Dear Friends in Christ,
There are several new items this week. Please take a look!

• Mind Your Mask
• Rummage Shoppe News
• Sunday 8 am, 10 am, 5 pm registration links, bulletins, and Zoom info
• Church Leader University offered by our Diocese
• Blessing of the Animals

Blessing of the Animals – Sunday, Oct. 4 is the Feast of St. Francis and our annual Blessing of the Animals at 5 pm. This year it will be held in the church parking lot to give us more room to spread out and will include a Celebration of Creation. It will take the place of our regular 5 pm Evening Prayer service. The reservation link for Blessing of the Animals will go out early next week. Bring your pet (on a leash or in a carrier for their comfort – or a photo of your pet – and come celebrate the goodness of God’s creation!

All Saints’ Rummage Shoppe – our first sale day was a great success! Thank you to all our volunteers. Thank you, also to everyone who donated. Look for the announcement of the next sale day. Tell your friends. Items are also being sold on-line here: https://www.facebook.com/AllSaintsRummageShoppe/ This is an on-going fund-raiser for All Saints’ ministries. Thank you to our Rummage Team for their creativity and resourcefulness!

Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 10:15 am. We are studying parts of the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament – a central part of our worship and prayer life. We meet via Zoom. If you would like to participate or want more information, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com. 

Food Ministry – our Twelve Baskets food pantry serves families and individuals in the Long Hill Township area in several different ways. If you know a person or a family who is struggling to make ends meet and can use food assistance, please have them call the parish office 908-647-0067x4 and leave a secure message.

Diocese of Newark: Church Leader University, Saturday, Oct. 3 – this is a morning of workshops for parishioners and lay leaders that is offered to help equip people in their ministries. There are both “nuts & bolts” AND faith-development sessions. This is a free Zoom event, but you do have to register ahead of time. To look at the list of offerings and registration, click here:  https://dioceseofnewark.org/clu-fall-2020

Mind Your Mask - Important reminders for in-person worship and gatherings!

• Please remember to wear your mask and have it cover both your nose and mouth. Don’t remove it when you are speaking – that defeats the purpose of wearing a mask. Here’s a helpful phrase to remind yourself or someone else:      Mind Your Mask (with thanks to the London Underground for inspiration – Mind the Gap). If someone says that to you, they are respectfully asking you to adjust your mask.
• Stay at least 6 feet away from anyone you don’t live with, no matter how glad you are to see them.
• Doing these things will help to keep you, your families, our parishioners, and our community safe. Thank you!

Worship
1. In-person Worship:– Sunday 8 am Rite 1 Morning Prayer, Outdoors In-person in the Memorial Garden (weather permitting). Reservations are required here :  https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN.  Bring a lawn chair, the copy of the service leaflet (attached to this e-mail or on the website www.allsaintsmillington.org) or your own Book of Common Prayer; wear your mask.
2. In-person Worship: Sunday 5 pm Evening Prayer Outdoors (weather permitting). Reservations required here:  https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN.  We gather on the side lawn (between the Church and the parking lot). Bring a lawn chair, the copy of the service leaflet (on the website www.allsaintsmillington.org) or your own Book of Common Prayer, your mask, and maybe some bug spray.
3. If you are interested in attending in-person services, please read the guidelines on our website before making a reservation: http://www.allsaintsmillington.org/uploads/1/2/5/1/1251925/outdoor_worship_at_all_saints_gudelines.pdf . Our outdoor services will continue to adapt and evolve as we evaluate the experience. 
4. On-line Worship: Sunday 10 am Morning Prayer. We are pleased to have you join us on-line. Please e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com for the Zoom credentials.

Christian Practices: For the Nation
Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ~ Book of Common Prayer, p. 258

Blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
There are several new items this week. Please take a look!

• New: Sunday 8 am In-person Outdoor Service start Sept. 20
  
• Rummage Shoppe Opens Sat., Sept. 19
• Sunday 10 am Zoom Worship
  
• Sunday 5 pm In-person Evening Prayer
  
• Parish Staff Updates and Thank You

Worship
1. In-person Worship: New – Sunday 8 am Rite 1 Morning Prayer, Outdoors In-person in the Memorial Garden. Reservations are required here :  https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN.  Bring a lawn chair, the copy of the service leaflet ( on the website www.allsaintsmillington.org) or your own Book of Common Prayer; wear your mask.
2. In-person Worship: Sunday 5 pm Evening Prayer Outdoors (weather permitting), reservations required here:  https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN.  We gather on the side lawn (between the Church and the parking lot). Bring a lawn chair, the copy of the service leaflet (on the website www.allsaintsmillington.org) or your own Book of Common Prayer, your mask, and maybe some bug spray.
3. If you are interested in attending in-person services, please read the guidelines on our website before making a reservation: http://www.allsaintsmillington.org/uploads/1/2/5/1/1251925/outdoor_worship_at_all_saints_gudelines.pdf . Our outdoor services will continue to adapt and evolve as we evaluate the experience. 
4. On-line Worship: Sunday 10 am Morning Prayer via Zoom. Please e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com for the Zoom credentials.
+ + + + + + +
All Saints’ Rummage Shoppe – our shop is having its first sale day on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9 am 12 noon in our Parish Hall. Make an appointment here (we can have 8 shoppers per hour) https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN. Note – this is the same link we use to register for in-person worship; look for the Rummage Shoppe heading. Wear your mask. Tell your friends. Items are also being sold on-line here: https://www.facebook.com/AllSaintsRummageShoppe/ This is an on-going fund-raiser for All Saints’ ministries. Thank you to our Rummage Team for their creativity and resourcefulness!

Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 10:15 am. We are studying parts of the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament – a central part of our worship and prayer life. We meet via Zoom. If you would like to participate or want more information, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com. 

Food Ministry – our Twelve Baskets food pantry serves families and individuals in the Long Hill Township area in several different ways: with donated food from the wider community, items we have been able to purchase in large quantity from the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (with financial support from ShopRite, the Elks, and individuals), and direct donations of produce and bakery from ShopRite. We have been supporting Vets in the Valley Brook apartments in Lyons and sharing with the Pop-Up Food Pantry at St. Bernard’s in Bernardsville. If you know a person or a family who is struggling to make ends meet and can use food assistance, please have them call the parish office 908-647-0067x4 and leave a secure message.

Diocese of Newark: Church Leader University, Saturday, Oct. 3 – this is a morning of workshops for parishioners and lay leaders that is offered to help equip people in their ministries. There are both “nuts & bolts” AND faith-development sessions. This is a free Zoom event, but you do have to register ahead of time. To look at the list of offerings and registration, click here:  https://dioceseofnewark.org/clu-fall-2020
+ + + + +
Parish Staff Updates & Thanks You – over the summer many folks have been able to get away (even in this COVID-time) or have at least spent time away from e-mail and on-line life in general, so you may not know how hard our part-time and volunteer parish staff have been working all summer:

Our Director of Music Alison Siener Brown has become our primary technology person for Sunday Zoom worship. She chooses, rehearses, and records music with members of our choirs. Setting up and editing virtual choir anthems takes time. On Sundays Alison sets up the computers for both the pre-recorded and live music, records the whole service, and then edits that video and posts it to You Tube, and she is actively investigating more ways to make music part of our worship in the present moment when live singing is so difficult.

During the regular program year Alison has continued to meet weekly over Zoom with the Adult Choir and the Junior Choir for both learning and fellowship. This fall the Junior Choir will be working on practicing (socially-distanced) handbell music, as well as choir anthems that can be recorded and played on Sunday mornings.

Alison has been a strong support for the nightly services of Compline on Facebook Live, taking her turn in both leading Compline and “live-texting” the service in the chat so people can follow along on the screen. She’s part of our newly created “Live Streaming Team” to help get our in-person worship to be streamed simultaneously.  Last spring Alison continued to convene the Narnia Book Group on Zoom, and we hope we can do another installment later in the fall.

Parish Administrator Susie Harris has continued in her regular roles in communications and overseeing our buildings – but now with lots of twists! The Sunday bulletins are produced electronically and e-mailed to the parish, as well as being posted on the website. The website is updated and refreshed on a regular basis. And there have been a number of parish-wide mailings to send out. While our regular Thursday morning “Office Angels” who volunteer folding bulletins and do other office projects have not been able to meet in person, Susie has been hosting a weekly Zoom call for fellowship and support to this group.

During the time that we have not had meetings or worship in our buildings, they still have needed to be cleaned, repairs have been made, and other maintenance attended to. Susie has coordinated all that. She has also supported some of our Sunday services on Zoom as an additional tech person. Over the summer Susie worked with the Rummage Team to move our Sale indoors and turn it into a Shoppe! That effort continues. She also fields calls to the Twelve Baskets Food Ministry and often connects with people in need.

Beginning in March Susie added to her responsibilities by preparing and depositing the bank deposit each week, coordinating with Cindy Retotar, who is entering all of our financial information into accounting system.

Father Shawn Carty, our volunteer Priest Associate, has taken a share of preaching and leading worship, especially during Holy Week and when Mother Vicki was on vacation this summer. As a member of the Finance Committee Shawn has been processing our bills and printing checks off the accounting system since March. He serves as the Chaplain at the House of the Good Shepherd long-term care facility in Hackettstown. That position had been part-time, but has now been expanded to full-time, making work-week travel to Millington difficult, so we will be looking for a volunteer to take on that ministry.

Alison, Susie, and Shawn have all worked very hard to keep our parish community together, functioning as well as possible under the circumstances, and doing it all in a prayerful, faithful way. Thank you!

Christian Practices: For Our Country
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
~ Book of Common Prayer, p. 820

Blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are this week’s announcements, especially:

• Sunday 10 am Zoom Worship Link & Bulletin Attachment
• Sunday 5 pm In-person Evening Prayer Reservation Link & Bulletin Attachment
• Shrine of St. Joseph 9-11 Service Cancelled
• Building Ventilation
• Lay Conversation with Bishop Hughes

Worship: Sunday 10 am Morning Prayer - please join us for worship and fellowship on Zoom. Prayers, Bible readings, sermon, and music. The service leaflet is on the homepage. To receive the Zoom credentials for log-in, please email allstsmill@hotmail.com. If you know someone in the parish or even a neighbor or friend who does not have a computer, smart phone, or tablet to get on-line, but would appreciate having an audio phone-link for the Sunday service, please share the number above with them.

Worship: Outdoor In-Person Service - Sunday 9/13 at 5 pm (weather permitting), reservations required here:  https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN.  We gather on the side lawn (between the Church and the parking lot). Bring a lawn chair, the copy of the service leaflet (on the website www.allsaintsmillington.org) or your own Book of Common Prayer, your mask, and maybe some bug spray.
If you are interested in attending, please read the guidelines on our website (http://www.allsaintsmillington.org/uploads/1/2/5/1/1251925/outdoor_worship_at_all_saints_gudelines.pdf) before making a reservation. Our outdoor worship will continue to adapt and evolve as we evaluate the experience. 

