Dear Friends in Christ,
In this autumn time we look forward to Thanksgiving and reflect on what we are grateful for. We also are in the season of stewardship as it relates to our Annual Pledge Drive. Of course, stewardship is about much more than money. It’s about being grateful for all God has given us, taking proper care of what has been entrusted to us, and finding ways to share that with others. What we have in our community of faith is very special, and so we offer our prayers, our active participation and our financial support. Here at All Saints’ you can:
· Have an intimate experience of God.
· Be who you are.
· Have a loving and supportive community.
· Be invested in the well-being of our civic community.
· Be invited to grow in your faith & all questions are welcomed.
I invite you to invest in All Saints’ by sharing how much the community means to you with others who are looking for a spiritual home. Your pledge of financial support for 2016 is very important as well; without contributions from everyone here we can’t pay our bills and sustain the life of our parish. If you have already sent in your pledge card, thank you. If you are still considering what your pledge will be, thank you. We need to have everyone’s response by November 8. Thank you for the blessing of your prayerful investment in All Saints’ Church. ~ VGM+
+ + + + + +
Rector at Clergy Conference – this coming week Mother Vicki will be in Shawnee, PA at the annual Diocesan Clergy Conference Mon-Wed. There will be no Bible study this week. If you have a pastoral emergency, please call Vicki’s cell phone: 973-886-4119; she’ll be checking for messages.
Please look at these announcements:
Trunk or Treat – Events
Argyle’s Fish & Chips (“Fish Fright”) – Fun & Fundraising
All Saints’ Day/Necrology – Worship
All Saints’ Evensong – Worship
Family Promise Homeless Shelter – Helping Hands
+ + + + + + + +
EVENTS
Trunk or Treat – This Sunday, October 25 at 11:15 am. Kids wear their Halloween costumes, and adults are asked to bring treats – and even decorate the back of their cars – as kids trick-or-treat from car to car. Children will gather after the 10 am service on the Parish House front lawn while the adults get their cars ready. Join the fun and bring a friend!
Community Art Show - Thank you to Nancy Mink, Kathy Bousquet, Tom Day, Parker Godwin (for the publicity signs), and everyone who worked on the Art Show to make it such a lovely afternoon ~ especially the artists who shared their work and their talent!
FUN & FUNDRAISING
It’s a “Fish Fright” on Thursday, Oct. 29. Our annual Fish & Chips Dinner catered by Argyle of Kearny. Our annual Fish & Chips Dinner catered by Argyle of Kearney. Tickets (in advance) are $18 for adults/$9 for kids under 12; available on Sunday or call/e-mail the Parish Office. Take a flyer or two after Church ~ Please spread the word! This is always a wonderful community event. Put the date on your calendar now, and invite your friends!
We still need help in the following areas:
Tickets/Working the Door – 2 more people
Bake Cookies & Desserts (especially pies & chocolate chip cookies) – 2 more bakers
Serve Desserts; Package Take-out Cookies – 1 more person
Provide & Serve Cold Drinks (Iced Tea/Lemonade) - 2 people (we don’t have anyone covering this). We also need to borrow some large drink coolers. Please respond via e-mail if you can lend them
Set Up Room – 1 more person
Set Up Eat-in Plates – 2 more people
Serve Tables ~ Teens & Adult – 3 more people
Clean Up – 3 more people
Please put your name on the poster in the Narthex, or respond to this e-mail is you can help. Thanks!
WORSHIP and MUSIC
All Saints’ Day Festive Evensong ~ November 1 at 4 pm.
We will celebrate our parish feast day and mark the installation the new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, with this beautiful service of Scripture, choral music, and hymns.
We’ll be joined by the choir and congregation of All Saints’, Scotch Plains, from the Diocese of New Jersey. The Rev. Jane Rockman, retired Rector of the Scotch Plains parish will be the guest preacher. Our friends from the Christian Community, who worship in our Parish House, are invited as well.
Refreshments will follow. Please bring finger foods: cheese and crackers, appetizers, cookies, fruit. Bottles of wine are welcome, too. Please put your name on the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to let us know what you can contribute to our party. Come join the celebration!
Necrology for All Saints’ Day – at the start of both our morning services on All Saints’ Day, November 1, we will chant the Necrology – those who have died in the parish in the past year, and those from your families and friends you would like to have included. To add someone’s name to the list, please call or e-mail the Parish Office by Monday, October 26.
Stewardship
Buildings & Grounds Thank Yous To...
