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I have a favorite stole; I often wear it officiating at weddings. It's a useful visual aid for my homily. It is very colorful, a reproduction of a style of quilted clothing developed by the Seminoles. While on the Trail of Tears from the South East to the Plains this pattern was created out of necessity, using scarps of worn out clothing to create new apparel.

Today is the feast day appointed to Harriet Bedell. She was born in upper state New York in 1875. Harriet trained and worked as a school teacher for a while. Inspired by a visiting missionary, Harriet went to the New York Graining School for Deaconesses, where she studied scripture, theology, and basic skills in nursing. Deaconess Bedell's first assignment was on the Whirlwind mission in Oklahoma, working with the Cheyenne, who appreciated her so much that they adopted her. When the mission closed in 1916 she went to Alaska where she lived and worked in the coldest of environments teaching and nursing.

Because God really does have a sense of humor after fifteen years in Alaska Harriet got herself posted to Everglades City, Florida, where she began the Glade Cross Mission. Here she worked and lived until Hurricane Donna in 1960. Even though her mission was gone, and she was 85, she continued to serve the people of the area, many of them Seminole until her death in 1968.

Called by the locals "Angel of the Swamp," Harriet traveled throughout the Everglades on foot and by canoe. Often she would travel with a local medicine man, realizing that her ministry was about healing and teaching, not preaching an exclusive, rigid Christianity. Appalled by living conditions of the area, Deaconess Bedell encouraged local people to create clothing using the colorful trail of tears patterns, hence my stole. She traveled as far away as New York, selling clothing and promoting this business.

Working with local customs and in collaboration with other religious leaders, always striving to better the lives of the people around her, Harriet Bedell is my example extraordinaire of what it means to be a faithful person devoting her life to Christ and her community. I give thanks to God for her witness.

On Feb. 9 we will be combining our 9:00 and 11:15 service for A Celebration of St. Anne's. The service will focus on our action inside and outside the walls of our church and will also include the annual meeting. Afterwards there'll be will be a great chance to talk with folks who are involved with dozens of our missions including our Food Pantry, Youth Group, EfM, etc. There will also be a light lunch served in the Great Hall. As part of our celebration we're asking you to let us know one word that captures what St. Anne's means to you. We know it might be tough to find just one word, however, if you send that in an email to oneword@stannes-reston.org you'll see the results on at the meeting. Because there'll be so much going on that day there'll be no Sunday School or children's music.  It's going to be an amazing and fun event and we hope you'll join us!

Lunch For the Soul (LFTS), aka Almuerzo Para la Alma, is currently a three church collaborative effort that operates out of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Herndon. Together, these three churches serve our neighbors the day laborer community. LFTS gathers every Wednesday in the early afternoon to share a hearty three-course home cooked meal, delight in music, and enjoy a sermon in Spanish. St. Anne's is excited to add one more link to this already strong chain and jump into helping to serve this amazing community. Our first opportunity will be on Wednesday, Jan. 22, we'll meet at 10 a.m. to prepare the food, which is supplied for us, and serve at noon. Cleanup is done by 1:30pm. Spanish language skills are not required. Please click here to signup and get involved. For more information please contact Katrina Alexander (703-328-5602). 

We declare open the 1^st Potluck Olympic Winter Games of St. Anne's! Join us on Saturday, Feb. 8 for food, fellowship, and fun at the Potluck Olympics. TO PLAY: "adopt" a country by selecting one of the countries posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex. Bring a native food dish to share as well as a few fun and interesting facts about the faith and spirituality of that country. We'll gather at 7:00 p.m. in the library to broaden our palates, have fun, and watch the Olympic Games together. Be sure to sign up on the clipboard in the narthex and to note which country you have "adopted" for the evening. Questions?  Please contact Rev. Laura .

This month the FACETS team delivered food on New Years Day. Our thanks to Kathy and Dan Breeding, Pam Russ and her grandson Baird, Jeanne Johnson, Enid Benson, Nellie Sidifall, Nancy Brown, Dick Christensen and Fred Bagley for the great turnout!

-- Roger Brown and Angie Gray

The Monday Book discussion group will meet Jan. 13 at 9:30 in the Library to discuss The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. On Mar. 3 at 12:30 at Café Montmartre, the group will be discussing The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway.

I encourage you to join Father Jim and myself at their The Day for All People, this year on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center for a day of fellowship, education and advocacy. The morning will include a welcome address and policy briefings, after which they will walk over to meet with our Senators and Delegates and observe committee hearings and floor sessions. They will then return to the Convention Center for lunch and an afternoon speaker. There will a bus running from Northern Virginia, details to follow. If you are interested in attending or finding out more information please click here to check out their flyer. Cost is $30 and includes coffee, materials and lunch.

-- Tim Barwick

In the coming weeks we're going to be updating you on Virginia Interfaith thoughts on upcoming legislation. As active participants in the world around us we encourage you to read and educate yourselves about the issues at hand and let your legislators know how you feel. Even if you believe they're already aligned with your position another voice is always helpful. Unsure who is your senator or delegate? Please click here to learn more. 

The Embry Rucker homeless shelter makes bag lunches available every day for both shelter residents and those who do not live at the shelter but who use shelter services.  St. Anne's has begun regularly contributing to the shelter's lunch supply; our next sandwich making effort will be Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10:30 a.m. until we're done (usually 30-45 minutes). As with our last two times, we'll be making 120 bags (240 sandwiches) and, again, to help defray costs, we're asking at least some of you to bring some of the lunch items we need. Children old enough to help make lunches are very welcome! Click here to sign up, please go to or contact Emily McPhie.

Help keep the most vulnerable warm during the coldest winter months! St. Anne's will be supporting Holy Comforter in Vienna hosting a hypothermia shelter February 2 to 8. The shelter will be open 12 hours a day, and will serve homeless men and women alike to bring them out of the cold. The FACETS hypothermia prevention shelter program is operated November to March each year, with more than 40 faith-based communities participating. This is a great opportunity to provide badly needed face-to-face services to those most in need. Please note: Holy Comforter has asked for volunteers no younger than high school, and they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  If you have any questions contact David Safford or by calling 703-437-1471.

Details and a sign-up sheet will be provided early in the new year, but volunteer opportunities include: serving four-hour shifts at the shelter, riding as a co-pilot on the FACETS van to pick up and drop off guests, donating food, clothing, and toiletries, and providing entertainment and companionship.