Joanna is coming!
Hello HG friends!
I have fantastic news! The wonderful Joanna Geiger is back in the country and will be sharing at HG on Sunday night (this week – January 8). Many of you know her, but for those of you who don’t, Joanna is a former Holy Groundser who has spent the last several years serving overseas with YWAM in Thailand and Australia. She’s going to be leading Sunday night and talking some about her experiences. She would love to see everyone. Service starts at 6 pm – hope everyone can make it!
Thanks all!
Steph
Please pray…
Hi friends -
I’m posting to ask for your prayers for some friends of mine. My good friends Dale & Hannah in Pittsburgh just had a baby girl named Ruby. She was just diagnosed with a very serious heart defect (two holes in her heart) and has been admitted to the hospital. She’s having trouble breathing and hasn’t gained any weight since birth, even though she’s already 6 weeks old. The doctors can’t seem to get her to gain any weight. To make the situation even more heartbreaking, their son passed away at birth a year and a half ago because of an undetected complication during childbirth. They are now at the point of fearing the loss of their second baby in two years. I can’t even imagine.
I’m heading to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning to stay with them until Tuesday and watch their 4 year old daughter, Lindy, so they can be at the hospital. Please pray for healing for Ruby, for strength and rest for Dale & Hannah, and for peace for me. It’s minor compared to what they’re going through, but I have a staff retreat in two weeks and this is the worst possible time to take off 2 days. Not really sure how it’s going to work.
Thank you all! I’ll try to keep you posted.
Steph
Next couple weeks
Hi friends! Just an update on the next couple of weeks at HG. Whitney is leading tomorrow (July 3), I’m leading the following week (July10), and Hari is up the 17th. If you’re available to lead after that, let me know and I’ll add you to the whiteboard tomorrow night. Happy 4th of July!
Steph
Tonight – Ryan leading
Hey friends -
Ryan Page is going to lead at HG tonight (thanks Ryan!) – See you all at 6!
Steph
Tonight!
Hey all – Since no one appears to be able/willing to lead tonight, I’m thinking we officially cancel for the evening. Lauren and I are at our place, considering ordering Thai food, text me ASAP if you’re interested in joining us for dinner (or just hanging out). Thanks all!
Steph
Leader for tonight
Hi friends – Lauren and I realized we don’t have a plan for HG tonight. Anyone up for leading tonight (or in the next couple weeks for that matter)?
Farewell Party for Josh (& Lauren – kind of :))
Hey all -
So our dear friend Josh is back from training, but sadly only for a couple of weeks before heading to Germany for good. We decided to send both he and Lauren off in style (even though Lauren is staying for a bit) with the first barbeque of the summer. The festivities will take place on Friday, May 20 at the Dale’s house. We’ll fire up the grill sometime around 6 pm (“we” may or may not actually be the Dale’s who might still be at work) and we’ll plan to eat between 6:30 and 7 pm but you can come whenever you get off work. I’ll try to help coordinate food, so let me know if you’re willing to bring something and what that something might be 
Looking forward to seeing you all there!
Steph
HG – Plan for May
Hello all -
For those of you that missed the planning meeting last week, we thought we should fill you in on a couple of things. The plan for the foreseeable future is to go back to a 6:00 pm start time with different members of our community leading discussions each evening. We are also going to do a focus on Fear for the next several weeks. We have leaders scheduled for the next several weeks and will be adding to the schedule as we go. Finally, we decided to make a donation to Carpenter’s Shelter on behalf of Holy Grounds.
That’s the quick summary – I’ll be posting separately about a couple special events and a volunteer need we have. Hope to see you all next week!
Steph
HG Planning Meeting this week
Hi all -
We’ve now reached the end of Lent and therefore our trial period of meeting with the Methodists over lunch. This week, we’re returning to the 6:30 pm time slot and will meet to talk about what we want to do for our worship service moving forward. I hope to see you all there!
Steph
Game night tomorrow at Steph’s!
Hi friends – So there are a few of us with a hankering for Monopoly so we’re playing at my place tomorrow night (Friday). Come by anytime after 6 pm and we can order food if people are hungry. Call or text me if you need directions – 612.708.0793. And no, you’re not required to play Monopoly, you can just come by and hang out if you want.
