Dear Friends in Christ,
Please keep in your prayers all those who are in the path of Hurricane Florence, and all those first responders who stand by to assist. “Almighty God, who calmed the storm tossing the boat, calm the fears that beset us; as we await Hurricane Florence: Grant us the peace that comes from you alone as we sit with the uncertainty of evacuation and in fear of damage to our homes and our communities, draw us ever closer to you, and give us the grace to comfort and aid others in need; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.” (prayer by the Rev. Canon Frank Logue of Georgia).
Here are the week’s announcements. In particular please see:
- Welcome Sunday Picnic (Parish Life)
- Rummage Collection this Week (Fun & Fundraising)
- Adult Forum: Way of Love (Christian Formation)
- Choirs for Adults and Children (Worship)
- Narnia Book Club (Christian Formation)
CHRISTIAN FORMATION & SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
The Way of Love: Adult Forum - This Sunday, Sept. 16 at 11:30 am in the lower room of the Parish House. Mother Vicki will present an overview of the “practices for a Jesus-centered life” and ways you can use them for yourself. Get coffee or tea, join the circle and conversation.
Sunday School for children PreK through middle school. Classes meet in the Undercroft (lower level of the church.) Kids go to Sunday School first, then join their families at the Peace. Children and babies are always welcome in worship, but we also have a staffed nursery in the Undercroft of the Church for parents who prefer this option.
We welcome our nursery babysitters Kayla Martins and Angie Carrano! They will be sharing the duties every other week. Stop down to the nursery to welcome them to All Saints’.
Bible Study starts Wed., Sept 12 at 10:15 am in the Rath House (stone and stucco house next to church). We are reading the Gospel of Mark, the second half of Chapter 1 this week. No experience is needed or expected, only a desire to learn, ask questions, laugh, and grow with others. Questions? Speak to Mother Vicki.
Narnia Book Club Comes to All Saints’ Oct. 7: Bring your imagination, creativity, and curiosity to faith in Jesus as a child, an adult, or a family in this home-based effort. We’ll read C.S. Lewis’ book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and have opportunities for conversation and activities. Pick up a brochure with full information, and copies of the book are available for $5—both are in our Narnia Corner at the rear of the church!
FUN & FUNDRAISING
We are on the home stretch of Rummage Collection. Our last collection day is next Sunday, Sept. 23. Sale Day is Saturday, September 29 from 9 am-2 pm.
Rummage Sale collection this week:
Sunday–noon-2 pm; Monday–10am-2 pm;
Tuesday–6-8 pm and Thursday–10 am-2 pm; and 6:30-8 pm.
Please bring your clean, working items. And tell your friends and neighbors. We appreciate any time you can lend to price, sort, and box donations, and especially your help on the day of the sale. Check the poster in the narthex to see how you can help. Questions? Speak to Kimberly Celeste.
WORSHIP
Blessing of the Animals is in honor of St. Francis. Bring your leashed or caged pet on Sunday, October 7 at 5:00 pm to the Memorial Garden for a prayer and a blessing.
Choirs for Adults and Children are a wonderful way to offer your time and voice to God and our Christian community, and to get to know others in our parish. Rehearsals are on Thursdays – Junior Choir at 5:15 pm and Adult Choir at 7:30 pm in the Choir Room in the Undercroft. Anyone who enjoys singing is welcome and wanted! For more information, speak to Alison Siener Brown.
ALL SAINTS' PRIDE
Get your All Saints’ Shirts! Red polo shirts (short or long sleeve) with our name and the Episcopal shield are available for purchase. Cost is $26 or $30. Wear them for parish events, Rummage Sale, whenever you want to send a simple message about our parish! Order forms are in the display in the Narthex.
HELPING HANDS
Shop-Rite in Stirling partners with our food ministries in many ways. Here are two events at Shop-Rite that you can support which help to fight hunger: ·
- 7th Annual Motorcyle Ride to Fight Hunger, Saturday, Sept. 15 at 11 am starting at Shop-Rite. Cost is $20. Mother Vicki will be there at the start of the ride to bless the bikes. For more info and registration call Colleen at Shop-Rite: 908-604-2129.
- Help Bag Hunger, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 10-11 am. Be part of Shop-Rite’s annual fund-raising efforts for local food pantries. Bag groceries at a cashier station for one hour, and be a friendly face and voice. This is a contest with Shop-Rite stores in other communities. If the Stirling store wins, their cash prize will be donated to our food ministries. For more information about this, please speak to Jane Hayden.
Good Scout Award Dinner--one of this year’s honorees is our own Carol Prasa for her work on LHT’s Historic Preservation Advisory Committee. Congratulations Carol! The dinner is on Oct. 2, 6:30 pm At the Primavera in Stirling. It is an annual event of Patriot’s Path Boy Scout Council. For information and tickets, see their website: www.ppcbsa.org/special-events.
Musikgarten: Early Childhood Music Classes – for babies & toddlers; preschoolers; and young elementary group piano lessons. Taught here at All Saints’ by our director of Music Alison Siener Brown, under the auspices of Music in the Somerset Hills. Classes star the first week in October. For information speak to Alison or check the website http://musicsh.org/musikgarten/.
DIOCESAN NEWS
Bishop’s Consecration next Saturday, September 22! The consecration will be at 11 am at NJPAC in Newark, and 27 folks from All Saints’ are going. Wear something red – like your All Saints’ polo shirt. Please keep Bishop-elect Carlye Hughes and our diocese in your prayers as we take this next step into God’s future.
PARISH CALENDAR
9/18 Vestry Rath House, 7:30 pm
9/19 Bible Study Rath House, 10:15 am
9/20 Eucharist & Healing Prayer Church, 7:00 am
Junior Choir Choir Room, 5:15 pm
Adult Choir Choir Room, 7:30 pm
For a full schedule of our buildings check the website calendar www.allsaintsmillington.org.
CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
The Jesus Movement – Our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry likes to say that we are “members of the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement.” What does that mean?
Here’s a description of the Episcopal church website:
What is the Jesus Movement?
The Jesus Movement is the ongoing community of people who center their lives on Jesus and following him into loving, liberating and life-giving relationship with God, each other and creation.
Together, we follow Jesus as we love God with our whole heart, soul and mind and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40), and restore each other and all of creation to unity with God in Christ (BCP, p. 855).
Jesus launched this movement when he welcomed the first disciples to follow his loving, liberating, life-giving Way. Today, we participate in his movement with our whole lives: our prayer, worship, teaching, preaching, gathering, healing, action, family, work, play and rest.
In all things, we seek to be loving, liberating and life-giving—just like the God who formed all things in love; liberates us all from prisons of mind, body and spirit; and gives life so we can participate in the resurrection and healing of God’s world.
TRY THIS: Begin your day by asking: How could my words, actions and heart reflect the loving, liberating, life-giving way of Jesus? Ask God to help you, especially at decision points.
At day’s end, with genuine curiosity and zero judgment, ask: When did I see myself or others being loving, liberating or life-giving today? Where do I wish I’d seen or practiced Jesus’ Way?
And here is a link to a short video with Bishop Burry speaking about the Jesus Movement: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/jesus-movement
Coffee Hour Conversation Starter
At coffee hour on Sunday, ask someone:
When you think of Jesus,what three words come to mind? Why did you choose those words?
Listen to the other person’s answers, and then share yours.
Blessings, Vicki+
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