A Sprig
A Sprig – David Hanke
Isaiah 11:1-11a, Psalm 72:1-8, Romans 15:8-13, Matthew 3:1-6
RestoKids Advent Devotional Book
Posted by Ryan Goyer on Dec, 02 2019 | 0 commentsWalking in the Light
Walking in the Light – Beth Tipps
Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 24:36-44
Thanksgiving
What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,
I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.Psalm 116
Happy Thanksgiving, Restoration!
I have so enjoyed this week. In almost every conversation I have had, we have talked about this past weekend and this past month- the joy of remembering 10 good years and giving thanks to God. It was glorious. (I try not to use that word too often, but this is one of those times that it fits: having a striking beauty or splendor that evokes feelings of delighted admiration.) We admired the power of God to birth and build a church in Arlington. To Him be the glory in His church and in His world!
The reason I love talking about our celebration is that I hear what stood out to you and I think to myself, ‘Oh yeah! I loved that too.’ So here is a way too short list of some of the things that made me glad. May they inspire you to say ‘Oh yeah! Thank you God for that…’
- I loved that pizza. I could have literally stood by the table for an hour and tried everything they brought out. And putting that wood fired oven in our parking lot??? genius.
- I am still singing that song the choir did on Sunday morning. (We had a choir!) ‘Oh Lord we come to say thank you!’
- Watching people drop their envelopes in the bowl. Watching the envelopes fall out of the bowl because there were so many.
- Preaching to Isaiah, Scott, and Ryan at their ordination- 3 men who have grown up with Restoration and embraced the charge to ‘Preach the Word.’ I am devoted to them and devoted to the calling we will share.
- Watching Steve put the garland of praise on Carolina, Nicole, and Desirée. Steve’s description of God’s glorious power was beautiful- he can turn our ashes into garlands of praise. Let it be, Lord! Over and over and over, Amen. Ashes for beauty. Restoration.
- I was grateful for the 10 years olds in our church (and Isaiah, Jody, and Louise for pulling it together) who talked on camera about 10 year birthdays. What a creative idea! And it provided the perfect amount of levity and mirth in our liturgy. Thank you!
- Singing ‘Be Still’ 3 times in one Sunday. Thank you Endel, for bringing this song to our 10 year celebration. It helped us remember and it put us in the posture we need to wait for the Good Things that will Grow Here, next.
- Speaking of ‘grow here’, the bulbs! What a perfect idea from Kathy Kenyon and Laura H. Thank you to those who stuffed the bags. Hope you got some. Hope you plant them. Hope they prod you to pray for more Good Things when they come up in the spring.
- Saying thank you to John and Susan Yates on Friday night- ‘We all come from somewhere. Restoration is grateful that we came from you and TFCA.’ I loved your standing applause. I loved watching them receive it. Similarly, grateful for your kind appreciation of Rev. Sinclair- I regularly say, Thank you God that they (were the uncle who let us crash on their couch) welcomed us in to worship and then entrusted their legacy of 1815 Quincy to us.
- Vocational highlight: I will hold dear the honor of carrying the bowl of envelopes up to the Lord’s Table and saying thank you, God as we sang the doxology. I hope to carry that memory to the end.
- I loved having 20 people in the chancel on Friday night- 10 staff and 10 reflectors. It was such a picture of our team and the way we work together. We depend on one another. We serve one another. We partner together. I was grateful for the kind words that were said about each of us (Thank you!) and grateful for the beautiful picture that Stephen W. Howard made for each of us. (Thank you!) You can see the picture at the welcome desk in our narthex.
- I teared up when Logan asked on Friday night- Who has led a Small Group at Restoration? He progressed from Kids’ to APEX to Adult and in the course of that progression, almost every person in the room stood. (That’s like 300 people). That is astounding. We have so many people who have opened their homes, their lives, and given their time to help others study the Bible and experience community. Thank you! You have been a part of the good things that grow here. You have helped hundreds of people grow closer to Jesus. Thank you.
There is more.
But I need to go run the Turkey Trot with my family.
Feel free to leave a comment and we can remember your thanksgivings as well!
I love Restoration. I loved our 10th birthday celebration. Thank you.
-David
Posted by David Hanke on Nov, 28 2019 | 2 comments
10 Years of Restoration
Thank you for celebrating our first 10 years over the past 3 weeks. The sermons from each Sunday are posted below.
We’re grateful for all that went in to the celebration, and for all that it took to get here. Thank you. We will post videos from the celebration as soon as we can!
Ordination of Ryan Bettwy, Scott Buckhout, and Isaiam Brooms [ 18:17 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
2019 Advent Calendar: Come along as we wait together
We are looking forward to waiting for Christmas and walking towards Jesus during Advent with you. Here are some ways you can join the Restoration community during this season. All of these things are ‘friend-friendly’. Feel free to invite others to come along!
Advent Community Prep –
We would like a half dozen people to help us prepare the sanctuary each Saturday of Advent from 9:00 to Noon (that’s Nov. 30, Dec 7, 14, and 21, plus an opportunity to clean up on Jan. 11!). This is a great bring-a-friend and parent/child opportunity to make our space beautiful and smelling of pine… Sign up here! (pssst- even if all the slots are taken, you can still come. It’s that fun.)
The Guide to Prayer: For the last 2 years, Restoration has created a curated guide to prayer from the lectionary readings and Daily Office that is found in the ACNA Book of Common Prayer. We love following this together as a church. Each day you will have something to read from the Bible and prayer requests for things that are happening at Restoration. We use these guides individually, in small groups, at retreats, in leadership gatherings… they guide our prayer.
They are refreshed with everything we have developed for Good Things Grow Here and they will be available on the first Sunday of our new liturgical year, Dec. 1, 2019. Make sure you pick one up!
