Accokeek Ward
2022 WARD HISTORY
Those ward organizations which submitted their annual reports for 2022 reflect their love and dedication to the growth of the Kingdom of God and the Work of Salvation. It also is indicative of how much can be accomplished when the Holy Spirit is allowed to flourish in the hearts and minds of faithful saints. Members of the Accokeek ward are tremendous people who diligently try to grow closer to the Lord and support ward goals to their best ability. I am privileged to supply these ward organization histories.
Sister Melissa Rivera
Ward Historian
Ward Activities
Pioneer Day Breakfast
In celebration of Pioneer Day families gathered to celebrate their family’s heritage. This event was held at Curtis Park. Breakfast foods were shared as families congregated to watch a program provided focusing on Celebrating our Pioneering Spirit. Brother Ocy Onyemachi, and a few young men and young women who had attended trek this summer, shared their thoughts and experiences with the ward family in attendance. After the short program families were able to focus on socializing and getting to know one another better as they played outdoor games.
Fall Festival - Trunk or Treat
The Fall Festival was a great success just as in previous years. The event was kicked off with a chili cook off. Our focus for this event was family traditions and family history, and to provide a place for friends and neighbors to come join with us. Carrie and Jasmin Edwards shared their thoughts on Dia de los Muertos and the importance of celebrating and remembering family. Sister Stephanie Symons invited many individuals she knew through work to come and join us, and 4 families came!
Christmas
As a ward council our goal for the ward Christmas activity was to provide a Christ centered event that would allow all to invite friends and neighbors to attend. We were aiming to bring all unto Christ. A special program was created incorporating common Christmas items seen during the Christmas season and how they can remind us of Christ each year. At this event we collected new and used coats as well as new socks for a community program helping out those in need this winter season. This was a very successful event in our eyes. We had many less active members attend and friends who joined us that night
Relief Society
We continue to strive for “new normal” coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and have sought to provide opportunities to gather more often, to reach out and invite, and remind the sisters and their families that they have a place to belong here in Relief Society and in our ward family. Mini break out classes and groups have been set up to help establish and foster new relationships, provide comfort and strength to one another, or to even learn or try a new skill. After so much isolation during the pandemic we hold smaller classes/activities that focus on individual’s strengths or needs, and to provide opportunities for inviting our neighbors and friends to come and participate in our faith community. The groups that gather regularly are a genealogy indexing group, play group for new mothers or who have young children, a craft group, book club, and walking group. It is our goal to create a warm and inviting sisterhood to all. By creating relationships and bonds, we aim to strengthen and encourage one another, to love and minister in a deeper capacity in hopes to turn each sister to Christ, the master healer and teacher, our Savior and Redeemer.
In April as we celebrated the 180th anniversary of the founding of the Relief Society that took place in March. Sisters celebrated who we are as sisters and who’s we are as daughters of God. In September, we were taught by all sisters in attendance about gardening tips and tricks on how to successfully grow both indoor and outdoor plants and gardens. This event was a huge success in the eyes of Sister Rickey as she witnessed a sisters who was terrified to Our Relief Society special gatherings events were first kicked speak in front of others share her talents and knowledge of how she has best cared for her garden.
As sisters of the Accokeek Relief Society, we have strived to care for the poor and needy by helping assist in community wide events that helped clothe and prepare children for school, gather items of great need for survivors of domestic abuse, sponsoring a donation drive or senior citizens who are homebound, taking in meals for sisters and neighbors who have undergone surgery, who were sick, or who have recently welcomed new babies. I wish you could have been there to look into the eyes of Sister Rickey as she witnessed a sister who was terrified to speak in front of others share her talents and knowledge of how she has best cared for her garden.
