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| Event | When and Where | What You'll Find |
|---|---|---|
| Ingathering Picnick (Kickoff to the church year) | Patio and Meeting House, Sunday after Labor Day in September | Social highlight of the year, the Ingathering Picnic marks the beginning of a new church cycle and the return from summer break with fresh and rested eyes and open minds. Come celebrate our community in an evening of good food, drink, and conversation. |
| Campout on the Hill | Held the Saturday night before Ingathering in MVUC’s Meadow | In addition to sleeping in tents overnight, participants enjoy a cookout, games, campfire, sing-along, and a pancake breakfast the next morning. |
| Activities Expo | Fall, Commons, Coffee hour after both services | Presented by the Program Council, MVUC groups showcase their activities and invite you to join them. It is a special opportunity to see all of MVUC's activities in a single place with no obligation to join - only the free flow of information. Engage in a conversation about your interests. See what captivates you. Contact: Bonnie Iredell, bbiredell@gmail.com |
| Workenanny | Fall and Spring, Sunday, 10:15 am – 3 pm, Grounds | Twice a year, families or individuals come to church in work-in-the-garden clothes and spend several hours helping maintain the grounds. Tasks include weeding, pruning, cleaning, and brush removal. Free pizza lunch. Contact: Leah Choudhury, property@mvuc.org |
| Nursery Family Gathering | Fall, Commons | Infants and toddlers, parents and siblings - the Nursery families - gather to meet, dine, play, and share this wonderful stage in life. Contact: Ann Richards, dlsg@mvuc.org |
| UNICEF Carnival | Halloween, between services Carriage House | This annual event features a cakewalk, games, treats, and more to raise funds in support of UNICEF. Sponsored by the Lifespan Spiritual Growth Council. Contact: Ann Richards, dlsg@mvuc.org |
| Holiday Shop | The Saturday before Thanksgiving, 9:30 am – 4 pm, Meeting House and Hollin Hall | This annual church bazaar brings together regional artists in fiber arts, photography, wood, paper, metal, glass, and clay and vendors selling orchids and crafts from around the world to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season and the start of Christmas shopping. The Holiday Shop also includes a bake sale, a unique household collectables boutique, estate jewelry, the auction of a hand-made quilt designed and sewn by MVUC Quilters, and much more, including lunch. Open to the MVUC community and the general public. Contact: Mary Barnett (see member directory) |
| Thanksgiving Celebration | November (on Thanksgiving), Hollin Hall | Family celebration for all ages. We will make it festive: turkey with all the trimmings, a game or two for the kids, even a TV for the fans. And we will have an attractive, tasty vegetarian alternative to the traditional turkey. This is a family affair, so sign up and let us know what you can bring to add to the bounty and to help with all the chores – or sign up just to come. Cost – a goodwill donation (suggested $5 for those who bring something and help, $10 for those who don’t). We also collect nonperishable foods for United Community Ministries (UCM). Any leftover funds will go to the UCM food bank as well. Contact: Bill Alsmeyer-Johnson, bill@alsjohn.com |
| Holiday Craft Workshop, Pizza Dinner, Sing-Along and Piñata | December, Commons and Chapel | Crafts for children and adults of all ages – including the ever-popular gingerbread houses – and boxwood wreath-making for adults. Dinner follows at 5:30 and, at 7, the Holiday Sing-along, complete with piñata, tree decorating, and “Twelve Days of Christmas.” Sponsored by the Lifespan Spiritual Growth Council. Contact: Ann Richards, dlsg@mvuc.org |
| Winter Solstice Celebration | December, Hollin Hall and Meadow | Celebration of the changing of the season! Food, Ceremonies, Stories, Songs, Dance— all welcoming the longer days of light. Bring a snack or appetizer to share and warm clothing so that we can spend some time outside. We begin our celebration in Hollin Hall and end the evening around the fire pit in the meadow. Intergenerational, all are welcome |
| Holocaust Memorial Museum Tour | January tour of the Permanent Exhibit at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC | The tour will last about 2½ to 3 hours. Those wishing to attend need to sign up in advance so that appropriate planning for tour guides can be secured. Watch for announcement. Contact: Dan Cohen, cohendlc@gmail.com |
