Join us this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary for our annual meeting to celebrate our ministry this past year and look ahead to what God is calling us to do next. We will vote on the budget and elect church council members.
Sunday School Liftoff will take place at 9:50 a.m. Sunday School classes will then meet as usual during the annual meeting with the 3rd-6th graders meeting in Bailey Hall with Katy, our Senior High Youth Director.
Read MoreIs one of your New Year’s Resolutions to get more involved in church? To sing more? To get closer to God in worship? Or, do you just love to sing? Our adult choir is open, and fun!
Read MoreIf you have listened to the weather recently, you know there is talk of snow this weekend. At this point, we anticipate holding services as scheduled. If there is a need to cancel Sunday School and the Abiding Table, we will do so by 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning and announce it on our Facebook page, website and with a congregational email. If more snow comes in than predicted and we need to make a decision about worship, we will announce on those same platforms.
We are putting plans in place to keep the parking lots and sidewalks clear for anyone who can safely make it to church if there is snow. If you are willing to be part of the Sunday morning snow shoveling team, please contact Pastor Keseley or simply show up with a snow shovel in hand.
If there is snow, then be sure to check our Facebook page as we will likely “go live” Sunday morning with our worship services so you can tune in from home. If there’s a LOT of snow then we might even go for an “Abiding in the Snow 2.0” video service.
Stay tuned and stay safe!
Read MoreOur Saturday Vespers service for this final weekend of Advent features the premiere of a new cantata by our music minister, David Chávez, featuring the Abiding Presence Chamber Orchestra and guest soloists:
Melissa Chávez, soprano
Natalie Naudus, mezzo-soprano
Michael Forest, tenor
[click the links to learn more about our soloists]
Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa is coming! Join us in Bailey Hall for a bagel breakfast. Santa will be making an appearance, and provide an opportunity for children to have their picture taken with him with a photographer onsite (FREE!). There will also be crafts for the children to work on. Don't miss this exciting event! Advanced sign up is requested.
We will also be holding a coat drive raffle! For EVERY new or gently-used coat you donate, you'll receive a raffle entry ticket to win some fun prizes! Coats will be donated to ECHO to help those in need this winter.
Read MoreAdvent is the season of promise and hope. It is not only a season of preparing for Christmas, but also a time of actively watching and waiting for Christ to come again. Throughout Advent we have special opportunities for worship as we pray, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”
Read MoreThe CROP Walk is a way to join with other faith community in Burke/Fairfax to walk to stomp out hunger. The walk is held rain or shine and is a 3 mile slow walk loop through the city of Fairfax. The walk begins at Fairfax Presbyterian Church. Walkers can register at Abiding Presence before/after worship.
Read MoreAbiding Presence and Temple B’nai Shalom have an over 30 year tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving Eve together. Join us at the Temple this year where Pastor Keseley will deliver the sermon. Our combined children, teen and adult choirs as well as a combined brass ensemble will provide the music. This uplifting service is a great way to begin your Thanksgiving celebration.
Read MoreIf you have not already done so, please plan to fill out your Statement of Intent online or by paper. Paper copies can be mailed to the church office or dropped in the offering plate this weekend.
This year we have a challenge grant of $5,000 that has been offered if we meet our goal of 75 new or increased commitments received by Celebration Weekend – next weekend, November 17/18!
Read MoreEach year Abiding Presence provides ECHO Thanksgiving Baskets for families in need in our community. Please bring the following basket items to worship with you this weekend. Baskets will start to be assembled following the 11:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday.
$25 Grocery Gift Cards
Stuffing mix, readymade
Gravy mix packets or jars/cans of gravy
Cranberry sauce
Boxed potato mixes
1 box or package of rice
4 cans vegetables (or 2 large cans)
Bread or muffin mixes
Dessert mix (cake/frosting, brownies, puddings, etc.)
Disposable roasting pan
Flour
Shortening
Sugar
Tea/coffee
Canned fruit
Beans
As a growing church, it has become apparent that our facility has become a limiting factor to expanding our ministry and outreach to the community. We still have plenty of room in the sanctuary (although we might need to order a few more chairs!). The rest of the building, however, has the wonderful challenge of bursting at the seams.
Firming up our facility will allow us to continue to respond to God’s bold vision for our faith community. We will take the following steps this year:
· Engage an architect in a planning study of the facility, which will involve establishing a facility use committee, writing an RFP, interviewing architects and spending 4-5 months engaged in the actual planning study
· Explore health and wellness resources that might be offered to the congregation and community during the week, especially counseling, spiritual direction and a parish nurse
· Be intentional about how we connect people to Christ through our Abiding Presence Community Center by providing a welcoming space that makes clear who we are and what we are about as a faith community
Read MoreJoin Pastor Keseley at the Abiding Table this Sunday from 10:00-10:45 a.m. to hear a bit about where we’ve been this past year and where we hear God calling us to go in 2019. Come be part of the conversation in shaping the future of our ministry.
