ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sixth Sunday of Easter
5 May 2013
Holy Eucharist 8:00 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 5:30 p.m.

Children’s Ministry Nursery -- 8:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Rectory Children’s Chapel – 9:15 a.m.-9:45 a.m. in Nourse Hall Church School-10:20 a.m. — 11:15 a.m. Children’s Chapel–11:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m. in Room 203, Satterlee Hall Classrooms are located on the lower level of Satterlee Hall Youth Ministry Teen Service Fellowship 9:15 a.m.- in The Little Sanctuary at St. Albans School Journey to Adulthood Program 10:20 a.m.—11:15 a.m. Rite 13 – ages 12 to 13, in the basement of the rectory J2A – ages 14 to 15, upstairs in the rectory Senior Youth – ages 16 to 18, upstairs in the rectory

THIS WEEKEND
IDEAS ALIVE! AT 10:30
America and Its Guns: A Theological Exposé
May 5, 10:30 a.m., Nourse Hall
Retired Presbyterian minister James Atwood, an avid hunter, has spent almost 40 years fighting easy access to firearms. Contending that the 30,000 gun deaths America suffers each year cannot be understood apart from our national myth that God has appointed America as "the trustee of the civilization of the world," and even as "Christ's light to the nations," he cautions that an absolute trust in guns morphs easily into idolatry. His recent book, America and Its Guns, is a wake-up call to the faith community to get involved in preventing gun violence.  Copies of the book will be for sale before and after the Forum.

The Rev. Dr. Deborah Meister will away Friday May 3 through Monday, May 6, 2013.  If you need to reach her, plan to contact her before or after those dates.

The Rev. Jim E. Quigley and the Rev. Matthew R. Hanisian will be out of town Monday, May 13 through Wednesday, May 16.  Jim will be on leave May 16 through May 20.

UPCOMING
Candidate Forums  
May 12, 10:30 a.m., Nourse Hall
Annual Vestry Candidates Forum:  Meet the eight nominees for Vestry 

May 19, 10:30 a.m., Nourse Hall.  
Annual Warden Candidates Forum: Talk with the two candidates for Junior Warden and two candidates for Senior Warden. Elections will be held June 2.

Camp EDOW
Sunday, July 28 trhought August 2, Lions Camp Merrick, Nanjemove, Maryland (90-minutes-away)
Rising 4th-8th graders are invited to join us for Camp EDOW.  Last year several young people from St. Alban's attended this sleep-away camp and all said they would love to return this year-we'd love to have a dozen campers from St. Alban's go this year. The tuition for Camp EDOW is $500, however no one will be turned away because of need, and scholarships are available.  For more information contact, the Rev. Matthew R. Hanisian (who is on the Camp EDOW Steering Committee) or visit the Camp EDOW website.   

Youth Summer Mission Trip 2013
June 30-July 6, 2013
St. Alban's youth will once again be heading to southern Virginia with the Appalachian Service Project.  We will be helping build and rehab houses in one of the poorest counties in the country.  This mission trip is open to all current J2A and Sr. Youth Group members.  The cost for the trip is $310.00 per person (plus spending money), a limited number of scholarships are available.  Space is limited.  For more information please contact the Rev. Matthew R. Hanisian  (202) 363-8286 ext. 207.

Parish Weekend at Massanetta Springs
September 20 to 22, 2013 
Save the dates and reserve your place!
Last year’s fall weekend was a huge success. Come play together, communicate deeply, eat well, make new friends, sing around a campfire worship, and celebrate our community. To hold our reservation at Massanetta Springs, we need to have our numbers sent to them (with a down payment) by mid-June. Click for details and to download a form. 

ONGOING
Supporting Our Graduates
Calling all high school and college graduates: Congratulations. As you celebrate this season, the Diocese would like to support your transition from life in your parish to the campus ministry or parish nearest your new home. If you'd like help getting to know your new community, please contact Jason Evans, Diocesan Young Adult Missioner or call/text at (202)257-8556. 

If you have not already signed up to have your picture taken for our 2013 photo directory, please know:
1.    If you come to St. Alban's you are welcome-and wanted-in our directory.
2.    There is no cost to have your picture taken and, if you do, you will receive a free directory and 8" x 10" portrait. If you choose to submit a photo instead of having one taken, there will be a $10 charge for photo handling.
3.    Photos will be taken April 9-13 and April 24-27 in Nourse Hall. Please note the time slots recently added on April 25-27 are mostly filled, so we have added April 24. Please take advantage of this extended time by making your appointment today.
4.    A few of the slots filled for April 9-13 have opened up as a result of re-scheduling. So check those when you go to make your appointment.
5.    To make an appointment, follow the link on the parish website and follow the three easy steps. Need directory assistance? Stop by the table in the Wade Room after church and someone will make an appointment for you.

More information about our 2013 directory is available on the parish website. Contact Marcy Fisher,
(301) 907-4880, with any questions or to volunteer your time and talent towards our directory.