| Games Night | Periodically, Hollin Hall First Floor, or Commons | Families, singles, young adults, teenagers, and younger children join together for a relaxing – but sometimes competitive – evening of board, trivia, and performance games. And what would Games Night be without a potluck? Bring something to feed eight based on the first letter of your last name -- A-J main dish; K-R side dish (such as bread, salad, fruit); and, P-Z (drinks and desserts). Contact: Jim Kerr, reassist@mvuc.org |
| Variety Show and Lasagne Dinner | Spring, 5:30 – 9:30 pm, Meeting House | Enjoy lasagna, garlic bread, salad, and beverages presented by the middle schoolers’ Coming of Age (COA) group and parents. Proceeds benefit the COA trip to Boston. Then enjoy a variety show featuring church members and friends. Maybe you’d like to be in the show. Acts may include singing, juggling, doing the hula, or who knows? Each performer is limited to 3 - 5 minutes. It’s an excellent chance to prepare for Broadway or discover you shouldn't give up your day job. Sign up to perform. Contact: Linda Jemison, linda@fairfax.info |
| Spring Book Sale | Thursday – Saturday in March, Meeting House and Hollin Hall | Annual church event held in Hollin Hall and the Meeting House. Books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles, and art will be for sale at excellent prices. Donations come from members, friends, neighbors, and previous customers. Donations may be left in the white book box in the parking lot at any time. Proceeds of the sale support church programs. Contact: Joan Wamsley, 703-451-3027 |
| Easter Egg Hunt | Spring, Between services | Held between services, this MVUC tradition is the delight of all who attend. Children scour our boxwood garden and lawn for toys and treats. Parents take photos and enjoy. Bring a basket, a camera, and any treats you would like to donate. Contact: Ann Richards, dlsg@mvuc.org |
| Annual Congregational Meeting | Sunday in May, 5-9PM, Meeting House | Once a year, members enjoy a potluck dinner and then meet to elect new members of the Board of Trustees, Program Council, and Nominating Committee and to conduct other church business. Contact: boardchair@mvuc.org |
| Stories and Music in the Garden | Sunday afternoon in May, Boxwood Garden | Set amid the beautiful boxwood garden of MVUC, Stories and Music in the Garden features lively musicians and storytellers to entertain participants of all ages, with delicious refreshments available on the patio behind the Commons. A joint event with Fort Hunt Preschool, all proceeds go toward the support our FHP/MVUC Natural Playground. Contact: Beth Peebles, beth@peebles.us |
| Partner Church Brunch and DInner | Several times a year | Enjoy Hungarian and Indian food in celebration of and support for our partner churches in Romania and India. Enjoy fellowship and a delicious meal and help support our partner churches. Contact: Lisa Gillispie, lisagillispie@earthlink.net |
| Animal Blessing | Annually, Patio outside the Meeting House | Bring your pets on a leash or in a container for the MVUC blessing of the animals. Photographs are welcome if the pet is uncooperative, less than thrilled, or doesn’t play well with others. Led by Rev. Kate Walker and canines. |
| Heart-y souls for multi-church blood drives | Periodically, watch for announcements or get on the reminder list | MVUC and seven other congregations in the Mt. Vernon area gather every other month to donate blood to the INOVA Blood Bank. Each church takes a turn, with MVUC hosting the annual Holiday Blood Drive in December with waffles and hot maple syrup. As a participating church, MVUC members are "covered" in the event blood or plasma is needed by members and their families. Contact Mike Walker to get on the list to be reminded of these blood drives. Contact: Mike Walker at mikewalkerjd@gmail.com |
| Repair Café | Periodically | Repair Café is an idea started in Europe to encourage people to repair, reuse, and recycle belongings. All are welcome. You will find tools, materials, and volunteer experts to help you make repairs to clothing, bicycles, lamps, jewelry, etc. You will also find repair specialists such as electricians, seamstresses, and bicycle mechanics. If you have nothing to repair, you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, or you can lend a hand with someone else’s repair job. Benefits of a Repair Café include the passing down of valuable practical knowledge as well as the reduction of raw materials and energy needed to make new products. Help us kindle people’s enthusiasm for a sustainable society. MVUC members, friends, and neighbors are sought to furnish expertise in any of the above (or other!) areas. Publicity, planning, and set-up support are also appreciated. Contacts: Barbara Bacon, babacon46@gmail.com, Lynn Alsmeyer-Johnson, lynn@alsjohn.com |
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