Read MoreMaking Firm our Living Out of God’s Story in Our Story
God’s story is not just limited to the pages of Holy Scripture. God’s story is our story, too, lived out in our experiences and relationship. Having spent the past year focusing on dwelling in God’s word and learning God’s story, we will now turn our focus to living out God’s story in our daily lives. We want to equip each person with tools, experiences and relationships to take the next step in their discipleship journey.
Adult Small Groups
· Increase the number of people involved in congregation-wide adult small group experiences so that at least 125 people will be part of a group this year
· In order to help people experience Sabbath rest, create an adult spirituality group that will be led by a trained spiritual director to help people explore various spiritual gifts and discipline
Senior High Youth Ministry
· Discern the “next big thing” for our ministry to and with senior high youth through our participation in the “Community of Practice” with the Log College Project of Princeton Seminary
· Establish a new ministry specifically geared toward 11th graders called the “Launch Team” that will gather youth for small group Bible Study, prayer, participation in the Dominican Republic Mission Team and discussion about the transition to young adulthood
Children’s Ministry
· Explore how to make our children’s ministry scalable for growth given the significant increase in the number of children involved in Sunday School and midweek youth groups
· Find ways to provide tangible and intentional experiences for children to live out their faith
· Explore ways for our senior high youth to serve as faith role models for our children and continue equipping them to lead our elementary school youth groups
Read MoreOn All Saints Sunday, we remember the saints who have gone before us and are part of the great cloud of witnesses. This year we would like to create a visual representation of the friends and loved ones who gather with us at the Lord’s Table, not just on All Saints Sunday, but every weekend we worship. You are invited to bring in a picture of your friends and/or loved ones who have died. It can be in a frame or not in a frame, any size or shape you wish. Please put your name on it so we can be sure to get it back to you. Pictures can be dropped off in the church office anytime before November 3, or you can bring them to worship with you the weekend of November 3-4 and put them directly on the altar. If you would rather not bring a picture, you can fill out a name card with your loved one’s name or email the name for us to fill it out. These name cards will be displayed along with the pictures. Pictures and name cards will help all of us experience the power of being surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses.
We will also be reading the names of anyone who has died since last All Saints Sunday. If you have a loved one who has died this past year, please email the name along with their date of death (or approximate date of death). We will read these names aloud in worship. Please email all names by Wednesday, October 31.
Read MoreWednesday, October 24 from 6:45-7:30 p.m.
Looking for a safe, family-friendly way to trick or treat? Children ages 6th grade and under are invited to dress in costume and come trunk or treat in the church parking lot! "Trunk or Treat" cars will be parked in half the parking lot and roped off to incoming cars. Children then walk from trunk to trunk to collect candy. Trunk or treating will be from 6:45 - 7:30 p.m. All are welcome!
Feeling creative? We are also in need of families and individuals who will decorate the trunk of their vehicles for this event! Please let Sara Dyson, Children and Family Minister, know if you can provide a trunk and approximately 300 pieces of candy. Trunks will need to be parked by 6:30 p.m. and will be asked to stay in the lot until 7:45 p.m.
Read MoreSaturday, October 13 from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Abiding Presence offers a free community fall festival. Lots of volunteers are needed to make this event possible! Please consider volunteering for an hour shift (or more) before or after enjoying the festival by signing up here. The festival is completely FREE and offers food, games, live music, haunted houses, bouncy house, pumpkin paining, balloon artist, face painting and much more.
Sunday, October 14, 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Join us at Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton for an afternoon of socializing with other adults in the congregation. Meet new people, reconnect with those you haven’t seen in awhile and enjoy tasty food and beverages. We’ve reserved ½ of the picnic grove, which is to the right past the small vineyard as you come into the winery. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share. Non-alcoholic beverages are welcome as well. You’ll be able to purchase whatever wine you would like from the main tasting room and bring it down to the picnic grove. Feel free to invite a friend or neighbor to come along. RSVPs are helpful, but not necessary.
**While Paradise Springs is a family friendly winery, this particular event is for adults 21+ only.**
Read MoreWednesday Night Gathering is back this fall! Plan to join us each Wednesday for dinner and activities. We even have a few exciting new additions to the schedule this year. Dinner is served "cafeteria style" each week from 6:00-6:45 p.m. A full schedule of activities is available by clicking on the link to read more. Childcare for children under the age of 3 is provided in our professionally staffed nursery.
Read MoreAdults of the congregation are invited to gather on Saturday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m. in celebrating the fall season with a nod to the German tradition of Oktoberfest! Dig out your lederhosen, dirndls and steins and join us in this once in a while AP tradition. We will be meeting at the home of Steve and Cheryl Lucky. If you are a Saturday church attendee please feel to come after service. Brats and beverages will be provided; please bring a side dish, dessert or home brew to share at this adults only gathering. Please RSVP on the sheet in the narthex or by e-mail.
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