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Upcoming Events
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Sunday, Oct. 5:
Vietnamese Bible Study
9:15 PM
Blessing of the animals
4:00 PM
Cookies for Coeds
5:00 PM
Tuesday, Oct. 14:
Commissions & Vestry 6:30 PM
Saturday, Oct. 25:
Feed the Homeless
10:30 AM
Sunday, Oct. 26:
Odeon Concert, 4:00 PM
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Birthdays
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October
2 Charles Hiller
4 Nghia Nguyen
6 Catherine Leonard
12 Jean Wetrich
12 Viet-Long Tran
14 Hong Van Phan
16 Joe Hiller
17 Natalie Dang-Ellis
17 Jorden Benjamin
22 Emmeline Pizzola
22 Matthew Pizzola
22 Tess Miller
23 Paul Los, Jr.
27 Victoria Coker-Gunter
28 Harriette Benjamin
30 Carolyn Gawarecki
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Our Prayer List
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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, Steve Escobar, 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, Lindsay Johns, Gray Johnson, Jamie Kaplon, Laura Kennedy, Iona Kiger, Quinn Kimball, Alice King, Michael Knowles, Ashley Kolitz, Peter Kosutic, Susan Lawrence, Thai Lee, Bruce Lineker, Evelyn Morgan, Danielle Morgan, Que Nguyen, Chick Nixon, Mary Esther Obremskey, Tom Olander, Olive Oliver, Jim Owens, Gary Owens, Valerie Parkhouse, 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.
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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 Winnie Lebo at
thelebos@verizon.net or call her at 703-536-2075. Also, should a name need be removed from the list, please let Winnie know promptly, and give the reason.
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Saint Patrick's Ministers
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The Ministers of Saint Patrick's Church are the People of this Parish
supported by
The Rev. Marian Humphrey, Interim Rector
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
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The Vision of St. Patrick's
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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.
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| Previous Issues of the Epistle | Please click here if you wish to see the previous issues of The Epistle
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St. Patrick's Organized for Missions and Ministry
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SAINT PATRICK'S ORGANIZED
FOR MISSIONS AND MINISTRY
Vestry Committee:
Senior Warden: Kathy Oliver; Junior Warden: Bill Houston;
Other members of the Vestry: Elisabeth Nguyen, Milton Thomas, 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; Flea Market:
Prison Ministry: Nancy Burch;
Meals-on-Wheels: Sunrise/Bluemont:
Michael Knowles
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Parish Notes
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- The flowers for Sunday October 5th are given by Le Cao.
- The snacks for Westlawn children program has begun. Your continued generosity will be greatly appreciated. In addition, the school has requested new and/or gently used jackets and coats. Large and extra-large sizes are particularly needed both for boys and girls. - Can you believe that it's Cookies for Coeds time again, and that there are TEN college students to send edible greetings and encouragement to?!!  We will have our annual Cookies for Coeds Packing Party next Sunday, October 5th, immediately following the Blessing of the Animals service. If you cannot make the service, please come help pack the cookies at 5:00 p.m. (that's my best guess). We'll be wrapping and packing the goodies, and making cards. Below you will find a link to a Sign-Up Genius to help keep track of what's needed. First and foremost, we need homebaked (if at all possible!) cookies! We do have a couple of students who avoid wheat, so the sign-up includes things like individually packed nuts, chocolates, etc. Other items are on the sign-up sheet, including sponsoring postage for the boxes. Feel free to be creative with your donation. Here is the link: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0544AEAB29AB9-cookies . You do not need to be a subscriber in order to use SignUp Genius; just click on the link (or copy and paste it into your browser) and follow the directions; you'll get a reminder e-mail a couple of days in advance of the packing party. If you have trouble with the sign-up please let me know! We would like you to stay for dinner after helping with the Packing Party! Lois and I will prepare the main dish; see the SignUp for sides. Questions? Comments? Feel free to contact Catherine Dubas (me) at 571-242-2591 or catherine_dubas@cox.net. Thank you!