RestoMen will gather on Dec. 3 at 7:30- dinner followed by a conversation around this question: “How do we really connect with God?” You will get a chance to discuss around tables and listen to the ways men in our congregation have worked this out in their own lives. Take a break from the bustle, bring a friend, think with others about connecting to God.
Caroling at Sunrise Senior Living – Bring a Santa hat and your vocal chords to belt out some Christmas Carols on Sunday, Dec 15 right after the 5pm service (about 6:45pm) at Sunrise Senior Living, 2000 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22207. This is your one Restoration chance to sing carols during Advent. We love doing this each year. (And bring a friend!)
Glebe Star Tree – We are grateful for the relationships we are building with Glebe Elementary School. This year we have an opportunity to serve 65 families by providing gifts for children who are under-resourced. The Glebe Star Trees, with tags indicating the gifts needed, are in both the upper and lower narthex. Those tags go quickly (you are such a generous church!) so grab one this Sunday!
- Dec 12 Please return your tagged gift to Restoration by this date.
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Dec 14 We will partner with Glebe Elementary staff and volunteers to sort the gifts and prepare them for distribution on December 15. Sign up here to help out on Saturday. It’s a blast!
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Sign up here to bake cookies and to help bag them so that they can be given to families on December 15.
Watch the video below to learn a little bit more:
RestoWomen will hold a Christmas Gathering on December 17- good conversation, good food and stories from some of our work to wait in this season of advent – a spiritual discipline in itself. Hope you’ll come (and maybe bring a friend!).
Lessons and Carols – Celebrate a Christmas Eve Eucharist with us at 3:00, 5:00 and 9:00. This year, all 3 services will be the same. At the 3:00 and 5:00, we will provide a nursery for children under 3 and we invite all of the kids to come dressed as their favorite characters from the nativity story (Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 2: 1-12).
With so many people traveling and with such a large number of people visiting for Christmas Eve, we encourage you to be a volunteer for one or more of these services! It is a huge help if you worship at one service and serve at another! Thanks for considering it. Contact Kathy Kenyon to learn how you can be part of the Christmas Eve team.
Sunday, Dec 29 – We will celebrate the Eucharist once at 10:00 am. Because this falls within the twelve days of Christmas, we invite you to wear your silly Christmas sweater and come ready to sing your final Christmas carols with gusto!
We love this season. Come along with us as we wait together.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices.
Bring your weariness. Find your hope. (and bring a friend!)
-David
Posted by David Hanke on Nov, 26 2019 | 0 commentsWarden’s Report: November 2019
Wardens’ Report: a brief summary of highlights from monthly Vestry meetings, designed to provide information about our growth, finances, and priorities.
At our November 19th vestry meeting, we enjoyed dinner together and prayer before starting the meeting. This month, Sean Burke led us through prayer which included praise and intercession for Director of Operations Kat Downs. We thanked God for Kat’s patient, steady hand that leads so many aspects of our church-life, many of them behind the scenes. We also prayed for energy and joy as she grows in her new role as a mom, for peace and wisdom as she balances many competing demands for time and attention, and for continued spiritual guidance and protection. As always, please join us in praying over the staff, vestry, and all of God’s work on and through Quincy Street.
In our meeting, David and Kevin Marshall shared some takeaways from the Diocese’s recent Synod. It was a fresh reminder of how blessed we are to be a part of a wider community of believers. Kevin also led a discussion about Restoration’s practical, local outreach through Glebe Elementary: we approved outreach funding to purchase grocery gift cards for 63 families in need and the Star Tree is back, starting this Sunday!! (lots of ways to get involved — click here) Kevin presented information about some upcoming special events that outside groups will host at Restoration in early 2020 (stay tuned!). Although vestry’s role in those matters is limited, it is a good reminder of how our building on Quincy Street is a gift from God that, if we steward it well, He can use for all sorts of Kingdom work, all week long.
Brad Jones, our treasurer, gave a brief financial update and led a discussion about topics that we can expect to consider in the months ahead: monitoring our financial situation, weighing options for the mortgage, and discerning options for gifts that come in through the special giving opportunity in connection with Restoration’s 10th Birthday.
David led us through a fantastic report from the Strategic Plan Advisory Team, presenting a solid and action-ready plan for the next 5 years. The report reflects a tremendous amount of work by those folks; the vestry is so grateful to the SPAT: Clark Herndon, Marlee Kingsley, Lorene Eberhardt, Drew Bond, Mary Breed, and David. And to Restoration’s staff who, in addition to their normal workload, plus preparing for the 10th Birthday celebrations, ordinations, Advent… already devised specific goals and projects that will help them to dive right in. After hundreds of sticky notes and lots of prayer… we are excited for what God has in store for this community and our neighbors. Join us in praying boldly!
We also continued our discussion about the possibility of hiring a curate in 2020. As we mentioned last month, a curacy would be designed for a new priest who could join our staff to learn from and serve our congregation at the start of this exciting next chapter in Restoration’s life. The Finance and Personnel Teams shared their invaluable wisdom and advice, and we hope you will join us in praying over this opportunity in the weeks ahead.
Finally, Johanna led us in a conversation about the results of our end-of-year, self-reflection survey about vestry. As we have in past years, each vestry member completed a survey, evaluating the past year in various ways: for example, how we served individually, how our prayer life has changed, what it means to serve on vestry, and ways to improve. At the end of this hard but good year, it was a welcome moment to reset and remind ourselves of the good Father that guides us as we help guide the church in practical ways, in supporting David and the staff, and through prayer.
Posted by Ryan Goyer on Nov, 20 2019 | 0 comments
