Sharing God's Word with Storytime at the Park!

When a mom who attends the weekly Storytime at the Park mentioned she was reading the Bible to her son, but was looking for a kid-friendly option, Children’s Ministry Director Tara Pedersen had just what she needed!

All Saints’ Church weekly Storytime at Cloverdale Park has provided an opportunity for moms in the community to gather with their children, hear a story, and enjoy a craft. Tara has also connected with moms in different stages of their life- some who attend church, and some who don’t. One part of this ministry has been providing Jesus Storybook Bibles to families who show an interest in hearing more about God’s word.

“After reading a Christmas story, and wrapping up a Christmas craft with the moms and children, one mom shared with me that she was reading Luke 2 during December with her 3 year old.” Tara explains, “She shared that he often loses interest before the reading is done, and asked what version of the Bible is child-friendly. This gave me an opportunity to share the Jesus Storybook Bible with her, and I asked her if I could bring her one next week. She was delighted! Another mom asked for an extra Bible Verse sticker; not for her child, but for herself. Several mothers from Storytime that have had babies received baby blankets from the ASC Needlework Ministry as well!”

Thank you, Tara for continuing to be a presence in the community, showing the light of Christ, and sharing God’s Word! If you would like to know how you can support this important community ministry email Tara.

You Answered the Call to Feed the Homeless this Month!

The sign-ups to bring a meal to the homeless at the Ferlazzo Building are full! Thank you to all those who quickly answered the call to provide food or drinks to those in most need in our community. Even though this season becomes busy, the members of All Saints’ Church have recognized the importance of serving others to show them the light of Christ in this world!

Readings and Collect for Sunday, December 12

Read ahead, follow along, and pray with the Saints using the “lectionary insert” for this upcoming Sunday- the third Sunday in Advent. Please note the variation in the Gospel reading this Sunday:

• Luke 1:46-55

Activity Bag Assembly and Snack Donations Needed for Living Nativity

New at the Living Nativity this year! We will be making 300 Christmas activity bags for children, to be distributed in the front parking lot upon their arrival so that as they wait in line, we can help with keep the kids entertained. Each bag will have Nativity-themed stickers & activity sheets, car-friendly crafts, colorings, and an animal cracker pack treat! You can donate a box of 20 individual packs for $16.75 and have them sent to the church by ordering here. Included on our wish list are snacks and hot cocoa for the snack station for the volunteers the night of the Living Nativity.

We will need helping hands to assemble the 300 bags! Please consider coming out on either date (Christmas cookies, Coffee, & Fruit served!)

• Monday Morning, December 13 @ 10 a.m. (childcare provided)

• Monday Evening, December 13 @ 6:30 p.mm

Un-Trim-A-Tree: It's Not Too Late to Sign Up and Bring Your Gifts!

Today, the Un-Trim-A-Tree team is hosting a gift drop-off from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. If you can’t make the Thursday evening drop-off time, you can still bring your gift to the church on Sunday morning, where we will be blessing the gifts at both services.

It’s also not too late to sign-up for a child in need! There are still many children left on the sign-up. If you haven’t already, you can sign-up for a gift for a child, and bring your gift on Sunday.

Your Invitation to the Living Nativity

You are invited to a FREE Drive-Thru Living Nativity at All Saints' Church! Come experience the Christmas season with a Living Nativity on Friday, December 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m. This is a community event for all ages! Stay in your car, and drive through five scenes from the beloved Christmas story. Each scene has a splash of lights, live animals, music, and costumes. Children's Nativity Activity Bags will be distributed upon arrival. The community is invited to contribute a canned/boxed good upon arrival for the church community food pantry. All Saints' Church is located at 14851 Gideon Drive, Woodbridge, next to Hylton Memorial Chapel.

The rain date is Sunday, December 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Readings and Collect for Sunday, December 5

Read ahead, follow along, and pray with the Saints using the “lectionary insert” for this upcoming Sunday- the second Sunday in Advent.

Advent 2021 Resources and Opportunities

Advent 2021-A Savior is Coming

Advent is the four-week season before Christmas Day and marks the beginning of our church year. This year it started on Sunday, November 28. The liturgical color of the season is purple, and it symbolizes a time of waiting. It also represents the royal aspect of our Lord who is King. For many centuries, the church and Christian families in all parts of the world have celebrated this season in lots of creative ways. It is a season of preparing, reflecting and waiting. It is s season of hope and anticipation. It is a season of love and joy. 2021 has been another year marked by uncertainty and unrest, by cynicism and hopelessness, by pandemic and loss. Keeping a holy Advent is a way of practicing hope in the face of hopelessness and joy in the face of uncertainty.

What will your holiday season look like this year? How can we make time to really enter into this season of waiting and preparation? Plan now to make time to show the love of Christ to one another and to those who need to hear some good news. We have gathered some suggestions and some resources we hope will help.