Staff Transition
Beloved in Christ,
Our Parish Coordinator, Annemarie (Stroud) Quigley, has informed us that she has accepted a new position and will be leaving our staff as of Maundy Thursday. The position is a great opportunity for Annemarie, offering her both greater responsibility and new learning opportunities. However, her departure is a loss for us. She has graced us greatly with her willing spirit and her kindness to all who come through our doors, and we will miss her. There will be a brief (at her insistence) appreciation for Annemarie at Cafe St. Alban's this Sunday, after the 9:15 service. It will obviously take us some time to search for a new Parish Coordinator. I am grateful that Marcy Fisher has agreed to join our staff part-time as an Interim Coordinator while we search. 
 Blessings, Deborah+  
UPCOMING

Are you new to the Episcopal Church? Are you someone who's been here a long time, but need to explore your faith on a deeper level? This class offers you the opportunity to meet with other adults for four weeks to engage intensively with our faith, church traditions, and how we live our discipleship. Class will meet Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30, April 17 through May 8. It will prepare participants to be received or confirmed in the Cathedral on May 11th, but that is purely optional; the key thing is to grow in faith together. If you are interested, please e-mail DeborahM@StAlbansDC.org, as there is reading to prepare before the first session.


After the joy and worship and capsizing canoes of last year's parish weekend, we are going to return to Massanetta Springs and deepen our relationships with Christ and with one another. The weekend is for everyone: young, old, children, men, women, single, married, or partnered. Cost and other details will come later, but mark your calendars today.

PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bishop Walker School News
On Thursday February 28 the boys at Bishop Walker School presented their Black History Month program to a packed Multipurpose Room full of parents, grandparents and other supporters. The next opportunity to see the boys demonstrate their speaking and musical talents and poise will be Family and Friends Day on Friday May 10 at 10:30 am until noon. Mark your calendar and we can put together a carpool leaving from the Cathedral Close and drive to the school together.

Camp EDOW
Sunday, July 28 through Friday, August 2
Rising 4th–8th graders are invited to join us for Camp EDOW.  This sleep away camp happens Sunday, July 28 through Friday, August 2 at Lions Camp Merrick in Nanjemoy, MD (about 90 minutes away).  Last year several young people from St. Alban's attended and all said they would love to return this year—we'd love to have a dozen campers from St. Alban's go this year. The tuition for Camp EDOW is $500, however no one will be turned away because of need, and scholarships are available.  For more information contact, the Rev. Matthew Hanisian (who is on the Camp EDOW Steering Committee) or visit the Camp EDOW website: www.edow.org/camp.

To Hold a Meeting at St. Alban's
If you wish to hold an event here, please contact Annemarie Stroud (202.363.8286) to find out which rooms are available and reserve one. If you do not reserve your room, you may end up being bumped by another group that did.

What Are Prayers for Healing?
Each week, during Communion we offer prayer for healing. The Bible includes many incidents in which people who are troubled in body or spirit ask Jesus or the disciples to heal them. As Episcopalians, we believe that God does respond to such prayers, although the form the healing takes may not be the one we thought we were seeking. Our healing ministers regard each request as confidential. You can find them on the kneelers by the side doors of the church.

Needed: Ministers of Transportation
From time to time, we receive requests from parishioners who need a ride to come to church on Sunday morning. If you would be willing to offer a ride to someone who lives near you, please contact the Rev. Deborah Meister in the church office so that we can assist our members to remain part of our community.

Stephen Ministry
If you or a friend are going through a difficult period in your life and want to explore the possibility of having a Stephen Minister provide a confidential spiritual friendship, please contact one of the Stephen Ministry leaders: Dee Dykstra at (703) 971-5795, Ada Kugajevsky at (202) 333-2631, Dick Parkins at (202) 244-3798, or one of the clergy.

Altar Flowers
The Flower Guild seeks donations for altar flowers in memory of a family member or friend or to commemorate a special event such as a birthday. For more information, contact Robin Rudd at (202) 237-1090.

Emergency Pastoral Care at St. Alban's
The clergy at St. Alban's want to be able to assist you when you have a severe pastoral emergency (a death, a hospitalization, etc.) In order to make things simpler for you, we now have a phone number which will allow you to reach one of us at any time: (703) 568-0570. You can even program this into your phone so that you will have it if you need it.

Clergy Days Off
Just so you know: Deborah and Jim are off on Fridays, and Matthew is off Mondays.

If You Are Ill or Hospitalized
Please call the parish and let us know. The HIPAA privacy rule prohibits hospitals from telling us who is a patient or anything about your condition. Unless you let us know where you are, we cannot find out, and we will be unable to visit you and pray with you as we would hope to do. (Many hospitals have a box on the admitting forms for "contact your clergy.") Also, if your nearest relatives live far from you, you might consider instructing the hospital to let the parish clergy be informed about your condition so that we can serve as a point of contact for your family.