Dear Friends in Christ,
It is the start of Advent, and I have returned from sabbatical.  I am looking forward to seeing all of you, and re-connecting with you.  I know that there have been joys, challenges and sadness in the parish during the past four months, but I also know that the people of All Saints’ responded with faith, energy and commitment.  I am very grateful to the parish for this sabbatical, and I am returning to you refreshed and renewed for ministry as your rector.  I am especially thankful to Deacon Beth , our Wardens Tom Day and Jackie Sullivan, and the parish staff for their fine work and leadership.  I hope to see many of you this coming Sunday at worship and at the pot-luck lunch, when we can begin to share our sabbatical stories with one another.  It is good to be back home at All Saints’!


The (almost) daily Advent meditations this year will include some of what I have been reading and thinking about during the sabbatical.  I hope and pray that this Advent will be a time when you can feel held and nurtured and sustained by God as we look for the coming of Christ - not only in his birth in Bethlehem, nor just in the “life of the world to come” at the end of this present time, but in each of our hearts and in the world around us.
Blessings,  Vicki McGrath+

Advent is about hope – the hope that God has not abandoned us, has not forgotten us, has not left us alone.   God knows and cares about every fiber of our being, even the things we are not proud of, even the things that cause us pain and heartache.  God is the Creator of the universe who made us and pronounced his creation good.  God is the Savior and Redeemer of the world who has come into human life in the person of Jesus and draws us into the divine life.  God is the Spirit who makes us whole and holy.  It is this God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – that we love and serve and worship.  As St. Paul said in 1 Corinthians, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  That is hope, indeed.  May you know hope today.   

Dear Friends in Christ,
This Sunday, please join us for the feast of Christ the King (the Last Sunday after Pentecost) at 8:00 or 10:00 a.m. for Holy Eucharist.  The Rev. Bambi Koeniger is our November sabbatical priest, and Deacon Beth will preach.  Following the 10:00 a.m. service Bambi will lead an Adult Forum on the Many Ways of Receiving God in the Parish Hall.  This is the third (and last) of the Adult Forums offered by our sabbatical priests.  We’re fortunate to share in their passions and expertise, so please make time to stay.  Thank you!

The funeral of Ted Moulder, widower of parishioner Eva Moulder, will be held this Saturday, Nov. 19, at 3:00 p.m. at All Saints’ Church.  All are welcome to attend and convey your condolences to Paul and Geoffrey Moulder.  

We held our Community Forum yesterday on Sports and Families – Finding the Right Balance.  Thank you of those of you who came out on a cold, rainy night.  While the weather appeared to deter many, it was very worthwhile to gain the perspectives of the panel: a sports psychologist, tennis coach and pro, and parent of child athlete/musicians, as well as attendees.  Many thanks go to Carmen Paul for her work organizing and publicizing this Community Forum and to John McGrath for moderating it.  

This Sunday is the deadline for 2012 pledges to allow us to budget for the coming year.  Please prayerfully reflect on your own giving, to All Saints’ and beyond, and submit your pledge to the Parish Office or in the offering plate.  Your financial support, as well as investment of time and talent, is essential to All Saints’ ministry and mission.

Today is the deadline to let Beth know if your high schooler is going to NIGHTWATCH, an overnight retreat experience at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.  A permission slip (available online) and participation fee of $48 are required.  We will leave after school on Friday, Dec. 2, so bring money to eat dinner on the way to the Cathedral.  We’ll return by midday on Saturday, Dec. 3.  This is an amazing opportunity to explore, so don’t miss it!

Women’s Book Group meets this evening Thursday, Nov. 17, at Jean Kimak’s house (please note the change in date).  Join us for a discussion of The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent.

Food Ingathering – This Sunday, Nov. 20, the Sunday before Thanksgiving, you are particularly invited to bring non-perishable food items for donation.  Children will gather before the 10:00 a.m. service in the Narthex and bring up the food offerings to the altar as a part of the procession before going to their Sunday School classes.

