Dear Friends in Christ,

Thank you everyone who made the Bishop’s visit so successful this past Sunday.  Bishop Beckwith had lots of compliments for All Saints’, including the delicious refreshments which were offered at the reception.

Sunday begins our celebration of Holy Week, the most important time of the whole Christian year.  As we walk through the Holy Week journey with Jesus, we will find ourselves open to God’s love, sacrifice, blessings and meaning in new and deeper ways.  Please look at each of the items below and find ways that you can make Holy Week a time of growing faith for you. And then go one step further, and invite someone to come with you who needs to experience the love and grace of God.

The Voice Online is posted on the diocesan website: ­­­­­­­www.dioceseofnewark.org.

And in your prayers….please pray for David Temple who is in serious medical condition in the intensive care unit.
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Palm Sunday – April 1
Palms, Procession and Passion Gospel at 8 am; Palms, Bagpipe Procession and Passion Gospel at 10 am.  At the later service we’ll all gather in front of the Parish House and process around the Church, led by our piper Bill McAvoy. Once at the Church door the youngest children will go to their class in the Parish House.  All other children and adults will attend worship.

Easter Flowers – If you wish to donate flowers and plants to decorate the church for Easter in memory of a loved one in thanksgiving for a blessing, please use the envelopes in the pews and be sure to indicate the names of the people you want listed in the bulletin.  The deadline for names is April 1.

Maundy Thursday – April 5
Seder Supper, 6:00 pm in the Parish Hall: A pot-luck meal with the traditional Jewish Seder elements that tells the story of the Passover and Exodus – for all ages.  Please bring a main dish, salad/side dish or dessert and one of the seder ingredients.  Take a look at the sign-up sheet in the Narthex and let us know what you will bring.  This is an event for the whole family, so please plan to come.
Holy Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar, 7:30 pm: This is the service that marks Jesus’ Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist.  It is a time when all Christians worldwide of any denomination gather to remember what took place in the Upper Room.  At the end of the service we strip the altar of all linens, candles and hangings to symbolize the starkness of Good Friday.
Prayer Watch, 8:30 pm - Midnight: following the Maundy Thursday service you are invited to keep watch with Jesus. We set up a small altar with the Reserved Sacrament in front of the baptismal font (an altar of repose), with plants and flowers to represent the Garden of Gethsemane.  The watch is kept until midnight, when we pray a short form of the Good Friday Morning Prayer and receive Communion from the Reserved Sacrament.  We ask individuals to sign up for 30 minute time slots.  While several people can keep watch at a time, we hope that all the time slots will be covered. This is offered as a time of personal reflection and meditation.

 Good Friday – April 6
Stations of the Cross, 12 Noon: an interactive, inter-generational simple service for all ages.  As we move around the Church to mark each of the stops on Jesus’ journey to the Cross there are things to see, touch, say, sing and hear.  The service will be assisted by members of our Confirmation Class and any Middle Schoolers who would like to help.
Good Friday Liturgy, 7:30 pm: We gather in the starkness and simplicity of the Church, as at the foot of the Cross, to reflect on Jesus’ death and sacrifice for us.  There are prayers, Scripture readings and hymns.  Dr. Jody will sing the beautiful Gregorian chant hymn that is an adoration of the Cross (“Now my tongue the mystery telling”) and our friend and guest organist Shea Velloso will play an organ meditation.  Good Friday is always a difficult and uncomfortable day, but if we are present to it, our Easter celebrations will be much more powerful and joyful.

Holy Saturday – April 7
Kid’s Service, Easter Egg Hunt and Ribbon Decorating, 10 am: Our annual Easter Egg Hunt for younger children will take place on April 7 after the brief Kid’s Holy Saturday Service at 10 am.  We need some parents/grandparents to fill and hide eggs and provide some refreshments.  A new feature this year (suggested by our Visual Arts Ministry) – kids in grade 5-8 are asked to come and help make ribbon streamers to decorate our parking lot for Easter! Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.
Easter Vigil, 7:30 pm: This is the first celebration of Easter, a wonderful and beautiful service that moves us from darkness to light, from death to resurrection!  We start in the Memorial Garden with the lighting of the New Fire, followed by a candlelight procession into the Church, readings, hymns and anthems that trace the history of our salvation, we renew our baptismal vows and celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter.  As the lights come up we see the beauty of the newly decorated Church and altar.  When you come, please bring a bell to ring at the Easter Acclamation!  We will be blessed to have Shea Velloso as our guest organist for this service. There will be refreshments in the Narthex following the service.

