
Dear Friends in Christ,
Alleluia. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Take a look at the announcements and “For All the Saints” below.
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PARISHIONER NEWS
Diocesan Senior Ministries Evensong, May 31 – this year’s honoree for All Saints’ is Janet Mansfield. Please come and support Janet, in thanksgiving for her many ministries at All Saints’. The Evensong will be at St. Peter’s, Morristown at 4 pm, preceded by a reception at 3 pm.
Sister Monica Clare is a Novice in the Community of St. John Baptist in Mendham. She has been singing in our choir for the last two years and assisting with some pastoral ministry. She will be making her First Vows on Tuesday, May 26 at 10:30 am at the Convent. If you would like attend this important and beautiful service and support Sr. Monica Clare, please speak to Mother Vicki.
Please remember to pick up your new Parish Directories in the Narthex of the Church. Thanks!
FUN & FUNDRAISING
Boy Scout Troop 56 Flower Sale – Friday & Saturday at the Valley Mall in Gillette. Please come and support our troop, and get some beautiful plants for your garden!
Save the Date, June 20th for Farm-to-Table Benefit Dinner “Fun”raiser for Food for Friends food pantry. Multi-course meal (and wine) at All Saints’ Parish House, brought to you by chef Jane Hayden. Jane grew up at All Saints’ and has moved back to the area where (among other things) she ran a small farm-to-table restaurant. Seating will be limited to 50 parishioners and their guests; tickets are $50 per person and go on sale May 10; a portion of the meal will be tax deductible. We’ll need some help with room decoration and set-up, clean-up, and some kitchen hands. More information coming soon. Put this on your calendar now, call your friends or neighbors and make an evening of it!
Men of the Parish! We need your help with Coffee Hour (after the 10 am service) on Mother’s Day, May 10. John McGrath is organizing this effort, so please speak to him with questions or to volunteer, or you can respond to this e-mail.
The Rummage Sale will be held on Saturday, September 19. Rummage collection will start on Sunday, August 2. The new "liturgical season" of Rummage will be upon us soon. Start saving up your treasures! The first day of rummage collection will be Sunday, August 2. Start setting aside your treasures – housewares, furniture, yard & garden tools, small appliances, toys, children’s books, lamps, boutique, etc. What don’t we take? Tires, tube TVs, cribs, clothes, books for adults. Kimberly Celeste is the person to contact with questions.
WORSHIP and MUSIC
Family Service & Communion Class Recognition, This Sunday, May 4, 10 am. No Sunday School, all children come to worship with their families; children’s homily; Nursery care is available in the downstairs of the Church (Undercroft); birthday & anniversary prayers. Francis Story will be recognized as having completed his Eucharist Instruction Class. Please come and help him celebrate!
Evensong for Ascension Day will be held on Thursday, May 14 at 7:30 pm. Canticles, Scripture, and chant for this major holy day - and light refreshments after. See you in church!
Compline - It's a wonderful, short time of prayer and meditation at the end of the day- a way to connect to Christ's peace. We'll hold Compline again on May 21 at 9 pm; hope you can join us!
Pentecost Banners - We'll be making Pentecost banners at coffee hour on May 17. This year there will be two sets of banners - big ones for the parking lot, and small individual banners to wave in our Pentecost procession at 10 am on May 24. We welcome everyone who wants to help with these. Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.
Trinity Tableau – Kids’ spring Sunday School Pageant on Sunday, May 31 (Trinity Sunday) at 10 am. All kids and teens are invited to participate! Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.
Special Needs Worship - All God's Children Service, at 12 noon, this Sunday, May 17 (on the 3rd Sundays of the month). Designed for children and families with a range of special needs - including anyone who has a hard time sitting still! A 30-minute service, no segment is longer than 3 minutes each; optional Communion. Pass the word to friends and neighbors who can benefit from this. Contact Mother Vicki for details.
HELPING HANDS
Family Promise - it's our turn to serve again at the homeless shelter at Trinity House/Shrine of St. Joseph on Monday, May 4th. We have all the volunteers we need for this month. But we’ll need assistance again later in the year. In the meantime, please pray for the shelter families as they work to get back on their feet. If you have questions, please speak to Kathy Pfeil.
Food for Friends – May 9th is the National Letter Carriers Food Drive. Let’s be sure to add to this awareness and effort by remembering to support the food pantry at St. John’, Dover on Sunday, May 10. Remember to bring your nutritious, non-perishable donations to Church that day. Need a shopping list? Pick one up on the table in the Narthex. Thanks.