Buildings & Grounds: Ventilation – since June scientists and public health doctors have learned a great deal more about the corona virus and the way it behaves and spreads. What we have learned is that good ventilation and fresh air in indoor spaces (along with wearing masks, physical distancing, limiting time spent indoors with others, avoiding crowded spaces, and good hand hygiene) is crucial to reducing the risk of the virus’ airborne/aerosolized transmission. We will be talking with HVAC professionals and our diocesan Property Manger about how to best ventilate our Church and Parish House so that the level of viral risk will be as low as possible. As we head into colder weather, this will be particularly important. Please pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for All Saints’ in this.

All Saints Rummage: Pop-up Thrift Store – Thank you to everyone who has been working so hard to make this come together. To donate, make an appointment with Kimberly Celeste celestewk@msn.com or Bonnie Stocker bstocker44@me.com. Please let your friends and neighbors know. We’ll be ready to go live in person (by appointment) and on-line soon! Thank you to our Rummage Team for their creativity and resourcefulness!

Sunday School/Family Faith Formation – since kids can’t yet come to Sunday School, Sunday School materials are coming to you! Activity sheets connected to each Sunday’s Bible readings have been mailed home for each child in the family. This is a great opportunity for parents and kids to talk together about Scripture readings and the way they intersect with our faith and our daily lives.

Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 10:15 am. We are studying parts of the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament – a central part of our worship and prayer life. If you haven’t been part of Bible study before, we’re always happy to have new people join us. We meet via Zoom. If you would like to participate or want more information, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com. 

Food Ministry – our Twelve Baskets food pantry has been in full swing this summer. We have been serving families and individuals in the Long Hill Township area in several different ways: with donated food from the wider community, items we have been able to purchase in large quantity from the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (with financial support from ShopRite, the Elks, and individuals), and direct donations of produce and bakery from ShopRite. In particular, we have some volunteers who have been making meal kits each week for the Vets in the Valley Brook apartments in Lyons, as well supplying them with basic items. Some of our FoodBank deliveries have been shared with the Pop-Up Food Pantry at St. Bernard’s in Bernardsville. Our reach has even extended to the Community of St. John Baptist. The Sisters’ income has been severely curtailed because they have not been able to open their Retreat House for guests and programs. Thank you to everyone who is a part of this much-needed ministry!

Diocese of Newark: Lay Conversation with Bishop Hughes - On Thursday, September 17 at 6 PM our diocese will hold the monthly Lay Conversation with Bishop Hughes. Scheduled for 90 minutes, this Zoom conversation is open to all members of the diocese. Bishop Hughes is eager to once again spend time in conversation with lay folk, to reflect and consider what we, our churches, and our communities have learned and experienced as we have adjusted to the changes this time has demanded of us.
An email invitation will be sent Monday, September 14 to recipients of The VOICE Online with sign-in instructions for this Zoom meeting. To subscribe to The Voice Online, click here. The link will also be sent out from our Parish Office.

Wider Community: Tonight - The Shrine of St. Joseph on Long Hill Road in Stirling has cancelled their annual September 11 Memorial Service for this year. However, the public is invited to pay their respects individually on this nineteenth anniversary of the terror attacks. There will be a small interfaith ceremony without audience/congregation. Mother Vicki will participate as the Christian representative in this event. The Tower of Remembrance is a place where everyone can reflect on the sacredness of lives remembered. The 35-foot Tower Memorial is dedicated to the memory of all those who lost their lives on 9/11. This Tower, emerging from the rubble of violence, reminds us that in God there is hope; that as we remember, we heal.

Christian Practices: A Prayer on September 11th
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. ~  A Prayer for the Human Family, BCP, p. 815

Blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
A Happy Labor Day weekend to you all! This Sunday is the first Sunday of the month, and we will be adding birthday and anniversary prayers back into our worship – at both 10 am and 5 pm. If you have a birthday or some other special anniversary in September, please join us for a special prayer. Also, at this week’s 5 pm service we’ll have a Blessing of the Backpacks for students and teachers. Whether you will be going to school in-person, virtually, or in some hybrid plan, come and have your school bag and yourself blessed!
Here are this week’s announcements, especially:

• Sunday Worship Link & Bulletin Attachment
• Sunday In-person Evening Prayer & Registration Link
• Rummage/Thrift Pop-up Shop
• Food Ministry
• Family Faith Formation

Worship: Sunday 10 am Morning Prayer. You are invited to join us on Zoom. Please send an e-mail to allstsmill@hotmail.com and we will be happy to send you the log-in. If you know someone in the parish or even a neighbor or friend who does not have a computer, smart phone, or tablet to get on-line, but would appreciate having an audio phone-link for the Sunday service, please share the number above with them.

Worship: Outdoor In-Person Service - Sunday 9/6 at 5 pm (weather permitting), reservations required. We gather on the side lawn (between the Church and the parking lot). Bring a lawn chair, the copy of the service leaflet (on the website www.allsaintsmillington.org) or your own Book of Common Prayer, your mask, and maybe some bug spray.

If you are interested in attending, please read the guidelines on our website (http://www.allsaintsmillington.org/uploads/1/2/5/1/1251925/outdoor_worship_at_all_saints_gudelines.pdf) before making a reservation here: https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN. Our outdoor worship will continue to adapt and evolve as we evaluate the experience.  And of course, we look forward to the time in the future when we can all gather for worship as a parish in person and safely!