Before summer, our ward helped serve and participate in a census project that would allow others to search for their family members that lived during the 1950’s. At the tail end of summer on Sunday, August 14th the Washington DC Temple was rededicated after several years of renovation. Sisters, their spouses, and some of the older youth joyfully volunteered to work at the temple open house as ushers, parking lot attendants, and shuttle drivers. These events along with lessons taught on a fifth Sunday for all adult members in the ward have helped to encourage and assist members with temple and family history work. Sisters in the Relief Society have encouraged one another by arranging rides to the temple together along with child care. Our first ward temple night after the temple dedication was held on Saturday, October 22nd. Members were invited to plan and make their appointments a month in advance to ensure they had an opportunity to join together that evening.
Priesthood
Elders Quorum
Missionary Work
We planned specific activities to ensure opportunities to share the gospel and invite friends to existed. Some of these activities included the Pioneer Day Activity, Trunk or Treat, Ward Christmas Party – in conjunction with the Activities Committee.
Efforts to Care for the Poor and Needy
Assisted in the delivery of ward donations for Christmas to ward members. The recipients were extremely appreciative and some shed tears of joy.
Efforts in Family History and Temple Work
We are updating our Ward Temple and Family History Plan and will be rolling out a series of activities to both announce, publicized this to ward members, and to build up to our next Ward Temple Night, so that all can bring a name they have researched and learned about to the temple.
The Impact of the reopening of the Washington, D.C. Temple
This has been very significant toward our quorum goals. A significant focus for us has been on getting our ward members back to the temple. Living worthily to attend the temple brings spiritual blessings and strength. It also provides us another opportunity to receive and answer prayers. We are working to continue this in 2023 by updating our Ward Temple & Family History Plan to include additional activities to build toward our next Ward Temple Day in April.
Goals for 2022
We are in the process of updating our Ward Temple and Family History and Ward Mission Plan goals. However, we set organizational goals to hold quarterly Ward Temple Trips. We have held two thus far and they have been well attended.
President Input
I have very clearly felt the importance of increasing our ministering interviews to help the members understand the importance ministering and applying the return and report principle. Perhaps the most significant direction I have felt from the Lord has been in regards to temple and family history. I felt the need to organize quarterly ward temple days. We have implemented two so far and scheduled the third. Additionally, we have reserved and had a number of youth attend and perform temple baptisms.
Teacher’s Quorum
On December 10th, before the Ward Christmas Party, the teacher’s quorum headed out to do some service for a sister in our ward. They attempted to rake the many fallen leaves in her yard a few times, but had to reschedule due to poor rainy weather. December 10th turned out to be the perfect day! These amazing young men worked really hard. There were so many leaves they ran out of large bags to contain them. Brother Nick Dubyk and Brother Ryan Rickey accompanied the young men on this cold winter morning. This dear sister came home to a wonderful surprise.
Deacon's Quorum
2022 began with a great start and lots of enthusiasm from the newly organized presidency. The young men of the Deacons Quorum were determined to serve in their callings and fellowship members of the quorum. From January to March the quorum participated in various service projects, participated in quorum lessons, and enjoyed spending time together.
In March, the quorum participated in a service project organized by the Stafford Stake to pick up liter. The Deacons enthusiastically picked up trash adjacent to a commuter parking lot along Courthouse Road.
In June the members of the quorum went camping and fishing at Prince William Forest Park. The young men had a great time and returned with many ‘fishing stories.’
Also in June, the Deacons participated in the Accokeek Ward Young Men’s Camp. The camp was held in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, home to a portion of the Youghiogheny River where the young men participated in white water rafting and kayaking. The young men were in charge of and responsible for everything that had to be done while at the camp; all of the meal preparation, clean up, nightly devotionals, fire and fire safety and camp site maintenance was managed by the young men. The young men camped at the Ohiopyle state park, a short hike to rafting company that provided all of the water equipment and activities. In addition to activities on the river, several of the young men made several trips down a ‘natural water slide.’ The natural water slide was a portion of a local stream that had cut through existing bedrock and due to the lack of direct sunlight and a year-round supply of water, the rock is covered by a smooth covering of moss that provides for plenty of slipping and sliding through the naturally carved path made by the water and empties into a cool pool of water. The young men that participated in this did not want to leave. On the way home from the camp, the young men took in some local history by visiting Fort Necessity. Fort Necessity was established by George Washington. The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French, and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal of French power from North America. The stage was set for the American Revolution. The camp ended with no injuries, everyone having a good time, and lots of valuable first-time experiences.
