Dear Friends in Christ,
I hope that your Lent is going well. Last Sunday’s snow certainly put a dent in the start of the season for some folks. But if you haven’t yet delved into this forty-days-plus-Sundays preparation for Easter, you can start now! Take a look at the announcements below, especially:

• Film: “The Way” (Lent)

• Veterans’ Community Dinner (Helping Hands)
• World War I French Battlefield Presentation (Fellowship & Fun)
• Scout Sunday (Worship)
• Learning to Use Silence (Christian Practices)

HELPING HANDS
Veterans Community Dinner, Feb. 24 at 5:30 pm - Vets and their families from our local community and from the V.A. in Lyons are invited for fellowship, conversation, and friendship...and a wonderful home-cooked meal in All Saints' Parish House at no charge. How can you help? Set up, clean up, serving, cooking (side dishes, salads, desserts). And please get the word out and invite any Vets you know! This ministry is a partnership with our friends in the Christian (Catholic) Community. Need to make a last-minute RSVP? Call Kerrie Stepko.

LENT
Film: “The Way” Monday, February 26, 7:00 pm in the Parish House Lower Room. Come and watch this feature film starring Martin Sheen about a man’s journey along the Camino de Santiago, the ancient pilgrimage route in Spain, as he searches for answers about his relationship with his son. Time for discussion afterwards.  Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

Labyrinth Walk, Sunday, March 11, 3-5 pm in the Parish Hall. This is a time of prayerful walking meditation along the labyrinth (borrowed from the Community of St. John Baptist). Walk it at your own pace. There will be time for reflection and journaling. Drop in any time during the two hours. Bring your questions, your burdens, your prayer intentions for yourself and others. Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

Lenten Prayer Pilgrimage - On the interior walls of the Church are twelve Lent/Easter pictures. Pick up a Pilgrimage Brochure and baptismal shell from the basket in the Narthex; follow from one picture to another with the Bible passages, prayers, or silent contemplation. You are invited to do this whenever the Church is open.

FELLOWSHIP & FUN
World War I French Battlefields, Sunday, March 11, 11:15 am in the Parish Hall. Randy Gaulke will present reflections on his 6 months as a tour guide for the World War I battlefields in the Meuse-Argonne forest in France, which saw the largest numbers of American troops in the war. Come to learn more about this part of our history, during the centennial of that great conflict.

Epworth Youth Choir Tour Concert & Dinner, Tuesday, March 27, 7 pm in the Church. This high school choir from First United Methodist Church in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, will present a concert of traditional anthems by Craig Courtney, Allen Pote, Dan Forrest, and George Friederich Handel. The second half of the program is a musical by Dean Wagner called “Keeping Vigil with Jesus.” This concert is a wonderful Lenten opportunity and will appeal to kids as well as adults. Parishioners are invited to have dinner with the choir before-hand. More info coming soon.

Maundy Thursday Agapé Meal, March 29, 6 pm in the Parish House Lower Room. Agapé is the Greek word for God’s love – and the way we share it in community. We’ll gather for a simple pot-luck meal, as Jesus and his disciples did, before our worship. We’ll be sharing this meal with our brothers and sisters in the Christian (Catholic) Community. Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex. Hope to see you there!

WORSHIP
Scout Sunday, March 4, 10 am – We’ll honor and celebrate all Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts of our parish and our community, and to give thanks for the Scouting movement. All Scouts and adult leaders are invited to attend in uniform. Please pass the word along.

Celtic Worship with Irish music in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 18, at 5:00 pm, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 9 E Main St., Mendham, NJ. Sponsored by the parishes of St. Mark’s, St. Bernard’s, & All Saints’. Come for peaceful evening worship.

