Church ShieldEpistle Header

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

Upcoming Events

Sunday, June 8:

 

Bishop Visitation, 2 PM --

Confirmation and Baptism

 

Tuesday, June 10:

 

Commissions, 6:30 PM

Vestry, 7:30 PM  

 

Sunday, June 15:

 

Commissioning of St. Pat's Trustees

 

Sunday, June 22:

 

Recognition of our new graduates 

   

Sunday, June 29:

   

Tinh+'s last Sunday at Saint Patrick's --  Farewell to the Huynhs -- potluck

 

 

Altar at Easter 2013

 

       

Birthdays

May

29    Ann Nelson (today!) 

29    Christine Moya (today!) 

30    Alexander Benjamin

31    Brian Leonard

31    Kathleen Oliver

 

June

1    Kim Anh Huynh

1     Reese Miller

2    Maggie Spinelli

5    Bradley Pizzola

7    Virginia Brown

12    Rylton Thomas

12   Phụng Nguyễn  

13    Miriam Balding

24    Vashti Leonard Curtis

25    Ruth Spinelli

25    Claire Dubas

25    Reed Dexter

25    Mariko Hiller

26    Le Cao

26    Tuyet Mai

27    Jessica Mills

28    Asa Mills

28    Catherine Dubas

28    Melissa Burris

30    Cindy Rhoad

 

 

Our Prayer List

We remember in our prayer:

 

Cathy Anderson, Dee Bailey, Kari Boeskov, Brandon, Rachel Burgess, Jane Chapman, Marie Cosimano, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, John Davis, Michael Dickinson,

Loretta Dougherty, Nance Finegan, Luis Garay, Carolyn Gawarecki, Louise Gibney, Jean Graham, 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, Quinn Kimball, Alice King, Michael Knowles, Peter Kosutic, Susan Lawrence,Thai Lee, Bruce Lineker, Lois Magrogan,  Evelyn Morgan, Danielle Morgan, Que Nguyen, Chick Nixon, Mary Esther Obremskey, Olive Oliver, Jim Owens, Gary Owens, William Ross, Fern Shuck, Irene Skowron, Josh Smithers, Inez Stanton, Candi Stewart, Patrick Stefl, Barbara Stefl, Kara Stryker, Walter Sushko, George Thomas, Elizabeth Trigg, Tammy Vanphung, Michael Weekes, Warren Weinstein, The Crowley Family, The Westfall Family, Meredith Wiech, Bernard Williams, Rev. Letha Wilson-Barnard, Rudy Zimpel.

 

               ____ 

 

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   

 

 

Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List

May 29, 2014
Parish Notes

-  Our condolences to Jim and Natalie Ellis and family on the passing of Jim's father,  Mr. James Edward Ellis, Jr., on May 23, 2014, in Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania.

 

-  On Saturday, June 7th, we will provide lunch for 50-75 people at Bailey's Crossroads Homeless Shelter.  Would you like to participate in this wonderful ministry before going on your summer vacation?  Food will be prepared and served at the shelter.  All are welcome to join us -- men, women, and youth. We would like to know the number of volunteers as soon as possible, so please speak with Elisabeth Nguyễn or email her at [email protected].

 

Bishop Johnston - The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston, Bishop of Virginia, will visit Saint Patrick's on Sunday, June 8th (Day of Pentecost).  The service for that day will be held at 2:00 PM, and there will be a potluck to honor the Bishop and celebrate with those baptized and confirmed.  Please mark your calendar and attend the service.  Please note that on Sunday, June 8th, we will not worship in the morning. Please bring food!

- The Falls Church Community Service Council (FCS) will once again be sponsoring its local CROP Walk and hopes to have all 19 of its FCS-member congregations participate. The CROP Walk helps people in the U.S. and around the world with hunger relief efforts and it also helped to raise over $3000 for our FCS Food ministry, which works to deliver groceries to Falls Church area residents all year-round.
            A preliminary planning meeting will be held this evening, Thursday, May 29 at 7 pm, at Knox Presbyterian Church (located at 7416 Arlington Blvd). Tentative date for the CROP Walk is Sunday, October 26, 2014 at about 2 pm.

- Calling All Graduates  --  On Sunday, June 22, we will recognize and pray for all members of the church who are graduating from either high school or college.  If you have a graduate in the family, please let Tinh+ know.
  Church office phone number is 703-532-5656.  Tinh+'s email address is:  [email protected]

-  Happy Birthday to Ann Nelson and Christine Moya!

The Propers 

Sunday, June 1, 2014
This Sunday is the Seventh Sunday of Easter

Texts: 

 

Acts 1:6-14

Psalm 68:1-10, 33-35

1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11

John 17:1-11

Collect: 
  

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:  Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before;  who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting.  Amen.