- The Search Committee officially began it's work on September 4, 2014. Progress of the Search Committee activities will be presented to the Vestry and congregation through bi-monthly reports. Activities for the month of September are as follows:
- Met with Lindsay Ryland (Transition Director) for Search Committee training on the evening of September 4th
- During the training session, Lindsay provided resources (e.g., documentation, notes, websites) and goals for the Search Committee
- Committee met on September 14th. During the meeting, the following activities were conducted:- Roles were established for each of the 7 members
- Committee developed tasks and goals
- Committee met on September 21st. During this meeting, the following activities were conducted:- Began developing a group prayer
- Gathered notes to develop Search Committee Rules of Engagement
- Discussed ways to create St. Patrick's Church Profile:
- Committee will generate survey questions to be distributed to the congregation (survey will be provided through an online web link and via paper form). All survey answers and feedback will be anonymous
- Use a video compilation to be included in the church profile (e.g., video clips of ministries at St. Pat's, video interview of parishioners, etc.)
- Discussed ways to update St. Patrick's website and Facebook page so that future candidates can see what St. Pat's has to offer.
- Feed The Homeless:
On Saturday, September 27th, St. Patrick's provided a hot lunch for approximately 30 people at the Bailey's Crossroads Homeless Shelter. Thanks to all volunteers including Cheryl Thomas, Kathy Oliver, Peyton and Valerie Dexter, George Yew, Domenic Bourgeois, and Liz Nguyen. Special thanks to Ann Nelson, Wanda Nolan, Jean Wetrich, Kathy Oliver and Peyton Dexter for providing delicious desserts.
- October 5th will be the start of the Vietnamese Bible Study with Xuan Knowles. Bible study will begin at 9:15 am - 10:15 am, every Sunday in the lounge.
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The Propers
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Sunday, October 5, 2014
This Sunday is the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Texts:
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Collect:
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Last Sunday's Sermon
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Given by The Rev. Dr. Rosemari G. Sullivan
September 28, 2014
"Is the Lord among us or not?"
This question at the end of our reading from Exodus, is in my mind and heart, the core of our Scriptures today. The place name in the wilderness where God gave the Israelites water from the rock is Massah and Meribah. It is so named because it is the place where the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord.
In Psalm 95, a regular part of our Morning Prayer Office, the psalmist calls us to sing unto the Lord and in the beautiful 8th verse prays:
"O that today you would listen to his voice!
Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah.
As on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
When your ancestors tested me,
And put me to the proof, though they seen my work."
"Is the Lord among us or not?"
We sometimes deeply question whether or not God is truly with us. Feelings of abandonment in time of the trials of this life are part of our nature. It is what we do with our feelings that is at the heart of our relationship with God who is always with us.
"Is the Lord among us or not?"
In our Gospel passage we meet the priests and the elders of the people. They are questioning Jesus. What they are trying to determine is whether or not the teachings, healings and other miracles are signs of God among us or not. This Gospel is even more interesting because of Jesus response. He tells them about a father who had two sons. It is a simple enough story with a powerful ending. One son says he will not do what is asked of him but does. The other says he will but doesn't. Jesus asks which does the will of the father. They have to reply the first. Then we have the "gotcha moment" or as some friends of mine say the "God zap".
Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.
The hardened hearts of those challenging Jesus cause them to completely miss the reality that indeed God is very near, indeed in the midst of them.
"Is the Lord among us or not?"
The common thread is that both the ancient Israelites and the "priests and elders" in Jesus time had grave difficulty recognizing the saving activity of God in their midst. It may be that we too have difficulty - in fact are completely mystified - wondering where God is when we are in our deepest need.
For the past two Saturdays, I have participated in the funerals of the sons of two of my long time friends. Each of these men had very difficult lives. One was injured at the end of college and had repercussions from this injury for the remainder of his all too short life. The other by all accounts brilliant lost his father very suddenly as he completed college. This event derailed the sensitive young man. In each case, I learned that these two men were seekers who came to believe that God was part of their lives even in the very tough times when all seemed lost. It would be wrong to romanticize young lives lost too soon. However, the lesson for me was once again to know that God was in their lives no matter the externals of injury and illness.
"Is the Lord among us or not?"
Yes, God is among us, is very near, is in fact in our hearts. This morning as we celebrate the Holy Eucharist God comes among us in the form of bread and wine. In the words of consecration we hear the words of Jesus as given to us in the Scriptures:
On the night before he was handed over to suffering and death, he took the bread, blessed it and broke it giving it to his disciples saying: Take eat this is my body given for you. In the same manner after supper he took the cup of wine saying: Drink this all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
My friends, the Lord is among us.
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Altar flowers arranged by Debbie Clark in memory of her father, Harold Selby