Dear Friends in Christ,
This coming week (afternoon of 7/17-7/24) I will be in Connecticut with my siblings, clearing out our parents’ house as we hope to move forward with its sale shortly. This time will take the place of my usual week as Chaplain at choir camp. We appreciate your prayers for the sale moving forward! During this week, the Rev. Elizabeth Wigg-Maxwell will be on-call for emergency pastoral care. Next Sunday, July 24, we’ll have a supply priest, the Rev. Franklin “Skip” Vilas. He is the retired rector of St. Paul’s, Chatham, and was the priest I worked for when I was a seminarian. Please welcome Skip and his wife Joyce. I’ll be back in the office on Monday, July 25.
And this past week many of you have spoken to me about people they know – family or friends or neighbors – who are in need of prayer for healing, or for personal difficulties. In the Episcopal Church on July 11th one of our former Presiding Bishops died at the age of 87, the Rt. Rev. Edmond Lee Browning. Bishop Browning had been the Bishop of Hawaii, prior to his election as Presiding Bishop. He served in that office from 1986-1997. At his service of institution he made this declaration: “I want to be very clear: This church of ours is open to all — there will be no outcasts — the convictions and hopes of all will be honored.” Presiding Bishop Curry has called for all Episcopal churches to remember and pray for Bishop Browning this Sunday.
And, of course, yesterday we saw once again the power of violence and hatred in the attempt to terrorize peoples and governments in the Bastille Day attack in Nice, France. As Christians, we always hold together the truths of justice and forgiveness, strength and peace, judgement and love. It is often very difficult to do this, and yet it is what Jesus calls us to.
We as followers of Christ, as the baptized, have a vocation of prayer – for ourselves, our families, our neighbors, for the Church, and for the world. In such a time as this our prayer needs to be deep, heartfelt, and with a generous trust in the mercies and mysteries of God – especially when we feel the world’s pain, and the way seems most unclear. Thank you, Saints, for being Christ’s people of prayer.
Please see the following announcements:
· Summer Choir – in Worship
· Dinner for Vets – in Community Hospitality
· Gardens & Farmer’s Markets – in Christian Spiritual Practices
· Rummage Sale – in Stewardship
+ + + + + + + + +
WORSHIP
Summer Choir this Sunday–Anyone interested in singing for the day or in trying out choir is most welcome to participate! Meet in the Choir Room, downstairs in the church at 9:30 am. Choir is fun, rewarding, and you have the benefit of learning or increasing your music skills. Our next Summer Choir will be on August 21. And we have need for singers all year – all voice parts and all ages wanted and needed! And if you or your child play an instrument or want to learn to play handbells, we would love to have you be part of All Saints’ music ministry! Interested? Speak to Alison Seiner Brown.
Calling New Acolytes! Some of our acolytes (altar servers) have graduated and we are looking to expand the roster, serving about once a month. Students in Grade 7 and older are welcome – adults, too! For more information, speak to Janice Lettieri or Mother Vicki.
Prayer Service for Healing – The Christian Community will be gathering Tuesday, July 19 at 7 pm in the nave of our Church for prayers for healing. Members of All Saints’ are invited to come, as well.
STEWARDSHIP
The First Sunday of Rummage is coming - July 31st. We’ll start receiving donations in the Parish Hall. Please bring your good, clean, saleable items – and tell your neighbors we’ll take their rummage, too! Please remember that we do not take cribs, tires, books for grown-ups, shoes, clothes, large entertainment units, or tube TVs. And sign up on the poster in the narthex to help with all of the various jobs that need doing – esp. sorting and pricing in August. The theme of this year’s Rummage Sale is 10K - because we have $10,000 as our goal! You can help us get there! Questions? Speak to Kimberly Celeste.
Summer Finances – as folks are traveling and away on weekends during the summer, we always have a cash flow slow down. In addition, our planned-for budget deficit is accruing at about $500 a month. If you can keep current with your pledges and contributions (via mail, stopping by the office, or using the PayPal portal on our website) it would help greatly! Thank you. ~ The Finance Committee
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Forward Day by Day – the new devotional booklets for the quarter are here – both pocket-sized and large print. Pick one up in the Narthex today!
