No Tickets at the Door: Why and How Our Family Gives
On a recent walk to Ballston Quarter with our kids, the conversation turned to our new priest and his family. In true, inquisitive kid fashion, a question quickly popped up: “Is being a priest a job? Does he get paid?” We explained that for clergy, ministry is both a sacred calling and a job. That prompted another small voice to chime in: “Do we have to buy tickets to go to church?”
We smiled and said no, but the question sparked an important moment. It brought us to the very obvious question of how our church is actually funded. We talked with the kids about why our family gives back—with our time, talent, and financial resources—and introduced the biblical notion of tithing. Above all, we wanted them to understand that St. Michael’s is our spiritual home and a community to which we personally commit.
In scripture, tithing meant offering one-tenth of one’s earnings to support temple operations. While a strict 10% isn’t something we talk about often in the Episcopal Church, Alex and I find it to be a grounding annual thought exercise. As we review our charitable giving, it challenges us to ask: Are we giving back to our community in a sufficiently meaningful way? Depending on our life stage, other financial priorities, job situations, and childcare costs (amongst other considerations), that figure may be considerably less. We give ourselves grace, but we value that biblical benchmark as a framing tool to ensure our support remains intentional.
Like most households, our mailboxes, phones, and inboxes are constantly filled with appeals. Because we cannot give meaningfully to everything, Alex and I choose to concentrate our family’s core resources on institutions, like St. Michael’s, that are most meaningful to us.
As St. Michael’s continues its ministries, I encourage you to try a similar prioritization exercise. Reflect on what matters most to your household, and consider how St. Michael’s fits into your charitable priorities this year. When we each commit our gifts—in time, talent, and treasure—we ensure our parish community continues to thrive.
Bernadette Stout, Stewardship Committee Member
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St. Michael’s will join its ecumenical partner Lomax AME Zion Church in celebrating World Communion this Sunday, October 4 2026. Christian brothers, sisters, and siblings from Lomax will join St. Michael’s for the 9:30 AM service. In turn, St. Michael’s parishioners and guests are invited to join Lomax at its 11:00 AM service. Lomax is located at 2704 24th Rd S, Arlington, VA 22206. Join if you can! All are welcome!
Questions? Contact Rev. Mark Furlow.
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This Sunday: Faithful Parenting
Parents of all ages and stages are invited for conversation about navigating the beautiful and challenging journey of parenting and our relationship with God. We meet monthly to connect with others, share experiences, and discover how faith can shape and strengthen family. Childcare will be provided in the downstairs classroom and dinner will be served.
Our first gathering of the new program year will be this Sunday, October 4 from 4 to 6 PM. Please RSVP so that we can plan accordingly.
Mark your calendars for the following meetings: November 8, December 6, 2026, and February 7, March 7, April 4, and May 2, 2027.
Please contact Karen Ruff if you have questions.
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Bring your Game Face to St. Michael's...
...because there's going to be a Game Nite in the Parish Hall!! Save the date for Saturday October 24 from 5:30 to 8 PM. Evan Robertson and Beth Addington are organizing a Game Nite. This is our second run!
The plan is to have pizza (but BYOB) starting at 5:30 PM and then start two game sessions (~1 hour each) at 6 PM.
The second hour will have different game tables—and this is where YOU come in. Do you have a favorite game that you love to play (and that can reasonably be completed in about an hour)? Then sign up to be a Game Table Host! Game Table Hosts will be responsible for bringing the game and teaching it to the table if someone doesn't know the rules. When signing up, please note that you'd like to be a game table host. We had 4 game tables last time, but we could probably fit one more in if there's more interest!
Please use this Sign Up Genius for the following so we can get a headcount for pizza and hosts.
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Inova Blood Drive at St. Michael’s
On Saturday October 17, 2026, Inova Blood Donor Services will be onsite with the bloodmobile from 9 AM until 2 PM. Arranged in honor of Kim Sutter, this is an opportunity to support our greater community. Details about the drive, including the sign up to make an appointment, can be found here.
