Good News. What happened to Spring? SUMMER Providence Presbyterian Church. Inside this issue: Be the Church 2. Christian Ed. Min.

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1 SUMMER 2018 Providence Presbyterian Church Inside this issue: Be the Church 2 Christian Ed. Min. 3 The Cheerful Giver 4 VBC 5 Spotlight on Mission 6 Prayers for 9 What s Next? 10 Kids Page 11 What happened to Spring? It is a comment I have heard many times over the past several weeks. Well, at Providence Presbyterian Church, it has been an amazing, grace-filled Spring. Here is a brief recap: We had two amazing services for Easter Day. At our 10:00 am service, we sang Easter hymns accompanied by brass, tympani and organ, and we listened to our wonderful Sanctuary Choir. At the 11:15 am. service, we sang Easter hymns and gospel songs led by our inspiring Worship Band. (Visit our website to view past worship services.) We have continued to enjoy excellent worship services since Easter: Holy Humor Sunday, Creation Care Sunday with a creation art show, and a very special Mission-focused service on April 29 when we welcomed the Rev. Juan Pablo Gutierrez, pastor to the congregation in Granjas del Desierto in Juá rez, Mexico, and his family to our church. We were uplifted by his sermon, with Rev. Mary Rodgers translating. (See page 2.) At that same service we recognized our church members who had worked with Rebuilding Together on April 28; they helped fix and clean-up the home of a grateful elderly woman who could not do the work herself. (See page 6.) And we commissioned members of our congregation to represent Jesus Christ and our church as they traveled to Webster Springs, WV to work with WV Advocacy & Workcamps, Inc. (See page 7.) And God knew what was going on: Our guest pianist that day, Hiroaki Taniguchi, visiting from Japan, does mission work. Each year he plays in concert to raise money to help victims of the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan a few years ago. It was another blessed day of Spring, a great day to emphasize a small part of our mission work. On May 20, we will celebrate Pentecost and we will welcome confirmands as they make their Personal Profession of Faith and become active adult members of the church. That is what happened to our Spring. It has been a beautiful season here! Looking ahead: In these pages, and throughout the Summer, you will see many ways to connect: Summer Fellowship, BBQ & Blues, Vacation Bible Camp, a museum trip and a hike, Youth Mission Trips, Summer Connect Groups so many opportunities! Please pitch in and give us a hand. Feel free to invite a friend or neighbor to join us at one of our summer activities. continued on page 4

2 Be the Church. Make a Difference. Page 2 On April 29, we celebrated our 20-year partnership with The Rev. Juan Pablo Gutierrez, his wife, Yolanda, and two of their children, Pablo and Karen, who spent a few days with us here in Fairfax. Juan Pablo leads and nurtures a congregation in Granjas del Desierto, at the far outskirts of Juárez, Mexico. We are grateful for the important work they do, and we thank God we are able to be a part of it.

3 Page 3 Christian Ed. Ministries Fall Adult Bible Study Monday evenings Romans: A Letter for Today David Kepley teaching Discover why Romans is called the most inspirational letter ever written. Appreciate why these words to the Church in ancient Rome echo still with energy and power. Encounter theology in the making as Paul wrestles with enduring issues: justification and grace, sin and salvation, a vision of unity, and the faithfulness of God the same issues that believers, old and new, have contemplated throughout the history of the church. Details about the class will be announced later in the summer. Children s Ministry Summer There are many plans in store for the children this summer. Take a look Summer Sunday School for Upper Elementary (rising 4 th through 6 th graders) begins on June 3 and runs through July 29, at 10:00 am. We ll be having Summer at the Movies, watching movies with the theme of transformation. We ll also be looking at that theme in Bible stories and Bible characters. There will be popcorn!!! Godly Play will continue to meet on Sundays at 10:00 am from June through July, for children who are 3 years old through rising 3 rd graders. There will be NO Sunday School in August for any ages in Children s Ministry. 456ers: We have two more meetings before the summer! The first is May 20 and the last is June 3. Both run from 4:00-5:30 pm. RISING 4 th GRADERS ARE WELCOME to all upper elementary children s activities! There will be games, a short talk, and food. SUMMER OUTING Our rising 4 th through 6 th graders will go bowling on Tuesday, June 26, beginning at 11:00 am. More details to come. VBC is set for July 30 through August 3!!! See page 5.