Sam Litra & Troop 56 Scouts for starting the work on the new Parish House coat room.
Tom Day for painting the Long Hill Road side of the Parish House.
Bill Smullen for repairing the lamp post on the edge of the parking lot.
Roger Mederos for repairing and cleaning some of the overhead Parish Hall lights.
We are also grateful for Robert Gibbons’ contracting work to fill the sink hole at the rear of the Church and repair the cement steps behind the Church, behind the Rath House, and going into the choir room entrance.
Stewardship Prayer ~ Gracious and Loving God, you have given us yourself so freely and blessed beyond measure this world you have made; and you call us to a life of joyful generosity. We give you thanks, and pray that your Holy Spirit would inspire and guide us as we make plans and provisions for this church, our spiritual home. And we ask that as we give of ourselves to others, we may become more like your Son Jesus, in whose holy Name we pray. Amen.
HELPING HANDS
Family Promise Homeless Shelter – Tuesday, November 17, is our next turn to serve at the shelter for homeless families when it is hosted at Trinity House/Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling. There will be a sign-up sheet in the Narthex next Sunday (Nov. 1). We’ll need two people to stay overnight – 1 man & 1 woman; someone to make lasagna, provide other parts of the meal, serve and visit with the shelter guests. Speak to Kathy Pfeil for more information.
Knitting for Seafarers – do you enjoy kitting? Would you like to participate in an outreach effort that you can do at home, or take with you? Knit for the Christmas-at-Sea project of the Seaman’s Church Institute. Janet Mansfield collects all the hats and scarves our knitters make and send them to Port Newark where they are distributed to merchant seafarers. To volunteer speak to Janet. For more information look here http://seamenschurch.org/.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Confirmation Class starts this Sunday at 12 noon/after Trunk or Treat, in the large room in the Undercroft.
Bible Study won’t meet this week. We’ll pick up next week on Wed. 10:15-11:30 am in the Rath House. We’ll discuss the Wise Woman of Tekoa, the Woman of Bahurim, the Wise Woman of Abel: pages 210-221 in Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter. We are always happy to have new people join the group. Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki.
+ + + + + + + + +
PARISH CALENDAR
10/26 -10/28 Rector away
10/29 Holy Eucharist 7:00 am Church
Small Saints & Junior Choirs 5:15 pm Choir Room
Adult Choir 7:30 pm Choir Room
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.
Parish Office Hours: 9:30 am-4:00 pm, Mon., Tues., Thu.
Rector’s Sabbath day: Friday
FOR ALL THE SAINTS
October 26, Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, died 899 AD.
Alfred, alone of all English rulers, has been called “the Great,” because of his courage and Christian virtues. Born in 849 at Wantage, Berkshire, the youngest of five sons of King Aethelwulf, Alfred spent his life in a time of “battle, murder, and sudden death” during the
Viking invasions and settlement in Britain. He was deeply impressed when, on a visit to Rome at the age of four, he was blessed by Pope Leo the Fourth, and two years later when he witnessed the marriage of Aethelwulf to a young princess of the Frankish court. Following his father’s death and the short reigns of his brothers, Alfred became King in 871.
In heroic battles and by stratagems against the Danes, Alfred halted the tide of their invasion, and secured control of the southern, and part of the midland regions, of England for the English. After a decisive victory in 878 at Edington over the Danish leader Guthrum, he persuaded his foe to accept baptism. Alfred died on October 26, 899, and was buried in the old Minster at Winchester.
In his later years, Alfred sought to repair the damage that the Viking invasions had inflicted on culture and learning, especially among the parish clergy. With the help of scholars from Wales and the Continent, he supervised translations into English of important classics of theology and history, including works of Pope Gregory the Great, Augustine of Hippo, and the Venerable Bede. In one of them he commented: “He seemed to me a very foolish man, and very wretched, who will not increase his understanding while he is in the world, and ever wish and long to reach that endless life where all shall be made clear.” ~ Lesser Feasts and Fasts
Question for reflection: What type of reading and study draws you closer to God?
+ + + + + + + + +
“I wonder what church would be like if we would stop treating it as a project; if we would stop trying to fix people to make them like us (so that we feel better about ourselves?); if we would stop hiding behind our ancient – or even fairly modern – walls and routines; if we walked our streets ‘barefoot’- with receptive hearts – discerning and welcoming whatever God sends our way?”
