<lst>To have faith news listed in The Arlington Connection, mail to 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to arlington@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is 2 p.m. the Thursday before publication. Call Matthew Razak at 703-917-6457 with any questions.
<lst>Walk for Life. Catholic Charities’ annual Walk for Life will take place May 6, 20, and 27 at selected sites in Virginia. The walk raises funds for medical assistance, foster care, adoption services and counseling. Walkers may choose from among these dates and locations: May 6 at Paul VI High School in Fairfax, May 20 at Broad Run High School in Ashburn and Fort Hunt Park (Area A) in Alexandria, and May 27 at St. Mary’s Activity Center in Fredericksburg. Participants can obtain registration information on-line at www.ccda.net or by telephone at 703-425-0100 and 540-371-1124. Check-in will begin at 10 a.m. at all sites. The length of the walk ranges from 1.5 to 3 miles. Basic registration is $15. Seniors may register for $10, and a family may register for $40, which covers lunch and four T-shirts.
St. John's Episcopal Church will hold its annual Spring Tea on Saturday, May 6, from 1-3 p.m. in the church's undercroft. Enjoy sandwiches, scrumptious desserts, fine teas and a complimentary glass of champagne. Admission is $20. St. John's Episcopal Church is located at 415 S. Lexington Street, Arlington. Call 703-671-6834.
The handbell ensembles of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, will present selections following the theme "Sounds of Nature." The concert begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 7. Director Melodie Feather will lead three volunteer choirs and their instrumental accompanists. The ensembles are all intergenerational, and members range in age from 10 to almost 80. The concert is free and open to the public. A free-will offering will be collected. A reception follows the performance. The church is located at the intersection of Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) and South George Mason Drive in Arlington.
The Active Retiree Group will meet on Wednesday, May 17 at 10:30 a.m. at Etz Hayim, 2920 Arlington Blvd., Arlington where Rabbi Lia Bass will discuss “My Decision to become a Rabbi: Encouragement, Discouragement, and Prejudices Along the Way.”
The Active Retiree Group will meet Wednesday, May 31 at 10:30 a.m. at Etz Hayim, 2920 Arlington Blvd., Arlington where Alex Liebeman will discuss “The Joy of Yiddish and so Much More.”
All children ages 4 to 11 are invited to participate in Fairlington Presbyterian Church's Vacation Bible School, Adventure of the Treasure Seekers: Exploring God's Promises. The program runs from July 31 to Aug. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon. The program is free, but a $10 donation per child is suggested. Transportation needs can be accommodated. Registration by July 1 is appreciated, but walk-ins are welcome. Fairlington Presbyterian Church is located at 3846 King Street in Alexandria, VA. Call the Director of Christian Education at Fairlington Presbyterian Church, Rob Ross, at 703-931-7344 or e-mail: rob@fpcusa.org. Visit www.fpcusa.org.
Body & Soul Fitness offers a blend of cardio, strength training, Pilates, core strengthening, and flexibility rolled into a unique package. Set to contemporary Christian music, find a program that will work both your body and your soul. Local classes at Classes at The Falls Church on Mondays 10:30-11:45 a.m. and Wednesdays 12:30-1:45 p.m., low impact. Contact Dana Elsnick at 703-847-9814. Also at The Falls Church on Mondays and Thursdays, 6:30-8 p.m. Contact Tricia Van Ryn at trvanryn@yahoo.com.
Candlelight Evening Prayer. Advent Lutheran Church, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Evening prayer with meditations on the Lenten disciplines of praying, learning, alms-giving and fasting. Call 703-521-7010.
The Vajrayogini Buddhist Center offers ongoing classes in Buddhist philosophy and meditation at The Griffin Center, 3800 Fairfax Drive, Suite 5 on Monday nights from 7-8:30 p.m. $10 fee per class. Contact 202-331-2122 or visit info@meditation-dc.org.
Buddhist Meditation Classes. Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m., at the Griffin Center, Tower Villas, Suite 5, 3800 Fairfax Drive, Arlington. Local Buddhist teacher Kelsang Varahi will teach a series of classes on the text "Eight Steps to Happiness," which teaches about the Buddhist way of loving kindness. The classes include guided meditations, a Buddhism teaching, Q&A/discussion and refreshments. Cost is $10/class. Call 202-331-2122 or www.meditation-dc.org.
Shabbat Services are held at the home of Rabbi and Mrs. Newman, 4301 Seminary Road, Alexandria, each Friday at 7:30 p.m. Shabbat morning services begin Saturdays at 10 a.m. Services are followed by a sit-down Kiddush. Call 703-370-2774 or visit www.chabadalexandria.org
The progressive NOVA Catholic Community holds Mass on Sundays from September through mid-May at 10:15 a.m. at Kenmore Middle School, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road, and Memorial Day weekend through September at 9:30 a.m. at Lacey Woods Park Pavilion, George Mason Drive and Washington Boulevard. Call 703-852-7907 or visit nova.novacommunity.org.
Faith, Food and Fellowship. Clarendon United Methodist Church, 606 N. Irving St., offers a twice-monthly Thursday noon service for the Arlington community, with one half-hour of spiritual nourishment and one half-hour of physical nourishment. On the second and fourth Thursdays, a worship service is held in the sanctuary at noon, and a hot lunch is serviced at 12:30 p.m. for a donation of $4. A time of fellowship follows from 1:15-2 p.m. with programs geared mostly to senior citizens. J. Reilly Lewis, CUMC's music director and director of the National Cathedral Choral Society, arranges for guest soloists at each service. Call 703-527-8574.