Interested in learning to make Prayer Shawls? Pam Mehes is willing to teach anyone who wants to learn these crocheted patterns. Prayer shawls are a tangible reminder of God’s love and care… a hug from God! They are given to those who need them in times of difficulty or loss. If enough people are interested, a group can meet monthly to work on these together. Please speak to Pam if you are interested.
STEWARDSHIP
Buildings & Grounds - Do you have handyman skills, interests in gardening or care of our buildings? We are always looking for people we can call on for projects and planning here at church. If you are interested in helping out put your name on the sign-up sheet in the Narthex, or speak to Tom Day.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Women's Book Group will meet on Wednesday, May 20 at 7:30 pm in the Rath House. The book for discussion is Sea Music, by Sara MacDonald. Come for an evening of fellowship, discussion,
Bible Study, Wednesdays, 10:15-11:30 am in the Rath House. We are currently finishing up the Gospel of John. Come and explore Scripture and your faith in a relaxed setting where your questions are welcome and laughter and sharing is expected. Use one of our Bibles or bring your own!
The new Forward Day By Day (FDBD) booklets are here. FDBD is an Episcopal daily devotional booklet that is published quarterly. It’s the perfect size to fit in your pocket, briefcase, or handbag, and pull out whenever you need a quiet moment for prayer or bible reading. Pick one up in the Narthex. Forward Movement also has a whole host of on-line resources for prayer and meditation. Take a look here: www.forwardmovement.org
Last Day of Sunday School – May 17.
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PARISH CALENDAR THIS WEEK
5/6 Bible Study 10:15 am, Rath House
5/7 HE & Breakfast 7:00 am, Church
Junior Choir 5:00 pm, Choir Room
Adult Choir 7:30 pm, Choir Room
And please check the calendar on our website for the full listing of groups and events in our buildings.
Dates to Save
May 10 – Rogation Sunday, 8 & 10 am
May 14 – Ascension Day; Evensong at 7:30 pm
May 21 – Compline, 9 pm; Church open for prayer at8:30pm
May 24 – Pentecost, 8 & 10 am [Memorial Day weekend]
May 31 – Trinity Sunday, 8 am; Sunday School Trinity Tableau, 10 am
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For All the Saints – May 4, Monnica, Mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, died in 387
Monnica’s life story is enshrined in the spiritual autobiography of her eldest son, in The Confessions of Saint Augustine. Born in North Africa about 331, of Berber parents, Monnica was married to a Latinized provincial of Tagaste named Patricius, whom she won to the Christian faith before his death. In her earlier years she was not without worldly ambitions and tastes. She grew in Christian maturity and spiritual insight through an ever-deepening life of prayer.
Her ambition for her gifted son was transformed into a passionate desire for his conversion to Christ. After his baptism in Milan in 387, by Bishop Ambrose, Augustine and his mother, together with a younger brother, planned to return home to Africa. While awaiting ship at Ostia, the port of Rome, Monnica fell ill.
Augustine writes, “One day during her illness she had a fainting spell and lost consciousness for a short time. We hurried to her bedside, but she soon regained consciousness and looked up at my brother and me as we stood beside her. With a puzzled look, she asked, ‘Where was I?’ Then, watching us closely as we stood there speechless with grief, she said, ‘You will bury your mother here.’ ”
Augustine’s brother expressed sorrow, for her sake, that she would die so far from her own country. She said to the two brothers, “It does not matter where you bury my body. Do not let that worry you. All I ask of you is that, wherever you may be, you should remember me at the altar of the Lord.” To the question, whether she was not afraid at the thought of leaving her body in an alien land, she replied, “Nothing is far from God, and I need have no fear that he will not know where to find me, when he comes to raise me to life at the end of the world.”
Recent excavations at Ostia have uncovered her original tomb. Her mortal remains, however, were transferred in 1430 to the Church of St. Augustine in Rome. ~ Holy Women, Holy Men
Question for Reflection: What is important to you when you pray for your family and those you love? Do you ever feel God leading you to pray in surprising ways?
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Prayer at the door of a Christian hospital
O God,
Make the door of this house wide enough
to receive all who need human love and
fellowship, and a heavenly Father’s care;
and narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride, and hate.
Make its threshold smooth enough
to be no stumbling block to children,
nor to straying feet,
but rugged enough to turn back
the tempter’s power:
make it a gateway
to thine eternal kingdom. Amen. ~ Bishop Thomas Ken, 1637-1711
Blessings,
Vicki McGrath+