Lenten Sunday Worship – during the more reflective and penitential season, we will use the Rite I version of our service at both 8 & 10 am. At 10 am we’ll also engage in a Lenten experiment of “Quiet Peace” in which we exchange the Peace with those closest to us, sharing God’s Peace with our neighbor, and yet keeping us in the quiet flow of worship.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Bible Study/Book Study – Wed. at 10:15 am, in the Rath House. We are reading and discussing Inwardly Digest: The Prayer Book as Guide to a Spiritual Life, by Derek Olsen. Can’t come Wed. mornings? Pick up a copy and read it on your own. The books are in the Narthex and cost $20.

Pilgrim Study Group Mondays, 7-8:30 pm in the Rath House. The next 6-week session, starting on March 5, is Church & Kingdom: “What does it mean to live as a child of the kingdom of God and follow in the way of Christ each day as a member of the Church? How does it affect our life at work as well as at home? How is the Christian faith changing us and shaping us so that we become more like Jesus?” Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki and sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, May 13 for Bishop Beckwith’s last visitation with us before his retirement.

PARISH CALENDAR
2/26 Film: The Way                    Parish House, 7:00 pm
2/28 Book Study                        Rath House, 10:15 am
3/1   Holy Eucharist                    Church, 7:00 am
       Junior Choir                        Choir Room, 5:15 pm
       Adult Choir                         Choir Room, 7:30 pm
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.

CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Learning to Use Silence – There is an old saying about the way to approach a service of Christian worship:
Before the service, speak to God § During the service, let God speak to you § After the service, speak to one another.
This is still true, but why is it important? We often arrive at Church in a rush, maybe a little agitated because we’ve had cross words with our children or spouse, or because we are squeezing Church into a very busy day and our mind is more on our to-do list than on God. So taking a few minutes before the beginning of the service to let our bodies and brains settle into being in worship with others can be very helpful in making us more aware of God’s presence.
What does this look like in practice?

• Before the service starts go sit down in a pew, take time for quiet prayer, read over the Scripture lessons or Psalm, call to mind any particular people or concerns you want to bring before God, listen to the prelude, and respect the quiet for others who are praying. Leave chit-chat at the door.
• During the service there are brief silences after the readings and the sermon. Being silent together as a congregation is a skill that is valuable as we seek to hear what the Holy Spirit may be saying to you/us through the Scriptures. The exchange of the Peace is not the start of coffee hour (!), but an expression of God’s Peace we all share, having just confessed our sins and received absolution. The music at the offertory (choral anthem or instrumental piece) is a time to listen respectfully to the gift the musicians have prepared and offer on behalf of us all. Join your heart and mind to the offering being made.
• After the service, greet and speak to those around you. Linger in Church. Come to Coffee Hour. Get into a good and rich conversation. Fellowship with other Christians is important, part of the way we grow stronger in our faith.

Silence and quiet are rare commodities in our world today. Let us practice and enjoy the quiet of mouth, mind, and heart so that we may be more fully present to God.

Lenten blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
Lent has begun. When you come to Church this Sunday you may note some of the seasonal changes: purple altar hangings and vestments, the use of brass and pottery for candles and altar vessels, wooden collection plates and processional cross. All this is to remind us that Lent is a time for introspection and contemplation of our sins – with the sure and certain knowledge of God’s love and forgiveness. We’ll begin our worship with the Great Litany, the ancient prayer of the Church that takes stock of the human condition and asks God’s mercy. I hope you will be able to join us. Please look at the announcements below, especially:

• Film: “The Way” (Lent)

• Veterans’ Community Dinner (Helping Hands)
• Stories from the Journey (Diocesan News)
• World War I French Battlefield Presentation (Fellowship & Fun)
• Scout Sunday (Worship)

WORSHIP
Lenten Sunday Worship – during the more reflective and penitential season, we will use the Rite I version of our service at both 8 & 10 am. At 10 am we’ll also engage in a Lenten experiment of “Quiet Peace” in which we exchange the Peace with those closest to us, sharing God’s Peace with our neighbor, and yet keeping us in the quiet flow of worship.

