Midweek Announcements for December 1

Schedule for the Coming Week at Resurrection Church

Sunday, December 4

9:10 a.m. – Sunday School in the Parish Hall.
10:00 a.m. – Worship: Rev. Dr. Sarah Colvin, former Rector at Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, presiding.
5:30 p.m. – Confirmation Class will meet in the Parish Hall.
6:30 p.m. – Confirmation and Youth Group dinner in the Parish Hall.

Monday, December 5

7:30 p.m. – Congregation Council Executive Committee will meet via Zoom.

Wednesday, December 7

7:00 p.m. – “Waiting with the Saints” Advent Evening Prayer via Zoom.

Thursday, December 8

7:30 p.m. – Congregation Council will meet via Zoom.

Sunday, December 11

9:10 a.m. – Sunday School in the Parish Hall.
10:00 a.m. – Worship: Prof. James Farwell of Virginia Theological Seminary presiding.

Sunday Supply Pastors

On the second Sunday in Advent, Resurrection welcomes Rev. Dr. Sarah Colvin, former Rector at Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in Vashon Island, Washington, to preside and preach on December 4.

Our outstanding array of guest clergy continues on December 11 with the return of Prof. James Farwell of the Virginia Theological Seminary, followed by Pastor Gordon Lathrop on December 18. At our single Christmas Eve Service on Saturday, December 24, Pastor Wally Jensen will preside, with Pastor Lathrop leading us in worship on Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25.

Congregation COVID Protections

Attentive to the recent rise in COVID, RSV, and influenza cases, the wearing of masks at church is optional as long as Arlington County's COVID-19 community level remains “low” based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assessment. Our Reopening Planning Group encourages congregants to wear masks if they choose to and will adjust our precautions if necessary based on the CDC assessment.

Congregants are also encouraged to continue to maintain appropriate distances when sitting in pews, sharing the peace of Christ and taking communion, and to wash hands and use sanitizers in church. Pastors, communion assistants, and ushers will continue to wear masks when welcoming those attending services and in distributing Holy Communion in deference to congregation members who choose to take that precaution. The wearing of masks in Sunday School will continue to be guided by parents’ feedback. Congregants are also encouraged to keep up to date with vaccinations, and anyone not feeling well should stay home and access the livestream feed of worship services.

Services for Edna Frady

Edna N. Frady passed away peacefully on November 25, 2022, at her place of residence in Falls Church, Virginia. Edna was a longtime member of Resurrection, serving on the Congregation Council and as Chair of the Morning Circle and Assistant Financial Secretary. A visitation and refreshments will be held Friday, December 2, at Murphy Funeral Home, 1102 West Broad Street in Falls Church, Virginia from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with interment to follow at National Memorial Park, 7482 Lee Highway in Falls Church, at 2:00 p.m. The family is discussing a future memorial service at Resurrection.

Reserve Your Poinsettias for Christmas

This Sunday, December 4, is the deadline for reserving your poinsettias in honor or memory of family and friends as part of Resurrection’s traditional Sanctuary Christmas decorations. Please complete the form provided in the Narthex along with our worship program and place them in the offering trays along with cash or a check made out to Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran Church with a notation that it is for poinsettias. A donation of $15 for each poinsettia is suggested. Reserved poinsettias are yours to take after the conclusion of the January 8, 2023, church service.

AFAC Food Collection this Sunday, December 4

Resurrection will be receiving donations of food items for AFAC on Sunday, December 4, in conjunction with our regular worship service. December 18 will also be an AFAC Sunday.

Join Resurrection’s Sunday School

Sunday school for 3 years through 5th grade will meet Sunday mornings in the Parish Hall at 9:10 a.m. We have a lot of learning, games, art, video clips, conversation, prayer, challenges, laughter and FUN that takes place when we are together. Come join us! If you would like to be added to our email list, please reach out to Angie Brooke.

Also, mark your calendars for our upcoming meeting date for Confirmation and Youth Group on December 18.

Advent Mid-Week Services

Our Advent mid-week virtual services continue on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. The theme is “Waiting with the Saints – Advent Evening Prayer.”

December 7 – Ambrose
December 14 – John of the Cross
December 21 – Winter Solstice

Each service will include an introduction by Gail Ramshaw. The liturgy will be led by our own members. Look for a Constant Contact email on Tuesdays, which will include the Zoom link and a copy of the bulletin.

Help Decorate the Church for Christmas

Please join us on December 18 after the service to help decorate and make the church festive for Christmas. Many hands are needed, and all ages are welcome!

Advent Offerings to Support Doorways

Thanks to all who contributed to the Doorways Winter Wishes Donation Drive to provide winter coats for families coping with domestic violence. During the holiday season, Resurrection will share its Advent offerings with Doorways, the Arlington organization assisting those families.

Member Information Form

Resurrection is continuing to work on updating its membership directory with the most current, accurate and preferred contact information. Member Information forms are available in the Narthex – we urge each member of the congregation to fill one out and return it to the church office.

Can't make it to church? Watch us Live! Now Livestreaming Worship

To view our 10:00 a.m. Sunday worship service on YouTube live, click on the live worship link on the RELC home page on Sunday mornings during the worship hour and be redirected to the YouTube live stream. The Live Stream will "go live" at 9:55 a.m. on each Sunday morning. To view the service at a later time, go to our YouTube Channel. Click on the videos tab to browse archives of past services. Click on the Subscribe button and create an account to be notified when Live Streams are started or when other videos are added. For any questions, please contact the pastor.

Intercessory Prayer During the Time of Pastoral Transition

During our pastoral transition, we will suspend the compilation of a formal and published prayer list. Our intercessory prayer lists are crafted and maintained by the pastor who receives names and who exercises pastoral discretion and care in relation to those named and those who name them. Without an interim or called pastor to generate and maintain the list and to follow up pastorally concerning those named, an intercessory prayer list would be challenging to maintain with pastoral integrity and sensitivity. That said, each Sunday’s prayers of intercession include a petition during which members of the worshiping assembly can call out aloud specific names of persons for whom they would like to pray, and during this time of pause, worshipers can also name persons in the silence of their hearts and minds. Please be assured that your prayerful intents and those of the whole worshiping assembly are heard by God.

Pastoral Care for Emergencies and Other Needs

Pastor Amy Feira has graciously agreed to be on call for members of the congregation to contact in case of pastoral emergency and other pastoral needs through the month of December. She may be reached at: (703) 303-9388 and/or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Other Announcements?

Alexandra Mattson, the editor of our now quarterly Steeple Light newsletter, is now also serving as the editor of our Weekly Announcements messages, working closely with Council President Glen Mason. If you have any items that you wish to communicate in the Weekly Announcements as committee chairs or those responsible for other ministry initiatives at Resurrection, please send them via email to both This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by late Wednesday mornings for inclusion in the message for the coming Thursday. Thanks!