The United Christian Parish of Reston will hold a special Ash Wednesday service on Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the church’s Redeemer building at 11508 North Shore Drive. The service will include liturgical dance performed by Total Praise, an intergenerational group; the anthem “God So Loved the World” sung by the choir; and a sermon and the imposition of ashes by the Rev. Dr. Bruce Irwin, church pastor. Beginning on Wednesday, March 3, the United Christian Parish of Reston will hold two series of weekly discussion programs throughout Lent. The public is invited to both. One will feature “Go Tell Everyone,” the church’s television program shown on Comcast Channel 28 Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. Irwin will talk with other Reston religious leaders about the current need in society for affirmation, understanding, strength, reconciliation and respect. Discussion groups to view and talk about the taped programs will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10 a.m. at the church’s Hunters Woods building at 2222 Colts Neck Road. Weekly Wednesday Lenten lunches will also begin on March 3 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Colts Neck Road building. Each week, members of the church will share ways that God has touched them in their lives. Those attending are asked to bring bag lunches, beverages will be provided. For more information, call the church office at 703-620-3065.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Christian Church is holding their Ash Wednesday services on Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. 11400 North Shore Drive, Reston. For more information, call 703-709-3641.
From Friday, Feb. 27 at 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, a 30 hour famine will be coming to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Reston. Twenty-Five senior high school students from Good Shepherd will participate in the World Vision 30 Hour Famine, forsaking food for 30 hours to get a taste of what children and families worldwide face on a daily basis. Teens will accept this sacrifice as the culmination of their fundraising efforts to feed and care for children in poverty-afflicted countries like Ethiopia, Peru, and Zimbabwe and to help care for poor children in nations worldwide, including the United States. The students will participate in a local service project during their 30-hour famine to make care packages of food and personal care items for a homeless shelter. To donate or participate in the event, visit www.30hourfamine.org.
Lt. Col. David Grossman will speak on movie, video game violence, and its effects on children. Grossman, a former Army Ranger and West Point psychologist, is the author of "Stop Teaching Our Children to Kill" and "On Killing", which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction. He trained mental health professionals in the aftermath of the Jonesboro shootings, and has been an expert witness and consultant in several murder cases, including that of Timothy McVeigh and Michael Carneal. This community program is sponsored by the Dranesville Church of the Brethren and will begin at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28 at Park View High School in Sterling Park. Admission is free; doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call Pastor John Weyent at 703-430-7872.
From Feb. 22 through April 11, Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon will be participating in 40 Days of Purpose, a spiritual growth Campaign based on the New York Times best-selling book, "The Purpose Driven Life," which is designed to answer life's most important question: "What on earth am I here for?" During the Campaign, participants will read 40 short daily readings from "The Purpose Driven Life," hear sermons each week that correlate to the readings, and will have the opportunity to join a Purpose Driven Life small group Bible Study at Floris United Methodist Church at 2730 Centreville Road in Herndon. For more information, visit www.florisumc.org or call 703-793-0026.
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Virginia is celebrating Holy Prophet Muhammad Day at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28 in the auditorium of the Fairfax County Government Center located at 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax. The purpose of this meeting is to educate and inform the community about the immaculate life of holy prophet Muhammad and attempt to remove any misunderstandings people may have regarding Islam or its Holy Founder. There will be an open question and answer session and Muslim scholars will be present to respond to any queries. Refreshments will be served at the close of the program. For more information, call 703-282-0112 or email shoaibbasit@yahoo.com.
The United Christian Parish of Reston will hold a variety show and silent auction on Friday, March 12, to raise funds for its mission project in Rwanda. The annual event will take place at the church, 11508 North Shore Drive, and will start at 6 p.m. Bidding at the silent auction will begin at 6:30 p.m., with items ranging from a week at a Nags Head beach house to receiving a homemade pie each month for a year. The variety show – with singing, dancing, poetry readings and instrumental music – will start at 7 p.m. The public is invited.
The United Christian Parish (UCP) is working with a United Methodist Church project in Gisyeni, Rwanda, which cares for several hundred children orphaned by war and AIDS. A team of UCP members is planning a second visit to Rwanda in June. For more information, call the church office at 703-620-3065.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, its Jewish in Northern Virginia Affinity Network and the Temple Rodef Shalom Sisterhood are hosting a program about creative ways to "Soup Up Your Seder" with guest speaker Dr. Richard Wagner, Jewish educator and headmaster, Gesher Jewish Day School, on Wednesday, March 10 from 7-9 p.m. at the Levin Group Home in Reston. The program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served; dietary laws observed. RSVP by March 4 to Lissette Alfaro at 301-230-7276 or email lissette.alfaro@shalomdc.org.
On the first Sunday of each month from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Washington Plaza Church hosts a Christian discussion group reinforcing God’s love for the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered and Queer) community and the people who love them. The discussion is led by Pastor Sandi John and Minister of Music Dean Jenkins. The gathering is an informal time of worship, instruction and fellowship. For more information, call the church office at 703-471-5225, email Pastor@WashingtonPlazaChurch.com and/or see www.WashingtonPlazaChurch.com for directions.