Bible Study is on hiatus for the summer. We’ll start again on Wed., August 31 at 10:15 am in the Rath House. And in September, we’ll begin reading the Book of Acts – the story of the first Christians and the development of our faith in the eastern Mediterranean. Looking for some Scripture reading over the next few weeks? Try the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. It’s four chapters long, and tells the story of king David’s grandmother – a refugee to Judah from Moab. Have a great summer!
COMMUNITY HOSPITALITY
Dinners for Vets – Saturday, 7/16 at 5:30 pm at the Parish House. We’ll have a summer cook out with all the usual suspects: burgers, dogs, sides, watermelon and ice cream. We’ll also be joined by some of our friends from the Christian Community. Anyone who would like to participate should contact the Dinner Team: Steve Kowalik, Candy Pecoraro, Afsaneh Thursfield, Betsy Wallace, Jane Hayden, or Hugh Wallace.
All Saints’ is a PokéStop, part of the new PokémonGO video/virtual reality game. What does this mean? It means that players will be stopping by the front of the church to play a segment of this scavenger hunt-like game on their phones. For more details you’ll need to speak to a young person! For our part, we’ll be inviting players to charge their phones in the Bell Tower of the Church, and offering water bottles on these hot summer days.
YOGA – two opportunities are now offered, taught by Lori Vigliotti:
Mondays at 6:15 pm in the Undercroft of the Church. Bring your own mat and wear comfortable clothes. Cost is $15 per session. No need to register in advance; just come to class.
Summer Senior Yoga & Meditation – in the Lower Room of the Parish House, Mondays at 2 pm, 7/18-8/22. Chair yoga and movement to improve visuo-spatial memory, balance, and depth perception for men and women. The program will be adapted to the needs of the participants. This class is sponsored by the Christian Community. Cost is $15. Wear comfortable clothing; no mat required! Please call Louise Easton at 973-822-9081 with questions.
Food Pantry - Thanks to everyone who continues to donate to our Twelve Baskets Food Pantry, with donations of food or money. Hunger and food insecurity do not take a take in the summer, and we are finding more ways to connect with families in our local community who need food assistance, as well as at the V.A. and in Dover. If you are interested in helping with this ministry here are some opportunities:
· Shop for us at the Community FoodBank in Hillside
· Drive food to Dover
· Organize items in the pantry
· Assembling take-out bags for the homeless in Dover
Want to help? Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex or speak to Candy Pecoraro, Steve Kowalik, Afsaneh Thursfield, or Jane Hayden.
+ + + + + + + + +
CHRISTIAN SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Gardening & Farmer’s Markets
Many of us have gardens – flower gardens, vegetable gardens, container gardens on our deck or patio. Tending to our gardens and their harvests can be a time for spiritual awareness and reflection. As you water and weed, take time to smell the earth; notice how the plants are growing; admire the beauty of leaves, flowers, and fruit and give thanks to God for his handiwork. Perhaps think about the “weeds” in your life that need pulling, or learn to see with patience the new shoots of attitudes or areas of faith that are growing in you.
If you don’t garden, but you do visit farmer’s markets, you can still connect to the beauty and bounty of God’s creation. Cut flowers brought inside can have a special place on your table or in your living room or prayer place, reminding you that the Lord is the author of all that is beautiful. Produce harvested from your garden or brought home from the market can be an opportunity to savor tastes, textures, and fragrances of food as it is prepared – either meditatively by one person, or with family or friends. The blessing of God’s abundance is a clear reminder to practice gratitude to the Giver of all that sustains our lives.
God of your goodness, give me yourself, for you are enough for me…
and if I ask anything less I shall ever be in want, for only in you have I all.
~ Dame Julian of Norwich, 14th century
+ + + + + + + + +
PARISH CALENDAR
7/18 Yoga 6:15 pm, Church Undercroft
Parish Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs. from 9:30 am-4:00 pm,
Rector’s Sabbath day: Friday
Remember to “Like” us on Facebook: All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Millington, NJ
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.