Worship: Compline & Livestreaming – some of you join us for our daily time of prayer on Facebook Live each evening at 9:30 pm. It has developed into a wonderful community of prayer and support, both for parishioners and for those far from our community. We know that part of our next steps as a parish is to be able to reliably livestream worship from the Church building for those who must remain at home, even once we are ready to have a congregation in the building (current state guidelines are for 25% capacity). To move in that direction, we have a new livestreaming camera, and we gave it a test run this past week by streaming Compline in the Church, rather than at home. The video is posted to our website and the parish YouTube Channel; take a look! https://youtu.be/Hx9xkp0D6cc

All Saints Rummage: Pop-up Thrift Store – our thrift shop is in full swing with receiving items, sorting, and pricing in the Parish Hall. Thank you to everyone who has been working so hard to make this come together. To donate, make an appointment with Kimberly Celeste celestewk@msn.com or Bonnie Stocker bstocker44@me.com. Please let your friends and neighbors know. We’ll be ready to go live in person (by appointment) and on-line soon! Thank you to our Rummage Team for their creativity and resourcefulness!

Sunday School/Family Faith Formation – since kids can’t yet come to Sunday School, Sunday School materials are coming to you! Activity sheets connected to each Sunday’s Bible readings have been mailed home for each child in the family. This is a great opportunity for parents and kids to talk together about Scripture readings and the way they intersect with our faith and our daily lives.

Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 10:15 am. We are studying parts of the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament – a central part of our worship and prayer life. If you haven’t been part of Bible study before, we’re always happy to have new people join us. We meet via Zoom. If you would like to participate or want more information, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.  

Food Ministry – our Twelve Baskets food pantry has been in full swing this summer. We have been serving families and individuals in the Long Hill Township area in several different ways: with donated food from the wider community, items we have been able to purchase in large quantity from the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (with financial support from ShopRite, the Elks, and individuals), and direct donations of produce and bakery from ShopRite. In particular, we have some volunteers who have been making meal kits each week for the Vets in the Valley Brook apartments in Lyons, as well supplying them with basic items. Some of our FoodBank deliveries have been shared with the Pop-Up Food Pantry at St. Bernard’s in Bernardsville. Our reach has even extended to the Community of St. John Baptist. The Sisters’ income has been severely curtailed because they have not been able to open their Retreat House for guests and programs. Thank you to everyone who is a part of this much-needed ministry!

Christian Practices: A Prayer for Labor Day
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life
shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with your
people where they work; make those who carry on the industries
and commerce of this land responsive to your will; and give
to us all a pride in what we do, and a just return for our labor;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
~ A Collect for Commerce and Industry, BCP, p. 259

Blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are this week’s announcements, especially:

• Sunday Worship Link & Bulletin Attachment
• Sunday In-person Evening Prayer & Registration Guidelines Attachment
• Bible Study
• Rummage/Thrift Pop-up Shop

Worship: Sunday 10 am Morning Prayer. Join us on Zoom for readings, prayers, a sermon, hymns, and instrumental music. For the log-in information send an e-mail to allstsmill@hotmail.com.

Worship: Outdoor In-Person Worship: this Sunday 8/30 at 5 pm (weather permitting), reservations required. Our first outdoor service last week went well! We gather on the side lawn (between the Church and the parking lot). Bring a lawn chair, the copy of the service leaflet (on the website www.allsaintsmillington.org) or your own Book of Common Prayer, your mask, and maybe some bug spray.

We are so glad to gather in person, to worship God, and to see fellow parishioners, but our first priority is the safety of those who attend. If you are interested in attending, please read these guidelines before making a reservation here: https://reopen.church/r/bloP83YN. Our outdoor worship will continue to adapt and evolve as we evaluate the experience.  And of course, we look forward to the time in the future when we can all gather for worship as a parish in person and safely!

All Saints Rummage: a Pop-up Thrift Store – our thrift shop is in full swing with receiving items, sorting, and pricing in the Parish Hall. We do have a few restrictions – things that we can’t take: e.g. stuffed animals, linens, luggage, clothes/shoes, picture frames, water bottles/travel mugs, large furniture. To donate, make an appointment with Kimberly Celeste celestewk@msn.com or Bonnie Stocker bstocker44@me.com. Please let your friends and neighbors know. We’ll be ready to go live in person (by appointment) and on-line soon! Thank you to our Rummage Team for their creativity and resourcefulness!

Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 10:15 am. We are studying parts of the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament – a central part of our worship and prayer life. If you haven’t been part of Bible study before, this is a good way to start, and we’re always happy to have new people join us. We meet via Zoom. If you would like to participate or want more information, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.  

Christian Practices: A Prayer for Family Life
God of compassion,
whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary,
shared the life of a home in Nazareth,
and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself:
strengthen us in our daily living
that in joy and in sorrow
we may know the power of your presence
to bind together and to heal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. ~ from the Church of England website

Blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are this week’s announcements, especially:

• Sunday Worship Link & Bulletin Attachment
• Sunday In-person Evening Prayer & Registration Guidelines Attachment
  
• Bible Study
• Regional Conversation with Bp. Hughes & Dr. Dan Hale
• Rummage/Thrift Pop-up Shop

Worship: Sunday 10 am Morning Prayer. If you would like to join us for worship on Zoom, please send an e-mail to allstsmill@hotmail.com and we will send you the link. You are most welcome to join us!

