Dear Friends in Christ,
Here is this week’s e-letter. Our Parish Administrator Susie Harris will be back in the office after her vacation on Monday, October 9. Thanks to everyone who stepped up and helped with some of the regular parish tasks while she was away. Please check out the details look over the announcements below, as well as these other highlights:
FUN & FUNDRAISERS
Fall Fish ‘n Chips with Argyle of Kearney Thursday, October 26, 5:30-7:30 pm! Eat in or Take-out. Tickets are $18 for adults/$9 for kids. ($20/$10 for walk-ins at the door). Please tell your friends and neighbors! Take a flyer to distribute to local shops or give to friends. And take a look at the sign-up poster in the Narthex to let us know how you can help: set-up, clean-up, serving tables, take tickets at the door, put out yard signs, pack take-out bags, make cold drinks, bake desserts (pies, brownies, cookies, etc.). Thanks!
PARISH LIFE
Reception for Molly Faerber, Sunday, Oct. 22 at 11:15 am. Molly has been our part-time book keeper and financial secretary, but full-time friend and support, for fifteen years. Due to her husband Ken’s health concerns, Molly has decided that it is time to retire. To thank Molly for her years of service to All Saints’, we will fête her with a finger food reception. Please sign-up to let us know what you can bring!
Trunk or Treat – Sunday School kids wear their Hallowe’en costumes, and adults provide the treats. The kids trick-or-treat from car to car in the parking lot, and we have refreshments outside on Sunday, October 29 at 11:15 am. Please sign up in the Narthex to participate – kids and adults!
HELPING HANDS
TONIGHT - Our Next Dinner for Vets from the V.A. Hospital in Lyons and Vets in our wider community is Sat., Oct. 7 at 5:30 pm in the Parish House. We welcome parishioners to offer hospitality through cooking, serving, sharing dinner table conversation, clean-up. The costs of the food and supplies for this dinner are being supported by a gift from Millington Bank who have made supporting Vets a priority for community outreach. We are grateful for their partnership. Providing opportunities for fellowship and friendship with Vets in our community is one way of joining what God is doing in our neighborhood. Want to be part of it next time? Speak to Kerrie Stepko.
FAMILY PROMISE, Monday, Oct. 30 – It’s All Saints’ turn to host this Morris County shelter for homeless families getting back on their feet. The families are housed for the week at Trinity House/Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling. We are asked to provide dinner (Meatloaf, Vegetable, Starch, Chicken nuggets/something child friendly, Salad, Fruit, Dessert), two greeters (5:30-8:30 pm), and two people for overnight duty (7:30 pm-6:30 am) on this date. Here are more details from coordinator Afsaneh Thursfield: “The greeters for the meal help set up and talk with our guests as they come in, eat and get settled for the night. And we all pitch in to clean up after dinner. Please consider either making a dish, dropping it off and/or staying and meeting our guests. Or come stay overnight - the rooms are cozy, private and clean! The guests are so grateful for your contribution and it gives us great pride in being of service to others.” Please be in touch with Coordinators Afsaneh Thursfield & Kathy Pfeil if you can help with this ministry. Thanks.
VESTRY NEWS
Excavation Work - The contractor for our drainage project between the Church and the Rath House has been slightly delayed. The construction will now begin on Monday, Oct. 9 and will take three days. This work will help to eradicate the erosion around the foundation of the Church, reduce the dampness in the Rath House basement, and eliminate the old underground run-off cistern. Thanks for your patience!
Financial Secretary - Barbara Barbeau has agreed (with the Vestry’s consent) to serve as Financial Secretary as a volunteer. She takes up this role due to Molly Faerber’s retirement. With this change of personnel, we will also be updating our accounting software to Quick Books, on the recommendation of our auditor. During this transition time we’ll all be getting adjusted, so please bear with us. Welcome, and thank you, Barbara!
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Millington Downtown Day – Sunday, Oct. 15, 11 am-3 pm. All Saints’ will have a table at this street fair, selling our parish cookbooks, raffling off an antique hand-made coverlet from the Rummage Sale, and offering church brochures and information, and being a friendly face of All Saints’ in our community. We need people to staff the table for an hour or two on the day and be part of this ministry of connection and awareness. There’s a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex. Thanks!
