St. Anne's Episcopal Church

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

Congratulations to the new newly ordained priests in the Diocese of Virginia! On December 8, Bishop Goff and Bishop Ted ordained (left to right) Darren Steadman, Matthew Welsch, Dina Widlake, Seldon Walker, Marlene Forrest, Grant Mansfield, Emily Krudys and Charles Cowherd to the Sacred Order of Priests.

Your staff at St. Anne's (plus Annie Wilkinson and Lisa Galoci who are not pictured) wish you a VERY Merry Christmas!

Photo: Martha

As you can imagine there's a lot going on at St. Anne's this week. We have our Christmas Pageant coming up on Sunday and Christmas Eve. Our Flower Guild are working on some amazing creations. In addition, we've got some non-seasonal cleaning and masonry repairs going on outside! #itsneverboringatstannes #christmaspageant

Last night our Front Porch Singers, plus a few guests, joined the residents at Sunrise Assisted Living for a sing-a-long. Jill Brooks, our Front Porch Singers coordinator reports “There were 12-15 of us…the highlight for me was a man in a wheelchair who was obviously blind and sang along with almost every song. He was smiling from ear to ear and thanked us (through me) for bringing joy to Sunrise last night. To be able to give that one man an hour of happiness made the whole night worth it.”

Thank YOU, Jill!

To learn more about the Front Porch Singers contact Jill at jillbrooks10@gmail.com.

Living in Advent as if Christmas Matters Now • The Rev. Laura Cochran • December 16, 2018

Listen to Laura's sermon "Living in Advent as if Christmas Matters Now."

stannes-reston.org

Every year our local Scouts bring the Peace Light to St. Anne's.

Each year, a child from Upper Austria fetches the light from the grotto in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. The light is carried in two blast-proof miners lamps on an Austrian Airlines jet from Tel Aviv Israel to Vienna Austria from where it is distributed at a Service of Dedication to delegations from across Europe who take it back, with a message of Peace, to their own countries. Austrian Airlines then flies the miners' lamps containing the Peace Light from Bethlehem to New York City. We help the light spread like the branches of a huge tree rooted in New York and spreading across the continent.

Photo: Emle Be

News from St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Reston

Find out what's going on at St. Anne's in our weekly e-news.

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[12/13/18]   Fill-A-Trunk for Survivors of Domestic Violence

St. Anne's is partnering with local agency Artemis House to support people escaping domestic violence by collecting items families need to set up emergency housekeeping. Search your coupon box, use your Costco card, add to our collection! Fill your trunk to fill their trunk. We will Fill-a-Trunk (actually the Artemis House van) before and after services on Sunday morning, January 20. Watch for more details in the e-news and announcement flyers. Meet representatives of Artemis House at a January coffee hour.

What will we collect? Here's a beginning list: Shampoo (full-size bottles), lotion (full-size bottles), deodorant (not spray), bar soap, disposable razors & shaving cream. A more complete list will be published soon.

Want to help Fill-a-Trunk? We'll need some helpful hands on January 20. Contact Martha Furniss with your offers and questions.

Recall and Reconnect - Join Us for a Listening Session in Your Area

From our Diocese

(Note that the closest listening session to St. Anne's is at St. Barnabas in Annadale on Saturday, February 9 from 1pm to 3pm.)

Recall and Reconnect - Join Us for a Listening Session in Your Area

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we enter into a new chapter together in the Diocese of Virginia following the retirement of Bishop Shannon Johnston and my becoming Ecclesiastical Authority, I invite us into renewed mission together in Christ’s name. I invite us to look back – not to the recent past – but to our roots in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to a deep recollection of who we are called to be and what we are called to do in his name.

Strengthened by that recollection, I invite us to connect more deeply than ever with one another as lay people, deacons, priests and bishops, and to connect more powerfully than ever with a world so in need of the Good News we have to share in Christ Jesus. Summarized in two words, I invite us to RECALL and RECONNECT.

We will engage this work of recalling and reconnecting in five Community Listening Sessions that will take place around the Diocese during the season of Epiphany. I hope you will attend one. Each session will include a time for your Bishops and other diocesan leaders to talk about our deepest longings and heartfelt desires for our Diocese, followed by time for us to listen to yours.

Here is the schedule for the Recall and Reconnect Listening Sessions. You can click on a location to register.

Thursday, January 17, 6-8 p.m. Christ Church, Spotsylvania
Saturday, February 9, 1-3 p.m. St. Barnabas, Annandale
Wednesday, February 13, 5-7 p.m. Emmanuel, Woodstock
Saturday, February 16, 5-7 p.m. Roslyn Retreat Center, Richmond
Monday, March 4, 3-5 p.m. St. Margaret’s School, Tappahannock*

*We hope to broadcast this listening session via Facebook Live.

