church  

 

Sunday, Feb. 9

 

Odeon Concert, 4 PM 

 

Saturday, Feb. 22

 

Feed the Homeless at Bailey's Crossroads Shelter, 9:30 AM   

 

Friday, Feb. 28

 

Piano Student Recital, afternoon

 

Saturday, March 1

 

Hypothermia, 8 PM

 

Sunday, March 2

 

Hypothermia, 8 PM

 

Tuesday, March 4

 

Shrove Tuesday

 

Wednesday, March 5

(Lent Begins) 

Ash Wednesday Services, at 10:30 AM and 7:30 PM 

 

Friday, March 7

 

Hypothermia, 8 PM

 

Saturday, March 8


- Feed the Homeless, 9:30 AM, at Bailey Crossroads Shelter  

- Hypothermia, 8 PM

 

Sunday, March 9

(First Sunday in Lent)

 

Hypothermia, 8 PM

 

Friday, March 14

 

Hypothermia, 8 PM

 

 

Saturday, April 12

 

Feed the Homeless at Bailey's Crossroads Shelter, 9:30 AM    

 

Sunday, April 13

 

Palm Sunday

 

Thursday, Apil 17

 

Maundy Thursday service, 7:30 PM

 

Friday, April 18

 

Good Friday services, at 12 Noon and 7:30 PM

 

Sunday, April 20

 

EASTER DAY

 

Sunday, April 27

 

Odeon Concert, 4 PM 

 

Altar at Easter 2013      

Birthdays

January


19    Helen Nicholson

22    Jay Parrotta

25   Anne Hiller

25    Anita Nicholson

26    Anna DuBro

28    Tyler Mills

30    Robin Tingley

 

February

1    Pauline Thomas

5    Delaney Curtis

5     Nathaniel Johnson

15    Debbie Los

17    Douglas Payne

23    Frank Parrotta

26    Cheryl Thomas

27    Hong Pham

27    Liz Nguyen

 

 

Our Prayer List

We remember in our prayer:

 

Dee Bailey, Kari Boeskov, Brandon, Jane Chapman, Marie Cosimano, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, John Davis, Michael Dickinson,  Loretta Dougherty, Nance Finegan,  Carolyn Gawarecki, Louise Gibney, Anne Goodwin, Jean Graham, Nick Giuliani, Katherine Hafele, Margaret Ellis Harris, Alek Hensley, Leslie Hogan, Cindy Hogman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Michael Horn, Mary Isibel, Lindsay Johns, Gray Johnson, Jamie Kaplon, Robert Kelley, Geoff Kent, Quinn Kimball, Jeffry King,  Peter Kosutic, Susan Lawrence, Lois Magrogan, Colleen Mavrikas, Gregory McGinnis,  Evelyn Morgan, Danielle Morgan, Que Nguyen, Chick Nixon, Olive Oliver, Jim Owens, Gary Owens, Faith Poole, William Ross, Fern Shuck, Bill Sitler, Irene Skowron, Josh Smithers, Inez StantonCandi Stewart, Patrick Stefl, Barbara Stefl, Kara Stryker, Walter Sushko, Steven Talbert, George Thomas, Clara Torres, George Torres, Elizabeth Trigg, Tammy Vanphung, Michael Weekes, Warren Weinstein, The Crowley Family, The Westfall Family, 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

[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, 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: Kathy Oliver; Junior Warden:  Bill Houston;
Registrar: Winnie Lebo;
Treasurer:  Kathy Oliver; 

Other members of the Vestry:   Elisabeth Nguyen, Milton Thomas, Amelia Nicholson, Victoria Kennedy, Ann Nelson. 

