Lenten Discipline: Feeding the Hungry with ACCA!

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In observance of the Lenten Season, many people choose to “give up” something they enjoy as they enter a period of reflection.

An alternative to or perhaps in addition to this observance is to “take on” something new. 

If you can help us out, please consider contributing shelf-stable food to ACCA’s (Annandale Christian Community for Action) food pantry during the next 40 days. Inventory at the pantry is very low and demand for food is at a record high.

Consider collecting one item for each day of Lent—40 days yields 40 much-needed items.  You may simply leave the items in the Narthex for delivery to ACCA.

For more information, you can click here: https://accacares.org/lenten-food-drive/

Here is a list of what we need at the food pantry. (* = most needed)

Peanut Butter*

Crackers*

Jelly*

Cookies*

Canned Corn*

Bar soap

Beef stew

Canned Beans including Kidney, Pinto. Baked, Garbanzo (chickpeas), Baked

Canned Chicken

Canned Fruit

Canned vegetables

Canned fruit

Canned Meals (Chef Boyardee)

Cereal

Coffee (Instant preferred)

Cooking oil

Diced Tomatoes

Dish soap

Dry Black Beans

Dry Red Beans

Diapers all sizes

Feminine napkins

Flour

Juice

Laundry Soap

Macaroni (1 lb box)

Macaroni & Cheese

Maseca/Masa

Mayonnaise/Ketchup/Mustard

Pancake syrup

Paper Towels

Rice (1 or 2 lb. bag)

Shampoo

Soups (Chunky)

Spaghetti Sauce

Sugar

Tea

Toilet Paper

Tomato Sauce

Toothbrushes

Tortillas

Tuna

Muldoon Concert on Sunday, February 18 at 4:00pm

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Please join us on Sunday, February 18 at 4:00pm in the Parish Hall for our next Muldoon Concert. The ensemble Sopranessence will be performing this free concert, and a reception will follow.

Sopranessence is an ensemble unlike any other, that will take you on a musical roller-coaster ride from operatic arias to Broadway show tunes and beloved songs from American culture. Sopranessence envisions a world in which audiences from all walks of life can enjoy classical music as an art form meant for everyone.

To learn more about this wonderful ensemble, click here!

Muldoon Concert on Sunday, October 22 at 4:00pm

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Please join us Sunday, October 22 at 4:00pm for a free performance by professional singer Madeline Miskie, who presents a program called “Into the Light: Songs of Transformation.” The common thread woven throughout the program is transformation, exploring critical moments in time when the truth cannot be unseen and change is inevitable. Spanning the genres of plainchant, baroque, folk, art song, contemporary musical theater and pop, this program promises wide range of vocal colors and musical soundscapes.

The Muldoon Memorial Concert Series was established in 1990 by the Muldoon Family in memory of long-time choir members Ken and Hulda Muldoon. The series offers several concerts during the church year, and remains free and open to the public, thanks in part to an Endowment Fund. For more information about the concert series, and upcoming concerts, click here.

Can you help ACCA meet the increased demand for food?

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As families across the country struggle with reduced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, we have seen a huge increase in demand for food from our food pantry here in Annandale. At the same time, we’ve all seen the increased prices for food overall which is depleting the funds we’ve set aside for fresh foods. Although we had very successful food drives in February, our shelves are bare.

Can you help? We need:

  • Nonperishable foods – We collect food donations Tuesday-Friday afternoons from 1:30 pm – 4 pm, with the exception of County Holidays and other scheduled closings. The ACCA food pantry is located at 7200 Columbia Pike (trailer separate from the day care center) in Annandale (next to the fire station). Please do not drop off food if a volunteer is not available. What we need.

Please share this information with your family, friends, and neighbors. Thank you all for your ongoing support for those in need of food!

For more information, please contact Gail Coleman, [email protected], 703-354-0656, or go to the ACCA website, https://accacares.org/.

Summer Exploratory Book Journey: Reading the Bible from the Margins

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Last year we explored an Education for Ministry (EfM) Interlude Book: The Dream of God By Verna J. Dozier

Join us this year for another exploratory book journey into:

Reading the Bible from the Margins By Miguel A. De La Torre

Or, in other words, how to read the Bible from perspectives that are often ignored; for example, from the perspective of the victims of discrimination.  The author shows how “standard” readings of the Bible, and interpretation by the dominant culture, are not always acceptable to people on the “margins” of that dominant culture.

