Dear Friends in Christ,
Next week is Independence Day. We will include prayers for our country in our worship this Sunday.
Two hundred and forty-one years ago the people who lived in this land began an experiment: could the European settlers, who had come from a variety of different countries, cultures, religions, and with many different attitudes and ideas about the best way to live as a society – some of whom had been living and working here for over a hundred and fifty years already – come together to create a new nation founded on the premise of liberty, freedom, and justice for all people? This new nation was to be self-governing, but even coming to the definition of what that meant, and what shape our country’s institutions would take, took time and discussion and compromise. And we have learned that we have needed to make some corrections and revisions as we’ve gone along (e.g. the Bill of Rights, and other Constitutional amendments). That’s what it means to make an experiment – to try an idea or principle by putting it into action, observing the results (intended or unintended), reflecting on what has been learned, and then making corrections as necessary.
We are still living the experiment, hopefully with a wider understanding of rights and responsibilities for all than we had in the eighteenth century, but with the same core of hope for the future and for the common good of all our people. I wish you and yours a very happy, safe, and reflective Independence Day! ~ VGM+
The Parish Office will be closed Monday July 3 & Tuesday July 4 for the holiday.
Here are this week’s announcements. Please see especially:
PARISH LIFE EVENTS
Parish Baseball Outing, Next Sunday, July 9 @ 5:05 pm – Come for a fun evening with your fellow Saints and watch the Somerset Patriots play the Sugar Land, TX Skeeters at the TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater. Tickets are $9.50 per person and we have field box seats reserved right behind home plate! Checks should be made out to All Saints’ Church. Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex and bring your family and friends. There is also a baseball clinic for kids on the field at 4 pm.
B-B-Q with the Bishop, Thursday, July 13, 6 pm. Bishop Beckwith will be here for a dinner picnic, conversation, and friendship. This is an event for the whole family – spend some time with your fellow parishioners. The main dish will be provided; you bring sides, salads, and desserts. A sign-up sheet with specific meal contributions is in the Narthex. Put this on your calendar now and be sure to join in on the night. Questions? Speak to Susan LeVan or Barbara Barbeau.
Summer Refreshments are available after the 10 am service on the Parish House lawn. Please join us! And here is Sunday’s Coffee Hour Conversation Question: In the Gospel Jesus talks about welcoming the stranger. How do you like to be welcomed when you are new in a place? Ask someone else after the service, and then listen for their answer!
FUN & FUNDRAISERS
RUMMAGE IS COMING! The First Sunday of Rummage is August 6. This is the first day you can drop off your good, clean, useful items for donation to the Parish Hall. What do we take? Dishes, linens, costumes, boutique, furniture, yard & garden, tools, small appliances, toys...anything clean and usable. What can’t we take? Tires, tube TVs, large entertainment consoles. The Sale is September 23. This is an event you want to be part of – our largest community event of the year, as well as a fundraiser! There is a poster in the Narthex with all of the various ways to help – we need all hands on deck. For more info speak to Kimberly Celeste.
“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. All the money raised will go toward the Choir Room Piano Fund. Please speak to Director of Music Alison Siener Brown for details. Thanks!
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Wednesday Walkabouts
We are asking questons and learning more about the neighborhoods we live, work, play, and pray in.
Our next walk is this Wednesday, 7/5. Meet in the parking lot across from the Long Hill Tavern in Meyersville at 6:30 pm. We’ll walk the neighborhood for 45 minutes, and have a meal afterwards to share fellowship and talk about what we have seen and learned. These Walkabouts are an experiment of our Going Local Guiding Team (see below). Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex. Questions? Ask Hugh Wallace, Afsaneh Thursfield, Pam Lewis, or Jane Hayden – members of the Guiding Team.
July 5 – Meyersville Circle (dinner at Long Hill Tavern)
July 19 – Basking Ridge River Walk (dinner at Ling Ling).
What is Gong Local and what is the Guiding Team?
Going Local is an effort by more than thirty parishes in our diocese to learn more about their own neighborhoods and communities; and to explore small ways the parish community and the wider community can work together as a team for the common good (in church language, the Kingdom of God).
The Guiding Team creates small experiments that gives parishioners an opportunity to connect with neighbors and each other; listen for God’s direction or nudges through conversation and reflection on Scripture and action; and evaluate what was observed and learned. Some of the experiments have been the Vets’ Dinners, the Community Garden in the parking lot, the Parish Community Maps in the Parish Hall, and the Wednesday Walkabouts.