Thanksgiving Service:Holy Eucharist will be celebrated on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, at 10:00 a.m. with the Rev. Bambi Koeniger.  Please join us to give thanks and praise to God.  

Pledge Update for the current year:  As the year comes to a close please make sure your 2011 pledge is up-to-date.  We budget with your pledges in mind and are currently facing a pledge shortfall of over $5,000.  If you cannot fulfill your 2011 pledge to All Saints’ please speak with Deacon Beth so we can adjust the budget accordingly.  

Stewardship Pledge for 2012:  In order to allow us to budget for 2012, please prayerfully consider what gifts you can give back to God in the form of a financial pledge to All Saints’.  The deadline for turning in your pledge by mail or in the collection plate is Sunday, Nov. 20.  Thank you for all the time, talent, and financial resources you share with All Saints’ Church.   
 
Advent Taizé Services:  Dr. Jody will lead a Taizé service each Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. during Advent (Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14 and 21).  Taizé chants are one way to connect with God and one another and step outside of the busy-ness of this time of year.  Join us for a wonderful opportunity to worship God during the Advent season of expectation, as we anticipate the gift of Christ at Christmas.

Advent Wreaths:  On the First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 28, children and youth will have the opportunity to make Advent wreaths in the Parish Hall during their Sunday School time.  Adults will have the chance to do so during Coffee Hour.  A contribution of $6 toward the cost of the ring and greens is requested.

Sabbatical Sharing Potluck Lunch – Dec. 4 is our rector Vicki’s first Sunday back from sabbatical!  Please join us for a Potluck Lunch in the Parish Hall following the 10:00 a.m. service.  We will have the opportunity to welcome Vicki back and share our stories of this sabbatical time with each other.  We look forward to learning how Vicki has been refreshed during her sabbatical.  Please bring a dish to share!

Memorial Garden Planning Team – Please speak to Beth if you are interested in being a part of this planning team that will work with the Memorial Garden Committee to develop a plan for new plantings in the Memorial Garden.  

Kitchen Committee – Due to themold remediation in the Parish House lower level and the dismantling of the kitchen that comes with it, we invite anyone interested in serving on a Kitchen Committee to speak with Jackie Sullivan.  This Committee will evaluate existing kitchen items, carry out a needs assessment of kitchen usage, and contribute to the redesign of the kitchen.  

Beth’s Ordination to the Priesthood:  God willing and the people consenting, our curate, the Rev. Beth Rauen Sciaino, will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 10:00 a.m. here at All Saints’ Church.  A reception will follow in Parish Hall.  The parish of All Saints’ has helped form Beth in her last year of seminary and now as a transitional deacon.  All are welcome to celebrate this new part of her journey of faith in community.

Thinking about serving on Vestry?  We have a one-year position open on the Vestry.  If you are interested in joining the Vestry, please speak with a vestry member, warden (Jackie Sullivan or Tom Day), or the curate.

Acolytes Needed: All 8th graders and high schoolers who are not currently acolyting during the 10:00 a.m. service are invited to join this important worship ministry.  Our current group of faithful acolytes would really appreciate adding more youth to their ranks.  Please speak with Deacon Beth or Janice Lettieri to volunteer and schedule training.

Confirmation, Spring 2012 – If your high schooler is considering being Confirmed this spring please submit his or her name to Deacon Beth by Tuesday, Nov. 28.  The diocese has requested we send names to them by Dec. 1.  A diocesan retreat for high school confirmands is scheduled for March 30-31.  Confirmation will be held Sunday, May 6, at 3:00 p.m. at Trinity & St. Philip’s Cathedral in Newark with other parishes from Districts 3 and 7.  If you are an adult who would like to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church, please speak with Beth as well.  An adult inquirers’ class can also be held in the spring if there is interest.

Dear Friends in Christ, We hope that you’ve been able to stay warm this past week and that your lights and heat are back on.  We’re still waiting for the electricity to return to the Church, Parish House, and Rath House and we will keep you informed when it does.  Dr. Jody will contact the Choirs around 3:00 p.m. today to let you know if Choir Practice will be held tonight. 

