News from Lutheran Church of the Abiding Presence

All those who are looking at the possibility of having their child baptized at Abiding Presence this spring are encouraged to attend this pre-baptismal dinner with Pastor Keseley. You'll have the chance to meet other couples in the congregation and learn more about our Lutheran understanding of baptism. Infants are, of course, welcome to attend the dinner with their parents and we can provide childcare in the nursery for older siblings. Please RSVP to Pastor Keseley.

Children's Weekend Meal Program-Deadline moved to Sunday, Mar. 3

We are close to our goal for next week's delivery! Girls Scout Troop 6124 that meets here on Tuesday nights has volunteered to pack the food bags for Thursday's delivery! So we will have all the food ready on Tuesday, we need to have the final donations here by this Sunday. Here are the final items we need: 10 sm. jars of peanut butter, 53 cereal, 48 chicken soup. You may place your donations in the bin under the coat rack. Thank you for your continued generosity.

WELCA Retreat-March 15-16

The annual Abiding Presence women's retreat will be held from 6:00 pm Friday, March 15th to 2:00 pm Saturday March 16th at Singmaster Center in Gettysburg, PA. We are fortunate to have Vicar Nicole leading the program this year. The women's retreat is a wonderful opportunity for relaxation, fellowship, inspiration, laughter, worship and much more. Please put it on your calendar and plan to join us. If you've never been to the retreat I encourage you to make this a new adventure. Contact Sue Franke if you have any questions.

Hand in Hand Service Moved from Service and shortened

Have you ever spent the time baking bread from scratch-not with a bread machine? Well, as part of my internship project we will be doing just that. On Saturday, March 9, from 10:00 AM till noon, we will be spending time baking bread with ALL ages. We will spend a few hours together learning how to bake bread from those who have baked bread before, joining in conversation, and building relationships. We will be baking a few different kinds of bread, and all the bread we bake will be going to organizations Abiding Presence currently supports. If you have a hidden talent of bread baking and would like to share it with others, please let Vicar Nicole know.

Holy Week Worship Schedule

Palm Sunday, March 24 Praise Service, 8:30 AM; Traditional Service, 11:00 AM

Saturday Vespers at 6:00 PM on March 23

Maundy Thursday, March 28 Worship at 7:30 PM

Good Friday, March 20 Worship at 12:00 PM and 7:30 PM

Easter Sunday, March 31 Praise Service, 8:30 AM; Traditional Service, 11:00 AM

Easter Brunch at 9:45 AM

No Saturday Vespers on March 30

Easter Lilies-Signups Begin this Week and Continue Through March 24

In praise and thanksgiving for our risen Lord, you may wish to order an Easter lily to decorate the sanctuary on Easter Sunday. Orders will be taken through March 24. The cost this year will be $9.00 for each lily ordered. To order, please fill out your Count-Me-In form at any time during the next few weeks with your name and number of lilies ordered. You should also indicate if you are donating the lily To the Glory of God, In Honor of or In Memory of someone. Please place your check (with Easter lilies on the memo line) and Count-Me-In form in the offering plate. Lilies may be taken home following the late worship service on Easter, March 31.

Empty Nester Alert!

Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 27 for our next event-a potluck supper at Jane and Richard Curtis's home in Fairfax Station, followed by a short trek to George Mason's TheatreSpace for a Ten-Minute Play Festival where student writers, directors and actors will present their work. Empty Nesters has no age or offspring requirements for participation-we are adults of Abiding Presence who get together for fun and/or service activities. All adults are welcome.

Please contact Jane at her cox.net address -- DJCcurtis22@cox.net- to let her know if you can come and what kind of food you would like to bring. Supper will be at 5:45 pm to give us plenty of time to eat, drive to GMU and park. Carpooling from the Curtis's is welcomed. We will not buy group tickets for the play festival. Tickets are $15 (or $10 for students, faculty, GMU staff or seniors) at the door.

