Ashes to Go                                  

This morning Rev. Laura and Father Jim were at the Sunrise Valley Park and Ride to offer prayers and the imposition of ashes to commuters. This is the second year Jim and Laura have offered this service. Father Jim said that he feels it is important to take the church outside of the walls of the church and make it more accessible. 

Jim and Laura were well received by commuters. One commuter said seeing Jim and Laura there was a "wonderful surprise." Another thanked them for braving the cold. Jim said that he was gratified by how he and Laura were received. He was also pleased by how many people who, although they did not want ashes, wanted to say thank you or to smile or make some contact. "People seemed happy we were there."

Join us in Lent on Saturday, Mar. 22 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. for a special intergenerational Lenten program and dinner. The St. Anne's Family Lent Event will feature Godly Play storytelling and crafts for adults and children alike. We'll enjoy together a simple potluck dinner of soup, salad, and bread. To participate, please sign-up on the clipboard in the Narthex by Sunday, March 16 and indicate if you plan to bring soup or bread. Questions? Please contact Rev. Laura.

Many thanks to those who were able to come out and celebrate Havana Nights with us last Saturday! We had a great time, and thanks to your generosity we were able to raise over $500 dollars to go towards our mission trip. I am very grateful for the support of the St. Anne's church family, and our Cuba Mission Team will carry that support with us when we travel in a few weeks. Thank you.

Special Guest Speaker at Women's Group Meeting

We have a special speaker scheduled for Saturday, Mar. 15. You will not want to miss this presentation. Dr. David Russ, Regional Director for the Northeast United States at the U.S. Geological Survey, will talk about earthquakes and tsunamis. Having just experienced our own earthquake and a most destructive tsunami in Japan just a couple of years ago, come and hear what he has to say about what's next in the U.S. and worldwide. Following his presentation, he'll be happy to take your questions. Dr. Russ has broad expertise in a number of geological areas, including climate change, volcanoes and hydraulic fracturing. The session is scheduled for 8:00-10:00a.m. in the Library. Coffee and breakfast cake will be provided by Mary Ann Rich. 

Please respond via sign up via Sign Up Genius or via email directly to Mary Ann or by phone at 703-648-9239 to let her know if you plan to attend and if you plan to bring a snack to share.

Each year our 5th and 6th grade Sunday school class organizes a project to provide items for homeless men and women in Reston. In the past, they have provided winter items with their Bags of Warmth. However, giving to homeless shelters is at its lowest during the warm weather months, so this year they are providing Bags of Sunshine! Backpacks will be sold in the Narthex and a list of items to be purchased will be provided. You may choose to purchase a backpack for $5 and take your loved ones on a shopping excursion to fill it. Or, you may make a suggested donation of $25 and our youth will shop for you and stuff the bags. All bags and donations will be due by Sunday, Mar. 30.

Is there anyone who doesn't have a family member or friend who has been impacted by cancer? A long standing St. Anne's tradition is the Grateful Living our team at Relay for Life. What is Relay for Life you ask? At Relay For Life events, communities come together to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that has already taken too much. The funds we raise truly make a difference in the fight against cancer - just ask one of the nearly 14 million cancer survivors who will celebrate another birthday this year! Relay For Life teams camp out overnight and take turns walking or running around a track or path at a local high school, park, or fairground. Events are up to 24 hours long and because cancer never sleeps each team is asked to have at least one participant on the track at all times. We'll be meeting this Sunday at 1 p.m. in Room 1 to talk about Relay for Life, the Grateful Living and how we can invest in research for the American Cancer Society. Please join us.

There are two SAYG meetings scheduled for March: Sunday, Mar. 16 and Sunday, Mar. 30.  Please join us from 6:15-7:15 p.m. on both of those evenings. If you have questions about any of these events, please contact Rev. Laura.

Please join us for more sandwich making for families at the Embry Rucker Shelter Saturday, Mar. 22 at 10:30 a.m.  We're doing it again and making 120 bag lunches, including 240 sandwiches! Depending on how many volunteers we have, this will take between 30-60 minutes. Children old enough to help with lunch making are more than welcome to join us! Please click here to signup, select what items to bring, and let us know you'll be there reserve your spot at . If you have any questions please contact Emily McPhie; Emily's away on vacation for a couple of weeks, so don't worry if you don't hear back immediately.  If you do need immediate information drop an email to Tim Barwick.