Easter Sunday @ 8 and 10 am: Hymns, flowers, choirs, Resurrection, Eucharist and joy at both services!  Easter is the most important day in our lives as Christians.  Invite someone to Church to share it with you.
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Thanks for the Taizé services goes to Dr. Jody for arranging the candlelight, music and readings which were so peaceful and refreshing all throughout Lent.

Children’s Eucharist Instruction Class for kids in Grades 1 or 2 will meet on April 16, 23 and 30 (Mondays) at 4 pm with Mother Vicki in the Rath House.  Parents who want their kids to participate in learning more about our central act of worship and the sacrament of Communion should e-mail the parish office.

Green Faith to Host Residential Solar Screening Event for the Wider Community @ All Saints’ on April 29, 12:30-3:30 pm  – Interested in learning about how you might be able to have solar power installed at your house (at no cost to you), save money and benefit the Church at the same time?  Green Faith, in partnership with Google and AP Solar, will conduct a Solar Screening Event here.  We’ll have more information available soon, but put the date on your calendar now, and let your neighbors know that this might both interest and benefit them.

Argyle’s Fish and Chips – Save the Date: Thursday, May 3!  5:30 – 7:00 pm, $15 for adults, $7.50 for kids, eat in or take out. We’ll need help with selling tickets, setting up, desserts, drinks, serving, etc.  Tell your friends and bring your neighbors for a good time with the greater Long Hill township community.

 Women’s Book Group- The book for this month is The Dream by Harry Bernstein. We’ll be meeting to discuss this on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 pm in the Rath House. 

Stewardship – What is given to us is given to be given in return ~ Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury
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Palms of Peace

Are they the green and waving fronds
of triumph at the city gate,
lively now, but soon to wither,
crumble into dust?
Or are they palms that stretch,
though smashed and broken,
to embrace this withered world
and tender it to late
yet lasting life?
     ~ J. Barrie Shepherd

Blessings,
Vicki McGrath+

Dear Friends in Christ,

Bishop Beckwith will be at All Saints’ at the 10 am service for his parish visitation.  He will preach, celebrate the Eucharist, bless our reconditioned Parish House “Lower Room,” and share fellowship with us.  We will have Sunday School as usual, then at the Peace all classes will come to worship (inc. the children in the Parish Hall, and their class has moved back to the Lower Room).  The Bishop will have a short homily for the kids for them at the Peace. 

Thank you to everyone who has offered to help.  Please deliver all your delicious appetizers or sweets to the Parish Hall before you come to worship.  Thanks also to the folks who will set up and clean up.  Directly after worship we will gather in the Lower Room for the Bishop to dedicate and bless it before we go upstairs for the reception and Forum.  The kids can stay downstairs with Jasmine and Greer who will be providing child care. Originally our contractor was going to finish all the details on Friday, but he had to re-arrange his schedule to accommodate the building inspector on Monday.  So the last little bits will not be in place for Sunday, but they are soon to come.  Thanks be to God!

We were disappointed to learn yesterday that Marilyn Olsen, Bishop Beckwith’s wife, will not be able to join us, but hope that all of you can be present on Sunday for this important time in the life of All Saints’ when we can hear from the Bishop, and he can see and hear from us how God is working among us and through us and through our ministry of Community Hospitality.  See you in Church! 

And check the diocesan website: ­­­­­­­www.dioceseofnewark.org .

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Last Lenten Taizé service –thisWednesday at 7 pm.  Half an hour of candlelight, chanting, silence, and resting in the presence of God.  Thank you to Dr. Jody for offering this wonderful opportunity.

Easter Flowers – If you wish to donate flowers and plants to decorate the church for Easter in memory of a loved one in thanksgiving for a blessing, please use the envelopes in the pews and be sure to indicate the names of the people you want listed in the bulletin.  The deadline for names is March 29.

Palm Sunday – Next week.  Palms, Procession and Passion Gospel at 8 am; Palms, Bagpipe Procession and Passion Gospel at 10 am.  At the later service we’ll all gather in front of the Parish House and process around the Church, led by our piper Bill McAvoy.  Once at the Church door the youngest children will go to their class in the Parish House.  All other children and adults will attend worship.

Maundy Thursday
Seder Supper: A pot-luck meal with the traditional Jewish Seder elements that tells the story of the Passover and Exodus – for all ages.  April 5 @ 6 pm in the Parish Hall. Please bring a main dish, salad/side dish or dessert and one of the seder ingredients.  Take a look at the sign-up sheet in the Narthex and let us know what you will bring.  This is an event for the whole family, so please plan to come.

