Glimpses of Hope from Kairos Cookie Ministry

Thank you so much for your exceptional support for Kairos #44 held in October, 2023 at CentralVA Correctional Unit in Chesterfield, VA. Though there were many challenges, God was in charge! Because of your generous gifts of cookies (105 dozen from ASC), prayers (the prayer chain was 52 feet long) , and financial support the participants experienced the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. They were overwhelmed by the love from people they did not know.

Here are some of thoughts expressed at the closing ceremony.

• I came: broken, hurt, rejected, lonely. Did God love us? Is He mad at us?

• I found: Family of new sisters, peace and contentment, forgiveness, compassion, spiritual shift, abundant love and acceptance, new “Son” glasses.

• Taking with us: Forgiveness of self and others, healing, real love from real people with real problems.

Individual speakers:

• Unforgiveness towards family, seeing God’s unconditional love, how could I not forgive others?

• Didn’t have to be what I grew up around. I have choices.

• We want to be loved, accepted, and fit in! And we do in the Kingdom.

• Learned a lot, one of the best experiences in my life. Thanking God!

Also during the closing ceremony one of the senior correctional officers came to the podium, unannounced and unexpected! He expressed his gratitude for the Kairos ministry and the changes it brought about in the participants. He told us to let him know if we needed anything. This has never happened at CVCU.

The next Kairos weekend for CVCU is scheduled for April 18- 21. We always need more team members! If you feel God calling you to bring Christ’s unconditional love to incarcerated women please contact Carol Updike, updikecfs@gmail.com Suzy Speare, suzyspeare@aol.com or Debbie Morrison, 2157cats@gmail.com. More details coming on how the congregation can support Kairos #45.

Prayer and Worship Hour

Sunday, January 28 we resume our fourth Sunday prayer and worship hour from 6-7 p.m. at All Saints’ Church in the sanctuary. Join us as we pray for our congregation, community, and upcoming outreach events. Please note, RSVP’s are required to Tara for childcare.

Food Giveaway Needs for This Saturday!

This Saturday is our January Food Giveaway! As always we need donated food to make this happen! Our greatest needs are for:

• Pancake Mix

• Oats

• Maseca

You can bring these to the church donation bins. We also have the perishable food drive on Friday

If you are able to serve on Saturday, please click here to sign up.

Pray for Our Youth Group at Camp Booyah This Weekend

This weekend our Youth Group Teens and several adult leaders will be away at Watermarks Retreat Center for the winter camp Booyah Brrrr! This three-night camp is a shorter version of the summer camp. Teens are invited to enter into the Anglican way of worshiping together and get to know other teenagers from Anglican churches in the ACNA. Pray for the teens as they are encouraged to grow in their relationship with Jesus and challenged to follow him more closely.

Students:

• Susannah Pedersen

• Esther Goeller

• Ivey Pachecano

• Sarah-Joy Reichert

• John Pedersen

• Isaac McHargue

• Aaron SaJous

• Isaac Fair

• Leo Manning

Adults:

• Jedd Trenum

• Heidi Reichert

• Lilliana McCloy

• Reilly Pachecano

• Jackson McHargue

A Christian Response to Anti-Semitism- You're Invited to This Virtual Event!

With the sharp rise in Anti-Semitic rhetoric and actions, now is the time to reflect on how to best respond as followers of Jesus Christ.

In this pre-recorded interview with Darrell Bock, Randy Newman, and Tom Tarrants the C.S. Lewis Institute examines the history of Anti-Semitism beginning from the biblical period through today, the myths and false teachings used to promote Anti-Semitism, and current Anti-Semitic trends.  This will be followed with some suggested ways in which Christians can lovingly, thoughtfully, and truthfully respond to Anti-Semitism.

Date:  Friday, January 19, 2024
Speaker: Darrell Bock, Randy Newman, and Tom Tarrants
Time:  8:00 – 9:15 pm ET
Location:  Virtual

Click HERE to register to this free, virtual event!

