Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are the announcements and the links for Sunday’s worship.

• Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Worship
• Narnia Book Group
• Diocesan Learning Event
• Christian Practices

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Sunday Worship – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Jan. 31st –10 am
Service of the Word, followed by Coffee Hour. E-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com for Zoom log-in. The bulletin is on our home page.
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Announcements
Candlemas (Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple) is Tuesday, February 2. A short Service of Prayer and Reflection will be held at 6:00 pm on Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/allsaintsmillington/ . You may wish to have a candle to light (or a battery operated one) with you during the service.

Ash Wednesday Worship will be held on Zoom on February 17 at 7:30 pm.How will we do Ash Wednesday this year?

• The most important aspect of the day is the start of our spiritual preparation for Easter. Please read and meditate on the Invitation to a holy Lent at the bottom of page 264 in the Prayer Book. Please note - ashes are optional (and always have been).
• Small containers of blessed ashes may be picked up in the church Bell Tower starting Feb. 12. You may impose ashes on yourself or on other members of your household during the service. 
• You may also read the service on your own, starting on page 264 of the Prayer Book, or using the service leaflet that will be e-mailed to you. 
• If you can’t get to church to pick up ashes, you can make your own from palms (if you have them) or use wood ash from your fireplace or fire pit. 

Bible Study is on Wednesdays at 10:15 am. Our current study Ephesians in the New Testament. This week we will read and discuss Ch. 5. To participate in this Zoom class, or if you have questions, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.  

Narnia Book Group: The Silver Chair - this group will meet on Zoom Sunday afternoons at 4:00 pm starting on 2/21 and continuing for eight sessions (skipping Easter Day). The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis is the fourth book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. The group is open to anyone; you don’t have to have read the previous Narnia books, or been part of the group before. To sign up, please email Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.

Convent Corner: Centering Prayer, Thursdays 7:15 to 8:15 pm, on Zoom The Community of St. John Baptist Centering Prayer group has been meeting for many years and it is one of their most popular ministries. Guests can gather on Zoom. Please email Sister Monica at srmc@csjb.org if you are interested in joining. A description of this silent contemplative practice can be found HERE.

Parish Schedule this Week
Sunday Worship & Coffee Hour – 10:00 am; Zoom, posted later to YouTube and our website
Compline - daily, 9:30 pm; Facebook Live
Candlemas Worship – Tue, 6:00 pm; Facebook Live
Bible Study - Wed, 10:15 pm; Zoom
Office Angels - Thu, 11:00 am; Zoom
Junior Choir – Thu, 5:30 pm; Zoom
Adult Choir - Thu, 7:30 pm; Zoom
Parish Office - Mon & Thu, 10:00 am-5:00 pm (usual hours). 
Please call ahead if you need to do in-person parish business.
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Christian Practices: Praying in Color
Sometimes it’s easier to pray with pictures or images – or even doodling – than it is to pray in sentences.

“Praying in Color” is a simple, portable practice. The basic idea is to draw a shape and write inside the outline of the shape a name, several names, or intention for which you are praying. Then you can sit quietly and “decorate” your shape with lines, colors, drawings – however your imagination and the Holy Spirit leads you.

Some people like to link several shapes together. You can also put a person’s name in the center of a shape and add words connected to what you are praying for them – for example: health, peace, guidance, employment, reconciliation.

The time you spend drawing and coloring, holding the person in your heart, is your prayer for them. And it may give you a sense of peace and connection to God, also.

“Praying in Color” was developed by Sybil MacBeth. Here is a website where you can learn more about it: https://prayingincolor.com/
Blessings, Vicki+
 
 

Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are the announcements and the links for Sunday’s worship.

