Lenten and Noisy Offering

March's Noisy Offering, as well as our Lenten Offerings, will support ELCA World Hunger.  The goal of ELCA World Hunger is to address the root causes of hunger and poverty around the world.  They work towards this by providing a sustainable and comprehensive program that uses strategies focusing on relief, development, education, and advocacy.  There are partners that ELCA World Hunger works with that are already on the ground acting as the hands and feet of Christ in order to provide the most efficient and effective aid to those in need.  The funds received assist those both in the United States and internationally. Twenty-five percent stays within the US while the additional seventy-five percent is distributed to countries internationally.  There are many stories that come with helping provide meals and aid to our brothers and sisters in Christ through ELCA World Hunger and they all come with sincere unending thanks and gratitude.

http://www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Responding-to-the-World/ELCA-World-Hunger.aspx

 Easter Lilies and Plants-Signups Continue Through  March 24

Easter Egg Hunt Volunteers Needed

Leslie Trieu has offered to be the coordinator for our Easter Egg Hunt again this year.  If you'd be willing to help Leslie with this event, please sign up on your Count-Me-In form or contact her directly.

Easter Brunch Help Needed

If you can help with our annual Easter Brunch, held between our two Easter morning worship services, please sign up on your Count-Me-In. 

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 1 Timothy.

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.  

Playtime at the Park-Saturday, April 6 at 10:30 AM at the South Run Playground

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.

Shepherd's Center of Fairfax-Burke

Lunch N' Life-Are you 50 or Better?  Please join us for the next Lunch N' Life 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

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. Registration form and class schedule will be available at www.scfbva.org, or by calling 703-323-4788. Registration is open throughout the session.

Square Dancing at Greenspring

Isn't there a form of exercise that is fun and doesn't seem like hard work?  Yes, there is!  It's called Square Dancing.  Greenspring Seniors is a compilation of dancers desiring to be able to dance in a more relaxed social dance environment.  Calls are used from various programs, work-shopped if required and presented in a manner to promote the fun part of social square dancing.  All dancers, young and old, new, rusty, or experienced are welcome.  Dress is casual.  We meet every Tuesday between 1:30-3:30 pm at the Greenspring Retirement Community, 7410 Spring Village Drive, Springfield, Virginia, 22150.  For more info contact:  Butch Adams at 540-336-2121 (Join16@aol.com); Fred Griffin at 703-569-0292 (fggriffin7@gmail.com); or Marilyn Klumpp at 703-451-4014 (emklumpp@aeitv.net).

"Music of the Passion"-Sunday, March 17

Friends of Music and the Arts (FoMA) at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church present "Music of the Passion" on Sunday, March 17 at 4:00 PM.   The concert will feature music by Pergolesi and Bach, and will include vocalists and instrumentalists, as well as period instruments for Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater".   There will be a reception following the concert.  Free childcare is provided.  For those who are able to donate, a suggested free-will offering of $25.00 for adults and $10.00 for students would be appreciated.  All donations go to support  FoMA.  St. Andrew's is located at 6509 Sydenstricker Road in Burke.

Sun., 3/17        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 Meeting

Mon., 3/18       6:00 pm, POAC Autism Group-F.H.

                          6:30 pm, Cub Scout Mtg

Tues., 3/19        10:00 am, Mainly Music

                          6:00 pm, Girl Scout Troop

                          7:30 pm, AP Choir

Wed., 3/20        8:00 am, Pediatric Group (Colossians Rm)

                          9:15 am, Music Together

                          10:00 am, ESL

                          10:15 am, Music Together

                          5:00 pm, Puppets

                          5:15 pm, 1st Holy Communion Class

                          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(K-2nd)

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

                          7:50 pm, Discussion Groups

Thurs., 3/21      8:00 am, Pediatric Grp (Colossians)

                          10:00 am, Bible Study    

                          10:00 am, Sr. Line Dancing

                          5:30 pm, Boy Scout Dinner   

                          7:30 pm, Woodbridge Flute Choir

                          7:30 pm, Church Council

Fri., 3/22           9:30 am, Quilting

Sat., 3/23          9:30 am, Quilting

                          4:00 pm, Praise Band

                          6:00 pm, Vespers Service

                          7:00 pm, Spanish Congregation

Sun., 3/24        PALM SUNDAY

                         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