AP Bridge Group

The Abiding Presence bridge group is actively looking for new members. All who enjoy bridge or want to learn are encouraged to contact us. We play at members' homes the third Friday of every month and plan to start additional sessions as part of the Wednesday night gatherings. Anyone interested or with questions can contact Dick Bowes or Kris Vick. If you cannot locate these jokers, let Pastor know--she will bridge the gap!

Daylight Savings Time Begins on Sunday, March 10

Remember to set your clocks ahead on the evening of March 9. Daylight Savings Time begins at 2:00 AM on Sunday, March 10.

Electronic Offering Cards Now Available in Sanctuary

Now, as we transition back into the new sanctuary a new addition is electronic offering cards at the end of each set of chairs. The hope is this card will provide an option for those who give electronically at the time of offering, help in teaching about stewardship year round, and provide information for our visitors as to how they can give.

Bible Study 101-Mondays, April 8, 15, 22 and 29 at 7:00 PM

Pastor Keseley is teaching Bible Study 101. Come learn about how Lutherans read the Bible. If you have always been curious about Bible Study but haven't known where to start, this is the place!

Adult Bible Study on Sunday Mornings

Adults interested in Bible Study will gather at 10 AM in the library with Mike Magnell for a study on Philippians.

Thursday Morning Bible Study-Hallelujah, the Bible and Handel's Messiah: The Lenten Portion

This study continues through the Lent season. Our Bibles are the main text as we learn the source of Handel's music. In conjunction with the Lenten season, we will be studying the Lenten portion. Our group welcomes new members at any time. If you are interested in joining this study, please contact Kathryn Ives.

3-B's Friday Bible Study

3B's is a women's fellowship group that meets in each other's homes for a light Breakfast, Bible study and a time to share our Blessings from God. The Bible study we use comes from the ELCA's women magazine, "Gather." This year's study is "Gathered by God"- a look at all the ways God calls us to gather. We would love to have you join us. Our next meeting will be on Friday, March 8th, at Kathryn Ives' home. We will also meet at the church on the 4th Friday of every month to help with the Quilt Campaign. For more information, please contact Kathy Schmiesing.

Autism Awareness at Abiding Presence-March 17

For those wishing to learn more about autism, interventions to help those with autism, and POAC (Parents of Autistic Children), Jane Pagan and Nicole Zupan will be giving a brief talk between Sunday services on March 17th. Please feel free to e-mail Nicole or Jane if you need help in this area.

First Holy Communion

Holy Communion instruction will be held in two sessions this spring.

Session 1:     Saturday, March 16 from 4:15-5:15 PM
                           Saturday, April 6 from 4:15-5:15 PM
                           Saturday, April 13 from 3:30-5:30 PM

Session 2: Wednesdays, March 13 & 20 and April 3 & 10 from 5:15-6:15 PM

Children will receive their first Holy Communion on Sunday, April 14 at either service. Holy Communion is a gift from God for which there is no age requirement. Children can begin communing at any age and parents are encouraged to talk with Pastor Keseley if they are wondering when would be a good time for their child to start receiving the sacrament.

God and Me Award for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
At least one Tiger Scout in the congregation has expressed interest in earning the God and Me Award. If you are in scouting and interested in earning the award, please let Pastor Keseley know. She'll be scheduling classes within the next few weeks.

Mainly Music Spring Session

Will be held every Tuesday morning through June 4 from 10:15-11:45 am. (There will be no session during Holy Week/Spring Break on March 26.) Visit our website to register: www.abidingpresence.net/children-and-youth. For more information contact Leslie Trieu.

The Puppets are Looking for Some New Faces and Friends to Join Us

Come join us and give it a try, learn a new skill, bring joy to all those who wait for those puppets to appear, and have fun in the process. The puppet team begins in 3rd grade, and beyond that all are welcome to join us. The puppet team will be going on a retreat in the spring. Joining now would be a great opportunity to come with us to the retreat and to grow together as a team.