Thursday Morning Worship – Looking for a peaceful way to start your day, or a mid-week faith boost during Lent? Try the 7 am service of Communion, with optional healing prayer. Breakfast afterwards, if you can stay.

Scout Sunday, March 4, 10 am – We’ll honor and celebrate all Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts of our parish and our community, and to give thanks for the Scouting movement. All Scouts and adult leaders are invited to attend in uniform. Please pass the word along.

HELPING HANDS
Veterans Community Dinner, Feb. 24 at 5:30 pm - Vets and their families from our local community and from the V.A. in Lyons are invited for fellowship, conversation, and friendship...and a wonderful home-cooked meal in All Saints' Parish House at no charge. How can you help? Set up, clean up, serving, cooking (side dishes, salads, desserts). And please get the word out and invite any Vets you know! A sign-up sheet for volunteering will go out soon. This ministry is a partnership with our friends in the Christian (Catholic) Community. For more information speak to Kerrie Stepko.

LENT
Lenten Prayer Pilgrimage - On the interior walls of the Church are twelve Lent/Easter pictures. Pick up a Pilgrimage Brochure and baptismal shell from the basket in the Narthex; follow from one picture to another with the Bible passages, prayers, or silent contemplation. You are invited to do this whenever the Church is open.

Film: “The Way” Monday, February 26, 7:00 pm in the Parish House Lower Room. Come and watch this feature film starring Martin Sheen about a man’s journey along the Camino de Santiago, the ancient pilgrimage route in Spain, as he searches for answers about his relationship with his son. Time for discussion afterwards. Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

Labyrinth Walk, Sunday, March 11, 3-5 pm in the Parish Hall. This is a time of prayerful walking meditation along the labyrinth (borrowed from the Community of St. John Baptist). Walk it at your own pace. There will be time for reflection and journaling. Drop in any time during the two hours. Bring your questions, your burdens, your prayer intentions for yourself and others. Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

FELLOWSHIP & FUN
World War I French Battlefields, Sunday, March 11, 11:15 am in the Parish Hall. Randy Gaulke will present reflections on his 6 months as a tour guide for the World War I battlefields in the Meuse-Argonne forest in France, which saw the largest numbers of American troops in the war. Come to learn more about this part of our history, during the centennial of that great conflict.

Save the Date! Epworth Youth Choir Tour Concert & Dinner, Tuesday, March 27, time TBD in the Church. This high school choir from First United Methodist Church in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, will present a concert of traditional anthems by Craig Courtney, Allen Pote, Dan Forrest, and George Friederich Handel. The second half of the program is a musical by Dean Wagner called “Keeping Vigil with Jesus.” This concert is a wonderful Lenten opportunity and will appeal to kids as well as adults. Parishioners are invited to have dinner with the choir before-hand. More info coming soon.

And another date to save...
Maundy Thursday Agapé Meal, March 29, 6 pm in the Parish House Lower Room. Agapé is the Greek word for God’s love – and the way we share it in community. We’ll gather for a simple pot-luck meal, as Jesus and his disciples did, before our worship. We’ll be sharing this meal with our brothers and sisters in the Christian (Catholic) Community. Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex. Hope to see you there!

CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Bible Study/Book Study – Wed. at 10:15 am, in the Rath House. We are reading and discussing Inwardly Digest: The Prayer Book as Guide to a Spiritual Life, by Derek Olsen. Daily spiritual practice takes dedication and discipline, and we often wonder where to start and how to keep it from feeling like yet another task on our to-do list. We can use The Book of Common Prayer for a template to a deeper spiritual life with practical applications for daily living.  The book costs $20. Can’t come Wed. mornings? Buy a copy and read it on your own. The books are in the Narthex.