• Third Sunday after Epiphany Worship
• Choirs
• Prayer List/Prayer Chain
• Diocesan Learning Event
• Christian Practices

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Sunday Worship – Third Sunday after the Epiphany Jan. 17th – 10 am
Service of the Word on Zoom, followed by Coffee Hour. Please send an e-mail to allstsmill@hotmail.com for the Zoom link. The bulletin is on our home page.
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Announcements
Compline - this time of prayer is offered on Facebook Live every night at 9:30 pm on All Saints’ page. This is an opportunity for a short time of peaceful prayer at the end of your day. Compline is led by five different All Saints’ parishioners. We welcome your participation whenever you can join us.

Choirs are on Thursdays; Junior Choir at 5:30 pm and Adult Choir at 7:30 pm - check-in, fellowship, and learning music for our next virtual choir anthem projects for our on-line worship. Even in these virtual circumstances we welcome anyone who loves to sing! Contact Alison Siener Brown asienerbrown@gmail.com for the Zoom credentials. 

Prayer List/Prayer Chain - To add someone to the Prayer List, please send an e-mail to Mother Vicki allsaints_rector@hotmail.com. Our Prayer Chain is a group of parishioners who exercise a ministry of intercessory prayer on an emergency basis when needed. If you have an immediate request or would like to be part of the Prayer Chain ministry, please contact Kathy Bousquet.

Statements of Contribution for 2020 were mailed to you via USPS. Please look your statements over. If you have a question, or did not receive one, please e-mail allsaints_stewardship@hotmail.com. Thank you for all your support in 2020 - every donation was crucial!

Bible Study is on Wednesdays at 10:15 am. Our current study Ephesians in the New Testament. This week we will read and discuss Ch. 4. To participate in this Zoom class, or if you have questions, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.  

Diocesan Event On-Line: “Faith Groups: Sharing our Lives, Growing in Faith,”
What to expect: On Friday, Jan. 29 at 7 PM, we will come together to hear from Bishop Hughes about the importance of finding new ways of being Church and how we can build stronger communities through intentional small groups. We’ll break into small groups online to give an example of what these gatherings can look like and then conclude the evening in worship together. On Saturday, Jan. 30 from 9 AM until 12 noon, we’ll gather online for more information about how to use this pattern in your church and how it can deepen your faith. We hope that every parish will be represented at this event. For more information and to register online below by 5 PM on Thursday, Jan. 28, go here: https://dioceseofnewark.org/event/faith-groups 
* Due to the pandemic, Diocesan Convention is postponed until Summer 2021,
   date to be announced.

Parish Schedule this Week
Sunday Worship & Coffee Hour – 10:00 am; Zoom, posted later to YouTube and our website
Compline - daily, 9:30 pm; Facebook Live
Bible Study - Wed, 10:15 pm; Zoom
Office Angels - Thu, 11:00 am; Zoom
Junior Choir – Thu, 5:30 pm; Zoom
Adult Choir - Thu, 7:30 pm; Zoom
Parish Office - Mon & Thu, 10:00 am-5:00 pm (usual hours). 
Please call ahead if you need to do in-person parish business.
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Christian Practices: Faith Journaling
Many people like to write down their thoughts and reflections – on a regular basis, or from time-to-time. They find it helps them to understand themselves better, savor an event or idea, or see a situation more clearly.

Faith journaling can help us in similar ways to be more aware of God’s presence in our lives, to be more intentional about prayer and gratitude, to listen for the Spirit’s guidance and wisdom.

One simple way to begin is to choose a Bible verse or a prayer or the text of a hymn that speaks to us. Write that text down – computer is good, paper and pen or pencil is better. Then read it through several times, whether silently or out loud, and jot down what the words make you think of.

Is there a visual image for you? A memory? A feeling? An idea or question? Write that down, too.

Ask God to help you notice what might be important or meaningful. It doesn’t have to be something big to be valuable. Then pray that you will be able to put into practice or keep in mind whatever it is you noticed.

I hope that you will try this exercise and see if it helps you draw closer to God.
Blessings, Vicki+
 

Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are the announcements for the week.