2013 Senior High Youth Mission Trip

We're planning ahead and have already set the dates for our 2013 Sr. High mission trip. We'll be headed to rural Bluefield, WV, for a week of home repair, July 7-13, 2013. The cost will be $550 per person for the week, which will include all meals except for dinner one night. Registration forms available from Vicar Nicole or Pastor Keseley.

Confirmation-Ultimate Capture the Flag, March 17th

Hey Confirmation Youth! Are you ready to have some fun outside? Then get ready for some down and possibly a little dirty occasion. The Bleicken's have mapped out boundaries and are set for some Ultimate Capture the Flag. This Ultimate Capture the Flag adventure is going to take place March 17, 2013 from 1:30-3:30pm at the Bleicken's home. All the confirmation youth are encouraged to come and have a good time, parents you are welcome to stay. This promises to be a great way to enjoy the afternoon of St. Patrick's Day.

February is ECHO Food Drive Month at Abiding Presence

While we collect food for ECHO year-round, ECHO has assigned February as the month for AP to hold a food drive. Please bring all donations of non-perishable food items and place them in the bin in the narthex, marked for ECHO. You may also donate money which will be sent to ECHO so that they can purchase needed items. Please indicate ECHO Food Drive on the memo line of your check. ECHO is currently low on: pancake mix and syrup, canned meat, baked beans, vegetable oil, sugar and flour (2 lb. sizes), powdered milk, juice (46-64 oz. cans), adult/child pain meds, bandaids, laundry detergent, deodorant, shaving cream, children's toothbrushes, box potatoes, muffin mixes, tuna, peanut butter and jelly.

ECHO is registered again this year for the Feinstein Foundation's challenge grant. All food donations as well as financial gifts that are donated between March 1 and April 30 as a result of the Feinstein challenge qualify for a proportionate amount of matching funds. More information about the foundation whose goal is to end hunger in America can be found at www.feinsteinfoundation.org <http://www.feinsteinfoundation.org>. Checks may be brought or mailed to ECHO at 7205 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA 22150. Don't forget to indicate on the check that it is in response to the Feinstein challenge so that ECHO will qualify for the matching funds.

Spring Consignment Sale

Our spring children's consignment sale is Saturday, April 20th 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Consignors (sellers) and volunteers (workers) can begin registering on Monday, March 4th at 8:00 AM. The sale is limited to the first 99 consignors. This year we've added a half-price sale option. Consignors can offer a 50% discount on any of their items during the last hour and a half of the sale (12:30 PM to 2:00 PM). Item drop off is Thursday, April 18th 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM or Friday, April 19th 9:00 AM to Noon. Registration is $6 due prior to or at drop off. For more information or to register go to www.abidingpresence.net/activities/consignment-sale or contact Lynne Linder

Lutheran World Relief Quilt Campaign "13 for 2013" - Tied in faith. Sent in hope. Wrapped in love!

We will be meeting every 4th Friday of the month. Our next session will be on Friday, March 22 at 9:30 a.m. We hope you can join us!

Hypothermia Shelter Help

Our first meal with the hypothermia shelter at Rising Hope Church was a great success thanks to the Meyeraans, Don Pruefer, the Parks and the Sunday School donation of socks and toiletries. But there are still plenty of cold nights ahead before the shelter will close for the season at the end of March. Please consider volunteering on our next designated night, Monday, March 25. Any adult over the age of 18 is welcome. We need 3 to 4 volunteers to stay overnight (only 2 must be awake at all times), plus donations for a hot dinner and breakfast bags. The sign up sheet is on the wall next to the kitchen. We are committed to just two nights this year, and then will evaluate the interest and availability of our congregation in pursuing a longer term relationship with this ministry in the future. If you are interested or need more information, please contact Pam Park.