 

This Sunday's Flowers  

Sunday, June 1, 2014

The flowers on the Altar this Sunday are to the glory of God, and are given by Tinh+ and Kim-Anh Huynh
in thanksgiving for Saint Patrick's Episcopal Church
 

Last Sunday's Sermon  

6 Easter -- Year A -- May 25, 2014

Text:  Acts 17:22-31; Ps 66:8-20; 1 Peter 3:13-22;  

John 14:15-21

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

 

Jesus said:  "I will not leave you orphaned;

I am coming to you."

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

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

How will we apply what Jesus said in our lives today?

Are Jesus' words relevant at all  

to the questions that we have?

There is virtually nothing that is certain in this life.

The things we cherish can be taken away at any time,

and this earthly journey will eventually come to an end.

The thoughts on the matter can cause anxiety.

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

Since last week, in the Vietnamese community,

there has been anxiety over the crisis in Southeast Asia,

where conflicts happened between Vietnam and China.

The disputes over the islands in the South China Sea

brought about the skirmishes on water,

demonstrations and looting of Chinese factories in Vietnam,

and the build up of China military forces at the border.

There is a lot of anxiety among the people who live in Vietnam today,

especially among those who are well off.

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

Our first lesson of today is from the Book of Acts.

Paul, in his words to the Athenians,

discerns their anxiety.

He says, "Athenians,

I see how extremely religious you are in every way.

For as I went through the city and look carefully

at the objects of your worship,

I found among them an altar

with the inscription,

'To An Unknown God.'"

Paul found the people of Athens "extremely religious."

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

Ancient Greeks worshiped idols.

They worshiped many gods.

Perhaps praying

and offering sacrifices to the gods

helped soothing their anxieties.

Yet there was one question that remained:

"Is there any god that has been missed?"

There must have been a god that was unknown to them,

and they did not want to neglect or displease that god.

No matter how many gods had they worshiped,

they could not get rid of their fears. 

----------

Paul, as missionary, grasps the opportunity

to tell the Athenians that the God whom they do not know,  

and about whom he was preaching,

is the only God who could help them  

with their fear and anxiety. 

He is the God who gives life to all,

and no one can define Him.

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

Paul says that in Jesus Christ  

those who seek God will find God.

Although unknown to them, God is very near to them.

Paul also says that God commands all people everywhere to repent.

----------

In our Hymnal there is Hymn 665,  which has this line at the end,

"God unknown, he alone calls my heart to be his own."

-----------

As Christians,  we read the creed every Sunday,

affirming our faith in God the Father,

the Son and the Holy Spirit,

yet we still sing of a "God Unknown."

God always remains mysterious.

We believe in God,

but we accept that there is no way to explain God fully.

We don't want to be "extremely religious,"

because we know we cannot give explanation to all the questions.

No matter how hard we try to find God,

he remains unknown to us.

However, the God who is unknown to us

is the very God who cares for us.

The God who remains a mystery to us

calls us beloved,

and He loves us unconditionally.

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

In this world, where anxiety abounds,

we hear Peter's words to the faithful of the first century,

"Do not fear what they fear,

and do not be intimidated,

but in your heart sanctify Christ as Lord."

Peter himself was among those who heard Jesus saying,

"I will not leave you orphan;

I am coming to you."

The encountering with the risen Lord completely changed Peter.

From being a person of quick temper,

always wanting to win and yet very fearful,

Peter was turned into a person with calmness,

determination and courage.

Peter preached, and 3000 people became Christians in one day.

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

The author of Psalm 66 says that God has not rejected his prayer

or removed God's steadfast love from him.

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

That is exactly what Peter wanted to say.

He put into practice his faith in God's steadfast love.

God's love never fails.

That is why he said,

"Do not fear what the people in the world fear,

and do not be intimidated,

but in your heart

sanctify Christ as Lord."

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

The God whom you are seeking is very near to us.

He is calling us to give ourselves to Him.

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

How do we offer ourselves to God?

We keep Jesus' commandment.

Jesus said,

"Those who have my commandments and keep them

are those who love me;

and those who love me will be loved by my Father,

and I will love them and reveal myself to them."