Easter Sunrise Service
Hi all – Thought it was time to share the official plan for Easter. We are doing the traditional HG Easter Service at 6 am on Sunday (I know, I know, it’s crazy early but the sun rises at 6:25 and you can go back to bed). The service will be held at the Joanna Geiger Baptism Memorial Park (otherwise known as one of the little decks shooting into the water at Oronoco Bay Park in Alexandria). Easiest access is to go to the end of Pendleton Street where it hits the water. Jan is bringing coffee, Lauren and I are bringing food of some nature — feel free to bring something to contribute but don’t feel obligated. See you all there!
Steph
Hanging out Saturday Night
Hello friends -
So Whitney had the great idea that it’s time for a Guapo’s night. Therefore, we’re going to meet up at Guapo’s at 5:30 pm on Saturday for dinner and sangaritas (or your drink of choice) and then head back to my place to hang out and play games, watch whatever sporting event in on TV, etc. Shoot me an email or text (612.708.0793) if you want to join us so I know how many to get a table for! Thanks friends!
Steph
Lent study with the Methodists starting March 13
Hello everyone -
As many of you have seen in the emails from Jen and previous posts, we are exploring some possible collaboration with a group from the Methodist church next door. As part of that experiment, we are going to do a season of joint Bible study during the Lenten season leading up to Easter. Starting March 13 and running until Easter, there will not be regular Holy Grounds in the evening. Instead we will meet in the Fairlington Pres basement at 12:30 pm to do a joint Bible study focused on the parables of Jesus. Ricardo from Fairlington UMC will be leading. Once we get through this season, we will re-evaluate and decide if we want to continue or go back to our normal schedule. Thanks all – let me know if you have any questions!
Steph
Game Night This Friday
Hi all – Just a reminder that we’re doing a game night at church on Friday night starting at 7 pm. Bring a snack and games to share and feel free to bring friends! See you all then!
Steph
Game Night with the Methodists – March 4
Hello all -
As I think most of you have heard, we have decided to begin doing some more intentional collaboration with the Methodists across the street. Jen will provide more details about our most recent conversation with them, but to kick off our new partnership, we’ve decided to do one of the things HG does best – a good old-fashioned game night!
We will be meeting in the basement at our Fairlington on Friday evening, March 4 starting at 7 pm. Please join us and bring your favorite games and a snack to share. Feel free to invite friends – the more the merrier!
Thanks all! See you then!
Steph
Movie Night with the Methodists
Hi Holy Grounds – Ashley Moore from Fairlington UMC asked me to post this and invite you all to join their “Fairlington Flicks Night” on Friday night. They need RSVPs so check out the details and email Dave if you want to join!
Please join the Green Team and Church and Society for our next
Fairlington (Methodist) Flicks Night. We will be watching “Food,
Inc.”, an Academy Award nominee (more info at
http://www.foodincmovie.com/ ), coming up on Friday, February 11th, at
7:00 pm in FUMC’s social hall. Food Matters
(http://www.foodmattersva.com/) will be catering this event! Come
enjoy soup, bread and salad made with local ingredients. All for only
$10 a person! Please let us know if you have any dietary
restrictions. RSVP this week by Thursday for dinner portion to Dave
Moore (cruguru@gmail.com).Thanks!
Game Night – Steph’s place tonight
Hey all – Game night at my house tonight for anyone interested. Anytime after 6:30 pm…bring any games you want. And per Jon Borden’s request, football will be on the TV Shoot me a text or email if you’re coming – 612.708.0793 or sreinitz@hotmail.com.
See you all tonight!
Steph
Holy Grounds Prayer Night on Sunday – 6:30 pm
Hello all – we’re going to spend Sunday night praying for Holy Grounds and asking for God’s guidance for us as a service and a community. We would love to have you join us. We will meet at 6:30 pm in the basement. Thanks all!
Burgers Monday at noon
Hi friends – Since Monday is a national holiday, our tradition is to move burgers to noon at Crystal City Sports Pub instead of in the evening. We will meet anyone who can make it on the 3rd floor at noon! See you there!
Guapos tomorrow night
Hi all – A group of us decided to head to Guapo’s tomorrow night (Friday) for drinks and food after work. If you care to join us we’re heading down about 6:45 pm. Shoot me an email or text (612.708.0793) if you want to join us so I can get a big enough table. Thanks all!
Steph