C.S. Lewis Institute Fellows Program Opening Soon

Do you want to experience the power of a transformed life?

The Fellows Program challenges and guides you on your journey toward spiritual maturity with an emphasis on both heart and mind. Fellows continue in their church life while participating in this yearlong program, and requirements are designed to be achievable even for busy professionals with families.

The program focuses on spiritual formation, evangelism, apologetics and calling. Each month, a biblical theme is examined through Bible study, lecture, mentoring, small group interaction, service, and readings from respected authors.

The C.S. Lewis Fellows program offers a tuition-free year of intensive training that leads to significant life-change. The program prepares each Fellow to live a powerful, transformed life in their church, their community and in their workplace. Unlike many discipleship programs, the Fellows program focuses on discipleship of both heart and mind. It involves Bible study, classic readings, lectures, group processing, personal spiritual mentoring and accountability — all in the context of a small group of like-minded believers. This year-long program is designed for those who want to live as fully committed disciples of Jesus Christ and make an impact for him in the world.

Applications open on February 1, 2024.

Nation of Origin Flags

As we look to include every nation represented in our congregation with the flags in the atrium, we want to send out the survey again if your nation of origin is not represented in the flags.

If you have not already, please click here to submit the brief Nation of Origin and Language survey as we look to serve the Dale City community and recognize the diversity in our church.

Readings and Collect Sunday, January 14

Read ahead, follow along, and pray with the Saints using the “lectionary insert” for this Sunday.

One Service & Annual Meeting

There will be only one service at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28 followed by the annual meeting. We will gather together after the service for the annual meeting. The annual meeting is an important time as we elect new vestry members, hear the rector’s report, and see the new budget for 2024. 

Annual Meeting Childcare

Childcare for children in 3rd grade and under is provided for the Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 28, after the 10 a.m. service.  The meeting will be approximately one hour, and all families with children are encouraged to attend! Register by Thursday, January 26. Snacks will be provided for adults, and children will receive a sack lunch of a deli sandwich, chips, fruit, and cookies. Please register your child for a sack lunch here.

Inclement Weather Notification

With winter weather upon us (and a potential storm headed our way this weekend) we would like to remind you of our inclement weather process. If the church services are cancelled on Sundays we will notify the congregation in the following ways by 6 a.m. Sunday morning:

• An email blast

• A pop-up on the church website

• A change to the voicemail message on the church phones. If you call the church phone number, the voicemail message will indicate if we are closed.

Upcoming Protecting God's Children Training and Nursery Needs

With a growing church, the nursery has rising needs for support. Nursery Attendants are only asked to serve once a month, or as you are able. Can you help fill one of these needs?

• Sunday mornings, 945am (Sunday School Hour)

• Sunday eves, 4-6pm (Foundations Bible Study)

• Monday mornings,The MomCo, 945-1145am (The MomCo)

• Wednesday Evenings, 6-730pm (Membership/Confirmation Class coming this Spring)

Volunteer nursery attendants enjoy our comfortable nurseries!  A child protection class is required (known as 'Protecting God's Children'), and is offered this coming Tuesday, January 9, 7-9 pm, or can be renewed in one hour online.  Serving in this way ministers to our next generation of Christian families.  Contact Tara at tpedersen@allsaintswoodbridge.org, or call Tara at the church office. 

Moms in Prayer Resuming in January

Moms in Prayer continues once a month, and welcomes all moms and grandmoms! This is a wonderful way to have other moms pray for your kids and schools, and to receive prayer for yourself! Join in anytime! Moms of all ages and stages are welcome.