4 The Cheerful Giver Where there is a will, there is a way, part 2 By: The Cheerful Giver (aka: a member of the Stewardship & Finance Committee) Page 4 Did you know that in 2016, total philanthropic dollars raised in the U.S. through bequests was $30.36 billion?? Imagine what an impact Providence could have on our church, our community and our world with even just a small amount of planned giving. While the Cheerful Giver is not planning on going Home soon, I have included an unrestricted gift for Providence Presbyterian Church in my will and I invite you to do the same! Planned giving is an interesting phrase. It is not about finding another way to get church members money. It is an opportunity for us all to return to God that which God entrusted to us during our lifetime. It is also an opportunity for us all to further strengthen Christ s church for the future by providing for ministry and mission for those who come after us. I invite you to learn more about planned giving and estate planning during the month of June. During the worship service on June 3, you will meet Olanda Carr. Olanda is a Ministry Relations Officer for Presbyterian Foundation, serving the East Region. He works with congregations to create a culture of generosity, offers seminars and workshops, develops gifts and fundraising plans for ministries, and provides coaching to finance, stewardship and endowment committees. Olanda explains his call to the Foundation this way: God calls us each day to do new and exciting things. I believe my service with the Foundation is such a call, and it provides me with an opportunity to further God s kingdom and the mission of the PC (USA). Following that Sunday, we hope to have a local attorney present on estate planning (and revising your estate). You will hear more about this in the upcoming weeks. In the meantime, I invite you spend a little time on your own learning more about the many options available for planned giving! continued from page 1 Our Sunday Summer schedule will begin May 27. We will have both services at 10:00 am, followed by Summer Fellowship in our Mission Hall. We look forward to an energizing and fun summer as we seek to serve our God with Energy, Imagination, Intelligence and Love. In Christ, The Rev. Dr. Michael (Mick) Burns

5 Page 5 July 30- August 3, 9:30-12:30 Vacation Bible Camp 2018 VBC is a week of summer fun for children who are rising kindergartners through 6 th graders. As the children get drenched with fun, they will find adventure, rest, acceptance, peace and joy, while singing new songs making crafts and learning about God! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. Isaiah 43:2 Registration is now open! Visit: rrr.cokesburyvbs.com/fairfaxprovidencevbc2018/ Registration closes July 9, on a space-available basis. COST: Early bird, through June 15: $30 per child, $60 for two; $70 for three or more Regular rates, June 16-July 9: $40 per child, $75 for two; $80 for three or more The VBC Celebration is on Friday, August 3 rd, right after VBC ends at 12:30. VBC families and the entire church are invited! Questions? vbc@providencechurch.org

6 Page 6 Spotlight on Mission Be the Church. Make a Difference. Are You MAD?!!! There are always opportunities at Providence where you, your time and talents, will have a direct impact on lives near and far. Make a note of these ways you can be MAD (Making a Difference). Rebuilding Together Providence, along with Ravensworth Baptist and John Calvin Presbyterian, partnered with ACCA on April 28 to help rehab two homes in the Fairfax area. The home assigned to this group is owned by a lowincome senior citizen who is a retired bus driver/bus driver trainer with children and grandchildren. The Queen of Apostles Women s Group provided an excellent lunch again this year. Volunteers from other churches and ACCA also worked with us. Fifteen members and friends from Providence worked at least half a day. The work that needed to be done included: Repair front steps and add railings Repair rotting stairs supports for side door and extend stairs Patch and paint living room, hall and two bedrooms Repair/replace dryer vent and floor tiles in laundry room Remove downed limbs and yard debris and clean out shed Repair screen door and threshold for side door Power wash siding, clean out gutters and repair gutter drainage Repair ceiling fans and add GFCIs to kitchen and baths Install CO 2 detector and fire extinguisher Miscellaneous small projects Many of our workers brought their own tools, yard tools, wheel barrows, short ladders and step stools, gloves and tools. JCP provided the House Captains and Providence provided the Safety Coordinator. When the work was finished, this elderly homeowner rejoiced in her new home and will now be able to stay there comfortably many more years. Thanks to the Providence members and friends who also participated by providing funds administered by the Mission Committee to support this outreach into our community.