 

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: Bill Houston (Kathy Oliver, 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   

 

 

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January 16, 2014
 Parish Notes
 
Feed the Homeless 3 -  Would you like to join in making food for the homeless?  Our Liz Nguyen and other volunteers will feed the homeless at Bailey's Crossroads Shelter once every month on the second Saturday.  They serve lunch to 75 people on the scheduled day -- cooking at 9:30 AM; serving at 12:00 PM; leaving at 1:05 PM (no clean-up needed).  The upcoming feeding will be on Saturday, February 22nd.  If you can't volunteer in the kitchen, you may want to consider donating desserts and snacks, or donating money to the church for the purpose.  Liz has established an online sign-up sheet with VolunteerSpot.  Please click here to sign up!  For more information on this ministry, please contact Liz at [email protected], or call her at 703.861.4151.

-  On STetunday, February 2nd, following worship, we will celebrate "TET," the Vietnamese New Year's Day, at Saint Patrick's.  There will be a talent show, organized by our Mariko Hiller.   Please sign up to participate in the talent show, and please bring food for the potluck!  

 

westlawn school -  A teacher at Westlawn Elementary School has identified a pocket of children receive free breakfast and lunch at the school, but have no food after they go home.  She has started providing, out of her own pocket, school day snack bags for each day of the weekend for these children.  We have been asked if we might be able to help her.   Checks can be made payable to St. Patrick's, with Westlawn Snacks in the memo, or cash donations can be place in an envelop with Westlawn Snacks on the outside and place in the alms basin or given to Winnie Lebo.  We can also help with donations of the following types of snacks; granola bars (chocolate chip and peanut butter chocolate chip), beef jerky(the regular flavor in small 0.28oz sticks), fruit snacks (Welch's), rice crispy treats, pudding (individual cups in chocolate and vanilla, and juice boxes (MinuteMaid or Apple & Eve).  It is hard to think of children going home from school and having no food until the next day. Please reach out and help this teacher who is personally paying for these children to take home snack bags everyday.        


Flowers in Vase -  Would you like to offer flowers on Sunday, in loving memory of someone or in thanksgiving for Go  d's blessing?   Please sign up on the board in the narthex and let Lois Cascella know of the reason for the giving.  The cost of flowers is $30.00. 
Checks should be made payable to the Altar Guild of Saint Patrick's.

- Would you like to help our Lois Cascella  teach Sunday School at Saint Patrick's?  Please click here to sign up! All you have to do is pick the Sunday you can teach, put in your email address (which will not be shared) and click "submit."  Thank you!   

-  The Stewardship Letter and pledge cards have been sent to all church members.  Please prayerfully consider your giving for next year, and promptly send your pledge cards with pledged amount to the church, or put them in the alms basin on Sunday, so that the Vestry can establish our 2014 budget. Thank you.                
 

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

This Sunday's Altar Flowers 


The flowers on the altar this Sunday
are to the glory of God,
and are given by Bill and Betty Henderson
in loving memory of Sheila Henderson

The Propers 

Sunday, January 19, 2014
This Sunday is the Second Sunday After The Epiphany

Texts: 

Isaiah 49:1-7

Psalm 40:1-10

I Corinthians 1:1-9

John 1:29-41 

 

Collect:   

  

ALMIGHTY GOD, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world:  Grant that your people, illuminated by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth;  through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever.  Amen. 

Last Sunday's Sermon 

The First Sunday After The Epiphany,
January 12, 2014

"The Baptism of our LORD"
----------------

Texts: 

Matthew 3:13-17 

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

 

Recently I watched on YouTube

a two-year old Japanese boy singing with his parents

the song "God will take care of you."

He was so cute,

and he sang so well,

with pitch right on.

He had no fear of the crowd.

I was so fascinated,

and so was his audience who gave him loud cheers.

What also impressed me was the faith as

revealed in the singing of his parents.

I also sang this song in Vietnamese when I was growing up.

Christians in all over the world proclaim the same message,

"God will take care of you."

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

Sometimes we do forget that message.

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

In the sixth century before Christ

the Jewish people were in exile in Babylon.

The atrocity was written in the Book of Kings, in the Old Testatment.

At his defeat, the Jewish king had to witness the killing of his sons,

and his eyes were then removed by the enemies,

and most of the Jewish man were taken to Babylon.

