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Events for Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation:
* Sept. 11: religious school begins
* Sept. 13: mid-week Hebrew begins
* Sept. 16: Youth Shabbat 6:30 p.m., Family Shabbat 7:30 p.m.
* Sept. 18: Introduction to Judaism 101
* Sept 20: mid-week Hebrew
* Sept. 23: Selichot Service
* Sept. 25: Meet-n-Greet, location to be announced
Contact BCRC at 703-391-8669 or www.bethchaverim.org.
Sunday, Sept. 11, Holy Cross Lutheran Church will "kick off" the start of a new church year, and the beginning of fall programs, with a day of remembrance, fellowship, family and fun. The community is cordially invited to enjoy this special day. The day starts with a Sept. 11, 2001 Memorial Service at 8:30 a.m., a Ministry Fair at 9:15 a.m., an outside family worship service at 11 a.m. followed by a big old-fashioned picnic. There will be a moon bounce, dunk tank, obstacle course, plus a music talent showcase and open jam sessions as well as volleyball for all. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, musical instruments and let the fun begin. Call the church office at 703-437-1883. Holy Cross is located at 1090 Sterling Road, about a block off Elden Street, in Herndon.
Vajrayogini Buddhist Center offers Buddhist meditation class at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 1700 Wainwright Drive, Reston. Classes begin Sept. 12 and continue Tuesdays 7-8:30 p.m. No class Oct. 11, Dec. 20-Jan. 3. Fee: $10 per class or $30 for four classes. Monthly membership is also available. Call 202-331-2122 or info@meditation-dc.org. Each of these classes is self-contained and includes guided meditation, a Buddhist teaching, and questions and answers. Everyone is welcome regardless of belief or previous experience. No preregistration required. This season the teachings will draw from the book, "Eight Steps to Happiness," a commentary written by Geshe Kelsang Gyasto, to eight verses in training the mind, a lojong practice, showing the way to develop the supreme good heart and how to learn spiritually from everything in life.
Floris United Methodist Church will host speaker and author, Ellie Lofaro, Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m. The church is located at 2730 Centreville Road, Herndon. 703-793-0026.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax located at 2709 Hunter Mill Road in Oakton, will celebrate the completion of construction on its program building Sept. 18. The new space connects two extensively renovated existing classroom buildings and adds classrooms, a chapel and a social room. The project, which began in November 2003, more than doubles the available space for classes and activities. This year UUCF is also celebrating its 50th anniversary as a liberal religious community in Fairfax County. Call 703-281-4230 or visit www.uucf.org.
The Northern Virginia Ethical Society offers an ethics-based Sunday school beginning Sept. 18. This year the youngest students will focus on the basic virtues such as honesty, respect and justice. Upper elementary students will learn how to remain optimistic in difficult situations and how to approach complex problems creatively. The class for older children will seek to understand religion in all its diversity. Students will have visitors from other religious traditions and on occasion make trips to other houses of worship. The NoVES Sunday school also teaches children that ethics is central to everything they do; that people must be treated as ends, not means; to act with integrity; to value education; and to help make the world more humane. The classes are open to all, regardless of creed. 225 Nutley St., N.W., Vienna, at the Green Hedges School. Visit www.noves.org or call 703-876-9054.
The Women's Ministries of Jubilee Christian Center is having an 8-week Fall Women's Bible Study using the book, "Believing God," by Beth Moore. The study is Mondays, 7:30-9 p.m., starting Sept. 19, and also Tuesdays, 9:45 a.m.-noon, beginning Sept. 20. The church is located at 4650 Shirley Gate Rd., Fairfax. The cost is $20, which includes the book; if you have the book, the cost is $5. Call 703-383-1170 to register. Free child-care will be provided upon request only.
Kol Ami: Northern Virginia Reconstructionist Community, the only Reconstructionist congregation in Northern Virginia, celebrates the Jewish New Year using its own High Holidays prayer book. All children attend for free and there are special services for tots — up to age 5 — and children — 6 and up — during the congregation's main services. The congregation also sponsors a food drive during this time to benefit the Northern Virginia branch of the Capital Area Food Bank. Services held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd., Arlington. Visit www.kolaminvrc.org.