Holy Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar, 7:30 pm: This is the service that marks Jesus’ Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist.  It is a time when all Christians worldwide of any denomination gather to remember what took place in the Upper Room.  At the end of the service we strip the altar of all linens, candles and hangings to symbolize the starkness of Good Friday.

Prayer Watch: following the Maundy Thursday service you are invited to keep watch with Jesus. We set up a small altar with the Reserved Sacrament in front of the baptismal font (an altar of repose), with plants and flowers to represent the Garden of Gethsemane.  The watch is kept until midnight, when we pray a short form of the Good Friday Morning Prayer and receive Communion from the Reserved Sacrament.  We ask individuals to sign up for 30 minute time slots.  While several people can keep watch at a time, we hope that all the time slots will be covered. This is offered as a time of personal reflection and meditation.

Good Friday
Stations of the Cross, 12 Noon: an interactive, inter-generational simple service for all ages.  As we move around the Church to mark each of the stops on Jesus’ journey to the Cross there are things to see, touch, say, sing and hear.  The service will be assisted by members of our Confirmation Class and any Middle Schoolers who would like to help.

Good Friday Liturgy, 7:30 pm: We gather in the starkness and simplicity of the Church, as at the foot of the Cross, to reflect on Jesus’ death and sacrifice for us.  There are prayers, Scripture readings and hymns.  Dr. Jody will sing the beautiful Gregorian chant hymn that is an adoration of the Cross (“Now my tongue the mystery telling”) and our friend and guest organist Shea Velloso will play an organ meditation.  Good Friday is always a difficult and uncomfortable day, but if we are present to it, our Easter celebrations will be much more powerful and joyful.

Holy Saturday
Kid’s Service, Easter Egg Hunt and Ribbon Decorating: Our annual Easter Egg Hunt for younger children will take place on April 7 after the brief Kid’s Holy Saturday Service at 10 am.  We need some parents/grandparents to fill and hide eggs and provide some refreshments.  A new feature this year (suggested by our Visual Arts Ministry) – kids in grade 5-8 are asked to come and help make ribbon streamers to decorate our parking lot for Easter! Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

Easter Vigil, 7:30 pm: This is the first celebration of Easter, a wonderful and beautiful service that moves us from darkness to light, from death to resurrection!  We start in the Memorial Garden with the lighting of the New Fire, followed by a candlelight procession into the Church, readings, hymns and anthems that trace the history of our salvation, we renew our baptismal vows and celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter.  As the lights come up we see the beauty of the newly decorated Church and altar.  When you come, please bring a bell to ring at the Easter Acclamtion!  There will be refreshments in the Narthex following the service.

Easter Sunday @ 8 and 10 am: Hymns, flowers, choirs, Resurrection, Eucharist and joy at both services!  Easter is the most important day in our lives as Christians.  Invite someone to Church to share it with you.

Children’s Eucharist Instruction Class for kids in Grades 1 or 2 will meet on April 16, 23 and 30 (Mondays) at 4 pm with Mother Vicki in the Rath House.  Parents who want their kids to participate in learning more about our central act of worship and the sacrament of Communion should e-mail the parish office.

Green Faith to Host Residential Solar Screening Event for the Wider Community @ All Saints’ on April 29, 12:30-3:30 pm  – Interested in learning about how you might be able to have solar power installed at your house (at no cost to you), save money and benefit the Church at the same time?  Green Faith, in partnership with Google and AP Solar, will conduct a Solar Screening Event here.  We’ll have more information available soon, but put the date on your calendar now, and let your neighbors know that this might both interest and benefit them.

Argyle’s Fish and Chips – Save the Date: Thursday, May 3!  We’ll need help with selling tickets, setting up, desserts, drinks, serving, etc.  You can start now by saving the cardboard trays that seltzer and water bottles come in.

Women’s Book Group - The book for this month is The Dream by Harry Bernstein. We’ll be meeting to discuss this on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 pm in the Rath House. 