October ‘Power Tool Pumpkin Carving.’ The young men of the Deacons quorum tested their artistic and power tool skills by designing and carving fresh pumpkins with various handheld drills, Dremels, and reciprocating saws. It was quite the site to see the creations carved with the various power tools. Thankfully, everyone left with all the fingers they came with.
December Youth Christmas Party. The Deacons were in charge of a combined activity for the youth of the ward to celebrate the Christmas season. The Deacons planned, organized, and managed the event that had a movie room, game room, volleyball, crafts, and lots of food. The youth of the ward started their break from school with this event and everyone left full…of Christmas spirit and Christmas goodies.
Primary
2022 has been a year of transition and growth in primary. We had about seventy children during most of the year. The previous presidency was kind enough to help us transition into the new year and get all the classes and organizations within the primary started. We began the year with a mask mandate, concerns about social distancing, and sunbeams who had only ever spent a handful of months in the church building.
Our greatest hope and leading goal has been that the children in primary feel the love their Savior and Heavenly Father have for them.
The teachers in primary have been a constant source of inspiration to me as they have come consistently and tirelessly to minister to their classes, even while many of them have dealt with their own personal trials during the year. We have seen them get down on the floor and engage the younger children and create opportunities for the older children to teach each other and learn together.
Stephen Cook, after serving with amazing dedication and energy as the Singing Time Teacher for several years (including leading weekly music activities on Zoom during 2020 and 2021,) was released in April. It was challenging to find a new teacher for this position, but we were delighted when Bryan Haderlie was sustained in May. His love and knowledge of music, as well as his organizational skills and willingness to serve, have been a huge blessing for both the primary children and the adults who are serving in primary.
Our Activity Day Leaders have hosted regular, incredible activities for the children in Senior Primary (children 7-10 years old on January 1, 2022), usually 2-3 weeks each month. Depending on the week, these activities often accommodated between 20-40 children. Some of the memorable activities included cake decorating, cultural experiences, and a talent show for the girls and campfires, car repair/maintenance, and a campout for the boys.
Most of our Activity Day children also participated in the Stake pioneer- and temple themed Day Camp during the summer. They made butter, learned a few dances, talked about family history, and more.
Primary children loved the Pioneer Day Activity our ward hosted at the park. After breakfast they played games and lined up to take a turn throwing hatchets.
They loved the ward’s holiday events as well. Almost a hundred children came to the Chili Cook-off/Trunk-or-Treat, including several visiting families who came with friends and less active/part-member families. They also enjoyed the Christmas Party, Santa, and interactive program.
We encouraged the children and their families to invite friends and relatives to the Primary Program in November. I know dozens of people were invited and at least one non-member relative watched on Zoom. I suspect there were more that I didn’t know about as well.
We also encouraged the children to attend the Washington DC Temple’s open house with their families. During the two months it was available, we had several opportunities to hear about some of their experiences and the joy they felt while visiting the temple.
Nine primary children were baptized this year. As a presidency, we gifted each child a towel at their baptism with a short poem to remind them that their Savior loves them and can “wash” their souls clean every day.
I have a strong testimony that our Father in Heaven loves the children in primary and appreciates and magnifies our efforts to bless them. He has reminded me many times during the last year that this is His organization, and we are serving His children and (regardless of how many or few teachers we might have or how tricky different situations might appear) He has a plan to run it in the best way possible.
Sister Carla Jansen
Ward Primary President
Jan. 16, 2023