This coming Sunday is the Sunday after All Saints’ Day, our parish feast day.  We will celebrate Holy Eucharist at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., with or without electricity.  We look forward to the baptisms of Alex Cooke and Stella Struble at the 10:00 a.m. service.  Please keep Alex and Stella and their families in your prayers, as well Layla LeClair, grandaugher of Alison and David Temple who will be baptized on Sunday in Massachusetts.   We warmly welcome the Rev. Margaret Smithers Koeniger (Bambi) as our sabbatical priest for the month of November.  Some brief announcements:

The BUNCO fundraiser has been postponed due to the lack of electricity and heat in the Parish House.

At this point, we will be postponing the All Saints’ Potluck Lunch because the Parish House is not yet usable.  The mold remediation in the lower level should only take a few days, but it was delayed by the lack of electricity in the Parish House. 

Children in Grade 5 or younger who would like to wear their Halloween costumes on Sunday are welcome to do so.

When a new date has been selected for the Concert of Sacred Music (originally scheduled for Oct. 30) we will make sure to publicize it to you.

If you have leftover Halloween candy, you can bring it to the Church to donate to the Seamen’s Church Institute. Toiletries and candies, along with the hand-knit hats and scarves we donate, make up holiday gifts for nearly 17,000 seafarers who are responsible for transporting over 95% of the goods and products we count on in our daily lives. 

This Saturday, Nov. 5, is our Fall Clean Up Day.  We hope many of you will have a chance to volunteer your time.  Our lawn care service moved most of the big branches yesterday, but there is still plenty to do on Saturday.  Please find an hour between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to come help out.  If you have a chain saw, pole saw, or a rake, please bring it with you.  If you would like a project (or see something you would like to do) on your own schedule, speak to Tom Day.  

  

Memorial Garden Planning Team– Please speak to Beth if you are interested in being a part of this planning team that will work with the Memorial Garden Committee to develop a plan for new plantings in the Memorial Garden.  Many Memorial Garden trees and a portion of the fence were damaged in the storm this past weekend.  A downed electrical wire will prevent us from cleaning it up this Saturday, but once the wire has been fixed we will focus our attention on restoring the Memorial Garden, along with the assistance of a Boy Scout working on his Eagle project.

  

Sports and Families – Finding the Right Balance – Our fall Community Forum will be Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish House.  Sports can be a wonderful part of life, and the lessons learned can be applied for a lifetime.  But what happens if your family life becomes disrupted by the constant schedule of games and practices?  What if your child wants to quit after a tough game?  What if your child prefers no physical activity and would rather spend all his or her free time in front of a computer?  This community forum on will provide advice in a panel discussion led by John McGrath, of Chatham, our community forum chairperson.  Panelists will be Dr. David Pilchman, sports psychologist; Judy Lin Wu, professional violinist and parent; and Gordon Paul, tennis coach and head pro at Brook Hill Tennis Club in Watchung.

Stewardship Pledge for 2012: Please submit your pledge by mail or in the collection plate as soon a possible.  The deadline is Sunday, Nov. 20.  Thank you for all the time, talent, and financial resources you share with All Saints’ Church. We would also like to thank our Stewardship witnesses in the month of October who remind us all of our own All Saints’ stories and the spiritual gifts we discover in community at All Saints’.

Thinking about serving on Vestry?  We have a one-year position open on the Vestry.  If you are interested in joining the Vestry, please speak with a vestry member, warden (Jackie Sullivan or Tom Day), or the curate.

 

Acolytes Needed: All 8th graders and high schoolers who are not currently acolyting during the 10:00 a.m. service are invited to join this important worship ministry.  Our current group of faithful acolytes would really appreciate adding more youth to their ranks.  Please speak with Deacon Beth or Janice Lettieri to volunteer and schedule training.