Pilgrim Study Group Mondays, 7-8:30 pm in the Rath House. The next 6-week session, starting on March 5, is Church & Kingdom: “What does it mean to live as a child of the kingdom of God and follow in the way of Christ each day as a member of the Church? How does it affect our life at work as well as at home? How is the Christian faith changing us and shaping us so that we become more like Jesus?” Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki and sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

DIOCESAN NEWS
Bishop’s Search Update – the Search/Nominating Committee of the diocese has selected eight people to come to the diocese for interviews later this month. A more detailed description of the process and the timeline can be found here: https://dioceseofnewark.org/content/february-update-bishop-searchnominating-committee

Stories from the Journey Workshop Day – “Following up on the extremely well-received story-sharing at Diocesan Convention in January, we invite you to a day of sharing stories and listening deeply as we continue the journey of joining God in our neighborhoods. This event is open to anyone who wants to explore the power of sharing and listening to stories and how this helps us to discover what God is up to.” All congregations in the Diocese of Newark are invited to this event to be held on Saturday, February 24 at St. Michael's, Wayne. Schedule for the morning:

• 8:30 AM - Gathering, registration and light breakfast
• 9 AM – Meeting begins
• Noon - Working Lunch
• 2 PM – Adjourn

Tom Day and Vicki McGrath will be attending this workshop and would welcome anyone else who is interested. Here is the link for more information or to register: https://dioceseofnewark.org/event/stories-journey-continued

SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, May 13 for Bishop Beckwith’s last visitation with us before his retirement.

PARISH CALENDAR
2/19 Pilgrim Study Group           Rath House, 7:00 pm
2/20 Vestry                               Rath House, 7:30 pm
2/21 Book Study                       Rath House, 10:15 am
2/22 Holy Eucharist                   Church, 7:00 am
         Junior Choir                     Choir Room, 5:15 pm
         Adult Choir                       Choir Room, 7:30 pm
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.

CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Prayer, Fasting, & Almsgiving – these are the three classic Christian practices for Lent. Each practice is designed to make us more available to God, to help us put aside our self-centeredness so that we may see God and other people in a clearer, truer light.

• Prayer is not telling God what to do, or even asking God for things. Prayer is allowing ourselves to be vulnerable before God, to remove the filter we think we need to have. As we give God our deepest concerns, pain, and joy, we open ourselves to be changed by God – remade in Jesus’ image.
• Fasting is refraining from some habit, activity, or consumable for a period of time. It reminds us that we are dependent on God, rather than other things which may seem so important to us. We fast because Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness before the start of his public ministry. Traditionally during Lent, Christians have fasted by eating smaller and simpler meals and abstaining from meat on Fridays. Other ways of fasting have included abstaining from alcohol, sweets, credit cards – and more recently, social media and plastic water bottles.
• Alsmgiving in Lent, giving money to the poor, was supposed to be funded by the fasting from meat that one did. By not having more expensive meals, the money saved was then free to be shared with needy people. This practice is the one probably the one kept the least. While we may or may not wish to give money to a homeless person on the street, Lent is a very good time to make a contribution to groups such as Habitat for Humanity or the Heifer Project or Episcopal Relief and Development. Or get involved with our parish food pantry ministry.

Lenten blessings, Vicki+

Dear Friends in Christ,
This Sunday is the Last Sunday after Epiphany. That means “Farewell to Alleluia.” At the 10 am service we’ll process the Alleluia banner out at the end of the service as a reminder that we don’t use the words Alleluia (Latin) or Hallelujah (Hebrew) in Lent. The Ash Wednesday services are also listed below. Please look at the announcements below, especially:

• Ash Wednesday (Lent)
• Events in Lent (Lent)

• ShopRite Grant - Updated (Helping Hands)
• New Book for Study (Christian Formation)

LENT
Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent in which we prepare for Easter. Ash Wednesday is a day to take stock of our lives and to gather to remember “our mortal nature” and God’s abundant grace. There are two opportunities for worship:
9:30 am Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes
7:30 pm Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes, with music
Can’t make either service? Stop in for Ashes in the Church anytime between 11:45 am-1:00 pm. There will be opportunity for prayer and imposition of ashes, as well as quiet meditation on your own.