7 Page 7 Spring 2018 Mission Trip May 5-12 Webster Springs, West Virginia A Providence Work Group made a third visit to Webster Springs, WV after being commissioned to provide help to our neighbors continuing to need assistance. Work done included exterior and interior home repair, flood cleanup and yard work. This year s group consists of Mick Burns, Ruth and Ken De Jong, Mike Greeley, Cathryn and Fred Krebs, Pete McClintock, Kathy and David Nebhut, Guiness Yates and Kate Zander. Watch for more details in the Fall Newsletter. One Great Hour of Sharing Providence members and friends gave $3,305 (not including the Fish Banks) for this special denominational offering taken at Easter. Your generosity will be helping provide food (Presbyterian Hunger Fund), respond to disasters here and abroad (Presbyterian Disaster Assistance), and help move many toward self-sufficiency (Self Development of People). Thank for your reaching out to so many neighbors who will benefit. Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed to free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Isaiah 58:6-7 Lamb Center Each March, Providence members and friends step forward to provide support to the guests at the Lamb Center, a day shelter used by many of our homeless neighbors. Through a supplies drive run by our Mission Committee, we are able to provide the Lamb Shelter with much needed items to keep on hand for those participating in this program. This year Providence friends and members donated 186 grocery bags filled with lots of cleaning supplies, paper products, and personal care products. Thanks to each of you who filled one bag, or many bags, and helped support this day program for a group of special neighbors.

8 Page 8 Spotlight on Mission, continued Providence ACCA Furniture Team Many hands make light work!!! The Providence Furniture Team can use some new members to help deliver used furniture to neighbors in need. The team will be working again on Saturday, July 28. The group meets at 8:00 am at the ACCA Furniture Building on the grounds of Annandale United Methodist Church (6935 Columbia Pike) and the work is completed by noon. If you had just arrived from Syria as a refugee, you might need a bed to sleep in, a table to eat on, and chairs to sit on. ACCA responds to these refugees and others leaving a homeless shelter by transforming an empty apartment into a real home for these neighbors. [J]ust as you did it to one of the least of these you finish the verse. How about trying your hand at this important ministry of Providence as we work with the ACCA Furniture Ministry? No charge for this weight bearing exercise! Contact Dave Lawhead at or dalawhead@verizon.net He needs to hear from you! Providence Food Pantry Thanks to the generous donations of food items from the congregation, the food pantry continues to provide supplemental food to about 10 to 12 families each month. A team of 10 Providence members and friends maintain the pantry and keep the food bags filled and ready for distribution when clients come in. Bailey s Crossroads Community Shelter Winter Hypothermia Season has come to an end Providence provided the meals not only for in-house shelter guests, but also for the Hypothermia Season guests on the 2 nd Wednesday evening of each month. During the Hypothermia Season of January 1 to March 31, 406 individuals sought an evening meal and an overnight lodging area to be protected from the harsh cold and windy weather. As many as 36 of these individuals were assisted in securing permanent housing. Kristina Koonz, Director of the shelter commented, We couldn t have done it without all of your care and support. Thanks to those who prepared hypothermia bags this past season. The food bags were given to hypothermia guests leaving the shelter each morning. More than 250 bags were sent out for the program this year. Ground Breaking for New Bailey s Shelter and Housing On April 5 about 70 people gathered to officially launch construction of the new Shelter and Housing facility that will replace the existing 30-year-old Bailey s Crossroads Community Shelter, set to open in the fall of The new facility will have 52 beds including a medical respite program, space for hypothermia prevention, and 18 supportive housing units. These new facilities will continue to provide emergency services for 52 in-house guests, both men and women.