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Middle School Sunday School Class for Grades 6-8 – Suzanne Kosempel (with assistance from Joyce Kulzer) will be teaching this class in the Rath House Living Room, starting this Sunday, Oct. 8 at 10 am. Students will go to their class before joining their families in worship at the Peace. All Middle Schoolers are welcome and encouraged to participate.
Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 10:15 am in the Rath House. This is a lively, prayerful, and inquisitive group. You and your questions are welcome here. This week: First Corinthians, Chapter 6. You can bring your own Bible, or use one of ours. Hope to see you there!
Parish Directory We are updating our Directory and will be including PHOTOS. Please send a photo of yourself or your family, and any changes to Susie Harris at her new email: allsaints_church@hotmail.com. A headshot is best! If you need your photo scanned, drop it off and we will scan and return it!
Altar Guild Meeting and Dinner, Thursday, Oct. 12 at 6 pm in the Rath House. This is the Altar Guild’s annual meeting and social time. Members are asked to bring a side dish or dessert. Please RSVP to Liz Gorny. What does the Altar Guild do? They care for “all things altar”, meaning the different colored seasonal fabrics/hangings, the Communion vessels and linens, polish silver, set up the Church and altar for worship (Sundays, holidays, and mid-week and clean up afterward. The Guild works in teams – one team serving one week per month, with everyone helping to decorate for Christmas and Easter. New members – men and women – are always welcome and encouraged! For more information, speak to Liz Gorny or Mother Vicki.
Service Music at 10 am – this fall we have been learning a new setting of the Sanctus (Holy, holy, holy) and the Fraction Anthem (Lamb of God). This week we will begin learning a new setting of the Gloria, as well. And then when the season changes we’ll go back to some of our well-known settings. Learning new things keeps our worship fresh. But if you find it challenging, be patient with yourself and hang in there. God loves it when we sing the Lord’s praises, no matter how we think it sounds!
Sponsor-a-Hymn Dedicate a hymn in honor of a birthday, anniversary, baptismal anniversary, graduation, or other special event. Cost is $35 per Sunday for one hymn, and your dedication will be printed in the bulletin, and the person being remembered will be included in the prayers. There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex. Thanks.
DIOCESAN NEWS
Diocesan Website – here’s the link for news and information from our Diocese of Newark: http://dioceseofnewark.org/
PARISH CALENDAR
10/9 Evening Prayer Church, 6:30 pm
Pilgrim Group Rath House, 7:00 pm
10/10 Finance Commt. Rath House, 7:30 pm
10/11 Bible Study Rath House, 10:15 am
10/12 Communion & Church, 7:00 am
Healing Prayer
Altar Guild Meeting Rath House, 6:00 pm
Small Saints Choir Room 5:15 pm
Junior Choir Choir Room 5:30 pm
Adult Choir Choir Room 7:30 pm
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.
CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Stewardship
“Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service, you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already.” – C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Many people (at least in the Church) associate the word “stewardship” with financial support, the parish budget, and fund-raising campaigns, and for good reason. Any church – All Saints’ included – is dependent entirely on the contributions of its members and funds it can raise from other sources (space rentals, community donations or grants, fund-raising events). This is why the annual fall pledge campaign is so important; it helps us to gather financial promises and expectations for the coming year so we can set a realistic budget to support the parish's mission and ministry. However, if we think of stewardship only in dollars-and-cents terms, we’d have far too small a picture of its true meaning.
Stewardship – for followers of Jesus – is about making good, wise, prayerful, and holy decisions about all that God has given us: time, talents and abilities, education, relationships, work, the Creation that surrounds and supports us, the building and structures that shelter us, our faith, our bodies, our money. All of these are gifts from God. Being good stewards of these gifts means that we use and care for them well, and we return thanks to God by using a portion of them in God’s service. It is part of our way of life, and our way of faith.
How do you decide what portion of the gifts you have been given will be returned to God, paid forward, offered up for service in Christ’s name?