The passage from Isaiah that we read this morning was spoken by the prophet

who dared to speak the word of hope

to those in pain.

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

"Thus says the LORD, 'Here is my servant...

I have put my Spirit upon him;

he will bring forth justice to the nations.'"

In other words,

"You exiles longing for the homeland;

You who are weary saying, 'Give me a break';

You who are anxious about tomorrow:

Listen, God will take care of you."

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

How could Isaiah say the above lines?

The same question is asked of the psalmist who

says in Psalm 89 that we read this morning.

How could they utter those words of hope amidst adversity?

The psalmist spoke of God's power

upon even the mighty waters.

He says that the voice of the Lord is full of majesty,

breaking the huge trees,  

flashing forth flames of fire,

shaking the wilderness,  

and stripping the forest bare.

And yet this very God loves his people.

He uses his words to calm the stormy sea.

"He gives strength to his people, and blesses them with peace."

These are Isaiah's words to those who think or say

that God has forgotten them:

"Listen, God has not forgotten you.

It's just you who chooses to focus on your problems

and lets yourself fall into despair."

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

In the Christian tradition we name this Sunday

"The Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Gospel story we read this morning is called

a theophany.

It is a happening in which one has a vision and experience of the appearance of God.

It is not the appearance of a god who is stern or unforgiving.

It is the appearance of God the Creator,  

the Father who calls humanity beloved.

It is the manifestation of the God who cares.

Somehow John the Baptist knew that the Savior is near.

He must have been somewhere very close to him.

He looks forward to meeting the Son of God.

The faith of John the Baptist was childlike.

He waited, and he trusted in the LORD.

He had only one thing in his mind,

which is the LORD himself.

This is exactly what the writer of Matthew is about.

In another place of the same gospel we find these words:

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God,

 and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you."

The theme keeps ringing in the hearts of believers:

Seek Him first, and He will take care of you."

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

There are two things that are essential  

in the life of the Christian,

which we sum up in today's collect.

First, we are to keep the covenant we made in baptism.

Second, we are to boldly confess Jesus as Lord and Savior.

In the collect, we say we are baptized into Jesus' Name,

not merely baptized in His Name.

As baptized Christian we are one with Christ.

Like Jesus, we are beloved children of God.

Like Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit.

God calls us not to let the things of this world  

to distract us from our belovedness.

The Lord has come.

John witnessed his appearance.

Many Christians all over the world witness his presence,

in many different ways.

The Lord came in meekness and humbleness,  

hiding his majesty,

yet he brought to us peace and healing.

Can we claim our belovedness each time anxiety hits us?

God will take care of us,

no matter how challenging life can be.

In the Name of God:  

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Đại � Kinh Văn Ch�a Nhật Tuần Trước  

 

Ch�a Nhật, 12 th�ng 1, năm 2014

Ch�a Nhật Thứ Nhất Sau Ng�y Hiển Linh

M�t Th�u 3:13-17             

 

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

 

Theo truyền thống Hội Th�nh, ng�y 6 th�ng 1 l� Ng�y Hiển Linh:  Đức Gi�su b�y tỏ Ng�i l� Đấng Thi�ng Li�ng giữa v�ng nh�n thế.  H�m nay l� Ch�a Nhật thứ nhất sau Ng�y Hiển Linh, v� l� ng�y Hội Th�nh học về truyện t�ch Đức Gi�su chịu �ng Giăng l�m ph�p rửa cho m�nh.

     C�c t�n hữu thường hỏi tại sao Đức Gi�su lại chịu một người ph�m l�m ph�p rửa cho m�nh?  Đấng v� tội sao lại chịu ph�p rửa tội? 

     Kinh Văn h�m nay đặc biệt nhấn mạnh truyện t�ch Đức Gi�su chịu b�p tem. 