Three Events in Lent
1. Film: “The Way”, Feb 26 (Monday), 7 pm in the Parish House Lower Room. Come and watch this feature film starring Martin Sheen about a man’s journey along the Camino de Santiago, the ancient pilgrimage route in Spain, as he searches for answers about his relationship with his son. Time for discussion afterwards.

2. Labyrinth Walk, March 11 (Sunday), 3-5 pm in the Parish Hall. This is a time of prayerful walking meditation along the labyrinth (borrowed from the Community of St. John Baptist). Walk it at your own pace. There will be time for reflection and journaling. Drop in any time during the two hours.

3. Youth Choir Tour Concert, March 27 (Tuesday), time TBD in the Church. The Youth Choir from First United Methodist Church in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, directed by Dean Wagner will present a concert of traditional anthems by Craig Courtney, Allen Pote, Dan Forrest, and George Friederich Handel. The second half of the program is a musical by Dean Wagner called “Keeping Vigil with Jesus.” This concert is a wonderful Lenten opportunity and will appeal to kids as well as adults.  We’ll need to provide dinner for the youth choir and the adults travelling with them. More information about that will be coming soon.

Lenten Sunday Worship – during the more reflective and penitential season, we will use the Rite I version of our service t both 8 & 10 am, beginning with the Penitential Order. At 10 am we’ll also engage in a Lenten experiment of “Quiet Peace” in which we exchange the Peace with those closest to us. This will help us to reach out to our neighbor, and yet keep us in the quiet flow of worship.

Lenten Devotional Books from Forward Movement - Are We There Yet? Pilgrimage in the Season of Lent. “Using various and varied stories of pilgrimage and pilgrims, this book will explore the penitential and purgative process of walking to/around/through some of the most beloved pilgrimage sites in the Christian tradition as well as introduce the idea of an internal pilgrimage, a journey through difficult terrain of the soul.”
The books are free and are available for pick-up in the Narthex.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Thanks for a great Annual Meeting last week – good conversation, good energy, good sharing and listening to the Holy Spirit! Congratulations and thanks to those who were elected to leadership roles: Warden – Tom Hackett; Vestry- Wendy Clarkson, Janice Lettieri; Convention Deputy – Carol Berry, Jean Kimak, Waring Webb, Ellen Lewis (alternate). Copies of the Annual Report are available in the Narthex.

Bible Study/Book Study – Wed. at 10:15 am, in the Rath House. We are starting a new series that will run from Feb 14 through the end of Lent. We will read and discuss Inwardly Digest: The Prayer Book as Guide to a Spiritual Life, by Derek Olsen. Here’s a description: “Daily spiritual practice takes dedication and discipline, and we often wonder where to start and how to keep it from feeling like yet another task on our to-do list. In this grounded, practical book, author Derek Olsen uses The Book of Common Prayer for a template to a deeper spiritual life. Olsen explains the purpose and intention of the prayer book with fresh insight, offering practical applications for daily living.”
The book costs $20. Can’t come Wed. mornings? You are still welcome to buy a copy and read it on your own. The books will be available in the Narthex.

Pilgrim Study Group Mondays, 7-8:30 pm in the Rath House. The topic for the 6-week session is The Bible: “What is it, how was it given to us, and how should we read it” Learn how to make reading the Bible a part of everyday life, with the ability to read, pray, and listen to what God might be saying, allowing the words to change us. Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki.

2018 Parish Directory Ready for Pick-up in the Narthex! Please take one.  

HELPING HANDS
Veterans Community Dinner, Feb. 24 at 5:30 pm - Vets and their families from our local community and from the V.A. in Lyons are invited for fellowship, conversation, and friendship...and a wonderful home-cooked meal in All Saints' Parish House at no charge. How can you help? Set up, clean up, serving, cooking (side dishes, salads, desserts). And please get the word out and invite any Vets you know! A sign-up sheet for volunteering will go out soon. This ministry is a partnership with our friends in the Christian (Catholic) Community. For more information speak to Kerrie Stepko.