Blessings, Vicki+
Here is this week’s e-letter. Our Parish Administrator Susie Harris will be back in the office after her vacation on Monday, October 9. Thanks to everyone who stepped up and helped with some of the regular parish tasks while she was away. Please check out the details look over the announcements below, as well as these other highlights:
- Middle School Sunday School (Christian Formation)
- Fall Fish & Chips (Fun & Fundraising)
- Dinner for Vets & Community Support (Helping Hands)
- Altar Guild Dinner & Meeting (Worship)
- Family Promise (Helping Hands)
- Millington Downtown Day (Around the Neighborhood)
- Financial Secretary (Vestry News)
- Stewardship (Christian Practices)
FUN & FUNDRAISERS
Fall Fish ‘n Chips with Argyle of Kearney Thursday, October 26, 5:30-7:30 pm! Eat in or Take-out. Tickets are $18 for adults/$9 for kids. ($20/$10 for walk-ins at the door). Please tell your friends and neighbors! Take a flyer to distribute to local shops or give to friends. And take a look at the sign-up poster in the Narthex to let us know how you can help: set-up, clean-up, serving tables, take tickets at the door, put out yard signs, pack take-out bags, make cold drinks, bake desserts (pies, brownies, cookies, etc.). Thanks!
PARISH LIFE
Reception for Molly Faerber, Sunday, Oct. 22 at 11:15 am. Molly has been our part-time book keeper and financial secretary, but full-time friend and support, for fifteen years. Due to her husband Ken’s health concerns, Molly has decided that it is time to retire. To thank Molly for her years of service to All Saints’, we will fête her with a finger food reception. Please sign-up to let us know what you can bring!
Trunk or Treat – Sunday School kids wear their Hallowe’en costumes, and adults provide the treats. The kids trick-or-treat from car to car in the parking lot, and we have refreshments outside on Sunday, October 29 at 11:15 am. Please sign up in the Narthex to participate – kids and adults!
HELPING HANDS
TONIGHT - Our Next Dinner for Vets from the V.A. Hospital in Lyons and Vets in our wider community is Sat., Oct. 7 at 5:30 pm in the Parish House. We welcome parishioners to offer hospitality through cooking, serving, sharing dinner table conversation, clean-up. The costs of the food and supplies for this dinner are being supported by a gift from Millington Bank who have made supporting Vets a priority for community outreach. We are grateful for their partnership. Providing opportunities for fellowship and friendship with Vets in our community is one way of joining what God is doing in our neighborhood. Want to be part of it next time? Speak to Kerrie Stepko.
FAMILY PROMISE, Monday, Oct. 30 – It’s All Saints’ turn to host this Morris County shelter for homeless families getting back on their feet. The families are housed for the week at Trinity House/Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling. We are asked to provide dinner (Meatloaf, Vegetable, Starch, Chicken nuggets/something child friendly, Salad, Fruit, Dessert), two greeters (5:30-8:30 pm), and two people for overnight duty (7:30 pm-6:30 am) on this date. Here are more details from coordinator Afsaneh Thursfield: “The greeters for the meal help set up and talk with our guests as they come in, eat and get settled for the night. And we all pitch in to clean up after dinner. Please consider either making a dish, dropping it off and/or staying and meeting our guests. Or come stay overnight - the rooms are cozy, private and clean! The guests are so grateful for your contribution and it gives us great pride in being of service to others.” Please be in touch with Coordinators Afsaneh Thursfield & Kathy Pfeil if you can help with this ministry. Thanks.
VESTRY NEWS
Excavation Work - The contractor for our drainage project between the Church and the Rath House has been slightly delayed. The construction will now begin on Monday, Oct. 9 and will take three days. This work will help to eradicate the erosion around the foundation of the Church, reduce the dampness in the Rath House basement, and eliminate the old underground run-off cistern. Thanks for your patience!
Financial Secretary - Barbara Barbeau has agreed (with the Vestry’s consent) to serve as Financial Secretary as a volunteer. She takes up this role due to Molly Faerber’s retirement. With this change of personnel, we will also be updating our accounting software to Quick Books, on the recommendation of our auditor. During this transition time we’ll all be getting adjusted, so please bear with us. Welcome, and thank you, Barbara!