~ Peter Aschoff, German Lutheran writer
Blessings,
Vicki+
In this autumn time we look forward to Thanksgiving and reflect on what we are grateful for. We also are in the season of stewardship as it relates to our Annual Pledge Drive. Of course, stewardship is about much more than money. It’s about being grateful for all God has given us, taking proper care of what has been entrusted to us, and finding ways to share that with others. What we have in our community of faith is very special, and so we offer our prayers, our active participation and our financial support. Here at All Saints’ you can:
· Have an intimate experience of God.
· Be who you are.
· Have a loving and supportive community.
· Be invested in the well-being of our civic community.
· Be invited to grow in your faith & all questions are welcomed.
I invite you to invest in All Saints’ by sharing how much the community means to you with others who are looking for a spiritual home. Your pledge of financial support for 2016 is very important as well; without contributions from everyone here we can’t pay our bills and sustain the life of our parish. If you have already sent in your pledge card, thank you. If you are still considering what your pledge will be, thank you. We need to have everyone’s response by November 8. Thank you for the blessing of your prayerful investment in All Saints’ Church. ~ VGM+
+ + + + + +
Rector at Clergy Conference – this coming week Mother Vicki will be in Shawnee, PA at the annual Diocesan Clergy Conference Mon-Wed. There will be no Bible study this week. If you have a pastoral emergency, please call Vicki’s cell phone: 973-886-4119; she’ll be checking for messages.
Please look at these announcements:
Trunk or Treat – Events
Argyle’s Fish & Chips (“Fish Fright”) – Fun & Fundraising
All Saints’ Day/Necrology – Worship
All Saints’ Evensong – Worship
Family Promise Homeless Shelter – Helping Hands
+ + + + + + + +
EVENTS
Trunk or Treat – This Sunday, October 25 at 11:15 am. Kids wear their Halloween costumes, and adults are asked to bring treats – and even decorate the back of their cars – as kids trick-or-treat from car to car. Children will gather after the 10 am service on the Parish House front lawn while the adults get their cars ready. Join the fun and bring a friend!
Community Art Show - Thank you to Nancy Mink, Kathy Bousquet, Tom Day, Parker Godwin (for the publicity signs), and everyone who worked on the Art Show to make it such a lovely afternoon ~ especially the artists who shared their work and their talent!
FUN & FUNDRAISING
It’s a “Fish Fright” on Thursday, Oct. 29. Our annual Fish & Chips Dinner catered by Argyle of Kearny. Our annual Fish & Chips Dinner catered by Argyle of Kearney. Tickets (in advance) are $18 for adults/$9 for kids under 12; available on Sunday or call/e-mail the Parish Office. Take a flyer or two after Church ~ Please spread the word! This is always a wonderful community event. Put the date on your calendar now, and invite your friends!
We still need help in the following areas:
Tickets/Working the Door – 2 more people
Bake Cookies & Desserts (especially pies & chocolate chip cookies) – 2 more bakers
Serve Desserts; Package Take-out Cookies – 1 more person
Provide & Serve Cold Drinks (Iced Tea/Lemonade) - 2 people (we don’t have anyone covering this). We also need to borrow some large drink coolers. Please respond via e-mail if you can lend them
Set Up Room – 1 more person
Set Up Eat-in Plates – 2 more people
Serve Tables ~ Teens & Adult – 3 more people
Clean Up – 3 more people
Please put your name on the poster in the Narthex, or respond to this e-mail is you can help. Thanks!
WORSHIP and MUSIC
All Saints’ Day Festive Evensong ~ November 1 at 4 pm.
We will celebrate our parish feast day and mark the installation the new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Michael Curry, with this beautiful service of Scripture, choral music, and hymns.
We’ll be joined by the choir and congregation of All Saints’, Scotch Plains, from the Diocese of New Jersey. The Rev. Jane Rockman, retired Rector of the Scotch Plains parish will be the guest preacher. Our friends from the Christian Community, who worship in our Parish House, are invited as well.
Refreshments will follow. Please bring finger foods: cheese and crackers, appetizers, cookies, fruit. Bottles of wine are welcome, too. Please put your name on the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to let us know what you can contribute to our party. Come join the celebration!
Necrology for All Saints’ Day – at the start of both our morning services on All Saints’ Day, November 1, we will chant the Necrology – those who have died in the parish in the past year, and those from your families and friends you would like to have included. To add someone’s name to the list, please call or e-mail the Parish Office by Monday, October 26.
Stewardship
Buildings & Grounds Thank Yous To...