       Khởi điểm l� � nghĩa ngầm chứa trong s�ch Ph�c �m M�t Th�u:  Thứ nhất, tất cả cuộc đời v� c�ng việc của Đức Gi�su đều đ� được c�c ti�n tri thuở xưa trong Cựu Ước ti�n đo�n v� c�ng bố.  Thứ hai, Đức Gi�su l� Đấng duy nhất cứu độ cho thế gian, mang Vương Quốc Thi�n Ch�a đến cho thế gian.    Trong thời ấy Giăng c� m�n đệ, v� �ng c� ảnh hưởng rất mạnh trong quần ch�ng. Sau khi Giăng chết, nh�m ngư�i theo Giăng vẫn c�n hội họp. C�u hỏi thường c� trong Hội Th�nh đầu ti�n l� Giăng c� bằng Gi�su kh�ng?  T�c giả đ� g�i phần đối thoại giữa Đức Gi�su v� �ng Giăng B�p T�t để cho người đọc thấy  Giăng ở vị thế thấp hơn Đức Gi�su.  Giăng l� người rất tốt, song kh�ng n�n t�n thờ Giăng m� phải thờ Ch�a (ch�nh Giăng phải v�ng phục Ch�a).
       Sau khi hiểu � ngầm của đoạn văn, ch�ng ta xoay qua phần dạy dỗ truyền tụng trong Hội Th�nh --  Ch�a l� Đấng rất khi�m nhường.  Ng�i l� v� tội, song ph�p b�p tem l� khởi điểm của đời chức vụ của Đức Gi�su tr�n mặt đất.  Chức vụ đ� l� c�ng bố t�nh thương v� sự hiện diện của Thi�n Ch�a, sống như một người v� c�ng chịu đau khổ, cuối c�ng chết để chuộc tội cho mọi người.
       � truyền tụng n�i tr�n thật l� cao đẹp.  Tuy nhi�n, ph�p b�p tem của Đức Gi�su c� li�n hệ g� đến t�i?
       � nghĩa của truyện t�ch nầy nằm ở trong c�u ch�t, "Nầy l� con y�u dấu của Ta, Ta h�i l�ng về Người."  Đức Gi�su lu�n lu�n nắm chặt lấy tư c�ch "con y�u dấu" của Thi�n Ch�a.  Một khi nắm chặt lấy tư c�ch đ�,  đương sự kh�ng c�n lo người đời nghĩ g� về m�nh.
         M�nh l� con Thi�n Ch�a, m�nh kh�ng phải l� con của người đời, v� m�nh kh�ng thuộc về đời.  Từ đ� mới mong tho�t khỏi sự sợ h�i lo �u, bồn chồn xao xuyến, hay uất hận; tho�t khỏi c�i lo th�nh c�ng cho người ta trầm trồ, lo mua sắm đến nỗi ph� phạm, đ�m ra thờ phụng những c�i hư v� thay v� thờ Ch�a -- tranh d�nh về những chuyện kh�ng đ�u m� ganh gh�t lẫn nhau.
       Sức mạnh t�m linh từ trong quả tim m� ra -- do tin quyết l� m�nh được Ch�a thương v� chấp nhận.  Từ đ� mới biết rằng Ch�a l� Vua song Ng�i sẵn l�ng hạ m�nh.  Từ đ� mới �p dụng cho m�nh: sẵn s�ng c� l�ng khoan nh�n, lu�n c� tư tưởng v� lời n�i khoan nh�n đ�n hậu cho tất cả mọi người, kh�ng cần biết họ c� đ�ng hay kh�ng.  Ch�a gọi ch�ng ta, l� những ngư�i đ� chịu b�p tem, trở n�n giống như Ng�i -- tập t�nh việc l�m con y�u dấu của Thi�n Ch�a.   
      Hiển Linh mang � nghĩa Ch�a b�y tỏ Ch�a l� Cha Nh�n Từ.  Ng�i gọi ch�ng ta l� "Con Y�u Dấu." Ng�i goị ch�ng ta sống th�ch hiệp với � đ�.

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

 

The Rev. Tinh T. Huynh

Rector of Saint Patrick's Church