The first Moms in Prayer meetup will be Monday, January 8, 7-8pm, in the prayer room!  Optional fellowship is 8-830 p.m.; this month, bring a favorite recipe to share. Email Tara for more info at tpedersen@allsaintswoodbridge.org

MOPS is Now The MomCo

MOPS has officially changed its name to "The MomCo," which is short for 'Mom Community!' In the new year, we will use the new name, The MomCo, when referring to MOPS. There are a handful of reasons why MOPS International changed the name to MomCo. One reason is that in the digital age, young moms google everything on their iPhones, to find out more information, and when searching 'MOPS,' the message of MOPS was gargled with confusion. Even more so, the organization outgrew the name and has expanded. You can read about the new name here and why the change: https://www.mops.org/themomco/

The first MomCo Meeting in the new year is Monday, January 8th, 945-1145am! Email Natalie to RSVP for free childcare, or to receive more information at asacmops@gmail.com .

Adult Education Opportunities in January

Adult Sunday School Hour 9:45-10:45 a.m.: Small Group Studies continue during the Sunday School hour. Please enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and fellowship with fellow parishioners in one of the following offerings:

“Acts” – A study of The Holy Spirit moving in dramatic ways in the early church will continue on January 7 and is open to all who are interested or curious. A study guide by John Stott plus selected video segments guides this study. Study guides are available for $12 each (Kindle version is $10.49 if you choose to order on your own). Meets in the Children’s Wing in the Creation Room. Please contact Jim Morrison (571.338.5774) if you have questions.

Lectio Divina: Divine Reading in the Christian Tradition

Starting January 7 in the Bishop’s Conference Room (second floor of the Administrative Wing), please join us for the next 5 weeks as we prepare for Lent by learning how to engage in this ancient practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer. This course was produced by Nashotah House with teaching by The Rev. Hans Boersma, PhD. 

Starting January 4 on Thursdays at 7 – 8.30 p.m. via Zoom.

New opportunity for study and fellowship for those of you who haven’t had a chance to gather in person: Zoom is the answer. Deacon Julie and Kat Zwingle are hosting a group on Thursday evenings between 7:00-8:30. On January 4, the group will begin studying “Women of the Bible” - not all of them, but some chosen to represent the breadth of experiences of women in the Bible.

If you are homebound and want to join, all you need is a computer or a smart phone, and internet service. If you don’t know how to use Zoom, we can help you. Please contact Deacon Julie Tilton at jtilton@allsaintswoodbridge.org. 

Children's Ministry Breakfast & Presentation

Children's Ministry invites anyone interested in serving special needs children to a potluck breakfast and presentation on Saturday, January 27, 9:30 -11 a.m.! All are invited, including parents, employees or volunteers who serve children, or those interested in better serving all children at All Saints' Church. Our own Claire Gallahger Moore (Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Licensed Behavior Analyst, and as an Early Intervention Professional/Specialist) will lead us in how to incorporate inclusive strategies to support ALL of our children and especially to connect with those who may need special supports as they engage with and come to Christ.  We will discuss a brief overview of some of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder. Then we’ll dive into proactive strategies that can set us up for success to support the inclusion of these children in our ministry programming efforts.  RSVP to Tara at tpedersen@allsaintswoodbridge.org by January 20.

Following the breakfast and presentation, the Children's Ministry team, or anyone interested in volunteering (on occasion, or on a rotating schedule) will meet 11-11:30 a.m.

The March for Life & Life Summit!

At All Saints’ Church, we believe that all life is sacred. Every year, Anglicans For Life hosts an annual Life  SUMMIT event. This year’s event is set for January 18-20 in Falls Church, VA. While many people  thought the overturning of Roe would put an end to abortion, the Dobbs decision simply returned the  power to legislate over abortion related matters to the states. 

The March for Life will take place on Friday, January 19 with the prayer gathering at The Falls Church Anglican at 9:30 a.m. before boarding the buses to the march in D.C.

As the Church, it’s our duty to equip  members of our community with the tools they need to advocate for life. This year’s Life SUMMIT is  focused on providing resources and tactics for individuals to utilize, alongside their god-given gifts, to  protect the Sanctity of life. We encourage every member of our diocese to attend this year’s event. If  you cannot attend in-person, there is a virtual attendance option.