Sam Litra & Troop 56 Scouts for starting the work on the new Parish House coat room.
Tom Day for painting the Long Hill Road side of the Parish House.
Bill Smullen for repairing the lamp post on the edge of the parking lot.
Roger Mederos for repairing and cleaning some of the overhead Parish Hall lights.
We are also grateful for Robert Gibbons’ contracting work to fill the sink hole at the rear of the Church and repair the cement steps behind the Church, behind the Rath House, and going into the choir room entrance.
Stewardship Prayer ~ Gracious and Loving God, you have given us yourself so freely and blessed beyond measure this world you have made; and you call us to a life of joyful generosity. We give you thanks, and pray that your Holy Spirit would inspire and guide us as we make plans and provisions for this church, our spiritual home. And we ask that as we give of ourselves to others, we may become more like your Son Jesus, in whose holy Name we pray. Amen.
HELPING HANDS
Family Promise Homeless Shelter – Tuesday, November 17, is our next turn to serve at the shelter for homeless families when it is hosted at Trinity House/Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling. There will be a sign-up sheet in the Narthex next Sunday (Nov. 1). We’ll need two people to stay overnight – 1 man & 1 woman; someone to make lasagna, provide other parts of the meal, serve and visit with the shelter guests. Speak to Kathy Pfeil for more information.
Knitting for Seafarers – do you enjoy kitting? Would you like to participate in an outreach effort that you can do at home, or take with you? Knit for the Christmas-at-Sea project of the Seaman’s Church Institute. Janet Mansfield collects all the hats and scarves our knitters make and send them to Port Newark where they are distributed to merchant seafarers. To volunteer speak to Janet. For more information look here http://seamenschurch.org/.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Confirmation Class starts this Sunday at 12 noon/after Trunk or Treat, in the large room in the Undercroft.
Bible Study won’t meet this week. We’ll pick up next week on Wed. 10:15-11:30 am in the Rath House. We’ll discuss the Wise Woman of Tekoa, the Woman of Bahurim, the Wise Woman of Abel: pages 210-221 in Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter. We are always happy to have new people join the group. Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki.
+ + + + + + + + +
PARISH CALENDAR
10/26 -10/28 Rector away
10/29 Holy Eucharist 7:00 am Church
Small Saints & Junior Choirs 5:15 pm Choir Room
Adult Choir 7:30 pm Choir Room
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.
Parish Office Hours: 9:30 am-4:00 pm, Mon., Tues., Thu.
Rector’s Sabbath day: Friday
FOR ALL THE SAINTS
October 26, Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, died 899 AD.
Alfred, alone of all English rulers, has been called “the Great,” because of his courage and Christian virtues. Born in 849 at Wantage, Berkshire, the youngest of five sons of King Aethelwulf, Alfred spent his life in a time of “battle, murder, and sudden death” during the
Viking invasions and settlement in Britain. He was deeply impressed when, on a visit to Rome at the age of four, he was blessed by Pope Leo the Fourth, and two years later when he witnessed the marriage of Aethelwulf to a young princess of the Frankish court. Following his father’s death and the short reigns of his brothers, Alfred became King in 871.
In heroic battles and by stratagems against the Danes, Alfred halted the tide of their invasion, and secured control of the southern, and part of the midland regions, of England for the English. After a decisive victory in 878 at Edington over the Danish leader Guthrum, he persuaded his foe to accept baptism. Alfred died on October 26, 899, and was buried in the old Minster at Winchester.
In his later years, Alfred sought to repair the damage that the Viking invasions had inflicted on culture and learning, especially among the parish clergy. With the help of scholars from Wales and the Continent, he supervised translations into English of important classics of theology and history, including works of Pope Gregory the Great, Augustine of Hippo, and the Venerable Bede. In one of them he commented: “He seemed to me a very foolish man, and very wretched, who will not increase his understanding while he is in the world, and ever wish and long to reach that endless life where all shall be made clear.” ~ Lesser Feasts and Fasts
Question for reflection: What type of reading and study draws you closer to God?
+ + + + + + + + +
“I wonder what church would be like if we would stop treating it as a project; if we would stop trying to fix people to make them like us (so that we feel better about ourselves?); if we would stop hiding behind our ancient – or even fairly modern – walls and routines; if we walked our streets ‘barefoot’- with receptive hearts – discerning and welcoming whatever God sends our way?”
~ Peter Aschoff, German Lutheran writer
Blessings,
Vicki+
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