ShopRite Grant Update – We are very pleased to announce that we have received an additional grant, this time from the Bernardsville ShopRite, for $1000 in support of our food pantry. It will be credited to us at the Community FoodBank, in addition to the $2500 grant from the Stirling ShopRite and will assist us in purchasing food that we distribute in the community and in Dover. Thank you, ShopRite!

STEWARDSHIP
Looking for a worry-free way to keep current on your pledge? We have two opportunities:
Auto-Payments from your checking account can be set up through your computer and on-line banking on a monthly basis. Your donation will come to us as a check in the mail, all at no cost to you or us.
Vanco/EFT involves a small user fee. The funds are taken directly from your checking account and deposited into the church account.
Want more information or help setting this up? Speak to Barbara Barbeau, Financial Secretary. Thanks!

SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, May 13 for Bishop Beckwith’s last visitation with us before his retirement.

PARISH CALENDAR
2/12 Pilgrim Study Group          Rath House, 7:00 pm
2/13 Finance Committee           Rath House, 7:30 pm
2/14 Ash Wed Worship             Church, 9:30 am
       Book Study                       Rath House, 10:15 am
2/14 Ash Wed Worship             Church, 7:30 pm
2/15 Holy Eucharist                   Church, 7:00 am
       Junior Choir                       Choir Room, 5:15 pm
       Adult Choir                        Choir Room, 7:30 pm
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.

CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
As we put the Alleluia away for Lent starting on Ash Wednesday, here is a beautiful poem by the faithful poet Mary Oliver.

Hallelujah
"Everyone should be born into this world happy
and loving everything.
But in truth it rarely works that way.
For myself, I have spent my life clamoring toward it.
Hallelujah, anyway that I’m not where I started!

And have you too been trudging like that, sometimes
almost forgetting how wondrous the world is
and how miraculously kind some people can be?
And have you decided that probably nothing important
is ever easy?
Not, say, for the first sixty years.

Hallelujah, I’m sixty now, and even a little more,
and some days I feel I have wings."

Epiphany blessings, Vicki+
 

Dear Friends in Christ,
Our Annual Parish Meeting is this Sunday at 11:15 am the 10 am Family Service. This is always an important time to gather as a parish, hear from our lay and clergy leaders, and elect Vestry members and deputies to Diocesan Convention. We will also be celebrating Charlie White’s 93rd birthday with a cake! Please look at the announcements below, especially:

• Parish Directory (Christian Formation)
• Leadership Slate (Christian Formation)

• On-line Giving (Stewardship)
• Soup for All Seasons (Helping Hands)
• ShopRite Grant (Helping Hands)
• New Book for Study (Christian Formation)
• Prayer for Good Sportsmanship (Christian Practices)

CHRISTIAN FORMATION
2018 Parish Directory Ready for Pick-up in the Narthex! Please take one.  

Annual Meeting Leadership Slate – Here are the people who are standing for election at Sunday’s meeting. We have a single slate, and as you can see, we have a few open positions. If you are interested in serving in any of these capacities, please e-mail Mother Vicki or make a nomination from the floor on Sunday. Please note – if you nominate someone else, please make sure they are able and willing to serve! Thanks.

• Warden (2 year term): Tom Hackett                                                
  
• Vestry (3 year term): Wendy Clarkson                                             
• Vestry (3 year term): Janice Lettieri   
• Vestry (3 year term): OPEN                                
  
• Vestry (2 year unexpired term): OPEN
• Diocesan Convention Deputy (3 Year Term): Carol Berry                                                               
• Diocesan Convention Deputy (2 Year Term): Jean Kimak
• Diocesan Convention Deputy (1 Year Term): OPEN
• Diocesan Convention Alternate (3 Year Term): OPEN