9 Page 9 Prayers for (as of May 13, 2018) Continuing Care Sheila Holsinger, mother of Anna Jullien Sue Collins, friend of Lee Faber Chan Medwedeff John Fonley, father of Carolyn Taylor Rolland & Alice Fletcher, parents of Diana Stoneberg Thomas Richards, brother of George Richards Ruth Curtis, mother-in-law of Tommie Curtis Sherry Brown, daughter of Tuck Wilson Bob Hamilton Bill Garber Mary Carter, mother of Annette Young Karen Renner, sister of Doris Gearing Jane McClellan Nancy Evans, sister of Sara Bennett Garnet McCall, mother of Bruce McCall Shirley Strang We hope you have enjoyed our move to publish The Good News on a quarterly basis. Evolving strategies for telling our congregation s story had led us to create more of a distinction between providing detailed information in weekly vehicles the bulletin and the message This Sunday at Providence and looking ahead a couple months, with a concentrated focus on Mission The Good News. It is also our goal to include an in-depth article or two that lift up certain aspects of our life and ministry as a congregation. The four quarterly editions of The Good News are: Lent/Easter, Summer, Fall Kick-off, and Advent/ Christmas. It is our hope that, as a seasonal publication, The Good News will shine a light on our ministries above and beyond only publicizing upcoming events, and also a place for members to share their faith stories and reflections. We invite you to participate by submitting an item for inclusion in an upcoming issue.

10 What s Next? SUNDAYS, 10:00 & 11:15 am, through May 20 May 27-September 9, both services at 10:00 am followed by Summer Fellowship Communion / First Sunday (children stay with their families during worship) June 3, July 1, August 5 May 20, Confirmation Sunday June 10, Graduation Sunday Youth B&B Study will finish for the school year May 20; there will be random sessions during the summer Sunday School for Upper Elementary and Godly Play will continue in June and July; there will be no classes in August. 456ers: May 20 & June 3 PYF: May 20 & June 3 Adult Min Classes will resume in September CHURCH OFFICE CLOSURES The Church Office will be closed Memorial Day, May 28 Independence Day, July 4 OTHER DATES TO REMEMBER Page 10 Day trip to Religion in America exhibit at National Museum of American History, May 26, 12:30 pm Providence Singers, June 3, 2:00 pm New Member Class, June 10, 4:30 pm BBQ & Blues Picnic, June 24, 4:00-7:00 pm ACCA Furniture Delivery, 8:00 am July 28 Vacation Bible Camp, July 30-August 3, 9:30 to 12:30 MONTHLY Men s Breakfast, 1st Saturdays at 8:00 am June 2, none in July & August Lydia Circle, 3rd Wednesdays June 20, none in July & August Shelter Meal Prep & Delivery, 2nd Wednesdays pm and the Tuesday before at 5:00 pm both days June 12 & 13 July 10 & 11 August 7 & 8 (for up-to-date information see

11 Page 11 Kids Page Free from Ministry-to-Children.com

12 Providence Presbyterian Church 9019 Little River Turnpike Fairfax, VA S u n d a y s C o m m u n i o n / F i r s t S u n d a y : C h i l d r e n s t a y w i t h f a m i l i e s i n w o r s h i p T r a d i t i o n a l, 1 0 : 0 0 a m, S a n c t u a r y C o n t e m p o r a r y, 1 1 : 1 5 a m, T a y l o r H a l l S u m m e r S c h e d u l e b e g i n s M a y 2 7 B o t h s e r v i c e s a t 1 0 : 0 0 a m f o l l o w e d b y S u m m e r F e l l o w s h i p G r a d u a t i o n S u n d a y J u n e 1 0 S e e W h a t s N e x t? o n P a g e 1 0 f o r m o r e ( for up-to-date information see P r o v i d e n c e P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h L i t t l e R i v e r T u r n p i k e F a i r f a x, V A O f f i c e w w w. p r o v i d e n c e c h u r c h. o r g The Rev. Dr. Michael P. Burns, Pastor The Rev. Mary E. Rodgers, Associate Pastor Mary Ellen Moss, Director of Youth Ministry Daryl Wright, Director of Children s Ministry Lee Faber, Facilities Manager Joe Moss, Financial Manager Kathy Knorr, Communications Coordinator Terry Stoneberg, Director of Music Jane Kaye, Organist Rick Thiele, Music Leader & Tech. Coordinator Gene Kaye, Director of Providence Singers Carlos Guzman, Sexton Derek Knorr, Assistant Custodian Good News Editor: Kathy Knorr