Blessings,
Vicki+
This coming week (afternoon of 7/17-7/24) I will be in Connecticut with my siblings, clearing out our parents’ house as we hope to move forward with its sale shortly. This time will take the place of my usual week as Chaplain at choir camp. We appreciate your prayers for the sale moving forward! During this week, the Rev. Elizabeth Wigg-Maxwell will be on-call for emergency pastoral care. Next Sunday, July 24, we’ll have a supply priest, the Rev. Franklin “Skip” Vilas. He is the retired rector of St. Paul’s, Chatham, and was the priest I worked for when I was a seminarian. Please welcome Skip and his wife Joyce. I’ll be back in the office on Monday, July 25.
And this past week many of you have spoken to me about people they know – family or friends or neighbors – who are in need of prayer for healing, or for personal difficulties. In the Episcopal Church on July 11th one of our former Presiding Bishops died at the age of 87, the Rt. Rev. Edmond Lee Browning. Bishop Browning had been the Bishop of Hawaii, prior to his election as Presiding Bishop. He served in that office from 1986-1997. At his service of institution he made this declaration: “I want to be very clear: This church of ours is open to all — there will be no outcasts — the convictions and hopes of all will be honored.” Presiding Bishop Curry has called for all Episcopal churches to remember and pray for Bishop Browning this Sunday.
And, of course, yesterday we saw once again the power of violence and hatred in the attempt to terrorize peoples and governments in the Bastille Day attack in Nice, France. As Christians, we always hold together the truths of justice and forgiveness, strength and peace, judgement and love. It is often very difficult to do this, and yet it is what Jesus calls us to.
We as followers of Christ, as the baptized, have a vocation of prayer – for ourselves, our families, our neighbors, for the Church, and for the world. In such a time as this our prayer needs to be deep, heartfelt, and with a generous trust in the mercies and mysteries of God – especially when we feel the world’s pain, and the way seems most unclear. Thank you, Saints, for being Christ’s people of prayer.
Please see the following announcements:
· Summer Choir – in Worship
· Dinner for Vets – in Community Hospitality
· Gardens & Farmer’s Markets – in Christian Spiritual Practices
· Rummage Sale – in Stewardship
+ + + + + + + + +
WORSHIP
Summer Choir this Sunday–Anyone interested in singing for the day or in trying out choir is most welcome to participate! Meet in the Choir Room, downstairs in the church at 9:30 am. Choir is fun, rewarding, and you have the benefit of learning or increasing your music skills. Our next Summer Choir will be on August 21. And we have need for singers all year – all voice parts and all ages wanted and needed! And if you or your child play an instrument or want to learn to play handbells, we would love to have you be part of All Saints’ music ministry! Interested? Speak to Alison Seiner Brown.
Calling New Acolytes! Some of our acolytes (altar servers) have graduated and we are looking to expand the roster, serving about once a month. Students in Grade 7 and older are welcome – adults, too! For more information, speak to Janice Lettieri or Mother Vicki.
Prayer Service for Healing – The Christian Community will be gathering Tuesday, July 19 at 7 pm in the nave of our Church for prayers for healing. Members of All Saints’ are invited to come, as well.
STEWARDSHIP
The First Sunday of Rummage is coming - July 31st. We’ll start receiving donations in the Parish Hall. Please bring your good, clean, saleable items – and tell your neighbors we’ll take their rummage, too! Please remember that we do not take cribs, tires, books for grown-ups, shoes, clothes, large entertainment units, or tube TVs. And sign up on the poster in the narthex to help with all of the various jobs that need doing – esp. sorting and pricing in August. The theme of this year’s Rummage Sale is 10K - because we have $10,000 as our goal! You can help us get there! Questions? Speak to Kimberly Celeste.
Summer Finances – as folks are traveling and away on weekends during the summer, we always have a cash flow slow down. In addition, our planned-for budget deficit is accruing at about $500 a month. If you can keep current with your pledges and contributions (via mail, stopping by the office, or using the PayPal portal on our website) it would help greatly! Thank you. ~ The Finance Committee
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Forward Day by Day – the new devotional booklets for the quarter are here – both pocket-sized and large print. Pick one up in the Narthex today!