Worship: Outdoor In-Person Worship: this Sunday 8/23 at 5 pm (weather permitting), reservations required. We will hold our first COVID-time in-person service of worship this weekend. Even while we will be so glad to gather in person, to worship God, and to see fellow parishioners, our first priority is the safety of those who attend. If you are interested in attending, please read these guidelines before making a reservation (instructions for how to do this are in the guidelines). We will be trying this for the next three weeks. We’ll then evaluate the experience and make decisions about further in-person worship from there.  And of course, we look forward to the time in the future when we can all gather for worship as a parish in person and safely!

Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 10:15 am. We are studying parts of the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament – a central part of our worship and prayer life. If you haven’t been part of Bible study before, this is a good way to start, and we’re always happy to have new people join us. We meet via Zoom. If you would like to participate or want more information, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.

All Saints Rummage: a Pop-up Thrift Store – this fall we’ll host an on-going thrift shop where you, your friends, and the general public can shop by appointment (wearing a mask, of course)! The Parish Hall is set up with tables, and we are ready to receive good, clean saleable items. We do have a few restrictions – things that we can’t take: e.g. stuffed animals, linens, luggage, clothes/shoes, picture frames, water bottles/travel mugs, large furniture. To make a donation, make an appointment with Kimberly Celeste. Her e-mail is celestewk@msn.com. You’ll be hearing much more about this in the days to come, but do let your friends and neighbors know. And a big thank you to Kimberly, Bonnie Stocker, and the rest of the Rummage Team for their creativity and resourcefulness!

Summer Diocesan Regional Zoom Meeting: Depression and Sustained Trauma with Dr. Dan Hale and Bishop Hughes. Thursday, August 27 at 6:00 pm. Dr. Dan Hale, Special Advisor to the President of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. Dr. Hale will take a personal and professional look at mental health topics, depression in particular, and offer insight for those who suffer from depression or loves and cares for someone who does. More details can be found here: https://dioceseofnewark.org/event/summer-regional-ministry-network-zoom-meeting-bishop-constance-and-her-companions-north-west . This meeting is open to all. The kink for the event will be sent out on Wednesday.   

Stewardship – thank you to everyone who has kept current on their pledges over the summer, and to those who have stretched and given a little bit more. Your support is what makes our ministries at All Saints’ happen. We couldn’t do it without you! And a reminder – you can make a donation or fulfill your pledge directly on the home page of our website. Clicking on the blue “Donate” button will take you to our secure Vanco pay portal. Thank you, all.

Blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,

I hope that you are all getting some time to relax, get outdoors, and maybe even visit family and friends. This will be the last regular e-letter for the next few weeks. I will be taking vacation, including getting to meet our new granddaughter in Boston!




WORSHIP
Worship for the next four weeks will be led by our officiants/preachers Sister Monica Clare and Fr. Shawn Carty. We’ll also have parishioners participate as readers and prayer leaders, as well as having a sung psalm and a hymn. Parish Administrator Susie Harris will send out the service bulletin each week. On August 9 there will not be music as Alison Siener Brown will be starting her vacation then. I’ll be back and ready to lead worship on August 16.

Outdoor Evening Prayer – on August 23, 30 and September 6 we’ll have a service of Evening Prayer at 5 pm (as well as our Zoom worship in the morning). Instructions for this service on 8/23 (including how to sign up for it) will be sent out on August 17.

OUTREACH
Elks Donation to Twelve Baskets Food Pantry – we’ve received a grant from the Stirling Elks for $2,000 for our food ministry – with the understanding that we will divide those funds and share them with the pantries at St. Vincent’s in Stirling and St. Bernard’s in Bernardsville. The larger Elks granting organization would only issue one check, but our local Elks Club wanted to support several efforts. Thank you, Stirling Elks! Their donation is helping us to continue to assist local families and many of the nearly-100 Vets in the Valley Brook housing at the VA in Lyons.

Pop-up Thrift Store Plans – our annual Rummage Sale will be taking a break this year, due to COVID safety concerns for our volunteers and shoppers. Instead, we are exploring the possibility of a smaller, longer term Pop-up Thrift Store. Kimberly Celeste and her team will be letting you know more about this. Stay tuned!

DIOCESAN NEWS
Lay Conversation with Bishop Hughes - Bishop Carlye Hughes is eager to once again spend time in conversation with the members of the diocese, to reflect and consider what we, our churches, and our communities have learned and experienced as we have adjusted to the changes this time has demanded of us. On Tuesday, July 21 at 6 PM we will hold the third monthly Lay Conversation with Bishop Hughes. Scheduled for 90 minutes, this Zoom conversation is open to all members of the diocese. An email invitation will be sent Monday, July 20 to recipients of The VOICE Online with sign-in instructions for this Zoom meeting. You can register for The VOICE Online here: https://dioceseofnewark.org/publications

PARISH LIFE
Summer Parish Mailing – on Friday a letter was sent to the parish. Please be on the lookout for it…and read it! It includes a pledge/donation statement for 2020 year-to-date if you have made a pledge or contribution to All Saints’. It also outlines some of our in-person worship plans. If your letter did not come, please e-mail Susie Harris at allsaints_church@hotmail.com and she will send you one.

Banking Changes – this past weekend Millington Bank, with whom our Church has all its accounts, became Kearny Bank. Kearny had bought Millington some months ago, but the changeover became complete on July 11. This is a big change for All Saints’. Not only have we been with Millington Savings Bank since it opened its doors in 1911, but some of the bank’s founders were our parishioners! There are bound to be a few adjustments along the way, but we anticipate a good working relationship with Kearny Bank. And we are grateful for all the years of service that Millington Bank gave to us and to the wider community.