What we hear from each other in these sessions will shape subsequent opportunities for sharing as we deepen dialogue and grow in community. What we learn will strengthen us to go Now Into the World. Please do plan to be a part of this time.

Faithfully yours,

The Rt. Rev. Susan E. Goff
Bishop Suffragan and Ecclesiastical Authority

http://www.thediocese.net/news/recall-and-reconnect-join-us-for-a-listening-session-in-your-area/

thediocese.net Recall and Reconnect - Join Us for a Listening Session in Your Area

Washington National Cathedral

View last night's event at the National Cathedral.

Tonight we're teaming up with the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution and NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 8, the first mission to send mankind into lunar orbit.

Here at Washington National Cathedral, one of the most popular attractions is the Space Window, which contains a piece of lunar rock brought back to Earth by the crew of Apollo 11. Check out the video to see the window brought to life like never before.

If you can't join us at the Cathedral at 8 pm EST, we invite you to watch online:

https://airandspace.si.edu/events/spirit-apollo

St. Anne's is delighted to see Mary Ann Panarelli, a member of St. Anne's and Kerrie Bunting Wilson, CEO of our partner Cornerstones, recognized for their leadership in our community!!!

2018 NVLA Winners: HomeAid NoVa, Major Tyler Corey, Maggie Parker, Custom Ink, Dr. Mary Ann Panarelli and Kerrie Bunting Wilson Thank you, Chip McCrea Photography for the great photos!

Christmas is a joyous celebration at St. Anne’s! God loves us so completely that God became like us at Christmas. We invite you to experience God’s abiding love for you and celebrate the Word made flesh in the birth of Jesus Christ by joining us for services at St. Anne’s this Christmas.

Things to Know:

Children: Children are always invited to worship with their families at any of the services at St. Anne’s. For families who prefer it, the Family Chapel – which features a soft play space, quiet toys and books, and rocking chairs – is a wonderful space to worship comfortably, especially with our youngest family members.

Parking: Free parking is available in our parking lot and on Wainwright Drive. Please do not park on the grass and please respect the parking restrictions of neighboring clusters. We encourage you to arrive early, particularly if you have a role in leading worship.

Accessibility: St. Anne’s is a one-level campus. The parking lot, front walk, main entrance, and worship space are all handicap accessible. There are marked handicap spaces in the main parking lot. Inside the church, there is space at the end of pews to accommodate wheelchairs. Those who wish to receive communion but are not able to walk forward to the chancel steps may inform any of the ushers, and a minister will come to you during the administration of communion.

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

Seen around St. Anne's today: Christmas Pageant rehearsals, Rick Melrose plays the flute with Lisa Galoci on the piano and our wonderful choir.

Dina's Ordination to the Priesthood

A slideshow of photos from Dina Widlake's ordination. Dina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSLlQOr3m6Q

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Three Lies and the Truth • Kevin Laskowski • December 9, 2018

This week Kevin Laskowski joined us from St. Michael's in Arlington to present his sermon "Three Lies and the Truth."

stannes-reston.org

More photos from Dina Widlake's Ordination to the Priesthood.

Early photos from the ordination of our Dina Widlake.

Peace Light Arrives at St. Anne's December 16

The Peace Light from Bethlehem is a continuously-burning flame, originating from the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Israel. It is meant to promote peace, harmony and unity among the people of the world regardless of race, ethnicity or religion.

For several decades the International Scouting movement - both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts - has actively promoted global peace and harmony through the distribution of the Peace Light which has allowed the light to travel all throughout Europe. Each year the light is passed on to over 30 European countries and, for the past decade, to the United States, Canada, and Mexico as well.

We will be bringing the Peace Light to St. Anne's during our Sunday services on December 16. If you have a Boy Scout or Girl Scout in your family who'd like to help us with this presentation contact Jimmy Hunter at jimhunter@cubrunbuilders.com.

From Jennifer Frey Cochran:
Our Sunday School 5th & 6th grade class held a bake sale and used the proceeds to purchase items off of Inova Children’s Hospital‘s Wish List ... and I had the pleasure of dropping off the donations today. Prayers for hospital bound kids and their families now and throughout the year. 🙏🏻

[12/06/18]   We have so much going on at St. Anne's this Advent and Christmas season. Check out our enews for more information. Includes our schedule for Christmas week: worship, music and children's pageant.

To have a copy emailed to you weekly send a note to enews@stannes-reston.org.

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It's the end of a very busy weekend at St. Anne's.

Our Youth Group gathered together at the Freeman's house and put together special care packages for our St. Anne's college friends who are preparing for finals.

