Dear Friends in Christ,
April is here and it’s a new month, a month that will include the holiest time of the entire year – Holy Week and Easter. The eight days from Palm Sunday to Easter Day contain the core of our faith, and the pattern of Christian life: from frustration and failure to death to resurrection and new life. I hope that you will plan to participate in Holy Week as fully as possible as a way to renew your soul and strengthen your faith in Christ.
Tomorrow (April 3) we’ll be honoring the memory of two parishioners in our morning services. At 8 am we’ll dedicate new Prayer Books that were purchased with funds given for the purpose by friends and family members of Delano May. At 10 am we’ll dedicate the new altar handrail that was given in memory of Eva Moulder. We’ll also dedicate the remainder of the Prayer Books given for Delano. I hope you can be on hand to remember and pray for these two wonderful saints who gave so much of themselves to God and to our parish.
+ + + + + + + + +
Family Service, April 3 at 10 am – no Sunday School classes; everyone comes to worship. Children’s homily and birthday and anniversary prayers.
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.
Youth News:
Middle School/High School Artists Needed, April 10. We need help making signs to put around town for the Fish and Chips dinner! If you have neat writing and can copy an example, please come to coffee hour on April 10 at 11:15. We’ll have all the materials you need. Please let Mother Vicki or Kimberly Celeste know if you can help.
Retreat for High Schoolers, Sunday, April 17, 11:30 am-2:00 pm, Rath House
Please come to the 10 am service to celebrate Palm/Passion Sunday.
Having heard the Passion read in church we'll reflect and respond to
the passion, death and resurrection of Christ through conversation,
art, and music. Bring your iPod and we'll find music that reflects
how we feel and experience Holy Week. Please bring snacks to share,
too. Questions? Contact Beth at bethrs@mac.com or 973-615-4778.
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!
MaundyThursday 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!
Fish and Chips Dinner (by Argyle of Kearny) – Thursday, May 5th, 5:30-7:30 pm, eat in or take out. Tell your friends! And check out the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to see how you can help. Proceeds from this dinner will go towards our Parking Lot challenge.
* * * * * * * * *
You are invited to a
Gala Brunch
Sunday, May 1st
11:15 am in the Parish Hall
to launch our
Parking Lot Challenge Campaign!
Join us in meeting the challenge of our matching grant
as we make our church grounds
more safe and welcoming to the wider community.
RSVP by April 27 Bring an appetizer, finger foods
allstsmill@hotmail.com or dessert to share
or via the sign-up sheet in the Narthex
+ + + + + + + + +
Lent 2011 – Days 21, 22, 23
holy is the dish and drain
the soap and sink, and the cup and plate
and the warm wool socks, and the cold white tile
showerheads and good dry towels
and frying eggs sound like psalms
with bits of salt measured in my palm
it’s all a part of a sacrament
as holy as a day is spent
holy is the busy street
and cars that boom with passion’s beat
and the check out girl, counting change
and the hands that shook my hands today
and hymn of geese fly overhead
and spread their wings like their parents did
blessed be the dog that runs in her sleep
to chase some wild elusive thing
holy is the familiar room
and quiet moments in the afternoon
and folding sheets life folding hands
to pray as only laundry can
i’m letting go of all my fear
like autumn leaves made of earth and air
for the summer came and the summer went
as holy as the day is spent
holy is the place I stand
to give whatever small good I can
and the empty page, and the open book
redemption everywhere I look
unknowingly we slow our pace
in the shade of unexpected grace
and with grateful smiles and sad lament
as holy as a day is spent
and morning light sings “providence”
as holy as a day is spent
- Carrie Newcomer (songwriter), “Holy as a Day is Spent”
Blessings,
Vicki McGrath+
April is here and it’s a new month, a month that will include the holiest time of the entire year – Holy Week and Easter. The eight days from Palm Sunday to Easter Day contain the core of our faith, and the pattern of Christian life: from frustration and failure to death to resurrection and new life. I hope that you will plan to participate in Holy Week as fully as possible as a way to renew your soul and strengthen your faith in Christ.
Tomorrow (April 3) we’ll be honoring the memory of two parishioners in our morning services. At 8 am we’ll dedicate new Prayer Books that were purchased with funds given for the purpose by friends and family members of Delano May. At 10 am we’ll dedicate the new altar handrail that was given in memory of Eva Moulder. We’ll also dedicate the remainder of the Prayer Books given for Delano. I hope you can be on hand to remember and pray for these two wonderful saints who gave so much of themselves to God and to our parish.
+ + + + + + + + +
Family Service, April 3 at 10 am – no Sunday School classes; everyone comes to worship. Children’s homily and birthday and anniversary prayers.
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.
Youth News:
Middle School/High School Artists Needed, April 10. We need help making signs to put around town for the Fish and Chips dinner! If you have neat writing and can copy an example, please come to coffee hour on April 10 at 11:15. We’ll have all the materials you need. Please let Mother Vicki or Kimberly Celeste know if you can help.
Retreat for High Schoolers, Sunday, April 17, 11:30 am-2:00 pm, Rath House
Please come to the 10 am service to celebrate Palm/Passion Sunday.
Having heard the Passion read in church we'll reflect and respond to
the passion, death and resurrection of Christ through conversation,
art, and music. Bring your iPod and we'll find music that reflects
how we feel and experience Holy Week. Please bring snacks to share,
too. Questions? Contact Beth at bethrs@mac.com or 973-615-4778.
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!
MaundyThursday 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!
Fish and Chips Dinner (by Argyle of Kearny) – Thursday, May 5th, 5:30-7:30 pm, eat in or take out. Tell your friends! And check out the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to see how you can help. Proceeds from this dinner will go towards our Parking Lot challenge.
* * * * * * * * *
You are invited to a
Gala Brunch
Sunday, May 1st
11:15 am in the Parish Hall
to launch our
Parking Lot Challenge Campaign!
Join us in meeting the challenge of our matching grant
as we make our church grounds
more safe and welcoming to the wider community.
RSVP by April 27 Bring an appetizer, finger foods
allstsmill@hotmail.com or dessert to share
or via the sign-up sheet in the Narthex
+ + + + + + + + +
Lent 2011 – Days 21, 22, 23
holy is the dish and drain
the soap and sink, and the cup and plate
and the warm wool socks, and the cold white tile
showerheads and good dry towels
and frying eggs sound like psalms
with bits of salt measured in my palm
it’s all a part of a sacrament
as holy as a day is spent
holy is the busy street
and cars that boom with passion’s beat
and the check out girl, counting change
and the hands that shook my hands today
and hymn of geese fly overhead
and spread their wings like their parents did
blessed be the dog that runs in her sleep
to chase some wild elusive thing
holy is the familiar room
and quiet moments in the afternoon
and folding sheets life folding hands
to pray as only laundry can
i’m letting go of all my fear
like autumn leaves made of earth and air
for the summer came and the summer went
as holy as the day is spent
holy is the place I stand
to give whatever small good I can
and the empty page, and the open book
redemption everywhere I look
unknowingly we slow our pace
in the shade of unexpected grace
and with grateful smiles and sad lament
as holy as a day is spent
and morning light sings “providence”
as holy as a day is spent
- Carrie Newcomer (songwriter), “Holy as a Day is Spent”
Blessings,
Vicki McGrath+
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