Prayer List/Prayer Chain - it is our privilege to pray for the concerns of our parishioners, our community, and those who ask us for prayer. Those on our parish Prayer List are prayed for daily by name at our on-line Compline service. We also pray for those most recent or pressing requests in our Sunday service. To add someone to the prayer List, please send an e-mail to Mother Vicki allsaints_rector@hotmail.com. Our Prayer Chain is a group of parishioners who exercise a ministry of intercessory prayer on an emergency basis when needed. Kathy Bousquet is our Prayer Chain leader. If you have an immediate request or would like to be part of the Prayer Chain, please contact Kathy. 

Statements of Contribution for 2020 were mailed to you via US Postal Service on Friday. Please look your statements over. If you have a question, or did not receive one, please e-mail allsaints_stewardship@hotmail.com. Thank you for all your support in 2020 - every donation was crucial!

Vestry meeting this week on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 7:15 pm on Zoom.

Bible Study is on Wednesdays at 10:15 am. Our current study Ephesians in the New Testament. This week we will read and discuss Ch.2:11-Ch.3. To participate in this Zoom class, or if you have questions, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.  

“Office Angels” (our office volunteers in non-COVID times) meet for conversation and fellowship on Thursday mornings at 11 am on Zoom. We’d love to have you join the conversation. Email Parish Administrator Susie Harris for the link: allsaints_church@hotmail.com 

Adult Choir is on Thursdays at 7:30 pm - check-in, fellowship, and learning music for our next virtual choir anthem project. Even in these virtual circumstances we welcome anyone who loves to sing! Contact Alison Siener Brown asienerbrown@gmail.com for the Zoom credentials. 

Pledging for 2021 - You can use our new on-line pledge form on our website www.allsaintsmillington.org. You can also fulfill your pledge by setting up auto-pay with your bank or by electronic fund transfer (EFT) through the secure giving portal on our website. If you are interested in making a gift of appreciated stock, please call David Thursfield.
Until we can have the safe and full use of our buildings for both worship and building use rental our parish income will be challenging, so your timely, heartfelt and generous support will be essential. You can also use our “virtual offering plate” - the heart and cross icon on the homepage of our website - for on-line giving. Thank you!

The Parish Office is generally staffed Mondays and Thursdays but with limited contact for the public. Please call ahead if you need to do in-person parish business.
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Christian Practices: The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
This is an ecumenical Christian effort that was established in 1908. It starts on January 18 (The Feast of the Confession of St. Peter) and ends on January 25 (The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul). This week was chosen because Peter’s apostolic ministry was primarily to Jews, although he also embraced the inclusion of Gentiles; and Paul’s apostolic ministry was to Gentiles, after he had been called from his fierce defense of Judaism.

The purpose of the week is to reflect the words of John 17:21, “they may be one so that the world may believe”. While all of the various Christian bodies have differences of practice and variations of belief, we are all united by faith, prayer, and baptism in Christ. The more we can be united in our practice of following Christ, the stronger our witness to the world will be.

In the United States this year, this Week of Prayer falls at a very appropriate moment. Monday is not only the Confession of Peter, but it is also the day we set aside to mark and honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. On Wednesday we will inaugurate our 46th President Joseph R. Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris.

Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community where all people are valued, respected, and drawn together in peace by their common humanity has its roots in the Christian idea of the Body of Christ. Our secular American values of equity of opportunity and equality before the law, commitment to the common good of our neighbors and communities, and the flourishing of every individual embrace very similar ideas.

While we pray for unity in the Body of Christ this week, let us also pray for the peace, safety, and well-being of all in our country.
Blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are the announcements and the links for Sunday’s worship.