Bible Study/Book Study – Wed. at 10:15 am, in the Rath House. We are starting a new series that will run from Feb 7 through the end of Lent. We will read and discuss Inwardly Digest: The Prayer Book as Guide to a Spiritual Life, by Derek Olsen. Here’s a description: “Daily spiritual practice takes dedication and discipline, and we often wonder where to start and how to keep it from feeling like yet another task on our to-do list. In this grounded, practical book, author Derek Olsen uses The Book of Common Prayer for a template to a deeper spiritual life. Olsen explains the purpose and intention of the prayer book with fresh insight, offering practical applications for daily living.” The book costs $20. Can’t come Wed. mornings? You are still welcome to buy a copy and read it on your own. The books will be available in the Narthex.

Pilgrim Study Group Mondays, 7-8:30 pm in the Rath House. The topic for the 6-week session is The Bible: “What is it, how was it given to us, and how should we read it” Learn how to make reading the Bible a part of everyday life, with the ability to read, pray, and listen to what God might be saying, allowing the words to change us. Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki.

HELPING HANDS
Soup for All Seasons – Home-made soup and applesauce is available in the Parish Hall freezer for purchase ($3/pint, $5/quart). This week’s soups are Potato Leek & Chicken Noodle. If you have a family member or neighbor who is ill or shut-in, feel free to take them soup as an outreach. And if you would like to gather with others to help make soup in the Parish House kitchen, please see Barbara Barbeau.

Veterans Community Dinner, Feb. 24 at 5:30 pm - Vets and their families from our local community and from the V.A. in Lyons are invited for fellowship, conversation, and friendship...and a wonderful home-cooked meal in All Saints' Parish House at no charge. How can you help? Set up, clean up, serving, cooking (side dishes, salads, desserts). And please get the word out and invite any Vets you know! A sign-up sheet for volunteering will go out soon. This ministry is a partnership with our friends in the Christian (Catholic) Community. For more information speak to Kerrie Stepko.

ShopRite Grant – We are very pleased to announce that we have once again received a grant from ShopRite in support of our food pantry. $2500 will be credited to our account at the Community FoodBank and will assist us in purchasing food that we distribute in the community and in Dover. Thank you, ShopRite!

Knitting for Seafarers – Looking for a great outreach project you can do on your own time? Seamen’s Church Institute in Port Newark collects handmade scarves, hats and vests as Christmas gifts for the seafarers who transport our goods across the ocean. Simple patterns are available. Janet Mansfield is the person who heads up the All Saints’ branch of this ministry. Interested? Speak to Janet.

STEWARDSHIP
Looking for a worry-free way to keep current on your pledge? We have two opportunities:

• Auto-Payments from your checking account can be set up through your computer and on-line banking on a monthly basis. Your donation will come to us as a check in the mail, all at no cost to you or us.
• Vanco/EFT involves a small user fee. The funds are taken directly from your checking account and deposited into the church account.

         Want more information or help setting this up? Speak to Barbara Barbeau, Financial Secretary. Thanks!

LENT
Ash Wednesday is February 14. It begins the season of Lent in which we prepare for Easter. Ash Wednesday is a day to take stock of our lives and to gather to remember “our mortal nature” and God’s abundant grace. There are two opportunities for worship:

• 9:30 am Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes
• 7:30 pm Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes, with music
• Can’t make either service? Stop in for Ashes in the Church anytime between 11:45 am-1:00 pm. There will be opportunity for prayer and imposition of ashes, as well as quiet meditation on your own.

Lenten Sunday Worship – during the more reflective and penitential season, we will use the Rite I version of our service t both 8 & 10 am, beginning with the Penitential Order. At 10 am we’ll also engage in a Lenten experiment of “Quiet Peace” in which we exchange the Peace with those closest to us. This will help us to reach out to our neighbor, and yet keep us in the quiet flow of worship.

