2010 VESTRY ELECTION Vestry ballots are due back to the parish office by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, March 8. View the 2010 Vestry Nominees. St. Paul's Annual Parish Meeting will take place Sunday, March 14 at 10:00 a.m. in the church. Don't forget that daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 14.

THIS SUNDAY - March 7, 2010

2010 Spring Adult Forum Series St. Paul's Lenten Series continues with a discussion entitled, "The Collects of Lent." Bishop Dyer will encourage us to hear and pray the Collects as a part of our Lenten devotion. The Lenten Series will resume Sunday, March 21 when Bishop Dyer will present: "The Collects of Holy Week."

Pennies from Heaven St. Paul's has brought back our Sunday School offering: Pennies from Heaven. Collected after the 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. service, this offering will go to Renk Secondary School in southern Sudan, a school that St. Paul's helped to build. About 200 students attend this school run by the Diocese of Renk and additional resources continue to be needed. Please give generously!

Easter Lilies and Brass St. Paul's offers glory to God during the Easter season by decorating the church with memorial lilies and by including special music in our Easter worship services. Remember a loved one by making a gift to the Altar Guild for flowers, or by making a contribution to the music program. Please complete one of the envelopes found in the pews and place it in the collection plate. Names received by Sunday, March 28 will be included in a separate Easter Lilies insert.

COMING SOON

St. Paul's Youth Carpenter's Shelter Ministry Junior and senior youth will prepare a meal for Carpenter's Shelter on March 14 in the St. Paul's kitchen during the Sunday School hour. Please help us stock the grocery pantry by donating a $20 Giant Foods gift card or volunteer to help cook. Contact Scott Broetzmann at 703-304-7947 for more information.

Highland Educational Project This summer, the project will again rally missioners, young and mature, to sojourn to Welch, WV for the week of July 25 through 31 to help repair and rejuvenate housing belonging to those too elderly and/or too poor to do the work themselves. No skills are required, but some may be acquired. For more information, contact Bo Miller at 703-549-1240.

The Great Vigil of Easter, an ancient and beautiful liturgy celebrating God's victory of light over darkness and life over death, returns to St. Paul's at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 3. This service lasts about 90 minutes and is appropriate for all ages. Come hear the biblical texts setting forth our salvation history -"told" rather than read -witness a baptism(s), and celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter with music and great rejoicing! For more information, contact the Rev. Rosemary Beales at rosemarybeales49@gmail.com.

2010 St. Paul's Art Show will be held April 16 - 18 with a reception to meet the artists on Saturday, April 17. All parish members are invited to submit artwork for sale. A portion of the proceeds from the show will go to St. Paul's. Volunteers are also needed for show set-up, maintenance, and tear down. If interested, please contact Lee Beall at ltbeall@yahoo.com or 703-706-5791.

2010 Youth Mission Trip Silent Auction, "Spring for Youth," will take place May 15-16 with a Preview Cocktail Party on Saturday, May 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Please contact Bill Campbell at 703-549-3312 x20 or bill@stpaulsalexandria.com or Stan Krejci at stan.krejci@gmail.com if you have items for the auction.

HOLY WEEK & EASTER SERVICES
Palm Sunday, March 28 Regular Service Times The 9:00 a.m. procession begins at Market Square.
Maundy Thursday, April 1 Proper Liturgy at 7:30 p.m.
Good Friday, April 2 Services at 7:30 a.m., noon, 5:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 3 5:00 p.m. Faith @ Five in Norton Hall 7:30 p.m. The Great Vigil of Easter
Easter Sunday, April 4 6:40 a.m. Easter Sunrise service at St. Paul's Cemetery Easter Services also at: 7:45 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

ANNUAL GIVING

Closing the Gap in the 2010 Budget We thank those who have responded with financial gifts and pledges in the past weeks to help close the gap between our projected 2010 budget and our current pledges and other expected income. The gap remains around $47,000, however, and our most important ministries and programs are still in jeopardy as the Vestry prepares to finalize the budget for 2010. Now is the time to pledge if you have not done so, and additional contributions are a blessing, as well. Please complete a pledge card in the pew or pledge online at www.stpaulsalexandria.com under "Stewardship/Giving." Please contact Elise Darden, Director of Stewardship, at 703-549-3312 ext. 21 if you have any questions.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Sunday School for all ages takes place this Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School for preschool (children ages 3, 4, and 5) will meet on the First Floor of Wilmer Hall. If your child is already in weeSIT, he or she will be brought to Sunday School directly.

Sunday School for Kindergarten through 5th Grade will meet on the 2nd floor of Wilmer Hall. Kindergartners will be in Art; 1st graders in Drama; 2nd graders in Movie; 3rd graders in Cooking; 4th graders in Liturgics; and 5th graders in Music.

Middle School Boys and Girls will find their rooms on the Second Floor of Wilmer Hall.

High School Youth meet in the Brock Vestry Room on the Third Floor of Wilmer Hall.

Youth Group High school youth will meet this Sunday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Norton Hall.

2010 Youth Mission Trips and Pilgrimage Please find the summer schedule of youth activites in the youth section of the St. Paul's Web site and in the weekly eMERGE newsletter.

MUSIC

Treble Chorister Festival Treble Choirs from St. Luke's Episcopal Church, East Greenwich, Rhode Island; St. Mary's Church, Arlington; Christ Church, Alexandria; and St. Paul's, Alexandria will gather for a Treble Chorister Festival Weekend, March 12-14 at St. Paul's. The choirs are affiliates of the Royal School of Church Music, a worldwide training organization for singers of all ages and abilities. St. Luke's and St. Paul's choristers will participate in the 11:00 a.m. service on Sunday, March 14. Choristers from the four churches will appear in a special Service of Choral Evensong at 5:00 p.m. on the same day.

Choral Evensong will take place March 14 at 5:00 p.m.

COMMUNITY

iMovie Mentors is seeking both male and female mentors, but especially adult male mentors for children and youth. Orientation for male mentors is scheduled for March 9. To find out more, please visit: www.alexandriava.gov/imoviementors or e-mail mentoring@alexandriava.gov.

For information on current events in the Episcopal Church, please visit http://www.thediocese.net