Abraham Interfaith Discussions will be held in communities around the United States throughout November. Based on Bruce Feiler's second book "Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths," these dialogues are designed to use the shared figure of Abraham as a catalyst for building trust and communication among different religious groups.
Dr. John Lown of Leesburg will moderate a community wide Abraham Interfaith Discussion on Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 7:30 -9:00 p.m. at Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Reston. Dr. Lown is "a child of Abraham" and was ordained a minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in 1973. He is a specialist in Interim Ministry and most recently served as the Interim Pastor at Leesburg Presbyterian Church. Barnes & Noble is located in The Spectrum Center, 1851 Fountain Drive, Reston. Call 703-437-8147. The event is free, open to
the public and no reservations are necessary.
In a series of prayer sessions and talks on various topics, the Bahá'is of Loudoun County invite the public to an afternoon of prayer devotions and a talk on Sunday, Nov. 17, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The subject will be “Progressive Revelation and Manifestation of Messengers of God. Light refreshments will also be serves. The meeting will be held at Eastern Loudoun Regional Library, Room B, 21030 Whitfield Place, Sterling. Call 703-444-3228.
The Unitarian Universalists of Sterling will welcome Ann Robinson to the pulpit on Sunday, Nov. 17. Her sermon, entitled "The Butterfly's Wings", will be an exploration of globalization, and will raise the question of what part we play as individuals. Ann is a writer for an international publication called "Issue Barometer."
On Sunday, Nov. 24, the UU Church of Arlington's Taskforce to Abolish the Death Penalty presents "Capital Punishment and You as a UU". Their theme will be that in adhering to our belief in the inherent worth and dignities of each individual, members of the church are called on to carefully weigh the moral as well as practical consequences of the death penalty in America. The taskforce will offer readings and personal statements, as well as engage in dialogue with church members. After the service, a videotaped play called "The Executioners" (written by one of the Task Force members), will be shown. Services are at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings at the Sterling Community Center Annex. Visit uusterling.org.
Riverside Presbyterian Church will hold After School Adventures for kindergarten through grade 5 on Mondays, Nov. 18 and 25, beginning at 5 p.m. Each day will provide a new adventure. Activities include a movie, games, swimming, crafts and a pizza dinner. Cost per adventure is $35 with a $90 maximum per family. Registration can be made by calling 703-444-3528.
LINK, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization consisting of 15 member churches, requests donations of non-perishable food items and $10-$25 grocery store gift certificates for Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets provided to needy families in the Herndon, Sterling and Ashburn areas. Families select their own food (mini supermarket inside the church) based on family size and also receive a gift certificate to buy a turkey and other perishables.
Food distributions will take place at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 651 Dranesville Road, Herndon, and Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church, 46833 Harry Byrd Highway, Sterling, on Saturday Nov. 23. Donations of non-perishable food can be dropped off at the churches from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Nov. 18-22.
Volunteers are needed to set up for the event days and evenings, Nov. 18-22, from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and also from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 23. To volunteer, call the LINK Hot Line at 703-437-1776.
Check donations may be made payable to LINK and sent to P.O. Box 443, Sterling, VA 20167. Donations are tax-deductible. Link's United Way Campaign Identification Number is 8442.
The 9th Ashburn Farm 10K, 5K and 2-Mile Fun Run is set for Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 2002, at Ashburn United Methodist Church, rain or shine. Start times are 8:20 a.m. for the 5K; 8:30 a.m. for the 10K. More than 1000 runners are expected to turn out to run the USATF-certified courses. This year’s 5K will be run on a new course. The top three male and female 10K finishers will receive $300, $200 and $100. The top three male and female 5K finishers will also receive cash awards. Local merchants have generously donated prizes for random drawings, to be held before and after the awards. (Must be present to win.) An assortment of foods and beverages will be made available after the race.
Advance registration fees are $22 for the 10K; $20 for the 5K and $16 for the fun run. Mailed entries must be postmarked by Nov. 23 to qualify for the advance fees; after Nov. 23, fees for the 10K and 5K will rise to $27 and $25, respectively. The fun run fee will not increase. For more information or to request an entry form, call 703-729-5100 or send a SASE to Ashburn Farm 10K, Ashburn United Methodist Church, 43454 Crossroads Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147. To register online or download an entry form, visit www.AshburnUMC.org. All proceeds from this event benefit the overall ministries sponsored by Ashburn United Methodist Church.