Help is still needed with Vacation Bible School from July 9-12 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. We are in need of both station leaders and crew leaders. Station leaders prepare a workshop that is visited by small groups of kids. Crew leaders lead small groups around to the various stations. Station leaders need to be adults. Crew leaders can be teens and/or adults. If you can help, please contact Children and Family Minister Sara Dyson.
Read MoreA letter from ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and faith leaders from faith traditions across the country in response to separation of families at the border. Church leaders from many traditions are speaking out in a unified voice.
Read MoreIs your child or teen headed to sleepaway camp this summer? If so, the church would like to help make sure they receive mail. Please send the dates they will be away along with their address (email and/or postal mail) to Pastor Keseley. Camp is a great opportunity to let our children and teens know that the church cares about them.
Read MoreThis Saturday the Metropolitan Washington, DC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will gather for the the annual synod assemble. Voting members from Abiding Presence will include Rev. Meredith Keseley, Rev. Heidi Eickstadt, Rev. Ivan Ives and Karen and Joe McGavin. The assembly will gather under the theme "Connecting - Up In Out" at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Fairfax.
The synod assembly is a bit like the annual meeting of a congregation. The assembly will vote on the proposed budget. They will also elect members to the synod council, synod committees and to serve as voting members to the churchwide assembly next summer. In between the business sessions, there will be opportunities for worship, workshops and fellowship. If you want to stay up to date on the action, there will be a blog running from the floor of the assembly all day on Saturday.
As our synod gathers for assembly, it's a good time to remember that we at Abiding Presence are part of a larger church. The work we can do as one congregation can feel limited at times. The work we can do as 80 congregations in our metropolitan area or as one of more than 9.250 congregations in the country is limitless. Together we support ministries around the country and even the world. Our witness to the good news of Jesus Christ and God's love for the world is stronger together.
Abiding Presence is especially grateful for the support of the synod of our congregation. We are currently in the second year of a three year grant to help us fund our Pastor of Discipleship position. Pastor Heidi's ministry with us would not be possible without the synod's backing. As the synod is helping to support us, we are blessed to be able to help the synod support ministry at many other congregations in our area. This is what it looks like to be the church together - connecting up, in and out in our world!
Read MoreWhile the majority of our old sanctuary chairs found a second life at a Christian church in Maryland, about 30 of them found their second life at ECHO. ECHO is one of our community partners who supports people in need in the immediate Burke and Springfield area.
Recently, ECHO lifted up the need of children's shoes, especially for older children. If you have new or gently used shoes to donate, please bring them to church and drop them in the ECHO bin under the coat rack.
If you're looking for an opportunity to volunteer this summer as a teen or adult, consider signing up for one of ECHO's backpack packing sessions to help them get ready to distribute backpacks with school supplies to local school children.
We're grateful to have such a strong community partner with whom we can serve our community!
Read MoreAbiding Presence has three services each weekend - Saturday at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday at 8:45 or 10:15 a.m. Our Saturday evening service is a great option for worship throughout the year, but we find many people especially enjoy the service in the summer.
Read MoreIf you are new (or relatively new) to Abiding Presence, we'd love to connect with you! Join Pastor Keseley and others from the church leadership team for a family-friendly lunch in Bailey Hall (to the left of the main entrance to the building) to learn more about the church. You'll have the chance to connect with others in our faith family, eat some food and enjoy fellowship. Kids are welcome to attend. If you're interested in formally joining the church, we'll have paperwork to do so. There's no pressure to join, however! We're just glad you're here and would like to get to know you better. You can RSVP to Pastor Keseley or just show up as we'll make sure to have plenty of food.
Read MoreWhat if youth ministry was more than youth group? What if churches built youth ministry not just for young people, but with young people? What if youth ministry became a construction site: a place where young and old work together to survey, build and reflect the kingdom of God in their local community? These are the questions being asked by Princeton Seminary as they launch a new initiative called the Log College Project, in which Abiding Presence has been chosen to participate. I am excited for our congregation to learn, grow and discern alongside 53 other churches of various denominations from around the country.
Read MoreDo you have unwanted clothes and household items, but no time to have a yard sale? Here's a way to clean out all that stuff and help send our 13 Senior High youth and 3 chaperones to Houston for the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering.
Bag up your unwanted items and drop them off in the Abiding Presence Narthex anytime between May 25th and June 3rd. The following items in good, clean condition are accepted: Clothing, Accessories (hats, belts, scarves, etc.), Shoes, Linens, Books and Small Household items.
Every item donated turns into money to help send the kids of Abiding Presence to Houston. We've partnered with the company FUNdrive who will pay us per pound of items collected.
One of Abiding Presence's longtime service ministries has been a partnership with the American Red Cross. Blood donors are always needed. Please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and enter "AbidingVA" to schedule an appointment. Eligibility Questions? Call 1-866-236-3276.
Read MoreThere's only one service this Sunday at 10:15 a.m. We'll gather outside for our annual outdoor worship service and picnic. All are welcome to join us. It's a great service to invite a friend or neighbor to come along, too. The service will be about 45 minutes with Holy Communion followed by a picnic and moonbounce. Bring a lawn chair or plan to sit in one of our folding chairs. Families are asked to please bring a side dish or dessert to share. The church will provide the hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks. Help is still needed with set up beginning at 9:00 a.m., monitoring the moonbounce and clean up. If you can help, email Pastor Keseley so she can put you in touch with our picnic coordinator.
