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Upcoming Events
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-Vestry meeting, 7 pm
Upcoming Feed the Homeless dates (2016)
February 6th
March 5th
April 2nd
May 7th
June 4th
August 6th
September 3rd
October 1st
November 5th
December 3rd
Sign-up online at:
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Birthdays
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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
24 Jane Chapman
25 Amelia Nicholson
28 Paul Los
30 Patricia Phan
31 Trang Diep
31 Chon Kim Huynh
January
4 Suong Pham
4 Catherine Burgess
7 Jim Clark
8 MeiLi Haan
9 Debbie Mills
9 Tinh Huynh
10 Jocelyne Miller
12 Loc Mai
15 Kevin Tingley
15 Hue Vo
22 Jay Parrotta
25 Anne Hiller
28 Tyler Mills
30 Robin Tingley
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Our Prayer List
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We remember in our prayer:
Cathy Anderson, Dee Bailey, Mary Anne Bogie, Jane Chapman, Marie Cosimano, Tim Clary, Dorothy Connelly, Bruce Cunningham, John Davis, Michael Dickinson, Loretta Dougherty, Eric I. Emanuelson, Laurette Engleman, Carolyn Gawarecki, Jean Graham, Katherine Hafele, Margaret Ellis Harris, Alek Hensley, Cindy Hogman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Mildred Hoxie, Michael Horn, Lindsay Johns, Jamie Kaplon, Iona Kiger, Quinn Kimball, Alice King, Jeff King, Michael Knowles, Ashleigh Kohlitz, Peter Kosutic, Susan Lawrence, John and Ellen Leggatt, Thai Lee, Bruce Lineker, Sharon Lineker, Abigail Maerie, Richard, Sarah, Kylee and Quinlan Magrogan, Mary Mannon, Joseph McGinnis Sr., Felicia Mitchell, Danielle Morgan, Jim Morris, Gladys Myers, Que Nguyen, Mary Esther Obremskey, Olive Oliver, Jim Owens, Gary Owens, Valerie Parkhouse, William Ross, Fern Shuck, Irene Skowron, Josh Smithers, Inez Stanton, Candi Stewart, Patrick Stefl, Kara Stryker, Walter Sushko, George Thomas, Elizabeth Trigg, Tammy Vanphung, Michael Weekes, Warren Weinstein, The Westfall Family, Tom Wetrich, Meredith Wiech, Bernard Williams, Rev. Letha Wilson-Barnard, Rudy Zimpel, Dena.
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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
We serve our Lord as part of the Diocese of Virginia
led by
our chief pastors
The Rev. Bernie Schroeder, Interim Rector
The Rt. Rev. Shannon Sherwood Johnston, Bishop
The Rt. Rev. Susan Goff
Bishop Suffragan
and
The Rt. Rev. Ted Gulick,
Assistant Bishop
and
The Rev. Tinh T. Huynh,
Rector Emeritus
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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: Winnie & 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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Photos
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Lighting the Advent Wreath 
 ---------------------------------------------- Westlawn Angel Tree ------------------------------------------
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Parish: The Thought
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"The Blessing of Pneumonia"
The Rev. Bernie Schroeder
I never get sick. In forty-five years of professional life I have never missed more than two or three days of work at one time due to illness. I was feeling worn down from the Thanksgiving Holiday but still spry enough to celebrate 1Advent. I barely made it through the service and by the time I got home I was into a full blown flu. My wife called the emergency number and I was prescribed a strong antibiotic for severe bronchitis. By coincidence, I was to see my personal physician the following Friday, by which I had been off of work for a full week.
Feeling much better, I was prepared to get her OK to assist at Douglas Nolan's funeral, to celebrate 2Advent and to chair my very first Parish Annual Meeting as a priest. When she took out her stethoscope and listened to my chest, she said, "You have pneumonia; you're doing nothing but resting for at least another full week." An X-ray confirmed her diagnosis and she prescribed yet another strong antibiotic for pneumonia.
When I got back home, I made three of the most depressing calls of my career: First to The Rev. Randy Alexander stating that I could not assist at Douglas' Requiem; second to Kathy Oliver to tell her I was "down for the count" and that she would have to conduct the Annual meeting; third, to my dear friend The Rev. Ted Johnson to ask him to celebrate 2Advent.
As I slid deeper into depression, I asked God to help me find a way to get through my "uselessness." He pointed me to a simple plan of action: Make the pneumonia a blessing.
The first step in that process was to thank God for the absolute necessity of rest - a long rest. Pneumonia requires lots of rest so why not use it as a kind of "silent retreat" by myself? My prayers became strong (you know I believe that prayer works!) and very intentional. I prayed about everything from the goodness of St. Patrick's to the horrific events in Paris and San Bernardino. Ironically, I was also able to pray for our ailing Presiding Bishop who recovers under the same umbrella as I in our Diocese.
The second step in calling my pneumonia a blessing was to reach out to others. This, too, is not easy for me but I found myself calling all manner of friends and clerical colleagues (including Father Tinh) to simply ask them to pray for me. Because prayer works, I knew that their response would be every bit as effective as an antibiotic. Sure enough, the prayers flowed in.
Next, I wanted to offer genuine, deep thanks for all that is good in my life and to all who help to make it so. My wife, Carol, has been wonderful in her treatment (and tolerance) of my illness. My son, Paul, who calls every day to make sure I am sounding better, taking my medicine and getting my rest (funny how the father becomes the son and the son becomes the father!). My doctor, Margaret Malaro, who's concern and clarity of diagnosis convinced me of the seriousness of pneumonia. And finally, to the leaders of St. Patrick's (Kathy, the Vestry, The Lebos, Lois, Mariko, et alia) who simply handled all of the details of a very successful weekend.
Most important, I was determined to maintain my relationship with the Body of Christ as it manifests itself in the people of St. Patrick's. At first chagrinned because everything went so smoothly without my help, I remembered what I have been preaching my entire year with you. YOU are the Body of Christ and YOU, as the Body of Christ, are what composes a parish. It is your dedication to our LORD, your communal worship and your determination for the future of St. Patrick's that warms me in every way. Hopefully, a priest can be an active participant and, indeed, an enabler in the work of the Body, but he/she is to assist you in worship and belief, not the other way around.
To maintain an even closer relationship with you as I convalesced, I would say my prayers at night for your safety and happiness. In falling asleep, I would see each of you in your regular place in the pews and I would pray for you each individually as I received your prayers in return. In you, and by the grace of God, my prayers have been answered.
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Parish Notes
| | Thank You from Westlawn 
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Westlawn Angel Tree
Thank you to all who participated in this year's Angel Tree for Westlawn Elementary School. We helped 19 families have a brighter Christmas. The response and generosity shown by this congregation was overwhelming and heart-felt.
Fundraising
The Holiday Fundraiser held on December 6 was a great success! It was well attended and all had a wonderful time. Many thanks to Mariko Hiller for all her work and efforts. Gladly, we can report that between the Fall Bazaar and the Holiday Fundraiser, we have raised over $5,000 for the repairs needed at St. Patrick's.
New Vestry Members
It is with great pleasure that we welcome the additions of Robert Van Beek, Jean Pierre Chanu and Michael Knowles to the 2016 Vestry.
Congratulations Claire
We extend sincere congratulations to Claire Dubas on her December 19 graduation from James Madison University. We know you will have a bright future.
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| Previous Sermons | | |
Sermon Videos
Previous sermons by Father Bernie as well as those by visiting minsters can be viewed on our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/stpatsepiscopal
Many thanks to Joe Hiller for recording and posting videos of some of Father Bernie's sermons.
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