Rector’s Summer Schedule: From July 21-27, I’ll be in Wilkes Barre, PA serving as chaplain at the RSCM summer course (aka choir camp), as I have done for many years. It is part of my service to the wider church. During the week I am available by cell phone as needed. For general questions, Susie Harris will have her regular Parish Office hours, or you may call Tom Day. If you have a pastoral emergency (need to be seen in the hospital by a priest), you may call the Rev. Shawn Carty, from St. Mark’s, Mendham.
From July 28-August 25 I will be on vacation. For pastoral emergencies during that time call the Rev. Elizabeth Wigg-Maxwell (St. Peter’s, Livingston, from 7/28-8/2) or the Rev. Paul Olsson (St. Paul’s, Morris Plains, from 8/3-8/24).
Services from July 27-August 24
7/27 Holy Eucharist, the Rev. Margie Tuttle
8/3 Holy Eucharist, the Rev. Peter Boyle
8/10 Morning Prayer
8/17 Holy Eucharist, the Rev. Stephen Gallaher
And for those of you who found the Church unbearably hot last Sunday… it turns out one of the air-conditioning units wasn’t drawing properly, and so we were only working at half-strength. That has now been repaired!
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WORHSIP
All God’s Children Service for special needs kids and their families is on hiatus for the summer. See you in September!
Summer Choir “Try It” - Next Sunday, July 27, all singers are invited to sing in a special summer choir. You do not need to be a regular member of the choir to sing this day. We'll meet at 9:00am on that Sunday morning to learn an anthem that we will sing in worship the same day. No long term commitment or previous choral experience is needed! If you like to sing, please come join us! For more information, contact Alison Siener Brown.
Junior Choir Open House - August 28, 5:00-6:30 pm. For boys and girls grade 2 and older. Does your child love to sing? Would you like him or her to learn the basics of music, make friends, be part of a supportive community and have fun? Come and learn more about our Junior Choir and have a chance to try it out – and bring a friend! For more info contact Alison Siener Brown.
FORMATION
Small Saints Arts Workshop, August 28, for Kids age 4-8; 9 am-12 noon. Music, crafts, snacks and games; $5 per family. A fun way to spend a summer morning before school starts! There’s a flyer on the table in the Narthex.
Save the Dates
Sunday School Ice Cream Social – September 5, 7 pm. Come and meet your teachers, friends and classmates for a fun event.
Welcome Sunday Hot Dog Picnic – September 7, 11:15 am. Gather after worship for a picnic on the Parish House lawn.
Wednesday Bible Study Group, is on hiatus for the summer. We’ll start again August 27, 10:15-11:30 am in the Rath House. This is an opportunity for sharing, discussion and growing in faith in a relaxed and casual setting. We’ll provide you with a Bible if you need one. Come and try us out at the end of the summer!
HELPING HANDS
Summer Community Blood Drive, Sunday, July 27 in the Parish Hall from 11am-3pm. In the summer months, blood supplies are typically very low. Give blood & the gift of life, just as God has given you new life! We also need some people to offer hospitality to our donors, and bakers to provide some post-donation snacks. Sign-up on the sheet in the Narthex to donate and/or volunteer to help. Invite your neighbors, too!
Food for Friends – Please remember to buy non-perishable foods to donate to the food barrel when you shop for yourself and your family. Thanks!
STEWARDSHIP
Rummage Drop-off will begin Sunday, August 3 in the Parish Hall. What do we take? Good, useful, fairly clean items that you can no longer use: furniture, house wares, linens, electronics, garden/lawn tools, toys, children’s books, holiday items, small appliances, boutique items, etc. We don’t take tube TVs, tires, broken items, large appliances, shoes, clothes or hardcover books for grown-ups.
And please check out the help we need with the Sale. There’s a sign-up poster in the Narthex. What help do we need? Set up tables in Parish Hall on 8/2; Price and sort; Kid wrangler on day of sale ; Clean up after sale; Deliver left-over rummage to other charities; Selling; Bake Sale; Food table staff; Publicity; New this year - Chili “cook off” to sell at the food table! If you have questions please speak with Kimberly Celeste or Charlotte Davis. And be sure to put the sale date, Sept. 20, on your calendar!
Please remember as you travel or have a lazy Sunday at home or at the Shore that it is very helpful to have everyone’s pledge contributions remain current. If you are not going to be at worship you can always put your check in the mail, or drop it off to the parish office. Thank you!
The work on the Undercroft will begin July 28 with the asbestos abatement. That will take a week. After that the side entrance work will begin. On August 28 there will be waterproofing done in the Undercroft (we continued to have ground-water leaking, even after this last week’s rain). The new floor will go in the first week in September. After July 28 we will not have access to the lower level of the Church. The Nursery will move to the living room of the Rath House, and the Counters/Tellers will work in the Rath House kitchen. All the Choir and music resources for the next month are so will be staged from the choir area at the back of the Church. The only entrance and exit for the building will be the door in the Bell Tower (there is an extra emergency exit back behind the Sacristy on the main level). All of this work will insure the continued health and well-being our Church building, our parishioners, and visitors/building users. If you see things stored where they aren’t normally, please be patient and understanding. Thank you!
Thank you to the crew who came out Thursday night and got the stored rummage moved from the Undercroft over to the Parish House, and helped get ready for the remediation/repair. Your help was greatly appreciated!
COMMUNITY HOSPITALITY
Fencing Camp – this week we hosted a local teen fencing camp in the Parish House (Lower Room in the morning, Parish Hall in the afternoon) on an emergency basis when they got flooded out of the Stirling Presbyterian Church. Glad we were able to help!
Little Explorers - During the month of July we are pleased to be hosting this Pre-K summer program for Long Hill Township Recreation. This is the sixth year the program has been here – a great partnership between All Saints’ and Long Hill Township.
Musik Garten Music Classes - This fall All Saints’ will become the host site for music classes for children from babies up to 8 years old – singing games and musical play all the way up to pre-piano/instrument classes on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. The classes are offered in partnership with the community organization Music in the Somerset Hills, and are taught by our own Alison Siener Brown. For more information or registration speak to Alison or go to http://musicsh.org/musikgarten/.
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Just then a lawyer (religious scholar/teacher of the Jewish Law) stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” Luke 10: 25-28
Blessings,
Vicki+