• First Sunday after Epiphany Worship & Renewal of Vows (scroll to next section)
• Bible Study
• Chalk Blessing Kits
• Stewardship
• Choir

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Sunday Worship – First Sunday after the Epiphany: Baptism of our Lord, January 10th –10 am
Service of the Word and Renewal of Baptismal Vows, followed by Coffee Hour. Please have a small bowl of water near you to use during the service. The service leaflet is on the home page. Please e-mail allstsmill@hotmail.com for the Zoom credentials.

And if you have not yet seen the Epiphany worship video, you can watch it here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KD5c7JNeAYk
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Finance Committee meets Tuesday, January 12 at 7:15 pm on Zoom.

Chalk Blessing Kits for Epiphany are available to be picked up in the Bell Tower of the Church, including instructions. Bless your house and all who come and go to it in this New Year.

Bible Study is on Wednesdays at 10:15 am. We are starting a new series for the next five weeks, the Epistle to the Ephesians in the New Testament. This week we will read and discuss Chapters 1 and 2:1-10. If you have been thinking about starting Bible study in the New Year, this is a great way to start! No experience is needed. You don’t even have to have a Bible because we’ll send you the reading ahead of time. To participate in this Zoom class, or if you have questions, please e-mail Mother Vicki at allsaints_rector@hotmail.com.  

“Office Angels” (our office volunteers in non-COVID times) meet for conversation and fellowship on Thursday mornings at 11 am on Zoom. We’d love to have you join the conversation. Email Parish Administrator Susie Harris for the link: allsaints_church@hotmail.com 

Adult Choir resumes this Thursday at 7:30 pm - check-in, fellowship, and learning music for our next virtual choir anthem project. Even in these virtual circumstances we welcome anyone who loves to sing! Contact Alison Siener Brown asienerbrown@gmail.com for the Zoom credentials. 

Thank you to everyone who made a pledge for 2021. If you have not yet done so, please be in touch with Mother Vicki. You can use our new on-line pledge form on our website www.allsaintsmillington.org, or you can simply send an e-mail with your pledge commitment to allsaints_church@hotmail.com. You can also fulfill your pledge by setting up auto-pay with your bank or by setting up one-time or recurring electronic fund transfer (EFT) through the secure giving portal on our website. We are also able to receive gifts of appreciated stock as pledge payment. If you are interested in that please call David Thursfield.
Until we can have the safe and full use of our buildings for both worship and building use rental our parish income will be challenging, so your timely, heartfelt and generous support will be essential. Thank you!

The Parish Office is generally staffed Mondays and Thursdays but with limited contact for the public. Please call ahead if you need to do in-person parish business.
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Baptismal Covenant Promise - 3
Presider         Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
People             I will, with God’s help.

As we prepare to renew our baptismal vows this coming Sunday, consider the question and answer above.

This promise is about letting other people know – through your words and actions – the saving love of God, how God has made a difference in your life.

This is one of those vows that makes some people a little skittish, because we often don’t want to come across in a preachy or judgmental way; at least, that’s what we tell ourselves. We certainly don’t want to make ourselves or another person feel uncomfortable.

But maybe the reason we have trouble with this part of our covenant is that we are not sure we have the words to talk about what difference our faith has made in our lives. We are not confident that we have anything to offer to another person.

And yet, we are more than happy to share other kinds of good news: a new job, the birth of a baby, recovery from surgery. We know how to share the right amount of detail, and the level of feeling in how we share that news.

When it comes to faith, what we are being asked to share is that part of our experience in following Jesus that gives us hope, or peace, or joy, our quiet confidence. You don’t have to stand on a street corner to do this, or ring door bells. But when you have a friend or family member who is struggling or confused or hurting you can say what has been true for you. Give them the option to seek hope with God; offer to pray for them or with them. If they don’t respond, it takes nothing away from your faith and you may have planted a seed that God will water and grow later.

Our actions, too, can proclaim the Gospel when we act in ways that are consistent with Jesus’ teaching and character.
And we can begin each day by asking God to use you to be a blessing and a messenger of Good News and God’s love to another.

Blessings, Vicki+