Send announcements to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Friday, two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call Jennifer Lesinski at 703-917-6454.
This free listing is reserved for activities and events that are open to the public at no or minimal cost.
The High Holy Days mark the beginning of the Jewish New Year (5766). They begin with Rosh Hashanah at 7:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 3. Congregation ShaÕare Shalom will hold services Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 9 a.m. Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) services begin at 6:15 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 12 and at 9 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 13. A break-the-fast will be held after the conclusion of Yom Kippur services around 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13.
All services and events are held at Congregation ShaÕare Shalom, 19357 Evergreen Mill Road, Leesburg. Rabbinic intern, Neil Tow, will lead Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services.
Child care will be provided with a cooperative baby sitting effort by those in attendance. Nonmembers can reserve tickets by calling the synagogue at 703-437-6500. Visit the Web site www.sha-areshalom.org.
All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) and American Muslims begin observance of Ramadan Wednesday, Oct. 5. ADAMS is holding four extra-night Ramadan prayer sessions in three locations from Sterling, Fairfax and Ashburn serving more than 1,200 people. ADAMS will be holding an Interfaith and Hispanic Heritage Ramadan Iftar (Fast-Breaking) Saturday, Oct. 8, at 5 p.m., at the ADAMS Center, 46903 Sugarland Road, Sterling. The end of Ramadan will be marked by communal prayers called ÒEid ul-Fitr,Ó or Feast of the Fast-Breaking, Nov. 3 or Nov. 4, based on moon sighting.
Help St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church and the Ashburn Youth Football League feed the hungry in Loudoun County.
On Oct. 8, the church will be joining with the AYFL to help collect food for Interfaith Relief. The church will assign collection stations around town and encourage its neighbors to help the many local families that depend on Interfaith Relief for food. Visit www.saintgabriels.net or call 703-779-3616.
At 10:30 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 9, the Rev. Matthew McNaught will deliver a sermon called "Hymns in a Man's Life" at the Unitarian Universalists of Sterling congregation. The sermon's title comes from an essay by D.H. Lawrence. UUS meets at 10:30 a.m., every Sunday, at the Sterling Oaks Commerce Center at 22135 Davis Drive off of Church Road, near Route 28 and the W & OD Trail bike path. Call 703-406-3068 or visit www.uusterling.org.
St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church, in conjunction with the Chaplaincy Department of Loudoun Healthcare, provides a healing service on the second Sunday of each month, from 2:30-3:30 p.m., in the Chapel of Inova Loudoun Hospital. Patients, family, friends and staff as well as the wider community are welcome. The service is conducted with "stations" so that people can drop in any time during the hour to receive healing prayer, holy communion and request prayers for others. The next service is Oct. 9. Contact the church office at 703-779-3616 or visit www.saintgabriels.net.
Ashburn Presbyterian Church invites the public to join it for a four-week sermon series focused on how God works in people's lives by using situations to provide hope, strength and much needed answers. Sundays, Oct. 2-23, John Peterson and the Rev. Mark Armstrong will focus the discussions on characters and stories from the Old Testament illustrating how God gives unexpected hope by bringing out the potential and abilities people never knew they had, how God provides unexpected strength when people are feeling overwhelmed, and how God gives unexpected answers when people are ready to quit.
The series will be highlighted at the contemporary worship service, at 9:45 a.m., and the traditional worship service, at 11:15 a.m. The church is located at 20962 Ashburn Road, in the heart of Old Ashburn. Call the offices at 703-729-2012 or visit the Web site at www.ashburnpresbyterian.org.
South Riding Church invites the community to join them Sundays in October, 10 a.m., at Little River Elementary School, 43464 Hyland Hills St., South Riding, as they explore ÒHow to Build Authentic Friendships-Jesus style!Ó South Riding Church Office, 13314 Pennypacker Lane, Fairfax. Visit www.church-marketing.com or www.southridingchurch.org or call 703-961-1983.
Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation High Holiday Services:
Oct. 12, Kol Nidre at 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 13, Yom Kippur at 10 a.m.
With services throughout the day all the High Holiday Services will be held in Ashburn. Call 703-391-8669.
Ashburn Presbyterian Church invites women to join in the annual, nationally acclaimed THRiVE simulcast. This year's theme is "Leading a Life of Significance."
A lineup of nationally known speakers and authors will connect with tens of thousands of women across North America. Speakers include Ruth Graham, Elizabeth George, Michelle McKinney Hammond, Shaunti Feldhahn, Valorie Burton, Florence Littauer, Carol Kent, Liz Curtis Higgs, and Les and Leslie Parrott.
The simulcast will be held at Ashburn Presbyterian Church, in the heart of Old Ashburn, Saturday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Lunch will be included. Tickets will be available in early September. Call 703-729-2012.
Unitarian Universalists of Sterling, has planned a new program for the children and youth of the congregation. For all age levels the Sunday topics will be based on the six sources from which UU faith is drawn: a shared sense of awe, the prophets from all faiths who guide the way, the world's wisdom, Christian and Jewish truths, reason and science, and nature's cycles.
The Explorers group goes from babies to children age 4. Every Sunday they will play and do an activity relating to the day's theme.
The kindergarten to seventh-grade group is called "Caring Community," which each week will explore a topic from one of the six sources. They will explore the day's theme by choosing from four or five activities.
The YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) are youth from grades eighth to 12. They will integrate five components including worship, leadership, learning, social action and fun. Some of the activities include donut discussions after the worship service, participating in covenant groups, service to the church and community, the fellowship of fun and games and attendance at Family Fun Nights, which take place the third Friday evening of each month, from 7-9 p.m., and will include board games, movies, music and snacks.
The Unitarian Universalists of Sterling is located at the Sterling Oaks Commerce Center at 22135 Davis Drive. Call 703-406-3068 or visit uusterling.org.
Potomac Falls Episcopal Church meets for Sunday services at 10 a.m., at Horizon Elementary School, 46665 Broadmore Drive, Sterling. Sunday school for children and nursery care for infants is provided each week.
The Loudoun Church Alliance is a formal association of churches of many denominations, founded two years ago. It works in the areas of youth development, international missions, evangelism outreach, and is now working to develop relationships with government and business. Contact founder and missionary Jack Stagman at jackstagman@adelphia.net.
The Unitarian Universalists of Sterling meet on Sunday mornings, at 10:30 a.m., at the Sterling Oaks Commerce Center at 21355 Davis Drive near Route 28 and Church Road. Call 703-406-3068 or visit uusterling.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.