Consider what might work for you and your family this year. Be intentional and experience a beloved time preparing for the birth of Jesus. Many opportunities abound right in your home, here at church, and in our community. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

December Food Giveaway!

“You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.”  Deuteronomy 15:11

Our next parking lot food giveaway is Saturday, December 11. This is another exciting opportunity to bless our community by following the commands of Jesus to help those in need! Anyone in our community who is in need of food is invited to come that day to fill up bags of groceries free of charge.

There are countless ways that you and your family can be involved. From setting up behind the scenes to passing out flyers in the communities that need to hear about the event to serving during the event itself, it will truly take all of us coming together to make this happen. If you are looking for a place for you and/or your family to serve, there are absolutely opportunities for you! Please sign up here or contact Tammy Bailey  if you have any questions.

Three Kings Search for the Newborn King!

The children of All Saints’ Church are invited to a “Three King's Search for the Newborn King!”

In the season of Advent, children will be taking turns in Sunday School receiving one of the three Kings dolls, carefully prepared by our beloved Margaret Nichols. The dolls will go home with 3 children each week, and they can either take pictures of their King doll on a special journey to find baby Jesus (perhaps an outing to grandma's house, sitting under their own Christmas tree or while reading an Advent family devotion, or even in the kitchen while cooking a family meal!) Or they can journal/write, or draw a picture of their King somewhere on a special visit.

Our King dolls will be traveling through all the weeks of Advent until Epiphany, when the children will be invited to share about their King's journey, hear the story of The Visit of the Wise Men, be visited by the singing and costumed Three Kings themselves on January 9th.

All families attending Sunday School will be invited first to take a King doll home for the week, returning it with their photos, writings, or drawing! Ages 3 and up are invited!

Advent Sunday School- Waiting in Hope

How Do We Wait in Hope? This short series will explore the Advent themes of hope, love, peace, and waiting in light of the last year and a half, of pandemic, strife, and social unrest.

How do we, as Christians, process these things and move forward? In a culture that wants everything instantly, how do we wait in hope for the promises of Christ’s return? And how might we extend love, celebrate with joy and practice peace while living in a world filled with brokenness and grief? This series will meet during the Education Hour (9:45-10:45) on December 5, 12, and 19.9:45 a.m.

Children’s Sunday School continues on Sunday, December 5, with interactive, friendship-focused Advent lessons and activities. We will also continue guiding our children on a foundational, Jesus-centered journey through God's story of love.

Parents and adults, and children come enjoy adult Sunday School at the same time with Advent teachings starting Sunday, December 5 at 9:45 a.m.

Step Ladders Needed for the Greening of the Church

We need 4 foot to 6 foot tall step ladders to reach the high places as we begin Advent by greening the Church. Please bring them on Sunday so they are available in the Atrium after the 10 a.m. service.

Don’t forget to RSVP, so we know how many lunches to provide.

Praise Report- Operation Turkey!

What a joy to deliver the turkeys and boxes of food to Featherstone and Vaughan Elementary Schools! Last Saturday, families of all ages from All Saints’ Church packed Thanksgiving boxes for 100 families in need at two elementary schools! On Monday, the boxes were delivered to the schools. This is one of the many examples where your giving is having a real impact on families in our community! Thank you All Saints’ Church for continuing to build relationships with these schools and families.

Readings and Collect for Sunday, November 28

Read ahead, follow along, and pray with the Saints using the “lectionary insert” for this upcoming Sunday- the first Sunday in Advent.

Thanksgiving Day Service and Church Office Hours this Week

Join us at 10 a.m. for Eucharist on Thanksgiving day as we celebrate and worship our Savior who provides every good gift we have.

Additionally, the church office will close at noon on Wednesday, November 24 and reopen on Monday, November 29 at 9 a.m. for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Blessed Thanksgiving to all!

Thank You for Donating Boxes!

Our generous congregation donated 145 shoeboxes to Operation Christmas Child for 2021! Thank you to everyone that contributed to the Samaritan's Purse mission! So many individuals thoughtfully prepared a gift for a child this Christmas including our Youth Group, American Heritage Girls, and Mothers of Preschoolers. They were delivered to our drop-off site, and now on their way to children around the world!

Blessing Bag Donations Needed

Jen and Lee Roberds have graciously decided to continue leading the blessing bag ministry! ACTS has shown so much appreciation for All Saints’ generosity in providing enough items for 25 women’s bags and 5 men’s backpacks this year!

With the Holiday and cold weather season upon us, we are praying that we receive enough donations for at least ten more bags. There are slips on the donation box in the atrium with our immediate needs for the bags to fulfill this goal. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Lee Roberds or by phone 703-590-7918. Thank you for helping us reach our goal!

Jen and Lee at ACTS dropping off some of the previously donated blessing bags! We need ten more to fulfill our goal for the holiday season.

Readings and Collect for Sunday, November 21

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