The Saturday 6:00 p.m. service will continue as usual this weekend.
Read MoreWe're worshiping outside on Sunday, June 3 for our annual Outdoor Worship Service and Picnic. There will only be one Sunday morning service at 10:15 a.m. (Saturday worship will happen as usual at 6:00 p.m.) Grab a lawn chair or use one of the many folding chairs we'll have set up. After a 45 minute worship service with Holy Communion, we'll have a picnic. There will be a moonbounce by the playground for the kids. The church will provide hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks. Each family is asked to bring a side dish or dessert to share. We welcome all from the community to join us! It's a great service to invite a friend or neighbor to come along.
If you are able to help with the picnic, please contact the church office.
Read MoreHot Dogs & S'mores is a favorite summer kick off activity at Abiding Presence! We'll be out on the church patio (weather permitting) Wednesdays, May 30, June 6 and June 13 beginning at 6:15 p.m. We provide all of the hot dogs, fixings and s'mores components. You simply show up! The fire will be ready to go and you can roast your hot dog over the hot coals and make your s'mores.
Read MoreWOW! Abiding Presence, you know how to throw an anniversary celebration! Last Sunday's 40th anniversary service and luncheon was amazing. The music was exceptional, especially the choral anthem our Music and Worship Minister David Chavez wrote for the occasion. The mood was festive. The clergy who came to celebrate with us were plentiful. The people of Abiding Presence packed the sanctuary and narthex over 380 strong to give thanks to God for the past 40 years and look ahead to the next 40 years...and beyond. Thank you to everyone who came out to help us celebrate!
A special word of thanks to everyone who pitched in to make the celebration possible. Our 40th anniversary team had been meeting since last summer planning the festivities. The property team and others from the congregation were at church every day for 10 straight days cleaning, fixing, moving and preparing the inside and outside of the church. There wouldn't have been a celebration without the countless members of the church who worked tirelessly to make it happen.
And now, we're off and running toward the next 40 years. Summer may be approaching, but the ministry of Abiding Presence doesn't slow down much. This Wednesday we launch three weeks of "Hot Dogs & S'mores" as a chance to enjoy fellowship with one another during the week. Next Sunday is our annual Outdoor Worship Service and Picnic, a favorite Abiding Presence tradition. Then on Sunday, June 10 at the 8:45 a.m. service we'll have our annual High School Baccalaureate Service where we send our graduating high school seniors off with the prayers and blessings of the congregation.
As the children's choir sang at last Sunday's celebration service, "I am the church. You are the church. We are the church together." I'm grateful to be the church together with all of you!
Read MoreThis Sunday marks the end of our Sunday School year and I want to offer a big "Thank You" to all of our Sunday School teachers, confirmation mentors and senior high youth advisers. I am grateful for all of the ways these faithful adults have taught and inspired the faith of the children and youth of our congregation. Please join me in offering your thanks, too, when you see one of our Sunday School teachers, confirmation mentors or senior high youth advisers.
Read MoreWe still have a few key volunteer spots to fill for next Sunday, specifically help with serving in the buffet line during the luncheon (4-5 people still needed) and clean up (8-10 people still needed). Please consider lending a hand. If you can help, please email Pastor Keseley or sign up at https://abidingpresence.net/40th/.
Read MoreCheck out everything you need to know for our special 40th anniversary celebration on Sunday, May 20 at 10:00 a.m.
Read MoreWe are getting to work! Starting this Thursday, May 9 and continuing every day (except Sunday) up to our 40th anniversary celebration on May 20 we will have people gathering at the church beginning at 9:00 a.m. to work. There's lots to be done...lots! I hope you will lend your hands to help us prepare for the anniversary festivities and, more importantly, care for the church facility God has entrusted to us. Thank you, in advance, for getting involved!
As we celebrate our 40th anniversary we are also looking ahead to the future. One of our guiding principles as a congregation is to care for our church facility in such a way that it is an asset to the next generation of Abiding Presence members. We want to make sure we are passing down to those who will worship after us a vibrant and active faith family, a financial healthy institution and a well maintained facility. Thoughts of those who will come after us are always on our minds when we are making decisions today. They are even on our minds as we paint, scrub and clean!
Our new sanctuary chairs will be delivered on Thursday, May 17 at 7:00 a.m. Yes, it's early! But, we hope this might allow a few people to come over before work/school to lend a hand. Consider making chair moving your morning workout that morning. We can put all ages to help.
Thank you for being the church! Your dedication, faithfulness and generosity continue to inspire me.
Read MoreSchedule for orchestra, choir, and praise band
Read MoreAbiding Presence is grateful to have a strong relationship with Temple B'nai Shalom that dates back many years to when Temple B'nai Shalom worshiping at Abiding Presence while waiting to build their own building. This Sunday we will welcome the 8th graders from Temple B'nai Shalom to our 11:00 a.m. service as part of their study of Christianity. Later this month, Pastor Keseley will have the honor of serving as one of the honorary co-chairs of the gala celebrating Rabbi Perlin's retirement from B'nai Shalom. Rabbi Perlin was named "Rabbi Emerita" of Abiding Presence at our joint Thanksgiving Eve service in 2017.
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