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 thứ S�u của M�a Phục sinh  

25 th�ng 5, 2014

  

Kinh Văn:   

C�ng Vụ 17:22-31; Thi Thi�n 66:8-20; 1 Ph�-r� 3:13-22;  

Giăng 14:15-21

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

            Tại Hoa Kỳ, ng�y thứ hai ch�t của th�ng 5 l� Ng�y Tưởng Niệm (Memorial Day). Nguy�n thủy, ng�y nầy vinh danh c�c chiến sĩ chết trong trận Nội Chiến Hoa Kỳ.  Về sau, ng�y nầy cu~ng được d�ng để tưởng nhớ những chiến sĩ trong c�c chiến tranh kế tiếp, v� ng�y nay người Mỹ thăm viếng mộ người th�n trong ng�y Memorial  Day, cho d� họ c� phục vụ trong qu�n đội hay kh�ng.  Nh�n dịp nghỉ cuối tuần, người ta mua sắm, tụ họp gia đ�nh, đốt ph�o, đi biển, hoặc xem đua xe.

            Tất cả những sinh hoạt chung quanh ch�ng ta gi�p ch�ng ta khu�y khỏa về những chuyện lo buồn của m�nh.  Những lo buồn của người kh�c rất ảnh hưởng đến t�m thần của ch�ng ta.  Mỗi khi c� biến động tr�n nước Mỹ, c�c đ�i truyền h�nh chiếu đi chiếu lại những h�nh ảnh v� ph�ng vi�n n�i đi n�i lại chỉ một chuyện, c� khi l�m cho tinh thần ch�ng ta nặng trĩu.  Giải ph�p c� thể l� tắt TV hoặc chuyển qua một đ�i kh�c, để giải tỏa t�m tr� .  Tuy nhi�n, kh�ng ai c� thể chạy trốn khỏi sự xao xuyến của vấn đề sinh tử.

            Theo S�ch C�ng Vụ C�c Sứ Đồ m� ch�ng ta đọc h�m nay, trong Đoạn Kinh Th�nh Thứ Nhất, �ng Phao L� đến th�nh phố A-then, xứ Hy Lạp, v� �ng tr�ng thấy một c�i b�n thờ khắc chữ "Thờ Thần V� Danh."  Phao L� d�ng cơ hội ấy để cắt nghĩa cho người Hy Lạp về Đức Ch�a Trời.  Người Hy Lạp trọng triết l�.  Họ đi t�m một đấng c� thể gi�p họ tho�t khỏi sự xao xuyến của t�m hồn.  Phao L� n�i chỉ c� một c�ch duy nhất l� t�m đến Ch�a l� Nguồn Sự Sống, v� ch�nh Ch�a đ� đến trong thế gian, qua Đức Gi�su Kit�. 

            Trong Đoạn Kinh Th�nh Thứ Nh�, �ng Phi-e-rơ, m�n đệ của Ch�a, n�i rằng người t�n hữu phải t�n Đức Gi�su l�m Ch�a ngự trị trong l�ng, v� nhờ đ� thắng hơn sự sợ h�i v� xao xuyến.  Theo Phi-e-rơ, giữ lương t�m ngay thẳng l� điều quan trọng nhất.  Một khi ch�ng ta hiến m�nh cho Ch�a, ch�ng ta quyết t�m l�m theo điều Ch�a dạy.

            Ch�nh Đức Gi�su cu~ng n�i về điều tr�n, trong Ph�c �m Giăng m� ch�ng ta đọc h�m nay: "Nếu anh em y�u mến Thầy, anh em sẽ giữ c�c điều răn của Thầy... ai c� v� giữ c�c điều răn của Thầy, người ấy mới l� kẻ y�u mến thầy."  Điều răn của Đức Gi�su l� y�u mến Ch�a hết l�ng, v� y�u người l�n cận như m�nh.

            Vấn đề của ch�ng ta l� m�nh c� qu� nhiều vết thương, v� vết thương sinh ra giận hờn.  Ch�ng ta c� thể giận đời, giận người th�n trong gia đ�nh, giận v� số phận k�m may mắn.  Giận hờn sinh ra xao xuyến.  Điều răn của Ch�a đ�i hỏi ch�ng ta phải l�m quyết định từ bỏ giận hờn.  Từ bỏ giận hờn kh�ng phải l� một ph�p lạ, m� l� do cố gắng của con người, th�o gỡ từng ch�t một, v� l� một cố gắng cho cả đời.  Nếu ch�ng ta quyết t�m th� Ch�a sẽ gi�p ch�ng ta.  "Thầy sẽ xin Ch�a Cha, v� Người sẽ ban cho anh em một Đấng Biện Hộ kh�c đến ở với anh em lu�n m�i."   Đấng Biện Hộ đ� l� Đức Th�nh Linh.  Ng�i l� Thần, v� Ng�i ban sức mạnh cho ai  hết l�ng l�m theo lời dạy của Đức Gi�su.  Ng�i l� Đấng ban cho ch�ng ta sự kh�n ngoan, để ch�ng ta c� thể t�m đến sự b�nh an thật.


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

 

The Rev. Tinh T. Huynh

Rector of Saint Patrick's Church