A comment by Cain Hope Felder, author, Troubling Biblical Waters: “This innovative resource is filled with considerable multicultural capital that can help many better understand the sad persistence of many ‘great divides’ in a nation that is so ready to proclaim to the world, ‘United We Stand!’”

We will explore together this timely and challenging book over 4 Wednesday evenings this summer:  July 12, 19, 26, and August 2. Join us from 6:30 to 7:30 pm to discuss and share thoughts about the important messages provided by this author. Participants may gather personally in Room 11 of the Church or may participate remotely via ZOOM.

An excerpt from the author’s Introduction: “All football players are damned!  According to the Scriptures, anyone who plays football is cursed by God and will spend eternity in hell.  The Bible is very clear about this.  According to Deuteronomy: ‘The pig, because its hoof is divided and it does not chew its cud, is unclean.  You shall not eat its flesh, nor touch its dead skin’ (14:8).  So anyone who touches a ‘pigskin,’ another name for a football, is cursed.  . . .  Yet my understanding of Deuteronomy 14:8, regardless of how legitimate and logical it may be to me, is still rejected by the majority of Christians.  Why?”

Got your attention?  If you would like to join us in this journey, please email Pam Matthes at [email protected]  by June 28, 2023.  [The first 5 to sign up will receive their books for FREE!]

Annandale Christian Community for Action: Call for Food Donations Support

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Help Our Hungry Neighbors

Due to the end of COVID assistance, families across the US struggle with their reduced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. As a result we have seen a huge increase in demand for food from our food pantry here in Annandale!

Our food donations for February were 8,905 lbs. an amount twice as high as January 2023 thanks to the Stuff-the-Bus Campaign as well as the Stuff-the-Cruiser Campaign, both of which brought in over 2,000 pounds of food.

In February the ACCA Food Pantry provided food for 106 households and 369 individuals, which was very close to the same numbers we had for January, so the need for food assistance remains extremely high. Pre-pandemic we had approximately 8 deliveries a week now we are doing closer to 30!

With this increase in demand our shelves are BARE!!

Some of the Items Needed Include:

Bar soap, Beef stew, Canned Beans including Kidney, Black, Pinto. Baked, Garbanzo (chickpeas), Baked, Canned Chicken, Canned vegetables, Canned fruit, Cereal, Coffee (Instant preferred), Cooking oil, Diced Tomatoes, Dish soap, Dry Black Beans, Dry Red Beans, Diapers all sizes, Feminine napkins, Flour, Juice, Jelly/Jam, Laundry Soap, Macaroni & Cheese, Maseca/Masa, Mayonnaise/Ketchup/Mustard, Oatmeal, Pancake syrup, Paper Towels, Rice (1 or 2 lb. bag) , Shampoo, Soups (Chunky), Spaghetti Sauce, Sugar, Tea, Toilet Paper, Tomato Sauce, Tooth brushes, Tortillas, Tuna.

PLEASE HELP!!

1) Donate Nonperishable foods – We will be collecting food donations Tuesday-Friday afternoons from 1:30-4 pm, with the exception of County Holidays and other scheduled closings. The ACCA food pantry is located at 7200 Columbia Pike (trailer separate from the day care center) in Annandale. Please do not drop off food if a volunteer is not available.

2) Donate Cash to purchase fresh foods. Donate through the Catalogue for Philanthropy at https://www.cfp-dc.org/cfpdc/checkout_onestep.php?charity_id=94251

3) Volunteer to schedule and make deliveries – fill out the volunteer interest form at https://accacares.org/volunteer-interest-form/

ACCA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

Samaritan Ministry 35th Anniversary Gala

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On Saturday, November 6, 2021 from 7pm to 8pm, Samaritan Ministry will be hosting its annual fundraiser. Please join St. Albans and over forty parishes in the tri-state area (DC, Maryland and Virginia) who will be participating virtually to celebrate Samaritan 35th year celebrating their service to help participants meet their goals. During this gala, Samaritan Ministry will be providing awards for Outstanding Achievement, Compassionate Service and Outstanding Partner.

In addition, there will be a silent auction of baskets assembled by partner churches, including 2 gift baskets submitted by St. Albans! To see all the baskets in the auction, please go to Samaritan Ministry Gala’s site . When you click “auction”, you will see all the baskets but in order to bid on a basket you will need to register for the event. Below is how to register for the event.

Please click here to register now!

The gala will be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. If you’re watching on your own device, the Gala will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube, and it will be available to watch on their Website.