Questions the Guiding Team reflects on are: Where is God in your life? Where do you see God around you? And how do we connect with others – whether we are using God language or not? Building our joyful community of faith in Christ is what Team Saints’ is all about!
STEWARDSHIP
Property Update - In the next week or two we’ll be having some safety pruning done on the trees around the Church and parking lot. We’ll also have two dead or dying trees taken down - an ash tree in our woods, and the maple tree on playground. Although it is sad to see trees come down, they have become a safety concern. The Vestry will also finish the parking lot light repair and replace the Church side door steps and sacristy door steps this summer. We’ll have more updates as we go along. Please thank our hard-working Vestry!
WORSHIP
Come join the fun and sing in the All Saints' Summer Choir! Two different opportunities! No experience or commitment is needed. Meet in the choir room at 9:15 to learn a simple anthem then help lead worship at 10:00.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Bible Study – Wed, 10:15 am, in the Rath House. This week, 7/5, we are considering the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-30. You are invited to join us! Bible study will continue until July 12th.
Starts Next Week! Gentle Yoga Class in July and August, taught by Lori Vigliotti. Thursdays, 2 pm, July 6, 20 and 27; Aug. 3, 10 17. Price is $15 per session payable on the day to Lori. This is for both men and women, and combines chair yoga with meditation! Each week is completely different. Invite your friends. For information speak to Louise Easton from the Christian Community, or call the Parish Office.
PARISH CALENDAR
7/3 & 7/4 Parish Office Closed for Independence Day
7/5 Bible Study Rath House, 10:15 am
Walkabout Meyersville Circle, 6:30 pm
7/6 Holy Eucharist Church, 7:00 am
CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
The Collect for Independence Day
Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ~ Book of Common Prayer
Here is an arrangement of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” by The United States Army Field Band. Lyrics by Julia Ward Howe; Music by William Steffe; Setting by Peter J. Wilhousky and Arranged by James Neilson. Led by First Lieutenant Alexandra Borza. https://youtu.be/Jy6AOGRsR80
Blessings, Vicki+
Next week is Independence Day. We will include prayers for our country in our worship this Sunday.
Two hundred and forty-one years ago the people who lived in this land began an experiment: could the European settlers, who had come from a variety of different countries, cultures, religions, and with many different attitudes and ideas about the best way to live as a society – some of whom had been living and working here for over a hundred and fifty years already – come together to create a new nation founded on the premise of liberty, freedom, and justice for all people? This new nation was to be self-governing, but even coming to the definition of what that meant, and what shape our country’s institutions would take, took time and discussion and compromise. And we have learned that we have needed to make some corrections and revisions as we’ve gone along (e.g. the Bill of Rights, and other Constitutional amendments). That’s what it means to make an experiment – to try an idea or principle by putting it into action, observing the results (intended or unintended), reflecting on what has been learned, and then making corrections as necessary.
We are still living the experiment, hopefully with a wider understanding of rights and responsibilities for all than we had in the eighteenth century, but with the same core of hope for the future and for the common good of all our people. I wish you and yours a very happy, safe, and reflective Independence Day! ~ VGM+
The Parish Office will be closed Monday July 3 & Tuesday July 4 for the holiday.
Here are this week’s announcements. Please see especially:
- Wednesday Walkabouts (Around the Neighborhood)
- BBQ with the Bishop (Parish Life Events)
- Parish Baseball Outing (Parish Life Events)
- Sponsor-a-Hymn Piano Fundraiser (Fun & Fundraising)
PARISH LIFE EVENTS
Parish Baseball Outing, Next Sunday, July 9 @ 5:05 pm – Come for a fun evening with your fellow Saints and watch the Somerset Patriots play the Sugar Land, TX Skeeters at the TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater. Tickets are $9.50 per person and we have field box seats reserved right behind home plate! Checks should be made out to All Saints’ Church. Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex and bring your family and friends. There is also a baseball clinic for kids on the field at 4 pm.
B-B-Q with the Bishop, Thursday, July 13, 6 pm. Bishop Beckwith will be here for a dinner picnic, conversation, and friendship. This is an event for the whole family – spend some time with your fellow parishioners. The main dish will be provided; you bring sides, salads, and desserts. A sign-up sheet with specific meal contributions is in the Narthex. Put this on your calendar now and be sure to join in on the night. Questions? Speak to Susan LeVan or Barbara Barbeau.