Parish Prayer List - during the next month is you have a prayer concern, or would like to have a person added to the parish prayer list, or updated in some other way, please send an e-mail to allsaints_church@hotmail.com.

CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Between the middle of July and the middle of August there are four Prayer Book holy days, remembering and honoring three different saints and one event in the life of Christ. We don’t often get to celebrate these days in person, but we can mark them at home in our own awareness and prayer. Here are the Collects and Scripture references for each of the days.

Saint Mary Magdalene - July 22 (John 20:11-18)
Almighty God, whose blessed Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of body and of mind, and called her to be a witness of his resurrection: Mercifully grant that by your grace we may be healed from all our infirmities and know you in the power of his unending life; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Saint James - July 25 (Matthew 20:20-28; this is James, the brother of John – sons of Zebedee)
O gracious God, we remember before you today your servant and apostle James, first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the Name of Jesus Christ; and we pray that you will pour out upon the leaders of your Church that spirit of self-denying service by which alone they may have true authority among your people; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Transfiguration - August 6 (Luke 9:28-36)
O God, who on the holy mount revealed to chosen witnesses your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith behold the King in his beauty; who with you, O Father, and you, O Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Saint Mary the Virgin - August 15 (Luke 1:46-55)
O God, you have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of your incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Blessings, Vicki+

This Week@ All Saints’: July 9, 2020
Dear Friends in Christ,
Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song. ~ Psalm 100:1
Here are this week’s announcements, especially:

• Worship via Zoom this Sunday (Worship)
• Bible Study (Christian Formation)
• Plans for Summer Worship (What’s Next?)

WORSHIP
This Sunday is the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost. Our service of Morning Prayer at 10 am via Zoom. This helps us to interact with one another in real-time. It also allows us to have live music! We’ll have three readers, a chanted psalm, and a hymn, and a virtual choir video of the Junior Choir. The link for the service will be e-mailed to parishioners, as well as a copy of the service leaflet. If you are not on the parish e-mail list and would like to have the link sent to you, or you need help with Zoom, please send an e-mail to allstsmill@hotmail.com. At the end of the service, you can leave or stay on for some coffee hour social time. Hope to see you then!

Daily Compline continues throughout the summer at 9:30 pm. You don’t need a Facebook account (“Be on Facebook”) to participate; just follow this link: fb.me/allsaintsmillington. This is a wonderful way to pray for your own concerns and for the well-being of the world. Come join us.

PARISH LIFE
Congratulations to all Watchung Hills High School Seniors who graduated this week! High school graduation is always a wonderful accomplishment, but this year's class had many COVID-related challenges. Well done, all! And a special shout-out to students from parish families or relations: Kerriann Lettieri, Logan McNulty, Matthew Teo, and Gerard Aroneo.

Virtual Coffee Hour via Zoom on Sunday at 11:00 am. How does this work? It’s just a nice social time with others from church. It’s an opportunity to see one another, check-in, share news and fellowship. The link for this was e-mailed to the parish (see above) If you didn’t get the link and would like to join us, e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com. Come and spend time with your fellow Saints!

CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Bible Study is taking a break for the middle of the summer. We’ll reconvene on Wednesday, August 19 at 10:15 am. We’ll be starting a new series on some of the selected Psalms. For the first meeting you are asked to bring a favorite Psalm with you, and we’ll share them with one another. If you haven’t been part of Bible study before, this is a good way to start, and we’ve recently added some new folks, so the group is always evolving. We meet via Zoom. If you would like to participate when we reconvene in August, or want more information, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.

WHAT COMES NEXT?
Plans for Summer Worship – after reading all the responses to our Parish Worship survey and studying the diocesan guidelines for in-person worship, the Vestry has made some interim decisions about what will be best for us here at All Saints’. We will continue with our Sunday 10 am service on-line (now on Zoom) through Sept. 6. On August 23, 30, and September 6 we will also have an outdoor service of Evening Prayer at 5 pm (weather permitting). At the outdoor service parishioners will be asked to sign up in advance, bring their own chair or blanket, wear a mask, and stay 6 feet apart from anyone that you don’t live with. The details of this service will be forthcoming closer to August 23.

There are several factors in this decision and its timing. An outdoor service will always be safer than an indoor service. Mother Vicki will be taking her summer vacation from July 18 through August 15. Director of Music Alison Siener Brown and Parish Administrator Susie Harris will also be fitting in vacation time later in August. Our knowledge and understanding of COVID-19 and how it behaves keeps being updated. Evaluating the situation at the end of the summer will allow us to make safer and more accurate decisions.

Please continue to keep the Vestry and the parish as a whole in your prayers. Our church has been faithful throughout this very stressful time, and God has certainly been present with us. The Holy Spirit will lead us in our next steps.

CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Words of Faith: Providence
In God’s creation of the world and providing humankind with all the elements we need for life God exercises providence – loving care. From a human point of view, we would say that this loving care includes foresight, as well; planning into the future. Remembering God’s providence reminds us of our dependence upon God; everything that we have is a gift that has been wisely and generously given to us by our loving Lord.
 
Blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
O give thanks to the Lord, and call upon his Name; make known his deeds among the peoples.  Psalm 105:1 ~ Opening Sentence for Morning Prayer
Here are this week’s announcements, especially:

• Worship via Zoom this Sunday (Worship)
• Bible Study (Christian Formation)
• Statements of Contribution (Stewardship)
• Progress on Guidelines for Resuming In-Person Worship & Meetings (What’s Next?)