Elul Workshop, led by Rabbi Leila Gal Berner 7 p.m. Sept. 25. Elul — from Aramaic, meaning search — is the name of the month preceding the Jewish High Holidays, which marks the new year. In this workshop, Rabbi Berner will lead participants in exploring pathways to participant's own healing as individuals, as human beings in close and intimate relationships, as friends and as community.
Rosh Hashanah Services: Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 4, 10 a.m. $75 suggested donation.
Yom Kippur Services: Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m. and Oct. 13, 10 a.m. $75 suggested donation.
Holiday Services. Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation will be hosting High Holiday services for Erev Rosh Hashanah Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m., Rosh Hashanah Oct. 4, at 9:30 a.m., Kol Nidre Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m., and Yom Kippur Oct. 13, at 10 a.m. All services will be held in Ashburn; call 703-391-8669.
Since the beginning of 2005, the Reston Bible Church's Food Bank, has reached 240 families or 1,200 people in the local area plus countless others in five remote locations in the Virginia/Washington, D.C., locations. As many as 200 crates of food per week, provided by Giant Food, are distributed to low-income families and the homeless. The food is distributed to neighborhood walk-ins at RBC each week plus the needy at the Cherokee Nation in Warrenton, Central Union Mission in D.C., Great Day Child Care Families, William Ramsey Elementary School and just recently, the Reston/Herndon Hispanic community. In addition to food distribution, the RBC Food Bank has served as a center for meeting other types of needs as well, including a computer for home-schooled child, and linens, pots, pans and furniture for the truly needy. Food Bank volunteers have helped the unemployed find jobs, find legal help and transportation to doctor appointments.
Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation's Judaism 101 with Student Rabbi Jesse Gallop will offer a monthly, hour-long, high-school class to meet one Saturday evening a month. To foster a high degree of student involvement, course topics relating to teenage life will be agreed upon jointly by attendees and the rabbi. Adopting a discussion-type format to exploring current issues and discuss Jewish and modern perspectives. An optional youth group social will follow each class to be determined by the students at the Sept. 17 kickoff. Classes begin Sept. 18, at 9:15 a.m., in Ashburn. Members and nonmembers are welcome to this 10-part course on "what we forgot and what we never knew about Judaism." The course has a book list for participants and a $36 fee for nonmembers. Call 703-391-8669 or contact Lisa Kimball at bradamk@aol.com.
Washington Plaza Baptist Church offers Kerygma Bible study, Discovering the Bible, a basic, yet comprehensive introduction to the Bible as a whole. Learn about the peoples, places and events as well as see beyond to new understandings of faith and life. The study, comprised of 30 lessons started Feb. 1 and continues Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. until mid-November. Free. Workbook provided with option to purchase. Call the Rev. Sandi John at 703-471-5225 or visit www.washingtonplazachurch.com.
The Reston Bible Church is a non-denominational church, which celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2005, and serves a congregation of more than 2000 at 11979 North Shore Drive, in Reston. Pastor Mike Minter has served as the church’s pastor since he and his wife, Kay Minter, founded the church 1974. RBC is a Bible believing and preaching church with a passion for impacting the lives of those living in the community. Call 703-478-9730 or visit www.restonbible.org.
A free English class for speakers of other languages is offered at Jubilee Christian Center as a special Sunday school class at 9:30 a.m. 4650 Shirley Gate Rd., Fairfax. Call 703-383-1170.
Every Wednesday at noon, St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 432 Van Buren St. in Herndon, offers a lunch-time Prayer and Healing Service. This 30-minute nondenominational service is offered to all local residents and people working in businesses in Herndon and surrounding areas; and allows people an opportunity to worship during the work week when they may be away from their regular church. All are welcome. Call the church Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at 703-437-3790 or visit www.saint-timothys.org.
Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation will hold Sunday School every Sunday, from 9 a.m.-noon, at the Boyd Montessori School in Ashburn. In addition to Sunday School, a second day of Hebrew School will be offered Tuesday evenings, from 7-8 p.m., at Sanders Corner Elementary School. Attendance is limited to fourth- through seventh-graders and adults interested in learning Hebrew. Contact Lisa Kimball at bradamk@aol.com or call 703-858-1999.