Lenten Devotional Books from Forward Movement - Are We There Yet?: Pilgrimage in the Season of Lent. “Using various and varied stories of pilgrimage and pilgrims, this book will explore the penitential and purgative process of walking to/around/through some of the most beloved pilgrimage sites in the Christian tradition as well as introduce the idea of an internal pilgrimage, a journey through difficult terrain of the soul.” The books are free and are available for pick-up in the Narthex.
We’ll also be exploring the theme of pilgrimage in other ways during Lent. Keep an eye out!

DIOCESAN NEWS
The Bishop Search Process is well under way. The remainder of the timeline is listed below. If you would like to read more about the Bishop’s search, please look here: https://dioceseofnewark.org/bishop-search. In the meantime, please continue to pray for God’s guidance for our Search/Nominating Committee, and for our diocese. And save the date: May 13! That will be Bishop Beckwith’s last visitation with us – both before the election on May 19, and before his retirement on September 22.

Bishop's Search Timetable

• Jan 15 - Feb 2: Phone/Skype Interviews of Applicants (by the Search/Nominating Committee, made up of 15 people - lay and clergy - from around the diocese.)
  
• Feb 3 - 4: Final Discernment for Retreat Invitations (for selected applicants and Committee)
  
• Feb 5: Discernment Retreat Invitations Sent
• Feb 19 - 22: Discernment Retreat
• Feb 23 - Mar 2: Narrow to Candidates
• Mar 5: Standing Committee Review and Announce 4 to 6 Final Candidates (The Standing Committee is made up of 4 lay persons and 4 clergy, elected by our Convention. They are the Bishop’s council of advice, and the ecclesiastical authority in the absence of a bishop. They have canonical authority for a bishop’s election.)
  
• Mar 5 - 15: Petition Process Open (i.e. nominations “from the floor”)
  
• May 3 - 6: 'Walkabouts' in Diocese (public presentations for all to come and hear/meet the finalists)
• May 19: Electing Convention (lay deputies and clergy from all congregations)
• Sep 22: Ordination of the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Newark (to which we are all invited!)

 PARISH CALENDAR
2/5   Pilgrim Study Group            Rath House, 7:00 pm
2/7   Book Study                        Rath House, 10:15 am
2/8   Holy Eucharist                    Church, 7:00 am
         Junior Choir                       Choir Room, 5:15 pm
         Adult Choir                        Choir Room, 7:30 pm
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.

CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Candlemas – February 2 is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple. This is when the forty-day-old Infant Jesus was taken by his parents to the Temple in Jerusalem and presented to God as an offering, as was required for all first-born sons. At the Temple the met Anna and Simeon, two faithful and devout Jews who had been praying and waiting for the appearance of God’s Messiah. God had promised Simeon that he would not die before he had seen this take place. When Simeon saw the Child, he knew God had fulfilled his promise and proclaimed the words we know as the canticle Nunc Dimittis, which is always a part of Evening Prayer and Compline:

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, *
    according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, *
    which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, *
    and to be the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

The nickname for the day, Candlemas, comes from the traditional practice of blessing all the candles to be used for the church year at this service, related to Jesus being the Light “to lighten the Gentiles.” It is also the day on which any remaining greens, wreaths, and Christmas decorations are taken down.

The Nunc Dimittis has been set to music many times, by many different composers. Here are two recordings.
This first is by composer Geoffrey Burgon (published 1979), sung by the Abbey School Choir of Tewksbury https://youtu.be/1qIcmk8Eplw.
The second recording is by the early 17th century composer William Byrd, and sung by the Merbecke Choir, the chamber choir of Southwark Cathedral. The recording was made during a service of Compline and includes the traditional antiphon (sung refrain): “Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.” https://youtu.be/cZ44v5Q-vXA  

And on a completely different note….
With Sunday evening’s festivities in mind:
Prayer for Good Sportsmanship
Holy God, you have given us the joy of movement and games, and inspire us to always do our best: Be with those who will compete today; give them heart and a sense of fairness; keep them safe. Be with the fans and officials and give them a sense of perspective. And may our common life reflect your peace and goodness. We ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Epiphany blessings, Vicki+