Meal Ministry

AP has started a new meal ministry similar to the cookie brigade. Members of the meal ministry team will be assigned a week. Pastor will identify a family in the congregation who could use a meal delivered. It you would be willing to prepare and deliver a meal approximately 3-4 times a year, please contact Susan McClean.

Shepherd's Center of Fairfax-Burke

Lunch N' Life-Are you 50 or Better? Please join us for the next Lunch N' Life sponsored by the Shepherd's Center of Fairfax-Burke on Thursday, March 21, 2013, (12:00-2:00 p.m.) at Jubilee Christian Center, 4650 Shirley Gate Road, Fairfax. The historian Jenee Lindner will present One Nation, Two Flags, Three Women. Julia Ward Howe, Clara Barton and Sarah Tracy contributed to the events in Fairfax County during the Civil War. For reservations, call Faye Quesenberry (703) 620-0161 by March 14. The cost is $10.00; checks payable to SCFB. If transportation is needed, call the SCFB office (703) 323-4788. See www.scfbva.org.

Adventures in Learning

Older Adults Shape Up Mentally and Physically with the Shepherd's Center of Fairfax-Burke: Join the Shepherd's Center of Fairfax-Burke (SCFB) for its spring session of Adventures in Learning. This program is open to all adults age 50 or better. Registrants bring a bag lunch and stay for a full day of classes/activities and socializing, or pick and choose the classes that interest them the most. Mondays, March 18 through April 29, 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 5114 Twinbrook Rd., Fairfax; cost $30.00. Beginning February 15, registration form and class schedule will be available at www.scfbva.org, or by calling 703-323-4788. Registration is open throughout the session.

Concerts From Kirkwood (CFK) - Saturday, March 16, at 3:00 pm

Concerts For Kirkwood is a family oriented concert series at Kirkwood Presbyterian Church, 8336 Carrleigh Parkway, Springfield, VA. This upcoming concert will feature Classical FX, an incredibly talented vocal quartet ensemble. They will perform everything from Broadway tunes to folk spirituals, and classical opera music! The concerts are absolutely free and rely upon donations to provide their high caliber performances. All donations are fully tax deductible.

Sun., 3/3 8:30 am, Praise Service

9:45 am, Learning

11:00 am, Traditional Service

12:15 pm, Hallelujah Ringers

1:30 pm, Korean Cong.

3:45 pm, Girl Scout Troop

4:00 pm, Daisy Troop

5:00 pm, Pre-Baptism Dinner

Sr. High Return from Youth Zone

Mon., 3/4 No Activities Planned

Tues., 3/5 10:00 am, Mainly Music

6:00 pm, Girl Scout Troop

7:30 pm, AP Choir

Wed., 3/6 9:15 am, Music Together

10:00 am, ESL

10:15 am, Music Together

5:00 pm, Puppets

6:15 pm, Dinner

6:45 pm, Sonrise Preschool Choir

6:45 pm, Holy's Youth Group (K-2nd)

6:45 pm, Spirits! Youth Group (3rd-6th Grade)

7:15 pm, Lenten Worship

7:15 pm, Sonrise Cherubs Choir

7:45 pm, Sonrise Singers Choir (3rd-6th Grade)

7:50 pm, Discussion Groups

Thurs., 3/7 10:00 am, Bible Study

10:00 am, Sr. Line Dancing

7:30 pm, Woodbridge Flute Choir

Fri., 3/8 3 B's at Kathryn Ives' Home

Sat., 3/9 10:00 am, Hand in Hand Project

4:00 pm, Praise Band

6:00 pm, Vespers Service

7:00 pm, Spanish Congregation

Sun., 3/10 DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS

8:30 am, Praise Service

9:45 am, Learning

11:00 am, Traditional Service

12:15 pm, Hallelujah Ringers

1:30 pm, Korean Cong.

3:45 pm, Girl Scout Troop

4:00 pm, Daisy Troop Mtg