WORSHIP
This Sunday is the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost and we’ll be trying something new…. we will have our service of Morning Prayer at 10 am via Zoom. Why are we doing this? It will enable us to interact with one another in real-time. It will also allow us to have live music! Our director of Music Alison Siener Brown will play a hymn (appropriate for the Independence Day weekend) that we can all sing, and two cantors will sing the psalm for us. Additionally, we’ll be able to play a pre-recorded video of a solo anthem. We’ll also have three different people participating as readers in the service. The link for the service will be e-mailed to parishioners, as well as a copy of the service leaflet. If you are not on the parish e-mail list and would like to have the link sent to you, please send an e-mail to allstsmill@hotmail.com. And if you need to download the Zoom app to your computer, phone, or tablet, you can find it here. The basic version (which is all you need) is free:  https://zoom.us/download and then click the orange sign-up button in the upper right-hand corner. At the end of the service, you can leave or stay on for some coffee hour social time. Hope to see you then!

Daily Compline at 9:30 pm. You don’t need a Facebook account (“Be on Facebook”) to participate; just follow this link: fb.me/allsaintsmillington. This community of daily prayer and worship includes people from our parish, from other places in New Jersey, and even from other parts of the globe! All Saints’ parishioners and clergy take turns leading the service. Compline is offered every evening and is a wonderful way to pray for your own concerns and for the well-being of the world. Come join us.

Thank you to all of our readers and musicians and worship leaders for the beautiful pre-recorded service last Sunday – especially to Alison for her leadership and creativity, and to Shawn for his wonderful sermon! It’s all on the home page of the website in case you missed it.

PARISH LIFE
Virtual Coffee Hour via Zoom on Sunday at 11:00 am. How does this work? It’s just a nice social time with others from church. It’s an opportunity to see one another, check-in, share news and fellowship. The link for this was e-mailed to the parish (see above) If you didn’t get the link and would like to join us, e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com. Come and spend time with your fellow Saints!

CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 10:15 am. This week, July 8, we’ll discuss the Letter of James, chapter 5. This is a short book of the Bible – five chapters. James focuses on practical aspects of Christian living. If you haven’t been part of Bible study before, this is a good way to start, and we’ve recently added some new folks, so the group is always evolving. We meet via Zoom. If you would like to participate or want more information, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.

STEWARDSHIP
Statements of Contribution for the first half of 2020 will be coming out next week. Please be sure to look them over and email the Parish Office if you have any questions. Thank you for all of you who have continued to keep current on your pledges and have even made contributions above and beyond to help us with the loss of our rental income! Please know that you can also fulfill your pledges and contributions via the blue “Donate Now” button on the home page. This goes to our secure Vanco account and then directly into our bank. It is an easy and helpful way to donate. Whatever you are able to do, we are very grateful. Thank you!

Buildings and Grounds – there have been a number of people who have been continuing to make sure our buildings and grounds are in good repair. Bill Smullen has been working on the read front doors, which became cracked and weathered from standing open in the rain so much. Janice Lettitieri, Barbara Barbeau, Steve Kowalik, and Bill Smullen have repaired and re-painted our church sign (which blew over and broke in a February windstorm). Jean Bettler and Jane Hayden have been doing gardening, weeding, and planting. Bonnie McGrath and Barbara Barbeau have been keeping the plants in church watered. Thank you all!

WHAT COMES NEXT?
Guidelines for Returning to In-Person Worship – the Vestry has begun work on the necessary procedures for All Saints’ to resume in-person worship, in accordance with the guidelines for the Diocese of Newark (can be found here on the diocesan website:  https://dioceseofnewark.org/resource-general/journey-forward-guidelines-person-worship-diocese-newark).

They are also taking into close account the responses to our parish worship survey. We received 48 responses to the survey. The great majority of parishioners said that what they have missed the most during this pandemic time has been the people – gathering with of Saints for worship and fellowship. The second largest group’s answer was music or singing (sometimes singing with others). A number of people said the missed Communion/the Eucharist. And a few said the thing they missed the most was being in the church building.

Nearly everyone said that they learned how much their faith meant to them, or that they were surprised at how their faith could be sustained in a variety of ways. Some said they appreciated the slower pace of the last months for personal and family time, and learned anew how to be grateful for what they had – despite the challenges we have all been facing. Many people were grateful to be able to stay together and worship with our on-line services. There was also a strong appreciation for the new daily Compline service on Facebook Live.

When asked how likely a person might be to attend in-person worship with appropriate restrictions and precautions for distance, cleaning/sanitizing, mask-wearing, and service modifications, here is how people responded (1=not at all, 2=probably not, 3=possibly, 4=somewhat likely, 5=definitely):
Indoor worship:    1=13%; 2=21%; 3=27%; 4=19%; 5=19%
Outdoor worship: 1=2%; 2=17%; 3=32%; 4=30%; 5=11% (there were several fewer outdoor answers. Numbers may not add up to 100% because of rounding).
Quite a number of people said the thing they would need to feel safe in returning to in-person worship was a vaccine. Many people responded that if they did not feel safe about in-person they would participate via a live-stream broadcast of the service from the church.

As was mentioned last week, the process from here is that the Vestry will take the guidelines and implement them in a way that is sensible for our own parish of All Saints’. We will be taking the necessary time to do this thoughtfully and safely. We will also need to take into consideration parish staff and clergy vacation time. Please keep the Vestry in your prayers as they discern and make a plan to move forward – safely, with gratitude to God, and full of faith.

CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
A Collect for the Nation on Independence Day
Lord God Almighty, who hast made all the peoples of the earth
for thy glory, to serve thee in freedom and in peace: Give to
the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength
of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance
with thy gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever. Amen. ~ Book of Common Prayer, page 207

Blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. Psalm 43:3 ~ Opening Sentence for Morning Prayer
Here are this week’s announcements, especially:

• Choir Sunday (Worship)
• Bible Study (Christian Formation)
• Lay Conversation with Bishop Hughes (Diocesan News)
• Worship Survey Reminder (What's Next?)
• Diocesan Guidelines for Resuming In-Person Worship & Meetings (What’s Next?)

WORSHIP
This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost and our traditional Choir Sunday. In honor of that, our Sunday worship will be a pre-recorded video which includes a choir anthem, two sung hymns (and the music for you to sing along), an organ prelude, and surprise postlude. Several different parishioners have recorded the readings, Mother Vicki is the officiant, and Father Shawn is the preacher. The service will be available on our You Tube channel at 10 am, but you can watch it any time after that. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/x5wZ36YX23I. The service leaflet to review or print is on the home page of the website. You can also just print the service leaflet and read it on your own. Thank you to All Saints’ Choir, all the readers, and Alison Siener Brown for making this happen.

Daily Compline at 9:30 pm. You don’t need a Facebook account (“Be on Facebook”) to participate; just follow this link: fb.me/allsaintsmillington. This community of daily prayer and worship includes people from our parish, from other places in New Jersey, and even from other parts of the globe! All Saints’ parishioners and clergy take turns leading the service. Compline is offered every evening and is a wonderful way to pray for your own concerns and for the well-being of the world. Come join us.

PARISH LIFE
Virtual Coffee Hour via Zoom on Sunday at 11:00 am. How does this work? It’s just a nice social time with others from church. It’s an opportunity to see one another, check-in, share news and fellowship. The link for this was e-mailed to the parish. If you didn’t get the link and would like to join us, e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com. Come and spend time with your fellow Saints!

CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 10:15 am. This week, July 1, we’ll discuss the Letter of James, chapter 4. This is a short book of the Bible – five chapters. James focuses on practical aspects of Christian living. If you haven’t been part of Bible study before, this is a good way to start, and we’ve recently added some new folks, so the group is always evolving. We meet via Zoom. If you would like to participate or want more information, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.

WHAT COMES NEXT?
Parish Worship & Fellowship Survey – thank to those who have sent in responses to the survey to help the Vestry and clergy evaluate and make decisions about when All Saints’ can hold in-person worship. If you have not already filled out the survey, please do so by June 30: https://forms.gle/Tdsn4w8v5gBS9zvU8. There is no need to print it or e-mail it back to us; the information will be conveyed automatically. Thank you for your very important response.

Diocesan Guidelines for Returning to In-Person Worship can be found here on the diocesan website:  https://dioceseofnewark.org/resource-general/journey-forward-guidelines-person-worship-diocese-newark After the Journey Forward team concluded its work, Bishop Hughes’ office reviewed the document and made some edits to it. These guidelines are very similar to those for the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, with whom our own diocese is working closely. They are also quite close to the guidelines for other Episcopal dioceses in other parts of the country. The process from here is that the Vestry will take the guidelines and implement them in a way that is sensible for our own parish of All Saints’. We will be taking the necessary time to do this thoughtfully and safely. We will also need to take into consideration parish staff and clergy vacation time. Please also read Bishop Hughes’ pastoral letter to the diocese which gives some greater context for these guidelines: https://dioceseofnewark.org/bishops-vlog/pastoral-letter-guidelines-person-worship-diocese-newark  And please keep the Vestry in your prayers as they make a plan to move forward – safely, with gratitude to God, and full of faith.

DIOCESAN NEWS
Checking-in: A Lay Conversation with the Bishop – Bishp Carlye Hughes is eager to once again spend time in conversation with the members of the diocese, to reflect and consider what we, our churches, and our communities have learned and experienced as we have adjusted to the changes this time has demanded of us. On Tuesday, June 30 at 6 PM the diocese will hold the second monthly Lay Conversation with Bishop Hughes. Scheduled for 90 minutes, this Zoom conversation is open to all members of the diocese. An email invitation will be sent Monday, June 29 to recipients of The Voice Online with sign-in instructions for this Zoom meeting. Anyone who does not receive The Voice Online and wants to participate can e-mail Mother Vicki for the Zoom link.

The Voice On-line - our diocesan newsletter can be found here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-VOICE-Online--The-journey-forward---guidelines-for-in-person-worship.html?soid=1102692382496&aid=5hGdgHjcLJc 

CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Prayers for Pandemic – several weeks ago the diocese invited parishioners and clergy to write prayers that reflected the yearnings of their heart and soul in this time of COVID-19. The prayers that have been submitted can be found on the diocesan website here: https://dioceseofnewark.org/covid-19/prayers.

One of the prayers was written by our own Sister Monica Clare, csjb. Here it is:
Oh God of love and peace, help us to survive each day,
in the midst of things we cannot understand,
To those of us who are afraid, give us courage
To those of us who are exhausted, give us strength
To those of us in despair, give us hope.
Comfort us in our struggle, O Loving God,
Walk with us through this time of crisis,
Grant us and our loved ones’ safety, security and stability,
and help us to learn the lessons you are giving us at this time, so that we may all work together to rebuild our lives, and make the world a better place.
In the name of our loving Creator we pray, Amen.
– Sr. Monica Clare, Community of St. John the Baptist, Mendham

Blessings, Vicki+