Stewardship - All we have been given in this life is on loan, at best. It is not ours, we will never truly own it. We have it, for whatever reason, in order to care for it as best we can….We are stewards of all of it, called by God to leave the land, our material possessions, our money, and our relationships better than we found them, or they found us. ~ The Rt. Rev. Gregory H. Rickel, Bishop, Diocese of Olympia

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Collect for Mission (one of three in Morning Prayer)
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on
the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within
the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit
that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those
who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for
the honor of your Name. Amen.
     Book of Common Prayer, page 101

Blessings,
Vicki McGrath+

Dear Friends in Christ,

This week at the 10 am service we will have a guest preacher – one of the leaders of the Alcoholics Anonymous groups that meets here at All Saints’.  Some of AA’s roots are in the Episcopal Church.  When one of the movement’s two founders Bill W. first got sober it was through the ministry of the Rev. Samuel Shoemaker, the rector of Calvary Church, NYC in the 1920s and 30s.  Bill learned many of the spiritual principles that became the Twelve Steps of A.A. from Shoemaker.  In fact, Bill often referred to Sam as a co-founder of A.A.  There is much spiritual wisdom for living life in these steps for all people.  It is All Saints’ privilege to be able to host these meetings on five days every week, providing a place for lives to be saved and transformed – with the help and power of God.
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Community Forum: Who’s in the Driver’s Seat? Caring for Aging Parents (from the perspective of the care-giver). Tuesday, March 29, 7:30-9 pm; Nunzio Gubitosa, presenter.  Nunzio is a staff therapist at Grace Counseling Center in Madison. The Forum will take place in the Parish Hall, with ample time for questions and discussion.  Last week’s discussion was very helpful and informative; this will be a good follow-up. Come and bring a friend or family member.

Homeless Shelter, March 31st – All Saints’ turn at the Interfaith Shelter at the Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling.  We need some people to cook and serve a meal to the shelter families that Thursday evening, as well as one or two people to spend the night.  If you can help with this important ministry, please speak to Steve Leisch.

Church School Mite Boxes are available in the Narthex.  Throughout Lent kids will collect coins to go towards an outreach project through Episcopal Relief and Development such as buying a flock of chickens for a family.  The mite boxes will then be returned on Easter Sunday.

Japan Relief Contributions will be collected for another week.  From communication with St. Alban’s Church in Tokyo we have learned that the Diocese of Tohoku (Sendai region) is receiving support from the US Diocese of Louisiana, with whom they have had a long prayer partner relationship.  Contributions will go directly to relief efforts through the local Japanese diocese.  Checks can be made out to “Episcopal Community Services” and put in the offering plate.  We will then send them on to New Orleans to be routed to Japan.  Thank you for your prayers and support for the people of Japan at this very difficult time.

Easter Flower Donations—if you would like to donate to our Easter decorations
in memory of or in thanksgiving for someone, please put your contribution in the Easter flower envelope you’ll find in the pews & write the name(s) of the person to be honored, as well as your name.  All names will be listed in the Easter bulletins.  Donations must be received by April 10th.  Questions?  Speak to Janet Mansfield.

Small Saints’ Easter Egg Hunt – Saturday, April 23, 10:15 am in the Parking Lot (following the Kid’s Holy Saturday Service at 10 am). For children in Grade 2 or younger – and their siblings!  Please sign-up on the sheet in the Narthex.  We’ll need a few parents to fill and hide plastic Easter Eggs and someone to bring some refreshments (juice, cookies, coffee).  Come and be a part of this fun All Saints’ tradition!

Maundy Thursday Seder Supper – April 21, 6 pm in the Parish Hall. Pot-Luck supper with a seder plate at each table.  We’ll tell the story of the Exodus and the release of God’s people from slavery in Egypt and the ways that Christian faith connects to that experience. Come for food and fellowship as we begin our Maundy Thursday celebration.  All ages are welcome.  Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

Seaman’s Church Institute – We have a great group of dedicated knitters who make hats and scarves for the seafarers’ Christmas-at-Sea program.  We recently sent 23 items to Port Newark.  Thank you to all who have taken on this ministry.  If anyone else is interested in knitting, please speak to Janet Mansfield jecmans@aol.com.  Also, if anyone has unused yarn at home or would like to donate yarn for these projects please speak to Janet.  Thank you.  

Women’s Book Group – April 27, 7:30 pm.  This month’s book will be The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.  Come join the fun at the Rath House!

Parking Lot Challenge: Gala Kick-off Brunch, May 1, 11:15 am.  Come and be part of this important and fun event as we take the next step in making our church more welcoming and open to serving the community.  There are a number of ways that you can help – check out the sign-up sheets in the narthex.  Also….save the date and get involved with the Fish and Chips Dinner (fund-raiser for parking lot) on May 5th.
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Lent 2010 Day 14

O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,
as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.

Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place,
 that I might behold your power and your glory.

For your loving-kindness is better than life itself;
 my lips shall give you praise.

When I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the night watches.

For you have been my helper,
and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.
                                   Psalm 63:1-3, 6-7

Blessings,
Vicki McGrath+