Bible Study is on hiatus for the summer. We’ll start again on Wed., August 31 at 10:15 am in the Rath House. And in September, we’ll begin reading the Book of Acts – the story of the first Christians and the development of our faith in the eastern Mediterranean. Looking for some Scripture reading over the next few weeks? Try the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. It’s four chapters long, and tells the story of king David’s grandmother – a refugee to Judah from Moab. Have a great summer!
COMMUNITY HOSPITALITY
Dinners for Vets – Saturday, 7/16 at 5:30 pm at the Parish House. We’ll have a summer cook out with all the usual suspects: burgers, dogs, sides, watermelon and ice cream. We’ll also be joined by some of our friends from the Christian Community. Anyone who would like to participate should contact the Dinner Team: Steve Kowalik, Candy Pecoraro, Afsaneh Thursfield, Betsy Wallace, Jane Hayden, or Hugh Wallace.
All Saints’ is a PokéStop, part of the new PokémonGO video/virtual reality game. What does this mean? It means that players will be stopping by the front of the church to play a segment of this scavenger hunt-like game on their phones. For more details you’ll need to speak to a young person! For our part, we’ll be inviting players to charge their phones in the Bell Tower of the Church, and offering water bottles on these hot summer days.
YOGA – two opportunities are now offered, taught by Lori Vigliotti:
Mondays at 6:15 pm in the Undercroft of the Church. Bring your own mat and wear comfortable clothes. Cost is $15 per session. No need to register in advance; just come to class.
Summer Senior Yoga & Meditation – in the Lower Room of the Parish House, Mondays at 2 pm, 7/18-8/22. Chair yoga and movement to improve visuo-spatial memory, balance, and depth perception for men and women. The program will be adapted to the needs of the participants. This class is sponsored by the Christian Community. Cost is $15. Wear comfortable clothing; no mat required! Please call Louise Easton at 973-822-9081 with questions.
Food Pantry - Thanks to everyone who continues to donate to our Twelve Baskets Food Pantry, with donations of food or money. Hunger and food insecurity do not take a take in the summer, and we are finding more ways to connect with families in our local community who need food assistance, as well as at the V.A. and in Dover. If you are interested in helping with this ministry here are some opportunities:
· Shop for us at the Community FoodBank in Hillside
· Drive food to Dover
· Organize items in the pantry
· Assembling take-out bags for the homeless in Dover
Want to help? Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex or speak to Candy Pecoraro, Steve Kowalik, Afsaneh Thursfield, or Jane Hayden.
+ + + + + + + + +
CHRISTIAN SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Gardening & Farmer’s Markets
Many of us have gardens – flower gardens, vegetable gardens, container gardens on our deck or patio. Tending to our gardens and their harvests can be a time for spiritual awareness and reflection. As you water and weed, take time to smell the earth; notice how the plants are growing; admire the beauty of leaves, flowers, and fruit and give thanks to God for his handiwork. Perhaps think about the “weeds” in your life that need pulling, or learn to see with patience the new shoots of attitudes or areas of faith that are growing in you.
If you don’t garden, but you do visit farmer’s markets, you can still connect to the beauty and bounty of God’s creation. Cut flowers brought inside can have a special place on your table or in your living room or prayer place, reminding you that the Lord is the author of all that is beautiful. Produce harvested from your garden or brought home from the market can be an opportunity to savor tastes, textures, and fragrances of food as it is prepared – either meditatively by one person, or with family or friends. The blessing of God’s abundance is a clear reminder to practice gratitude to the Giver of all that sustains our lives.
God of your goodness, give me yourself, for you are enough for me…
and if I ask anything less I shall ever be in want, for only in you have I all.
~ Dame Julian of Norwich, 14th century
+ + + + + + + + +
PARISH CALENDAR
7/18 Yoga 6:15 pm, Church Undercroft
Parish Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs. from 9:30 am-4:00 pm,
Rector’s Sabbath day: Friday
Remember to “Like” us on Facebook: All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Millington, NJ
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.
Blessings,
Vicki+
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