Questions? Contact Dan Ruff
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Disaster Relief—Outreach Donation to Nepal Landslide Relief
The Outreach Committee, on behalf of St. Michael's, donated $1,000 to ROKPA International to provide immediate relief to the thousands of people displaced by the landslides in Nepal. ROKPA runs its own projects based on the principle of “helping people to help themselves." Based in Switzerland, ROPKA closely collaborates with their dedicated local teams, and is able to respond swiftly and efficiently to people’s needs.
Linda Kelleher, Outreach Committee Chair
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This Saturday, October 3: Volunteer at AFAC
Can you spare 1.5 hours this Saturday, October 3, 1:00–2:30 PM? If you can, please volunteer to help bag vegetables and/or sort cans at the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), 2708 S. Nelson Street. Individuals, including families with children age 12+, are welcome. Wear close-toed shoes and a hat or hair net. Please sign up here.
Question? Contact Terri Katon
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Wednesday Garden Workdays
On Wednesday, September 30, active contributors to upkeep of the St. Michael’s grounds held the first of what we hope to become a regular event of Wednesday Garden work days. The beautiful fall weather inspired a hearty group of volunteers to begin clearing the beds of invasive plant species. Our objective is to remove the thick mats of English Ivy (Hedera helix), Porcelain Berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata), Periwinkle (Vinca minor), Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) and Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria). Invasive species do not support our local wildlife and crowd out the native plants that are necessary to support our native birds, butterflies and other native insects.
Our fall workdays are scheduled for 9:30 AM on Wednesdays, weather permitting. All are welcome. Bring gloves and your favorite garden tools.
Questions? Contact Caroline Haynes and/or Todd Trapp.
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Rev. Mark Furlow: October Appointments
October will be my final month as Interim Rector at St. Michael’s. No doubt, it will go by quickly!
I will be reaching out to many of you, particularly those I have been visiting regularly with home Communion. Beyond Coffee Hours and various social dinners, it’s very possible I may not be able to spend time one-on-one with everyone before November 1.
If you would like to catch up with me for pastoral reasons or or touch base about outstanding ministry questions, I encourage you to reach out. Please be aware that I will be working remotely from home in Maine from October 12-17. But, I’m am glad to talk on the phone or meet by Zoom if I’m not in Arlington.
I offer prayers of thanksgiving for each of you as we move into the final step of the transition.
The Rev. Mark Furlow, Interim Rector
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This Sunday at St. Michael's
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Coming Up This Sunday, October 4
The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (World Communion Sunday)
9:30 AM Holy Eucharist with Lomax AME, no Children’s Worship
The Rev. Mark Furlow presiding.
A livestream of Sunday’s worship will be available on the Virtual Worship page of our website, directly on our YouTube channel. The Collect of the Day and the scripture readings for this Sunday can be found on The Lectionary Page.
From now until Advent, St. Michael’s will use Lectionary Track 1 readings. If there are options among the readings in Track 1, we will always opt for the first choice among the various options.
10:45 AM Coffee Hour
All are welcome for coffee and fellowship!
11:00 AM Lomax AME Zion Church Sunday Morning Worship
All are invited to worship with Lomax at 2704 24th Rd S, Arlington, VA 22206
4:00 PM Faithful Parenting
Meet in the Parish Hall. RSVP here.
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Contact Us
Newsletter Submissions: communications@stmichaelsarlington.org (due by Tuesday at 5 PM). Emails sent to this address are forwarded to the communications team: Katrina Moore, Rev. Mark Furlow, and Cindy Matlack.
Parish Administrator Katrina Moore’s Virtual Office Hours: Tuesday–Friday 9:30 AM–3:30 PM; 703-241-2474
The Rev. Mark Furlow observes the Sabbath on Mondays and is generally available Tuesday through Friday mornings for office hours and appointments.
For urgent Pastoral needs, call or text: 703-239-3787
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