The Kingdom is Already Near • The Rev. Laura Cochran • December 2, 2018

Join us for Mother Laura's sermon "The Kingdom is Already Near."

stannes-reston.org

Seen around St. Anne's today: Christmas Pageant rehearsals, olive wood artwork from Bethlehem, our choir, and updating our banner for Advent.

A few more photos from inside the planetarium and one of the crafts. It was an amazing experience traveling back in time to see how the night sky appeared in Jesus' time and to speculate about the Star of Bethlehem.

This evening for our Advent Celebration we hosted Cosmic Adventures' Star of Wonder traveling planetarium along with Advent crafts: brass rubbing, origami and more.

We traveled back in time and across the world to examine both the faith-based and scientific evidence for the "Star of Wonder" that announced the birth of a very special baby.

Seen at St. Anne's this morning...Flower Guild, Cool Green Bags sorting and preparations for our Christmas Pageant.

Episcopal Church Memes

But hurry--there's only four Sundays of Advent before Christmas!

What to Do, What to Do • The Rev. Jamie Samilio • November 25, 2018

Today we were joined by The Rev. Jamie Samilio, Associate Rector at Holy Cross in Dunn Loring, who brought us the sermon: What to Do, What to Do.

stannes-reston.org

Today at St. Anne's: Eucharist, music and community service.

What to Do, What to Do • The Rev. Jamie Samilio • November 25, 2018

Today we were joined by Rev. Jamie Samilio, Associate Rector at Holy Cross in Dunn Loring, who brought us a sermon on "What to Do, What to Do."

stannes-reston.org

We're thankful for our amazing 5th and 6th grade Sunday School class who year after year inspire and lead us to serve our community.

This fall they organized a drive for items for the animal shelter. Stay tuned, they've got some great plans for the New Year! #stannesoutreach

A wonderful photo from last Sunday. #stannesfamily

A Simple Gesture Reston

St. Anne's LOVES Cool Green Bags (aka A Simple Gesture.)

As Thanksgiving approaches we are ever grateful for all those who contribute to A Simple Gesture as well as to all who aid our mission with scheduling, picking up donations, and unloading at the food banks! Your assistance helps to support our neighbors in Northern Virginia. Happy Thanksgiving!🦃

Save the date.

Reston Pride 2, now an official part of the Reston Community Center catalog, is on June 1, 2019.. St. Anne's were major sponsors last year and along with our friends at UUCR are co-chairing in 2019.

Our thanks to PD for facilitating this relationship.

Simple As That

Seen at St. Anne's today, including a photo of the poster the 5th and 6th graders made about what or who they were grateful for...they included Mother Laura and Father Vance...as would we all! :-)

All Will Be Thrown Down • Rev. H. Vance Johnson • November 18

Listen to Father Vance's sermon "All Will Be Thrown Down."

stannes-reston.org

St. Anne's Thanksgiving Food Drive 2018.

Thank you for your donations, thank you to the volunteers that got the job done, thank you to the George family for their sixth year running this important ministry and thank you to Cornerstones for pulling this all together for us. #stannesoutreach

Today at St. Anne’s: #itsnotjustasundayplace #stannesoutreach

The Altar Guild was here too, but we didn’t get any photos!

[11/16/18]   Give Thanks for Our Mission and Ministry Together - A letter from Bishop Susan

Thanksgiving 2018

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The first Thanksgiving celebrations, both in Massachusetts and in Virginia, were set in the context of change and transition. The lives of the early settlers of this continent, and the lives of the native people they encountered, were uncertain in a rapidly changing territory. Yet, those men and women paused to give thanks to God for the abundance of gifts that they received from God, from the land and from each other.

Our Thanksgiving celebrations this year will be set in our own context of change and transition. As a Diocese, we have entered into an interim time between the resignation and retirement of Bishop Shannon Johnston and the election of our next Bishop Diocesan. As a nation, we find ourselves in the territory of loss due to floods and fires and the ongoing epidemic of gun violence, and in the territory of many broken relationships between those of the dominant culture and those of other cultures. As individuals, we experience personal transitions of many kinds in this rapidly changing world. Yet we, like our ancestors, will pause to give thanks to God for the abundance of gifts that we receive from God, from the land and from each other.

As we gather in worship and around community tables in the coming week, be assured that I give thanks for you and for our common life. I give thanks for the trust you have placed in me as ecclesiastical authority. And I give thanks for the mission and ministry to which God has called us, together, in the name of Jesus.

Add your voice and your prayers of thanksgiving to those of your congregation, your community, and our wider Church so that God will be honored and praised. Pray for our Diocese, for one another, for our nation and for our world so that God's love will be multiplied and God's desire for this earth will be done.

Faithfully yours,

Susan E. Goff
Bishop Suffragan and
Ecclesiastical Authority

The Collect for Thanksgiving
Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.