Summer Refreshments are available after the 10 am service on the Parish House lawn. Please join us! And here is Sunday’s Coffee Hour Conversation Question: In the Gospel Jesus talks about welcoming the stranger. How do you like to be welcomed when you are new in a place? Ask someone else after the service, and then listen for their answer!
FUN & FUNDRAISERS
RUMMAGE IS COMING! The First Sunday of Rummage is August 6. This is the first day you can drop off your good, clean, useful items for donation to the Parish Hall. What do we take? Dishes, linens, costumes, boutique, furniture, yard & garden, tools, small appliances, toys...anything clean and usable. What can’t we take? Tires, tube TVs, large entertainment consoles. The Sale is September 23. This is an event you want to be part of – our largest community event of the year, as well as a fundraiser! There is a poster in the Narthex with all of the various ways to help – we need all hands on deck. For more info speak to Kimberly Celeste.
“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. All the money raised will go toward the Choir Room Piano Fund. Please speak to Director of Music Alison Siener Brown for details. Thanks!
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Wednesday Walkabouts
We are asking questons and learning more about the neighborhoods we live, work, play, and pray in.
Our next walk is this Wednesday, 7/5. Meet in the parking lot across from the Long Hill Tavern in Meyersville at 6:30 pm. We’ll walk the neighborhood for 45 minutes, and have a meal afterwards to share fellowship and talk about what we have seen and learned. These Walkabouts are an experiment of our Going Local Guiding Team (see below). Sign up on the sheet in the Narthex. Questions? Ask Hugh Wallace, Afsaneh Thursfield, Pam Lewis, or Jane Hayden – members of the Guiding Team.
July 5 – Meyersville Circle (dinner at Long Hill Tavern)
July 19 – Basking Ridge River Walk (dinner at Ling Ling).
What is Gong Local and what is the Guiding Team?
Going Local is an effort by more than thirty parishes in our diocese to learn more about their own neighborhoods and communities; and to explore small ways the parish community and the wider community can work together as a team for the common good (in church language, the Kingdom of God).
The Guiding Team creates small experiments that gives parishioners an opportunity to connect with neighbors and each other; listen for God’s direction or nudges through conversation and reflection on Scripture and action; and evaluate what was observed and learned. Some of the experiments have been the Vets’ Dinners, the Community Garden in the parking lot, the Parish Community Maps in the Parish Hall, and the Wednesday Walkabouts.
Questions the Guiding Team reflects on are: Where is God in your life? Where do you see God around you? And how do we connect with others – whether we are using God language or not? Building our joyful community of faith in Christ is what Team Saints’ is all about!
STEWARDSHIP
Property Update - In the next week or two we’ll be having some safety pruning done on the trees around the Church and parking lot. We’ll also have two dead or dying trees taken down - an ash tree in our woods, and the maple tree on playground. Although it is sad to see trees come down, they have become a safety concern. The Vestry will also finish the parking lot light repair and replace the Church side door steps and sacristy door steps this summer. We’ll have more updates as we go along. Please thank our hard-working Vestry!
WORSHIP
Come join the fun and sing in the All Saints' Summer Choir! Two different opportunities! No experience or commitment is needed. Meet in the choir room at 9:15 to learn a simple anthem then help lead worship at 10:00.
- July 9 we'll sing a setting of "Morning Has Broken"
- August 6, a setting of the tune Noel Nouvelet with the text "At the Name of Jesus.”
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Bible Study – Wed, 10:15 am, in the Rath House. This week, 7/5, we are considering the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-30. You are invited to join us! Bible study will continue until July 12th.
Starts Next Week! Gentle Yoga Class in July and August, taught by Lori Vigliotti. Thursdays, 2 pm, July 6, 20 and 27; Aug. 3, 10 17. Price is $15 per session payable on the day to Lori. This is for both men and women, and combines chair yoga with meditation! Each week is completely different. Invite your friends. For information speak to Louise Easton from the Christian Community, or call the Parish Office.
PARISH CALENDAR
7/3 & 7/4 Parish Office Closed for Independence Day
7/5 Bible Study Rath House, 10:15 am
Walkabout Meyersville Circle, 6:30 pm
7/6 Holy Eucharist Church, 7:00 am
CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
The Collect for Independence Day
Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ~ Book of Common Prayer
Here is an arrangement of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” by The United States Army Field Band. Lyrics by Julia Ward Howe; Music by William Steffe; Setting by Peter J. Wilhousky and Arranged by James Neilson. Led by First Lieutenant Alexandra Borza. https://youtu.be/Jy6AOGRsR80
Blessings, Vicki+
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