 

Confirmation, Spring 2012 – Confirmation is“a public affirmation of [your] faith and commitment to the responsibilities of [your] Baptism,” which includes “the laying on of hands by the bishop” (BCP, p. 412).  All Saints’ 9th and 10th graders are invited to participate in a Confirmation Class with our rector, Vicki, this coming spring.  The bishop expects that confirmands are involved in formation in the year prior to confirmation, which we are doing through J2A service projects, bible studies, and fun activities.  The diocese requires that we submit names and numbers of confirmands by Dec. 1.  Please let Beth know if your high schooler is considering Confirmation, we can adjust the number in the spring downward but not upward.  A retreat for high school confirmands is scheduled for March 30-31.  Confirmation will be held Sunday, May 6, at 3:00 p.m. at Trinity & St. Philip’s Cathedral in Newark with other parishes from Districts 3 and 7 of the diocese.  If you are an adult who would like to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church, please speak with Beth as well.  An adult inquirers class can also be held in the spring if there is interest.

Please let Deacon Beth know if your high schooler plans on coming to NIGHTWATCH. (We have space reserved and if we are fewer in number we can extend an invitation to another parish to join us.)  On Friday, Dec. 2, our high school members are invited to NIGHTWATCH, an overnight retreat at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.  The retreat "includes a time for meeting and mixing [with other youth], a program highlighting a ministry of the Cathedral and exploration of its space, a candlelight meditation and Eucharist and a tour that traces both the story of the Cathedral and Christian tradition as it is embodied in the building."  The cost is $48 per person plus money for dinner on Friday night before we arrive.  High schoolers, please mark your calendars for this experience.  Contact Deacon Beth to learn more.

 

Women’s Book Group will meet Thursday, Nov. 17, at Jean Kimak’s house (please note the change in date).  Join us for a discussion of The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent.

Kittens:  Parishioner and choir member Lory Anello has three lovely domesticated kittens in search of homes.  They’ve received almost all their booster shots and are in good health.  If you have a home to share with a kitten, please contact Lory at 908-687-5121 or LoryJulia@gmail.com. 

Knitters wanted!  We need more knitters to make scarves and hats for Seamen’s Church Institute.  Janet Mansfield has yarn and patterns for those who can knit; or if you’d like to learn, we’d be happy to teach you!

Pledges – Without your timely payment on your pledge to All Saints’ we cannot pay the bills that help us carry out the ministry and mission of the parish.  Statements will go out in early October, but if you think you are behind, please get ahead!  You can mail in your envelope or drop it by the office during the week.  Electronic Fund Transfer is available for your convenience and ours.  Just ask Molly Faerber, our bookkeeper, for a form to have your pledge automatically withdrawn from your account. We appreciate your support which keeps All Saints’ running all year long!  If you cannot fulfill your pledge this year or need to adjust it, please speak with Deacon Beth. 

Have an extra refrigerator?  The church is looking for two full size refrigerators to replace those in the lower level of the Parish House and the Rath House kitchen.  If you know anyone renovating their kitchen, find out if they’d be willing to donate their old fridge to the church.  A mid-size fridge is needed to replace the one in the top floor of the Parish House as well.

Food for Friends– Please continue bringing non-perishable food items to church.  They can always use canned fruit & vegetables, tuna, cereal, juice boxes, peanut butter, dried fruit, rice, pasta, canned beans.  Thank you!

Sunday Altar Flowersare offered to the glory of God and in memory of loved ones who have died, or in thanksgiving for events or milestones.  These people and events are remembered in the Sunday prayers.  After worship the flowers are delivered to the sick or homebound.  The altar  flowers cost $48.  Sign up on the flower chart on the hall door then make sure to send your check to the parish office a week before your Sunday.  Two dedications can be made in the same week. Questions? Speak to Janet Mansfield.

In faith, 
Beth


Building a joyful community of faith in Christ through worship, learning, praise and service.

All Saints' Church
15 Basking Ridge Road
Millington, New Jersey 07946
allstsmill@hotmail.com
(908) 647-0067

www.allsaintsmillington.org