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Millington Downtown Day – Sunday, Oct. 15, 11 am-3 pm. All Saints’ will have a table at this street fair, selling our parish cookbooks, raffling off an antique hand-made coverlet from the Rummage Sale, and offering church brochures and information, and being a friendly face of All Saints’ in our community. We need people to staff the table for an hour or two on the day and be part of this ministry of connection and awareness. There’s a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex. Thanks!
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Middle School Sunday School Class for Grades 6-8 – Suzanne Kosempel (with assistance from Joyce Kulzer) will be teaching this class in the Rath House Living Room, starting this Sunday, Oct. 8 at 10 am. Students will go to their class before joining their families in worship at the Peace. All Middle Schoolers are welcome and encouraged to participate.
Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 10:15 am in the Rath House. This is a lively, prayerful, and inquisitive group. You and your questions are welcome here. This week: First Corinthians, Chapter 6. You can bring your own Bible, or use one of ours. Hope to see you there!
Parish Directory We are updating our Directory and will be including PHOTOS. Please send a photo of yourself or your family, and any changes to Susie Harris at her new email: allsaints_church@hotmail.com. A headshot is best! If you need your photo scanned, drop it off and we will scan and return it!
Altar Guild Meeting and Dinner, Thursday, Oct. 12 at 6 pm in the Rath House. This is the Altar Guild’s annual meeting and social time. Members are asked to bring a side dish or dessert. Please RSVP to Liz Gorny. What does the Altar Guild do? They care for “all things altar”, meaning the different colored seasonal fabrics/hangings, the Communion vessels and linens, polish silver, set up the Church and altar for worship (Sundays, holidays, and mid-week and clean up afterward. The Guild works in teams – one team serving one week per month, with everyone helping to decorate for Christmas and Easter. New members – men and women – are always welcome and encouraged! For more information, speak to Liz Gorny or Mother Vicki.
Service Music at 10 am – this fall we have been learning a new setting of the Sanctus (Holy, holy, holy) and the Fraction Anthem (Lamb of God). This week we will begin learning a new setting of the Gloria, as well. And then when the season changes we’ll go back to some of our well-known settings. Learning new things keeps our worship fresh. But if you find it challenging, be patient with yourself and hang in there. God loves it when we sing the Lord’s praises, no matter how we think it sounds!
Sponsor-a-Hymn Dedicate a hymn in honor of a birthday, anniversary, baptismal anniversary, graduation, or other special event. Cost is $35 per Sunday for one hymn, and your dedication will be printed in the bulletin, and the person being remembered will be included in the prayers. There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex. Thanks.
DIOCESAN NEWS
Diocesan Website – here’s the link for news and information from our Diocese of Newark: http://dioceseofnewark.org/
PARISH CALENDAR
10/9 Evening Prayer Church, 6:30 pm
Pilgrim Group Rath House, 7:00 pm
10/10 Finance Commt. Rath House, 7:30 pm
10/11 Bible Study Rath House, 10:15 am
10/12 Communion & Church, 7:00 am
Healing Prayer
Altar Guild Meeting Rath House, 6:00 pm
Small Saints Choir Room 5:15 pm
Junior Choir Choir Room 5:30 pm
Adult Choir Choir Room 7:30 pm
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.
CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
Stewardship
“Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service, you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already.” – C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Many people (at least in the Church) associate the word “stewardship” with financial support, the parish budget, and fund-raising campaigns, and for good reason. Any church – All Saints’ included – is dependent entirely on the contributions of its members and funds it can raise from other sources (space rentals, community donations or grants, fund-raising events). This is why the annual fall pledge campaign is so important; it helps us to gather financial promises and expectations for the coming year so we can set a realistic budget to support the parish's mission and ministry. However, if we think of stewardship only in dollars-and-cents terms, we’d have far too small a picture of its true meaning.
Stewardship – for followers of Jesus – is about making good, wise, prayerful, and holy decisions about all that God has given us: time, talents and abilities, education, relationships, work, the Creation that surrounds and supports us, the building and structures that shelter us, our faith, our bodies, our money. All of these are gifts from God. Being good stewards of these gifts means that we use and care for them well, and we return thanks to God by using a portion of them in God’s service. It is part of our way of life, and our way of faith.
How do you decide what portion of the gifts you have been given will be returned to God, paid forward, offered up for service in Christ’s name?
Blessings, Vicki+
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